Through the combined efforts of JumpinGoat Coffee Roasters and Ken Landers, the San Rafael Sustainable Coffee Initiative (SRSCI) is off the ground and running.  With the goal of restructuring the current seed-to-cup value chain that exists in coffee farming, the SRSCI aspires to positively impact the lives of the Costa Rican coffee farmers, implementing the four pillars of sustainability: social, cultural, economic and environmental.  With current co-op methods ineffectively aiding the farmer, the SRSCI is laying the foundation for direct trade from the San Rafael coffee farmer to the consumer.  The astonishing facts of the current value chain demonstrate a net profit for some Costa Rican farmers of $0.39 (39 cents!) per one pound of coffee.  Compare this to the average $250 net profit the coffee retailer receives for the SAME one pound of coffee.   JumpinGoat Coffee Roasters and the SRSCI believe the consumer should have the choice to go directly to the source, the Costa Rican farmers themselves.  The San Rafael Sustainable Coffee Initiative opens this window for choice, offering direct communication with the farmer, direct purchase and revealing a world of possibilities for the consumer and the farmer that do not exist in the current market.  JumpinGoat will be returning to Costa Rica with the Costa Rica Eco Tour scheduled for January 2011 to further investigate coffee at its source, the SRSCI’s venture in coffee sustainability measures and how to accomplish this with the other local coffee farmers.  Coffee and non-coffee industry personnel are encouraged to join. 

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Heartburn, anyone?  Low acid coffee might be a solution.  Acid reflux, indigestion, GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) – all names referring to that uncomfortable burning that starts in the pit of your stomach, coats your esophagus and radiates up to your chest and throat.  Anyone who experiences heartburn symptoms on a regular basis can tell you the importance of diet and how certain foods and drinks, usually acidic, can trigger a flare of this condition.  For people who love drinking coffee, this can create quite a conflict.  To drink or not to drink, that is the question.  Thankfully, there is the existence of low acid coffee. 

Coffee, in general, absorbs tastes and attributes from the surrounding terrain and region in which it is grown, as well as other environmental factors.  Coffee naturally produces acids and sugars among other properties of the coffee bean.  Coffee growing regions of the globe each produce distinctive coffee beans with variations in genetic properties, including taste, smell, color, and yes, even acidity.  Low acid coffee beans can be found in specific areas where coffee plants are inherently bestowed with natural low acid characteristics.  That’s good news for the reflux-afflicted consumer.  The easiest way to find these low acid coffee beans is to simply ask. 

Besides the naturally grown low acid coffee bean, there are other ways to generate a low acid cup of coffee.  Certain roasting and brewing processes can significantly impact the amount of acid created without affecting the taste or aroma of the coffee itself.  Special roasting techniques designed to balance pH levels can minimize acidity.  A time consuming, yet simple and productive, cold brewing process can significantly reduce acidity as well.  The cold brewing method can be achieved with any ground coffee of choice and involves adding cold water to the coffee grounds and allowing them to steep for approximately 12 hours.  After steeping and subsequently separating the grounds, the concentrate can then be served by adding the desired amount of hot water  - and voilà, you have a cup of low acid coffee. 

For those coffee lovers suffering from chronic reflux or heartburn and the coffee conundrum this creates, investigate the benefits low acid coffee provides.  The less acid, the less likely it is to aggravate the gastrointestinal system, leading to a “happy” stomach. Perhaps it will be discovered that you can have the best of both worlds. 

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