What is a Coffee Blend? | BlindMan Coffee
We are often asked about the difference between a single origin coffee and a coffee blend - which is a very good question.
If you've read our article on What Is Single Origin Coffee? you'll know single origin coffee comes from a single identifiable estate or farm or country with its name reflects that origin eg. Brazil Santos or Indian Monsoon Malabar.
Each single origin coffee has its own unique flavour character depending on where it was grown, the climate it was grown in, the soil conditions, how it was processed and all kinds of other factors.
A coffee blend is two or more of those single origin coffees, combined to produce a different and desirable flavour combination which some coffee drinkers might find more appealing than a single estate coffee bean alone. For example, some people like a deeper flavour than is native to many single origins. Or some might like it more chocolatey, or fruity, or nutty.
At BlindMan Coffee we have four blends to choose from, each designed to produce different flavours by using different combinations of beans and roast levels.
A perfect example is our Blend No1, which is a blend of beans from Brazil and Guatemala - a medium roast giving very smooth flavours of milk chocolate, toffee and caramel with a slight nutty edge. We selected these beans because South and Central American coffee is renowned for its smooth, nutty, chocolatey flavours coupled with low acidity.
We describe our Blend No3 as "A deeply flavoured quite powerful yet super smooth blend of beans from Africa, Asia and topped off with the magnificent Indian Monsoon Malabar". The resulting flavour characteristics are achieved by the specific combination of different beans in specific proportions and roasted to quite a dark level.
In general, the proportion of the different beans in a blend may be equal ie. 50/50, or varied eg. 40% Brazil 60% Guatemalan or perhaps 40% Brazil / 40% Guatemalan / 20% Indian Monsoon Malabar to give the desired balance of flavours.
The roast level of each of the bean types may also be varied to bring different depths of flavours and body.
This mixing, or blending is very common. For example, your morning cuppa may well be a blend of various teas. English Breakfast tea is designed to produce a fairly strong brew with a deep golden colour which is enjoyed by many (including us) for the first cuppa of the day. Single malt whiskies, each with their distinct flavours, are very often blended to produce a balanced flavour enjoyed by the majority of whisky drinkers.
The bean and flavour combinations are pretty much endless and, in the end, it all boils down to which flavours you love the most.
Try some and experiment a bit, explore the amazing and varied blends available. Like everything in life, you'll find what's perfect for you!