These days, coffee lovers are spoiled for choice when it comes to exploring new and exciting brews. The specialty coffee movement has paved the way for the world to discover endless variations of new coffee roasts and flavours.
The first wave of coffee drinkers in the sixteenth century weren’t so lucky. When coffee first became commercialised, a majority of coffees were single origin and roasted with rudimentary roasting methods. Now, coffee enthusiasts have centuries of accrued knowledge and new technologies to develop nuanced flavour profiles for both single origin beans and blends.
There can be stark differences between single origin roasts and blends, and both can be produced for a range of purposes. In a nutshell, single-origin comes from one specific coffee-growing region, where blends are composed of beans from various different countries or regions to develop a desired flavour profile.
Let’s dig deeper into the difference between single origin coffee and blends.
SINGLE ORIGIN
Single-origin coffees are particularly unique and are known to stand out for their flavour diversity which is what makes these coffees so novel. Coffee drinkers who are adventurous and enjoy exploring exotic tasting notes tend to favour single origins over blends.
As the name suggests, single origin coffees derive from a single country. Sometimes, single origins can be one varietal from a single farm. More commonly, smallholders - producers with small plots of land - band together in a cooperative where cherries are processed at a central mill and sold around the world as green coffee beans. This depends on the counrty’s history and regulations around coffee sourcing and exporting.
Combining different lots along with shifts in climate means that single origin coffees are often unique. Some argue that this is the most challenging part of single origins. For others, this is what makes them so exciting!
At Padre Coffee, we believe in creating a well-rounded single origin offering that will suit any flavour preference, but also challenges the drinker to expand their palette. If you're looking to be adventurous and try something new, might we suggest Brazilian or Colombian as a nice starting point. If you're hoping to jump all the way into the world of single origins, look for an Ethiopian or Kenyan coffee as these tend to be a little more fruity and exotic.
BLEND
Coffee blends are known for their consistency and balance which is achieved roast after roast by combining beans from a range of countries. Traditionally, roasters combined poorer-quality Robusta beans with better coffees aiming for a half-decent cup.
Today, the game has changed dramatically.
Modern specialty coffee roasters often work meticulously towards achieving a specific flavour profile with their origin combinations. These flavour profiles depend on the roaster’s vision and can range from chocolatey and full bodied, to fruity and bright.
Blends can also be developed to cater to a broad demographic of coffee lovers, hence they are chosen as the core offering or “house blend” at most cafes. Another advantage of blends is that the flavours are consistently identifiable, resulting in a familiar cup of coffee for customers each day.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
When it comes to enjoying coffee, there are no rules. It all depends on your personal preference. If you like consistency, blends are the way to go. If you have a more adventurous palette, single-origins are guaranteed to surprise you with every sip.
You can find detailed descriptions of our range of coffee blends and single-origins on our website. Why not check out what we have to offer and try what stands out to you?
Padre Coffee acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continued connections to land, sea and community.
We pay our respect to Elders past, present and future, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
