Coffee Origins

We offer over 60 single origin and blended coffees sourced from the three major growing regions. Coffees from the Americas tend to be balanced and sweet, while those grown in the Indonesian archipelago feature a heavy, syrupy body. Beans sourced from Africa (the birthplace of coffee) and the Arabian Peninsula form a wildly complex group. We blend coffees from these areas to produce flavors unattainable with straight single origins and also offer a wide range of decaffeinated coffees.

As a specialty roaster, we work hard at securing high-quality coffees from 18 different origins around the world, some of which are Fair Trade Certified, certified organic and/or shade-grown. Over the years we have developed long-term relationships with a number of these producers - both estates and cooperatives - and are proud of the work we are doing in the areas of quality control and human development.

Africa

A small yet extremely diverse group, Alterra's African coffees represent some of our most exotic offerings. From Ethiopia, the birthplace of coffee, we feature two unique coffees from the Harar and Yirgacheffe regions. Just to the south, the rich, volcanic soil around Mount Kenya nourishes some of the most intense, intoxicating, and flavorful coffee in the world, with neighboring Rwanda rounding out our list of East Africans.

Our African coffees:

Ethiopia Harar

Milk chocolate and berry-fruit notes are abundant, while mild, sweet acidity and creamy body round out the cup. Unique and very drinkable!

 Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Yirgacheffe stands out from most of its peers since it is washed (processed via the wet method, in contrast to the bulk of Africa's production, which is dry-processed). This gives it a clean, sweet flavor with nice acidity. The body is light to medium, and you should notice some interesting floral, fruit, and subdued spice notes.

Kenya AA Nyeri

Each year we sift through many samples of Kenya AA to find the really outstanding coffees to bid on and buy. Our favorites always have lush, wine-like acidity that complements smooth, buttery body for an intense yet balanced cup with plenty of interesting flavors.

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony
Coffee traces its origins to Ethiopia, where a legendary goat herder followed the lead of his unusually energetic flock and nibbled on the ripe fruits of a wild bush. Coffee is still revered in this East African country, and the Ethiopian coffee ceremony remains a cultural institution. Resembling the Japanese tea ceremony, it can take several hours to complete and is performed only by women, who roast the beans over an open fire, grind them by hand, and brew the coffee with spices in a special clay pot. Guests are served the coffee in small porcelain cups, accompanied by traditional snacks of popcorn and a mix of roasted barley and peanuts. Though very few coffee-producing countries have integrated coffee into their respective cultures, Ethiopians keep their centuries-old tradition alive through this fascinating ritual.