What is the coffee technical sheet?

Most specialty coffee roasters put a lot of information on their packaging, which is considered the coffee's technical data sheet.

As you educate yourself about the coffee index, you'll know how to determine whether a coffee is high-quality or not, and how to choose coffees based on your preferences.

How do you read and understand a coffee's technical sheet?

Information includes:

All of that information written on the coffee bag label will give you a pretty good idea of ​​what you might find inside. Let's take a closer look at all of this information.

Brand name

The first thing you'll probably notice is the name. For larger companies, it's likely a brand name, but sometimes coffee bags are labeled with the name of the farm where the coffee was grown, the cooperative that produced it, or the specialty roaster that processed it. This can give you a clue as to whether the coffee is a blend or single origin, unless otherwise stated.

Origin of Coffee

The region where coffee is grown can have a big impact on its flavor, so this is often one of the first things you should look at. The more specific the region listed, the more unique the flavor and aroma will likely be.

If you don't see a specific region listed, the coffee 's origins may be blended. The coffee is labeled as single origin or a blend. Many specialty coffees come from a single origin, giving them a specific flavor that can't be found anywhere else.

How the coffee was processed

Processing is the method by which coffee goes from ripe coffee cherries to the dried, green coffee beans we roast. Aside from origin, the next most important piece of information to understand is its processing. Processing methods have a tremendous impact on the flavor of coffee. The three main processing methods are washed, natural, and honey.

Species and variety

Most of the coffee you find comes from one of two Coffea species: Arabica or Robusta. Arabica coffee is considered the higher quality of the two and makes up the majority of the coffee we roast. The species is further divided into varietals, such as Caturra, Catuaí, Bourbon, Typica, Geisha/Gesha, and Pacamara.

Altitude

Generally speaking, the higher the mountain the coffee is grown, the higher the quality. Coffee grown at higher altitudes contains higher concentrations of sugars and acids, resulting in a sweeter, more complex cup.

Roasting level

Roast level is simply the degree to which the coffee beans have been roasted. Light, medium, dark, or variations thereof, it is possibly the most misleading and inconsistent element in the coffee industry as a whole.

A “dark” roast, for example, typically indicates a smoky, intense, and bitter flavor, but these flavors can be imparted to a coffee at numerous levels. While the definition of roast level is vague at best, the interpretation can be even more confusing.

One company's light roast may be equivalent to another's darkest offering. The scale seems to be unique for each company. Statistically, most coffee drinkers prefer a medium roast, which isn't surprising since that designation probably encompasses the greatest variety of roast characteristics.

Roasting date

This is the date the coffee was roasted. It's important to know when coffee is roasted, not only to know when the coffee is past its prime, but also when it's ready to use. You'd never know just by looking at a coffee how old it is. Aside from brewing it, the roast date is the only way to know its age.

During the roasting process, multiple chemical reactions occur within the coffee bean, and as a result, carbon dioxide gas accumulates within the bean. Over the next five days, the roasted coffee rapidly releases its stored CO2 in a period known as degassing.

Any coffee brewed during this time may brew unevenly due to the release of gas, resulting in strong, bitter, or overly acidic flavors in the cup.

The more you know the better

The coffee fact sheet teaches you about coffee freshness, coffee flavor, and a farmer's story. These are the important things to look for, but there are some other pieces of information that might help you even more.

Over time, you may realize that there are significant differences in flavor due to the processing method of the green coffee beans, the altitude of the farm, and the genetic variety of the plant. The more you know, the more you can explore the vast world of coffee.