SOE stands for Single Origin Espresso, single origin refers to a single-producing region, and espresso is the concentrated coffee shot; its counterpart is Blend, which is what we commonly know as blended coffee beans. Some people ask, are SOE and single-origin coffee the same thing?

Actually, the two have an inclusive relationship rather than being completely equivalent. Single-origin coffee can be used to make any type of coffee, such as pour-over, siphon, French press, drip bags, and so on. When it is used to make espresso, that is what we call SOE.

Whether it is espresso blend coffee beans or espresso single-origin coffee beans, they must go through the high temperature and high pressure of an espresso machine, and the extracted espresso flavor will be greatly amplified—that is, acidity becomes more acidic, and bitterness becomes more bitter.

To showcase the "individuality" of SOE, the quality of the coffee beans must be guaranteed to a certain extent, the defect rate cannot be too high, and superior single-origin beans must be selected.

The roast level and extraction must take into account the unique flavor characteristics of the producing region, which places technical demands on both roasters and baristas. If the roast is too dark, the espresso can easily end up with only bitter and astringent notes, and aromatic substances cannot be expressed; if the roast is too light, it is difficult to extract oils and flavor, and once the grind size and extraction parameters are not properly controlled, the SOE may even become sour, astringent, and harsh, and when made into milk coffee it becomes even more "coffee-less."

Therefore, it is recommended to choose medium-roast or medium-dark-roast single-origin beans to make SOE, so that extraction is more stable and the flavor is more reliable. At the same time, in order to ensure that the espresso has a moderate amount of crema, be sure that the coffee beans are in a fresh peak-flavor state. After 50 days past roasting, the coffee beans have already lost their original aroma, and the resulting SOE americano or SOE latte will also be bland and tasteless.

Front Street Coffee offers more than 50 types of coffee beans, including high-quality single-origin coffees from many countries and producing regions around the world. There is always one suitable for you who love coffee. All Front Street coffee beans are freshly roasted within 5 days, support 24-hour shipping, are highly cost-effective, and have guaranteed quality, making them the first choice for coffee lovers buying everyday beans.

Drinking coffee is a very subjective matter, and everyone's taste preferences differ. Here are four different flavor-type SOE coffee beans recommended, each with a unique flavor profile, so everyone can choose according to the flavor profile they prefer.

1. Front Street Yirgacheffe Red Cherry SOE Coffee

If it is a single-origin coffee dominated by fruity acidity, a medium-light roast will be used, and the SOE flavor will show bright fruity sweet acidity and floral notes. As Ethiopia's most famous specialty coffee, Yirgacheffe is synonymous with Africa's high-quality single-origin coffee. Front Street Yirgacheffe Red Cherry SOE uses a medium roast, and the extracted espresso gives off rich aromas of tropical fruit, berries, guava, and citrus.

2. Front Street Queen Estate SOE Coffee

When using single-origin coffee beans with chocolate and nut notes, a slightly darker roast level will be used, and the espresso made will have thick crema and rich hazelnut aroma, such as Front Street Brazil Queen Estate coffee beans, which present the sweet fragrance of creamy peanut and dark chocolate.

3.  Front Street Colombia Sidra SOE Coffee

It is recommended to use Front Street Colombia Sidra coffee, which can be ordered directly through the Front Street Taobao store or Front Street Tmall flagship store. This coffee comes from Finca La Divisa in the Huila producing region, grows at an altitude of 1,700 meters, and uses double anaerobic sun-dried processing. It has very rich grape, passion fruit, and citrus flavors. Made into SOE Sidra americano, it has a refreshing and clear grape juice profile, cool and pleasant.

4. Front Street PWN Golden Mandheling SOE Coffee

As a premium choice among Mandheling coffees, Front Street Golden Mandheling has undergone three hand sortings plus one machine sorting, minimizing the defect rate of the coffee beans. It uses a medium-dark roast, and after extraction as SOE it has obvious flavors of spices, herbs, sandalwood, and caramel. Especially when made into a latte, the mouthfeel is very mellow, and the finish also has the aroma of dark chocolate and cocoa.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.