About us

We invite you to experience just a few of the reasons why Baroness is such a unique-and spectacular coffee. Baroness uses only the finest 100 percent arabica beans, picked when just ripe. Arabica beans are superior in flavor and contain only one-half the caffeine of inferior beans. Baroness carefully analyzes these beans and selects only the best of the best to prepare for its customers. Baroness does not use artificial additives or fillers. We pack and roast only 100 percent gourmet coffee.

The art of cupping

The process of examining and evaluating a coffee’s flavor is commonly referred to as cupping. This process is most beneficial in development of custom blends and flavors, identification of flavor defects, and in comparison of coffees. At Baroness, we cup all of our coffees, to ensure that our customers receive only the best flavors, aromas, and roasts.

Preparing the environment
In a typical cupping session, several cups of coffee are arranged in a triangle on a table or work surface. The top of the triangle usually contains a sample (or samples) of the roasted coffee and a sample of the green coffee to be evaluated. A cup of room temperature water and cupping spoons should be placed in the center of the table.

Preparing the coffee
Place water on the stove to boil. Add 2 tablespoons of freshly roasted and freshly ground coffee to a 6 oz cup. The grind should be between a French press and a drip coffee size. The coffee should be roasted light, to enable evaluation of defects, as well as sweetness and aroma that burn off during a darker roast. To further ensure roast consistency, samples may be visually observed for differences in color--also known as eye-cupping.

Analyze the fragrance and aroma
Before adding water, smell the grounds to evaluate the coffee’s fragrance. Add water (but do not stir) and note anything distinct or memorable regarding the aroma. Make sure to add hot water to the spoons, so that the spoons and coffee samples remain at the same temperature.

After a minute or so, break the coffee’s crust using a preheated spoon. This is when the most potent burst of aroma will occur. Place your nose over the cup and push the coffee down into the cup and evaluate the aroma. Rinse the spoon in hot water and continue with the next sample.

Analyze the flavor
After the coffee has cooled, place some on a spoon and slurp it strongly so that it coats the tongue and reaches the nasal passages--another powerful tasting tool. Write down your observations of flavor, acidity, aftertaste, and body. Spit out the coffee and rinse, move on to the next cup, and note differences and similarities. You'll soon be able to discern the subtle nuances that distinguish various coffees.

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Did you know?

Coffee has played an important role in many societies throughout history. In Africa and Yemen, it was used inCoffee Fact Snippet: Over the years, coffee traveled around the world to various countries usually carried by travelers who gave samples to others that eventually wanted even more coffee for themselves.religious ceremonies. In the 17th century, it was banned in Ottoman Turkey. In Europe, it was once associated with rebellious political activities. Today, trade in coffee has a large economic value. Coffee is one of the world's more important primary commodities; in 2003, coffee was the world's sixth-largest legal agricultural export in value. From 1998 to 2000, 6.7 million tons of coffee were produced annually, and it is predicted that by 2010 production will rise to 7 million tons annually. Among coffee drinkers the average coffee consumption in the United States is 3.1 cups of coffee per day.