Drinks

A single origin coffee means that the coffee comes from one or several producers within a distinct geographic region. Single origin coffees typically fall into a few categories:

Single Producer Lot

100% of the coffee comes from a single producer and represents their specific terroir and style of production. 

Cooperative/Association Lot

A mix of coffees from a handful of producers across a small region who are all members of a cooperative or association. All farmers typically share similar microclimates, soil types and coffee varieties. 

Regional Lot

A mix of coffees from several farms and include farmers from several cooperatives and associations across a region. This may include coffees from a variety of microclimates and slight variation in coffee varieties, but still representative of a relatively small region.

A single origin coffee tells the story of its origin: the soil it grew in, the water it drank and the hands that cared for it. It’s no great secret that we hold our single-origin coffees in high regard and shout their praises from the rooftops. While our blends function like a band, each component adding to the overall sound, single origin coffees are that single virtuoso that stops you in your tracks and melts your heart. When we find a coffee that tells its story with nuance, clarity, vibrancy and richness, we want to celebrate it, and give its country, region, farm, and producer the credit they deserve.

When we use the term “blend”, we use it to denote the intentional mixing of coffees from distinct geographic regions, within a continent or across the globe. We usually think of a blend in percentages: 40% Guatemalan, 30% Ethiopian & 30% Colombian might comprise one blend, while another might consist of 60% Peru, 40% El Salvador. It all depends on the complexity and flavor balance that we’re trying to achieve.

When we taste coffee, we have to make a few decisions about it, based on our needs. We need coffees to offer as single-origin selections alongside brighter, more expressive blends like Blueboon, slightly more developed blends like Toketee and richer, more body driven blends like Banner Dark. We also have espresso blends that need both vibrant acidity, fruited sweetness and a rich body, like Owl’s Howl. So, when we decide that a specific coffee is up to our quality standards, the next puzzle is to figure out where exactly it fits best.

Some coffees have great acidity and delicate floral notes but lack body. Other coffees have body, and rich chocolate notes, but lack acidity. Blending these two coffees, in the correct proportions, can result in a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.

Pros: Frequently rotating, fresh, exciting coffees that tells its unique story through fragrance, aroma and flavor. If you crave variety you’ll be in heaven.

Cons: These coffees are heartbreakers. You might just fall in love with a coffee and before you know it we’ll have sold out and moved onto another exciting lot. Tender hearts be warned.

Pros: Like an old friend, these coffees will be there through it all. You’ll find structure, consistency and a reliably delicious cup of coffee whether it’s January or July.

Cons: Though the components of the blend change throughout the year, offering some variety, the reliability of the flavor notes can be a bit boring for thrill seeking flavor junkies out there. 

Espresso is very easy to love. Even if you rarely enjoy espresso on its own, chances are that you’ve tasted and enjoyed a cortado, cappuccino, latte, or mocha at some point. Espresso is a crucial ingredient for baristas because it adds intensity and complexity of flavor, without watering down a beverage. It can be a bit more challenging to perfect than other brew methods, but in the right hands it’s transcendent.

The first thing to know is that espresso is a brew method, not a type of coffee. Any coffee can be brewed as an espresso, just as any coffee can be brewed as a french press. Our beans are roasted to perform particularly well in an espresso machine, where richness and body can really shine.

An espresso machine uses pressure (driven by a spring loaded lever or electric pump) to force hot water through finely ground coffee and extract liquid through a fine metal filter. The resulting beverage is a small and concentrated coffee beverage with roughly the same caffeine content as a standard cup of drip coffee.

To us the perfect shot of espresso has a balance of acidity, sweetness, a creamy body and complexity of flavor. We chase this perfection by specifically sourcing incredible coffees and by intentionally roasting to express these characteristics. The barista’s talents and effort takes the coffee across the finish line but thoughtful sourcing and roasting are what makes it a true Laughing Man Coffee espresso.

We grind coffee to increase coffee’s surface area and make it easier for water to extract soluble flavor compounds, oils, and volatile aromatics (the good stuff) from roasted coffee beans.

We grind coffee finely or coarsely based on the desired contact time between coffee and water. This is often dictated by the preferred brewing method, but it can also be a matter of personal taste. The finer the grind, the more exposed the coffee is, and the easier it is for water to extract soluble material quickly. The fastest brew method, espresso, benefits from a fine grind because of the short contact time between water and coffee. On the opposite end, cold brew uses a very coarse grind and requires a 12-24 hour brew time to extract a similar spectrum of flavors. Illustrated more visually:

Coarse Grind

· Larger particles = Less surface area = Longer brew time

Fine Grind

· Smaller particles = More surface area = Shorter brew time

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