ANDES Coffee Story

Story | History | Harvesting | Grading | Roasting

Ever wonder who discovered the magnificent powers of coffee? Would you believe goats? Back in 600 AD, an Ethiopian shepherd was taken back by his goats' unusual abundance of energy. They played in the pasture all night. At first, he was puzzled. But then he recalled an unusual fruit the goats had grazed upon back in the valley. The shepherd tried these coffee berries. He was amazed by his sudden mental and physical alertness. He shared this discovery with the monks of a nearby monastery who made a wine of the fruit. This first coffee drink became widely known in monastic orders for promoting all-night chanting.

History

Over time the following has grown across the continents Throughout the ages, the desire for coffee has consumed its followers in one way or another. In 600 AD, Ethiopians used coffee berries rolled in fat to help fuel their long journeys across the desert. By 900 AD, they discovered a way to ferment the pulp into a "spirit drink" called "Kawah." It is believed that this may be the derivation for "coffee." Over the next 500 years, Arabia embraced this drink for its curative powers and mythical qualities. For centuries to come, they had a monopoly on the coffee market.

Harvesting

Stolen plants made their way from France to Portugal, to Brazil, and back to Europe In the early 1700s, coffee made its way into botanical exhibits in the Netherlands and France. In 1723, a French army officer pilfered one of the plants and brought it to the West Indies. Shortly thereafter, in 1727, Francisco de Melo Palheti, a Portuguese officer from Brazil, was given a coffee plant by the governor's wife in French Guyana as a token of her affection. The cuttings from this plant led to the world's largest coffee plantations today. In 1554, traders introduced coffee to the Turks. It quickly became essential to one's domestic bliss, as marital law demanded that a husband must supply his wife with coffee or there would be "grounds" for divorce. However, the Arabs could not contain this plant forever.

Grading

Diamonds may have 4 C’s but coffee grading is just as important The systems for grading coffee can vary as much as the countries that export the beans. Coffees are graded by size and density, the altitude at which they are grown and the number of defects (flaws such as insects, stones, over- or under-ripe beans) permitted per pound. For example, the top grade is SHB which stands for strictly hard bean or strictly high grown. SHB often indicates that the beans were produced at a minimum altitude of 4,000 feet above sea level. ANDES buyers will not accept any coffee beans with defects. They only purchase grade SHB for your coffee consumption. Because we're certain you'll be able to taste the difference.

Roasting

We will grind no bean before its time. Roasting gives coffee its flavor and aroma. Which is why ANDES places so much emphasis on this art. If the beans are not roasted long enough, the oils of the bean will not reach the surface, leaving a flavor that is virtually tasteless. However, if the beans are roasted too long, the beans will taste thin and burned. To ensure every cup of ANDES tastes as good as the last, our coffee is roasted on-site in small batches by a Certified Roastmaster at each of our 670 stores. Depending on the blend, you may specify whether you prefer a light, medium or dark roast. And if you're not sure which you prefer, we'll be glad to offer you a sample of each to help you decide.

joe@abc.com
This page was last updated on: 11/20/00