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A Simplified Description of Roasts

LIGHT OR FULL CITY ROAST  At this level of roasting we can best distinguish the regional characteristics of each coffee. A light or full city roast is achieved when the natural sugars have caramelized. The beans have a rich brown color.

MEDIUM OR VIENNA ROAST   At this point the natural sugars in the bean have just begun to burn. They are at the edge of darkness. The oils in the beans are just beginning to surface and the beans are a darker brown.

DARK OR FRENCH ROAST  Once the natural sugars are burning, we have a French roast. The coffee oils have come to the surface and the beans are dark brown. With this roast the character of the burning sugars are balanced with the regional characteristics.

ESPRESSO OR ITALIAN ROAST  We've burnt the sugars here! We have a very dark brown oily bean. The burnt flavor is predominant over the regional character. Note that burnt does not mean strong. "Strength" in coffee properly refers to the proportion of coffee to water. "Strength" does not describe the flavor of the bean. "Strength" can also be affected by the method of brewing, as well as the temperature of the water.


"REAL GOOD COFFEE"

Basically there are two important varieties, The Robusta species and the Arabica species. The Arabica are more difficult to grow, generally at higher altitudes. They contain less caffeine (1.1-1.7% compared to 2-4.5% in Robusta beans) and less chlorogenic acid (which can cause digestive problems). "Grocery blends" are generally mostly Robusta, which is less expensive, while all of our coffees are Arabica.

The roasting process also separates good from poor quality coffee. Large corporations roast coffee at high temperatures in large batches (500-1,000 lbs at a time). Quality roasting goes slowly, in small, 10-30 lbs batches. In quality coffee the flavor is retained and a little goes a very long way.

Commercial coffee is usually traded 4-6 times before it is roasted. One does not need to be an economist to realize that the small coffee growers can hardly cover their costs as a result. We operate in a different way, according to the principles of "fair trade". Our coffee is purchased as directly as possible from small farmers' cooperatives and we pay a higher-than-usual price to the farmers. They in turn provide us their highest quality coffee, picked and sorted carefully, using chemical free methods.

Coffee is special in that it has more than simple flavor; it has aroma. This aroma is released from the coffee bean when the coffee is ground. Freshly ground coffee releases 50% of its aroma into the air within 24 hours unless it is kept tightly sealed (vacuum packed). When coffee is brewed this aroma is bound by the natural oils present in the coffee. Different brewing methods allow more or less of these flavorful oils to reach the cup. The quality of the water is also a factor in brewing good coffee.

All coffee is vacuum sealed for freshness and is estimated to remain fresh for 6-12 months or until opened. Coffee is best stored in a dry, cool or cold, air tight location, such as a foil bag or jar in frig or freezer.

All coffees and teas are "animal-free", and certified organic except the Tanzanian and Ethiopian coffees, and the loose Orange Pekoe Tea from Sri Lanka. Since January, 1998 we have been packaging our own coffees as part of our employment training program in Fort Wayne, Indiana. This adds value for our member-customers and provides an additional way we address the injustice in the world trade system by acknowledging unemployment and the need for training within the United States.

All stock coffees are listed by roast. We can have the various coffees roasted by special request with a minimum order of 10 lbs. We can also pack in 8 oz. bags. In addition you may also specify the grind of the coffee (coarse, regular perk, electric perk, automatic drip, fine (melitta-style cones), espresso or turkish grind). Any request for ground without a type will be provided automatic drip. Besides the 5# and 8 oz. bags we also can provide one pot size bags (2 oz.) for gift baskets or office use with 2-3 weeks notice.

When we first began selling Nicaraguan coffee in 1983 we waited 5-6 weeks from the time of order until it arrived by ship from Holland. We now order the green coffee from the various co-ops once per year and have it shipped to the U.S. where it is stored until we are ready to roast. We now can receive an order on Friday or Saturday, have coffee roasted on Monday and vacuum packed, ground and shipped out by Tuesday, and to many locations in the U.S. within the week. There may be slight delays at the end of the coffee season when we are waiting for our "ships to come in" (March) or during the busy holiday season (December). In those cases we can often expedite your order if you list a second choice of coffee as we are not likely to be entirely out of all kinds of coffee.

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