Boutique Coffee

Compared with Commodity Coffee and Specialty Coffee

Commodity Coffee Specialty Coffee Birds and Beans Boutique Coffee
selected based on price typically selected based on price, grade and screened for faults in the cup. Sometimes selected for country of origin and certifications. selected based on the specific characteristics of the coffee from sustainable farms and co-operatives
Robusta or low grade arabica specialty or high grade arabica single origin specialty grade arabica
grown in equitorial climates typically grown in equatorial mountainous regions at high grown in equatorial mountainous regions at high altitudes
high yeild low quality high yield better quality low yield high quality
mix of coffees and grades at the shipping port typically a mix from many origins within a country from a single farm or co-operative of farms
typically sun-grown mostly sun-grown shade grown (certified shade where possible)
mechanically harvested either mechanically harvested or hand picked hand picked selecting red cherries and leaving green ones to ripen
very heavy use of agrochemicals very heavy use of agrochemicals except where certified organic certified organic - no agrochemicals (except* where permitted by the Rainforest Alliance)
no source tracability little or no source tracability we can take you to the growers of each of our coffees
no relationship with growers little or no relationship with growers long-term relationships with growers
roasted in huge quantity roasted in large quantity roasted in small batches
roasted to provide maximum yield (lighter) roasted to produce more body using coffee without distinct origin characteristics (the ubiquitous “oily dark roast”) roasted to yield the unique flavour profile of the origin and crop year
typically sold as ground coffee typically sold as whole beans sold as whole beans (ground on request at the cafe)
packaged in cans or vacuum bags sold from bulk bins or packaged in vacuum bags packaged in compostable bags for use during fresh period
shelf expectancy is 1 year shelf expectancy is several months roast-dated and sold within one week
roasted and blended for year over year consistency roasted and blended for year over year consistency roasted to reveal the unique characteristics of the single origin and the crop year

* Our Brazil Daterra Reserve is grown in dense shade that requires the use of a benign fungicide approved for use by the Rainforest Alliance. We relax our requirement for certified organic in favour of dense shade in this case.

coffeeCherries
Coffee Cherries