Our Coffee

 

Q1. Where does your coffee come from?

A1.

All our coffees are specialty grade, traceable, ethically and responsibly sourced from all over the world. They’re grown by some of the world’s best farmers who are just as committed as us in producing great tasty coffees. Though we’re not Fairtrade certified, we pay above Fairtrade price for all our coffees. Since coffee is generally grown in the developing world, farmers have been overlooked and taken advantage of, largely due to their poverty, lack of knowledge, and limited access to markets. 

 

We generally feature 6 - 8 coffees on our ever-changing seasonal menu. Most of these will be single origin coffees, but we also have one or two blends, roasted slightly darker for the espresso drinkers and those who prefer something more robust. 

 

Q2. How do I choose a coffee I’ll like?

A2.

The best way to choose your coffee is start off by looking at the taste notes and roast profile of each coffee on our menu and see what sounds good to you.

 

Taste notes

The taste notes are the natural and inherent flavour descriptors we've identified during our weekly 'cupping' (coffee tasting) sessions. Don't bother yourself too much if you can't taste the 'raspberry' or 'hazelnut' notes in your coffee straight away. First of all, it's different for everyone, and there's no right or wrong! The more you drink different coffees, the more you'll begin to pick up on these different taste notes. Some coffees are inherently brighter and more fruity, while others are more chocolatey and nutty, while others still are more earthy and spicy. Soon, you'll discover which flavour profile you prefer, or if you're like us, you'll love them all! :)

 

Roast profile

We recommend the darker roasts (in particular the blends) if you prefer more body and something bolder which can cut through milk. If you prefer more fruity notes and something with less body, we recommend the medium or lighter roasts. 

 

Explorer mode & Duo pack

If you’re not sure which taste notes or roast profile sounds good to you, then we suggest you select the 'Explorer Mode' option, in which case we’ll surprise you with a different coffee each delivery. Once you've discovered your favourites, you can turn Explorer Mode 'off' and choose yourself. If you want to be even more adventurous, or you simply like to mix it up each morning, why not opt for the Duo pack - you'll receive two different coffees each delivery to taste and compare.

 

Like I said, there’s no right or wrong. That’s the beauty of coffee - Explore, Discover, and Enjoy! :)

 

 

We realise that some of our customers will develop a favourite, and from time to time, that coffee will no longer be available as it falls out of season. Not to worry, we usually replace this coffee with a similar one, in terms of taste profile and origin. You can rest assured that you’ll always drink the finest quality new-crop coffees. At the same time, you get to discover and travel the world of coffee.

 

Q3. Why is your coffee roasted to order?

A3.

Our roast to order model means we don’t stock inventory, allowing us to supply the freshest possible coffee. 

 

Coffee tastes a LOT better when it's freshly roasted! Stale coffee tastes dull and flat. That’s because coffee begins to lose its optimal flavour and aroma about 3 weeks after roasting. Hence our freshness guarantee - all our coffees are roasted fresh to order and sent out within 48 hours of being roasted. We want you to enjoy fresh tasty coffee at its peak! :)

 

Q4. Where and how do you roast your coffee?

A4.

All our coffees are roasted at our factory at Muar, Johor. Currently, we roast twice a week on Monday and Thursday, all orders for that week only. This way, we never keep stock, so we can ensure we bring you only the freshest, tastiest coffee in the market. Our freshness guarantee is that your coffee will be roasted to order and sent out no more than 48 hours after roasting! That’s as fresh as it gets!

We employ a style of roasting that highlights and brings out the unique flavours and characteristics of each different coffee. Coffee roasting is both a science and an art. We tend to roast lighter than supermarket coffee in order to achieve the optimal flavour profile of each coffee. That being said, we do a darker roast for the espresso drinkers and those who prefer something bolder.

 

Q5. Which coffees do you recommend for each brew method?

A5. 

All our coffees work great with any brew method. Having said that, certain brew methods are better are highlighting particular flavour characteristics than others. So if you're keen to maximise the potential of each coffee, here's a general guideline you can follow:

  • French press - works well with chocolaty and nutty flavours as it emphasises body and lets through more oils than the other methods
  • Drip (V60 dripper) - works well with fruity flavours as it highlights bright notes producing a very clean cup
  • Aeropress - works well with all flavour notes as this method is very versatile and has multiple recipes which can highlight different flavours
  • Moka pot - works well with chocolatey and nutty flavours and darker roasts
  • Espresso - works well with darker roasts of all flavour notes

 

Q6. What grind size should I use for my brew method?

A6.

Grind size is an important factor in making a great cup of coffee. At Libta, we employ 4 different grind settings to ensure you get the optimal extraction for each brew method:

Espresso - fine (3 on the grinder)

Aeropress - fine medium (4 on the grinder)

Moka pot - fine medium (4 on the grinder)

Drip (V60) - medium (5 to 6 on the grinder)

French press - coarse (8 on the grinder)

 

Q7. How should I store my coffee?

A7.

Your coffees are packed in our specially designed one way valve bags that are ideal for storing coffee. That's because freshly roasted coffee releases gases (mostly carbon dioxide) and the one way valve allows these gases to slowly escape without letting in oxygen which speeds up the staling process. You may also prefer to transfer your beans to your own airtight container.

The key to preserving the freshness of our coffee is to keep it in a cool, dry, dark place, away from direct sunlight. Also, don't keep your coffee in the fridge, as it tends to pick up moisture.

 

Q8. What types of coffee beans you`re sellng?

A8.

We are selling three type of coffee beans. There are Liberica, Robusta and Arabica. We only selling good premium greds of selected specialty coffee beans.

 

Q9. What is 'specialty' coffee?

A9.

Coffee is determined as 'specialty' grade when it receives a 'Quality Score' of 80 points or above from the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). This score is based on a scale of 100 points and is judged using a variety of weighted categories including aroma, flavour, acidity, sweetness, mouthfeel, and balance.

Libta Coffee only ever buys beans with a minimum score of 82 points, and many of our single origins are 85+.

 

Q10. Is your coffee organic?

A10.

We currently offer one certified organic coffee - our [Sidamo Ethiopian.]

The difficulty is in finding organic coffees that tick all the boxes - that is they must be traceable, seasonal, sustainably grown, above Fair-trade price was paid to the farmer, and taste really good! 

At this point in time, these issues are our priority. When we select our coffees, sustainable practices adopted by the farmer is always a major consideration. From my farming experience, I can say there are many excellent farmers around the world who farm sustainably and biologically, but may not necessarily qualify and pass the very rigid organic certification requirements.