Coffee Review Names Top Coffees of 2013

News provided by

The Coffee Review

Dec 13, 2013, 03:00 ET

Berkeley, CA (PRWEB) December 13, 2013 -- Coffee Review introduced 100-point wine-style reviews to the specialty coffee industry in 1997. However, this marks the first time that the publication ranked the year's top coffees. The #1 coffee of the year is a 96-point Ethiopian Yirgacheffe roasted by Temple Coffee and Tea of Sacramento, California.

According to Kenneth Davids, Coffee Review editor, “we selected the top thirty coffees based on quality (represented by overall score), value (reflected by most affordable price per pound), and a ranking of other factors that include distinctiveness of style, uniqueness of origin or tree variety, certification, and general rarity."

Mr. Davids expanded on what it took for a coffee to make the Top 30 list: “Every coffee on the list is special. All are outstanding in quality. But each one also displays certain distinctive and unique aroma and flavor characteristics, sometimes subtle, sometimes striking, that set them apart from other coffees.”

The average overall rating of the coffees on the Top 30 list is 94.4 points out of a possible 100. The average price is a hefty $35 per pound. However, a dozen coffees on the list are less than $20 per pound.

It will come as no surprise to coffee aficionados that the most frequently-appearing origin on the list is Ethiopia, with six appearances. Other origins with multiple coffees on the list are Kenya (4), El Salvador (3), Hawaii (3), Sumatra (2), and Panama (2). Coffees from Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Rwanda also made the list, along with four blends.

Roasters from California and Washington state dominated the rankings, with six and five on the list, respectively. Other states with multiple roasters were Hawaii (3), Massachusetts (2), and Wisconsin (2). Ten other states had one roaster on the list.

The full list of the Top 30 Coffees of 2013 is available at CoffeeReview.com.

Kenneth Davids, The Coffee Review, http://www.coffeereview.com, +1 503-828-5319, [email protected]