First, there are two types of coffee beans
Coffee beans come from two basic versions of coffee plants: either the Robusta ( aka Coffea robusta, or Coffea canephora) or Arabica (aka Coffea arabica) version.
At Toomer’s Coffee Roasters we do not roast or sell Robusta beans. I once asked our coffee broker how much Robusta they sell and she said less that 5% of their total volume is Robusta. While it is higher in caffeine content (the main reason I guess a dubious roaster might add it..to jack up the “vibrancy” of their blends), the overall taste issues and roasting peculiarities she said make it a less than desirable option.
Arabica beans on the other hand, while lower in caffeine content have a number of factors that make them the number #1 preference amongst 99% of roasters today, taste being the main factor.ย But we will cover that in a later articel specifically on Arabica beans.
They start life as a fruit
Arabica beans are grown on low (3-6 feet) shrubby plants that bear white blossoms that produce the coffee fruit called “cherries” (about the size and color of cranberries).
These coffee cherries are clustered along the limbs of the plant ( See image).ย The cherries are harvested from approximately October through January each year.ย Since the coffee cherries do not ripen together, several pickings of the the same plant may be required until all of the cherries have been harvested at the peak of ripenness.
This is the first step in the chain of factors that seperates fair coffee from truly exceptional coffee: only picking the red cherries.ย Mixing in under-ripe/ greenish cherries with red cherries will result in bitter coffee no matter how well it is roasted.
In our next article we will talk about the regions beans are grown in and how that affects flavor.
Why not try some of our Micro-Roasted coffees from around the world. These Specialty House Blends are legacy blends in our line up for 14 years. Order 5 bags and shipping is free anywhere in the Continental US too!
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Auburn City Blend Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95Auburn City Blend has been our #1 Seller since 2004. From three different regions of Africa, this full bodied coffee is a favorite.
#1 SELLER! -
Espresso Bravo Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95Toomer's Coffee original recipe Espresso Bravo Blend is a bold merge of Direct Trade Brazilian Cerrado, Rainforest Alliance Certified Costa Rican and SHB Colombian Supremo. The roast profile is a combination of City Roast, Full City, and French Roasts blended to our proprietary proportions.
Remember, Espresso is not a roast: It refers to the method of preparation, taken from the Italian, loosley transated, "Just for you". Actually you can use any roast when "pulling shots" of espresso. It's really a matter of personal preference. This is our original bolder blend from 2004. Check out our Espresso Crema Bella for a Medium Bodied option.
Cheers!
Bold Body -
Breakfast Blend Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95This is our most popular proprietary Medium Bodied house blend. We combine Brazilian Cerrado and our Colombian Supremo SHB in a tweaked to perfection caramel and chocolate mouth feel.
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Dawn Patrol Blend Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95Toomer's Coffee Roaster's Dawn Patrol is a great full bodied blend to start off your day before the day's adventures begin.ย Our proprietary blend of French Roast and City Roast Latin Arabica coffees with smooth chocolatey, caramel notes and great finish. Full bodied proprietary America's blend of French Roast and City Roast coffees with smooth chocolatey, caramel notes and great finish.
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Cold Brew Blend Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95The key to good cold brew is starting with good coffee and a great recipe. This Rainforest Alliance Certified, SHB (Strictly Hard Bean), high altitude grown blend is the result of lab testing this blend to perfection! (Hint: the critical key though is the infrared roasting process) We'll even send you our in-house fail-safe Cold Brew recipe along with your purchase! (Shipped pre-ground for cold brew)
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Half-Caf Blend Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95Due to popular demand, we are now offering our own unique blends of Half BOLD or Half MEDIUM bodied coffee blended 50/50 with our great Swiss Water Processed Decafยฎ. Same great flavor with 50% LESS caffeine!
Choose your preference below: BOLD or MEDIUM bodied! -
Espresso Crema Bella ๐ฎ๐น Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95Our NEWEST BLEND from Italy ๐ฎ๐น! Trish and I visited a lot of coffee shops and roasters on a recent trip to Italy. There we found one espresso that had the wow-factor because of it's thick, silky, light brown crema on top. So we asked a lot of questions [in Italy] and then did our own research and came back and began playing with all of our coffees in different combinations for one year until we found just the perfect blend to generate our own version.
ยกSalud and Eccellente!
And now we present Espresso Crema Bella (Beautiful Crema) to you.
Medium BodyEspresso Crema Bella ๐ฎ๐น Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart... -
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Tuscaloosa City Blend Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95For the "House Divided" - We now offer our newest coffee family member, Tuscaloosa City Blend due to popular demand. This is yet another TCR Premium Blend from Central and South American Arabica coffee beans. Medium Bodied
For The House DividedTuscaloosa City Blend Coffee - 12 oz.
$13.95Successfully Added to your Shopping CartAdding to Cart... -
"So Sue Me Wanda" - 12 oz.
$14.95Experience the fusion of Sumatran richness and Rwandan vibrancy in our newest blend. Robust Sumatran earthiness intertwines with Rwandan's fruity zest, creating a harmonious cup.
NEWEST BLEND!