Tasting Notes: March 2022 Coffees
A tribute to coffee, the name Goat Story was inspired by the famous myth of coffee that was discovered by a flock of goats in Ethiopia. Goat Story have made it their mission to source speciality coffee from the best origins and carefully profiling the roast to bring you the best coffee experience.
With a team of coffee professionals as much as product engineers, Goat Story are equally obsessed with designing top-notch products to help their fans discover all the flavours and experiences a coffee bean has to offer. Launching various brewing products of their own, such as their GINA, ARCO and GOAT Mug, you might just have seen these on an Instagram account near you.
Goat Story Coffees | Slovenia
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Placeres, Nicaragua | There's always that one coffee that just hits the spot anytime, anywhere. With this rich Nicaraguan natural you're well served in the morning as a flat white, a smooth gentle filter for your coffee break and a shot of espresso after lunch. All that while it's cold brewing in your fridge ... Nice job by Finca Los Placeres that is one of the oldest farms owned by the legendary Mierisch family. Los Placeres is the oldest farm under the Fincas Mierisch umbrella and it is their only farm that is Rainforest Alliance certified, and also our only farm that has cattle on it. With a total area of around 270 hectares, it is also their largest farm. 28 hectares are protected areas where no deforestation or hunting are allowed in order to protect the local flora and fauna. Thge owners of the farm have made a commitment to planting additional trees each year, which will aid the coffee plants with shade and wind reduction, in addition to attracting more wildlife to the area. Los Placeres is also ground zero for a new planting technique. The trees are planted closer together, but increasing the distance between each row, in order to increase the amount of plants in a single hectare. That also enables more airflow and sunlight, which results in more sugar concentration and more uniformity in the ripening process. The farm also uses natural soil enhacement techniques by planting “brachiaria,” a local plant. All of this leads to more efficient and effective harvesting. An important aspect is also that they do not add any sort of chemicals to any plants that are within 5 meters (around 16 feet) from any source of water. Any water they use during the wet mill processing is recycled in one of their biodigesters in order to make sure that it is not contaminated. Los Placeres is also home to the largest nursery for all the Fincas Mierisch farms and also their grafting instalations. Grafting is the process of splicing an Arabica variety (top part) to the roots of a Robusta variety. The reason for this is that Robusta’s root system is more ... well ... robust. Since they have longer roots they can more nutrients, and more effectively, than a Arabica. Therefore, the farm gains the benefit of the grafted Arabica tree being sturdier, more resistant to diseases (not completely however), and it does not affect the cup profile of the Arabica. They have been grafting on their own for over 9 years now, and it has become a cornerstone of their operations. All the new lots/plants since that time have Robusta roots. The farm also grows a few Robusta trees but just for seed/root stock. |
Orange, plum and tangerine Altitude: 840 - 970 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Finca El Socorro, Guatemala | A coffee for any true espresso lover! Sweet and fruity when the shot hits your taste buds that turns to smooth and chocolaty and finishes off with a funky champagne buzz. Oh and it also makes for an epic full filter coffee! Juan Diego de la Cerda, owner of Finca el Socorro, lives up to his company name "El Socorro - seriously amazing coffee". Finca el Socorro stands for excellent quality worldwide and has already received numerous awards: 1st place at Cup of Excellence 2020 and 2011, SCAA Coffee of the Year Award 2011, 1st place at Cup of Excellence 2007 and a few more. Finca el Socorro is one of the three farms of Juan Diego de la Cerda. Diego mainly grows varieties such as Java, Red and Yellow Bourbon, Yellow Caturra, Maracaturra, Pacamara, Purpuracea and Geisha. For this year's end-of-year limited edition coffee whe chose the red bourbon natural from the farm and we have just two words about this coffee: epic espresso. But it'll be just as epic no matter how you brew it. |
Black cherry, blackberry, honey, milk chocolate, sage and champagne Altitude: 1900 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Ajere, Ethiopia | This juicy Yirgacheffe coffee is a tasty result of special care when producing this coffee at the Ajere washing station. And after we apply the magic touch of a gentle roast, you'll be treated with one of the best Ethiopian washed coffees right now. Ajere washing station was founded in 1998 by Amare Tesema. Today, between 800 and 850 smallholder farmers deliver their cherries to the Ajere washing station, which has a size of 1,9 ha. It is located in Gedeo Zone which has borders with the zones of Guji to the east, Borena to the south and west and Sidama to the north. It supports the local community school e.g., with the construction of new classrooms so it makes a great impacto to the locla community. But there is more to Ajere, because the coffee is really produced with special care. While the coffee is sun dried, it is turned and raked preiodically for consisten drying and covered during hottest part of the day to protect from mid-day sun and during the night to protect it from rainfall and moisture. And the result is a spectacular sweet and fragrant cup of coffee. |
Jasmine, lavender, apricot, honey and floral Altitude: 1950 masl, Process: washed |
Rest of World |
| Fazenda São José, Brazil | What happens when you love the flavor of coffee but can't handle the caffeine? You go decaf! Fazenda São José was founded in 1958 by Orostrato Olavo Silva Barbosa and is family-owned ever since. The Barbosa family is strongly committed to sustainability and high-quality standards. The coffee farm is located in the Guaxupé region, one of the most important regions for coffee production, also known as “Montanhas cafeeiras” (coffee mountains). The region offers perfect growing conditions thanks to the slightly tropical climate and the hilly landscape and this wonderful natural really shows the work that the Barbosa family puts into their coffees. The coffee is decaffeinated using an all-natural CO2 decaffeination process. It's not magic. It's actually science. | Caramel, dark chocolate, grapefruit and peanuts Altitude: 900 masl, Process: CO2 decaf natural |
Decaf |
| Sul de Minas, Brazil | GThe Brazil Sul de Minas is a no-brainer for all coffee lovers who respect a classic cup that actually tastes like coffee but without the burnt flavor of dark roasted coffees. When you'll open this bag of coffee, you'll notice something very different! These coffee beans are the cutes you have ever seen! A little rounder, a little smaller, a whole lot cuter than your regular coffee beans. Here's why - this year we came across a lot of very special type of Brazilian coffee – peaberry. And what's so special about it? A peaberry happens when a natural mutation occurs inside the coffee cherry. Normally every cherry contains two coffee seeds (or as we call them – beans) that are flat against each other. Much like two halves of a peanut. But something funny happens with about 5% of the coffee grown in the world. A coffee cherry produces a single child instead of twins. And you know how it is - a single child gets a bit more spoiled by not having to share anything with a sibling. And because a peaberry coffee gets all the love that is usually given to coffee twins, these beans tend to be sweeter and packed with more flavor than standard coffee beans. Now usually peaberries are mixed with regular beans in Brazilian coffees. So when we came across a selected range of peaberry beans from Brazil, we of course went all-in and here it is: the Brazil peaberry from one of the most famous coffee growing regions in the world, Sul de Minas. |
Hazelnut, dark chocolate and grape Altitude: 950 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix, Blend / Darker |
A true thirdwave microroastery, Nero Scuro only roast the finest micro-lots. Founded on a simple concept, Nero Scuro never roast anything that does not excite them or that they would not be pleased to drink ourselves.
Coffee is their passion, they import, roast with two different custom profiles (espresso and filter), and strictly follow the seasonality from the different origins. As a micro-roastery, the way Nero Scuro operate is both simple and rare: they roast no more than four kilograms per batch, and do this only after a customer has placed an order to ensure freshness and quality. Spending countless hours perfecting the roasting profile of each coffee before adding it to their collection, Nero Scuro are proud to use an approach to roasting that has not acquiesced to faster, less expensive methods or to the practice of producing high volumes to decrease costs.
With a goal of suppling coffees that allow their consumers to experience the full flavours and aromas typical of each region they comes from, Nero Scuro take pride in the success they have achieved in this endeavor.
Nero Scuro Coffees | Italy
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mekuria Merga Gedeb, Ethiopia | A sweet and juicy washed Ethiopia from Yirgacheffe, with flavour notes of apricot, cranberry and vanilla. A delicate aroma of florals and ripe fruits, with earl grey tea-like characteristics. Mekuria Merga Gedeb is a washing station near the town of Banko Gotiti in the Yirgacheffe region. It is named after its owner, Mekuria Merga. It boasts a proven experience in preparing very high-quality, Grade 1 specialty coffee. Mekuria, a highly respected coffee professional with 23 years of industry experience, owns three washing stations, two in the Yirgacheffe and one in the Guji area. Mekuria in 2018 established its own export company, named "Wete Ambela," to export the coffee prepared by its washing stations. Mekuria employs a total of 65 people in its washing stations and export office. The Gedeb station prepares less than six containers of coffee each year, of which about half are washed. The coffee cherries, freshly harvested strictly by hand, are rigorously examined to remove the unripe or overripe ones before being delivered to the washing station for processing. Mekuria generally pays a bonus, well above market prices, for high-quality cherries. Skin and pulp are immediately mechanically removed at the washing station using a depulper. The first fermentation takes place in water for 72 hours, then the cherries are washed and again selected by density. A subsequent maceration in clean water for 12 hours precedes the drying phase, carried out on raised beds for 12-15 days. During this phase, the beans are continuously turned and covered in the hottest hours of the day and night. |
Apricot, cranberry, vanilla and floral Altitude: 1950 - 2000 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Finca Loma Linda, Santa Ana, El Salvador | The first specialty micro-lot from El Salvador we present this year comes from the plantations of the Salaverria family with notes of peach, ripe fruits, vanilla, creamy. This is the first specialty micro-lot from El Salvador we present this year. It comes from the plantations of the Salaverria family, which has been growing coffee for six generations in the Volcan de Santa Ana area. The Salaverrias are well-known for producing specialty coffee micro-lots of the highest quality. Over 60% of their production is Rainforest certified. Salaries paid to staff are well above the local average, and most of the employees are full-time. The limited use of seasonal labor increases the team skills and consequently the quality and consistency of the lots. Finca Loma Linda is one of the farms managed by Jose Antonio Salaverria and his two sons, Andres and Jose Antonio, the youngest. The lot we purchased is composed of 100% Bourbon varietal grown at 1500 meters above sea level. The coffees of the Salaverria plantations are all processed for their beneficio (central mill). They bought Beneficio Las Cruces in 1990 and have made significant improvements since then. This micro-lot was prepared according to the natural process: the cherries were strictly hand-picked only when perfectly ripe, and their color was exactly blood red, intense and uniform. The cherries were then dried on raised beds. The favorable weather conditions and the dry and never too hot climate slowed down the drying phase and allowed perfect control of fermentation. The cherries were turned regularly, several times per day, to ensure the most uniform dry out. The resulting coffee has a spotless and complex profile in the cup. This micro-lot has all the aromatic traits typical of every remarkable classic lot from El Salvador. Full of sweet flavors resembling peach, ripe fruits, vanilla, this coffee is soft and creamy with delicious sensations on the palate. |
Peach, fruits, vanilla, creamy Altitude: 1500 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix, Single / Light, Plus 87 |
| Finca El Triunfo, Honduras | This intense Honduras went through a 90h anaerobic maceration: heavy and creamy body with notes of cherry jam, orange zest, and cocoa nibs. Luis Beltran Alvarado Molina is the owner of El Triunfo, a small 10 hectare farm at 1200masl in the LasPacayas area of Corquin, Copan. Luis studied agronomy at the university and worked for several years to improve coffee production using innovative agronomy techniques. Over the last years, he focused on the cherry selection and saw a massive quality improvement. He also started working with the Aruco Co-op mill to experiment with new preparations. Once each microlot is delivered to the mill, cherries are assessed using their sugar content. Luis and the mills' experts decide on the best preparation process for each specific coffee. All the processing takes place at the Aruco mill to have greater control and consistent procedures, and reduce the risk for the producer. The mill is also at 800masl, giving a more stable climate to dry the coffee, than up at the farms where the weather can be less predictable. This lot has been naturally macerated for 90 hours before being dried on raised beds. The cherries are cleaned, washed, and then floated to remove any immatures. Then they are placed into sealed barrels to create an environment without oxygen for the cherry to ferment and macerate. The barrel temperature is continuously monitored and kept around 22-25C in the shade. After 90 hours, the coffee is layered over raised beds. It is dried for 30 days and turned hourly to avoid unwanted fermentations. |
Cherry jam, orange zest and chocolate Altitude: 1200 masl, Process: 90h anaerobic maceration |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Faisel Abdosh Nensebo, Ethiopia | An outstanding natural from a privately-owned washing station in the small village of Werka, a flavour-intense coffee with notes of dried fruits, vanilla and pineapple. This outstanding coffee comes from a privately-owned washing station in the small village of Werka, in the Nensebo district of Sidamo. The total yearly production is only six containers of specialty grade coffee, three of which are processed using a fully washed approach, and three using a natural one, as the coffee proposed here. Faisel Abdosh is the owner of seven washing stations, as well as the owner of the export business. He was joined by his cousin Adam in 2014. Adam used to live in Texas and he moved to Ethiopia to be involved in the family’s growing business. They believe focus on each block of their operation is essential to achieve excellence. The Lot #1 is composed of handpicked cherries delivered by several smallholders, who carry tiny daily amounts of Ethiopian Heirloom cherries to the station. Most farmers in the area grow their coffee organically on tiny plots of land, 2-5 hectares in size. Coffee is grown to be sold, but the farmers also grow other produce to feed their families or sell at the market. This lot has been prepared according to a dry process (natural).This apparently simple process requires that the cherries, harvested strictly by hand, are placed on raised beds to ferment. They stay there until the residual moisture reaches the desired value, typically between 10% and 12%. However, the cherries must be placed in very thin layers, ideally composed of single cherries, as well as turned several times a day to expose all sides of the same to the sun and obtain a homogeneous fermentation process. Finally, it is necessary to cover the cherries with plastic clothes during the hottest hours of the day and during the night to prevent inconsistent drying or accumulation of moisture that may cause unwanted fermentations or, worst, molds formation. Once the fermentation is complete, the now dried skins and the parchments are mechanically removed to obtain the green coffee beans, which are packaged in GrainPro bags, which are in turn stored in jute bags. |
Dried fruits, vanilla and pineapple Altitude: 1900 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| Chimaltenango La Colina Farm, Guatemala | a Colina's name, translated into "The Hill," is inspired by the elevations of land and hills on which the farm sits. The father of Tony Medina, who currently runs the farm, decided to name his farm this way after having inherited the plot from the dad.The farm has been with the Medina family for three generations, but coffee is somehow a new crop. Tony fulfilled his dream to work with coffee about thirty years ago, after he learned and gained experience from other growers on cultivating it, while producing beans and corn at the farm. The first coffee tree was planted in 1991. Slowly, but surely, Tony increased the number of trees and the production. After thirty years, Tony can say that his dream has come true: he learned that his perseverance pays off. Only one-quarter of the farm is used to grow the coffee. The rest, still pristine, is a natural reserve certified by the National Institution of Protection of Forests. Full of ancient cypresses, oaks, and pine trees, La Colina is also crossed by copious streams of freshwater used for coffee processing. The varietals at the farm are Caturra and Bourbon. This lot is composed of 100% Caturra varietal. Only ripe coffee cherries are hand-picked and processed immediately next to Tony's home, located in the middle of the farm. After de-pulping the coffee, it sees a 36-hour dry fermentation heaped in concrete tanks before being washed the traditional way, with collected natural spring water in long, narrow channels. Sundried on patios. |
Peach, almonds, sugar, buttery, citrus Altitude: 1700 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix |
| Yes Blend, Americas | The idea behind the Yes Blend is simple: to carefully select three single-estate Arabicas, mix them and develop a gentle roast profile to achieve a sweet and balanced espresso while preserving the basic traits of their original flavours. This is Nero Scuro’s take with a twist on the classic Italian espresso blend. Specialty grade beans from Brazil, with their classic sweet flavor, make a smooth, chocolaty espresso with a creamy body. A selected microlot from Guatemala adds subtle aromatic notes of sweet fruits, giving the espresso a lingering aftertaste. Origins: Brazil, Fazenda Do Salto natural, Sul De Minas (60%); Brazil, Pè de Cedro pulped natural, Pouso Alto (20%); Guatemala, La Colina fully washed, Chimaltenango (20%) The end result pays off: a blend of superior quality that we are proud to offer to our wholesale and retail customers. |
Raspberry jam, peach, nougat and floral Altitude: various, Process: natural and washed |
Selected Mix, Blend / Darker |
| Finca Villa Clabelina, Colombia | Hernan Prieto and his brother Eugenio co-own Finca Villa Clabelina, a coffee farm with 105,000 Caturra and Colombia trees, spread out over 22 hectares of the hillside in Ciudad Bolivar, Antioquia region of Colombia. The Villa Clabelina farm was planted with coffee more than fifty years ago.They are a part of the Coffee Growers Association, a group of farmers working together to improve their production protocols and methods, in order to produce high standard quality coffee, working with fair prices and environmentally sustainable practices. The group was started by Juan Saldarriaga, who has been conducting experimental processing at his family’s farms to produce improved and differentiated products. He has been sharing the skills he has developed with the group members. Sustainability is one of the main objectives, as they work to guarantee a product with high-quality standards while conserving the environment. Processing: All their coffee is collected in a manual way. This is an extended fermentation natural coffee, where the cherries have been fermented for 72 hours before the coffee was dried. They have been working with Juan Saldarriaga to improve their processing and processing facilities, building new and improved rooms for drying coffee in a controlled manner. This allowed them to also process honey and natural coffees beyond Colombia's famous washed lots. We love this lot for its sweet, berry-forward taste. |
Syrupy caramel, blueberry, red fruits and plum Altitude: 1510 - 1800 masl, Process: 72h extended fermentation |
Blend / Darker |
Explore, taste, repeat. One of Netherland's best known roasteries, day in and day out, Keen work *alot* with coffee; testing and approving roasting profiles, selecting new crops and roasting to perfection to share. At Keen, they always search for the best coffees and the most unique flavours, working directly with farmers, sampling their coffees through cuppings, selecting new crops, and supporting innovative projects to improve the quality of our coffees. Driven by innovation and obsessed with optimising coffee recipes, Keen are very much speciality coffee geniuses.
Keen have a dream of strengthening every link in the coffee chain; with direct trade Keen can better guarantee that their farmers are paid fairly and that they're doing their bit in making the coffee industry more equal. But ethics is not the only reason Keen support direct trade. Keen believe in a strong relationships between farmer, buyer and seller, in which together, they can take the quality of coffees to the next level.
Keen Coffees | Netherlands
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolichu Wachu, Ethiopia | Wolichu Wachi is the successor of our beloved Ye Genet. This coffee starts with strong notes of strawberry, finishes with a subtle hint of orange, and when you put your nose to it you’ll discover a yummy bergamot aroma. Oh, and we even found some notes of grapefruit and pineapple! Wolichu Wachu has a medium body, but is still super clean. These naturally processed beans comes from the Guij region in Ethiopia. The fruity flavours from the region and high altitude terrain combined with the funky, winey flavours from the natural process are always a hit. We love a clean natural coffee and Wolichu Wachu is a perfect start for Keen to start working directly with this Cooperative. Coffees from the Guij region are always super fruity and complex, in combination with the terrain’s high altitude, the great attention given during fermentation, and the bourbon variety you get a super clean coffee. This coffee gets its name from the indigenous Wolichu tree, known for its tall open canopy. The Wolichu is such a well known variety that it’s been described by Darwin and considered sacred at different points in time. |
Strawberry, bergamot and pineapple Altitude: 2100 - 2310 masl, Process: natural |
Plus 87 |
| Wibeti, Ethiopia | Aromatic, chocolatey, sweet, floral, fruity, fresh, bold, funky, juicy, silky, creamy, delicate… There almost aren’t enough words in the English language to describe the depths of Wibeti’s flavour profile. But we’ll try anyway. This coffee starts out with stone fruit-based flavour notes. During the cupping, we mainly sniffed out peaches, but there were also clear hints of Ceylon black tea and cardamom, which gave our nostrils a lovely tickle. Wibeti has a medium body (but feels good about it) and a juicy freshness that comes from the elaborate washing process. A true classic with all the flavours that you could possibly want from a washed Ethiopian coffee and more. Wibeti is a co-op of about 5,000 smallholders who use a watermill of the same name. Hence, the name of this fruity, floral coffee. We found Wibeti (the coffee, not the watermill) through our friend, Samuel Gebreselassie. Samuel started out as a picker, growing coffee trees in his backyard, but now he’s the manager of the Wibeti washing station that collects the coffee cherries from these 5,000 farmers. Coffees from the Yirgacheffe region have a super distinct flavour profile that comes from the high altitude, fertile red-brown clay, their washing method and long fermentation in water tanks. It’s because of this that people – us included – keep coming back for more. |
Peach, Ceylon tea, bergamot and milk chocolate Altitude: 1800 - 1900 masl, Process: washed |
Plus 87 |
| Jaguara, Brazil | Our first direct trade coffee and the best we’ve tried out of Brazil. We selected this coffee for its completely distinct flavour profile. The rare, fresh hit of lemon in Jaguara makes this beautiful coffee completely unique. You’ll also find a buttery, creamy body, caramel sweetness, and notes of deep chocolate. We visited this Jaguara farm, remotely located in Campo das Vertentes . The cold weather in the region slows the maturation of the coffee which brings it more sweetness and improves its overall quality, we’ve never tasted anything quite like it from Brazil! The Jaguara farm was started by three friends in 2001, when they planted the first coffee trees in the Campo das Vertentes region. The name of the farm originates from an important Quilombola community, named Jaguara. The farm is next to Sao Joao del Rei, famous for it’s gold extraction but with no history of coffee culture. This coffee from the Jaguara farm is our very first direct trade, and the best Brazilian coffee that we’ve ever tasted. |
Stone fruit, florals and citrus Altitude: 960 - 1040 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix, Single / Light, Plus 87 |
| Coipa Organic, Peru | Milk chocolate and vanilla set the tone in this incredibly smooth and creamy La Coipa. But if you thought this would be a one-note coffee, you’re sorely mistaken! Vanilla and chocolate make way for plum, followed by Darjeeling, crisp red apple, sweet caramel and a delicate floral finish. La Coipa makes for a complex and bright, clean cup with a creamy mouthfeel that has you wanting for more, always. La Coipa is a district in the San Ignacio province in Peru; a mountainous region in the very north of Peru, near the Ecuadorian border. It’s high altitude and climate make coffee production optimal here, resulting in coffees with mellow but complex flavours and a lovely creamy mouthfeel. We were impressed by La Coipa’s beautiful acidity, the bold yet smooth flavours and the floral finish. Plus, La Coipa ticks one more box on our wish list: it is 100% Organic! Hello to our newest Peruvian coffee! La Coipa is a wonderful lot coming from a collective production area of 35 families, run by Aroma del Valle, which is an association focused on improving coffee quality by enhancing drying practices. In 2019, Aroma del Valle provided materials for the construction of a larger drying space. The lot that was dried in that space ended up on the cupping table of Lisanne Oonk, trader from Cultivar with whom we’ve collaborated before to set up our direct trading relationship with Agua de Nieve. This project is the result of a collaboration with Lisanne Oonk. Lisanne, a trader from Cultivar, worked with the farmers to improve the quality of their coffees and bought their first harvests with her own savings. Her passion for this project is what made us confident to invest and work alongside her. We’re so proud to play a role in Peru’s specialty coffee revolution. |
Milk chocolate, vanilla, plum, red apple and caramel Altitude: 1650 - 1850 masl, Process: fully washed |
Plus 87, Rest of World |
| El Guayacan, Ecuador | If you are looking for a bean that has it all, you’ve found it here, friends. Upon your first sip, you’ll catch red apple and juicy pomegranate notes with a hint of cocoa nib. During the cupping, we also sniffed out some flowery, herbal notes, which give his coffee a lovely down-to-earth vibe and made us think that if Mother Nature was a coffee drinker, she would rave about this particular bean. El Guayacan finishes strong and fresh with delightfully acidic tangerine notes. All these flavours combined will make you want to live in a cottage in the forest, where your best friend is a squirrel and you shower in the rain. In the south of Ecuador, right on the border with Peru, you’ll find the municipality of Chinchipe. Chinchipe is surrounded by the green mountains of the Sabanilla mountain range and hugged tightly by the Sangola River. Amidst this picturesque scenery we find the farm of Darwin Gaona and his family, El Guayacan. Their farm is named after an old Guayacan tree that has stood the test of time and has been there for as long as anyone can remember. Darwin, his five brothers and their parents work together to produce these awesome beans, while also caring for the cattle they raise for milk and meat. Around five years ago, the family started to dabble in coffee farming on a little tucked-away corner of their farmland. They sold it here and there, but never realised that what they were selling was actually pretty darn special. Until, one day about a year ago, when they got a visit from PECA, who raved about the quality of their beans and informed them that their coffee had amazing specialty potential. Spurred on by this surprise, Darwin and his family have since made many improvements, such as more accurate farm management, processing practices and adding a wet mill. Even though their journey has just begun, we are along for the ride 100%, because Darwin and his family consistently produce awesome coffee with a friendly acidity and a juicy body that we simply can’t get enough of. |
Red apple, pomegranate, cocoa nibs and tangerine Altitude: 1660 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix, Single / Light |
| La Serrania Decaf, Colombia | The first decaf coffee to ever meet Keen standards. After blind cupping this delicious brew, we were shocked to learn that La Serrania was caffeine free. Because this natural EA decaf is processed with a byproduct from the local sugar cane industry, this coffee is super sweet and beautifully balanced. Grown at high altitude in Huila, La Serrania is decaffeinated with a mix of mountain water and the by-product of a local sugar cane factory. The natural Ethyl Acetate used has a very minimal impact on the flavor of the coffee compared to traditional methods, so the flavour notes still shine through after processing. Unlike most decafs that are moved across country, or even continents for processing, La Serrania is decaffeinated locally. Better for the environment, the farmers, and your taste buds! |
Watermelon, caramel and vanilla Altitude: 1500 - 1750 masl, Process: EA decaf |
Decaf |
Made in Oxford, Missing Bean became Central Oxford's first independently owned coffee shop in 2009. A small, passionate coffee team who oversee everything from sourcing, to roasting, working with wholesale clients, and making perfect coffees for all their customers, Missing Bean's coffee shops are equally laid-back and welcoming spots. All single origin specialty coffees, brewed just the way you like it.
Missing Bean Coffees | UK
| Coffee | Story | Notes & Essentials | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Doi Pangkhon, Thailand | Doi Pangkhon, in Chiang Rai, has 300 households and Beanspire has worked with each house individually on their processing and bought they parchment before hulling and grading at their mill. In order to increase quality, in the last 3 years there have been lots of developments in the processing facilities and upgrading equipment - even building a cupping lab for the farmers. | Plum, cherry and cacao nibs Altitude: 1500 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix, Single / Light, Plus 87 |
| Sueño, Mexico | The Chiapas region, located in southwest Mexico, is a highly contrasting landscape mixing coastal areas, valleys, mountains and tropical forests. It is one of the most important producing regions in Mexico benefitting from exceptional bioclimatic conditions. Its coffee plantations are generally family owned, and it is a region that boasts an extremely rich culinary, cultural and geographical diversity. | Hazelnuts, biscuit and cane sugar Altitude: 1200 - 1500 masl, Process: Swiss Mountain water washed |
Decaf |
| Khalid Shifa, Ethiopia | Khalid has managed the farm for several years with the same dedication as his father and grandfather before him. It unfolds in a rich environment, where Khalid and his brother seek to maintain biodiversity. They set up a nursery for the new coffee plants and built 31 African beds for drying coffee, 6 of which are exclusively reserved for the honey process. | Papaya, pineapple and honey Altitude: 2100 masl, Process: natural |
Selected Mix, Single / Light |
| Lalita, Honduras | It's a great honour for us to release yet another coffee from Fincas Mierisch. This year they won the cup of excellence in Honduras. A huge achievement that showcases the dedication and skill of these long time producers. | Mandarin, almond and cacao Altitude: 1450 - 1550 masl, Process: washed |
Selected Mix, Blend / Darker |
GUSTATORY (adjective): curating excellence in taste.