The situation of the coffee bushes on the mountain slopes and the shade that they get while they grow is what brings about the difference in taste in brewed coffee. Harvesting and the processing of the beans are other factors that determine its taste.
In a taste-testing event organized on the October 17, 2016 coffee connoisseurs learned more about coffee cultivars, coffee tasting and how the Lycoming faculty along with their students help the farmers of Dominican Republic to better the quality of coffee and increase production as well.
The college has been involved in this collaboration for the past three years and also have a brand of coffee – Warrior Coffee.
The event was dedicated mostly to the types of Warrior Coffee’s – Warrior Decaf, Warrior One and Warrior Blue and new Warrior Microlots. There are different types of beans grown in different regions that are blended together when coffee is produced in large quantities but Microlots have distinct qualities of beans grown in a certain area in one single season.
Associate Professor of political science at Lycoming, Caroline Payne, said that the students of their college are educated about the local effects of a worldwide product that almost everyone drinks daily. Such projects associate people through the food production and distribution structure.
The taste testing stations played an important role in the success of the project – ACES North America and its campus chapter LACES, Golden Valley Farms, Parkhurst Dining and Streeter Campus Store and all the students who traveled to the Dominican Republic to join Lycoming in their venture. In order to support student education Parkhurst even offers Warrior Coffee at catered occasions.
Students travel to the Dominican Republic every May to finish different projects which better the coffee grown in Peralta and Naranjito regions and to assist the farmers to lead a quality life such as providing them with clean water.
Payne further adds that they wish to influence other colleges and businesses so they can also replicate their work not only with coffee but with any product that permits an enhanced and balanced requirement and hard work of all those are involved, producer as well as the consumer.
You can purchase a single bag of Warrior Microlot for $15 and three Microlots for $25 that are available online and at the Lycoming campus. All the proceedings go to the projects that help the local coffee farmers.
