THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SINGLE ORIGIN COFFEE AND COFFEE BLENDS

Every coffee addict knows one thing – no one size fits all. Right at this moment, somewhere in a land far away, there is a “Battle De La Cafés” going on. We can guarantee you that one of the topics is which one is better between single origin coffee and coffee blends. You most likely have your opinions too. Lower the shield. Let’s examine both sides of the camp.

The simple truth is that there are advantages and disadvantages to each one of these, and the results would vary from one end to another. However, there are major differences worth looking into. These are what we will be objectively taking a look at in this article. Trust, the other side didn’t bribe us… or at least, we declined.

 

What Exactly Is Single Origin Coffee?

Just from the name, you probably already have an idea of what single origin coffee means, but you may not understand the full details. Single origin coffees are coffee beans that come from a particular source without any of them coming from any other source. You might call this “pureblood,” if you are in this camp.

Now, the source of these beans may cover the whole country. It may also cover just a region of the country. Sometimes, the whole bag may have been harvested in a single farm.

 

What About Coffee Blends?

You see, just like the single origin coffee, the name of the coffee blend essentially speaks for itself. Coffee blends are made from the blend of two or more different origin coffee beans. There is actually a solid idea behind this type of coffee.

A blend is created from high quality coffee beans of different origins. Most roasters like to use coffee beans from around 2 to 4 different locations. However, there are cases where more locations are used, sometimes up to 9. Obviously, there is a balance needed here. What you get as a result of this blend is a coffee with a smooth flavor and well-balanced taste.

 

Notable Differences

While there are many differences between single origin coffees and coffee blends, here are the notable ones:

 

1. Cost And Availability

Because of the change in season, origin coffees aren’t available all year round. Because of their seasonal nature, not much of them is produced. On the other hand, coffee blends combine various coffee beans from diverse origins, staying available at all times.

Needless to say, this means that single origin coffees are usually more expensive than coffee blends. The consequence is that you would have to pay more at the café to get a cup of single origin coffee.

 

2. Taste

When it comes to a clean, original taste, a lot of coffee lovers who understand what coffee should taste like would go for the single origin coffee. Usually, they would prefer to stick to its basic form, enjoying their single origin coffees black, free from any additional ingredients like cream or sugar.

On the other hands, there are many who prefer their cappuccino or latter creamy and sweet. These people would prefer the coffee blends available at most local coffee shops.

 

Advantages Of Single Origin Coffee

1. Each coffee region has its own unique characteristics and specific flavors. Since the condition of the coffee, soil, and climate varies from region to region, you can always count on your favorite to stay true to its peculiar flavor. This is by far the main advantage single-origin coffees have.
2. Single origin coffees are regarded as the purest form of coffee for good reasons. This is another reason why people may choose these.
3. Single origin coffees can be brewed using different brew methods without losing its great qualities. Brew methods like filter and CEMEX are particularly brilliant can help you highlight the flavors in a way espresso brewing can’t.

 

Disadvantages Of Single Origin Coffee

1. If you are just a regular coffee drinker, single origin coffees can be pretty intense for you. This would be more so if you love your coffee all creamed and sweetened. Are you all about lattes and cappuccinos? The bitter taste might set your senses on fire. And that brings us to the next point…
2. Single origin coffees work best when enjoyed black. That means you leave all the additional supplements aside. This is because they don’t work as well with these supplements as blends do. Instead, they lose their flavor and start tasting unbalanced.
3. Since each origin tastes differently, you would find some off-putting. There are some coffees that simply don’t do great on their own. They are better when worked into a blend with other coffees.

 

Advantages Of Coffee Blends

1. Because coffee blends aren’t as intense in flavor as the single origin coffees, they naturally make perfect base for your lattes, cappuccinos, and other espresso based drinks.
2. Unlike single origin coffees with their inconsistent flavors during seasonal changes, coffee blends are way more consistent in that regard.
3. Even better, coffee blends are available all year rounds. Since several origins are combined, the reduction in one wouldn’t cause a significant harm. So, coffee blends naturally make for great commercial distribution.

 

 Disadvantages Of Coffee Blends

1. While you won’t have to directly worry about the availability of just one particular single origin coffee all year, coffee blends do have the trouble of maintaining that consistency all through the year, without a loss of flavors, especially from unique origins.
2. To prevent the above disadvantage, roasters have to go darker, roasting it until it becomes darker and bitter. Not everyone loves this, even though the bitter flavor is now wildly, albeit wrongly, associated with what a strong coffee should taste like.

 

Why Roasters Create Blends

Most local coffee shops sell coffee blends. You may have heard them call it the “house blend.” A number of factors contributed to this. Some of them are:

 

Availability

Like you already know, coffee blends are more commercially available than single origin coffees.

 

Cost

Hands down, single origin coffees tend to cost more. Understandably, coffee blends are better for commercial purposes. So, this is one of the reasons why roasters go for them.

 

Feel

Since most customers just want something creamy and sweet, roasters have to please them by going for coffee blends. They are the more highly recommended type of coffee for business.

 

Espresso

Coffee blends are great for different traditional espresso-based drinks like cappuccinos and lattes. Since these are more in demands, roasters choose coffee blends to fill those needs.

 

Which One Is Better?

While each of these two types of coffee has its own set of advantages and disadvantages, one tend to outweigh the other. In the past, most people found greater satisfaction in light roasted single origin coffees than in coffee blends. This was when coffee blends were still pretty inconsistent in taste.

With advancement in technology and the improvement of brew methods, more people are moving towards coffee blends. No wonder it is demanded more and roasted by roasters. If it’s demanded more, there are solid reasons. Even then, those who love the uniqueness of single origin coffee would still choose it any day.

 

The bottom-line is that only you can choose for yourself. Now that you have the necessary info, go and have some sips. The coffee is in your cup

Try Our Single Origin Coffee!!