For many coffee lovers, single origin brews are considered to be the ultimate coffee-drinking experience. Single origin coffee refers to coffee grown in a single geographic region. This can mean a single farm or an entire country. Consuming coffee from a single origin allows the drinker to experience all of the delicious and unique flavors that are associated with coffees from specific countries.

Here are High Plains Spice Company, we carry 3 specific single origin coffees, along with a number of high-quality non-flavored coffee blends. A “blend” refers to a coffee created by combining beans from 2 or more countries. Our single origin coffees include: City Roast Colombian Supremo, Dark Sumatra Mandeling (Organic Fair Trade), and Mexican Chiapas (Organic Fair Trade).

Organic & Fair Trade

We carry 2 coffees that are both USDA Organic and Fair Trade: Dark Sumatra Mandeling and Mexican Chiapas. Before a coffee can be certified as “Organic,” it must pass a list of checks and balances legally enforced by the United States Department of Agriculture. A product’s organic certification comes from every level of the production process. It starts at the farms, includes the actual roasting process, and even includes the bags and packaging materials. These conditions are verified by the USDA before a product may legally advertise as “organic.”

Fair Trade Certification empowers farmers and farm workers to lift themselves out of poverty by investing in their farms and communities. It also places importance on protecting the environment, as well as developing the business skills necessary to compete in the global marketplace. Fair Trade exists to make sure farmers are paid for their work. It provides a set premium to farmers for their product, which ensures the farmer will be paid at a standardized price, which increases the profit flow to further the quality of the product, and assures the customer that the farmers were not exploited for labor in the process.

Dark Sumatra Mandeling (Organic, Fair Trade)

Our Dark Sumatra Mandeling is an Organic Fair Trade coffee that comes from the Gayoland region of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The beans are roasted to the French level, which enhances their inherent chocolatey undertones, while maintaining the low acidity and heavy body Sumatra coffee is known for. If you are looking for a low acidity coffee, but still want the characteristics of a bold, dark roast, then Dark Sumatra Mandeling is the brew for you!

Sumatran coffee gets its unique flavor from a processing method know as giling basah, or semi-washed processing. In this method, coffee is only briefly dried after picking. Instead of drying the coffee to a moisture content of 11-12% like other processes, the semi-wash process only dries coffee to a 30-35% moisture content. The coffee is then hulled, a process that involves stripping off the parchment and exposing the green coffee beans. These beans are then dried again until they reach a moisture content that is safe to store without rotting.

Semi-washed coffees have a lower-acidity and more body than other coffees. The process also creates a number of different flavors, such as wood, earthy, mustiness, spice, tobacco, leather, and chocolate.

Mexican Chiapas (Organic, Fair Trade)

Far down near the southern edge of Mexico, the Chiapas region is right on the border of Guatemala’s Huehuetenango region, so the coffees share some similar traits. The Sierra Madre mountain range offers both the necessary altitude and beneficial volcanic soils that make for superior coffee production. Coffees grown at high altitude are much smoother and less bitter than coffees grown in lower elevations.

This coffee is roasted to a light roast level, which helps maintain the delicate flavors of the bean. Mexican Chiapas coffee has a balanced body and features the fruity and nutty flavor notes associated with the growing region. The acidity is bright, but not overpowering, and the aroma is delicate and fresh. This truly complex and delicious brew is one of our favorites here at HPSC! (If we have to pick favorites.)

Other Single Origin Coffees and High Quality Blends

City Roast Colombian Supremo

Our City Roast Colombian Supremo contains only Supremo grade coffee beans, the highest grade of Colombian coffee. These large beans create a medium bodied and sweet tasting coffee with a rich flavor and aroma. To produce an even fuller-bodied cup, the Supremo beans in this coffee are roasted to city level, the last stage before dark.

If you enjoy a medium bodied coffee, but most blends leave you looking for something more, we highly recommend our City Roast Colombian. Colombian coffee is very popular, and this brew doesn’t disappoint. We especially enjoy its sweet finish.

Hawaiian Kona Blend

Hawaiian Kona coffee is considered to be one of the world’s finest coffees. However, due to high demand and limited availability, pure Kona coffee is often exorbitantly priced. This blend contains 10% Hawaiian Kona beans, along with a specialty blend of premium Arabica beans from other countries. It’s designed to offer the same flavor profile and aroma of a full Kona coffee but at an affordable price.

Although this coffee is a blend, we have included it in our Single Origin section due to its exceptional taste and popularity. Displaying a mellow body and bright acidity, this true, artisan Hawaiian Kona Blend is light roasted and features flavor notes reminiscent of coriander, buttery macadamia nut, & mocha. Low acidity combined with a light roast make this coffee easy to drink and truly delicious!