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LEARN ABOUT COFFEE
On Quality
Our goal at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® is to provide our customers with the finest coffees available from around the world. We judge the quality of our specialty coffee quality by the intrinsic value of the green beans as well as the uniqueness of character that is exhibited by coffee from each farm, region, and origin country where we purchase coffee.
The factors that contribute to a coffee's overall characteristics include geographic conditions, altitude, climate, soil composition, and seasonal factors such as weather. Those factors combine with human influence which include cultivation and processing methods as well as the care, passion, and experience of the people growing the coffee. Together they make a quality cup of coffee.
How we select coffee
We weigh the following factors when we select a coffee:
Agriculture
We partner with experienced farmers who use sustainable, environmentally sound practices with access to education programs and the latest scientific research.
Growing season
Each origin country has it's own growing season. Some origins, such as Costa Rica, have only a single crop each year, where others like Papua New Guinea have a near continuous crop, or a crop that is divided into two or more separate harvest periods. These factors are considered carefully as we strive to maintain an adequate supply of only the freshest possible coffees.
Harvesting
We believe the best coffee comes from small, independent farmers who hand select only the ripe fruit, with proper concern for the trees. Not surprisingly, there is a direct connection between the quality of the coffee and the quality of the people we work with. That's why we do business with farm managers who hire skilled workers and compensate them fairly.
Processing
When it comes to processing, time is of the essence. We make sure the coffee undergoes the transition from fruit to dried green beans promptly, using proven equipment and managed by experienced, knowledgeable people.
Grading & Sorting
We grade and sort our coffee to meet the highest standards. To ensure only the best coffee is selected, we spare no expense in each step of the process.
Repeatability
When we find an outstanding coffee, we ask ourselves if this quality can be repeated from crop year to crop year in a sustainable manner.
Roasting
The roasters at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® are experienced artisans. Their craftsmanship is backed by industry-leading technology and process control that strives for consistency and perfection.
Blending
All our blends are hand-mixed after roasting each coffee individually, to bring out it's own unique peak of perfection.
Packaging
We package our roasted coffee in state-of-the-art valve bags to ensure maximum product protection and freshness.
On tasting at the country of origin
When it comes to finding quality coffee, there is no substitute for tasting at the country of origin, on the farm where the coffee is grown. The technique of evaluating the flavor of coffee is called cupping. Cupping analyzes fragrance and aroma, flavor, acidity, aftertaste, and body. Our certified cuppers spend years in the field, selecting the best coffees for purchase.
Good partnerships make great coffee
At The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®, we're in it for the long haul. Our supplier relationships are meant to be long-term sustainable partnerships. That's why we travel to origin several times each year to visit our valued farmers and processors.
With every origin visit we seek to improve the quality of our coffee and improve our relationships with farmers, suppliers, and shippers. We review our partners to ensure their ethics, social, environmental responsibility, and business practices are aligned with our company's guiding principals. Our purchasing standards and two-way communication between the producers of our raw coffees, and our customers around the world, are designed to encourage transparency.
From beginning to end, coffee is about people. Coffee is a product of nature, but it produced, cared for, and consumed by people. The most fulfilling aspect of these trips is a result of the time spent with passionate, skilled people who share our commitment to quality and social responsibility. It is enormously satisfying to be able to exchange ideas and give feedback to the people who labor on our behalf around the globe.
The perfect cup of coffee
Technically, perfection means 1.2% coffee solids in pure filtered, or bottled water, brewed from a freshly opened bag of our whole bean coffee, and consumed right away.
Emotionally, the perfect cup of coffee is the one I drink with one of our farmers, while sitting on the porch with their family, looking out at their field of coffee trees.
-Jay Isais, Senior Director of Green Coffee Manufacturing & Distribution
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