We wake up to it, we end meals with it, our workday is scheduled around it. It is as much a part of our daily lives as water. With terms like macchiato, peaberry and Swiss water entering the common vernacular it seems a new breed of enthusiast has emerged, whose seriousness about the drink parallels that of an oenophile. In our first Connoisseur Series, we take a look at trends, methods and local resources for the second most traded commodity in the world—coffee.

The Story

To fully grasp the scale of coffee importation as an issue, we must remember that coffee is the world’s second most valuable traded commodity.

This huge industry is a main source of income for many Third World countries such as Ethiopia and big buyers dominate the market, sometimes forcing growers to sell at less-than-fair prices.

Not everyone cares how their coffee came to be, and for these consumers the standard labeling and health guidelines put on imported foods in Canada is sufficient. Any beans, roasted products, or instant coffee products are subject to these standard regulations set by Health Canada.

“Coffee is a relatively safe product in that sense,” says Sandi McAlpine, Coffee Association of Canada (CAC) president. The CAC represents roasters, retailers and suppliers in both Canada and the U.S.
    
For consumers who are concerned with the effect their purchase has on other countries in the world, purchasing fair trade coffee has become one way to ease their conscience. The International Coffee Agreement controlled coffee prices up until 1989 when the agreement collapsed. Since then, coffee prices reached a 30-year low for growers.

Currently and internationally, the non-profit organization FLO-CERT certifies and monitors any producers wanting Fairtrade certification. Fair trade means producers are getting a fair price for their product, which helps the area and community become more economically self-sufficient.
    
Once the product is ready to be sold, any company importing it into Canada must be a TransFair Canada licensee. TransFair Canada is a member of FLO-CERT and monitors licensees (retailers) in Canada.
    
“We make sure the supplier is accredited, monitor the importing and make sure the producer group is getting fair market price,” explains Cynthia Wagner, who manages communications for the Ottawa-based TransFair. “We make sure the fair trade label is going just on the fair trade products and licensees have to file a quarterly report with us.”
    
TransFair is a non-profit organization that started with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency, and has since become self-sufficient by charging licensee fees.
    
Wagner explains that the organization is not huge, but has been successful in tracking fair trade products and retailers in Canada.
    
“We do a lot of fair trade policing,” she says, adding local networks help in monitoring local products. “If people see something and they don’t think it’s quite right, they email it in and we investigate.”
    
A different Amsterdam-based, fair-trade style certification process has become available and it focuses specifically on coffee producers.

According to the UTZ Certified website, they monitor producers and teach health and safety standards, record keeping and pesticide practices. Also, they educate producers to better negotiate a fair price for their product and are guaranteeing adequate housing, healthcare, schools and training for workers in plantations and their families.

Products adhering to the regulations should have UTZ Certified or Fairtrade Certification labels on their packaging.

Another angle where demand has increased in the last number of years is in organic coffee. At the moment, the industry of organic certification in Canada is privatized and voluntary.

“Currently organic products are certified by a third party,” explains McAlpine, noting the benefit of a more formal system would be a thorough and standardized method in certifying organic products. In response to producer and consumer requests, the Government of Canada is introducing the Canada Organic Regime to take effect Dec. 14, 2008.

Coffee products adhering to the new legislation, which regulates organic products, will be labelled with “Organic Canada” or “Biologique Canada.”

Bob Krul, co-owner of coffee retail outfit Cornelia Bean, says while consumers are aware and concerned about fair trade, he doesn’t believe it’s affected their purchases.

“I think people are more aware of fair trade,” says Krul. “The question is whether they’re prepared to pay the premium cost.
“I’d say the majority of people are buying coffee because of the taste, not because of the origin.”

Krul caters to a crowd of coffee consumers who are stepping away from box store coffee brands for a taste experience.

“There are not too many people who will only buy one coffee and stay with it for a very, very long time,” he says, explaining people are willing to explore and pay for different flavours.

“Do they like sweet, buttery, tart?” Krul says. “It’s fun working with people and getting them to explore what their tastes are.”

Trevor Kidd, owner of Mountain Bean Coffee Company, says more people are hunting out a different experience when it comes to their coffee.

“There’s more people that enjoy the flavour, no sugar, no cream. They want to taste the coffee for what it is,” he says. “They’re looking for something different, for choice.”

Kidd says he’s seen a definite demand for organic coffee so his café carries a variety of organic coffee.

From the consumer’s perspective, Brian Burke, owner of Olympia Cycle and Ski, has escalated to being what one might consider an extreme coffee connoisseur. “It seems to be as much an art as it is a science,” Burke says of his quest to brew the perfect cup.

Burke recently bought an upscale coffee machine from DeLuca’s. “I finally settled on the third machine [I tried], which was about three times what I wanted to spend. It’s phenomenal though.” Now Burke isn’t interested in purchasing brewed coffee from
anyone else.

“It’s better than you can get anywhere,” he insists, but explains he buys his beans locally and praises the local product.

Burke says educating himself on how to properly grind and brew coffee has become a fun hobby for him, and he’s happy to reap the benefits with a cappuccino on a weekend morning.

“It’s like cycling,” he says, comparing his coffee passion to his passion for biking. “You can get really into it and you’re willing
to spend a bit of money on it.”

And while going to the ends of the earth on the quest for the perfect cup may be acceptable on your off time, it’s not always possible during the workday.

As an added employee benefit, more businesses are acknowledging the importance of coffee at the workplace for employees.

 “Most companies understand that wage isn’t the only important thing to an employee,” says Trevor Westwood of Gourmet Coffee Specialists, a company that specializes in distributing coffee brewing systems to businesses.

Westwood notes that coffee preferences vary widely from person to person and at for each person throughout the day. Innovations in brewers, such as the Keurig one cup at a time systems, allow each employee to brew their favourite coffee, for a very small cost per cup.

“It’s a small benefit that makes a big difference when it comes to job satisfaction,” says Westwood.

Debunking Decaf Myths

Thanks to improvements in decaffeination processes, gone are the days of distressingly bad decaf and the only choice, those little orange packets. But even with the stigma gone, there is still some confusion about coffee’s gentler side.

Decaf is only partially caffeine free.

Well, that’s almost true. According to the Coffee Association of Canada, decaffeinated roasted or ground coffee cannot
contain more than 0.1 per cent residual caffeine. Since caffeine naturally occurs in coffee, it is impossible to remove all traces
of it from the beans.

Formaldehyde is a common decaffeination agent.

Not true. While the naturally-occurring compound ethyl acetate and chemical methylene chloride are commonly used, formaldehyde is not one of the five agents approved by Health and Welfare Canada.

From Bean to Cup

Ever wonder how your coffee got from the plant to your cup? Here’s a brief overview of the coffee growing and roasting processes which will provide interesting fodder for your next social gathering.

The coffee we drink is produced by either the Arabica or robusta species of coffee. The latter is cheaper, but produces a much less flavourful drink, so most roasters use Arabica beans. Coffee plants produce cherries that each grow two seeds that fit together similar to a peanut. When the coffee cherries are harvested, these seeds are sorted by size and quality, then by grade.

The coveted peaberry grade turns out to be mutant, albeit a naturally occurring one, where the cherry produces only one seed. These mono-seeds are thought to have more goodness in them since that one seed is getting nutrients meant for two. These high levels of nutrients and soluble oil produce a coffee with more flavour and body.

According to coffee guru Trevis Boyd of Black Pearl, the growing conditions in which the coffee plant is raised and the number of times it has been genetically modified will have a lot to do with the quality of the coffee bean. He says Brazil produces coffee like a crop, whereas in other countries, such as Ethiopia, coffee is shade-grown in the wild from original plants.

“I like shade-grown coffee best,” says Boyd. “The coffee has more time to mature, which means more nutrients, sugar and soluble oil content—which is good for flavour.”

Roasting

Before roasting, in its green state, coffee has the most caffeine. According to Boyd, the darker and longer the roast, the less caffeine it will have, since it has burnt off. A common misconception is that lighter roasts are less caffeinated. Quite the opposite, lighter roasts are higher in caffeine and acidity and the caffeine content can range about eight per cent between a light and dark roast.

Boyd says that roasting depends on temperature, air flow and time and it is the combination of these elements that affects the coffee roast. So how do roasters get it right?

“Every coffee has its own sweet spot which is the ideal temperature and level of roast for that bean. Every bean has its own density, soluble oil and sugar content,” says Boyd. “It’s these things that are measured to help determine that sweet spot.”

Depending on the size of the batch, the type of bean and the level of roast, it takes anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, which seems like a big gap. “But 15 seconds too long on a particular coffee could destroy it,” says Boyd.

About those roasts

Darker roasts have less body, but more flavour since the sugar in the beans are highly caramelized. The longer the roast, the more soluble oils are brought out, which is why dark roast beans look shinier than lighter roasts.

Another coffee misconception is that espresso is a type of coffee bean. It is really a recipe that is made to be brewed best when expressed or concentrated through an espresso machine.

“Espresso recipes are often regional,” says Boyd. “West Coast versions are nuttier and creamier, while East Coast recipes tend to be darker, sharper.”

The Perfect Cup

While proper brewing methods and quality beans are keys to creating a great cup of coffee, a really perfect cup depends largely on your taste. Since most of us can’t pinpoint the exact reason we like or don’t like a particular coffee, Black Pearl runs cupping classes to help you figure it out. Not what you might be thinking, cupping is a coffee tasting, similar to a wine tasting, that involves a series of formal steps in which you ‘aspirate and expectorate.’ So you won’t leave with a warm latte in your belly, but according to Black Pearl owner Trevis Boyd, the process allows you to fully understand what it is about each particular coffee, region or roast that you do like. For more information on cupping, call Black Pearl at 586-3989.  

Brew Masters

While brewing vessels have certainly evolved over the years, it’s the simplest models that have stood the test of time. From low tech to high tech here are our favourite coffee machines.

Old School

The original tool for baristas, this basic model proves there’s no need to mess with perfection. Trevor Westwood of Gourmet Coffee Specialists says to use an espresso fine grind with these little guys, since very little water runs through the grounds very quickly and you want to maximize extraction.

Bialetti Moka Express Espresso Maker, $16.99-19.99, DeLuca’s Specialty Foods, 950 Portage Ave, 774-7617.

Café Monsieur?

A new insulated version of the traditional French press keeps java hot longer. Westwood suggests a coarser grind for this method. The goal is to create an unbelievably smooth cup of coffee, and since the grounds are sitting in the water longer than an espresso maker, you don’t want to over extract them.

Bodum Chambord Double wall Coffee Maker, $120, Cornelia Bean.

Local Innovator

Though it is more often used for teas, the Brewt does produce a great single serving. Not to mention the novelty of the pouring mechanism. Use a coarser grind for best results.

Brewt, $24.99, Cornelia Bean, 417 Academy Rd, 489-5460.

The All-in-One

The Grind & Brew still ranks high on our list particularly for provided less opportunity for fumbling in the early morning kitchen. No need to worry about grind here, this guy does it all for you. 

Cuisinart Automatic Grind & Brew Coffee Maker, $132.95, D.A. Niels, 485 Berry St, 953-2345.

High End Traditional

In Italy, the art of creating and enjoying the perfect cup of espresso is a rite. This machine is intended to recreate
the experience of the Italian espresso bar at home.

Elektra Semi-Automatic Chrome SXC, $1995, DeLuca Bros. Foods International, 195 McPhillips St, 775-8605.

Fully Automatic

This sleekly designed espresso machine does it all at the push of a button—including steam milk for frothy cappuccinos and lattes.

Saeco Odea Giro, $699, Mountain Bean Coffee, 2001 Henderson Hwy, 334-6959.

The Best Beans

Coffee preferences are highly subjective, but we picked a few of our favourites to share (sort of). Check back soon for the video of the results from our panel of testers.

Kicking Horse

Not for the feint of heart, this organic Indonesian dark roast definitely packs a powerful punch. Our choice for keeping up with those late deadline nights.

454 Horse Power
Dark Roast
454 g $14.99, Organza Market, 230 Osborne St.

Black Pearl

From South America to Dufferin to our kitchens, Black Pearl’s house blend produces a really balanced cup that seems to please many palates. Is it the blend’s richness that leaves our coffee pot perpetually empty?

The Black Pearl
Medium Dark Roast
450 g $11, 460 Dufferin Ave.

Mountain Bean

This full-bodied blend of Costa Rican and Columbian beans has a great nutty flavour. Almost as good as their in-store cappuccinos.

House Blend
Medium Roast
250 g, $10.95, 2001 Henderson Hwy.

Starbucks Coffee

In true Starbucks style, this bold blend is a great morning after coffee. Beans from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea deliver an earthy flavour.

Komodo Dragon Blend
Bold
453 g, $16.95, www.starbucks.ca.

illy

This Italian imported blend of nine growing regions wins in our espresso category. While we love the subtle flavours it has when brewed in a traditional espresso way, it also makes an amazing cup of regular coffee in our auto-drip.

Espresso
250 g, $14.25, DeLuca’s Specialty Foods, 950 Portage Ave.

Sunstone Coffee

This locally-roasted Peruvian organic is a mild blend, with low acidity that we like to serve up later in the day.

Peru S.H.B. Organic
Mild Roast
$4.59/100 g, Scoop N’ Weigh, 1770 Taylor Ave.