Coffee Comprehension: Microlots
Reiko Piekarski | Director of Coffee Programs | Fortuna Enterprises, LLC
Coffee has made a long journey to our morning routines over the years. Rations of the brew helped soldiers defend frontlines and were eventually sold commercially not long after. The 1970’s brought on another significant turn as the cafe culture began to bloom. Over the past few decades alone the coffee industry has made some large strides. Much of this is thanks to dedicated individuals throughout the production chain who have studied and traced coffees to their individual origins. The transparency along the way has provided us all with the experience of some pretty amazing brews and stories of the people involved in nurturing the quality of these coffees.
Most consumers who pick up a bag of coffee recognize the country of origin the beans are coming from. Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, Sumatra and Ethiopia are just some of the few familiar names we have come to know. These general categorizations usually mean various contributing lots of coffee were combined to make one large production. As quality control interest grew, green coffee buyers soon started to separate out crops which stood out. These lots were then traced back to specific regions of the country down to estates or single producers who cultivated these coffees. These are often labeled as Single Origin or Single Farm coffees which have been identified with a consistent level of quality in the cup signature to the region.
From there attention was directed further down the chain to identify higher grade coffee. Producers and buyers began to understand how the quality of care the coffee crops received increased the value. With the help of science and research certain varieties were identified with distinguishing characteristics. As the information became more available the varietal, cultivar or even heirloom categorizations were included on the coffee label. A single farmer or producer may even have a mixture of different coffee varieties on their plantation which contribute to the unique character the crop presents.
We think further to how much a single coffee plant produces in a single crop cycle, roughly 1 pound of coffee per plant, and we realize there is a significant amount of land needed to produce the amount of coffee the world consumes. Many producers have large areas dedicated to growing coffee. For those who have coffee plants on mountainous slopes at higher elevations may have variations within areas of their estates. Valleys in these areas can pocket microclimates which will offer varied environments which also influence the quality of the cup. The producer may then set these microlots of coffee aside as their characteristics have more complexity and character from the rest of the harvest. Microlots may also be a part of the plantation that has a certain varietal cultivated on to a section of coffee dedicated to be processed differently from the rest of the crop. These mircolot productions are also much smaller in scale which in combination with high quality the scarcity of the lot also drives up the value.
Identifying environmental and human impacts in coffee quality has helped producers and buyers develop a better understanding of the brew we have come to love. This deeper appreciation is cultivated with attentive care of not just the plants themselves but the relationships revolving around it. This collaborative effort over the years has given us the opportunity to identify and share unique experiences like microlot coffees. But don’t take my word for it! Make sure to try a microlot coffee while they are available and savor the brew yourself.
Coffee has made a long journey to our morning routines over the years. Rations of the brew helped soldiers defend frontlines and were eventually sold commercially not long after. The 1970’s brought on another significant turn as the cafe culture began to bloom. Over the past few decades alone the coffee industry has made some large strides. Much of this is thanks to dedicated individuals throughout the production chain who have studied and traced coffees to their individual origins. The transparency along the way has provided us all with the experience of some pretty amazing brews and stories of the people involved in nurturing the quality of these coffees.
Most consumers who pick up a bag of coffee recognize the country of origin the beans are coming from. Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, Sumatra and Ethiopia are just some of the few familiar names we have come to know. These general categorizations usually mean various contributing lots of coffee were combined to make one large production. As quality control interest grew, green coffee buyers soon started to separate out crops which stood out. These lots were then traced back to specific regions of the country down to estates or single producers who cultivated these coffees. These are often labeled as Single Origin or Single Farm coffees which have been identified with a consistent level of quality in the cup signature to the region.
From there attention was directed further down the chain to identify higher grade coffee. Producers and buyers began to understand how the quality of care the coffee crops received increased the value. With the help of science and research certain varieties were identified with distinguishing characteristics. As the information became more available the varietal, cultivar or even heirloom categorizations were included on the coffee label. A single farmer or producer may even have a mixture of different coffee varieties on their plantation which contribute to the unique character the crop presents.
We think further to how much a single coffee plant produces in a single crop cycle, roughly 1 pound of coffee per plant, and we realize there is a significant amount of land needed to produce the amount of coffee the world consumes. Many producers have large areas dedicated to growing coffee. For those who have coffee plants on mountainous slopes at higher elevations may have variations within areas of their estates. Valleys in these areas can pocket microclimates which will offer varied environments which also influence the quality of the cup. The producer may then set these microlots of coffee aside as their characteristics have more complexity and character from the rest of the harvest. Microlots may also be a part of the plantation that has a certain varietal cultivated on to a section of coffee dedicated to be processed differently from the rest of the crop. These mircolot productions are also much smaller in scale which in combination with high quality the scarcity of the lot also drives up the value.
Identifying environmental and human impacts in coffee quality has helped producers and buyers develop a better understanding of the brew we have come to love. This deeper appreciation is cultivated with attentive care of not just the plants themselves but the relationships revolving around it. This collaborative effort over the years has given us the opportunity to identify and share unique experiences like microlot coffees. But don’t take my word for it! Make sure to try a microlot coffee while they are available and savor the brew yourself.
Fortuna Enterprises - 20 Years of Seed to Success!
Established in 2000, Fortuna Enterprises is the consummate leader in providing complete and comprehensive solutions for all of your coffee shop needs. Located in Greensboro, NC, Fortuna excels in unparalleled customer service by offering specialty roasted small-batch coffee, a fully stocked warehouse, imports, design, equipment repair, consulting, barista training, and more!
We are compelled to be the unsurpassed authority for all coffee shop requirements. We use this drive to continue our extensive research in carefully selecting only the highest quality coffees, equipment, syrups and other coffee shop necessities. Our products have a proven record of premium industry performance and unmatched reliability. We buy large quantities from our suppliers so we are in turn able to negotiate extremely competitive pricing for our customers.
We look forward to hearing from you about how we can take you from concept to completion!
We look forward to hearing from you about how we can take you from concept to completion!
