Illustration shows Coffea arabica plant and seeds -- arabica, along with Coffea canephora (predominantly a form known as 'robusta'), are the two main species in cultivation.
Here in the Nut Hut, you may have noticed that we focus on certain roasts and blends. How do we pick them, well… besides listening to you (tweet at us, or leave a comment below), we pick the ones we think have the best aroma, the richest coffee flavor, and the roasters that know their stuff. Here’s an overview of the categories of blends in our shop — just click a name to go right to that category.
>> Brazil: High quality Brazil coffee is soft, nutty, low acid, with nice bittersweet chocolate tastes. Over 40% of the World’s coffee originates in Brazil, and so there is quite a range available… check the descriptions and reviews.
>> Columbian: Colombia is famous for its consistently fine, mild coffees. Coffee nuts love the sweet aromatic taste — Colombian Supremo is superbly balanced.
>> Green Beans: Before coffee beans are roasted… they’re green (see illustration at top right). You can buy them too, and try roasting them at home (some people even do this with popcorn poppers) — see roasting article. For more professional roasters, see the “Machines: Coffee Roasters” category.
>>Espresso: Espresso Roast is a specific roast of beans to a certain degree of darkness to decrease acidity and bring out the best flavor. Beans in the Espresso blend and roasting techniques do vary. Prepare Espresso in any coffee maker, though an Espresso machine (see our Bistro store) makes Espresso by pressing hot water through finely ground espresso beans.
>> Hawaiian: Most pure, Hawaiian coffees are “varietal” (not a blend) though several coffee suppliers do offer blends. Kona, a dark, rich coffee is a particular favorite of coffee nuts.
>> Organic: While definitions of “Organic” coffees do differ, they are some of the finest and purest, often grown in shade to enhance flavor, and almost always without pesticides.
>> Peruvian: It’s the altitude! Peruvian coffees are grown high in the Andes Mountains making for exceptional bright effervescent snap, a gentle sweetness, and medium body. It’s easy to grow an attitude about altitude at the Nut Hut.
>> Sumatra Coffee: Sumatra Mandheling coffees are known worldwide for a heavy rich body. The coffee nuts in the hut think of it almost like dessert.