Our Coffee

We build direct relationships with farmers and cooperatives, visiting origins regularly to ensure quality, sustainability, and fair compensation.

The Coffee growing regions fall into the ‘bean belt’ – roughly bound by the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

Growing regions are typically defined with rich soils (often volcanic), high altitudes (up to 2000 MASL), moderate sunlight exposure and rainfall and consistent year-round temperatures.

The three main regions are defined into:

• - The Americas
• - Africa
• - Asia

Coffee begins as green beans, the raw seeds of the coffee cherry. These beans contain all the potential flavors that will be unlocked through processing and roasting.

There are two main species of coffee plant Coffea Arabica and Coffea Canephora (Robusta) each with well over 150 different documented varietals.

Before coffee can be roasted, the beans must be removed from the coffee cherry and dried. The processing method influences the final flavour of the coffee.

• - Washed (Wet Process): The fruit is removed before drying and the beans are washed in water. Produces clean, bright, and crisp flavours.
  
• - Natural (Dry Process): The whole cherry is dried before the fruit is removed. Creates sweeter coffees with more body and fruit-forward notes.
  
• - Honey Process: Some of the sticky fruit layer is left on the bean during drying. Balances the sweetness and body of naturals with the clarity of washed coffees.

After processing, coffee is graded based on size, quality, defects, and flavour. Higher grades have fewer defects and score better in tasting evaluations.

• - Specialty Coffee: The highest quality grade, scoring 80+ points with minimal defects. Carefully sorted for consistency and flavour. This is the standard of coffee L'affare sources and roasts.
  
• - Premium Coffee: Good quality coffee with slightly more defects and a cup score between 75–79.75 points. Still free from major flavour faults.
  
• - Commodity Coffee: Lower-grade coffee with more defects and less consistency, typically scoring below 75 points. Often used in mass-market blends.

Our expert roasters carefully develop each bean's unique characteristics through precise temperature and time control, bringing out optimal flavours.

At L'affare, coffee is roasted in drum roasters where hot air and a rotating drum evenly roast the beans.

Over around 15 minutes, the beans lose moisture, expand in size, and develop flavour. The key milestone is first crack, when the beans pop as moisture escapes and sugars begin to caramelise.

Most coffees are finished between first crack and second crack. Lighter roasts highlight acidity and origin flavours, while darker roasts create more body, sweetness, and richness. Roasting too far can lead to bitter, smoky flavours.

Combining two or more coffees from different coffee origins is called blending. The aim is to combine coffees with complimentary characteristics. This process allows the roaster to supply a coffee that has a consistent flavour profile.

As coffee flavours will change seasonally a blends recipe can be altered to keep the target flavour profile consistent.

Great coffee is the result of every step in the journey — from the varietal, farm conditions, and processing method through to roasting and brewing. Ultimately, it all comes down to how it tastes in the cup.

• - Fragrance: The aroma of roasted coffee.
• - Aroma: The smell of brewed coffee.
  
• - Flavour: The unique characteristics & tasting notes
• - Acidity: The pleasant brightness and liveliness in the cup.
• - Body: The texture and weight of the coffee in your mouth.
• - Finish: The lingering flavours and aftertaste

Cupping is a formal practice of assessing coffee flavours and quality. It is arguably the most important practice in the coffee industry and should be carried out at various stages throughout the coffee trading process:

• - At origin where coffee is graded
• - By green bean buyers selecting coffee to purchase
• - By roasteres receiving pre-shipment samples
• - By roasters receiving coffee shipments
• - After roasting for quality checks

Several factors come together to brew coffee well, with each factor having its own impact on the final cup.

Coffee to water ratio: 60gm per 1 litre

• - Too much coffee and not enough water results in a thick ‘strong’ bitter brew
• - Too much water and not enough coffee results in a thin, ‘weak’ sour brew

Water Temp: 93℃ – 95℃

• - Don’t brew too hot. Let your jug cool after it boils.

Choose your grind

• - Finer grind for faster brews – Espresso and stovetop
• - Coarse grind for slower brews – Plunger and Coldbrew