Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Are Five Star's roasted beans really better than the beans used by the famous brands available at supermarkets, large coffee chains and membership clubs?

A1. The term “specialty coffee” is an official designation that requires a rating of 80 points or higher from cupping experts.  It is “high grown” coffee that flourishes in elevations that are 2000 to 6000 feet above sea level.  The average coffee farm size is 5-8 acres in Latin American countries and smaller in other regions. Our small batch roasters use only specialty grade beans which represent the top 10% of all arabica coffee beans grown in the major coffee regions of South America, Central America, Indonesia, Africa and the Hawaiian Islands.

Q2. What exactly is a small batch, artisan roaster?

A2. Artisan roasters typically live the art and science of coffee roasting.  They buy green beans from specialty coffee importers who cup (taste test) all bean batches before making buying commitments.  Graded specialty beans are purchased in micro-lots and shipped to the roaster in individual burlap sacks of 60-70 kilos. Our small batch roaster also cups every lot before acceptance and payment.  Artisans use gas fired, small batch roasters.  A small batch roast may be as few as ten pounds or as much as one hundred fifty pounds.  In contrast, production roasting equipment used by famous brands and major chains processes thousands of pounds of commercial grade beans per day on a continuous basis.

Q3. How does ORGANIC apply to coffee?

A3. Certified Organic coffee farms do not use chemicals or pesticides when growing their coffee trees.  For this reason, eco-friendly organic farms are more environmentally friendly than conventional farms.  Thousands of coffee farms are just naturally eco-friendly because it works best for growing top rated specialty beans.  However, being organic doesn't necessarily mean the brewed coffee is more healthy or more tasty.

Q4. What about “shade grown” and “BIRD FRIENDLY” coffees?

A4. These are meaningful terms in that they have impact on costs, natural habitats and bean quality.  They are closely related in that shade grown literally means “grown under a canopy of native trees”.  Banana, palm fruit and guava trees on small coffee farms offer migrating birds a safe, friendly habitat.  Shaded beans mature more slowly which creates richer flavor in the beans.  While shade grown does not have a legal definition, an official certification is required for Bird Friendly coffee.  It must be grown under a natural canopy and be organic to qualify.

Q5. Does FAIR TRADE COFFEE help coffee farmers?

A5. FAIR TRADE is another official term that requires certification.  It essentially means that the coffee farmer is paid a minimum price per pound which better supports the business and their family.  Naturally, this improves the likelihood that the supply of specialty coffee will be sustained.  In addition, specialty coffee farmers now get a much higher price per pound due to the formalized coffee grading process.  Basically, the higher the rating (above 80) the higher the price coffee importers are willing to bid for the lot.