GREEN AND ROASTED COFFEE CHARACTERISTICS
_The trade values, bean characteristics,
and cup merits of the leading coffees of
commerce—Appearance, aroma, and flavor in cup
testing—How experts test coffees—Typical
sample-roasting and cup-testing outfit._
More than a hundred different kinds of coffee are bought and sold in
the United States. All of them belong to the same botanical genus, and
practically all to the same species, the _Coffea arabica_; but each has
distinguishing characteristics which determine its commercial value in
the eyes of importers, roasters, and distributers.
The American trade deals almost exclusively in _Coffea arabica_,
although in the latter years of the World War increasing quantities of
_Robusta_ and _Liberica_ growths were imported, largely because of the
scarcity of Brazilian stocks and the improvement in the preparation
methods, especially in the case of _Robustas_. Considerable quantities
of _Robusta_ grades were sold in the United States before 1912, but
trading in them fell off when the New York Coffee & Sugar Exchange
prohibited their delivery on exchange contracts after March 1, 1912.
All coffees used in the United States are divided into two general
groups, Brazils and Milds. This is an arbitrary geographic, not a
cup quality, designation. Brazils comprise those coffees grown in
São Paulo, Minas Geraes, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Victoria, and other
Brazilian states. The Milds include all coffees grown elsewhere.
In 1921, Brazils made up about three-fourths of the world’s total
consumption. They are regarded by American traders as the “price”
coffees, while Milds are considered as the “quality” grades.
Brazil coffees are classified into four great groups, which bear the
names of the ports through which they are exported,—Santos, Rio,
Victoria, and Bahia. Santos coffee is grown principally in the state of
São Paulo; Rio, in the state of Rio de Janeiro and the state of Minas
Geraes; Victoria, in the state of Espirito Santo; and Bahia in the
state of Bahia. All of these groups are further subdivided according to
their bean characteristics and the districts in which they are produced.
Under Mild coffees, the trade groups principally the coffees grown in
Colombia, the four Central American republics, and Mexico. These supply
the growths required for high-grade roasted coffee blends. The terms
“mild” and “soft” should not be misunderstood as meaning deficient
in body. As a matter of fact, these coffees are among the world’s
fanciest, possessed of the finest flavor and fullest body.
Among the Mild coffees there is a much greater variation in
characteristics than is found among the Brazilian growths. This is due
to the differences in climate, altitude, and soil, as well as in the
cultural, processing, storage, and transportation methods that are
employed in the widely separated countries in which the coffees known
as Milds are produced.
Mild coffees generally have more body, more acidity, and a much finer
aroma than Brazils; and from the standpoint of quality they are far
more desirable in the cup. As a rule, they have also better appearance,
or “style,” both in the green and in the roast, due to the fact that
greater care is exercised in picking and preparing the higher grades.
Milds are important for blending purposes, most of them possessing
distinctive individual characteristics, which increase their value as
blending coffees.
_Not All Coffees Improve with Age_
Although it has long been held that green coffee improves with age, and
there is little doubt that this is true in so far as roasting merits
are concerned, the question has been raised among coffee experts as to
whether age improves the drinking qualities of all coffees alike.
Rio coffees should improve with age, as they are naturally strong and
earthy. Age might be expected to soften and to mellow them and others
having like characteristics. If, however, the coffee is mild in cup
quality in the first instance, then it may be asked if age does not
weaken it so that in time it must become quite insipid. Several years
ago, a New York coffee expert pointed out that this was what happened
to Santos coffees. The new crop, he said, was always a more pleasant
and enjoyable drink than the old crop, because it was a more pronounced
mild coffee in the cup.
_Brazil Coffee Characteristics_
SANTOS. Of the Santos growths, the best is that known in the trade as
Bourbon, produced by trees grown from Mocha seed (_Coffea arabica_)
brought originally from the French island colony of Bourbon (now
Réunion) in the Indian Ocean. The true Bourbon is obtained from the
first few crops of Mocha seed. After the third or fourth year of
bearing, the fruit gradually changes in form, yielding in the sixth
year the flat-shaped beans which are sold under the trade name of Flat
Bean Santos. By that time, the coffee has lost most of its Bourbon
characteristics. The true Bourbon of the first and second crops is a
small bean, and resembles the Mocha, but makes a much handsomer roast
with fewer “quakers.” The Bourbons grown in the Campinas district often
have a red center.
As regards flavor, a good Bourbon Santos is considered the best coffee
for its price, and is the most satisfactory low-cost blending coffee
to be obtained. It is used with practically any of the high-priced
coffees to reduce the cost of the blend. When properly made, this
coffee produces a drink that is smooth and palatable, without tang or
special character, and is suitable to the average taste. When aged,
Bourbon Santos decreases in acidity, and increases somewhat in size of
bean.
The Santos coffee described as Flat Bean usually has a smooth surface,
varying in size from small to large bean, and in color from a pale
yellow to a pale green. The cup has a good and smooth body of neutral
character, and the bean may be used straight or in a blend with
practically any Mild coffee.
Another Santos growth, known in the trade as Harsh Santos, grows near
the boundary between São Paulo and Minas Geraes. It often has some of
the Rio characteristics, and commands a lower price than other Santos
coffees.
Some trade authorities are of opinion that Santos coffees are an
exception to the rule that most green coffees improve with age. They
argue that careful cup testing will reveal that a new-crop Santos is to
be preferred to an old crop.
All Santos coffees, washed or natural, are graded as, 1 Fine, 2
Superior, 3 Good, 4 Regular, 5 Ordinary, 6 Escolha.
RIOS. Rio coffee is not generally liked in the United States, though
in former years it had some following even in the better trade. The
demand for all grades of Rios has been decreasing, Santos taking their
place in the United States. Rio coffee has a peculiar, rank flavor. It
has a heavy, pungent, and harsh taste which traders do not consider of
value either in straight coffee or in blends. However, its low price
recommends it to some packers, and it is often found in the cheapest
brands of package coffees and also in many compounds. In color, the
bean runs from light green to dark green; but when it is stored for any
length of time—a common practice in the past—the color changes to a
golden yellow and the coffee is then known as Golden Rio. The bean also
expands with age.
All Rio coffee is described by the name Rio; but the American trade
recognizes eight different grades, designated by numerals from one
to eight. These grades are determined by standards adopted by the
New York Coffee & Sugar Exchange, and are classified by the number
of imperfections found in the chops exported. No. 1 Rio contains no
imperfections, such as black beans, shells, stones, broken beans, pods,
or immature beans (“quakers”). Such a chop is rarely found. No. 2 has
six imperfections, No. 3 has 13, No. 4 has 29, No. 5 has 60, No. 6 has
110, No. 7 has 200, and No. 8 has about 400, although on the exchange
these last two are graded by standard types.
VICTORIAS. Up to about the year 1917, Victoria coffees were held in
even less favor by American traders than were Rios. As a rule, the bean
was large and punky, of a dark brown or dingy color, and its flavor was
described as muddy. Then, the coffee growers began to introduce modern
machinery for handling the crops, with the result that the character
of the product has been much improved, and the demand for it has been
steadily growing. Many roasters who formerly used Rios straight for
their lower grades have changed to Victorias, not only to improve the
appearance of the roast, but to soften the harsh drinking qualities of
the low-grade Rios.
BAHIAS. Until recent years Bahia coffee has been decidedly unpopular in
the United States, largely because of its peculiar smoky flavor, due
to drying the coffee by means of wood fires, instead of by the usual
sun method. This practice has been abandoned; Bahia coffee has shown a
marked improvement in quality; and importations into the United States
have increased. The Bahia coffee produced in the Chapada district is
considered to be the best of the group. The bean is light-colored and
of fair size. Other types are Caravella and Nazareth, both of which are
below the standards demanded by the majority of those in the American
trade.
MARAGOGIPE. This is a variety of _Coffea arabica_ first observed
growing near the town of Maragogipe on All Saints Bay, county of
Maragogipe, Bahia, Brazil, where it is called _Coffea indigena_. The
green bean is of huge size, and varies in color from green to dingy
brown. It is the largest of all coffee beans, and makes an elephantine
roast, free from quakers, but woody and generally disagreeable in the
cup. However, Dr. P. J. S. Cramer of the Netherlands government’s
experimental garden in Bangelan, Java, regards it very highly,
referring to it as “the finest coffee known,” and as having “a highly
developed, splendid flavor.” This coffee is now found in practically
all the producing countries, and shows the characteristics of the other
coffees produced in the same soil.
_Mild Coffee Characteristics._
MEXICANS. Considering those mild coffees grown nearest the American
market first, we come to the coffees of Mexico. All coffees grown
in this republic are known as Mexicans. They are further divided
according to the states and districts in which they are produced,
and as to whether they are prepared according to the wet or the dry
method. The types best known in the American market are Coatepec,
Huatusco, Orizaba, Cordoba, Oaxaca, and Jalapa. The lesser known are
the Uruapan, Michoacan, Colima, Chiapas, Triunfo, Tapachula, Sierra,
Tabasco, Tampico, and Coatzacoalcos. Some of these are rarely seen in
the markets of the United States.
The coffee most cultivated in Mexico is supposed to have come from
Mocha seed. Of this species is the Oaxaca coffee, which is valued
because of its sharp acidity and excellent flavor, two qualities that
make it desirable for blending. The bean of the Sierra Oaxaca (common
unwashed) is not large, nor is the appearance stylish. The Pluma
Oaxaca (washed) coffee, however, is a fancy bean and good for blending
purposes.
[Illustration: Mexican.]
[Illustration: Guatemala.
SAMPLES OF TYPICAL ROASTED COFFEE BEANS]
Coatepec coffees are among the finest grown in Mexico, and take
rank with the world’s best grades. They are quite acidy, but have a
desirable flavor; and, when blended with coffees like Bourbon Santos,
make a satisfactory cup.
The Orizaba, Huatusco, and Jalapa growths resemble Coatepecs, of which
they are neighbors in the state of Vera Cruz. They are thin in body,
but are stylish roasters, and have good cup qualities. As a class they
do not possess the heavy body and acidity of genuine Coatepecs. Some
Huatuscos are exceptions. Orizaba is superior to Jalapa. Chiapas and
Tapachula coffees are generally more like Guatemalan growths than any
others produced in Mexico, which is natural in view of the proximity
of the districts to the northern boundary of Guatemala. The Sierra,
Tampico, Tabasco, and Coatzacoalcos coffees are uncertain in quality;
mostly they are low grade, some of them frequently possessing a
groundy, flat, or Rioy flavor.
Cordoba coffees lack the acidity and tang of the Oaxacas, but make a
handsome roast. They are considered too neutral to form the basis of a
blend, but may be used to balance the tang of other grades.
All Mexicans are classed as Commons (customary or natural), washed (W.
I. P.), and Caracollilo (peaberry).
CENTRAL AMERICANS. Central American coffee is the general trade name
applied to the growths produced in Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, the countries comprising Central
America.
GUATEMALA. This country sends the largest quantity to the United
States, and also produces the best average grades of the Central
American districts. Guatemalas are mostly washed and are very stylish.
The bean has a waxy, bluish color. It splits open when roasting and
shows a white center. Low-grown Guatemalas are thin in the cup, but
the coffees grown in the mountainous districts of Coban and Antigua are
quite acidy and heavy in body. Some Cobans border on bitterness because
of the extreme acidity. The Antiguas are medium, flinty beans, while
Cobans are larger. Both grades are spicy and aromatic in the cup, and
are particularly good blenders. Properly roasted to a light cinnamon
color, and blended with a high-grade combination, Cobans make one of
the most serviceable coffees on the American market.
Most Guatemalas are washed and fall into these five general classes:
1. The extremely acid and flavory high-altitude growths of Antigua,
Moran, and Amatitlan. 2. The heavy-bodied and finely acid coffees grown
in the mountain districts of Coban, Costa Cuca, Tumbador, and Chuva.
3. The heavy-bodied but non-acid coffees in altitudes of 2,000 to
3,000 feet. 4. Mild-cupping coffees grown from 1,500 to 2,500 feet. 5.
Lower-altitude neutral-cupping coffees of the Bourbon type.
HONDURAS. While the upland coffee of Honduras is of good quality, the
general run of the country’s production seldom brings as high a price
as Santos of equal grade. Nearly all Honduras coffee consists of small,
round berries, bluish-green in color. Very little of this growth comes
to the United States, the bulk of the exports going to Europe, where
they command a high price, especially in France.
SALVADOR. Salvador coffee is inferior to Guatemala’s product, grade for
grade. Only a small proportion is washed, and the bulk of the crops is
“naturals”; that is, unwashed. The bean is large and of fair average
roast. The washed grades are fancy roasters, with very thin cup. The
largest part of the production goes to Europe; some 25 percent of the
exports are brought into the United States through San Francisco.
NICARAGUA. The ordinary run of Nicaragua coffee (the naturals) is
looked upon in the United States as being of low quality, though the
washed coffees from the Matagalpa district have plenty of acid in
the cup and usually are fine roasters. Matagalpa beans are large and
blue-tinged. Germany, Great Britain, and France take about all the
Honduras coffee exported, only about six percent of the total coming to
the United States.
COSTA RICA. Good grades of Costa Rican coffee, such as are grown in the
Cartago, San José, Alajuela, and Grecia districts at high altitudes,
are highly esteemed by blenders. They are characterized by their fine
flavor, rich body, and sharp acidity. It is frequently declared that
some of these are often acidy enough to sour cream if used straight.
Due to careless methods of handling, sour or “hidy” beans are sometimes
found in chops of Costa Ricans from the low-lands.
PANAMA. Panama grows coffee only for domestic use, and consequently
it is little known in foreign markets. The bean is of average size
and tends toward green in color. In the cup it has a heavy body and a
strong flavor. The coffee grown in Boquette Valley is considered to be
of fine quality, due no doubt to the care given in cultivation by the
American and English planters there.
COLOMBIANS. Colombia produces some of the world’s finest coffees, of
which the best known are Medellins, Manizales, Bogotas, Bucaramangas,
Tolimas, and Cucutas. Old-crop Colombians of the higher grades, when
mellowed with age, have many of the characteristics of the best East
India coffees, and in style and cup are difficult to distinguish from
the Mandhelings and the Angolas of Sumatra. Such coffees are scarce
on the American market, practically all the shipments coming to the
United States being new crop and lacking some of the qualities of the
mellowed beans. Compared with Santos coffee, good-grade Colombians give
one-fourth more liquor to a given strength with better flavor and
aroma. They are classed and graded as:
_Classes for All Colombians_
Café Trillado (natural or sun dried), Café Lavado (washed).
_Gradings for All Colombians_
Excelso (excellent), fantasia (excelso and extra), extra (extra),
primera (first), segunda (second), caracol (peaberry), monstruo
(large and deformed), consumo (defective), pasilla (siftings).
Medellins are a fancy, mountain-grown coffee, and are esteemed for
their good qualities. The beans vary in size, and the color ranges
from light to dark green, making a rather rough roast. In the cup they
have a fine, rich, distinctive flavor, and in the American grading are
regarded as the best of Colombian commercial growths.
Manizales rank next to Medellins, and have nearly the same
characteristics.
Bogotas of good grade are noted for their acidity, body, and flavor.
When the acidity is tempered with age, the coffee can be drunk
“straight,” which cannot be done with many other growths. The Bogota
green bean ranges from a blue-green bean to a fancy yellow. It is long,
and generally has a sharp turn in one end of the center stripe. It is a
smooth roaster, and has a rich mellow flavor.
Bucaramangas, grown in the district of that name, are regarded
favorably in the American markets as good commercial coffees for
blending purposes; the naturals have heavy body, but lack acidity and
decided flavor, and are much used to give “backbone” to blends. The
fancies sometimes push the superior East Indias for first place.
Tolimas are considered a good-grade average coffee, and are
characterized by a fair-sized bean, attractive style, and good cup
quality.
Cucuta coffees, though grown in Colombia, are generally classified
among the Maracaibos of Venezuela, because they are mostly shipped from
that port. They are described, accordingly, with the Venezuelan coffees.
[Illustration: Bogota, Colombia.]
[Illustration: Maracaibo.
SAMPLES OF TYPICAL ROASTED COFFEE BEANS]
VENEZUELA. The coffees of Venezuela are generally grouped under the
heads of Caracas, Puerto Cabello, and Maracaibo, the names of the ports
through which they are exported. Each group is further subdivided by
the names of the districts in which the principal plantations lie. La
Guaira coffee includes that produced in the vicinity of Caracas and
Cumana.
Caracas coffee is one of the best known in the American market. The
washed Caracas is in steady demand in France and Spain. The bean is
bluish in color, somewhat short, and of uniform size. The liquor has
a rather light body. Some light-blue washed Caracas coffees are very
desirable, and have a peculiar flavor that is quite pleasant to the
educated palate. Caracas chops rarely hold their style for any length
of time, as the owners usually are not willing to dry properly and
thoroughly before milling. When, however, the price is right, American
buyers will use some Caracas chops instead of Bogotas. At equal prices
the latter have the preference, as they have more body in the cup.
Puerto Cabello and Cumana coffees are valued just below Caracas. They
are grown at a lower altitude, and have been found to be somewhat
inferior in flavor.
Merida and Tachira coffees are considered the best of the Maracaibo
grades, Tovars and Trujillos being classed as lower in trade value.
Though Cucuta coffee is grown in the Colombian district of that name,
it is largely shipped through Maracaibo, and hence is classed among
the Maracaibo types. It ranks with Meridas and fine-grade Boconos, and
somewhat resembles the Java bean in form and roast, but is decidedly
different in the cup. Washed Cucutas are noted for their large size,
roughness, and waxy color. They make a good-appearing roast, splitting
open, and showing irregular white centers. New-crop beans are sometimes
sharply acid, though they mellow with age and gain in body.
Until recent years, Tachira coffee was always sold as Cucuta; but now
there is a tendency to ship it under the name Tachira-Venezuela, while
true Cucuta is marked Cucuta-Colombia. Tachiras closely resemble the
true Cucutas, grade for grade. Up to about 1905, the coffees grown near
Salazar, in Colombia, came to market under the name of Salazar; but
since then they have been included among the Cucuta grades and are sold
in the market under that name.
The state of Tachira lies next to the Colombian boundary, and its
mountains produce much fine washed coffee. This has size and fair
style, as a rule, but does not possess cup qualities to make it much
sought. It ages well and, being of good body, the old crops, other
things being equal, frequently bring a tidy premium. The Rubio section
of Tachira produces the best of its washed coffees.
The Meridas are raised at higher altitudes than Cucutas, and good
grades are sought for their peculiarly delicate flavor—which is neither
acidy nor bitter—and heavy body. They rank as the best by far of the
Maracaibo type. The bean is high-grown, of medium size, and roundish.
It is well knit, and brings the highest price, while it still holds its
bluish style, as it then retains its delicate aroma and character. The
trillados of Merida run unevenly.
Tovars rank between Trujillos and Tachiras. They are fair to good body
without acidity; make a duller roast than Cucutas, but contain fewer
quakers. They are used for blending with Bourbon Santos. Boconos are
light in color and body. They are of two classes; one a round, small to
medium bean; and the other larger and softer. Their flavor is rather
neutral, and they are frequently used as fillers in blends. Trujillos
lack acidity and make a dull, rough roast, unless aged. They are
blended with Bourbon Santos to make a low-priced palatable coffee. Some
coffees of merit are produced at Santa Ana, Monte Carmelo, and Bocono
in Trujillo.
OTHER SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRIES. The coffees from other South American
countries, even where there is an appreciable production, are not
important factors in international trade. The coffee of Ecuador,
shipped through the port of Guayaquil, goes mostly to Chile, a
comparatively small quantity being exported to the United States. The
bean is small to medium in size, pea-green in color, and not desirable
in the cup. The coffee is about equal to low-grade Brazil, and is used
principally as a filler. Peru produces an ever-lessening quantity of
coffee, the bulk of the exports in prewar years going to Germany,
Chile, and the United Kingdom. It is a low-altitude growth, and is
considered poor grade. The bean ranges from medium to bold in size,
and from bluish to yellow in color. Bolivia is an unimportant factor
in the international coffee trade, most of its exports going to Chile.
The chief variety produced is called the Yunga, which is considered to
be of superior quality, but only a small quantity is grown. Guiana’s
coffee trade is insignificant. The three best known types are the
Surinam, Demerara, and Cayenne, named after the ports through which
they are shipped.
WEST INDIES. The chief producing districts are found on the islands
of Porto Rico, Haiti (and Santo Domingo), Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and
Curaçao. Coffees coming from these islands are generally known by the
name of the country of production, and may be further identified by the
names of the districts in which they are grown.
PORTO RICO. Since the United States took possession of Porto Rico, soil
experts have endeavored to raise the quality of the coffee grown there,
especially the lower grades, which had peculiarly wild characteristics.
Today, the superior grades of Porto Rican coffees rank among the best
growths known to the trade. The bean is large, uniform, and stylish;
ranging in color from a light gray-blue to a dark green-blue. Some
of these are artificially colored for foreign markets. The coffee
roasts well, and has a heavy body, similar to the fanciest Mexicans
and Colombians. Its cup is not so rich, but it makes a good blend.
Porto Rican coffees command a higher price in France than in the United
States, which accounts for the larger proportion of exports to Europe,
excepting when the French market was cut off during the World War.
JAMAICA. Jamaica produces two distinct types of coffee, the highland
and the lowland growths. Among the first-named is the celebrated Blue
Mountain coffee, which has a well-developed pale blue-green bean
that makes a good-appearing roast and a pleasantly aromatic cup.
It is frequently compared with the fancy Cobans of Guatemala. The
lowland coffee is a poorer grade, and consists largely of a mixture
of different growths produced on the plains. It is a fair-sized bean,
green to yellow in the “natural” and blue-green when washed. In the cup
it has a grassy flavor, but is flat when drunk with cream. It is used
chiefly as a filler in blends and for French roasts.
HAITI AND SANTO DOMINGO. The coffees of these two republics have like
characteristics, being grown on the same island and in about the same
climatic and soil conditions. Careless cultivation and preparation
methods are responsible for the generally poor quality of these
coffees. When properly grown and cured, they rank well with high-grade
washed varieties, and have a rich, fairly acid flavor in the cup. The
bean is blue-green, and makes a handsome roast.
GUADELOUPE. Guadeloupe coffee is distinguishable by its green, long,
and slightly thick bean, covered by a pellicle of whitish silvery
color, which separates from the bean in the roast. It has excellent cup
qualities.
MARTINIQUE. This island formerly produced a coffee closely resembling
the Guadeloupe; but no coffee is now grown there, though some
Guadeloupe growths are shipped from Martinique, and bear its name.
OTHER WEST INDIAN ISLANDS. Among the other West Indian islands
producing small quantities of coffee are Cuba, Trinidad, Dominica,
Barbados, and Curaçao. The growths are generally good quality, bearing
a close resemblance to one another. In the past, Cuba produced a fine
grade; but the industry is now practically extinct, though it has
lately showed signs of revival.
ARABIA. For many generations, Mocha coffee has been recognized
throughout the world as the best coffee obtainable; and, until the
Pure Food Law went into effect in the United States, other high-grade
coffees were frequently sold by American firms under the name of
Mocha. Now, only coffees grown in Arabia are entitled to that valuable
trade name. They grow in a small area in the mountainous regions of
the southwestern portion of the Arabian peninsula, in the province
of Yemen, and are known locally by the names of the districts in
which they are produced. Commercially they are graded as follows:
Mocha Extra, for all extra qualities; Mocha No. 1, consisting of only
perfect berries; No. 1-A, containing some dust, but otherwise free of
imperfections; No. 2, showing a few broken beans and quakers; No. 3,
having a heavier percentage of broken and quakers and also some dust.
Mocha beans are very small, hard, roundish, and irregular in form and
size. In color, they shade from olive green to pale yellow, the bulk
being olive green. The roast is poor and uneven, but the coffee’s
virtues are shown in the cup. It has a distinctive winy flavor, and
is heavy with acidity, two qualities which make a straight Mocha brew
especially valuable as an after-dinner coffee, and also esteemed for
blending with fancy, mild, washed types, particularly East Indian
growths.
As in other countries, the coffees grown on the highlands in Yemen are
better than the lowland growths. As a rule, the low-altitude bean is
larger and more oblong than that grown in the highlands, due to its
quicker development in the regions where the rainfall, though not
great, is more abundant.
While Mocha coffees are known commercially by grade numbers, the
planters and Arabian traders also designate them by the name of the
district or province in which each is grown. Among the better grades
thus labeled are the Yafey, the Anezi, the Mattari, the Sanani, the
Sharki, and the Haimi-Harazi. For the poorer grades, these names are
used: Remi, Bourai, Shami, Yemeni, and Maidi. Of these varieties, the
Mattari, a hard and regular bean, pale yellow in color, commands the
highest price, with the Yafey a close second. Harazi coffee heads the
market for quantity, coupled with general average of quality.
INDIA AND CEYLON. Coffees from India and Ceylon are marketed almost
exclusively in London, little reaching the American trade. Of the
Indian growths, Malabars, grown on the western slope of the Ghat
Mountains, are classed commercially as the best. The bean is rather
small and blue-green in color. In the cup it has a distinctive strong
flavor and deep color. Mysore coffee ranks next in favor on the English
market. It is mountain grown, and the bean is large and blue-green in
color. Tellicherry is another good-grade coffee, closely resembling
Malabar. Coorg (Kurg) coffee is an inferior growth. It is lowland type,
and in the cup is thin and flat. The bean is large and flat, and tends
toward dark green in color. Travancore is another lowland growth,
ranking about with Coorg, and has the same general characteristics. See
the Complete Reference Table in _All About Coffee_ for details.
Ceylon, although it once was one of the world’s most important
producers, has been losing ground as a coffee-producing country
since 1890. Ceylon coffees are classified commercially as “native,”
“plantation,” and “mountain.”
FRENCH INDO-CHINA. The coffee of French Indo-China is highly prized
in France, where the bulk of the exports goes. The coffee tree grows
well in the provinces of Tonkin, Annam, Cambodia, and Cochin-China.
Tonkin is the largest producer, and grows the best varieties. In the
cup, Tonkin coffee is thought by French traders to compare favorably
with Mocha. Of the several varieties of _Coffea arabica_ grown in
Indo-China, the _Grand Bourbon_, _Bourbon rond_, and _Bourbon Le Roy_
are the best known. The first-named is a large bean of good quality;
the second is a small, round bean of superior grade; and the third is a
still smaller bean of fair cup quality.
ABYSSINIA. The coffee grown in Abyssinia is classified commercially
into two varieties; Harari, which is grown principally in the district
around Harar, and Abyssinian, produced mainly in the provinces of
Kaffa, Sidamo, and Guma. Harari coffee is the fruit of cultivated
trees, while Abyssinian comes from wild trees. The first-named produces
a long and well-shaped berry, and is often referred to as Longberry
Harari. The bean is larger than the Mocha, but similar in general
appearance. Its color shades from blue-green to yellow. Good grades
of Harari have cup characteristics resembling Mocha, and by some are
preferred to Mocha, because of their winier cup flavor. The Abyssinian
coffee is considered much inferior to Harari, and chops generally
contain many imperfections. The bean is dark gray in color. Little
Abyssinian coffee comes to the United States.
Many other African countries produce coffee, but little of it ever
reaches the North American market. Uganda, in British East Africa,
grows a good grade of _Robusta_ coffee, which is valued on the London
market. Liberian coffee, grown on the west coast, used to be mixed
with Bourbon Santos to some extent; but it is generally considered low
grade, although it makes a handsome, elephantine roast. The product
of Guinea is a very small bean, half way between a peaberry and a
flat bean, and has a dingy brown color. It is considered worthless as
a drink. A medium-sized, strong-flavored bean that is rich in the cup
is grown in the African Congo district. In Angola a fair quantity of
coffee is produced. In the cup it has a strong and pungent flavor,
but lacks smoothness and aroma. Zanzibar produces a pleasing coffee
in very limited quantities. The bean is medium size, and regular in
shape. Mozambique’s coffee is greenish in color, of medium size, and
mellow. The production is small. Madagascar produces an insignificant
quantity for export, although the coffee is considered fair average,
with rich flavor, and considerable fragrance. Bourbon coffee, grown
on the island of Réunion, commands a high price in the French market,
where practically all exports go. It is a small, flinty bean, and gives
a rich cup and fragrance.
EAST INDIAN ISLANDS. Some of the coffees from the East Indian islands
rank among the best in the world, particularly those from Sumatra. East
India coffees are distinguished by their smooth, heavy body in the cup,
the fancy grades giving an almost syrupy richness.
JAVA. Java coffees are generally of a smaller bean than those from
Sumatra, and are not considered so high grade. The bulk of the new-crop
growths have a grassy flavor which most people find unpleasant when
drunk straight. Under the old culture system, coffee was bought by
the government, and held in godowns from two to three years, until
it had become mellow with age. In late years, this system has been
abandoned, and the planters now sell their product as they please, and
in most cases without mellowing excepting as they age during the long
sea voyage from Batavia to destination. Before the advent of large
fleets of steamers in the East Indian trade, the coffee was brought
to America in sailing vessels that required from three to four months
for the trip. During the voyage, the coffee went through a sweating
process which turned the beans from a light green to a dark brown,
and considerably enhanced their cup values. The sweating was due to
the coffee being loaded when moist, and then practically sealed in
the vessel’s hold during all its trip through the tropical seas. As a
consequence, the cargo steamed and foamed, and as a rule part of the
coffee became moldy, the damage seldom extending more than an inch or
two into the mats. Sweated coffees commanded from three to five cents
more than those that came in “pale.”
[Illustration: Mocha.]
[Illustration: Washed Java.
SAMPLES OF TYPICAL ROASTED COFFEE BEANS]
Before the Java coffee trade began to decline in the latter part of
the 19th century, _Coffea arabica_ was grown abundantly throughout
the island. Each residency had numerous estates, and their names were
given to the coffees produced. The best coffees came from Preanger,
Cheribon, Buitenzorg, and Batavia, ranking in merit in the order named.
All Java coffees are known commercially either as private growth, or
as blue bean washed, the former being cured by either the washing or
the dry hulling method, while the latter are washed. Private growths
are usually a pale yellow, the bean being short, round, and slightly
convex. It makes a handsome, even roast, showing a full white stripe.
The washed variety is a pale blue-green, the bean closely resembling
the private growth in form and roast. These coffees have a distinctive
character in the cup that is much different from any other coffee
grown. Their liquor is thin.
All the better known coffees of Java, which are designated by the
districts in which they are grown, are listed in the Complete Reference
Table in _All About Coffee_. Coffee from a few of the many districts
comes to the North American market. Among those which are sold in the
United States are the Kadoe and Samarang, both of which are small,
yellowish green, and the Malang, a green, hard bean which makes a
better roast than Kadoe and Samarang, but is inferior to them in the
cup.
SUMATRA. Sumatra has the reputation of producing some of the finest
and highest-priced coffees in the world, such as Mandheling, Angola,
Ayer Bangies, Padang Interior, and Palembang. Mandheling coffee is a
large, brownish bean which roasts dull, but is generally free from
quakers. It is very heavy in body, and has a unique flavor that easily
distinguishes it from any other growth. The Angola bean is shorter
and better appearing than Mandheling, but otherwise bears a close
resemblance. Its flavor is only slightly under Mandheling, and, like
that coffee, it is recommended for blending with the best grades of
Mocha. While the Ayer Bangies bean is somewhat larger than the other
two just mentioned, it is not so dark brown in color, and is not quite
so heavy in body; the flavor is very delicate. These three growths are
known in the trade as the “Fancies,” and are considered the best of
Sumatra’s production.
The Sumatra coffee best known to the American trade is the Padang
Interior, which is shipped through the port of Padang on Sumatra’s
west coast. The bean is irregular in form and color, and makes a dull
roast. However, the flavor is good, although it lacks the richness of
the Fancies. Another celebrated coffee grown on the west coast is the
Boekit Gompong, grown on the estate of that name near Padang. It is a
high-grade coffee, making a handsome roast, and possessing a delicate
flavor. The foregoing coffees are produced on what were formerly termed
government estates, and during the heyday of government control were
sold by auction and came mostly to the United States.
Among the private estate coffees, Corinchies take first rank for
quality, some traders saying that they are the best in international
commerce. They closely resemble Angolas, but range a cent or two lower
in price. Next in order of merit is Timor coffee, grown on the island
of that name. It is not so attractive in appearance, roast, or cup
quality as the Corinchie. A grade below Timors is Boengie coffee, which
is seldom seen on the North American market. Kroe coffee is better
known and more widely used in the United States. The bean is large, but
has an attractive appearance. Kroes are of heavy body, of somewhat
groundy flavor when new crop, and are good roasters and blenders. Other
East Indian coffees are Teagals, Balis, and Macassars, all of which
are second-rate growths as compared with the bulk of Sumatras, grade
for grade. The Macassars are produced in the district of that name on
island of Celebes. The best coffee grown in Celebes comes from the
province of Menado, and is known by that name. It is thought to be of
superior quality, and commands a high price in Europe.
THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. The Philippine Islands have not figured in
international coffee trade since 1892, although in preceding years they
exported several million pounds of an average good grade of coffee.
While coffee is one of the shade trees used by householders in Guam,
none of the fruit is exported. Coffee production is an unimportant
industry in Samoa, Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and other
Pacific islands, and none is grown for export.
HAWAII. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the Hawaiian Islands
have taken a position of increasing importance, shipping some 2,000,000
pounds of good-quality coffee to the United States, their biggest
customer. Coffee grows to some extent on all the islands of the group,
but fully 95 percent is raised in the districts of Kona, Puna, and
Hamakua on the main island of Hawaii. All Hawaiian coffee is high
grade, and is generally large bean, blue-green in color when new crop,
and yellow-brown when aged. It makes a handsome roast, and has a
fine flavor that is smooth and not too acid. It blends well with any
high-grade mild coffee. Kona coffee, grown in the district of that
name, commands the highest price. Old-crop Kona coffee is said by some
trade authorities to be equal to either Mocha or Old Government Java.
_Appearance, Aroma, and Flavor in Cup-Testing_
Before the beginning of the 20th century, practically all coffees
bought and sold in the United States were judged for merit simply
by the appearance of the green or roasted bean. Since that time, the
importance of testing the drinking qualities has become generally
recognized, and today every progressive coffee buyer has his
sample-roasting and testing outfit with which to carry out painstaking
cup tests. Both buyers and sellers use the cup test, the former to
determine the merits of the coffee they are buying, and the latter to
ascertain the proper value of the chop under consideration. Frequently
a test is made to fix the relative desirability of various growths
considered as a whole, using composite samples that are supposed to
give representation to an entire crop.
The first step in testing coffee is to compare the appearance of the
green bean of a chop with a sample of known standard value for that
particular kind of coffee. The next step is to compare the appearance
when roasted. Then comes the appearance and aroma test, when it is
ground; and finally, the most difficult of all, the trial of the flavor
and aroma of the liquid.
Naturally, the tester gives much care to proper roasting of the samples
to be examined. He recognizes several different kinds of roasts which
he terms the light, the medium, the dark, the Italian, and the French
roasts, all of which vary in the shadings of color, and each of which
gives a different taste in the cup. The careful tester watches the
roast closely to see whether the beans acquire a dull or bright finish,
and to note also if there are many quakers, or off-color beans. When
the proper roasting point is reached, he smells the beans when still
hot to determine their aroma. In some growths and grades, he will
frequently smell of them as they cool off, because the character
changes as the heat leaves them, as in the case of many Maracaibo
grades.
After roasting, the actual cup testing begins. Two methods are
employed,—the blind cup test, in which there is no clue to the
identity of the kind of coffee in the cup, and the open test, in which
the tester knows beforehand the particular coffee he is to examine. The
former is most generally employed by buyers and sellers; although a
large number of experts, who do not let their knowledge interfere with
their judgment, use the open method.
In both systems the amount of ground coffee placed in the cup is
carefully weighed so that the strength will be standard. Generally,
the cups are marked on the bottom for identification after the
examination. Before pouring on the hot water to make the brew, the
aroma of the freshly ground coffee is carefully noted to see if it is
up to standard. In pouring the water, care is exercised to keep the
temperature constant in the cups, so that the strength in all will
be equal. When the water is poured directly on the grounds, a crust
or scum is formed. Before this crust breaks, the tester sniffs the
aroma given off; this is called the wet-smell, or crust, test, and is
considered of great importance.
Of course, the taste of the brew is the most important test. Equal
amounts of coffee are sipped from each cup, the tester holding each sip
in his mouth only long enough to get the full strength of the flavor.
He spits out the coffee into a large brass cuspidor designed for the
purpose. The expert never swallows the liquor.
Cup testing calls for keenly developed senses of sight, smell, and
taste, and the faculty for remembering delicate shadings in each
sense. By sight, the coffee man judges the size, shape, and color of
the green and roasted bean, which are important factors in determining
commercial values. He can tell also whether the coffee is of the washed
or unwashed variety, and whether it contains many imperfections, such
as quakers, pods, stones, brokens, off-colored beans, and the like. By
his sense of smell of the roast and of the brew, he gages the strength
of the aroma, which also enters into the valuation calculation. His
palate tells him many things about a coffee brew,—if the drink has
body and is smooth, rich, acidy, or mellow; if it is winy, neutral,
harsh, or Rioy; if it is musty, groundy, woody, or grassy; or if it is
rank, hidy (sour, muddy, or bitter). These are trade designations of
the different shades of flavor to be found in the coffees coming to the
North American market, and each has an influence on the price at which
they will be sold.
The up-to-date cup tester requires special equipment to get the best
results. A typical installation consists of a gas sample-roasting
outfit, employing at least a single cylinder holding about six ounces
of coffee, and perhaps a battery of a dozen or more; an electric
grinding mill; a testing table, with a top that can be revolved by
hand; a pair of accurately adjusted balance scales; one or more brass
kettles; a gas stove for heating water; sample pans; many china or
glass cups; silver spoons; and a brass cuspidor that stands waist high
and is shaped like an hour glass.
Since the World War, there have been some notable changes in the buying
of coffees, particularly in European markets. For example, the old idea
of buying fancy coffees at fancy prices is probably gone for good in
Europe.
[Illustration]