How Is Kona Coffee Different?

It could be the dependable cloud cover that rolls in each afternoon, protecting the delicate coffee trees from the glaring afternoon sun. It might be the dark rich volcanic soil, which contains a perfect blend of acidity and minerals, and retains just the right amount of water. But there is something different about the Kona coffee cherries produced here that has earned this coffee a worldwide reputation for excellence. Like much of Hawaii, Kona offers ideal climate conditions for growing coffee.

Peaberry is unusual because each coffee cherry contains only one bean, while all other types of Kona contain two beans per cherry. The rarest of Kona Coffee beans is Peaberry, making up only four to five percent of the entire Kona crop each year. Maybe it is simply the fact that 100% Pure Kona Coffee is rare and sometimes hard to find. The difference could also lie in the care with which Kona coffee is handpicked, ensuring that only the highest quality berries are harvested for coffee production.

why the coffee market itself is a very competitive sector

Since coffee is by far the most popular drinks of our times, without any known rival so far, it goes without saying that the coffee market itself is a very competitive sector. With the huge number of coffee brands, companies have to come up not with just good prices, but with quality guarantees to prove that their coffee is well-flavored and tasty. Statistics show that there is only one commerce domain more active than coffee market and it is that of oil; consequently one can hardly imagine the extent of the transactions and the number of figures for the profits that result from the coffee market.

From time to time, crisis periods appear on the coffee market, related to poor bean quality, the creation of stocks or oversupplies, not to mention the very low coffee prices. All these elements threaten to affect the lives of those who depend on coffee cultivation for a living, the coffee farmers or producers. Furthermore, pollution has a heavy word to say in the evolution of the coffee-growing areas where entire ecosystems could be endangered; while the coffee consumer is actually unaware of the strive that is going on behind the morning coffee he or she prepares.

In global economy, the coffee market is among the fewest domains where small producers dominate trade commodities; statistics show that more than 75% of the world's coffee production comes from little farms that are entirely independent in terms of harvesting and supplying. Every time, coffee prices drop, there are farmers who come to abandon their coffee fields, moving to different sectors of activity. Such changes on the coffee market leads to instability within many communities as well as to shifts in the evolution of national economies since a part of the investments in the sector are lost.

Though the demand on the coffee market usually remains stable, there are times when fluctuations occur here as well. However, even during the times when the coffee prices drop, there is no relevant price reduction for the coffee products on the market due to the same little fluctuation in the demand. If people need just as much coffee as before, why would anyone try to make it cheaper: businesses profit from this constancy in the field and have profit changes unaffected by such fluctuations. Such transactions profitable only for some parts of the trading process are not suspected by the small farmers who have no idea about the coffee price in London or Sydney.

jamaican blue mountain coffeean introduction to one of the best coffees in the world

This aromatic and flavorful coffee has to be experienced to be believed. Widely considered to be one of the worlds best, if not the best, coffees, Jamaican Blue Mountain is a rich, smooth roast. The Beginning of Jamaica's Coffee Trade More than 600 coffee plantations had been established by the early nineteenth century. Less than ten years later, coffee exportation had already begun. Once this coffee plant arrived on Jamaican soil, a coffee crop was quickly established thanks to soil rich in nitrogen, potash, and phosphorous. Just one of the three plants survived, and this particular coffee plant was given to Sir Nicholas Lawes, a former Jamaican Governor, approximately five years later. According to one legend, King Louis XV of France sent three coffee plants to French colony Martinique around 1723. The history of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is just as rich and interesting as the coffee itself. It is believed that all of the coffee plants grown in Jamaica today are descendents of that single plant, of the Arabica typica variety, that arrived in Jamaica from France, via the island of Martinique. The Blue Mountains Factor-why does that Coffee Taste so Good? The fantastic Blue Mountain taste is achieved by a combination of three different factors: altitude, a special kind of rich, nutrient-laden soil called volcanic soil, and the treatment processes undergone by the beans once they are harvested. The hub of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee production is, of course, Jamaica's Blue Mountains, a magnificent mountain range that rises more than seven thousand feet above sea level. The high altitude, dense cloud cover, and low annual rainfall of the region all serve to slow down the maturation rate of the coffee crop. In this region, crops take up to ten months to mature, whereas in most other parts of the world, the average time taken is five to six months. The longer maturation time produces beans that are larger and have a more concentrated and complex flavor. Like every other mountain in the islands of the Caribbean, Jamaica's Blue Mountains are the peaks of extinct volcanoes. Throughout centuries of eruptions, the soil created on the peaks of the Blue Mountains has become extremely nutrient-rich due to the decomposition of plant life, and the deposition of accumulated biomass. This extraordinarily rich soil is an important ingredient in producing the exceptional quality coffee beans that go into every cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. This is not the entire story, however. There is one more important factor, without which Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee would not be as highly-regarded as it is today. The production and distribution of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is rigorously regulated and protected by the Jamaican government to ensure that every bean roasted and every cup brewed is of the highest quality. For example, only coffee grown at an altitude of between 3,000 and 5,500 feet is allowed to bear the name Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. If the coffee plants are grown between 1,500 and 3,000 feet, the coffee is known as Jamaica High Mountain Coffee, and plants grown below 1,500 feet are Jamaica Low Mountain or Jamaica Supreme Coffee. These regulations ensure that all Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is grown at the special altitude that delays maturation of the coffee plants and produces that complex and rich flavored coffee. In addition, there are geographical requirements as well as elevation requirements, in that to bear the Jamaican Blue Mountain, the coffee plants must be grown in one of only four parishes in the region. Another unique aspect of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is that pulped and washed coffee beans are allowed to age for a full six weeks, which is a particularly unusual part of the preparation process. Finally, before export of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is allowed, it is checked for appearance and taste, to ensure that every single batch of coffee is of the highest quality. How to Best Enjoy Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

Once you have made the effort to purchase one of the very best coffees in the world, it would be almost criminal if you did not ensure that your coffee is properly stored and brewed!

Storing your coffee properly requires that it be sealed in an airtight container, away from any foods with strong odors or flavors, such as curry powder and other spices. Refrigeration in an airtight container is the ideal way to store ground beans.

Additionally, give the pot a rinse with hot water before making a fresh batch of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, and enjoy. Simply empty the pot, brush and rinse thoroughly with hot water. Never use detergent or other cleaners in your coffee pot, this can affect the taste. You can keep your coffee tasting great by cleaning your coffee pot immediately following each use.

This aromatic and flavorful coffee has to be experienced to be believed. Widely considered to be one of the worlds best, if not the best, coffees, Jamaican Blue Mountain is a rich, smooth roast.The Beginning of Jamaica's Coffee TradeMore than 600 coffee plantations had been established by the early nineteenth century. Less than ten years later, coffee exportation had already begun. Once this coffee plant arrived on Jamaican soil, a coffee crop was quickly established thanks to soil rich in nitrogen, potash, and phosphorous. Just one of the three plants survived, and this particular coffee plant was given to Sir Nicholas Lawes, a former Jamaican Governor, approximately five years later. According to one legend, King Louis XV of France sent three coffee plants to French colony Martinique around 1723. The history of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is just as rich and interesting as the coffee itself.It is believed that all of the coffee plants grown in Jamaica today are descendents of that single plant, of the Arabica typica variety, that arrived in Jamaica from France, via the island of Martinique. The Blue Mountains Factor-why does that Coffee Taste so Good? How to Best Enjoy Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee





Additionally, give the pot a rinse with hot water before making a fresh batch of Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee, and enjoy. Simply empty the pot, brush and rinse thoroughly with hot water. Never use detergent or other cleaners in your coffee pot, this can affect the taste. You can keep your coffee tasting great by cleaning your coffee pot immediately following each use.

coffee facts fair trade coffee

In the case of Fair Trade coffee, it is the coffee farmers who get a boost from the agreement. The Fair Trade agreement, whether it is for a crafted item or for a harvest. This monitor makes sure the Fair Trade agreement is adhered to, supporting the small farmers growing coffee around the world. Fair Trade coffee is the first commodity to be set up with an independent monitor. This is very important, as coffee production is very labor intensive work for all concerned. The system ensures that the coffee was produced under fair labor conditions for the workers. Fair Trade certified coffee is the first product to use this independent monitoring system. Fair Trade payments are invested in education, health care, economic independence and environmental care. The farmers receive a living wage (they are guaranteed a minimum of $1.26/pound no matter what the market is paying); credit at a fair price; and long lasting relationships with the buyers. The Fair Trade coffee farmers are grouped into cooperatives around the world. As more consumers learn of this trend, they are jumping on the bandwagon to purchase more Fair Trade products. Are the workers treated well and paid sufficiently for their time? Is the product good for the earth? More and more people around the world are caring about how their products are produced. Why is Fair Trade Certified Coffee so important? Over 100 companies have signed on to offer Fair Trade coffee. You may recognize some of their names: Starbucks, Peet’s, Equal Exchange, Tully’s, Green Mountain and Diedrich are but a few. These companies represent over 7,000 retail shops around the world. The environment needs the support. Small farmers like the ones represented in the Fair Trade coffee farmers’ cooperatives take the best care of the land. Supporting Fair Trade means you are supporting the environment with your purchasing power. Fair Trade coffee farmers are too poor to clear cut the land or buy chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Their coffee is grown in small plots of mixed crops, and is grown organically. Buying Fair Trade coffee will help farmers and their families all around the world to break out of this cycle and live a better life. The grower then is kept in a cycle of poverty and debt, as the grower is often paid less than it costs him and his family to grow and harvest the coffee. The grower gets only a very small piece of the pie, while the consumer pays a high price at the stores. It rises and falls dramatically on a daily basis. The truth is the price of coffee beans is volatile. You’d think with the popularity of gourmet coffee, they’d be doing just fine. Why can’t the farmers do this by themselves?

The Fair Trade movement is to ensure that small farmers and craftsmen get a fair price for their work… whether it is for coffee, chocolate, or any other number of You may have seen this label on other foods or hand made items at your local store. The Fair Trade agreement, whether it is for coffee, chocolate, or any other number of items, creates a fair partnership between consumers and the producers of item in question. You may have seen this label on other foods or hand made items at your local store. The Fair Trade agreement, whether it is for coffee, chocolate, or any other number of items, creates a fair partnership between consumers and the producers of item in question. You may have seen this label on other foods or hand made items at your local store. The Fair Trade agreement, whether it is for coffee, chocolate, or any other number of items, creates a fair partnership between consumers and the producers of item in question. This monitor makes sure the Fair Trade agreement is adhered to, supporting the small farmers growing coffee around the world. Fair Trade coffee is the first commodity to be set up with an independent monitor.This is very important, as coffee production is very labor intensive work for all concerned. The system ensures that the coffee was produced under fair labor conditions for the workers. Fair Trade certified coffee is the first product to use this independent monitoring system. Fair Trade payments are invested in education, health care, economic independence and environmental care. The farmers receive a living wage (they are guaranteed a minimum of $1.26/pound no matter what the market is paying); credit at a fair price; and long lasting relationships with the buyers. The Fair Trade coffee farmers are grouped into cooperatives around the world.As more consumers learn of this trend, they are jumping on the bandwagon to purchase more Fair Trade products. Are the workers treated well and paid sufficiently for their time? Is the product good for the earth? More and more people around the world are caring about how their products are produced. Why is Fair Trade Certified Coffee so important?Buying Fair Trade coffee will help farmers and their families all around the world to break out of this cycle and live a better life. The grower then is kept in a cycle of poverty and debt, as the grower is often paid less than it costs him and his family to grow and harvest the coffee. The grower gets only a very small piece of the pie, while the consumer pays a high price at the stores. It rises and falls dramatically on a daily basis. The truth is the price of coffee beans is volatile. You’d think with the popularity of gourmet coffee, they’d be doing just fine. Why can’t the farmers do this by themselves?

which type of coffee machine will suit your business

a) Traditional Espresso Machines

These machines incorporate the art and theatricality of coffee making, and therefore good barista training is essential to ensure a detailed knowledge of great coffee production. A barista is an expert at making espresso and a master of a variety of espresso based beverages. Once these skills have been mastered, a good barista can produce hundreds of drinks per day.
Prices can vary from around £800 to £6000, but remember, you get what you pay for, so make sure that the machine you choose is new and fully warranted, including full barista training and a good support service. The great thing about traditional machines is that there are no major moving parts so less to go wrong.

b) Bean to Cup Machines

A bean to cup machine does exactly what it says! The fresh coffee beans are placed inside the machine and on the press of a button the machine automatically grinds the beans and pours both coffee and milk into your cup. The machine automatically heats and froths the milk to produce the perfect latte/cappuccino etc. The milk is usually kept in a fridge or milk chiller next to the machine; a pipe from the machine connects into the fridge and when the drink selection button is pressed the machine draws the milk from the fridge and sucks it into the machine steams, heats it and drops it into the cup.

These various coffee machines are designed to produce anything from 50 cups per day to over 500 per day. The cost of these can vary from under £1000 to well over £10000, so it is important you make the correct choice.

c) Pod System

Similar to traditional, but you would usually only have 1 or 2 group versions and you wouldn’t need a grinder because you would use what are called pods. The advantages are that they are easy to use, producing good quality drink and nice aromas. The time taken to make the coffee is approximately the same as a traditional machine. The disadvantages are that they are more expensive per cup due to packaging cost. Typically a good quality pod will cost 20p per cup to produce. These machines will suit any small site and tend to be cheaper than the other machines, costing around £395 upwards.

d) Filter System and Bulk Brew System

These systems are for simply using filter coffee. A 2 jug filter makes great coffee for about 5 to 7 minutes, however if it’s left to stew for a while, as filter coffee usually is, the quality quickly deteriorates due to constant warming. Typically there can be waste, and so while the cup price is around 10p per cup, with waste, this could work out to be nearer 20p per cup. It can be used if there is a high demand for coffee over a short space of time such as serving 120 wedding guests after the dinner. A filter machine is always a back up to a traditional or bean to cup machine for use at very busy times or in case of a machine breakdown.

Bulk brew systems are large scale filter systems used in locations such as banqueting facilities, hotels and sporting events. There are hundreds of different coffee machine systems available depending on how many litres of coffee need to be served and in what time scale.

coffee machines

february is specialty coffee month

DATELINE: BOSTON; BROOKLINE; JAMAICA PLAIN; NEWTON CENTRE; SOMERVILLE AND WEST ROXBURY, MA… But, what many don’t realize is that they are just as particular about their coffee – where it comes from, how it’s roasted and how it tastes. Licks, the Kosher-certified scoop shop with seven stores in and around Boston, is known for their high quality, homemade (and sometimes outrageously flavored) ice cream. J.P. Licks’ passion for coffee and commitment to coffee growers is highlighted through their limited edition offering of Fair Trade Organic (FTO) Nicaragua coffee, which comes from Promotora de Desarollo Cooperativo de las Segovias (PRODECOOP), based in the Segovia region of Northern Nicaragua and boasting of 40 cooperatives. With February being “Specialty Coffee Monthâ€?, J.P. PRODECOOP was established in 1993 to provide assistance to its members’ families in the sustainable production and the marketing of their coffee. Their revenues from fair trade sales support many social and quality control programs including: primary and secondary school scholarships and books; a revolving social fund that assists with disaster relief, healthcare and homebuilding; an organic production program that has boosted their certified organic coffee production significantly; improved processing equipment and the creation of a quality control center to maintain their high standards. When it comes to Fair Trade coffee, J.P. Licks insists upon several factors before partnering with a grower: fair price; environmental sustainability; fair labor conditions; direct trade; community development and organic cultivation. “Where our coffee comes from and how it is obtained is just as important to us as how our coffee tastes. We take pride in being ‘fair’…fair with our employees, fair with our customers, and fair with the people who grow the coffee we roast,” says the enigmatic founder of J.P. Licks, Vince Petryk. To further ensure high quality and flavor consistency in every cup of coffee, J.P. Licks insists on roasting their beans at their Jamaica Plain store and has been doing so since 1999. FTO Nicaragua is a medium roast coffee…not too dark, not too light, but just right. Customers who enjoy a great cup of J.P. Licks coffee may also purchase their favorite blend of fresh roasted coffee beans. With coffee bean sales accounting for more than 25 percent of their business, J.P. Licks continues to meet considerable consumer demand for the best brewing beans in Boston. J.P. Licks can be found at Coolidge Corner, Davis Square, Mission Hill, Newbury Street, Newton Centre, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. Visit www.jplicks.com to check their store hours. Best of Boston and Beyond For more than 25 years, J.P. Licks has been serving homemade ice cream and other specialties in their seven Kosher-certified shops in and around Boston. Locally owned and operated, J.P. Licks has won many awards over the years for their intensely-flavored homemade ice cream and frozen yogurt. Most recently, J.P. Licks was named “Best of Boston” by Boston Magazine and also made WBZ’s “A-List” for the second year in a row. Known for their high quality, scrumptious treats and their knack for “treating people right”, J.P. Licks was named Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce’s “Small Business of the Year”. In addition to their frozen creations, J.P. Licks has taken it upon themselves to roast their own fair trade and organic coffee beans on-site at their Jamaica Plain store, which ensures the best and the freshest, full-bodied cup of coffee around. Decadent hand-packed ice cream cakes as well as breakfast & ice cream sundae catering are also available. Visit the website at www.jplicks.com for more information.

DATELINE: BOSTON; BROOKLINE; JAMAICA PLAIN; NEWTON CENTRE; SOMERVILLE AND WEST ROXBURY, MA…But, what many don’t realize is that they are just as particular about their coffee – where it comes from, how it’s roasted and how it tastes. Licks, the Kosher-certified scoop shop with seven stores in and around Boston, is known for their high quality, homemade (and sometimes outrageously flavored) ice cream. J.P.Licks’ passion for coffee and commitment to coffee growers is highlighted through their limited edition offering of Fair Trade Organic (FTO) Nicaragua coffee, which comes from Promotora de Desarollo Cooperativo de las Segovias (PRODECOOP), based in the Segovia region of Northern Nicaragua and boasting of 40 cooperatives. With February being “Specialty Coffee Month�, J.P.

a look at the major difference between arabica and robusta coffee plant

Though generally referred to as a coffee tree due to the huge dimensions it can get to, the coffee plant is an evergreen specific to the warm subtropical areas all over the world. Though there are quite many species varieties, there are only two types of coffee plant that global economy exploits on a large scale: they are Arabica and Robusta, the two coffee kinds on which international commerce depends.

Though these two varieties of the coffee plant are used, Arabica leads beyond any trace of a doubt as it is responsible for 75% of the world coffee production, whereas Robusta only gives 20%. This huge difference comes from the coffee plant specificity of each of these subspecies. The beans produced by Robusta coffee plant are inferior in what the quality is concerned due to the higher level of caffeine that also influences taste.

Thus, Robusta coffee is a little bitter than Arabica and darker too; nevertheless, certain communities also depend on this coffee variety for economic survival. To make harvesting pretty easy or comfortable, the height of the coffee plant is kept under control on plantations, and it doesn't get to grow as high as ten meters as it would normally do, if left wild.

Another major difference between Arabica and Robusta coffee plant lies in pollination specificity: Arabica for instance is self fertilizing whereas Robusta depends on cross pollination. The full development of the coffee fruit, the delicious bean we depend on for our morning coffee, takes about thirty to thirty-five weeks after which it's time to harvest. As for the growth period of the coffee plant until it becomes fertile it ranges between four and five years.

For proper development, the coffee plant depends on a pretty high level of rainfall every year; it is sensitive to cold, however, it will not die because of accidentally cooler weather. The dependence on warm temperature makes it impossible to cultivate the coffee plant in Europe or in other similar parts of the world, where a temperate climate provides incompatible environments.

One great surprise came when a naturally decaffeinated type of coffee plant was discovered in Brazil, with a lot better flavor than the no-caffeine coffee brands manufactured at present. Flavor is usually lost because caffeine is extracted with the help of solvents, while if it be completely absent from the chemical composition of the plant, the flavor would remain untouched. Cultivating this type of coffee plant would mean a true revolution in the business, and things are not far from moving in that direction.