As coffee connoisseurs, we often hear customers inquiring about single-origin coffee. What is single-origin coffee, and what does it mean if your coffee is not single-origin?
We are here to answer all your coffee questions, and this is a good one.
Coffee is either going to be a single origin or a blend. If you have read about specialty coffee, you may recognize these terms. Both single-origin coffee and coffee blends can qualify as specialty coffee if it meets all of the requirements.
So what’s the difference?
Single Origin Coffee
Just as it sounds, single-origin coffee beans are harvested from one single location. This is usually a specific country or region. Since all the beans come from one source in single-origin coffee, it is likely only available at certain times of the year, depending on harvest season.
Single-origin coffees usually are more exotic and unique and their flavors are characteristics of the region they are grown in. For this reason, single-origin coffee tends to have a more pronounced and pure aroma, acidity, and flavors.
Coffee Blends
More often than not, the coffee you consume is a blend. This Means It is a combination of different beans from different regions. Coffee blends are able to be mixed and produced in larger quantities and create a wonderful combination of multiple different coffee flavors and characteristics.
Blends tend to be very well-balanced and create a gentle taste. Single-origin coffee can taste a little different every time, as no two batches are the same. Coffee blends will deliver the same consistent flavor, aroma, and acidity each time.
What’s the Difference?
- Flavor Profile- Single-origin coffee will give you the most original and pure flavor profile. Coffee blends combine elements from multiple beans which results in a well-balanced gentle taste. Single-origin coffee will have more exotic, bolder, and robust flavors.
- Purity- Many people love single-origin coffee for its purity. Single-origin coffee is pretty much guaranteed to be high quality. If you are looking for a cup of fresh black coffee, the single origin will give you the best flavor. Coffee blends take the best of multiple different beans and pair well with milk-based beverages.
- Consistency-No two batches of single-origin coffee will be exactly the same. So if you are okay with variation and a little surprise in your cup, it’s a great option. Coffee blends are more mellow and tend to be more consistent in flavor as they can be crafted to meet a certain flavor profile each time.
Both single-origin and coffee blends can meet the quality standards of specialty coffee in downtown Minneapolis. There is a time and a place for both. If you are looking to explore new flavor profiles, a single origin could be a good option. If you are looking to enjoy a latte, a coffee blend will mix well with milk.
For all your favorite coffee drinks stop into 7 Corners Coffee in Minneapolis or Eden Prairie today.
