About Caffe Society Coffee

Everything you need to know about the beans for the machines

We take great care when it comes to our coffee, and with good reason.

In order to produce our distinctive selection of fresh coffee we scour the finest growing regions in the world to find the perfect beans to form our range of gourmet blends and specialist single origins and micro-lots.

After the beans have been picked, they go through a thorough sorting process, before being packed and shipped to our headquarters in Yorkshire.

Shortly after arrival in the United Kingdom, we ensure no time is wasted by blending and roasting the coffee beans. Once our roasting team have thoroughly tested the coffee, and given us the thumbs up, we begin dispatching our signature coffees straight you, our customers.

Global growing

World Coffee Map

Wrapped around the centre of the earth is the bean belt, the name colloquially given the areas of land that lie between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. Coffee grows best in this region due to a steady climate that typically offers both sunshine and rainfall in equal measures.

Over 50 countries grow coffee on a commercial basis with each plantation or farmer will produce a unique product, due to variations in altitude, soil and localised weather patterns.

For our core Café Range we use coffee sourced from 10 different nations - Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Tanzania and Uganda.

Arabica/Robusta

There are two main types of coffee: arabica and robusta.

Once roasted they are almost identical, but the taste difference between the two varieties are significant.

Arabica tends to be grown at higher altitudes and in shade-grown locations, and, produce a sweeter, softer tasting coffee when compared to their Robusta cousins.

Robusta tends to be used in the creation of instant coffee, but they are also used within the speciality coffee industry to add flavour depth and body to more subtle tasting arabica.

Blends/Single Origins

“Should I choose a blend or a single origin?” and “What is the difference?”

Single-origin refers to coffee that solely comes from a singular geographical location such as a specific farm, plantation or region. Because of this, the intrinsic qualities of the beans stand alone and are not masked or complemented by other flavours, producing a distinct coffee drinking experience.

On the other hand, blends contain beans sourced from a number of locations. By bringing together different types and flavours of coffee, roasters have the ability and flexibility to create a product that can fit a certain profile and conjure up something that would otherwise be unavailable to consumers.

As for which one you should pick? - that is the tough part of the question!

It all depends on what you want to offer.

Whatever that is, we are sure to have something that will be popular with you and your customers.

Micro-lots

Micro-lots are, quite literally, the pick of the crop.

Micro Lot Coffee

We often refer to our micro-lots as speciality coffee, but why do we say this?

This might be because an acre or two on a specific south facing slope received a little bit more rainfall than other areas; it may be that the crop has been bathed in the sun a little longer that other parts of the plantation.

Whatever the reason, these coffee cherries produce the best beans, and when a farmer specifically picks these and sells them separately, they are sold as micro-lots.

Working with farmers we now sell micro-lots on a seasonal basis. But, be warned: they won’t last long!

Flavour profiles

Developing a gourmet blend is no simple task. Roasters spend many an hour experiment with different varieties and ratios before finally deciding upon the eventual formula.

By combining the differing aromas, acidities, flavours and aftertastes, the blender is able to create a specifically designed masterpiece.

For example, when crafting our best-selling Super Crema blend, we set out to make a coffee that would be evenly balanced and have a smooth, mellow flavour that would be appealing to wide range of coffee drinkers.

Here is our brief: "Well–rounded and balanced: perfect for a large milky drink or a short, intense espresso."

Here is how we put it together:

Honduras SHG

This Honduran variety was selected because it brings an initial sharp peak of sweet acidity to the blend that quickly gives way to nutty notes and soft finish

Indian Mysore

The Mysore has a smooth subtle chocolate note that brings a long-lasting and balanced creamy texture to the blend.

Ethiopian Sidamo

This adds the majority of the character to the blend thanks to its sweet, berry like notes, hints of apricot as well as a distintive earthy finish.

Ugandan Screen 18

The Ugandan 18 brings depth, body and a notable finish to the blend; its role is to support and compliment the other flavours and profile.

The blend

The combination of the single origin Arabicas and the Ugandan Robusta when roasted together creates a smooth, full-bodied and balanced cup of coffee that has hints of sweet fruits and a subtle hint of chocolate. No wonder why our customers love it so much!

Certifications

Rainforest Alliance

The Rainforest Alliance aims to conserve some of the most threatened areas on the planet through the promotion of sustainable farming, business and living practices. All products accredited by the Rainforest are grown in regions where biodiversity is promoted and workers are paid a fair wage.

Fairtrade

The Fairtrade mark means that the product meets a rigorous set of internationally agreed trading standards that ensure workers receive just remunerations for their work, but also that no child or forced labour has been used at any point in the production chain.

Soil Association

The Soil Association Certification signifies that a product has been farmed organically to such a standard that it far surpasses any current legislation. All Organic labelled coffee has been cultivated without the use of any artificial chemical additives and is grown naturally.

Roasted on-site

Over the years we have acquired a wealth of knowledge when it comes to coffee, knowledge which we put to good use.

To have complete control over the quality of our coffee, all our varieties of fresh coffee beans (blends, single-origins and microlots) are hand-roasted by our vastly experienced team who make sure every single bean is roasted to absolute perfection.

If you would like to find out more, read about our coffee roasting and see how we do it.

For any further advice, or to speak to a member of our team regarding our coffee, please call our office on 01977 687 580.