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Cascara is a coffee cherry herbal tea made from the dried outer skins of the coffee fruit. These pulped skins are collected after the coffee beans have been removed from the cherries and sun dried. Cascara, from the Spanish cáscara, means "husk" “peel” or “skin”. It is different from cáscara sagrada tea, a powerful plant-based laxative derived from Rhamnus purshiana. Cascara is a common drink in some coffee-growing nations, notably Bolivia locally called Sultana, Yemen where it is called Qishr and Ethiopia...

Introduction Coffee blending is an integral part of the coffee culture and industry. It is a subject that our team at Pogon regularly discusses with our clients. We seek, in this small publication, to provide some unbiased clarity regarding this subject without any pretense of being exhaustive. Single Origin or Blend are cultural/practical approaches to coffee and are not mutually exclusive. Some pursue one or the other in their offering others combines both. At Pogon, we pride ourselves in selecting the best quality...

Coffee on draft is still fairly rare, but has recently been gaining popularity. Prior to cold brew coffee, serving coffee on tap was not possible due to the fragility and “shelf life” of hot brewed coffee. As cold brew coffee can maintain its taste and flavor for 2 weeks allows it to be stored in a keg during that period without sacrificing quality. Adding Nitrogen gas, the coffee can last much longer. Why Nitrogen (N2)? Nitrogen is a primary gas not as soluble in...

Contrary to combining hot water with coffee, when cold brewing, heat is replaced by time. Cold brewing is the process of keeping coffee grounds in cold water or room temperature water for an extended period of time - usually 12-24 hours. Cold brewing for 12-16 hours provides a deep, rich flavor coffee extract. Beyond 20 hours the coffee can begin to become bitter as it may be a bit over extracted at this point. For Cold brewing large/coarse ground is recommend for optimal extraction. Depending...

The origin and history of coffee dates back to the 10th century, and possibly earlier with a number of reports and legends surrounding its first use. The native (undomesticated) origin of coffee is thought to have been Ethiopia. The earliest substantiated evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree is from the 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries of Yemen. By the 16th century, it had reached the rest of the Middle East, South India (Coorg), Persia,...

There are three main coffee species, Arabica, Canephore “Roubusta” and Liberica The most widely grown coffee species are Arabica and Robusta. Arabica: is a species of Coffea originally indigenous to the forests of the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. It is believed to be the first species of coffee to be cultivated, and is by far the dominant cultivar, representing some 70% of global production. Wild plants grow between 9 and 12 m tall. It is endemic to the mountainous regions of Yemen...

Coffee Bean Types Normally the fruit ("cherry") of the coffee plant contains two seeds ("beans") that develop with flattened facing sides. In Ethiopia essentially the following bean type nomination is used to differentiate coffee beans. Shortberry: Normal cherry seeds of smaller size. Longberry: Normal cherry seeds of Larger size. Peaberry: Cherry with only one of the two seeds is fertilized, and the single seed develops with nothing to flatten it. This oval (or pea-shaped) bean is known as peaberry. Typically around 5% of all...

Fair Trade Fair trade coffee is coffee that is certified as having been produced to fair trade standards. Fair trade organizations create trading partnerships that are based on dialogue, transparency and respect, that seeks greater equity in international trade. These partnerships contribute to sustainable development by offering better trading conditions to coffee bean farmers. Fair trade organizations are engaged actively in supporting producers and sustainable environmental farming practices. Fair trade practices prohibit child or forced labor. Rainforest Alliance The Rainforest Alliance is a...

Grading is the process of categorizing coffee beans on the basis of various criteria such as size of the bean, where and at what altitude it was grown, how it was prepared and picked, and how good it tastes, or its cup quality. Coffees also may be graded by the number of imperfections (defective and broken beans, pebbles, sticks, etc.) per sample. For the finest coffees, origin of the beans (farm or estate, region, cooperative) is especially important. Growers of...

Coffee Bean processing is converting the raw fruit of the coffee plant into the finished coffee ready for roasting. The method that is used varies and can have a significant effect on the flavor of roasted and brewed coffee. Wet process (also known as Washed): In the wet process, the fruit covering the seeds/beans is removed before they are dried. The wet method requires the use of specific equipment and substantial quantities of water. The coffee cherries are sorted by immersion...