Quality Assessment
There are two predominant species of coffee grown around the world; Robusta is the lower quality and value coffee, generally associated with low altitude producing regions and is used as the primary constituent to instant coffee. Arabica coffee on the other hand is associated with the “Roast & Ground” sector and is used by most roasters who aim for specialty coffee markets. All coffee marketed as specialty, boutique or with an association of quality is from Arabica Species and all coffee grown in Australia is Arabica.
Apart from tree species, the major influences of the taste of coffee are;
- The Terroir, location or micro-climate where the coffee is grown – Coffee has an ideal climate of between 15-25 degrees Celsius, requires free draining soil, high water and nutrient demand, thrives in volcanic soils, and stresses from wind damage, a wet root system and extreme temperatures. All of these factors significantly affect the taste or cup quality.
- Tree variety – within the Arabica species there are hundreds of varieties, each variety will be better suited to a particular growing region and climate and will exhibit slightly different flavour attributes when grown in ideal conditions.
- Agronomic management – coffee trees are an under story rainforest tree and when grown outside their typical environment, (full shade); they require significant management to avoid stress, die-back and disease. Coffee suffers from significant pests and diseases and is the most sprayed food crop in the world. Australia enjoys the enviable position of not having any of the major pests and diseases present in other producing countries.
- Harvesting & Processing management – once coffee cherries are harvested they require immediate processing. The speed, style and quality management of the harvesting, wet processing and drying operations will determine the final quality of the coffee. It is argued by some that a coffee cherry will be at its optimum flavour while on the tree and that the management process will determine the coffees eventual cup quality, and hence price.
- Post harvest storage, milling and management – coffee beans readily absorb moisture, light and flavors from other sources. Therefore beans need good provisions for storage; once ready for roasting beans need to be milled and graded by size, colour, density and removal of defects. The attention to detail during this process determines the coffees eventual quality, marketability and price.
- Roasting, packaging and product management.
It is important to note that most of the worlds coffee production have all or some of the above factor done in a poor to average standard and that most of the worlds coffee is traded as a commodity reflecting the overall poor quality of the product.