COFFEE
|
A tropical evergreen
shrub whose beanlike seeds are roasted and ground to produce a drink of
the same name. Coffee grows best on frost-free hillsides with moderate
rainfall. The world's largest producers are Brazil, Colombia, and the
Ivory Coast.
In general, coffee is grown in an area ranging from 25 North of the
equator to 25 South in a belt that runs around the world. The only
coffee grown commercially in the United States comes from Hawaii and is
called "KONA" coffee.
There are two principal species of commercial coffee
- Aribica
- Robusta
The two primary commercially grown species of coffee are:
Robusta thrives in low lying, moist
river deltas which are much easier to farm than the highlands required
for Arabica coffees. Robusta flowers up to four times per year,
producing about four pounds of coffee per plant. High yield combined
with low farming cost make Robusta a favorite with large commercial
coffee companies which are more concerned about cost than taste. While
Robusta beans are less expensive than Arabica, they tend to be harshly
acidic and woody in flavor. Under natural conditions, coffee trees grow
to about 15 to 30 feet at maturity but normally they are pruned to a
smaller height to permit easier picking. Growing conditions such as
soil, temperature, altitude and rainfall vary considerably. Each of
these has an important effect on beverage quality.
In commercial use there are about 50 varieties of coffee
- Brazils : Santos, Paranas, Bahias, Pernambucous, etc.
- Milds : Clolmbians (Medellins, Manizales, or by other names
reprsenting the area in which they grow), Mexicans, Salvadors,
Guatemalas, etc.
- Robustas : Congos or Ivory Coasts, Ambriz, Encoge, etc.
How Coffee Is Traded
Coffee is mainly traded on the New York and London futures (terminal)
markets, which exert a strong influence on world coffee prices. These
prices are notoriously volatile - they vary daily, hourly and even by
the second, depending on factors such as the size of coffee stocks
worldwide, the weather forecast, insecure political conditions and
speculation on the futures markets. 90% of the world coffee trade is in
green (unroasted) coffee beans.
The main traders of green coffee worldwide are:
- The Neumann Gruppe GMGH
- Volcafe
- Cargill
- E.D. & F. Man
|
The four leading manufacturers
who dominate the world coffee market are:
- Nestle
- Procter
- Gamble
- Kraft
- Sara Lee
|
Green coffee purchasing is done through three channels:
- "Spot" is coffee actually landed in port and stored
in a warehouse.
- "Shipment" is actual coffee which will be shipped
at a specific time.
- "Futures" are contracts bought and sold through
the New York Coffee and Sugar Exchange. Actual coffee is rarely
delivered against these contracts. "Futures" are
mainly used for hedging to protect price position.
|
When the green coffee is sold in this country it goes through one of
its most interesting phases. First, the beans are graded according to
the number of imperfections, from No. 2 down to No. 8. In theory, No. 1
would be coffee completely free from imperfections. This is so rare that
it is not used.
The rating scale for a 300 gram sample is
- No. 2 - 6 black beans
- No. 3 - 13 black beans
- No. 4 - 29 black beans
- No. 5 - 60 black beans
- No. 6 - 115 black beans
- No. 7 and No. 8 are much greater than 115 black beans and are
graded by comparison with standard types.
Other imperfections, such as
shells, stones, sticks, etc., are evaluated by a scale comparing them to
black beans. For example:
- 3 shells equal 1 black bean
- 5 broken beans equal 1 black bean
- 2 small stones equal 1 black bean
Some blends of coffee:
- Smoky Mountain Blend : Very smooth tasting coffee for those lazy
afternoons.
- Morning Blend : A brisk blend for a needed pick-me-up in the
morning.
- Sumatra : Least acidic coffee on the market - great for anybody
wanting to protect their sensitive stomach.
- Kenya AA Limited : Limited world supply. Leading choice of the
coffee cognoscente. Snappy brisk flavor with rich and elegant
smoothness in the cup.
- Seville Orange : This deliciously flavored coffee is based on
the Colombian Supremo bean, pure orange extract and orange zest. The
latter ones having been added just after roasting, while the beans
are still warm. Great for an afternoon break - or any time!
- Creme de Noisette : Hazelnut flavoring, added to the finest
Colombian coffee beans right after the roasting process, produces
this savory blend. It is, by far, our most popular flavored coffee.
- Blue Ridge Blend : Smooth blend of coffee reminiscent of a Blue
Ridge Holiday with a good bite to start any day with gusto!
- Costa Rica : Delectably full bodied, winey coffee, lightly
acidic, a rich and luxurious discovery.
- Mocha Java : Mocha Harrar contributes winey flavor. Java
provides full body and aroma. Together, a velvety smooth, full
flavored cup.
- Tip of the Andes : Grown in the highest altitudes of the Andes,
extremely rich with flavor, mellowness and aroma.
- Colombia Supremo : Beans labeled supremo are all of the largest
size, uniform and without imperfections. Hand sorted, superb flavor.
- Italian Espresso : A deep, dark roast coffee, very full bodies.
Perfect any time.
- Ethiopian Mocha Harrar : Winey and piquant flavor. Excellent
choice for the stronger partner in a blend.
- French Roast : Darker than Viennese, but lighter than Italian
Roast. Somewhat strong heavy brew with a pleasant spiciness.
- Viennese Colombian : Slightly dark, makes a strong full-bodied
cup with spiciness.
- Copenhagen : Rare, rich flavor, nicely mellow. Especially
enjoyable as an after dinner treat.
- Guatemalan : Distinctively aromatic lively and tangy, with
pleasant acidity. Widely considered to be the perfectly balanced
coffee.
- Swiss Chocolate Almond : Choice Colombian beans flavored with
selected chocolate extract while still warm from roasting. Enhanced
with slivered almonds
- Irish Cream : Flavored with the savory pure extract of Irish
Cream while still warm from roasting. A creamy and flavorful treat.
- Brazil Bourbon Santos : Named for the French colony where the
ancestors of the Brazilian bean once grew. The premium Brazil
coffee.
- Southern Pecan : The finest 100% Colombian coffee blended with
luscious southern pecans and the purest flavoring
- Raspberry Almond : While still warm, the choice Colombian beans
are flavored with selected raspberry extract and accented with
slivered almonds.
Classes of coffee in futures
The quality of coffee also affects the premium or discount paid for a
coffee. There are five classes of coffee:
- Class 1. Specialty Coffee - 0-5 defects.
- Class 2. Premium Grade - 6-8 defects.
- Class 3. Exchange Grade - 9-23 defects. This is the grade traded
on the NYCE. Class 1 and 2 demand premiums to this price, whereas
Class 4 and 5 coffees demand discounts.
- Class 4. Below Standard Grade - 24-86 defects.
- Class 5. Off Grade - More than 86 defects.
The producing country also determines the differential paid.
Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, New Guinea,
Nicaragua, Panama, Tanzania, and Uganda are at par (basis).
Colombia has a differential of plus 200 points (2 cents/lb).
Honduras and Venezuela have differentials of minus 100 points.
Burundi, India, and Rwanda deliver at discounts of 300 points
Dominican Republic, Ecuador, and Peru deliver at minus 400 points
History of coffee
According to one story, the effect of coffee beans on behavior was
noticed by a sheep herder from Caffa Ethopia named Kaldi as he tended
his sheep. He noticed that the sheep became hyperactive after eating the
red "cherries" from a certain plant when they changed
pastures. He tried a few himself, and was soon as overactive as his
herd. The story relates that a monk happened by and scolded him for "partaking
of the devil's fruit." However the monks soon discovered that this
fruit from the shiny green plant could help them stay awake for their
prayers.
Another legend gives us the name for coffee or "mocha." An
Arabian was banished to the desert with his followers to die of
starvation. In desperation, Omar had his friends boil and eat the fruit
from an unknown plant. Not only did the broth save the exiles, but their
survival was taken as a religious sign by the residents of the nearest
town, Mocha. The plant and its beverage were named Mocha to honor this
event.
Originally the coffee plant grew naturally in Ethopia, but once
transplanted in Arabia was monopolized by them. One early use for coffee
would have little appeal today. The Galla tribe from Ethiopia used
coffee, but not as a drink. They would wrap the beans in animal fat as
their only source of nutrition while on raiding parties. The Turks were
the first country to adopt it as a drink, often adding spices such as
clove, cinnamon, cardamom and anise to the brew. |
