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Blog / Ethiopian Sidamo

Africa - The Birthplace of Coffee

Many of us won’t even consider starting the day without our daily jolt of coffee.

For centuries, people all over the world and from all walks of life have enjoyed sipping this tasty, caffeinated beverage. CoffeeBeansandFrenchPress-426482-edited-514531-edited But coffee is more than a simple drink. Its social aspect throughout history cannot be denied. Sipping a cup of coffee is a ritualistic experience for some. Coffee houses throughout the ages have provided a place for people to share art, poetry, music, politics and simple camaraderie. CoffeeHouseMakingCoffeeDelicious
photo credit: almost there via photopin (license)

Coffee as an Industry

There’s no denying it—coffee is big business. Check out these impressive stats:

  • It is the world’s second most-traded commodity (petroleum is the first)
  • The global coffee market earns nearly $60 billion annually
  • Around 7 million tons of green coffee beans are produced each year worldwide
  • World coffee exports amounted to 8.85 million bags in the month of December alone, according to the International Coffee Organization
Coffee, which has been sipped by kings and peasants alike, got its humble start in the mountains of Ethiopia. CoffeeRoastingEthiopia

Roasting Ethiopian Mountain-Grown Coffee Beans

In the Beginning

The origins of global coffee growing can be traced to the Horn of Africa. This is also where the beverage was first enjoyed. Coffee trees originated in the Ethiopian province of Kaffa. CoffeeTree
photo credit: Coffee tree via photopin (license)

From there, coffee made its way to the Middle East. By the 15th century, coffee was being cultivated in Yemen. And in 1616 the Dutch brought live coffee plants back to the Netherlands to grow in greenhouses. It quickly spread to the rest of Europe, and as they say, the rest is history.

Coffee Plants

Today, coffee is grown in 53 countries around the world—all of them near the equator, including several on the African continent. Coffee plants need lots of sunshine and moderate rainfall to thrive. There are essentially two different varieties of coffee—Arabica and Robusta. Gourmet coffee comes from Arabica beans, while Robusta beans are typically used in instant coffees. Arabica beans come from the plant, Coffea Arabica, which was originally found in the mountains of the southwestern highlands of Ethiopia. Coffea Arabica accounts for 75-80% of the world’s coffee production. Soapstone Pot Soapstone Pot

Keep your coffee beans on your countertop in style!

Arabica beans generally grow at altitudes between 450-1800 meters (1500-6000 feet). They can’t handle any frost. The plant has lush, shiny green leaves, with an open branching system. Cultivated plants are usually trimmed, but a wild coffee plant can grow 9-12 meters (29-39 ft) tall.

A mature coffee plant will produce around 2,000 coffee cherries a year, which will yield enough beans for half a kilo (one pound) of roasted coffee. The plant will continue to produce coffee beans for about 15 years. African Coffee Countries Some of the best coffee in the world comes from the African continent. Talk to any coffee connoisseur around the world, and they’ll likely sing the praises of many African coffees. Ethiopia is still the powerhouse of Africa when it comes to coffee. Ethiopian coffee comprises 3% of the global coffee market, and a staggering 60% of Ethiopia’s foreign income comes from coffee. It’s estimated that 15 million people in Ethiopia depend on coffee production for some part of their livelihood. ethiopia-flag_M1hU3LOd Ethiopian Sidamo and Harrar are two coffee beans that are in world demand. Sidamo is grown in the Sidamo Province of Ethiopia. It’s heavy-bodied with a spicy, almost chocolaty taste. Harrar is one of the oldest coffee beans still produced. Workers still sort and process the beans by hand. Harrar offers a rich, fruity, wine flavor.

Pick A Pocket's Media Team was in Addis Ababa recently to gather some new material - all part of an exciting new face and new direction for The Koshe Project (an admirable undertaking helping young girls in Ethiopia).

While there, they shot this video about the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony, which is an indispensable tradition in daily Ethiopian life, and a cornerstone of hospitality and friendship.

"Incense is lit and coffee beans are carefully washed, roasted and ground by hand, then brewed in a clay Ethiopian coffee pot over hot coals. Once ready, the dark, flavorful buna is enjoyed in small cups and the ceremony repeats twice, providing plenty of time for those gathered to converse and share stories."

Kenya is also well-respected for its coffee beans. Kenyan coffee is known for its bright acidity, its sweetness and a dry wine after taste. Kenyan coffee is mainly produced by small cooperatives. Auctions are held in Nairobi each Tuesday during the harvest season. Competition can be fierce. Uganda is also a major coffee growing country. But unlike Ethiopia and Kenya, Uganda focuses its efforts on producing the hardy robusta bean. Compared to Arabica beans, robusta beans are cheaper and easier to farm. Coffee makes up 95% of Uganda’s exports. 300,000 farmers grow coffee in Uganda, so it’s essential to the country’s well-being.

Fair Trade

Coffee is vital to many developing countries’ economies. For years coffee growers received a ridiculously small amount for their efforts—just pennies per pound of beans. But steps are being taken to rectify this injustice. Fair trade regulations, which are designed to give those working in developing countries a living wage and ensure sustainable farming practices, are growing in popularity and effectiveness. Coffee primarily comes from small farmers from less-affluent areas. So an increase in fair trade agreements (even huge multinational companies, such as Starbucks and Nestle are now on board) will surely increase the standard of living for those who work so hard to make our daily cup of Joe possible. Our good friends at Barocco - Café Artigianale - offer two amazing blends we highly recommend. Biondo - a 100% Arabica coffee, blending both African and South American beans for subtle floral hints and a smooth sweet finish. We especially enjoy Scurro - a 100% Arabica dark roast - also a blend of African and South American beans. Scurro has a strong body and aroma with an earthy taste and a hint of smokiness. Barocco's coffee blends reflect their origins as well as their roast profile. Grab a cup of joe anytime! A Taste of Africa Coffee Grab a cup of joe anytime! A Taste of Africa Coffee Cover Photo Source: photo credit: Bodum Chambord 3-cup Coffee Press via photopin (license)
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Are you really drinking coffee?


Or just a warm, brown beverage?

All kidding aside, we actually have a friend who says just that. Her theory is that if you are only going to have a couple of cups a day, you should truly have the best coffee experience possible. african-coffee_Mymsdc0u.jpg A self-admitted "coffee snob", she boycotts many of the more popular national coffee chains, claiming that what they sell is "just a warm, brown beverage" but not coffee. She finds it hard to believe that people who will go to great lengths to buy the best wine for their dollar, don't apply the same logic to the coffee they consume on a daily basis.

So, how do you ensure you are drinking great coffee?

Buy the best coffee beans you can afford. Locate a roaster of single origin, micro-lots who only roast in small batches and ship each batch within a few days of roasting. Stop buying "grocery store", pre-ground coffee. Coffee brands that dominate the grocery store aisles roast a phenomenal amount of coffee per year. They bank on their customers either believing they can't afford a better coffee or keep drinking inferior coffee due to inertia and lack of knowledge. So, they often blend Arabica with lower-quality Robusta coffee beans. Our aforementioned, coffee-centric friend says "you may as well brew sawdust"! Never buy the coffee beans in the gravity-feed displays in grocery stores. You have no idea how long those beans have been around since roasted. Furthermore, if you use the store grinder (part of the coffee bean display), you run the risk of "contaminating" your selection with other flavours that have been run through the grinder. We once (in desperation, because we had run short of our supply of single origin/micro-lot/fresh roast) bought a small amount of beans from the grocery offering and ground them on the spot. When we brewed the coffee, it came out tasting like some vile, chemical tasting peach overlay flavour. Again, a warm brown beverage - but definitely not coffee! Buy whole bean coffee and make sure you determine the following info:
  • What is the area of origin
  • What period of time in the year is the coffee harvested
  • When was the coffee roasted
There are other pieces of valuable information a good roaster will tend to provide. Look for evaluations of flavour (like chocolately, fruity, etc.), as well as the degree of roast. What grower (or cooperative) produced the coffee? Was it hand picked? Sun-dried? Is it Fair Trade or certified organic? At what altitude was it grown? Experiment with roast levels. Many people believe they only like dark roasts. What many don't realize is dark roasts tend to mask the real flavour of the bean. Unfortunately, the large scale coffee companies (whose products you find in your local grocery store) tend to produce darker roasts because it's easy to consistently produce and a darker roast reduces the mass of the coffee - thus reducing shipping expenses. Try lighter roasts. They are far superior and you will be very surprised at the complex flavours you will experience. Invest in a decent brewing system. Whatever you decide to use, keep it clean. While we use a very good drip system most of the time, we also really like the French Press system. Look for upcoming blog articles in which we will discuss a variety of brewing systems and the best methods to follow. We don't mean to castigate every grocery store brand. There are a few truly respectable roasters who are producing quite decent beans and distributing them through grocery chains. But remember, truly great coffee is readily available and will be a much more satisfying indulgence.

Single-origin, micro-lot, freshly roasted is our mantra!

And you don't get that in a grocery store!

We love coffee so much, we decided to begin producing our own roasts. Our whole bean coffees are all from Africa (where a large percentage of truly great coffees come from) and are named after endangered or vulnerable species (in keeping with our support of charities who benefit species at risk). Africa is often called "the birthplace of coffee". In our opinion, Africa is a source of excellent quality and extremely flavourful coffee beans. To ensure the best possible coffee experience, we roast in frequent small batches, taking care to preserve and enhance the natural flavours of the bean. Please try our small lot freshly roasted coffee. We think you will truly enjoy these lovely roasts. Ethiopian_Wolf_Face_628_x_1200_70_dpi.jpg Ethiopian_Wolf_Face_628_x_1200_70_dpi.jpg
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Talkin' About A Revolution? Power To The Coffee Cup!


What an incredible idea!

Every once in a while, someone crops up and sends us something that makes us go, "Yeah, right on!". (You can tell what generation we're from!)

Power_to_the_Coffee_Cup.pngSource: Creative Commons, Labeled For Reuse

Moyee FairchainTM Coffee sent us this amazing video - Revolution In A Cup - that clearly defines the issues and their aspiration to provide a way out of development aid.

The global coffee chain became dominated by only 5 large multinationals

The result?

  • Consumer prices went up

  • Coffee quality went down (due to mixing beans from different origins to achieve a globally uniform taste and the use of mediocre quality beans)

  • Coffee quality and "unique taste" suffered

Moyee's intent is admirable. We wish them great success!


Our coffee mantra is single origin, freshly roasted in small lots.

Why? Because that's what produces excellent quality and unique taste.

Please take a look at our whole bean coffee. Named after endangered or vulnerable species (we believe awareness is a powerful tool), our coffees are carefully selected, handcrafted, single origin micro-lots, freshly roasted in small batches to provide the best possible coffee experience to our loyal customers. We're also committed to fair trade (and organic whenever possible).

Single-origin, micro-lot, freshly roasted is our mantra!

And you don't get that in a grocery store!

Africa is often called "the birthplace of coffee". In our opinion, Africa is a source of excellent quality and extremely flavorful coffee beans. To ensure the best possible coffee experience, we roast in frequent small batches, taking care to preserve and enhance the natural flavours of the bean. Please try our Single Origin Whole Bean Coffee Single Origin Whole Bean Coffee. We think you will truly enjoy these lovely roasts. We are currently offering . . .

Ethiopian Wolf Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Natural Ethiopian Wolf Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Natural - a sweet and juicy coffee with stone fruits and apricot qualities. Ethiopian Wolf is handcrafted, naturally sun-dried and is both Fair Trade and Organically certified.

Shop Coffee now Black Rhino Ethiopian TikikiliBlack Rhino Ethiopian Tikikili - This exceptional blend is predominantly a delightfully twisted mix of Ethiopian whole bean with a little bit of South American pizzazz. The result is a smoothly decadent, creamy and balanced flavour we know you'll enjoy! Try our recipe A Taste of Africa - Bran Rusks with our delicious coffees. A truly terrific combination! Sign Up Zawadee Newsletter Sign Up Zawadee Newsletter
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