What is farm coffee and why you should try it
The origin of coffee is a crucial element when assessing its flavor.
When we talk about farm coffee, we mean that we know not only the country of origin of that coffee, but also the specific farm where it was grown.
Each coffee bean reflects the way it was grown, the properties of the soil, or the climatic characteristics of the exact place where it was planted, harvested, and processed.
Each grain, in short, has its own little story to tell.
Farm coffee allows us to precisely understand that story and, above all, offer a product with a rich organoleptic profile and exceptional quality.
Marcial Olivera, specialty coffee producer in the Nuevo Trujillo region of Peru.
Farm coffee vs. single origin coffee
Origin coffee can refer to any coffee that comes from a producer, a crop, a region, a country, or all of these. It is not specific and is therefore a very broad concept.
For example, you go to the supermarket and find a coffee from Brazil. The label simply specifies that this coffee comes from a country that accounts for more than 30% of global production.
These crops are distributed in regions that have nothing in common with each other, neither in climate, nor in soil, nor in the harvesting process. Therefore, their fruits will not have homogeneous characteristics either.
Each farm has its own unique harvesting and processing systems, making each farm coffee unique.
Part of the philosophy of specialty coffee is to create organoleptic profiles that reflect the characteristics of each particular coffee.
This should be done from the moment the coffee tree is planted until the coffee is roasted or prepared.
All the elements that influence the growth and ripening of coffee cherries are important for this.
The place of origin, the terrain, the climate, the care of the plants, the time of harvest, and the method of processing will all influence the sensory range of each coffee.
Storage before distribution
That's why it's important to separate the coffees into small batches depending on all of the factors mentioned above.
Estate coffee means that these small batches have been created with these characteristics in mind. This, in turn, will influence the way it is roasted and prepared.
Buying coffee based on its origin is similar to buying a 'wine from Spain,' without considering the different designations of origin and inherent characteristics of each region.
On the other hand, buying a farm coffee means that attention has been paid to all the factors that make a coffee special and unique.
The advantages of farm coffee
With farm coffee, we go a step further than with the designation of origin.
We're not just talking about a geographical space, but rather a way of understanding the coffee-growing process, closely related to the local farmer, the terroir, the botanical varieties, and the processing formulas.
The fruits harvested on a single farm guarantee a harmony in all the characteristics that make coffee a unique product in its sensory profile: its body, its aroma, its acidity.
Each batch, even within the same farm, will have unique characteristics, whether due to the botanical variety, harvest time, or processing.
Bourbon coffee tree at the Palo Blanco farm, Guatemala.
Farm coffee is, therefore, a rigorous way of ensuring that we obtain exceptional specialty coffee.
Some of the advantages of a farm coffee over a commercial coffee or one whose country of origin is unknown are:
- Traceability
- Environmentally sustainable
- Fair payment to producers
- Greater organoleptic range
- Fresh and seasonal coffee
- Natural roasting with a profile unique to each coffee
Panoramic view of Huehuetenango, Guatemala
Traceability of Finca coffee
Farm coffee tells us exactly where it comes from. It informs us of its traceability.
Traceability is one of the most important values of specialty coffee. Through it, we can know who grew the coffee and how. We can know who exported it and who roasted it.
All of this is very important to be able to provide fair treatment and decent payment to all those involved in the production chain, especially coffee growers, who are usually the most affected by commercial coffee.
And this is essential if we want to establish a sensory and emotional relationship with the product.
Traceability tells us who has grown that coffee and how
For example, our Guatemalan coffee comes from the Palo Blanco farm , located in a valley between La Democracia and San Antonio Huista, in the province of Huehuetenango and is grown and processed by Petrona Pérez and her family.
This allows us to know how many farmers work the land, which coffee expert supervises them, what season the land is grown and processed, what specific lot we have in our hands, its botanical variety, and the sustainability programs it participates in.
We delve into the history and impact of the coffee we are tasting.
The qualities of a farm coffee
Each coffee has a distinct taste profile. Some have floral nuances, others caramel, fruity, spicy... If we mix beans/lots with different nuances, we are limiting that sensorial richness.
Farm coffee, on the other hand, preserves and enhances the distinctive flavors of that coffee, as we are narrowing down the farm that grows and processes the coffee and offering different batches, whether by botanical variety and/or different processes, creating a unique experience.
Farm coffee preserves and highlights the distinctive flavors of that coffee
Finally, farm-grown coffee allows us to establish a relationship of trust with the people involved in all stages of production, from planting to roasting, whose work is vital to the chain.
At Ineffable Coffee, we are guided by a philosophy of absolute transparency and a passion for coffee that we share with everyone involved in the process.
How to recognize a farm coffee
In a farm coffee, the information regarding this will be on the coffee package.
The information we should look for is the farm where it was grown, the altitude, the botanical variety, the type of processing, the region, the country, and the harvest.
Any roaster who works with this type of coffee will want to reflect all this information on their packages.
Not only does it provide very important information for the consumer, but it is also a way to honor everyone involved in the production chain.
Why switch to farm coffee?
For the pleasure of drinking and experiencing top-quality, ethical coffee that works fairly with farmers and the environment, is fresh, and seasonal.
Farm-grown coffee crystallizes the meticulous work of the farmer, the exclusive qualities of the land, the care taken in the harvesting and processing process, the knowledge gained from roasting experience at Ineffable Coffee, and the barista's know-how... or your own.
The pleasure of drinking and experiencing top-quality coffee
Now that you know all about it, you can visit our online specialty coffee shop . It's a great time to choose your favorite farm coffee.
