How our coffees make it to your cup...
Social Responsibility
At Second Cup, we know that in order to provide the best coffee for our Guests, we must continue to work in harmony with both the environment and people who provide us with the best quality coffee beans. To both our Guests and coffee producers, we pledge that our coffee growing environment is treated with the utmost respect and dignity. All of our coffee producers provide a safe and healthy work environment and employees are compensated in a fair and equitable manner. As well, Second Cup continues to provide financial remuneration for quality beans to directly benefit the farmers, workers and mills. This is our promise.
All of our espresso based drinks are made using Rainforest Alliance Certified™ beans.
See our menu for more details on which coffees are Certified Organic, Fair Trade certified, and Rainforest Alliance Certified.™
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Processing
Once the green cherries have been collected, Second Cup accepts only two methods of processing to separate the beans from the cherries:
Dry Method
In dry, hot climates, where water is scarce, cherries are sun dried to loosen their skins and then milled to remove the outside layers. This produces coffee with greater body and less acidity.
Wet Method
The beans are squeezed out of their skins and are then soaked in a fermentation tank to remove outer layers. Next, the beans are washed in pure water, dried, and milled. This method produces a consistent coffee with more acidity (a good thing in coffee!). Next, each batch of the green coffee beans is inspected by Second Cup for quality. Those beans that make the grade are then packed and shipped to Canada for roasting. Roasting is the “moment of truth” for coffee beans because a proper and controlled roast is what gives coffee its taste. To provide the highest level of quality control, as well as the most consistent and repeatable results, we roast small batches in individual roasters.
Roasting
The longer coffee is roasted, the darker and bolder it becomes, and we offer our guests four degrees of roast. Think of it like cooking a steak. Some people prefer medium rare, others like well done—the same applies to coffee; it's all a matter of personal preference.
#2 Light Medium Roast – Light Medium roasted coffee is delicate with stronger flavour overtones. It is an excellent roast level by itself and tends to be more acidic than the darker roasts.
#3 Medium Roast: Medium roasted coffee is full-bodied, but never bitter. This roast level allows the flavours in the beans to fully evolve, without taking on heavy smoky and bitter notes. Medium roast coffees are excellent all-purpose coffees and are recommended for guests seeking a “regular” roast coffee.
#4 Medium Dark Roast: Also known as “Italian Roast”, Medium Dark is a fuller bodied and complex coffee reminiscent of a more traditional, European style of roasting. This roast level is highly favoured by Europeans for both its deep body and rich flavours.
#5 Dark Roast: - Also known as French Roast, Dark roasted coffee is full-bodied, rich, assertive, and extremely flavourful. It has lower acidity and less caffeine per bean than lighter roast coffee. Dark roasts are perfect for espresso, and are popular among consumers desiring intense, rich, full bodied, and bold flavours. Dark roasts make exceptional evening coffees with dessert.
Blending
What makes a particular coffee or blend unique is how four unique characteristics are combined:
Aroma: While aroma builds expectations of the coffee’s flavours, it should be subtle enough to evoke anticipation yet not artificial or overpowering.
Acidity: This is actually a good thing for coffee. Coffee with little to no acidity will taste flat, lifeless, and one-dimensional.
Flavour: Flavour is the tongue interpreting the aromatic characteristics of the coffee.
Body: A full-bodied coffee will feel as if it has more volume and texture, while a light-bodied coffee will seem watery or thin.
