Why Should I Drink High Altitude Coffee?

We've searched high and low, traversing the world to bring you the most premium coffee that'll have you feeling like a million bucks. Our high altitude, organic, mold-free Colombian beans are the real deal, jam packed with healthy compounds like polyphenols and niacin, and free from all the nasties like pesticides, heavy metals, and mycotoxins.

We could go on and on about the benefits of coffee, but today, we'll just touch on why high altitude, specialty grade, and organic practices are crucial. Trust us, we will go in-depth into the brain, the heart, the gut and so much more in the future.

You probably already know why organic coffee is good for you, no inflammatory pesticides etc. but just like humans, plants have a microbiome, as does the soil it grows in. Organic farming practices support soil health rather than deplete it, and with a more diverse microbiome the coffee plants are able to uptake more vitamins, minerals and essential nutrients. Healthier plant, healthier beans.

There is also growing body of evidence to suggest that organic coffee is higher in antioxidants and other goodies than conventional coffee. A study in 2014 by the British Journal of Nutrition found organically produced crops contained up to 68% more antioxidants than their non-organic counterparts.

But we didn’t just stop there.

Our Smart Mushroom Coffee contains only Specialty Grade organic coffee beans which improves on just organic in many ways.

Specialty grade (Premium) coffee is grown in only the most idyllic climates and the beans themselves are practically flawless.

For a coffee to earn its premium specialty grade certification, it must have been cultivated in the perfect environment, hand-plucked from the plant at the pinnacle of ripeness, and hand-sorted with care. Our Colombian coffee beans, for example, are grown at a staggering altitude of 5,000 feet to achieve their optimal flavor profile and maximum health benefits. This combination of ideal climate, peak ripeness, and high altitude results in a coffee that's rich in polyphenols and nutrients, and almost entirely free of mold. And the secret behind its potent polyphenol punch? It's all down to the magic of hormesis. Just like in wine, the tougher the growing conditions, the more medicinal and flavorful the coffee bean becomes, delivering greater amounts of those life-affirming polyphenols.

As previously mentioned, the beans need to have zero defects means no unripened beans and no beans that have been chipped. Not only that, but they also need to be practically identical in size - within a 5% variation range - for a seamless roasting process. Otherwise, smaller beans would burn to a crisp and larger ones would remain undercooked. And that's a big no-no! This can reduce the amount of beneficial compounds, make the taste less sensational and also potentially introduce carcinogens to your morning brew.

Once the beans have been carefully handpicked, they embark on a journey to the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), where the experts, called “cupper” judge the flavor profiles.They assess various aspects of the flavor profile such as balance, body, and aroma and search for defects such as sour or phenolic (acetone-like) qualities. After the evaluation, the total score is tallied, and only the crème de la crème with a score over 80 out of 100 make the cut.

With only 3% of the world’s coffee is grown organically, and less than 1% certified specialty grade organic we feel proud to bring you only the best.