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Understanding SOE (Single Origin Espresso)

SOE, also known as Single Origin Espresso, shares a common characteristic with single origin coffee—both are made from single origin beans. However, these two types of beans undergo different missions once they reach the roaster's hands.

Differences in Brewing Methods

Although single origin coffee can be brewed using various methods, the mainstream extraction methods are primarily pour-over and siphon extraction under normal pressure. If we had to rank them, pour-over single origin coffee typically has higher output in most coffee shops compared to other brewing methods. This can be attributed to: convenience in preparation, ease of cleaning, and of course, the pursuit and control of flavor.

SOE coffee, however, is always produced using espresso systems, which involves the approximately 9 bar atmospheric pressure of espresso machines as another extraction condition. This is one of the reasons why single origin coffee and SOE coffee have different roasting profiles.

Evaluation Standards for SOE

Since that's only one reason, what are the others? As mentioned earlier, SOE coffee is ultimately intended for espresso systems. Therefore, to determine whether a bean can be considered a successful SOE coffee bean after roasting, it must not only pass cupping tests but also be evaluated on whether the resulting SOE espresso meets the production standards of a proper espresso.

In recent years, at the China regional preliminaries and finals of the World Barista Championship, more and more competitors have chosen SOE coffee beans to participate. This reflects first the pursuit of roasting craftsmanship and then the further pursuit of specialty coffee. A coffee bean suitable for SOE roasting must possess many excellent qualities. Of course, don't misunderstand that blended coffee beans are inferior—nothing is absolute in this world.

Since 2007, when everyone debated whether SO (Single Estate Coffee, Single Origin) or Blend Coffee was superior, the focus has shifted to how to select or configure espresso beans to score high. This is actually a sign of maturity among baristas and roasters. Particularly after Copenhagen in 2008 and the recent Atlanta in 2009, the reference espresso beans available have become more diverse.

Choosing Beans for Competition

First, let's discuss SO. Whether competitors should use single origin or blended beans is purely a choice! The beans competitors use depend on the following situations:

(1) How well do you understand the bean's characteristics? Can you express the flavor profile of the bean?

(2) How stable is the roasting? This includes three major conditions: green bean quality, roasting stability and performance, and maturation period.

(3) Competition planning: Will you use one espresso bean to make three different beverages, or plan separately for different drinks? (meaning two competition beans)

WBC Competition Standards

Let's look at the WBC competition rules. Especially since 2008, sensory scores have been heavily weighted. In the espresso evaluation, there are four key points: (1) Color of crema: The color of crema should be hazelnut, dark brown and/or reddish. (2) Consistency and persistence of crema. (3) Taste balance: a harmonious balance between sweetness, acidity and bitterness. (4) Tactile balance: full bodied, round and smooth. In the Taste balance evaluation, espresso must present a very balanced and harmonious flavor among sweet, sour, and bitter tastes. Simultaneously, in the tactile balance evaluation, it must have a smooth and round mouthfeel. Only then can you score at least 3.5 points or above in the espresso evaluation.

The WBC's JCC technical committee noticed the trend of baristas using single origin beans starting in 2006. From the 2007 training camp in Tokyo and the 2008 Copenhagen training camp, they specifically requested us to note: "Barista may use single origin coffee, and the coffee may lack one of the three attributes" (referring to acidity, bitterness, sweetness). This means we should evaluate based on the competitor's description of the estate bean's characteristics, origin, and espresso mouthfeel. This shows that judges and the technical committee have deep understanding and great tolerance for SO espresso. However, the basic requirements for high scores—balanced flavor, appeal, and excellence—remain unchanged!

Important Considerations for SO

Competitors should not misunderstand that this means judges can tolerate very sour or intense flavors. Therefore, using single estate beans like Yirgacheffe or Panama Geisha for espresso will definitely score high—that's risky! Any espresso lacking sweetness, that's too stimulating, has a unidimensional flavor profile, or especially similar to vinegar acidity with only salty-sour sensations, will receive very low or even zero points.

Single origin or single estate beans may seem to have a higher margin for error and be easier to prepare at first glance, but the final cup performance still determines the score. Therefore, competitors and their competition teams must truly have the ability to discern espresso flavors. Some single estate beans can be used for dual purposes—suitable for both espresso and cappuccino. Whether they can also be used for creative beverages depends on the creative theme and flavor expression.

Understanding SO Limitations

(1) How does it taste when making cappuccinos? After you've selected an SO that makes excellent espresso, is it suitable as a cappuccino bean? Will the milk flavor be too overpowering?

(2) Stability. Pay attention to flavor changes during the maturation period. Is the sweet spot sufficient for the barista? Will it be difficult to adjust? How is the crema performance? Some SOs perform exceptionally well in flavor but have too thin crema, which won't score high in tactile balance. This is very important and requires multiple research consultations with the roaster, trial roasts, and then flavor testing.

SOE Coffee Bean Brand Recommendations

SOE coffee beans roasted by FrontStreet Coffee offer excellent guarantees in both brand and quality. More importantly, they offer exceptional value—a half-pound (227 grams) package costs only around 80-90 yuan. Calculating at 10 grams per single espresso shot, one package can make 22 cups of coffee, with each SOE coffee costing only 3-4 yuan. Compared to cafe prices that often reach dozens of yuan per cup, this represents extremely high value.

About FrontStreet Coffee

FrontStreet Coffee: A roastery in Guangzhou with a small shop but diverse bean varieties, where you can find both famous and lesser-known beans. They also provide online store services at https://shop104210103.taobao.com

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473