Winner of the "Cup of Excellence" award is from Honduras- Las Amaazonas.
I sampled this unique coffee at Square One coffee house in Lancaster, PA.
I requested a Pour-Over, as this is how to separate a GREAT coffee from merely a good coffee.
With an earthy finish, with the slightest hint of OAK, I found this to be delicious. Instead of sugar, I opted for Clover Honey, and just a touch of cream to make the OAK just a little smoother. I can see why Honduras won this award this year. There was just a touch of chocolate in the finish as well. There must be a Cocoa grower within a few miles of the coffee farm. It was grown in a shaded area of rain forest. This means the beans were NOT over dried. They were roasted, here in Lancaster, to a medium, rather than dark. Small batches means each bean is roasted to it's "double pop" perfection. Not overly done, and yet not underdone either.
The supply of Honduras Las Amazonas is extremely limited, so it was an honor to be able to even try a cup. It is worth the trip to 143 North Duke Street, in Lancaster, PA 17602. Come quickly, as this amazingly wonderful coffee will not last long!
Courtesy of your Coffee Reviewer. Have a nice day, and God Bless!
This blog is all about the coffee. It will be filled with my personal opinions of the various coffees that I, personally, have tried. I have my preferences, when it comes to coffee. I prefer dark roasts, and do NOT like decaf much at all. I will be reviewing coffee, latte, cappuccino, and various other varieties of my favorite beverage.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Interesting Information About Coffee
Copied from the web. Using www.theoatmeal.com
A few things about coffee worth knowing about
It all started with Dancing Goats:
Legend has it that Ethiopian shepherds first noticed the effects of caffeine when they saw their goats appearing to be "frisky" and "dance" after eating coffee berries.
Originally, coffee was EATEN.
African tribes mixed coffee berries with fat which formed edible ENERGY!!!
The rise of Islam contributed greatly to the popularity of coffee.
The religion prohibited drinking alcohol, but coffee was considered an acceptable drink.
All coffee in the world grows in the "Bean Belt".
The "Bean Belt" is the area between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
Hawaii is the ONLY state in the United States that grows coffee!
In 1675, the King of England banned coffee houses, claiming they were places where people met to conspire against him.
70% of the world consumes Arabica coffee, which is mild and aromatic.
The remaining 30% drinks Robusta, which is more bitter-tasting BUT has 50% MORE caffeine than the Arabica.
Coffee Grows on trees.
They CAN grow to be up to 30 feet tall, but
are cultivated to be around 10 feet tall for easy-picking.
The bean is ACTUALLY a seed inside a BRIGHT RED BERRY!
Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth.
Oil is the first. Clearly Humanity has a thing for black drippy liquids.
Coffee Berries are Picked, Dried, and Stripped Down until all that is left is a Green Bean.
Once shipped, the beans are roasted at around 500 degrees fahrenheit.
After a few minutes, the bean will "POP" and double in size.
A few more minutes after that, the bean will "POP" once more.
The second pop means the bean is done. The bean is now ready to fulfill its' destiny.
This popping is NOT to be confused with POPCORN! Same principle, but not the same.
George Washington invented Instant Coffee.
No... not THAT George Washington.
A Belgian man, living in Guatemala, by the
name of George Washington invented it in 1906.
Espresso is NOT a particular type of bean, roast, or blend.
Espresso is just a way that coffee is prepared: Shooting pressurized, HOT water through finely ground coffee.
The term "Americano" comes from America's GIs during WWII.
They would order espresso with water, to dilute the strong flavor.
...... Side tidbit: The term "Cup of Joe" comes from American Servicemen (GI Joes) in World War Two being seen as BIG coffee drinkers.
How caffeine works:
.....In your brain there's something called Adenosine and it
only wants to hang out with certain receptors. When these
two get together, you get drowsy.
When Caffeine chows up, it attaches to the receptors
so that Adenosine cannot.
Your pituitary gland see this and things there is an
emergency, and tells the adrenal glands to produce
adrenaline.
This is why coffee does NOT sober someone. Giving
coffee to a drunk leaves you with a wide awake drunk.
In addition, caffeine bumps up your dopamine levels
The result???
A CAFFEINE HIGH!
Source for this information came from Theoatmeal dot com website
Courtesy of your Coffee Reviewer. Have a nice day, and God Bless!
A few things about coffee worth knowing about
It all started with Dancing Goats:
Legend has it that Ethiopian shepherds first noticed the effects of caffeine when they saw their goats appearing to be "frisky" and "dance" after eating coffee berries.
Originally, coffee was EATEN.
African tribes mixed coffee berries with fat which formed edible ENERGY!!!
The rise of Islam contributed greatly to the popularity of coffee.
The religion prohibited drinking alcohol, but coffee was considered an acceptable drink.
All coffee in the world grows in the "Bean Belt".
The "Bean Belt" is the area between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
Hawaii is the ONLY state in the United States that grows coffee!
In 1675, the King of England banned coffee houses, claiming they were places where people met to conspire against him.
70% of the world consumes Arabica coffee, which is mild and aromatic.
The remaining 30% drinks Robusta, which is more bitter-tasting BUT has 50% MORE caffeine than the Arabica.
Coffee Grows on trees.
They CAN grow to be up to 30 feet tall, but
are cultivated to be around 10 feet tall for easy-picking.
The bean is ACTUALLY a seed inside a BRIGHT RED BERRY!
Coffee is the second most traded commodity on earth.
Oil is the first. Clearly Humanity has a thing for black drippy liquids.
Coffee Berries are Picked, Dried, and Stripped Down until all that is left is a Green Bean.
Once shipped, the beans are roasted at around 500 degrees fahrenheit.
After a few minutes, the bean will "POP" and double in size.
A few more minutes after that, the bean will "POP" once more.
The second pop means the bean is done. The bean is now ready to fulfill its' destiny.
This popping is NOT to be confused with POPCORN! Same principle, but not the same.
George Washington invented Instant Coffee.
No... not THAT George Washington.
A Belgian man, living in Guatemala, by the
name of George Washington invented it in 1906.
Espresso is NOT a particular type of bean, roast, or blend.
Espresso is just a way that coffee is prepared: Shooting pressurized, HOT water through finely ground coffee.
The term "Americano" comes from America's GIs during WWII.
They would order espresso with water, to dilute the strong flavor.
...... Side tidbit: The term "Cup of Joe" comes from American Servicemen (GI Joes) in World War Two being seen as BIG coffee drinkers.
How caffeine works:
.....In your brain there's something called Adenosine and it
only wants to hang out with certain receptors. When these
two get together, you get drowsy.
When Caffeine chows up, it attaches to the receptors
so that Adenosine cannot.
Your pituitary gland see this and things there is an
emergency, and tells the adrenal glands to produce
adrenaline.
This is why coffee does NOT sober someone. Giving
coffee to a drunk leaves you with a wide awake drunk.
In addition, caffeine bumps up your dopamine levels
The result???
A CAFFEINE HIGH!
Source for this information came from Theoatmeal dot com website
Courtesy of your Coffee Reviewer. Have a nice day, and God Bless!
Cup Of Excellence
Winner this year is from Honduras - Las Amazonas
The following is copied from the internet:
The Cup of Excellence is the most esteemed award given out for top coffees. These awards come from a strict competition that selects the very best coffee produced in that country for that particular year. These winning coffees are chosen by a select group of national and international cuppers and are cupped at least five different times during the competition process. Only coffees that continuously score high enough are allowed to move forward in the competition. The final winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence® and sold to the highest bidder during an internet auction.
What makes these coffees so special?
Coffees of this exemplary quality are very rare. These coffees are perfectly ripe, carefully picked with well developed body, pleasant aroma and a lively sweetness that only extremely high quality specialty coffees contain. Each winning coffee has its own flavor signature from the earth where it grows and all have been handcrafted in such a way as to enhance these unique characteristics.
How Many Coffees are awarded The Cup of Excellence®?
The number of coffees given this prestigious award depends entirely on the quality of the entrants. The requirements are so strict that very few coffees from a country are honored in this way.
Who buys these winning coffees?
Coffee connoisseurs worldwide with discerning palates who appreciate the complex flavor and aromatics found in a world class coffee buy and savor these winners. The roaster who buys these coffees cares about providing the highest quality to his customers as well as creating a direct relationship with the winning farmer. The winning coffees are sold at an internet auction to the highest bidder about 5 weeks after the competition winners are announced and samples of the coffees have been sent out. To register click here.
How important is this award to a coffee farmer?
Winning farmers are exhilarated to be acknowledged for their dedication to quality. Not only is the farmer given a prestigious award during a national ceremony but the majority of the record prices at auction go back to the producers who deserve and need it. In addition the farmer is now recognized in the industry as being a quality producer. A winning farm and often the whole region can expect to receive future visits from roasters looking to buy more quality coffee for their companies. The positive impact on the quality of life for a winning farmer and his family is permanent as the auction money will often be spent on farm improvements or family education which can change their economic livelihood for the long term even if they do not win every year.
Who started the Cup of Excellence® competition?
Cup of Excellence was started by a group of dedicated coffee connoisseurs who along with international governmental support and NGOs thought that a competition and auction was an effective way to recognize farmers monetarily for their hard work and effort. It is now known that in addition to this the discovery of unknown and yet phenomenal coffees creates an excitement among roasters and consumers that is unparalleled. As multiple coffee producing countries have joined the program they are sharing beneficial information with each other and the supporting roasters have created a kind of Cup of Excellence family. To learn more about our history click here.
Why is Cup of Excellence® important?
The Cup of Excellence fundamentally changes what we know is possible in an exemplary coffee. For years great coffees have been blended away creating a commodity that while good tends to taste fairly uniform with very little recognition of the individual farmer or of the unique flavor profiles that can be present with different varieties and from different micro climates.
For the roasters and importers who support Cup of Excellence this program has often introduced to their businesses a new demographic of customers who are appreciative of top quality and willing to pay a premium for it. For consumers the Cup of Excellence award label is a guarantee that this is top coffee that has been judged by professional cuppers to be the best. Often these award-winning coffees are so good that consumers expectations of what a coffee can taste like are definitely exceeded. The payment to the coffee farmers for their coffee is more than Fair. There is no other program that is as exciting for the coffee lover, the roasters and especially the farmers whose monetary reward often changes the lives of their entire family and the rural communities where they live.
The Cup of Excellence program builds the bridge between the high quality farmer, the high quality trade and eventually the consumer who finds coffees he truly loves and at the same time knows that the farmer has been well compensated.
Cup of Excellence builds international relationships in many forms. It creates a situation where cooperation is the key to success, where appreciation is the mantra and where friendships and lasting partnerships are built. It is one of the few programs that puts its main focus on individual empowerment, training and education with no consideration of gender or economic status.
Courtesy of your Coffee Reviewer. Have a nice day, and God Bless!
The following is copied from the internet:
The Cup of Excellence is the most esteemed award given out for top coffees. These awards come from a strict competition that selects the very best coffee produced in that country for that particular year. These winning coffees are chosen by a select group of national and international cuppers and are cupped at least five different times during the competition process. Only coffees that continuously score high enough are allowed to move forward in the competition. The final winners are awarded the prestigious Cup of Excellence® and sold to the highest bidder during an internet auction.
What makes these coffees so special?
Coffees of this exemplary quality are very rare. These coffees are perfectly ripe, carefully picked with well developed body, pleasant aroma and a lively sweetness that only extremely high quality specialty coffees contain. Each winning coffee has its own flavor signature from the earth where it grows and all have been handcrafted in such a way as to enhance these unique characteristics.
How Many Coffees are awarded The Cup of Excellence®?
The number of coffees given this prestigious award depends entirely on the quality of the entrants. The requirements are so strict that very few coffees from a country are honored in this way.
Who buys these winning coffees?
Coffee connoisseurs worldwide with discerning palates who appreciate the complex flavor and aromatics found in a world class coffee buy and savor these winners. The roaster who buys these coffees cares about providing the highest quality to his customers as well as creating a direct relationship with the winning farmer. The winning coffees are sold at an internet auction to the highest bidder about 5 weeks after the competition winners are announced and samples of the coffees have been sent out. To register click here.
How important is this award to a coffee farmer?
Winning farmers are exhilarated to be acknowledged for their dedication to quality. Not only is the farmer given a prestigious award during a national ceremony but the majority of the record prices at auction go back to the producers who deserve and need it. In addition the farmer is now recognized in the industry as being a quality producer. A winning farm and often the whole region can expect to receive future visits from roasters looking to buy more quality coffee for their companies. The positive impact on the quality of life for a winning farmer and his family is permanent as the auction money will often be spent on farm improvements or family education which can change their economic livelihood for the long term even if they do not win every year.
Who started the Cup of Excellence® competition?
Cup of Excellence was started by a group of dedicated coffee connoisseurs who along with international governmental support and NGOs thought that a competition and auction was an effective way to recognize farmers monetarily for their hard work and effort. It is now known that in addition to this the discovery of unknown and yet phenomenal coffees creates an excitement among roasters and consumers that is unparalleled. As multiple coffee producing countries have joined the program they are sharing beneficial information with each other and the supporting roasters have created a kind of Cup of Excellence family. To learn more about our history click here.
Why is Cup of Excellence® important?
The Cup of Excellence fundamentally changes what we know is possible in an exemplary coffee. For years great coffees have been blended away creating a commodity that while good tends to taste fairly uniform with very little recognition of the individual farmer or of the unique flavor profiles that can be present with different varieties and from different micro climates.
For the roasters and importers who support Cup of Excellence this program has often introduced to their businesses a new demographic of customers who are appreciative of top quality and willing to pay a premium for it. For consumers the Cup of Excellence award label is a guarantee that this is top coffee that has been judged by professional cuppers to be the best. Often these award-winning coffees are so good that consumers expectations of what a coffee can taste like are definitely exceeded. The payment to the coffee farmers for their coffee is more than Fair. There is no other program that is as exciting for the coffee lover, the roasters and especially the farmers whose monetary reward often changes the lives of their entire family and the rural communities where they live.
The Cup of Excellence program builds the bridge between the high quality farmer, the high quality trade and eventually the consumer who finds coffees he truly loves and at the same time knows that the farmer has been well compensated.
Cup of Excellence builds international relationships in many forms. It creates a situation where cooperation is the key to success, where appreciation is the mantra and where friendships and lasting partnerships are built. It is one of the few programs that puts its main focus on individual empowerment, training and education with no consideration of gender or economic status.
Courtesy of your Coffee Reviewer. Have a nice day, and God Bless!
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