September 05, 2020 4 min read

What is Reserve Coffee?

If you pay attention to the coffee world then you will invariably hear coffee drinkers debate on whether Single Origin Coffees or Coffee Blends are better coffees. There is one type of coffee, however, that does not get the same time and attention and that is Reserve Coffee. If you are aware of the nuances and differences in coffees, especially about Reserve Coffees, then you know about some of the world’s most desirable coffee.

Weaver's Coffee & Tea has been roasting four Reserve Coffees: Papua New Guinea Peaberry Reserve Coffee, Kona Reserve Coffee, Jamaica Mountain Blue Reserve Coffee and Peaberry Reserve Coffee for a long time.  We are committed to quality and consistency; it is all about passion and dedication for us. Our first Reserve Coffee – Kona White Label Reservewas created by John Weaver back in 2009, and has continued to be a top seller along with our Blend Coffee and our French Roast Coffee.

What is Reserve Coffee?

Reserve Coffee can be either a Single Origin Coffee or a unique combination of rare coffees roasted at different temperatures and blended. The words, Reserve Coffee, are set by the Master Coffee Roaster. The meaning is generally that the item is only available in a limited quantity and is being roasted and released at the perfect time to maximum flavor. Weaver’s Coffee & Tea, creates truly rare Reserve Coffees. These are green coffee beans we can only buy in limited quantities, usually from a single farm which we hand-roast to order.

Kona Coffee

In 2009, John Weaver was the first specialty coffee roaster to launch a white label, high-end Reserve Coffee with our Kona Reserve Coffee. Kona Coffee is amazing, but do not just take our word for it. In 1886, Mark Twain stated that “Kona Coffee has a richer flavor than any other, be it grown where it may and call it by what name you please.” Part of what makes this Reserve Coffee so special is Hawaii and very small areas of California are the only places where coffee plants are grown in the United States. Kona Coffee is world-renowned and grown exclusively on the slopes of Hualālai and Mauna Loa, the two volcanoes on the Island of Hawaii. Kona Coffee must be grown in the Kona District. The micro-climate and soil where the Kona Coffee is grown are ideal conditions for growing coffee trees. The volcanic soil and western slopes of the Mountains provide shelter and fertile lands. Weather is an important factor in coffee growth and with bright mornings and light tropical rains there is a natural irrigation for the coffee trees. Extraordinary natural elements craft a unique, bold coffee with a heady aroma and flavors as vibrant and beautiful as the magnificent island of Hawaii.

Peaberry Coffee

A coffee cherry, the fruit harvested and processed to make coffee beans usually is fertilized and has two seeds growing inside the coffee cherry. However, sometimes, only one seed is fertilized, and the coffee bean grows into a single rounded shape versus a typical coffee bean which has two flat shapes. The special bean, called a peaberry only occurs, on average about five to ten percent of the time. What is Peaberry coffee? Itis a natural mutation, which can occur in any coffee growing area, and can happen inside robusta coffee plant or arabica coffee plant. There is no way to tell if a coffee cherry is a peaberry coffee bean until it has been processed. Peaberry coffee beans are so rare, that they are sorted out by hand. Coffee farmers will use a screen that is sized to filter out the larger flat berries.

Many peaberry coffee drinkers note that a Peaberry Reserve Coffee has a sweeter and more flavorful taste profile. This is because the coffee beans are smaller and more round. Coffee roasters say peaberry beans roll differently in a hot coffee roaster which ultimately impact how the peaberry bean roasts. When you are handling a coffee bean that is more dense, the heat transfer in the roasting process changes, so, there are specific ways to handle this type of coffee roast. Having a Master Coffee Roaster, with decades of experience, controlling the load size, time temperature and air flow will bring out the subtle nuances and flavors inherent in the distinctive Peaberry Coffee Bean. Weaver’s Coffee & Tea creates our Peaberry Reserve Coffee using 100% Peaberry Coffee from a rare African Tanzania Coffee combined with an aged Indonesian Sumatra Coffee.

Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee

When we think of Jamaica, we often think of beautiful beaches and wonderfully seasoned food. We rarely think of a Jamaica Blue Mountain, which is the tallest mountain in Jamaica and home to some of the world’s most expensive coffee. The climate in the Jamaica Blue Mountains is cooler than the rest of the island because it is located on the Eastern end. The location exposes coffee trees to moist, North East Trade Winds that hit the coast and rise up into the mountains, generating significant cloud cover and mist as they combine with the cooler air at higher elevation. Along with the climate, the mountains are 85% forest, which provide ample shade for the coffee to grow, and because the coffee is grown in a high elevation, the cherry is denser and has a richer flavor. There are three different grades of Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee beans, 1, 2, and 3. Grade 1 is considered the highest quality as the beans have the least number of defects and are the largest. Grades 2 and 3 are subsequently lower quality.

Our Certified Jamaica Blue Mountain Grade 1is made using the largest, premium-quality beans which produce mild, yet lush and sweet, floral notes in the cup. This is a beautiful coffee, rare, expensive and well worth the effort for Weaver's Coffee & Tea to procure it, and roast it perfectly for you. The Jamaica Mountain Blue Coffee arrives in a wooden barrel. We are very careful when we roast the green coffee beans into black roasted coffee beans, to ensure your coffee cup is filled with exquisite beauty, one sip of this coffee and you will be transported to the Blue Mountains of Jamaica.

Jamaica Mountain Blue Coffee Five Star Review