If you’re just starting off on an adventure with coffee, you’ve probably come across the term “Single Origin” and wondered what it means. We’re here to break this down for you today.
What is it?
Single origin coffee is coffee that is grown in the same country, region, estate or cooperative. It cans sometimes be traceable to the specific area on a particular coffee farm.
Why is it so coveted?
Single origins are loved in the coffee community globally. For many coffee aficionados, the ability to trace coffee to its origin matters a lot. It has a great reputation as the region will speak about the quality and profile of coffee too. These beans are generally harvested during particular seasons, and are cultivated and roasted in small quantities. The farmers are generally more engaged in the sorting process too, increasing the overall quality of the bean.
What does it taste like?
You can trust that each single origin tastes unique and has it’s own flavour profile. These can be affected from the crop altitudes, seasons and production processes too. For example, two single origin coffees from the same country or region could taste different. While standards are in place to ensure uniformity and quality, each coffee tells an original story.
Is it better than a blend?
Unfortunately, there is no right or wrong answer for this.
It all comes down to taste, preferences and your brewing methods. Single origins are very uniform in taste, which makes it good for black coffee. Blends bring a melody of flavours to your cup which makes them good for milk-based drinks. It doesn’t make any good or bad, just different.
Why is it more expensive?
Single origin coffee is generally more expensive than blends for a few reasons. This is because these are not as readily available as blends in the market. Single origin coffee can also offer extremely unique flavour profiles based on the growing regions. No two single blends will taste the same! It’s an interesting perspective to explore coffee from, and are rarer.
Are they brewed differently?
While this would also largely depend on the roast profile, a general tip would be to use the pour-over method. It’s a slow paced, manual process which brings out the varying components of the beans beautifully.
How can you tell if it’s single origin?
Check the label! More often than not, it should have all the details you are looking for. Some coffee bags also include other details like the name of the farm/estate and the specific lot number where the coffee was grown.
