GREEN AND ROASTED COFFEE CHARACTERISTICS

_The trade values, bean characteristics, and cup merits of the
leading coffees of commerce, with a “Complete Reference Table of
the Principal Kinds of Coffee Grown in the World”–Appearance,
aroma, and flavor in cup-testing–How experts test coffee–A
typical sample-roasting and cup-testing outfit_

More than a hundred different kinds of coffee are bought and sold in the
United States. All of them belong to the same botanical genus, and
practically all to the same species, the _Coffea arabica_; but each has
distinguishing characteristics which determine its commercial value in
the eyes of the importers, roasters, and distributers.

The American trade deals almost exclusively in _Coffea arabica_,
although in the latter years of the World War increasing quantities of
_robusta_ and _liberica_ growths were imported, largely because of the
scarcity of Brazilian stocks and the improvement in the preparation
methods, especially in the case of _robustas_. Considerable quantities
of _robusta_ grades were sold in the United States before 1912, but
trading in them fell off when the New York Coffee and Sugar Exchange
prohibited their delivery on Exchange contracts after March 1, 1912.

All coffees used in the United States are divided into two general
groups, Brazils and Milds. Brazils comprise those coffees grown in São
Paulo, Minãs Geraes, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, Victoria, and other
Brazilian states. The Milds include all coffees grown elsewhere. In 1921
Brazils made up about three-fourths of the world’s total consumption.
They are regarded by American traders as the “price” coffees, while
Milds are considered as the “quality” grades.

Brazil coffees are classified into four great groups, which bear the
names of the ports through which they are exported; Santos, Rio,
Victoria, and Bahia. Santos coffee is grown principally in the state of
São Paulo; Rio, in the state of Rio de Janeiro and the state of Minãs
Geraes; Victoria, in the state of Espirito Santo; and Bahia in the state
of Bahia. All of these groups are further subdivided according to their
bean characteristics and the districts in which they are produced.

_Brazil Coffee Characteristics_

SANTOS. Santos coffees, considered as a whole, have the distinction of
being the best grown in Brazil. Rios rank next, Victorias coming third
in favor, and Bahias fourth. Of the Santos growths the best is that
known in the trade as Bourbon, produced by trees grown from Mocha seed
(_Coffea arabica_) brought originally from the French island colony of
Bourbon (now Réunion) in the Indian Ocean. The true Bourbon is obtained
from the first few crops of Mocha seed. After the third or fourth year
of bearing, the fruit gradually changes in form, yielding in the sixth
year the flat-shaped beans which are sold under the trade name of Flat
Bean Santos. By that time, the coffee has lost most of its Bourbon
characteristics. The true Bourbon of the first and second crops is a
small bean, and resembles the Mocha, but makes a much handsomer roast
with fewer “quakers”. The Bourbons grown in the Campinas district often
have a red center.

[Illustration: _Coffee Map of Brazil_

_Showing the Principal Coffee-Producing States and Shipping Ports_

As regards flavor, a good Bourbon Santos is considered the best coffee
for its price, and is the most satisfactory low-cost blending coffee to
be obtained. It is used with practically any of the high-priced coffees
to reduce the cost of the blend. When properly made, this coffee
produces a drink that is smooth and palatable, without tang or special
character, and is suitable to the average taste. When aged, Bourbon
Santos decreases in acidity, and increases somewhat in size of bean.

The Santos coffee described as Flat Bean usually has a smooth surface,
varying in size from small to large bean, and in color from a pale
yellow to a pale green. The cup has a good and smooth body of neutral
character, and the bean can be used straight or in a blend with
practically any Mild coffee.

Another Santos growth, known in the trade as Harsh Santos, grows near
the boundary between São Paulo and Minãs Geraes. It often has some of
the Rio characteristics, and commands a lower price than other Santos
coffees.

Some trade authorities are of the opinion that Santos coffees are an
exception to the rule that most green coffees improve with age. They
argue that careful cup-testing will reveal that a new crop Santos is to
be preferred to an old crop.

RIOS. Rio coffee is not generally liked in the United States, though in
former years it had some following even in the better trade. The demand
for all grades of Rios has been decreasing, Santos taking their place in
the United States. Rio coffee has a peculiar, rank flavor. It has a
heavy, pungent, and harsh taste which traders do not consider of value
either in straight coffee or in blends. However, its low price
recommends it to some packers, and it is often found in the cheapest
brands of package coffees and also in many compounds. In color, the bean
runs from light green to dark green; but when it is stored for any
length of time–a common practise in the past–the color changes to a
golden yellow; and the coffee is then known as golden Rio. The bean
also expands with age.

[Illustration: BOURBON SANTOS BEANS--ROASTED]

All Rio coffee is described by the name Rio; but the American trade
recognizes eight different grades, designated by numerals from one to
eight. These grades are determined by standards adopted by the New York
Coffee and Sugar Exchange, and are classified by the number of
imperfections found in the chops exported. No. 1 Rio contains no
imperfections, such as black beans, shells, stones, broken beans, pods
or immature beans (“quakers”). Such a chop is rarely found. No. 2 has
six imperfections. No. 3 has thirteen. No. 4 has twenty-nine, No. 5 has
sixty, No. 6 has one hundred and ten, No. 7 has two hundred, and No. 8
has about four hundred, although on the Exchange these last two are
graded by standard types.

[Illustration: FLAT AND BOURBON SANTOS BEANS--ROASTED]

VICTORIAS. Up to about the year 1917, Victoria coffees were held in even
less favor by American traders than were Rios. As a rule the bean was
large and punky, of a dark brown or dingy color, and its flavor was
described as muddy. Then, the coffee growers began to introduce modern
machinery for handling the crops, with the result that the character of
the produce has been much improved, and the demand for it has been
steadily growing. Many roasters who formerly used Rios straight for
their lower grades, have changed to Victorias, not only to improve the
appearance of the roast, but to soften the harsh drinking qualities of
the low-grade Rios.

[Illustration: RIO BEANS--ROASTED]

BAHIAS. Until recent years Bahia coffee has been decidedly unpopular in
the United States, largely because of its peculiar smoky flavor, due to
drying the coffee by means of wood fires, instead of by the usual sun
method. This practise has been abandoned; Bahia coffee has shown a
marked improvement in quality; and importations into the United States
have increased. The Bahia coffee produced in the Chapada district is
considered to be the best of the group. The bean is light-colored and of
fair size. Other types are Caravella and Nazareth, both of which are
below the standards demanded by the majority of the American trade.

[Illustration: _Coffee Map

of

São Paulo, Minãs, and Rio_]

MARAGOGIPE. This is a variety of _Coffea arabica_ first observed
growing near the town of Maragogipe on All Saints Bay, county of
Maragogipe, Bahia, Brazil, where it is called _Coffea indigena_. The
green bean is of huge size, and varies in color from green to dingy
brown. It is the largest of all coffee beans, and makes an elephantine
roast, free from quakers, but woody and generally disagreeable in the
cup. However, Dr. P.J.S. Cramer of the Netherlands government’s
experimental garden in Bangelan, Java, regards it very highly, referring
to it as “the finest coffee known”, and as having “a highly developed,
splendid flavor.” This coffee is now found in practically all the
producing countries, and shows the characteristics of the other coffees
produced in the same soil.

_The Characteristics of Mild Coffees_

Among the Mild coffees there is a much greater variation in
characteristics than is found among the Brazilian growths. This is due
to the differences in climate, altitude, and soil, as well as in the
cultural, processing, storage, and transportation methods employed in
the widely separated countries in which Milds are produced.

Mild coffees generally have more body, more acidity, and a much finer
aroma than Brazils; and from the standpoint of quality they are far more
desirable in the cup. As a rule they have also better appearance, or
“style”, both in the green and in the roast, due to the fact that
greater care is exercised in picking and preparing the higher grades.
Milds are important for blending purposes, most of them possessing
distinctive individual characteristics, which increase their value as
blending coffees.

_Not All Coffees Improve with Age_

Although it has long been held that green coffee improves with age, and
there is little doubt that this is true in so far as roasting merits are
concerned; the question has been raised among coffee experts as to
whether age improves the drinking qualities of all coffees alike.

Rio coffees should improve with age, as they are naturally strong and
earthy. Age might be expected to soften and to mellow them and others
having like characteristics. If, however, the coffee is mild in cup
quality in the first instance, then it may be asked if age does not
weaken it so that in time it must become quite insipid. Several years
ago, a New York coffee expert pointed out that this was what happened to
Santos coffees. The new crop, he said, was always a more pleasant and
enjoyable drink than the old crop, because it was a more pronounced mild
coffee in the cup.

MEXICANS. Considering those coffees grown nearest the American market
first, we come to the coffees of Mexico. All coffees grown in this
republic are known as Mexicans. They are further divided according to
the states and districts in which they are produced, and as to whether
they are prepared according to the wet or the dry method. The types best
known in the American market are Coatepec, Huatusco, Orizaba, Cordoba,
Oaxaca, and Jalapa. The lesser known are the Uruapan, Michoacan, Colima,
Chiapas, Triunfo, Tapachula, Sierra, Tabasco, Tampico, and
Coatzacoalcos. Some of these are rarely seen in the markets of the
United States.

The coffee most cultivated in Mexico is supposed to have come from Mocha
seed. Of this species is the Oaxaca coffee, which is valued because of
its sharp acidity and excellent flavor, two qualities that make it
desirable for blending. The bean of the Sierra Oaxaca (common unwashed)
is not large, nor is the appearance stylish. The Pluma Oaxaca (washed)
coffee, however, is a fancy bean and good for blending purposes.

Coatepec coffees are among the finest grown in Mexico, and take rank
with the world’s best grades. They are quite acidy, but have a desirable
flavor; and when blended with coffees like Bourbon Santos, make a
satisfactory cup.

The Orizaba, Huatusco, and Jalapa growths resemble Coatepecs, of which
they are neighbors in the state of Vera Cruz. They are thin in body but
are stylish roasters, and have a good cup qualities. As a class they do
not possess the heavy body and acidity of genuine Coatepecs. Some
Huatuscos are exceptions. Orizaba is superior to Jalapa. Chiapas and
Tapachula coffees are generally more like Guatemalan growths than any
others produced in Mexico, which is natural in view of the proximity of
the districts to the northern boundary of Guatemala. The Sierra,
Tampico, Tabasco, and Coatzacoalcos coffees are uncertain in quality;
mostly they are low grade, some of them frequently possessing a groundy,
flat, or Rioy flavor.

[Illustration: _Mild Coffee Map--No. 1_

_Showing the Mild Coffee-Producing Countries of the Western Hemisphere_

Cordoba coffees lack the acidity and tang of the Oaxacas, but make a
handsome roast. They are considered too neutral to form the basis of a
blend, but can be used to balance the tang of other grades.

CENTRAL AMERICANS. Central American coffee is the general trade name
applied to the growths produced in Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador,
Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama, the countries comprising Central
America.

GUATEMALA. This country sends the largest quantity to the United States,
and also produces the best average grades of the Central American
districts. Guatemalas are mostly washed and are very stylish. The bean
has a waxy, bluish color. It splits open when roasting and shows a white
center. Low-grown Guatemalas are thin in the cup, but the coffees grown
in the mountainous districts of Cobán and Antigua are quite acidy and
heavy in body. Some Cobáns border on bitterness because of the extreme
acidity. The Antiguas are medium, flinty beans; while Cobáns are larger.
Both grades are spicy and aromatic in the cup, and are particularly good
blenders. Properly roasted to a light cinnamon color, and blended with a
high-grade combination, Cobáns make one of the most serviceable coffees
on the American market.

Guatemalas are generally classified as noted in the Complete Reference
Table.

[Illustration: MEXICAN BEANS--ROASTED]

[Illustration: GUATEMALA BEANS--ROASTED]

HONDURAS. While the upland coffee of Honduras is of good quality, the
general run of the country’s production seldom brings as high a price as
Santos of equal grade. Nearly all Honduras coffee consists of small,
round berries, bluish green in color. Very little of this growth comes
to the United States; the bulk of the exports going to Europe, where it
commands a high price, especially in France.

SALVADOR. Salvador coffee is inferior to Guatemala’s product, grade for
grade. Only a small proportion is washed; and the bulk of the crops is
“naturals”; that is, unwashed. The bean is large and of fair average
roast. The washed grades are fancy roasters, with very thin cup. The
largest part of the production goes to Europe; some twenty-five percent
of the exports are brought into the United States through San Francisco.

NICARAGUA. The ordinary run of Nicaragua coffee (the naturals) is looked
upon in the United States as being of low quality, though the washed
coffees from the Matagalpa district have plenty of acid in the cup and
usually are fine roasters. Matagalpa beans are large and blue-tinged.
Germany, Great Britain, and France take about all the Honduras coffee
exported, only about six percent of the total coming to the United
States. These coffees are described more in detail in the Complete
Reference Table.

COSTA RICA. Good grades of Costa Rican coffee, such as are grown in the
Cartago, San José, Alajuela, and Grecia districts at high altitudes, are
highly esteemed by blenders. They are characterized by their fine
flavor, rich body, and sharp acidity. It is frequently declared that
some of these coffees are often acidy enough to sour cream if used
straight. Due to careless methods of handling, sour or “hidey” beans are
sometimes found in chops of Costa Ricans from the lowlands.

PANAMA. Panama grows coffee only for domestic use, and consequently it
is little known in foreign markets. The bean is of average size and
tends toward green in color. In the cup it has a heavy body and a strong
flavor. The coffee grown in Boquette Valley is considered to be of fine
quality, due no doubt to the care given in cultivation by the American
and English planters there.

_South America_

COLOMBIANS. Colombia produces some of the world’s finest coffees, of
which the best known are Medellins, Manizales, Bogotas, Bucaramangas,
Tolimas, and Cucutas. Old-crop Colombians of the higher grades, when
mellowed with age, have many of the characteristics of the best East
Indian coffees, and in style and cup are difficult to distinguish from
the Mandhelings and the Ankolas of Sumatra. Such coffees are scarce on
the American market, practically all the shipments coming to the United
States being new crop and lacking some of the qualities of the mellowed
beans. Compared with Santos coffee, good grade Colombians give
one-fourth more liquor to a given strength with better flavor and aroma.
They are classed and graded as noted in the Complete Reference Table.

Medellins are a fancy mountain-grown coffee, and are esteemed for their
good qualities. The beans vary in size, and the color ranges from light
to dark green, making a rather rough roast. In the cup they have a fine,
rich, distinctive flavor, and in the American grading are regarded as
the best of the Colombian commercial growths.

Manizales rank next to Medellins, and have nearly the same
characteristics.

[Illustration: BOGOTA (COLOMBIA) BEANS--ROASTED]

Bogotas of good grade are noted for their acidity, body, and flavor.
When the acidity is tempered with age, the coffee can be drunk
“straight” which can not be done with many other growths. The Bogota
green bean ranges from a blue-green bean to a fancy yellow. It is long,
and generally has a sharp turn in one end of the center stripe. It is a
smooth roaster, and has a rich mellow flavor.

Bucaramangas, grown in the district of that name, are regarded favorably
in the American markets as good commercial coffees for blending
purposes; the naturals have heavy body, but lack acidity and decided
flavor, and are much used to give “back-bone” to blends. The fancies
sometimes push the superior East Indian growths hard for first place.

Tolimas are considered a good grade average coffee, and are
characterized by a fair-sized bean, attractive style, and good cup
quality.

Cucuta coffees, though grown in Colombia, are generally classified among
the Maracaibos of Venezuela, because they are mostly shipped from that
port. They are described, accordingly, with the Venezuelan coffees.

VENEZUELA. The coffees of Venezuela are generally grouped under the
heads of Caracas, Puerto Cabello, and Maracaibo, the names of the ports
through which they are exported. Each group is further subdivided by the
names of the districts in which the principal plantations lie. La Guaira
coffee includes that produced in the vicinity of Caracas and Cumana.

Caracas coffee is one of the best known in the American market. The
washed Caracas is in steady demand in France and Spain. The bean is
bluish in color, somewhat short, and of a uniform size. The liquor has a
rather light body. Some light-blue washed Caracas coffees are very
desirable, and have a peculiar flavor that is quite pleasant to the
educated palate. Caracas chops rarely hold their style for any length of
time, as the owners usually are not willing to dry properly and
thoroughly before milling. When, however, the price is right, American
buyers will use some Caracas chops instead of Bogotas. At equal prices
the latter have the preference, as they have more body in the cup.
Puerto Cabello and Cumana coffees are valued just below Caracas. They
are grown at a lower altitude, and are somewhat inferior in flavor.

Not less than one-third of Puerto Cabello coffees come across the
thirty-mile gulf to the westward from the port of Tucacas, in a little
steamer called the Barquisimento, which is famous all along the coast as
the “cocktail shaker.” C.H. Stewart[324] solemnly asserts that “Barky”
can do the “shimmy” when lying at anchor in quiet waters.

[Illustration: MARACAIBO BEANS--ROASTED]

Merida and Tachira coffees are considered the best of the Maracaibo
grades, Tovars and Trujillos being classed as lower in trade value.
Though Cucuta coffee is grown in the Colombian district of that name, it
is largely shipped through Maracaibo; and hence is classed among the
Maracaibo types. It ranks with Meridas and fine grade Boconos, and
somewhat resembles the Java bean in form and roast, but is decidedly
different in the cup. Washed Cucutas are noted for their large size,
roughness, and waxy color. They make a good-appearing roast, splitting
open, and showing irregular white centers. New-crop beans are sometimes
sharply acid, though they mellow with age and gain in body.

Until recent years, Tachira coffee was always sold as Cucuta; but now
there is a tendency to ship it under the name Tachira-Venezuela, while
true Cucuta is marked Cucuta-Colombia. Tachiras closely resemble the
true Cucutas, grade for grade. Up to about 1905 the coffees grown near
Salazar, in Colombia, came to market under the name of Salazar; but
since then, they have been included among the Cucuta grades and are sold
under that name.

The state of Tachira lies next to the Colombian boundary, and its
mountains produce much fine washed coffee. This has size and fair style,
as a rule, but does not possess cup qualities to make it much sought. It
ages well and, being of good body, the old crops, other things being
equal, frequently bring a tidy premium.

The Rubio section of Tachira produces the best of its washed coffees.
Here are several of the largest and best-equipped estates in all
Venezuela. Washed when fresh, the coffees from these estates are usually
sold somewhat under the fancy Caracas; but the trillados of the Tachira
rank with the best of the country, owing to their large bean, solid
color, and good quality. They roast well, and cup with good body, though
not much character. Good Tachira trillados are sold on the same basis as
the Cucutas, which they resemble.

The Meridas are raised at higher altitudes than Cucutas, and good grades
are sought for their peculiarly delicate flavor–which is neither acidy
nor bitter–and heavy body. They rank as the best by far of the
Maracaibo type. The bean is high-grown, of medium size, and roundish. It
is well knit, and brings the highest price while it still holds its
bluish style, as it then retains its delicate aroma and character. The
trillados of Merida run unevenly.

Tovars rank between Trujillos and Tachiras. They are fair to good body
without acidity; make a duller roast than Cucutas, but contain fewer
quakers. They are used for blending with Bourbon Santos. Boconos are
light in color and body. They are of two classes; one a round, small to
medium, bean; and the other larger and softer. Their flavor is rather
neutral, and they are frequently used as fillers in blends. Trujillos
lack acidity and make a dull, rough roast, unless aged. They are blended
with Bourbon Santos to make a low-priced palatable coffee. Some coffees
of merit are produced at Santa Ana, Monte Carmelo, and Bocono in
Trujillo.

_Other South American Countries_

The coffees from other South American countries, even where there is an
appreciable production, are not important factors in international
trade. The coffee of Ecuador, shipped through the port of Guayaquil,
goes mostly to Chile, a comparatively small quantity being exported to
the United States. The bean is small to medium in size, pea-green in
color, and not desirable in the cup. The coffee is about equal to
low-grade Brazil, and is used principally as a filler. Peru produces an
ever-lessening quantity of coffee, the bulk of the exports in pre-war
years going to Germany, Chile, and the United Kingdom. It is a
low-altitude growth, and is considered poor grade. The bean ranges from
medium to bold in size, and from bluish to yellow in color. Bolivia is
an unimportant factor in the international coffee trade, most of its
exports going to Chile. The chief variety produced is called the Yunga,
which is considered to be of superior quality; but only a small quantity
is grown. Guiana’s coffee trade is insignificant. The three best-known
types are the Surinam, Demerara, and Cayenne, named after the ports
through which they are shipped.

_The West Indies_

Coffee either is, or can be, grown practically everywhere in the West
Indies; but the chief producing districts are found on the islands of
Porto Rico, Haiti (and Santo Domingo), Jamaica, Guadeloupe, and Curaçao.
Coffees coming from these islands are generally known by the name of the
country of production, and may be further identified by the names of the
districts in which they are grown.

PORTO RICO. Since the United States took possession of Porto Rico, soil
experts have endeavored to raise the quality of the coffee grown there,
especially the lower grades, which had peculiarly wild characteristics.
Today, the superior grades of Porto Rican coffees rank among the best
growths known to the trade. The bean is large, uniform, and stylish;
ranging in color from a light gray-blue to a dark green-blue. Some of
these are artificially colored for foreign markets. The coffee roasts
well, and has a heavy body, similar to the fanciest Mexicans and
Colombians. Its cup is not as rich, but it makes a good blend. Porto
Rican coffees command a higher price in France than in the United
States, which accounts for the larger proportion of exports to Europe,
excepting when the French market was cut off during the World War.

JAMAICA. Jamaica produces two distinct types of coffee, the highland and
the lowland growths. Among the first-named is the celebrated Blue
Mountain coffee, which has a well developed pale blue-green bean that
makes a good-appearing roast and a pleasantly aromatic cup. It is
frequently compared with the fancy Cobáns of Guatemala. The lowland
coffee is a poorer grade, and consists largely of a mixture of different
growths produced on the plains. It is a fair-sized bean, green to yellow
in the “natural”, and blue-green when washed. In the cup it has a grassy
flavor, but is flat when drunk with cream. It is used chiefly as a
filler in blends, and for French roasts.

HAITI AND SANTO DOMINGO. The coffees of these two republics have like
characteristics, being grown on the same island and in about the same
climatic and soil conditions. Careless cultivation and preparation
methods are responsible for the generally poor quality of these coffees.
When properly grown and cured, they rank well with high-grade washed
varieties, and have a rich, fairly acid flavor in the cup. The bean is
blue-green, and makes a handsome roast.

GUADELOUPE. Guadeloupe coffee is distinguishable by its green, long, and
slightly thick bean, covered by a pellicle of whitish silvery color,
which separates from the bean in the roast. It has excellent cup
qualities.

MARTINIQUE. This island formerly produced a coffee closely resembling
the Guadeloupe; but no coffee is now grown there, though some Guadeloupe
growths are shipped from Martinique, and bear its name.

OTHER WEST INDIAN ISLANDS. Among the other West Indian islands
producing small quantities of coffee are Cuba, Trinidad, Dominica,
Barbados, and Curaçao. The growths are generally good quality, bearing a
close resemblance to one another. In the past, Cuba produced a fine
grade; but the industry is now practically extinct.

_Asia_

ARABIA. For many generations Mocha coffee has been recognized throughout
the world as the best coffee obtainable; and until the pure food law
went into effect in the United States, other high-grade coffees were
frequently sold by American firms under the name of Mocha. Now, only
coffees grown in Arabia are entitled to that valuable trade name. They
grow in a small area in the mountainous regions of the southwestern
portion of the Arabian peninsula, in the province of Yemen, and are
known locally by the names of the districts in which they are produced.
Commercially they are graded as follows: Mocha Extra, for all extra
qualities; Mocha No. 1, consisting of only perfect berries; No. 1-A,
containing some dust, but otherwise free of imperfections; No. 2,
showing a few broken beans and quakers; No. 3, having a heavier
percentage of brokens and quakers and also some dust.

[Illustration: MOCHA BEANS--ROASTED]

Mocha beans are very small, hard, roundish, and irregular in form and
size. In color, they shade from olive green to pale yellow, the bulk
being olive green. The roast is poor and uneven; but the coffee’s
virtues are shown in the cup. It has a distinctive winy flavor, and is
heavy with acidity–two qualities which make a straight Mocha brew
especially valuable as an after-dinner coffee, and also esteemed for
blending with fancy, mild, washed types, particularly East Indian
growths.

As in other countries, the coffees grown on the highlands in Yemen are
better than the lowland growths. As a rule, the low altitude bean is
larger and more oblong than that grown in the highlands, due to its
quicker development in the regions where the rainfall, though not great,
is more abundant.

While Mocha coffees are known commercially by grade numbers, the
planters and Arabian traders also designate them by the name of the
district or province in which each is grown. Among the better grades
thus labeled are, the Yaffey, the Anezi, the Mattari, the Sanani, the
Sharki, and the Haimi-Harazi. For the poorer grades, these names are
used: Remi, Bourai, Shami, Yemeni, and Maidi. Of these varieties, the
Mattari, a hard and regular bean, pale yellow in color, commands the
highest price, with the Yaffey a close second. Harazi coffee heads the
market for quantity coupled with general average of quality.

INDIAN AND CEYLON. Coffees from India and Ceylon are marketed almost
exclusively in London, little reaching the American trade. Of the Indian
growths, Malabars, grown on the western slope of the Ghaut mountains,
are classed commercially as the best. The bean is rather small and
blue-green in color. In the cup it has a distinctive strong flavor and
deep color. Mysore coffee ranks next in favor on the English market. It
is mountain grown, and the bean is large and blue-green in color.
Tellicherry is another good grade coffee, closely resembling Malabar.
Coorg (Kurg) coffee is an inferior growth. It is lowland type, and in
the cup is thin and flat. The bean is large and flat, and tends toward
dark green in color. Travancore is another lowland growth, ranking about
with Coorg, and has the same general characteristics. See the Complete
Reference Table for details.

Ceylon, although it once was one of the world’s most important
producers, has been losing ground as a coffee-producing country since
1890. Ceylon coffees are classified commercially as “native”,
“plantation”, and “mountain”. The native is a poor-grade, lowland
growth, with large flat bean and low cup quality. The plantation, so
named because more carefully cultivated on highland plantations, is a
stylish roaster, and gives a rich flavor and strong fragrance in the
cup. The mountain, grown at high altitudes, is a small, steel-blue bean,
and is considered by British traders as equal to the best varieties
grown anywhere. It was formerly shipped to Aden to be mixed with Mocha.

[Illustration: _Coffee Map of Africa and Arabia_

_Showing the Principal Coffee-Producing Countries on the Continent and
Adjacent Islands._

FRENCH INDO-CHINA. The coffee of French Indo-China is highly prized in
France, where the bulk of the exports goes. The coffee tree grows well
in the provinces of Tonkin, Annam, Cambodia, and Cochin-China. Tonkin is
the largest producer, and grows the best varieties. In the cup, Tonkin
coffee is thought by French traders to compare favorably with Mocha. Of
the several varieties of _Coffea arabica_ grown in Indo-China, the
_Grand Bourbon_, _Bourbon rond_, and the _Bourbon Le Roy_, are the best
known. The first-named is a large bean of good quality; the second is a
small, round bean of superior grade; and the third is a still smaller
bean of fair cup quality.

[Illustration: JAVA (Washed)]

[Illustration: SUMATRA (Mandheling)]

[Illustration: ARABIAN (Mocha)]

[Illustration: COLOMBIAN (Bogota)]

[Illustration: GUATEMALA (Washed)]

[Illustration: MEXICAN (Washed)]

[Illustration: COSTA RICA (Washed)]

[Illustration: SANTOS (Peaberry)]

[Illustration: VENEZUELA (Maracaibo)]

[Illustration: SANTOS (Flat Bean)]

[Illustration: SANTOS (Bourbon)]

[Illustration: RIO (Natural)]

[Illustration: PRINCIPAL VARIETIES OF GREEN COFFEE BEANS, NATURAL SIZE
AND COLOR]

_Africa_

ABYSSINIA. The coffee grown in Abyssinia is classified commercially into
two varieties: Harari, which is grown principally in the district around
Harar; and Abyssinian, produced mainly in the provinces of Kaffa,
Sidamo, and Guma. Harari coffee is the fruit of cultivated trees; while
Abyssinian comes from wild trees. The first-named produces a long and
well-shaped berry, and is often referred to as Longberry Harari. The
bean is larger than the Mocha, but similar in general appearance. Its
color shades from blue-green to yellow. Good grades of Harari have cup
characteristics resembling Mocha, and by some are preferred to Mocha,
because of their winier cup flavor. The Abyssinian coffee is considered
much inferior to Harari; and chops generally contain many imperfections.
The bean is dark gray in color. Little Abyssinian coffee comes to the
United States.

Many other African countries produce coffee; but little of it ever
reaches the North American market. Uganda, in British East Africa, grows
a good grade of _robusta_ coffee which is valued on the London market.
Liberian coffee, grown on the west coast, used to be mixed with Bourbon
Santos to some extent; but it is generally considered low grade,
although it makes a handsome, elephantine roast. The product of Guinea
is a very small bean, half-way between a peaberry and a flat bean, and
has a dingy brown color. It is considered worthless as a drink. A
medium-sized, strong-flavored bean that is rich in the cup, is grown in
the African Congo district. In Angola a fair quantity of coffee is
produced. In the cup it has a strong and pungent flavor, but lacks
smoothness and aroma. Zanzibar produces a pleasing coffee in very
limited quantities. The bean is medium size, and regular in shape.
Mozambique’s coffee is greenish in color, of medium size, and mellow.
The production is small. Madagascar produces an insignificant quantity
for export, although the coffee is considered fair average, with rich
flavor, and considerable fragrance. Bourbon coffee, grown on the island
of Réunion, commands a high price in the French market, where
practically all exports go. It is a small, flinty bean, and gives a rich
cup and fragrance.

[Illustration: WASHED JAVA BEANS--ROASTED]

_East Indian Islands_

Some of the coffees from the East Indian islands rank among the best in
the world, particularly those from Sumatra. East India coffees are
distinguished by their smooth, heavy body in the cup, the fancy grades
giving an almost syrupy richness.

JAVA. Java coffees are generally of a smaller bean than those from
Sumatra, and are not considered as high grade. The bulk of the new-crop
growths have a grassy flavor which most people find unpleasant when
drunk straight. Under the old culture system, coffee was bought by the
government, and held in godowns from two to three years, until it had
become mellow with age. In late years, this system has been abandoned;
and the planters now sell their product as they please, and in most
cases without mellowing, excepting as they age during the long sea
voyage from Batavia to destination. Before the advent of large fleets of
steamers in the East Indian trade, the coffee was brought to America in
sailing vessels that required from three to four months for the trip.
During the voyage, the coffee went through a sweating process which
turned the beans from a light green to a dark brown, and considerably
enhanced their cup values. The sweating was due to the coffee being
loaded while moist, and then practically sealed in the vessel’s hold
during all its trip through the tropical seas. As a consequence, the
cargo steamed and foamed; and as a rule, part of the coffee became
moldy, the damage seldom extending more than an inch or two into the
mats. Sweated coffees commanded from three to five cents more than those
that came in “pale”.

[Illustration: _Mild Coffee Map--No. 2_

_Showing the Mild Coffee-Producing Countries of Asia, Netherlands India,
and Australasia_

Copyright, 1922 by The Tea and Coffee Trade Journal Co.]

Before the Java coffee trade began to decline in the latter part of the
nineteenth century, _Coffea arabica_ was grown abundantly throughout the
island. Each residency had numerous estates, and their names were given
to the coffees produced. The best coffees came from Preanger, Cheribon,
Buitenzorg, and Batavia, ranking in merit in the order named. All Java
coffees are known commercially either as private growth, or as blue bean
washed, the former being cured by either the washing or the dry hulling
method, while the latter are washed. Private growths are usually a pale
yellow, the bean being short and round and slightly convex. It makes a
handsome even roast, showing a full white stripe. The washed variety is
a pale blue-green, the bean closely resembling the private growth in
form and roast. These coffees have a distinctive character in the cup
that is much different from any other coffee grown. Their liquor is
thin.

All the better known coffees of Java, which are designated by the
districts in which they are grown, are listed in the Complete Reference
Table. Coffee from few of the many districts comes to the North American
market. Among those that are sold in the United States are the Kadoe and
Semarang, both of which are small, yellowish green; and the Malang, a
green, hard bean which makes a better roast than Kadoe and Semarang, but
is inferior to them in the cup.

SUMATRA. Sumatra has the reputation of producing some of the finest and
highest-priced coffees in the world, such as Mandheling, Ankola, Ayer
Bangies, Padang Interior, and Palembang. Mandheling coffee is a large,
brownish bean which roasts dull, but is generally free from quakers. It
is very heavy in body, and has a unique flavor that easily distinguishes
it from any other growth. The Ankola bean is shorter and
better-appearing than Mandheling, but otherwise bears a close
resemblance. Its flavor is only slightly under Mandheling; and, like
that coffee, is recommended for blending with the best grades of Mocha.
While the Ayer Bangies bean is somewhat larger than the other two just
mentioned, it is not so dark brown in color, and is not quite so heavy
in body; the flavor is very delicate. These three growths are known in
the trade as the “Fancies” and are considered the best of Sumatra’s
production.

The Sumatra coffee best known to the American trade is the Padang
Interior, which is shipped through the port of Padang on Sumatra’s west
coast. The bean is irregular in form and color, and makes a dull roast.
However, the flavor is good, although it lacks the richness of the
Fancies. Another celebrated coffee grown on the west coast is the Boekit
Gompong, grown on the estate of that name near Padang. It is a
high-grade coffee, making a handsome roast, and possessing a delicate
flavor. The foregoing coffees are produced on what were formerly termed
government estates, and during the heyday of government control were
sold by auction and came mostly to the United States.

Among the private estate coffees, Corinchies take first rank for
quality, some traders saying that they are the best in international
commerce. They closely resemble Ankolas, but range a cent or two lower
in price. Next in order of merit is Timor coffee, grown on the island of
that name. It is not as attractive in appearance, roast, or cup quality
as the Corinchie. A grade below Timors is Boengie coffee, which is
seldom seen on the North American market. Kroe coffee is better known
and more widely used in the United States. The bean is large, but has an
attractive appearance. Kroes are of heavy body, of somewhat groundy
flavor when new crop, and are good roasters and blenders. Other East
Indian coffees are Teagals, Balis, and Macassars, all of which are
second-rate growths as compared with the bulk of Sumatras, grade for
grade. The Macassars are produced in the district of that name on island
of Celebes. The best coffee grown in Celebes comes from the province of
Menado, and is known by that name. It is thought to be of a superior
quality, and commands a high price in Europe.

_The Pacific Islands_

The Philippine Islands have not figured in international coffee trade
since 1892, although in preceding years the Philippines exported several
million pounds of an average good grade of coffee. While coffee is one
of the shade trees used by householders in Guam, none of the fruit is
exported. Coffee production is an unimportant industry in Samoa,
Australia, New Guinea, New Caledonia, and other Pacific islands, and
none is grown for export.

HAWAII. Since the beginning of the twentieth century the Hawaiian
islands have taken a position of increasing importance, shipping some
two million pounds of good quality coffee to the United States, their
biggest customer. Coffee grows to some extent on all the islands of the
group, but fully ninety-five percent is raised in the districts of Kona,
Puna, and Hamakua on the main island of Hawaii. All Hawaiian coffee is
high grade; and is generally large bean, blue-green in color when new
crop, and yellow-brown when aged. It makes a handsome roast, and has a
fine flavor that is smooth and not too acid. It blends well with any
high-grade mild coffee. Kona coffee, grown in the district of that name,
commands the highest price. Old-crop Kona coffee is said by some trade
authorities to be equal to either Mocha or Old Government Java.

_Appearance, Aroma, and Flavor in Cup-Testing_

Before the beginning of the twentieth century, practically all the
coffees bought and sold in the United States were judged for merit
simply by the appearance of the green or of the roasted bean. Since that
time, the importance of testing the drinking qualities has become
generally recognized; and today every progressive coffee buyer has his
sample-roasting and testing outfit with which to carry out painstaking
cup tests. Both buyers and sellers use the cup test, the former to
determine the merits of the coffee he is buying, and the latter to
ascertain the proper value of the chop under consideration. Frequently a
test is made to fix the relative desirability of various growths
considered as a whole, using composite samples that are supposed to give
representation to an entire crop.

The first step in testing coffee is to compare the appearance of the
green bean of a chop with a sample of known standard value for that
particular kind of coffee. The next step is to compare the appearance
when roasted. Then comes the appearance and aroma test, when it is
ground; and finally, the most difficult of all, the trial of the flavor
and aroma of the liquid.

Naturally the tester gives much care to proper roasting of the samples
to be examined. He recognizes several different kinds of roasts which he
terms the light, the medium, the dark, the Italian, and the French
roasts, all of which vary in the shadings of color, and each of which
gives a different taste in the cup. The careful tester watches the roast
closely to see whether the beans acquire a dull or bright finish, and to
note also if there are many quakers, or off-color beans. When the proper
roasting point is reached, he smells the beans while still hot to
determine their aroma. In some growths and grades, he will frequently
smell of them as they cool off, because the character changes as the
heat leaves them, as in the case of many Maracaibo grades.

After roasting, the actual cup-testing begins. Two methods are employed,
the blind cup test, in which there is no clue to the identity of the
kind of coffee in the cup; and the open test, in which the tester knows
beforehand the particular coffee he is to examine. The former is most
generally employed by buyers and sellers; although a large number of
experts who do not let their knowledge interfere with their judgment,
use the open method.

In both systems the amount of ground coffee placed in the cup is
carefully weighed so that the strength will be standard. Generally, the
cups are marked on the bottom for identification after the examination.
Before pouring on the hot water to make the brew, the aroma of the
freshly ground coffee is carefully noted to see if it is up to standard.
In pouring the water, care is exercised to keep the temperature constant
in the cups, so that the strength in all will be equal. When the water
is poured directly on the grounds, a crust or scum is formed. Before
this crust breaks, the tester sniffs the aroma given off; this is called
the wet-smell, or crust, test, and is considered of great importance.

Of course, the taste of the brew is the most important test. Equal
amounts of coffee are sipped from each cup, the tester holding each sip
in his mouth only long enough to get the full strength of the flavor. He
spits out the coffee into a large brass cuspidor which is designed for
the purpose. The expert never swallows the liquor.

Cup-testing calls for keenly developed senses of sight, smell, and
taste, and the faculty for remembering delicate shadings in each sense.
By sight, the coffee man judges the size, shape, and color of the green
and roasted bean, which are important factors in determining commercial
values. He can tell also whether the coffee is of the washed or unwashed
variety, and whether it contains many imperfections such as quakers,
pods, stones, brokens, off-colored beans, and the like. By his sense of
smell of the roast and of the brew, he gauges the strength of the aroma,
which also enters into the valuation calculation. His palate tells him
many things about a coffee brew–if the drink has body and is smooth,
rich, acidy, or mellow; if it is winy, neutral, harsh, or Rioy; if it is
musty, groundy, woody, or grassy; or if it is rank, hidey (sour), muddy,
or bitter. These are trade designations of the different shades of
flavor to be found in the various coffees coming to the North American
market; and each has an influence on the price at which they will be
sold.

The up-to-date cup-tester requires special equipment to get the best
results. A typical installation consists of a gas sample-roasting
outfit, employing at least a single cylinder holding about six ounces of
coffee, and perhaps a battery of a dozen or more; an electric grinding
mill; a testing table, with a top that can be revolved by hand; a pair
of accurately adjusted balance scales; one or more brass kettles; a gas
stove for heating water; sample pans; many china or glass cups; silver
spoons; and a brass cuspidor that stands waist high and is shaped like
an hour glass.

Since the World War, there have been some notable changes in the buying
of coffees, particularly in European markets. For example, the old idea
of buying fancy coffees at fancy prices is probably gone for good in
Europe.

[Illustration: TYPICAL SAMPLE-ROASTING AND CUP-TESTING OUTFIT

In the middle of the picture is a standard revolving table (3-1/2 feet
in diameter), with scale mounted over the center, and with a "Mitchell
Tray" for holding one cup independent of the table-top movement. There
are two cuspidors, a double kettle outfit, a 6-cylinder sample roaster
and a motor-driven sample grinder; also a set of sample separator sieves
in the overhead rack, a bag sampler (lying on the lower shelf of the
counter), and some coffee crushers (one on the end of the counter and
one on the revolving table)]

COMPLETE REFERENCE TABLE

OF

THE PRINCIPAL KINDS OF COFFEE GROWN IN THE WORLD

_Together with Their Trade Values and Cup Characteristics_

_t_, indicates town or trading center; _m n_, market name; _d_, district
or state.

[Illustration]

CupScout

GREEN AND ROASTED COFFEE CHARACTERISTICS

Leave a Reply