Coffee and terroir: The 'Somewhereness' of the seed

Originally uploaded by asteri design.

Terroir in a direct translation from French yields us simply 'earth' or 'land.' The basic interpretation of this is to say that a product has a distinct association with the land on which it was produced. Stating that the product is representative of it's origins would be the same as saying a product is expressing it's terroir. The term is difficult when trying to apply this to coffee or tea given the disagreements over the specific definition of this topic in wine.

The most simplistic definition of terroir I came across in my research was simply that terroir is a 'sense of place' that a product has. The terroir of a coffee is very broadly defined as the site or region influences that cumulatively give the coffee an attachment to it's origins. It is not simply the taste of earth but all the contributing factors therein that add to flavor. There are two ways the term terroir is approached in wine from which we draw parallels, but we first must have a better understanding of French culture and the approach they have to terroir in not just wine, but an array of products not limited to only the agricultural ones.

The French approach terroir as a philosophy in life. The love of dining and appreciation for local farmer's markets along with a focus on fresh ingredients are important to the French food culture. To the French, terroir seems to be applicable to any product, even clothing, which exemplifies the unique characteristics of a specific area. The traditions or methods of production can be added to the unique (soil, geography, climate) and physical(minerals, soil acidity, etc.) characters of that producing region in describing the product's terroir.

Much like Champagne is only truly a Champagne if produced in the Champagne region of France, this is the predominant view of terroir. The attitude is to preserve this uniqueness where in some cases it may not be viewed as desirable. In France it appears that saying something has terroir is to say that it represents where it was produced well.

The French focus is very much based on the importance of where it was grown over what varietal is used or the producer. The French love of terroir has worked to produce both quality and diversity in the French food, wine, and cheese market. In essence, the opposite to the mass produced commodity cultures you see in other countries.

There are two approaches to the concept terroir we must be aware of. The Old World approach and the New World approach.

The Old World approach is simply the previously mentioned French approach to terroir. To say, in wine specifically, that the flavor of the cup comes from the soil, geology, aspect, altitude, and other factors. An example is to draw a direct corollary between the flavor and the inputs from the soil. This would be to say that since this tastes of mineral and there is strong mineral content in the soil therefore it must be associated and therefore preserved. Each areas unique character is presented in the cup. It could be stated that Old World philosophy is more about restrictions placed on the product to achieve a specific representative quality much like AOC. In essence, the French label would focus on the growing region over the varietal or producer. For example, the French would say it is not a Pinot Noir produced in Burgundy but rather it is a Burgundy that happens to be made of Pino Noir.

New World philosophy seems predominantly based on viewing all the inputs as part of quality. They aim to use the terroir of the region to achieve a product they deem more quality. This is to say, they break down their lots into similar producing groups and attempt to achieve something of greater ripeness and evenness. Terroir is in essence an approach to quality in where defined standards are not traditional defined for the producing regions. The focus leans on the varietal used and not so much on the region. A means to an end if you will, where preservation of the traditions is not such a defining factor.

Applying terroir to coffee is very difficult to understand and this is why I have undertaken this project. Since the term is being thrown around a lot these days in the coffee cognesceti(as one roaster put's it), I feel it's time to begin thinking about this and research it more. Once we can begin to comprehend the term terroir, you begin to see how it is applicable in quality coffee. Silas believes the closest approach in Tea is that of Biodynamic teas, but that's an article for him to write.

Now, when someone speaks about the terroir of this coffee, you will understand what they are saying. Next time you are at your local roaster and they say, 'This is an exemplary Kenya, very expressive of what a good Kenya coffee should be!' Once tasting it, to agree your response could be, 'Yes, I see the terroir in that coffee!'

Coffee: Repeating that great experience

The romance of your first great cup and getting back to that feeling. Be it coffee, tea, or wine, this is what we are searching for. That one defining moment where everything is beautiful and the cup was glorious. It could have been the moment, the people you were with, or simply the lack of a good cup in a long time. The problem is repeating the 'in the cup variables' of that great experience are a lot harder than we would like and we need to do something about that.

There are plenty of great drinks out there to be had right now. The wine and liquor industry has a long established pyramid of quality in which at any point there is a unique experience waiting to be found. Coffee though, is still finding it's own quality pyramid and we don't really have a handle on how many great coffees are out there or what prices are fair. In fact, so few people have had the truly great coffees, it's often very hard to relate paying for a great cup. There is very little perception in the general public of what great coffee can be right now. If you do manage to find that great defining cup, the very real problem arises that we want it again.
In essence, the great drip coffees are somewhat like bottles of wine. Taking a simplistic look, they are typically similar for each year's crop from the same area or same lot. There can be inconsistencies from roast to roast in the coffee, but the ability to repeat the experience with the right roaster exists. The irony of typing this is one amazing coffee experience I had this year literally yielded me a single good bag while the rest were far less than amazing. With that said, your 'top of the top' drip coffees are typically easier to prepare and will likely yield more consistent bang of the buck than that high grade espresso.

If we do venture into espresso, that's where it gets tricky because espresso is not like wine. Espresso is really like a bottle of those more expensive single barrel Bourbons. You really only know what you will get from batch to batch and it's the intensity that is at the root of the drink. One week, the coffee's roast may be a tiny bit darker and your espresso may have more chocolate flavors, the next, it may be lighter citrus. This is the nature of espresso. While it may magnify all those delightful flavors, it also magnifies any tiny change in the roast. This means it is in constant flux and the Barista needs to adjust.

All this makes coffee a very frustrating product for even the best trained and obsessive Barista. While the Barista is constantly adjusting and attempting to compensate for every little detail, the consumer just really wants to repeat that experience. They want to come in every time and get the beautiful cappa or perfume Yirgacheffe with no excuses. That's easier said than done, but it shouldn't be so hard.

After all the issues with consistency and repeatability, I still feel that espresso has the greatest untapped potential, because there are so few cafes that exist which simply pull acceptable shots of a decent grade espresso much less great shots that qualify as culinary experiences. Aside from those hurdles, the great redeeming factor in espresso is that the intensity makes the flavors obvious to even a beginner. A great Barista can call their shot and the customer will be simply wowed or at least go 'I get it'. Imagine walking into a shop and hearing 'This is a Brazil Daterra Reserve 2004, you should get a creamy sweet buttery almond flavor.' That's rarefied air though and only a few shops in North America have this caliber of Barista.

Today's great coffee experiences will only be shadows when compared to our future experiences as long as we continue to move forward. What I thought was great only a year ago is sad in comparison to what I have today and what I find tomorrow may overshadow it all. We will keep looking for that great cafe Barista to show me the way, but in the meantime, I will nurse a good french press of a nice coffee assuming I get that good bag!

Espresso: The Massive HB Tamper Roadshow Review

The home-barista.com sponsored Tamper Roadshow rolled through Cambridge recently and this is our take on this massive lineup of tampers.

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Bumper
handle: black rubber handle
width: 1 5/8"
base: stainless steel, satin-brush finish
weight: 1lb 3/4oz
height: 3 1/2"

First Impression:
At first glance, the Bumper tamper looks cheap. However, when I actually picked it up, the weight (of the tamper) and the feel of the rubber really surprised me. In fact, it duplicated the feel of an OEM rubber handle for the La Marzocco portafilter. Very comfortable and solid.
Handle:
The handle is that of the classic tamper shape and it worked quite well. I personally would like the top to be a bit wider and taller so I can cradle it with my ring and pinky fingers, but Jaime liked it quite a bit (since he was trained on the same shape). The rubberized handle takes a lot of abuse w/out showing much damage and won’t absorb much nasty stale coffee odors.
Base:
The base of the Bumper is the thickest of all tampers from the road show. With our style of dosing/tamping (Tim Wendelboe’s under the line style), it’s hard to gauge what kind of dosage is in the basket. The tapered side is quite comfortable for the thumb and the forefinger, however.
Bottom Line:
A solid work horse that can take the abuse of a busy café.

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Coffeelab Design
handle: anodized and powder coated aluminum with rubber grip handle
width: 1 1/2"
base: stainless steel, satin-brush finish
weight: 13 3/8oz
height: 3 5/8"

First Impression:
This tamper has a toy look to it, probably due to the use of different material/colors. The neck of then handle also looks flimsy.
Handle:
The grip is actually a lot more comfortable than it looks, and the adjustable spacer at the neck is a good idea. However, the combination of the very thin neck and the small size of the connection screw gives off a very un-secured feeling. More than 3 of us feel we could snap it with excessive force. Not too sure about the long term durability in a busy/abusive café environment.
Base:
The rubber pad and the slope are very comfortable for the forefinger and thumb to rest/press on.
Bottom Line:
Very comfortable tamper that falls short on the overall durability.

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EPNW Compressore
handle: powder coated aluminum handle
width: 1 7/8" base: stainless steel
weight: 1lb 1 3/4oz
height: 3 9/16"

First Impression:
Part of the EPNW tamper lineup. The anodized finish is quite attractive.
Handle:
The large bulbous handle is really designed for very large hands. The head is even a bit too big for my palm and the neck is not thin enough for my middle finger to get a good grip. The anodized finish is durable and won’t absorb any funny odors.
Base:
Nice tapered sides and thickness. This is our “standard” and preferred tamper base.
Bottom Line:
A solid tamper for large hands.

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EPNW EP5
handle: polished Bulbinga wood handle
width: 1 3/4" base: stainless steel
weight: 13 oz
height: 3 3/16"

First Impression:
Part of the EPNW tamper lineup. The handle looks quite small.
Handle:
Short and bulky handle designed for short stubby hands. Glossy clear coat protects from dirt/odor contamination, but can wear out with use.
Base:
Standard EPNW base we loved.
Bottom Line:
Tamper for large but stubby handed home user.

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Espressocraft
handle: stainless steel handle width: 1 3/4"
base: brushed stainless steel
weight: 14 5/8oz
height: 3 1/2"

First Impression:
The fit and finish is amazing. The precision machined stainless steel are the main reason behind the cost and it’s worth every penny.
Handle:
The most comfortable of all tampers I’ve used. The length and the shape of the handle allowed me to place my ring and pinky finger on top comfortably while providing a secured grip with my middle finger around the neck. The curvature/thickness at the base of the handle allowed me to spread my fore-finger and thumb comfortably. The brushed stainless finish was hard and proves sanitary, though I could see the nice surface being scratched/dinged up from use.
Base:
While the fillet at the neck fits the fingers comfortably, there is no overall slope to the base. This forced you to place your forefinger and thumb at the center of the base instead of spreading out across the entire diameter. This makes leveling a bit more difficult and feels wobbly. The base is also a bit thin which makes it difficult to use with our dosing method. It could work with over doses though.
Bottom Line:
Beautiful metal sculpture for triple ristretto style café.

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EPNW Lava Import
handle: machine milled aluminum
handle width: 1 3/4"
base: stainless steel
weight: 3 1/4"
height: 9 oz

First Impression:
My current tamper is a Lava deluxe, and this tamper looks and feels like a bad rip-off version of it.
Handle:
The handle is too short for me to get a good grip. It also feels very cheap due to the weight and finish.
Base:
This is a bad joke, right? The thing is metal but hollow, and has no substantial weight at all. It felt like a real (cheap) toy.
Bottom Line:
A cheap taste of real tamper for first time home user.

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La Forza
handle: handpainted glazed ceramic handle
width: 2"
base: stainless steel
weight: 14 5/8oz
height: 3 1/2"

First Impression:
Is this for real use?!
Handle:
The ceramic handle is not centered and already has chips when it arrived. The head is way too big and bulbous. I cannot get a good grip on it. I am not sure I will use this as a tool.
Base:
Standard EPNW base.
Bottom Line:
Pretty decorative tamper for occasional uses.

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EPNW Lava Deluxe
handle: machine milled aluminum handle
width: 1 3/4"
base: stainless steel
weight: 14 1/2oz
height: 3 1/4"

First Impression:
This is my current tamper. I previously bought it because it was not wood and orange…
Handle:
A little too short for me to get a good grip. The aluminum top damages easily and after 1+ year of home use, it already looks quite abused.
Base:
Standard EPNW base.
Bottom Line:
Solid, affordable tamper for smaller hands.

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EPNW Pro
handle: machined milled aluminum handle
width: 1 1/2"
base: stainless steel
weight: 1lb 3 1/4oz
height: 3 3/8"

First Impression:
Classic café tamper.
Handle:
Good shape for a flashlight style grip. I found the top to be a bit small to be totally comfortable with it but Jaime loves it. The very top is inlayed with delrin so tapping won’t damage the metal finish.
Base:
Good taper and height that lends to easy leveling when using volumetric dosing.
Bottom Line:
No-nonsense and durable utilitarian work horse for café.

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Pullman
handle: oiled, resin impregnated hardwood handle
width: 2"
base: stainless steel with TrueTamp guide rings
overall weight: 15 oz
overall height: 3 5/8"

First Impression:
The fit and finish showed high level of worksmanship. The sharp edges of the handle and the base made it look a bit uncomfortable.
Handle:
The sharp transition from the head to the neck looked very uncomfortable at first but is actually quite comfortable in use. The shape provides a very secured feeling from the grip. The hardwood has no clear coat finish and will absorb a lot of (bad) odors from use. It smelled really bad from previous users when we first open the box.
Base:
The taper at the sides is a bit short but big enough to allow a nice spread of the index finger and thumb for a stable, level tamp. The base is a bit thicker than other tampers but the machined indicator lines around the perimeter provide good feedback on the level and dose.
Bottom Line:
Comfortable and solid tamper for home use.

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Reg Barber Radical Pro
handle: African Rosewood handle
width: 1 1/8"
base: stainless steel
weight: 11 oz
height: 4 3/8"

First Impression:
Radical look for sure. The handle is a lot smaller than it appeared to be in the photo.
Handle:
The shape and length of the handle forces you to apply all your forces thru your thumb and index finger. While it forces you to use a straight wrist (or it will hurt you dearly), you can be too far forward with your tamp easily. Judson really loved this shape while the rest of us hated it (it physically hurt me). While the wooden handle is finished with a clear coat, it already showed discoloration from the road show. This is definitely a long term durability concern.
Base:
Similar taper and thickness as the EPNW one, but with a better metal finish.
Bottom Line:
Unconventionally shaped tamper for someone special.

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Reg Barger HB logo'd
handle: Tall - African Rosewood handle
width: 1 13/16"
base: stainless steel, satin-brush finish
weight: 12 1/4oz
height: 3 1/2"

First Impression:
The reg that most ppl seemed to love.
Handle:
The shape is an update to the classic café tamper shape. It provides a comfortable and secured grip. I personally would like it to be a little bit taller though. Being made of wood, it really is not so suitable to be used in a busy café environment due to durability and sanitary issues.
Base:
Similar taper and thickness as the EPNW one but with better finish.
Bottom Line:
The quintessential home barista tamper.

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Cafe Kultur TORR Classic
handle: African Blackwood, handpolished, glossy finish handle
width: 1 13/16"
base: stainless steel, matt finish
weight: 13 3/4oz
height: 3 3/4"

First Impression:
The fit and finish of the TORR is first class. I especially appreciate the fillet edge of the base.
Handle:
The large handle would be almost comfortable had it not been so tall. The bulbous head to neck transition does not provide as secured grip as others. The smooth finish of the wood feels very nice but most likely will not stand up to the abuse of heavy use.
Base:
The flat base forces you to press at the center of the handle which made leveling difficult and uncomfortable. The inward taper of the perimeter is perplexing because it actually looks off-level when it is actually fine.
Bottom Line:
Home use tamper with a unique base for large hands.

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Thor
handle: polished wood handle
width: 2"
base: polished wood - Lignum Vitae or Blackwood
weight: 12 3/4oz
height: 3 11/16"

First Impression:
Who stole my pepper grinder?!
Handle:
I don’t know how to grip or level with this thing.
Base:
Um… it’s flat?
Bottom Line:
Why spend so much time and energy to create so much nothingness?

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EPNW Clicker
handle: black rubber handle width: 1 3/4"
base: stainless steel, satin-brush finish
weight: 1lb 2 3/4oz
height: 4 3/8"

First Impression:
This is supposed to be a training tool for beginners.
Handle:
Quite comfortable gripe actually, but you cannot level with this thing due to the double decker design. Very difficult to balance so I am not sure how good of a learning tool it is (you are not learning the proper way to level the tamp). The click is something else…
Base:
Does not really matter as you cannot see or touch it when tamping.
Bottom Line:
A proper tamper and a scale might be a better training tool…