The world of coffee can be one fraught with jargon and even a little bit of snobbery. From the big name coffee chains insisting on calling a regular coffee anything but, to the nuances of blends and single-origin beans, the language of coffee can sometimes be a little baffling.
So let's take a deep dive into some aspects of coffee that we frequently get asked about when we're out and about trading (take a look at the events we'll be at this year here), and read on to get the lowdown on what some well-known phrases really mean, and importantly, whether they matter!
Single Origin Coffee
Single origin refers to coffee beans that are both grown and processed in the same region or by the same cooperative or farm. Single origin coffee is highly traceable and highlights the distinctive characteristics of that place, for example soil, climate and altitude.
Single origin coffees can deliver extremely bold flavours and may be heavily influenced or limited by growing conditions in that particular region which can increase demand, and prices.
Whilst some afficionados will have you believe that single-origin is always best, the truth is that it's not objectively better than anything else and it really comes down to what you personally most enjoy the taste of!
Single origin coffees can sometimes be more expensive too, but here at Gotham, most of our coffees are the same price, with just one exception, our exceptional Blue Mountain coffee.
Delightful origin coffees include our single origin Peruvian G1 coffee and single origin Costa Rica SHG coffee to name but two.
Origin Coffee
Origin coffee is a little more general, but can still be traced back to one specific geographical area like Ethiopia or Colombia, but it can include beans from different farms within that region.
Although the beans could come from multiple farms or cooperatives within that area, It's still traceable to a region but not as pinpointed as single origin coffee.
Arabica Coffee
Our Monsoon Malabar is a great example of an Arabica coffee, but what the heck does it mean? Arabica is a species of coffee plant. It's the most widely grown coffee species, making up about 60-70% of the world's coffee production.
Arabica coffee is considered as being the higher-quality bean compared to its relative, Robusta and fun fact, Arabica generally has around 40% less caffeine than Robusta coffees.
Arabica beans are grown in specific regions known for their unique flavours including Ethiopia, Colombia, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
Espresso
Espresso is a method of brewing coffee and not a type of bean - any kind of coffee bean to can be used to make espresso, it’s all about the grind size, pressure, and brew time.
Espresso refers to coffee that's brewed under high pressure, creating a small, concentrated shot of the good stuff. Because it's so concentrated, it has intense flavour and aroma.
Fun fact, a shot of espresso is the foundation for lattes, cappuccinos, macchiatos, mochas, flat whites, and more.
Americano
An Americano is one of the simplest and most popular espresso-based drinks, but also one that confuses a lot of people because it looks like 'regular' coffee. Think of an Americano as being like a tall espresso; the only difference is more water!
Mocha
A Mocha is arguably the best of both worlds, essentially it's a hot chcolate with a shot of espresso. The chocolate elements softens the flavour, resulting in a rich and chocolatey drink that effectively cuts the acidity of the espresso.
You may have seen coffee beans labelled as Mocha, like our Java Mocha Coffee which can lead to some confusion. Java Mocha is typically a blend of Mocha beans which are chocolatey and complex with Indonesian Java beans which are earthy and bold.
So whilst there will be chocolate notes, Mocha coffee is, rather confusingly, not the same as the hot-chocolate based Mocha drink.
Enjoy your brew the Gotham coffee way
So whether you choose a blend like Morning Glory coffee, flavoured like Salted Caramel coffee or a single origin like Blue Mountain coffee, no one coffee is objetively better than any other - if you like it, then that's the best option for you!
Whatever your preferred coffee, get it for less with one of our flexible coffee subscriptions.
