What is Shade-Grown Coffee? A Guide to Its Benefits, Taste, & Finding the Right One

What is Shade-Grown Coffee? A Guide to Its Benefits, Taste, & Finding the Right One

Have you found yourself shopping for coffee beans and a “Bird Friendly” seal on the packaging caught your curiosity? No, it doesn’t mean you can feed them to birds 🙂 It only certifies that the coffee you’re buying is shade-grown instead of being sun-grown. If this prompts you to ask even more questions, worry not….

How is coffee roasted? The complex phases of roasting explained

How is coffee roasted? The complex phases of roasting explained

A raw green coffee bean doesn’t smell or taste anything like what we know as roasted coffee: it smells fresh and grassy. It’s hard to imagine that green beans actually contain around 800 aromatic substances. Sounds like a lot? It is! Wine only has 500 identified aromas, much fewer than coffee. What is coffee roasting,…

The 4 Types of Coffee Roasts Compared (Taste, Aroma, Brewing Differences)

The 4 Types of Coffee Roasts Compared (Taste, Aroma, Brewing Differences)

Did you know that coffee beans acquire their characteristic flavor only after roasting?  Before roasting, coffee beans are green and taste like grass. Only after reaching one of the four types of coffee roasts will they look, smell, and taste like the coffee beans you are used to. Before I explain the difference between coffee…

Panama Carmen Estate Coffee: One of the Finest

Panama Carmen Estate Coffee: One of the Finest

Overview Carmen Estate has been steadily producing high-quality coffee for over 50 years. Carlos Aguilera is the third generation owner of his family’s estate and mill that was established by Efrain and Carmen Franceschi in 1960. Carmen consistently places within the top 5 at specialty cupping competitions each year, earning them a 91 rating on…

What is Rainforest Alliance Coffee and is it worth it?

What is Rainforest Alliance Coffee and is it worth it?

Coffee is an indispensable beverage and millions of people drink it every single day. Yet, drinking delicious coffee does not end there. Like all consumer products, coffee cultivation and processing takes a toll on our planet. So when you’re choosing which coffee to drink, it’s important to choose one that does the least amount of…

Brazilian Coffee: Everything You Need to Know

Brazilian Coffee: Everything You Need to Know

Are you familiar with “Brazilian coffee”? Have you experienced what Brazilian coffee tastes like? Is Brazilian coffee stronger than coffee from different regions? What makes Brazil the “king” of coffee exports?  Let’s get to know more about Brazilian coffee that made Americans and other coffee-loving nations fall in love with it. We’ve tried to include…

Mexican Coffee: A Taste of Culture, Heritage, and Climate

Mexican Coffee: A Taste of Culture, Heritage, and Climate

Mexican Coffee is important for American consumers for a variety of reasons: Half a million farmers are currently producing delicious coffee, it’s a relatively close growing region, 60% of organic coffee comes from Mexico, and trade programs help control price volatility to protect vulnerable farmers and their communities. When I first visited Mexico I was…