Fair Trade Coffee Break – Green Mountain Sumatran Coffee
I joined the world’s largest Fair Trade Coffee Break with a cup of Green Mountain Sumatran coffee today.
After hearing a lot of positive things about Sumatran coffee, I couldn’t wait to try it. I found a bag of the Green Mountain Coffee Sumatran-Lake Tawar ground coffee at my local grocery store and I had to pick it up.
They describe it as deep and dark with a syrupy body. Plus, there’s dried fruit notes and a chocolate finish.
When I opened the bag, the dark coffee flavor flowed out, along with a hint of chocolate.
As I poured it into my cup, I could also smell hints of fruit, something along the lines of a mango.
It had a smooth, but strong taste. It was slightly earthy to me, but had an overall delicious taste. The roast might have been a little too dark for my tastes, but I would definitely classify it as a good coffee. I’d have no problem drinking it on a regular basis.
I haven’t bought ground coffee from my supermarket for a while and now I remember why. I think overall, the taste was a little weak compared to freshly ground coffee beans. I wouldn’t go as far as to say that it was stale, but who knows how long it was sitting on the grocery store shelve.
You still have time to join the Fair Trade Coffee Break, it runs through May 15. All you have to do is enjoy a cup of Fair Trade coffee and follow the rest of the instructions here.
Why Is Fair Trade Coffee Good?
Fair Trade means fair pay and working conditions for the farmers and producers.
Fair Trade is better for the environment. Farmers use eco-friendly farming practices and raw materials that are found in nature or recycled.
Fair Trade tastes better. Crops are grown and harvested in smaller amounts, so the result is fresher, tastier coffee.
Fair Trade is safe. To be certified, there are limits in the use of harmful chemicals that are a danger to the farmer’s healthy and the health of the people drinking it.
Fair Trade supports communities. Through a co-op system, money is invested in improving housing, health care and schools.
Fair Trade is trade farmers can count on. Fair trade creates relationships between the producers and the buyers, cutting out the middle men and allowing farmers to improve their livelihoods.
Fair Trade connects you with other cultures. The products are unique to the places where they come from and the people who make them.
Fair Trade means sustainable local economies. The money goes to the farmers, who invest in creating their own businesses, instead of middle men.
Fair Trade means what you buy matters. You’re not just getting better coffee, but you make a difference in the lives of the people produce the coffee too.
Category: Coffee Information, Coffee Reviews
About the Author (Author Profile)
Mike Crimmins is the highly caffeinated blogger behind Daily Shot Of Coffee. Besides drinking way too much coffee, he's obsessed with the Yankees and getting dirty on his mountain bike.Subscribe
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I love the smooth finish of Sumatran – next to Yrgacheffe, it’s my favorite single origin coffee.
The difference of fresh ground is amazing, isn’t it? I always have to laugh when friends tell me that they tried one of those “gourmet coffees” from the supermarket the kind in the big transparent plastic bins that dispense the beans right into the bag for you – and they didn’t see the big deal. Well of COURSE they didn’t! Who knows how long ago those beans were roasted – and then sit there exposed to light and air until someone takes it home with them.
Just wait – I’ll have you ordering green beans and a popcorn popper to try roasting your own at home soon.
I definitely enjoyed this Sumatran, I’m going to try some more, just going to get it in whole bean next time.
Between you and Coffee Nate, I’m sure it won’t be long before I’m roasting my own green beans.
Great post Mike! Fair Trade coffee is excellent and Green Mountain has some great varieties. Today is World Fair Trade day so very timely as well. I love Sumatran coffee, dark and soothing…mmmmmmmmmm.
Nate, you must have heard me talking about you! Thanks for stopping by.
Sumatran is my favorite. I like your description. Very accurate and professional! I think you might be turning into a coffee snob!
Hey now, let’s not get all crazy! I’ll find a happy mix of coffee snob and average joe.
Lol…but is that a bag of GROUND coffee I see? Oh the shame
Yes, it was ground coffee, but I swear it was the only coffee that I could find that was Fair Trade. Trust me I looked.
I’m surprised anyone thinks fairtrade coffee tastes as good as regular coffee.
It might give you a better conscience but it certainly won’t leave your palate as satisfied as it would had you been drinking regular coffee.
Fairtrade is really a bit of a ‘swizz’. Yeah, it’s true that people are helping to support communities in the developing world. However, there don’t appear to be any quality control systems in place to help the coffee farmers help themselves to better their produce. They seem to be getting paid for whatever they produce no matter how poor the quality of coffee they are producing.
The Rainforest Alliance appears to be the way forward but at the moment too many companies are riding on the Fairtrade bandwagon…and we must ask ourselves, why? Simple, it’s in high demand from the consumers…why? Because it’s a quality product? Nope…it’s because they feel better about themselves for buying it. The only reason top companies are selling fairtrade is because it’s a lucrative market.
After all it has continued to grow throughout the recession.