Steve Josephs

For the novice office coffee service drinker, there are four primary taste profiles described and categorized for Specialty Arabica gourmet office coffee. These include: Acidity, Aroma, Body and Flavor. Flavor can be further broken down into Balance, Range, Complexity, Richness and Finish.

The coffees of Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and Burundi are the main sources of Arabica coffee exports from East Africa. The unique characteristics of these coffees are desired around the world for their high acidity, medium body and fruity, winey and floral flavors. These coffees grow in a variety of terrain, and are known for their high quality production and processing.

Creating exceptional gourmet coffee is similar to the creation of an exceptional wine. Each crop, and even different harvests of the same crop, will have unique characteristics which must be identified and combined by the master roaster to attain the desired flavor profile.