Tasting Notes: July 2022 Coffees

 Tasting Notes: July 2022 Coffees

The Barn Right Side Jonas Reindl Old Spike Tasting Notes

After spending a number of years in Japan and the UK, Ralf Rueller founded The Barn back in 2010. He pioneered specialty coffee in an uncompromising way in Germany by focusing on the product, farm relationships, roasting and sharing knowledge that he leart along the way. Such factors helped The Barn establish their international reputation for quality and earned them the accolade for the best independent roaster in Europe and the Middle East. The pedigree that The Barn holds goes without saying, and equally, The Barn have a policy of never featuring in external multi-roaster subscriptions, until now - you're in for an absolute treat.

The Barn Coffees  |  Germany

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
Kedebe Maro, Ethiopia Kedebe Maro’s estate is located in the Konga region of Yirgacheffe which is an area known for producing some of the best coffees to be exported from Ethiopia every year. His estate is 10 hectares in size, with half of it being used for growing coffee. Sitting at an elevation of 2000 metres, his coffees slowly maturate delivering intensity and complexity. This natural lot displays a bouquet of floral and fruity notes in the dry fragrance, which then carry into the cup with defined notes of lychee and apricot. The body is silky and the finish has notes of black tea.

Kedebe Maro is a private medium-sized producer. We say medium-sized because he is just in between a small holder and an estate owner. He is mainly producing naturals. Individual farmers in Ethiopia have been given more freedom to export their own coffee in recent years, which has given us access to purchasing single farmer lots like this one. Kedebe Maro is a pioneer coffee producer who encourages other farmers to follow his footsteps in producing high quality coffee. He advises fellow farmers on how to harvest coffee, and how to dry coffee for the specialty market.
Lychee and black tea

Altitude: 2000 masl, Process: natural
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light
Nano Challa, Ethiopia Nano Challa is one of our favourite coffees from Ethiopia and we are more than happy to start the fresh season with it! This coffee is clean, sweet and balanced. Flavours of nectarine, vanilla and jasmine dominate the cup profile. Nano Challa is luscious and almost perfumey - we can drink it all day.

Nano Challa is located in the Gera District of Western Oromia where large tracts of pristine forests remain and coffee trees grow wild. The cooperative is supported by NGO TechnoServe that provides education, advice and finance. They also helped Nano Challa to get access to the international Specialty Coffee Market to receive premium pricing for their high qualities. This coffee is absolutely stunning and represents the full potential of the region´s indigenous beans. Nano Challa is certified organic.
Nectarine and jasmine

Altitude: 1900 - 2000 masl, Process: washed
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light
Mohamed Ali, Ethiopia Mohamed Ali is one of our key coffees from Ethiopia. When the country changed its laws to allow smaller estates to export directly. we had an opportunity to engage here. By now, our relationship is exclusive and we are involved in several sustainability projects at this farm. Mohamed Ali has has rich flavours of ripe strawberries, chocolate and peach blossom. Roasted for espresso we pull juicy shots with a creamy mouthfeel. What we love about our Ethiopian naturals, is their fruity flavor intensity without having too much of acidity.

When entering the estate you walk into pristine forest. The nature is untouched and coffee grows wild. Bees and fruit trees are offering a great mix of crop and additional income when coffee is off season. At 2050 meter elevation we are way up in Ethiopias highlands with great temperature changes between day and night creating beautiful flavour profiles. Ever since we committed to Mohamed Ali, the farm has seen very good development. P1 quality grades went up from 20% to over 60% simply by having certainty on the buyer and fair pricing. Mohamed Ali invests in labour, selective picking, more drying beds and honey coffee production. The farm was also certified organic.
Strawberry and chocolate

Altitude: 2050 masl, Process: natural
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light
Julien Palomino, Colombia Julian Palomino and his wife Maria Teresa grow their Castillo plants at 2000 meters elevation - high up on the Colombian Massif that has great significance for water production, biodiversity and ecosystems in the region. Almost 80% of Finca El Progreso, their 5-hectare farm, is dedicated to growing coffee. The rest of the land operates as a sustainable forest reserve. High altitude, small size, and attentive farming all converge in creating a sweet, complex and refreshing cup.

This season the coffee is tasting incredibly sweet and balanced with notes of nougat and macadamia. We have a velvety body and a finish that has notes of cherry and dark chocolate.

We have been working with Julian and Maria Teresa for several years now, and we are always pleased to showcase their unique coffees. The couple has a background in agriculture, which helps them implement farm protocols and ensure the highest cup quality. Selective picking of ripe cherries, an extended 20-hour fermentation, and slow controlled drying are essential to a consistent and flavourful harvest. On El Progreso they live by the proverb “Coffee is a blessing and every effort you invest in it pays off”. We couldn’t agree more.
Cherry and nougat

Altitude: 2000 masl, Process: washed
Plus 87
Fazenda da Mata, Brazil We are thrilled to welcome back Fazenda Da Mata for another season. The intense sweetness of this coffee from Adonis’ “forest farm” is the result of very slow maturation of the cherries. We selected this lot for its creamy notes of macadamia and caramel, with vibrancy in the cup coming the form of ripe stonefruits. The body is smooth and the finish is long and has rich notes of praline. The farm benefits from a very distinct microclimate. The unusually cool evenings allow for prolonged maturation of the coffee cherries. This extended maturation increases the density of organic material resulting in a sweeter more complex cup.

Adonis is one of our eldest farmers we work with at 74 but one of the most energetic nonetheless. His farm, Fazenda da Mata, is a 50 hectare farm which covers an entire mountain side. He enthusiastically drives up and down the steep farm in his 1980 jeep checking the development of each varietal and always excited to try something new.

Fazenda Da Mata is a vertical farm, the bottom part of the farm sits at 900masl and the top just under 1400masl. It is on the mountain range called Mantiqueira Mountains in Brazil and comes from a Volcanic originating soil. In Portuguese ‘Da Mata’ means ‘of the forest’ and this name suits as it has a large part of protected rainforest dispersed throughout the farm. As one visits the farm with Adonis driving up and down in his jeep you can feel the change in temperature as the jeep climbs. Over his many years of farming, Adonis has invested in terracing his fields making farm-work in part mechanizable and more efficient.
Chocolate and macademia

Altitude: 1200 - 1400 masl, Process: natural
Selected Mix
La Colina, Guatemala This is the first year working with Antonio Medina who runs La Colina. This coffee definitely stood out on our cupping table with flavours of milk chocolate, citrus and macadamia. The cup is well balanced with body and acidity in harmony. In the cooling, the coffee lingers with notes of cranberry and nougat. La Colina convinces with a unique cup profile.

Grown at 1700 metres, our coffee is a blend of two classic old world varietals: Caturra and Bourbon. It was sun-dried on patios. La Colina translates into “The Hill”, named after the elevations of the land. Initially, Antonio planted only basic grains like corn and beans. But he also tells that it has always been his dream to have a coffee farm. In 1991, the first coffee tree was planted. Slowly but surely, Antonio increased the number of trees and the production capacity.
Milk chocolate and citrus

Altitude: 1700 masl, Process: washed
Selected Mix, Single / Light
El Marcelo, Colombia Coming soon Coming soon Plus 87

Is there a Mr Reindl? Contrary to popular belief no, it’s not a person. Across the street from their first Café stands the Viennese traffic construction Schottentor, which is the inspiration for their name. Major Franz Jonas had it built in 1961. The word 'Reindl' is Viennese for an oval cooking pan. Since this tram station resembles a Reindl’s shape, the locals dubbed it 'Jonas Reindl'. Striving to create a unique coffee experience by offering distinct flavours and aromas and by providing transparency from bean to cup, Jonas Reindl are certainly Austrian favourites.

Jonas Reindl Coffees  |  Austria

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
El Porvenir, Guatemala Coming soon Citrus notes, red berries and nectarine

Altitude: 1800 masl, Process: washed
Plus 87, Rest of World, Selected Mix, Single / Light
Finca Los Alpes, Nicaragua Finca Los Alpes is a coffee farm located in the Cerro Kilambé natural reserve in the district of Jinotega in Nicaragua. The untouched cloud forest surrounding it is 1800 metres above sea-level and offers the ideal terroir for coffee cultivation. The Caturra and Tipica varieties grow in the shade of the jungle and their taste benefits from the enormous bio-diversity of the area as well as the altitude.

All cherries are picked by hand, only when they are ripe. After the fully-washed processing the coffee seeds are transported to the Beneficio, a coffee processing plant, on the backs of donkeys. They are the only mode of transportation that can navigate the difficult three-hour track through the jungle.

Our founder Philip Feyer has journeyed to see this fascinating place for himself and to learn from the farmers first-hand. The producer Ulrich Salamun, an Austrian operating several coffee farms in Nicaragua, is a welcoming host. He has devoted himself to sustainable farming and Direct-Trade with partners willing to pay a premium for quality. He has made long-term investments in regional coffee culture, development of school projects, counselling for other farmers and more. We are very proud of this coffee and its transparent supply chain.
Dark chocolate, nougat, almonds and citrus acidity, creamy and full-bodied mouthfeel

Altitude: 1700 - 1800 masl, Process: washed
Plus 87, Rest of World
El Derrumbe, Nicaragua Coming soon Dark grapes, plum, rum and cocoa

Altitude: 1380 masl, Process: natural
Plus 87, Rest of World, Selected Mix
Gakurari AA, Kenya TGatunyu Kigio Farmers Cooperative Society (FCS) is headquartered in the Gatanga sub-county of Murang’a County. The society was registered on November 20, 1995. This coffee from Kenya is a blend of SL28 and SL34 varieties grown by the Gatunyu Kigio Farmers in Muranga. In the cup, we taste warm and exciting notes of sparkling lemon, sweet lime pie, juicy yellow plum and apricot and sun dried tomato with the sweetness lingering a moment longer.

The catchment area of the society includes two rivers called Gatunyu and Kigio from which the waters are used for coffee processing. The coffee itself comes from Muranga County on the foothills of the Aberdare range and is grown at approximately 1750-1850m ASL in red volcanic soils rich in organic matter. This leads to a distinct character of the coffee and a unique cup profile.
Lemon, key lime pie, yellow plum, apricot and sun dried tomato

Altitude: 1750 - 1850 masl, Process: washed
Plus 87
Cemorrado, Brazil Coming soon Hazelnut, maple syrup, milk chocolate and smooth body

Altitude: 1250 masl, Process: natural
Selected Mix, Blend / Darker

Right Side is an award-winning roaster located in Barcelona, made up of a team who set out upon their own path in 2012. What surrounds them affects and inspires the team, which is why Barcelona plays an essential role in the way they carry out their professional day-to-day work.

True to Spanish cuisine, Right Side understand that they are cooks with a single ingredient, constantly seeking to improve their raw materials through direct contact with the producers they work with. Their efforts have defined their roasting technique and has led Right Side to be roasting champions in Spain in all the editions held, or to prepare coffees for the best baristas in their country in recent years. Right Side also have a world semi-finalist in the Aeropress championship.

Right Side Coffees  | Spain

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
Jagwan AA, Kenya Complex aromas of tropical and forest fruits with floral and spicy touches of star anise. In the mouth, a feast of flavours and very juicy. Notes of startfruit or carambola, orange and redcurrant. Delicate hints of aniseed and white rose. A delight. Orange, starfruit, anise and currant

Process: washed
Plus 87, Rest of World
H Contreras Mystic #1, Colombia Intense aromas of watermelon, vanilla and mango. In the mouth, it presents itself as a very complex coffee with notes of tropical fruits such as papaya and mango complemented by strawberry and watermelon. A bomb of flavours. Watermelon, strawberry and papaya

Process: natural
Plus 87, Rest of World
Santa Rosa, El Salvador Aromas of tangerine, cherry and honey. In the mouth it is a bright and very dense coffee, with notes of cherry, champaigne and honey. Long cocoa finish. Cherry, champagne, honey and cocoa

Process: washed
Plus 87, Rest of World, Single / Light
Elver Novoa, Colombia Aromas of caramel, tropical fruits, white chocolate and spices. In the mouth it is a very juicy coffee, with good balance and body. Notes of pineapple, green apple and vanilla. Very sweet and creamy. Long and lingering caramel and toasted almond finish. Pineapple, vanilla, caramel and almonds

Process: honey natural
Plus 87, Rest of World
Ananías Silvestre, Colombia Aromas of yellow fruits, honey and kiwi. In the mouth it behaves like a very complex and extravagant coffee, extremely juicy and pleasant in the mouth. Notes of pineapple, apple and green tea. Lingering macadamia nut finish. Yellow fruit, green tea and macadamia

Process: washed
Selected Mix, Plus 87, Single / Light
Chiapas, Mexico Sweet aromas of biscuit and candy. On the palate, dense, sweet coffee with notes of milk chocolate, malt and caramel. Biscuit, milk chocolate, malt and caramel

Process: EA decaf
Decaf

At Old Spike, they're committed to ensuring everyone who comes through their doors leaves with a better story than the one they came in with. Whether that's by offering those affected by homelessness tangible ways to gain new skills and a job, or by serving a customer a delicious, socially conscious cup of coffee, they want to create meaningful social impact.

Old Spike began their journey in 2014 when they launched their cafe and roastery space at their very fist site on Peckham Rye. Old Spike were the first speciality coffee roastery operating as a social enterprise and have since been at the forefront of using coffee as a vehicle for social change. This model has served them well and they have since grown to now reside just round the corner at their state-of-the-art SCA Campus.

Old Spike Coffees  |  UK

Coffee Story Notes & Essentials Packages
Decaf, Colombia Over recent years, the quality of decaffeinated coffee has come on leaps and bounds. With the same care and attention decaf's caffeinated counterpart receives, we are now seeing some decaf coffees surpass quality scores and grades of caffeinated coffee. Shady and Elias Bayter of Forest Coffee and El Vergel are not only no exception to this, but instead are also champions in the field of producing exceptional decaffeinated coffee. This lot is processed following a method we know as EA Washed.

EA is a method native to Colombia by using fermented molasses from domestically grown sugar cane. This means the coffee is harvested, pulped and washed in the exact same way as our regular El Vergel, with a final step of adding water and steam to the coffee. This causes the beans to swell which allows the fermented molasses to dissolve the caffeine. Totally natural, just how we like it. El Vergel speaks for itself as one of the best decaf coffees around. You can expect a light sugar cane sweetness on the nose with roasted hazelnut and a long, creamy milk chocolate finish.
Sugar, hazelnut and milk chocolate

Altitude: 1450 masl, Process: EA decaf
Decaf
Arnhem Blend, Peru, Ethiopia Our Arnhem Blend is named after a city in the Netherlands. Back in 2014 we bought our first roaster, a refurbished Probat, from a small village just outside Anhem. This blend pays tribute to the start of our journey.

The Arnhem Blend will change seasonally but will always be full of fruity flavors and sweetness. Perfect with or without milk.
Red berries, caramel and milk chocolate

Altitude: 1650 - 2050 masl, Process: washed, natural
Blend / Darker
El Vergel, Colombia Our second relationship coffee sees us sourcing from our friends in Colombia, Shady and Elias Bayter of El Vergel. Situated in the mountainous department of Tolima, El Vergel sits atop the inactive volcano on the Piedra Grand Trail - benefitting from a unique microclimate and localised volcanic terroir.

The farm is managed by the Bayter brothers, Shady and Elias, and their mother, Marta. The brothers have been farming since their childhood, following their parent’s footsteps, who started growing avocados and conventional coffee back in 1995. Since then, El Vergel became known as one the largest producers in their region, leading them to provide economic growth to hundreds who worked with the farm.

El Vergel Estate has been producing a variety of coffees and experimenting with new and innovative processing techniques based on the coffee’s density, genetics, and other characteristics. This lot is one of the easiest drinkers we've ever been lucky enough to come across. A honey-like sweetness and crisp apple-acidity gives way to a long milk chocolate finish.
Green apple, honey and milk chocolate

Altitude: 1450 masl, Process: washed
Selected Mix, Single / Light
Izuba, Burundi Izuba meaning “sun” in Kirundi, is located in Runinya, Kabarore Commune, of Kayanza Province. The Izuba washing station is set close to a nearby river, providing a vital and regular freshwater source for coffee processing. Kigeri, Ryamukona, and Mugoyi are the three hills surrounding Izuba and the three areas in which coffee is collected or delivered from. Each volume of cherry sold to Izuba is recorded by producer and hillside, showing the minute variances in profile from locations surrounding the washing station.

Izuba currently produces washed coffees and is actively developing both honey and natural processed lots, which will become larger in volume this year. Washed coffees are fermented for around 12 hours and dried for an average of 20 days. Naturals take around 30 days of drying time. We were lucky enough to be able to purchase this year's natural from the Mugoyi hill. A sweet and creamy cup with a bright raspberry and dried apricot notes.
Blackcurrant, raspberry, caramel and yoghurt

Altitude: 1500 masl, Process: natural
Selected Mix, Single / Light
Adola, Ethiopia Coming soon Blackberry, white chocolate and creamy

Process: natural
PLus 87

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GUSTATORY Curation TeamJuly 06, 2022