THE COFFEE LAB REPORT

SOURCING THE PERFECT green beans for your roast is never an easy task. As the specialty coffee world continues to grow and additional origin countries, regions and even farms emerge, there are more green bean options than ever before. As roasters, it’s impossible to sample every coffee that’s available on the market, which is why Roast does some of the preliminary work for you in The Coffee Lab Report.
     Each edition of The Coffee Lab Report highlights a few of the exciting new or up-and-coming coffees that are available to the specialty roaster. All of the coffees are of specialty grade (a score of 88 and above) and are unique in some way—by flavor, lot size, origin, processing method or some other factor.
     To ensure fairness and accuracy, each of the coffees is blind-cupped by three individual cuppers at Coffee Lab International, using the cupping protocols and standards set by the Specialty Coffee Association of America.
     The analysis of each coffee includes coffee traceability, farmer and farm characteristics, defects, flavor profile and density, among others. Based on all of these factors, each coffee then receives an overall score. This system and overall score are similar to those used in the wine industry and are designed to allow you to quickly and easily determine which coffees will best fit into your roasting profiles.

SUBMITTING SAMPLES

The Coffee Lab Report welcomes green bean samples from co-ops, mills, farms, importers, exporters, brokers and organizations.

In order to submit a sample, coffees must be pre-cupped to ensure they meet the required quality standards of 88 and above.

Samples submitted to The Coffee Lab Report undergo physical and sensorial analysis at Coffee Lab International. Coffees that are deemed to be of specialty quality may be published in Roast magazine or posted on Roast magazine’s website (www.roastmagazine.com) and Coffee Lab International’s website (www.coffeelab.com).

To submit coffees, send a one-pound sample to Coffee Lab International, Att: The Coffee Lab Report, 80 Commercial Drive, Waterbury, VT 05676.