Tasting Notes: January 2024 Coffees
When the founders started Campbell & Syme in October 2012, they instantly realised that coffee can taste incredibly sweet and juicy when its distinctive flavours are highlighted. Of the opinion that speciality coffee shouldn't be exclusive, it's about sharing experience and an exchange of conversations in which their cafes are just that, a place for their customers to feel welcome and appreciated.
A lot changed since then. Campbell & Syme has grown over the years with people adding their valuable skills and knowledge, but their key values stay the same, roasting wonderful coffees grown by superstar farmers.
Campbell & Syme Coffees | United Kingdom
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tio Juan, Costa Rica | Tío Juan Micromill is a family project which was started in 2015 by coffee producer Juan Rafael Montero Gamboa with the intention of improving the quality of the coffee from his family farm, Monteroga. Juan Rafael has been taking care of his land since the 1960s and works to cultivate coffee in a harmonious way with nature.
Juan Rafael believes that every living organism, no matter how large or small, is part of a habitat and ecosystem. This means that his land, where he lives alongside hundreds of organisms, must remain perfectly tuned to thrive. His belief in this harmony guides the way that he works with his soil and crops, knowing that coffee quality depends on the way which producers work in their ecosystems. Juan Rafael’s production practices are designed to be sustainable and to consider his environment. He analyses the soil regularly, producing his own organic fertilisers called “bioles”. These foliar-type fertilisers are created through anaerobic digestion of plants, and are nutrient-rich enough to fulfil most of the nutritional requirements of his coffee. All of the weed removal on the farm is done by hand, and Juan Rafael also chooses not to use any herbicides on his plants. This lot of Red Catuai coffee was grown on the “Truchas” lot at Monteroga, and underwent washed processing at Tío Juan Micromill. Fully ripe cherries were selectively harvested before being brought to the mill where they were pulped. The pulped coffee was then fermented with its mucilage for 48 hours prior to being washed. The washed coffee is then dried on raised beds until reaching its optimal humidity. |
Papaya, lychee and candy Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: washed |
Single / Light, PLus 87, Rest of World |
| Putra Gayo, Sumatra | Sumatra is a fascinating origin, unique even among its fellow Indonesian coffee-growing islands and areas. The vast diversity that has been found there is one of the exciting reasons that Cafe Imports are always happy to go back, and to face cupping after cupping after cupping of Sumatran coffee in search of something special. Through this rigorous process they have discovered producers and developed long-term partnerships with both individual farmer/collectors and cooperatives of various smallholders. They are also able to work with these partners to request (and pay more) more selective picking and processing, and they have undertaken several experiments with special-prep Wet-Hulling, to varying degrees of success.
Iwannitosa Putra is the owner of Putra Gayo, a mill and farm serving two subregions within Aceh, Sumatra. Their farm covers 250 hectares of land with around 275,000 coffee trees of Gayo 1, 2, and 3. Amongst the coffee, many shade trees are grown like Lamtoro, Banana, Orange, Avocado, and Jackfruit trees. Iwannitosa specializes in both washed and natural coffees, as opposed to the common Sumatra wet-hulled. Washed coffees are fermented for 10-12 hours, and dried for about 10 days. Natural process coffees dry ferment for 10-12 hours, and then dry for 30 days. |
Banana, guava and praline Altitude: 1400 - 1650 masl, Process: natural |
Single / Light, PLus 87, Rest of World |
| Rabanales, Guatemala | Don Gregorio Zamora founded Finca Rabanales - now run by his great great grandchildren, this farm has been in the family for five generations. Of the five siblings that make up the family, Rafael and Maria Elena manage the farm on a daily basis. Rafael manages the technical field details, whilst Maria Elena supports the cupping operations.
The farm didn’t start out with coffee - it originally farmed livestock. Don Gregorio Zamora planted coffee in 1894. From the beginning, the Ventura’s have been guided by their commitment to producing high quality coffee, something that has been passed on to each generation. The family’s vision is to share their coffee with the world, and gain recognition for their high cup quality. When Coffee Bird first met Finca Rabanales, they weren’t yet working in the speciality market. For five generations, coffee had been good business - but since the 1980’s, coffee prices have consistently been dropping. They knew they had good coffees, but they weren’t sure how to market them. Rafael says that the Coffee Bird business model is unique, and has helped them branch out into speciality. Since 2014, Coffee Bird have bought coffee from them every year and helped them to expand into the speciality market. Coffee Bird and Rabanales have a mutually beneficial ethos, they have supported each other through growth. This farm is one of the few that are still located within the limits of Guatemala City. |
Flowers, melon and caramel Altitude: 1650 masl, Process: natural |
Single / Light, PLus 87, Rest of World, Selected Mix |
| De Cana, Colombia | Colombian E.A. (ethyl acetate) decaf offerings are special in more ways than one: First, they're cupped specifically for their quality and sourced by single-origin, either region or farm. Cafe Imports call them Decaf De Caña because they're custom decaffeinated in Colombia, using a special, natural process that utilises a solvent of ethyl acetate, which can be derived from fermented sugar. Cafe Imports staff has personally visited the decaffeination plant several times, and we are impressed by the process as well as the quality in the cup! | Chocolate and peanut Process: EA decaf |
Decaf |
Round Hill think of ‘origin’, Kelston Round Hill is to them synonymous. This lush grassy knoll just outside Bath with its clump of trees and views over Somerset is not just their namesake, but the backyard of where their roastery was founded. It’s their origin, and it was there that their journey started. That journey has taken Round Hill to distant origins with their own hills, on whose slopes derive some of the world’s greatest coffees produced by some of the world’s best farmers.
From Round Hill's approach to roasting to the colours of our packaging, they pay homage to the vivid character of their coffees. Bright and vibrant. Candy for grownups.
Round Hill Coffees | United Kingdom
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agropecuaria Muniz, Brazil | Brazil is one of our favourite origins for experimentally processed coffees. Something about those wild tropical flavours being wrapped up in a comforting chocolatey is just so delicious. This coffee comes from Agropecuaria Muñiz, a 109 hectare farm in Cabo Verde. They first began experimenting with different fermentation methods in 2019, at first very simple ones to get an understanding of the fundamentals and then in 2020 they took a course on more complicated methods. Primarily they ferment their coffees in open boxes atop raised beds.
Adriano Muñiz is the owner of the farm and the one who has led the charge in pushing towards more innovative ways of processing coffee. Farms of this size have the scale to play around a little and develop things without risking too large a volume of their crop as they produce over four thousand sacks of coffee a year. Since their earliest experiments in 2019 the quality of their experimental lots has been better and better each year and with coffees like this being produced only 4 years in we can only imagine how exceptional the coffee might be in the future. |
Pineapple juice, grapefruit and sherbert Altitude: 1100 masl, Process: anaerobic natural |
Plus 87 |
| Los Encinos, Costa Rica | Unavailable | Passion fruit, mango and Earl Grey tea Process: natural |
Plus 87, Single / Light |
| Mogola Java, Honduras | Unavailable | Blossom honey, bergamot and apricot Process: washed |
Rest of World, Plus 87 |
| Duromina, Ethiopia | Duromina is a cooperative established in 2011, with help from an NGO called Technoserve. They are located in Agaro near the border with Jimma in western Ethiopia. Before the establishment of the cooperative many of these farmers were producing much lower grade coffee and exclusively naturals. Over time quality has improved immensely to the point that now Duromina lots are always one of our most anticipated Ethiopian releases.
The Duromina lots come from smallholder farmers with between 0.5 and 3 hectares of land, often growing at altitudes exceeding 2000 Metres Above Sea Level. The coffee is mechanically depulped using a Penago Ecopulper which reduces water usage. Following this the coffees are soaked in clean water overnight and then dried on raised beds. |
Honeysuckle, dried apricot and Turkish Delight Altitude: 2000 masl, Process: washed |
Rest of World, Plus 87 |
| El Puente, Honduras | Unavailable | Cherry, rooibos tea and chocolate macadamia Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
Founded by James Fisher in 2001, Clifton Coffee Company began its life servicing espresso machinery in the independent businesses of Bristol. As the reputation for service grew, so too did the demand for supply of coffee and equipment and so, just a couple of years later, when joined by Ed Buston, Clifton Coffee began wholesaling roasted coffees to the surrounding area, backed up with relatively unknown at the time ‘barista training’ to support its wholesale customers. As the roasters grew, a few key Bristol-based multi-site customers joined us – all of which they are still proud to serve today, 23 years later.
In 2023, Clifton became a certified B Corporation. B Corps are for-profit companies who share a global vision of a sustainable and inclusive economy. It’s the only certification that measures a company’s entire social and environmental performance and they are proud to commit to prioritising people and planet before profit.
Clifton Coffees | United Kingdom
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rwamatamu, Rwanda | Unavailable | Black tea, honey and apricot Process: washed |
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light |
| Cadence Espresso | Cadence espresso is the evolution of our seasonal house espresso offering. We have focused on bright, fruit forward and complex taste profiles to highlight the best coffees available. This blend is a beautiful balance of two delicious coffees from the southern region of Ethiopia, both carefully processed and dried in two very different ways.
40% Ethiopia | Werka Wuri (Washed): Werka Wuri is a BNT owned washing station that processes cherry from over 750 smallholder farmers that surround the village of Werka Sakaro, a few kilometres east of Gedeb town. BNT are one of the most prestigious Ethiopian exporters and are well recognised for their pre and post harvest premiums, which stand well above the local market rate, driving the quality in their offering. 60% Ethiopia | Awash River (Natural): Awash River is a new, naturally processed coffee from smallholder farmers serviced by the river Awash in the Sidamo region. The Sidamo region has developed a reputation for some of the most sought-after coffees in the world. With the river as a rich source of clean water; combined with high altitude, fertile soils and abundant sunshine, providing ideal conditions for complex and fruit forward coffees. |
Candied citrus, nectarine and manuka honey Altitude: various masl, Process: various |
Plus 87 |
| Wush Wush, Colombia | Deiro Garcia (the owner of Lord Voldemort Farm) is known to be one of the most innovative producers from the Huila region. He previously studied microbiology and focuses on extended fermentations. Through testing he has learned that certain natural yeast strains can produce a distinctive fermentation and influence the coffees taste profile dramatically. For this unique lot he has isolated yeasts from local yellow fruits and passionfruit. He says that this process accelerates fermentation and enhances the natural taste of the WUSH WUSH varietal without overshadowing it. Wush Wush is a rare varietal of the coffee plant that comes originally from Ethiopia and is named after the region it originated from, “Wushwush”. The coffee trees themselves producing a small yield. Because these trees have such a small yield, the final product is a highly cared for and sought after. WUSH WUSH is known for its complex and standout flavours and fits perfectly as our first Unparalleled Series coffee. | Jasmine, marmalade, watermelon, fig and herbs Altitude: 1810 masl, Process: washed |
Stories Special Guest Coffee |
| Cristo Liurau, East Timor | Unavailable | Nutmeg, pear and macadamia Process: washed |
Selected Mix, Single / Light, Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Fazenda Picada, Brazil | Unavailable | Chocolate orange, macadamia and golden raisins Process: natural |
Blend / Darker, PERCENT, Selected Mix |
| Suspension, Brazil | Named after Bristol’s iconic bridge, Suspension aims to deliver a well-balanced, easy-drinking espresso that’s full of depth and flavour.
This year’s release brings coffee from Fazenda Pinhal, a 914-hectare farm in Sul De Minas, Brazil. The farm, which is now fronted by Pedro Gabarra (a sixth-generation farmer) and his sister Mariana, has been shaped by their shared passion for coffee and the environment. In 2019 the Gabarra estate won an award for “most sustainable farm” in Brazil, and the pair have continued to push the boundaries of their already outstanding sustainability credentials ever since. During the harvest from May to August, the coffee is mechanically picked and pulped and then taken to patios to dry for 10 to 14 days. Once dried, the coffee is left to rest for a month before milling. The green coffee is then delivered to the SanCoffee mill in San Antonio Do Amparo, where it runs through the gravity tables and colour sorter before being bagged and prepped for shipment. |
Rum Raisin, dark chocolate and marmalade Altitude: 1160 masl, Process: natural |
Blend / Darker, PERCENT |
| House Capsules | This is a combination of two coffees from our longest standing sourcing partnerships. This blend creates a sweet and balanced shot with a long smooth finish. Fazenda Pinhal is a family owned farm that has been awarded the most sustainable farm in Brazil on multiple occasions. This coffee provides a rich and nutty base for our blend. Finca Buena Vista in El Salvador was one of our first direct sourcing relationships and has formed the foundation of our sourcing programme. The producers, Ricardo Lima and his brother Fernando are two of the most quality focused in the region. This coffee brings flavours of warm spice and hints of citrus. | spice, warm citrus Process: washed |
Capsules |
| Rocky Mountain Black Cat Typica, Panama | We are pleased to release another amazing coffee from the Hartmann family and their farm, Rocky Mountain Coffee.
We have had the pleasure of working with the Hartmann family since 2017. With exceptional attention to detail, a focus on sustainability and endless enthusiasm for experimentation, the Hartmann’s always blow us away. The Hartmann family are considered pioneers of speciality coffee production in Panama. Founded in 1949 by Ratibor Hartmann, their estate has remained a multi-generational, family-run enterprise ever since. The typica variety is originates from Ethiopia and is characterised by its low yielding plant that needs care and attention to cultivate. It is also a parent variety to the Pacamara and Mundo novo that is heavily cultivated in other Central and South American countries. Its sought after high quality cup profile is very unique. Bringing a combination of light fermented fruits, tea like body and complex acidity that reminds us of a high quality Ethiopian coffee. Allan Hartmann and his team harvested this coffee and then goes through an extended drying on African raised beds for 21 days. |
Green tea, white peach and acaica honey Altitude: 1400 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87 |
| Rocky Mountain Maragogipe, Panama | We are pleased to release another amazing coffee from the Hartmann family and their farm, Rocky Mountain Coffee.
The Maragogipe variety is a natural mutation of the Typica variety. It was first found in Brazil and is characterised by an exceptionally large bean size. Allan Hartmann and his team harvest the cherries and then apply a 6 day anaerobic fermentation before drying on African raised beds for 25 days. The initial fermentation has really elevated this coffee’s fruit forward acidity and enhanced the natural sweetness of the maragogipe variety. We have had the pleasure of working with the Hartmann family since 2017. With exceptional attention to detail, a focus on sustainability, and endless enthusiasm for experimentation, the Hartmanns always blow us away. The Hartmann family are considered pioneers of specialty coffee production in Panama. Founded in 1949 by Ratibor Hartmann, their estate has remained a multi-generational, family-run enterprise ever since. |
Pinot Noir, cane sugar and yellow plum Altitude: 1400 masl, Process: anaerobic natural |
Plus 87 |
| Nestor Lasso Caturra, Colombia | This exceptional lot is from the sought after producer, Nestor Lasso. His farm, El Diviso, covers an 18 hectare area comprised of 15 hectares of coffee and 3 hectares of forest. The El Deviso farm carries diverse range of varietals; Caturra, Colombia, Castillo, Tabi, Pink Bourbon, Red Bourbon, Yellow Bourbon, Bourbon Ají, Caturra Chiroso, Geisha, Sidra, Java, Pacamara.
This Caturra lot is processed using the Thermal shock, Anaerobic process. We are blown away by the complexity added by this process and it is an exceptional example of how careful processing can elevate the varietal’s characteristics. Firstly the cherries go through a 50° Celsius thermal shock before being stored in containers where an anaerobic fermentation phase begins. Saccharomyces cerevisiae (T58 type) yeast, commonly used in beer brewing, is added during this fermentation (35°C for 80 hours). The coffee is then moved to a mechanical drying system in order to dehydrate the coffee cherries. Lastly, the coffee is placed on African drying beds for approximately 15 days or until target humidity is reached. Producer Nestor says, "We are the third generation that has been growing coffee. Our grandfather, José Uribe, was the founder of the farm El Diviso. With the work of all the family and constant savings we were able to build the infrastructure to process differentiated coffees; searching for better quality, both in coffee and our lives. After a long trial and error period we managed to standardise different processes, getting a better income in order to plant new varieties that allowed us to have better quality. One of our dreams is to produce specialty coffee that reaches all the world."" |
Watermelon, thyme and peach iced tea Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: thermal shock anaerobic |
Plus 87 |
After opening their first coffee shop in Oxford in 2012, Quarter Horse opened a second shop in Birmingham before moving permanently to start roasting coffee in the Midlands. Since then, Quarter Horse are now operating in a new larger premises in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter, roasting and serving high quality and ethically sourced beans from around the world.
Founded by Nathan and Ameeta, Quarter Horse have quickly gained a reputation as one of the best coffee shops in either cities they've existed with 2023 seeing them open a dedicated new site for production and training with a focus on sustainability.
Quarter Horse Coffees | United Kingdom
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mooleh Manay, India | Mooleh Manay Estate is managed by Komal and Akshay and took over from 4th generation coffee planter, Ms. G.G. Padmashree and her family showed them how they produced sustainable and environmentally responsible high quality coffee using traditional farming techniques.
Perfectly ripe coffee cherries are picked by trained staff before being floated to remove further defects. The coffees are fermented in an anaerobic environment and then put on raised beds in polytunnels to dry. The coffee is raked regularly to ensure even drying and once the coffee reaches 10-12% moisture level they are removed from the raised beds, and go to the warehouse where it rests for 6- 8 weeks before being hulled. |
Blackberry, plum and vanilla Process: natural anaerobic |
Plus 87, Single / Light, Selected Mix |
| Los Pirineos, El Salvador | Unavailable | Berries, lemon and caramel Process: natural |
Single / Light, Plus 87 |
| Sevilla, Colombia | This coffee stems from the Department of Valle del Cauca (Cauca Valley), located between the great mountains of the north west Andes surrounding this region. The region is characterised by volcanic soils rich in organic matter, countless water springs, and altitudes and climate that help produce coffee of great quality and incredible mildness.
The majority of the coffee in this region comes from small producers who live and work in farms of 5 hectares in size or less. Coffee is handpicked, depulped using traditional machinery and fermented in tanks before being washed and laid out to sun dry. |
Toffee, brown sugar and honey Process: EA washed |
Decaf |
| Java Ijen, Indonesia | Unavailable | Dark chocolate, walnut and molasses Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
| Bombe Dry, Ethiopia | This coffee is named after the Bombe Mountains which is the area where most of the farmers who grow and contribute cherry to this lot live and work.
Producers from Bombe as well as from Shantawene and Keramo communities have been delivering their best cherry to the Bombe site since the harvest season of 2017/18. It’s here that the lots are separated by quality into fermentation tanks and specific drying locations. The wet mill is organised and run by a team including a female agronomist, Atkilt Dejene, who has also worked with the award-winning Gesha Village project, among others such as processing specialist, Eyasu Bekele, whom we worked with for the Reko Koba project several years running. The volume capacity at Bombe washing station is at max 2.5 million kgs of cherries, but for the past couple year, this site has maintained a strict dedication to producing outstanding quality above quantity. Processed by a variation on the traditional washed process (fruit removed from the beans before drying) that adds no water to the tank during fermentation, hence a “dry” fermentation. The dry fermentation involves letting the coffees rest in climate controlled fermentation tanks after depulping (where the seed is removed from the cherry and the pulp washed off). The coffee rests dry while fermentation kickstarts faster than normal in the warm air environment, resulting in a full and complex, red fruit flavour profile, while still being washed of its pulp. This process uses much less water and in doing so contributes to the environmental sustainability of the washing station in its production. |
Lemon, pink grapefruit and cola Process: washed |
Plus 87 |
Cartwheel are committed to traceable sourcing and sustainable roasting. With a simple approach to coffee, Cartwheel focus on buying traceable higher quality coffee from individual farmers and washing stations, influenced by flavour more than price. From farm to cup, Cartwheel seek to preserve the unique flavours and characteristics of individual regions instead of the homogenised, dark-roasted coffee flavour found in most high street brands.
Now known for their creative packaging, suchlike matches the colourful flavours of the coffees that can be found inside.
Cartwheel Coffees | United Kingdom
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Bonata, Ethiopiax | Unavailable | Strawberry, paspberry and candy floss Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Kercha Sharo, Ethiopia | Unavailable | Red berry, plum and cocoa Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World, Selected Mix, Single / Light |
| Misspent Youth, Brazil, Ethiopia | Misspent Youth currently consists of two naturals, a Brazilian Mundo Novo from Armando Costa and an Ethiopian Heirloom from Israel Degfa. Armando Costa runs Fazenda Barrinha, in the Mogiana region of northeastern Sao Paolo State. The Kercha dry mill is located in the infamous Guji region. Smallholders of the Sharo area deliver cherry to the station, where it is processed by Israel and his team.
Both components of this blend are naturally processed coffees. Whole cherries are dried either on raised beds or patios in thin layers. Constant turning of the cherries is required to ensure even drying and to prevent the occurrence of defects. Both coffees were sourced in conjunction with Kamba Coffee. Our head roaster visited Fazenda Barrinha as part of a relationship-building trip in May 2022. Israel Degfa is a part owner of Kamba; we visited him and some of his farms in 2020. |
Berry, stone fruit and nougat Process: natural |
PERCENT, Blend / Darker |
| La Pina, Mexico | Limontitla, namely the Land of Lemons, is situated in the municipality of Quimixtlan. Producers farm small plots of land, less than 1 hectare in size, between the altitudes of 1600 and 2100masl. The La Pina lot is a blend of nanolots from 20 small-scale producers from the Limontitla region.
Smallholders sell cherries to Ensambles, due to a combination of a lack of processing equipment and water scarcity. The cherry is then processed at Ensambles farm mill 3 hours drive away. Cherry is pulped, before being fermented in tanks. The coffee is washed before being fully sundried on raised beds or patios. Sourced through Ensambles, a subsidiary of Ensambles Cafes Mexicanos, a Mexican-owned exporter and cafe. Ensambles works year-round with groups of small-scale coffee growers throughout Mexico, providing field training and support from field technicians and coordinators. |
Pineapple, lychee and marshmallow Process: washed |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Kericho County, Kenya | Lot 20 works with a network of 77 producers in the Kericho county of west Kenya. These producers deliver cherry to Lot 20's factory in the east of Kericho County. Lot 20 currently has a second factory under construction in the west of the county, hoping to increase the number of producers they work with.
This lot was processed using a traditional washed technique. Cherry is pulped and fermented for 12 hours. Following fermentation, coffee is washed in fresh clean water before being fermented again for another 12 hours. Parchment is dried on raised beds. Lot 20 has its own milling facility, where they mill parchment before export. Sourced from Lot 20 Coffee, through Omwani. Lot 20 works with smallholders in the Kericho and Bomet counties, organising farmers into functioning entities that process and sell their own coffee; without the assistance of the Kenyan auction system. |
Orange, lime and raisin Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
| Legoman Decaf, Colombia | This decaf lot represents coffee from a group of 65 producers who contribute to the Popayan Regional program. Cofinet has built a long-term relationship with these producers through its regional program, pushing producers to focus on quality.
The process works by soaking green coffee in a solution of Ethyl Acetate (EA), a naturally occurring solvent derived from sugar cane, which bonds to the caffeine molecules and allows for the removal of caffeine. The coffee is steamed at low pressure to remove the E.A. compounds, with the finished product retaining its flavour integrity but containing almost no caffeine at all (0.01–0.03% caffeine). This decaf lot has been sourced through Cofinet, who started sourcing and exporting specialty coffee in 2015. Now, they support a large number of Colombian producers, as well as exporting coffee from their own farm and processing centre. |
Fruit, caramel and chocolate Process: EA decaf |
Decaf |
The heart of any coffee roastery is its coffee roasting machine, and Spaceboy's machine was built entirely by hand over the course of the last two years, a project which came to fruition in spring 2021 and has been reliably churning out roasts ever since. Using a custom built roasting machine gives Spaceboy a level of flexibility unmatched by many commercial machines - every parameter is fine-tuneable, allowing Spaceboy to roast in a way which showcases each coffee's delicious flavours.
Spaceboy was founded by award-winning coffee roaster Finn Mclean. Finn became infatuated with speciality coffee during trips to New Zealand and the West Coast of America in 2014. A chemist by training, Finn saw potential in manipulating the chemical reactions which occur during coffee roasting, in order to modulate the flavour profiles of coffees. Over the last 8 years Finn has worked at some of the most well-renowned coffee roasteries in the UK, and in roasted award-winning coffee along the way, Spaceboy was born.
Spaceboy Coffees | United Kingdom
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Migoti Hill, Burundix | Unavailable | Cherry, apple and chocolate Process: natural |
Bloom, Plus 87 |
| Keramo, Ethiopia | Unavailable | Violet, papaya, kiwi and apple Process: natural |
Bloom, Plus 87 |
Every coffee leaving Method Coffee Roasters are a quality focused small batch coffee roasters, sourcing, roasting and supplying speciality grade coffee from around the world.
Working directly with specialist farms and co-operatives, Method offer carefully selected and exclusive lots of coffee. Sourcing in the most sustainable and socially responsible way that they can is always their starting point – all the green coffee Method buy is ethically traded and fully traceable. By paying a price that recognises the quality of a coffee, Method can reward each farmer accordingly and help build a sustainable industry.
Method Coffees | United Kingdom
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gakuyuini AA, Kenya | Gakuyuini washing station sits on the southern slopes of Mount Kenya, surrounded by fertile volcanic soils and plentiful high altitude. Built in 1982, Gakuyuini is the only mill owned by the Thirikwa Farmers Cooperative Society, who are made up of 1500 members, most having 200-250 coffee trees. The co-op’s meticulous processing combines with perfect growing conditions and delivers outstanding flavour in the cup. | Blackcurrant, citrus and cocoa Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: washed |
Bloom, Selected Mix |
| Tres Finca Naranjo, Costa Rica | Our second Costa Rican of the season and our first time working with the amazing Naranjo Co-operative.
As the name suggests this is a story of three small farms working together with the co-operative to achieve great results. The coffee is a micro-lot comprising a field blend of Catuaí and Caturra varietals from the farms of El Tanque, El Sol Del Este and Don Chano. We kept returning to this particular lot on the cupping table, it’s simply delicious and well balanced - we’re very excited to share it with you. |
Apple, chocolate and hazelnut Process: natural |
Selected Mix |
| Los Suspiros, Guatemala | Los Suspiros is the work and dedication of two best friends - Fredy and Axel. They grew up together in rural HueHue; when Fredy went to university, Axel started working on his grandfather’s farm.
Fredy eventually returned to work on his father’s farm and the old friends soon became coffee compadres, sharing dreams and making plans … After persuading their families to gift them a small plot of land, they got to work. Axel grows and harvests the coffee, Fredy processes the cherries. The results showcase the best of HueHuetenango - our favourite coffee growing region of Guatemala. We hope you enjoy this coffee as much as we do. |
Tangerine, caramel and chocolate Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: washed |
Bloom, Blend / Darker, Selected Mix |
| Oaxaca Decaf, Mexico | We take decaf coffee seriously! Just like our other coffees our decaf selection is sourced seasonally and will change two to three times a year. Our latest Seasonal Decaf is a sweet and well balanced blend from Co-op Frontera in Cajamarca Peru.
This coffee's a wonderful all-rounder and an easy drinker; tasting great as a filter and equally at home when brewed as espresso. |
Chocolate, cherry and lime Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: washed |
Decaf |
GUSTATORY (adjective): curating excellence in taste.