What is the difference between single origin and a microlot?

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Accepted Answer

Single origin can be broad (a country, a region). A microlot is a small batch from a single farm or plot — a farmer's top quality, processed separately. "Single origin" is an umbrella term that covers different levels of precision. "Colombia" is single origin. "Colombia, Huila" is single origin. "Colombia, Huila, Finca El Paraíso" is single origin. All three are correct, but the depth of information differs drastically. A microlot goes beyond the farm level. It refers to a particularly small batch — often just a few bags — that was separately harvested, processed, and prepared. Frequently, a microlot comes from a specific plot on the farm, sometimes from a particular variety, and is treated with special care: hand-picked, experimentally fermented, dried on raised beds. Why the effort? Microlots are the best a farmer produces. They command significantly higher prices on the market than the regular harvest. For the farmer, that's an incentive to invest in quality. For roasters and cafés, a microlot is the opportunity to offer something unique — a coffee that exists only in limited quantity and cannot be reproduced. The downside: microlots are expensive and ephemeral. When the batch is gone, there's no resupply. The next year's harvest from the same farm can taste different. For coffee drinkers seeking variety, that's an advantage. For regulars wanting to reorder their favourite coffee, it can be frustrating. At our café on Sophienstraße 27 in Berlin-Lichtenberg, single origins are mainly available as beans to take home; their bags name origin, processing and variety. The transparency — exactly where the coffee comes from, who grew it — makes the price understandable. If you want to taste the difference yourself: Sophienstraße 27, Berlin-Lichtenberg. Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 10am–5pm.

What is the difference between single origin and a microlot?

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In practice at Green Wall Coffee

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