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| About Gourmet Coffee |
About Gourmet Coffee
Coffee is grown in high elevation, tropical countries such as Mexico, Indonesia, Kenya, Colombia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Guatemala, Panama, and even Vietnam. Due to its colder climate, coffee cannot be grown in the United States, except in Hawaii where delicious Kona and Kauai coffees are grown.
There are two basic types of coffee trees: Arabicas and Robustas. Robustas are hardy, high-yielding trees that grow at lower elevations in the tropics. They yield low-quality coffee with a harsh astringent taste, so Robustas are generally blended with other coffees to mask their poor flavor. Most gourmet coffee roasters will not buy Robustas – instead most Robustas are made into instant, freeze-dried coffee.
Arabicas, however, are delicate trees that yield top-quality coffee. They are grown in high elevations, usually above 3,000 feet, in partly cloudy or shady climates, where the coffee cherry develops slowly. The ripe, red cherry of Arabica trees are harvested by hand, so only the ripest, highest quality beans are processed. Indeed, since coffee trees have cherries that are in various stages of development, this is the only way to insure consistency and quality. We only roast Arabica beans grown above 4,000 feet.
After harvesting, the coffee beans (actually the seeds of the cherry) are processed to remove them from the cherries through a water washing process or in some places, by simply drying them in the sun. They are then sorted both by machine and by hand. This sorting process removed imperfections, and separates the beans into grades. For example, in Colombia, the top 3 grades are Supremo, Excelso, and Milds.
Unroasted but processed coffee is called “green coffee,” and it is in this form that the coffee is exported from the origin countries in 60 or 70 pound burlap bags. Green coffee beans can be stored for about a year before losing the top end flavors.
Roasting coffee to the perfect roast and balance is a craft that takes years of practice to master. Here at the Rogers Family Company, we have 25 years of experience roasting coffee, and our coffees are consistently delicious.Only when the coffee is roasted, its lifespan will decrease especially when exposed to air. Because coffee loses its quality and freshness after roasting, roasters must take care to package the coffee as quickly as possible. All of our coffees are bagged into vacuum packed sealed packages just hours after roasting. Fresh roasted coffee continues to gas off after being packaged, hence all of our bags have a one-way valve that lets the carbon dioxide out, but keep oxygen from getting in.
For more information on our company, our quality gourmet coffee, visit our corporate website, www.rogersfamilyco.com.
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