FAQ Dictionary
What is a Blend?
A blend is much like a cocktail drink, combining different flavors to achieve a unique tasting cup of coffee. Multiple countries, regions, varietals and species of coffee are combined to create a consistent taste month after month. The type and ratio of beans used will typically vary from batch to batch as the blender substitutes for beans that are no longer available..
What is Single Origin coffee?
Think of Single Origin coffee as a blended Scotch Whiskey. It basically means that all the beans are from one country. The subtle nuances of the coffee are rounded out so that no single element sticks out. Most high end coffees you buy today are single origin because imperfections are easier to hide. If you are ready to step up to the next level, after Single Origin, consider Single Estate (read below).
What is a Single Estate coffee?
Think of Single Estate coffee as a Single Malt Whiskey. One farm. One bean species. Never blended. With practice, you can taste every nuance of the the coffee bean, the cherry, even the soil the plant grows in. There is nowhere for the flavor to hide, and only the best of the best can be sold this way because even a single imperfection will affect the cup flavor.
What is the difference between Single Origin and Single Estate?
Single Origin means that the coffee originates from a single country. It is usually not traceable and could contain beans from dozens of sources. Single Estate means that the coffee comes from just one farm.
Is your coffee organic?
Our coffee is grown without the use of pesticides or chemicals. It is Trace360 certified (better than organic), which covers organic farming practices, liveable wage certification (better than fair trade), full traceability, and more.
What is Trace360 certification?
Trace360 certification means that the coffee in every bag is traceable to the exact plot of land it is grown on and that the coffee is grown using organic farming practices, the farmers earn a wage that allows them to improve their livelihoods year after year, no child labor is used, and that the cherries picked from that lot are returned to the soil as natural fertilizer.
What is FarmerFirst certification?
FarmerFirst is not a certification but a philosophy. We put Farmers First, before profits. We eliminate middlemen, making sure the people doing the work share in the profits and get paid what they deserve. A living wage that is higher than what fair trade stipulates, and one that allows them to improve their lives and that of their families for generations to come.
Is your coffee fair trade?
We applaud the fair trade movement for starting the conversation around farmers. It is our opinion though, that fair trade is not fair when it applies to coffee. We believe that Trace360 does a better job at ensuring farmers receive a wage that is not impacted by fluctuations in the coffee commodities market, ensuring that they can provide a great living for their families now, and investing into a promising future for generations to come. So we embrace fair trade, but raise the bar with Trace360. A certification by coffee farmers, exclusively for coffee farmers.