How 7000 steps decide Which Coffees Become Single-Origin and Which Become Blends

At 7000 Steps Coffee, every cup you enjoy is the result of a meticulous process—one that begins in the lush hills of Northeast India and ends with a perfectly balanced flavor profile. Behind this journey is a combination of art, science, and passion, ensuring that every coffee we roast delivers a unique experience. One of the most important steps in this process is deciding which coffees will be released as single-origin micro lots and which will be crafted into blends. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how Baphi, our head roaster, makes these crucial decisions.

The Sourcing Journey: From Village to Roastery

The process begins with Bipul and Kevin, who travel across Northeast India, sourcing coffee from various states, districts, and villages. Each region has its own microclimate, elevation, and soil conditions, resulting in distinct flavor profiles. Within a single village, different farmers grow different varieties of coffee at different elevations and use various processing methods like natural or washed. This diversity is what makes our selection process both exciting and challenging.

Sorting and Tagging: Keeping Coffee Lots Separate

Once the beans arrive at our Shillong facility, they are carefully tagged and separated by their origin. Each farmer’s lot is documented based on variety, elevation, and processing method. This level of detail allows us to maintain the integrity of each coffee and evaluate them individually before deciding their final destination—single-origin or blend.

The Tasting Process: Cupping and Evaluation

Baphi takes the lead at this stage. Through a process called cupping, she and our team taste and analyze multiple cups of coffee from each lot. We evaluate key attributes such as aroma, acidity, body, sweetness, and aftertaste. Some coffees stand out with a unique, exceptional profile that deserves to be highlighted on its own—these are selected as single-origin micro lots. Others, while still high quality, may have complementary flavor notes that, when combined, create a more complex and balanced cup—these are chosen for blends.

Single-Origin Micro Lots: Celebrating Uniqueness

A single-origin micro lot is a coffee that is distinct and remarkable on its own. It could be a high-altitude coffee from Arunachal Pradesh with bright acidity and floral notes or a bold, chocolatey lot from Nagaland. These coffees are roasted with precision to preserve their natural characteristics and are often offered in limited quantities.

Blending: The Art of Balance

Blending is where creativity, science, and experience come together. Baphi carefully selects beans that complement each other to create a well-rounded, consistent cup. The goal is to achieve a balance of flavors—perhaps combining a bright, citrusy coffee with a deeper, caramel-toned one to create a dynamic yet smooth taste. This process involves multiple rounds of roasting, cupping, and adjusting ratios until the perfect blend is achieved.

Beyond Selection: Training Farmers for the Future

Once the selection is complete, Bipul and Kevin work with farmers to provide insights into what makes a coffee suitable for single-origin or blending. By helping them refine their cultivation and processing methods, we aim to improve quality year after year, ensuring that Northeast India’s coffee continues to shine on the global stage.

Final Thoughts: A Commitment to Quality

Every decision we make at 7000 Steps Coffee is driven by a passion for great coffee and a respect for the farmers who grow it. Whether you’re sipping a single-origin micro lot or one of our expertly crafted blends, know that each cup has been carefully curated to bring out the best flavors that Northeast India has to offer.

So the next time you take a sip, think about the journey—how each bean was evaluated, tasted, and selected to create the coffee in your hands. That’s the beauty of what we do, and we’re excited to share it with you.