Why You Should Consider Micro Lot Coffee For Your Next Bag Of Beans
For many, coffee is simply a jolt to get the day going. However, the beverage encompasses staggering degrees of complexity. When considering everything from the bean's terroir, processing technique, and roasting to brewing, a dizzying collection of intricacies impacts the coffee's flavor.
Detailing aspects of the coffee, like the varietal, altitude, and processing methods, fall into the hands of the producers and distributors. The process is complicated. Since a single bag of coffee is often mixed across varying farms, even the single-origin moniker can encompass beans sourced from hundreds of miles apart.
So to further narrow the plant's origin, turn to a micro lot. This moniker usually refers to coffee from a single plot of land on a specific farm. Such coffees are generally of higher quality since farmers isolated especially-tasty species at a certain growing condition. Plus, the extra attention encourages sustainable practices. Let's dive into more of the details.
What to know when purchasing micro lot coffees
Micro lot is not a regulated term — so there's no guarantee what's in the bag. Either coffee traders or producers can employ it for both logistical purposes and marketing. Nevertheless, the phrase does correlate with several aspects of beneficial coffee qualities.
The more information available regarding the coffee, the more traceable it is to the source. Understanding its growth and production enables a better understanding of how such characteristics impact the taste. Plus, it gives the buyer more knowledge on what kind of coffee business they're supporting. Purchasing from an esteemed producer means empowering sustainable environmental and economic practices.
Micro lot varietals are often coffees distinguished on a farm due to their unique attributes. As a result, they often receive high scores from cupping experts. Some of the most acclaimed coffees produced — like the Panama Geisha — are the result of such a practice. Sure, micro lots of this nature do cost extra. But considering the efforts that went into producing them, the price is justifiable and the taste is sure to be unique and delicious.