Did you know that temperature influences how coffee cherries mature and taste and the movement of hot and cold air changes the longevity of coffee? And that the best quality coffee grows under shade, on the equator and at high altitude?
 
From a coffee encompassing the Sumatrans’ unique flavour of rich spicy chocolate and fruits, full bright acidity of the Kenyans, to softer, sweeter flavours from farms in El Salvador and Brazil – origin clearly plays a significant role in what you taste in your brew. But seasonality and harvest are also important factors when it comes to the quality of coffee in your cup.
 
“If you’re looking at the quality of coffee you’re fundamentally looking at its taste. This changes dramatically throughout the year, as each origin will produce and harvest coffee at different times. For example the first coffee of the harvest will often taste a little green or unripe, very different to the coffee at the tail end of the season which can be quite woody,” explains Simon Wakefield, director of green coffee merchant DRWakefield.
 
“We try to avoid sourcing coffees from the very start and very end of the season to ensure we only receive the full flavoured coffees we have come to know and love from each origin. Some origins make this process easier than others. Brazil for example, exports almost perpetually, while some East African suppliers have quite small windows of opportunity to get their coffees out.”
 
“Coffees from Peru and Honduras possess similar cup profiles, and both export for around half a year, fortunately at opposing ends of the year. This allows roasters to interchange their coffees easily, sourcing Peru for six months and then switching to Honduras.”
 
Immerse yourself in the green coffee journey and discover how flavours travel and transform from bean to cup.