The month of love, and we certainly hope you will love these coffees! This month we have two origins that have not made an appearance in a while as single origin offerings: Brazil and Peru. First up we have a washed coffee from Peru sourced by Swift Coffee. For those of you who may remember Catalyst Coffee they were an importer that we loved working with before who specialized in fantastic Ethiopian lots. They have since shuttered that chapter and come back as Swift Coffee and we are thrilled to be working with Emily and the team again! The second coffee is a Brazil coffee sourced by Falcon Coffee, another importer that we have started working with to bring in some fantastic lots.

Medina Toro Washed

Medina Toro is a farmer who had recently joined the PAWQARA cooperative and is excited to see his coffee being showcased in North America.

From Swift Coffee:

“The PAWQARA co-op is truly a community of friends, neighbors, and families in the Chirinos district who have banded together to sell their coffee. Begun in 2022, the cooperative is centered around husband and wife partners Lily Heredia and Neptaly Santos, partnered with another husband and wife pair: Angel Noriega and Cati Simon of Mikel coffee. The third husband and wife pair to bring the project to fruition was Emily and Michael McIntyre of Swift Coffee Sourcing.

Tired of using great care to produce their coffees and then seeing the (often) variety-separated, high-end coffees go into regional blends at local cooperatives, the founders envisioned a powerful group led by women, for the betterment of the entire community.”

300g

Sourced by Swift Coffee

Origin:

Cajamarca, Peru
Producer: PAWQARA Co-op
Variety: Caturra
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1700-1800 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter

Reminds us of:

Peach, Pear, Dried fig, Black tea

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Rio Brilhante Tropicana Natural

Located in the Pântano micro-region of Minas Gerais, Fazenda Rio Brilhante benefits from a stable climate ideal for coffee production, particularly natural processed coffees. Founded by Inácio Urban in the 1980s, the farm has expanded to 1,600 hectares. Management utilizes advanced mechanical harvesting and density sorting to ensure lot consistency, while mahogany and grevillea trees protect plants from wind and preserve biodiversity. Now managed by the second generation of the Urban family, the estate produces an average of 130,000 bags annually. Rio Brilhante is globally recognized for its commitment to sustainability and quality, holding UTZ and Rainforest Alliance certifications while earning prestigious awards for ethics and traceability. By maintaining mandatory forest reserves and innovative agricultural practices, the farm exemplifies modern, responsible agribusiness in the Cerrado Mineiro region.

300g

Sourced by Falcon Coffees

Origin:

Minas Gerais, Brazil
Producer: Urban Family
Varieties: Catuai, Bourbon, Guara
Process: Natural
Elevation: 950-1050 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Espresso

Reminds us of:

Macadamia Nut, Prune, Candied Almond

-

We recommend Recipe B in our brew guide

Happy New Year! We're kicking things off with a washed Pink Bourbon from the producers behind the legendary farm Inmaculada along with another lovely natural Ethiopian from ALO coffee. We hope these hot coffees keep you all warm through this chilly month.

Alo Murago Adilo Natural

From Alo Coffee:

“Alo Coffee was born from a dream—and a leap of faith. For years, former university teacher and electrical engineer Tamiru worked in coffee, witnessing firsthand the challenges of an industry where quality was often overlooked and producers were struggling. Despite his experience, the frustrations of unfair pricing and undervalued labor left him hesitant to start his own venture. That changed in 2020, when Ethiopia held its first-ever Cup of Excellence (CoE) competition a revelation that proved exceptional coffee could be celebrated and rewarded. Together with his wife, Messi, Tamiru set out with a singular mission: to prove that Sidama’s finest coffees could stand among the world’s best. In 2021, against all odds, their very first submission—a meticulously processed lot from their home village of Alo in Bensa—won Ethiopia’s Cup of Excellence, cementing their belief that dedication, not just tradition, shapes greatness.”

The JARC 74158 varietal is a native Ethiopian coffee developed by the Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) in 1979 for disease resistance and its "intriguing sweetness." This varietal is known for white floral aromas, honey, brown sugar, and fruit notes like peach and apricot. Alo's process includes handpicking ripe cherries, immediate flotation and depulping, and shade drying on raised beds to 10.8% moisture.

300g

Direct trade with Alo Coffee

Origin:

Bensa, Sidama, Ethiopia
Producer: Tamiru Tadesse
Variety: 74158
Process: Natural
Elevation: 2380-2470 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter

Reminds us of:

Floral, Honeydew, Riesling

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Inmaculada Fellows Pink Bourbon Washed

With their impeccable processing and innovative horticulture with varieties like geisha, sudan rume and eugenoides, the Holguin family have had repeat showings on the world stage of coffee. 

This coffee is part of a relatively new series offered by Inmaculada Farms. Their Fellows' Farms series is a project where they partner with local smallholder farms to purchase their coffee cherries. A higher premium is paid for the cherries and then Inmaculada processes them with their expertise and infrastructure. This helps Inmaculada scale up their volume bring these coffees to a wider international audience while providing a price premium to help these farms benefit from their quality work.

This coffee was first floated to remove unripe cherries before being washed. It is then carefully dried before being held in Grainpro. It is subsequently milled and sealed just before exporting to ensure and maintain quality.

300g

Sourced with Inmaculada Farms with logistics help from Forest Coffee

Origin:

Pichindé, Colombia
Producer: Holguin Family
Varieties: Pink Bourbon
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1700-2000 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter

Reminds us of:

Hibiscus, Blackberries, Plum

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Coffee from the Balladarez family is here! The Balladarez family have been coffee producers for three generations and today Luis carries that legacy. Each year his farms always produces incredible coffees that continue to rank amongst the top 10 of the Cup of Excellence competition.

Long time friends of this subscription might have been starting to worry we might have forgotten about this... but rest assured, we have not. Our longest standing direct trade relationship with Luis Balladarez continues to be one we cherish deeply and thus a fitting set of coffees to wrap up the year strong.

Cheers and Happy Holidays from Hatch!

Un Regalo de Dios Pacamara Natural

Pacamara is a variety that resulted from the cross breeding of the giant Maragogype variety (elephant bean) and the Pacas variety. Pacamara is well known for its high cup quality potential, often dominating Cup of Excellence competitions with incredible flavours and quality. This coffee variety is often identifiable by its large size and oblong seed shape.

300g

Direct trade with the Balladerez Family

Origin:

Mozonte, Nicaragua
Producer: Luis Alberto Balladarez Moncada
Varieties: Pacamara
Process: Natural
Elevation: 1500-1800 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter - Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Grape, Berries, Vanilla

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Un Regalo de Dios Java Natural

From World Coffee Research:

“As indicated by the name, the variety was introduced to the island of Java directly from Ethiopia by the Dutch in the early 19th century. It was originally thought to be a Typica selection. In the mid-20th century, it was brought to Cameroon by a local farmer via the Vilmorin company, which acquired the seeds in Java from Porteres (a famous breeder). In Cameroon, the breeder Pierre Bouharmont observed that it was partially tolerant to coffee berry disease (CBD), a prevalent problem for coffee growers in Africa, and well adapted for smallholder growers using few inputs. After nearly 20 years of selection, it was released for cultivation in Cameroon in 1980-90. Even so, genetic fingerprinting of molecular markers has revealed that Java is a selection from an Ethiopian landrace population called Abysinia.”

300g

Direct trade with the Balladerez Family

Origin:

Mozonte, Nicaragua
Producer: Luis Alberto Balladarez Moncada
Varieties: Java
Process: Natural
Elevation: 1500-1800 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter - Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Tropical Fruit, Toffee, Hazelnut

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

As a note, the roasting of the coffees for the advent calendar were done on the last week of October and first week of November. The roasting order does not necessarily match the order that the coffees are placed in the calendar. Our head of coffee specifically chose certain coffees to roast first or later based on how they will age and keeping in mind that people will brew them in order starting on Dec. 1

We opted to not include flavour notes as some of these coffees have had their profiles modified to be roasted on the Stronghold vs the Loring and will develop differently as a result.

The return of a Burundi we have had in the past and a new Panama coffee (that is not geisha!) from the fine folks at Selva coffee. 

Incuti Bourbon Washed

A lovely example of a sweet washed coffee from Burundi. This was a lot from JNP Coffee’s Burundi-on-the-Road cupping.

From JNP Coffee:

“Grown near a high-altitude rainforest among tea, banana, bean and cassava plants, these exceptional coffee cherries are new to the JNP Coffee family. In Kirundi, ‘incuti’ means relative, but it can also mean friend. One man learned of JNP Coffee’s Dushime\u2122 premium program from friends in another province and sought us out for his group of coffee farmers.”

The Dushime\u2122 program is where farmers are paid a secondary premium on top of their original price based on the global sales performance of their crop.

Sourced with JNP Coffee

300g

Origin:

Kayanza Province, Burundi
Producer: Incuti Washing Station
Variety: Bourbon
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1900 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Plum, Apricot, Marzipan

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Entre Pinos Caturra Washed

From Selva Coffee:

"Café Entre Pinos comes from Alto Tribaldos in Bambito, Chiriquí, Republic of Panama, at an average altitude of 1,700 meters above sea level, with a microclimate that consistently helps produce exceptionally high-quality coffee with multiple international awards. The coffee is harvested and processed with the highest quality standards by the finest professionals in the area.

This coffee has been produced since 1977, when Don Iván Jurado Tribaldos acquired the farm and applied his knowledge from the rum industry to the production of high-quality coffee. Today, his family continues his legacy and dedication to improving the quality of the coffee every day and producing, with passion, the best coffee.”

300g

Direct trade with Selva Coffee

Origin:

Bambito, Chiriqui, Panama
Producer: Jurado Family
Variety: Caturra
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1700 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

White Floral, Fuji Apple, Panela

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

TNT Lab is a coffee processing project with the vision of creating a mill dedicated to special Geisha lots. The founders, Adrián Villarreal and Alfonso Cheung, share the same philosophy of combining experimental and natural techniques to bring out the best each coffee. Their goal is to collaborate with the incredible producers of panama, especially with those who may not be widely known but have spent years and generations cultivating their farms. Working together, they combine the producers' hard work with innovative processing techniques to create coffees that are distinctive and exceptional.

The pair of coffees we have this quarter come from the same farm but has been processed with two different methods by TNT Lab.

Bambito Verde Farm

The coffee cherries were sourced from Marcel & Iris Miranda at Bambito Verde Farm. This region, nestled near the Volcán Barú, is world-famous for its rich volcanic soils and unique microclimates that are ideal for producing Geisha coffees. The farm itself sits at a high altitude of 1850 meters above sea level where the cooler temperatures cause the coffee cherries to mature more slowly. This allows for a greater concentration of complex sugars and acids within the bean, resulting in a raw product with exceptional potential.

TNT Lab: Guarapo - Cold Fermentation Honey

Origin: Bambito, Chiriqui, Panama

This lot is fermented as a honey process, spending 4 days in a tank with its mucilage at a stable, cold 16°C. It then undergoes a long, slow 20-day drying period in a cold room (also 16°C) before a 4-day warm greenhouse finish. This method produces notes of jasmine, guava, melon, peach, and honey.

TNT Lab: Flower Machine - Cold Fermentation Washed

Origin: Bambito, Chiriqui, Panama

This Geisha lot first undergoes a 2-day natural fermentation before being depulped for a washed fermentation, all maintained at 16°C. It is then dried for 15 days in a 21°C cold room, followed by 5 days in a warm greenhouse. This precise technique yields elegant notes of honeysuckle, yuzu, apricot, and oolong.

With the cooler weather coming in, we have a coffee with a bit more warmth to keep you cozy in the brisk mornings. We have a catuai red honey from Costa Rica that has an apples and nuts profile with a lovely brown sugar sweetness to suit the Fall season. To pair with and offer a brigher contrast we have a continuation of Elto Coffee, this time as a washed offering! 

Vara Blanca Red Honey

From Selva Coffee:

"Under the leadership of father, Ernesto José Valverde Solís, this family business, Vara Blanca handles every step of production, from planting and harvesting to processing in their own micro-mill.Their processing techniques include washed, honey, and natural methods, with infrastructure improvements like raised drying beds and a solar dryer, and careful cherry selection—sometimes requiring up to five pickings during a harvest to ensure only perfectly ripe cherries. Coffees from Vara Blanca are noted for their vibrant and nuanced flavor profiles: sweetness, bright acidity, fruit notes, and often creamy or nutty undertones—attributes accentuated by altitude, varietal choice (such as Catuai, Caturra, Milenio), and meticulous post-harvest care."

“After the Marin Family ensures excellent picking in the fields, the fresh coffee fruit gets taken half way down the mountain to be pulped. They chose not to remove all of the mucilage in the mechanical washer and leave about half of it remaining on the parchment. From there, the mucilage covered parchment is take all the way down the mountain to their home on the valley floor. They have raised drying beds on the side of their house and they put the parchment out in medium layers. They will move the coffee around 4 times per day for the first 3 days. Finally, the parchment gets extended into thin layers and moved 8 times per day for another 12 days.”

300g

Sourced by Selva Coffee

Origin:

Los Santos, Costa Rica
Producer: Ernesto José Valverde Solís
Variety: Catuai
Process: Red Honey
Elevation: 1900 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Apple, Hazelnut, Dulce De Leche

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Elto Coffee Washed

From Crop to Cup:

"Eliyas Dukamo and Atiklit Dejene ("Mimi"), the founders of Elto Coffee, are rockstars of Ethiopian specialty coffee—Eliyas coming from the storied Dukamo family that founded Daye Bensa, while Mimi cut her teeth doing QC for Gesha Village. Their own venture, Elto, operates two drying stations—one in Bona, one in Arbegona—focused on the production of high-quality and competition-grade microlots using industry best practices. The word "Elto" has a dual meaning in Sidama—meaning both "abundance" and "more than passion," summarizing the couple's intention for their enterprise."

300g

Sourced by Crop to Cup

Origin:

Bare, Sidama, Ethiopia
Producer: Eylias Dukamo
Variety: JARC Selections
Process: Washed
Elevation: 2200-2300 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter

Reminds us of:

White Floral, Tangerine, Nectarine, Oolong

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

In this sub we see the return of Finca Deborah as well as the introduction of a new producer, Flying Pumas.

Jamison Savage is a producer that needs little to no introduction. His famous farm, Finca Deborah, had became particularly renowned after the barista champion from Taiwan, Berg Wu, used a geisha to win the 2016 World Barista Championship.

Our second coffee is from Flying Pumas. Our head of coffee was invited to a cupping during his trip to Panama this year where he was impressed by the quality presented by Flying Pumas. As they are located very close to Finca Deborah this became a great way to showcase the similarities of the region and contrast the nuances between neighbouring producers.

Finca Deborah: ‘Nirvana’ Geisha Nitrogen Macerated Natural

Origin: Los Pozos, Chiriqui, Panama

Nirvana is a nitrogen macerated natural Geisha. Cherries are picked to maximise ripeness and are hand selected to ensure the right quality standards are met. They are placed into a sealed stainless steel tank for an extended period of time, with nitrogen gas periodically injected into the tanks. During this time, the pH is carefully monitored and a cool temperature is maintained. Once the correct targets are met, the coffee is placed in shaded raised beds to be carefully dried until ideal moisture levels are achieved.

Flying Pumas: ‘Hummingbird’ Geisha Anaerobic Honey

Origin: Los Pozos, Chiriqui, Panama

For ‘Hummingbird’ the coffee cherries were carefully picked for peak ripeness before being rinsed to remove impurities. The whole cherries then undergo anaerobic fermentation for ~36 hours in special bags between 14-28°C. The coffee is then pulped and allowed to ferment in mucilage for ~64 hours. Afterwards, it is carefully slow dried for ~30 days to moisture content of 11%.

Another fruity month to milk out the last dregs of summer before we welcome in the fall season. We have a natural ethiopia and washed kenya this month which can both be considered fruit forward coffees. This pair of coffees to offers a strong comparison and contrast for what 'fruity' coffee can be like. Even for individuals who typically do not prefer fruity coffees, this showcases the difference that can be found in the origin and processing of the coffee. A great set to brew and share with the fruity coffee-skeptic in your life!

Muthuthiini AA Washed

Coops are quite common in kenya with various smallholder farmers coming together to form a joint ownership society. These often allow the smallholder farmers to band together for collective bargaining power and shared resources. This lot of coffee is from the Ruthaka Farmer Cooperative Society (FCS) which consists of about 4000 members. The Muthuthiini factory is the washing station operated by the Ruthaka FCS in the Gathuitu region. Members of Ruthaka FCS typically cultivate SL28, SL34, Batian and Ruiru 11 varieties. This particular lot is only SL28 and SL34.

Coffee cherries are handpicked for peak ripeness and hand sorted before pulping. After being depuled the coffee is fermented in water for 12-24 hours to break down the mucilage after which it is washed and graded. The coffee is then dried on raised beds or solar driers for about 7-14 days during which they are carefully rotated to ensure even drying.

300g

Sourced by Falcon Coffees

Origin:

Gathuitu, Nyeri, Kenya
Producer: Ruthaka FCS
Variety: SL28, SL34
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1700 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter

Reminds us of:

Cherry, Red Currant, Brown Sugar

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Elto Coffee Natural

From Crop to Cup:

"Eliyas Dukamo and Atiklit Dejene ("Mimi"), the founders of Elto Coffee, are rockstars of Ethiopian specialty coffee—Eliyas
coming from the storied Dukamo family that founded Daye Bensa, while Mimi cut her teeth doing QC for Gesha Village.

Their own venture, Elto, operates two drying stations—one in Bona, one in Arbegona—focused on the production of high-
quality and competition-grade microlots using industry best practices. The word "Elto" has a dual meaning in Sidama—

meaning both "abundance" and "more than passion," summarizing the couple's intention for their enterprise."

300g

Sourced by Crop to Cup

Origin:

Bare, Sidama, Ethiopia
Producer: Eylias Dukamo
Variety: 74158
Process: Natural
Elevation: 2200-2300 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter

Reminds us of:

Mango, Berries, Nectarine, Honey

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

We are bringing back the washed Ethiopian from Rumudamo Station back, following the natural Rumudamo last month. To pair with this floral and complex washed Ethiopian, we have a sweet and comfortable washed coffee from Costa Rica.

Aquiares Estate Washed

Aquiares Estate, established by British farmers in 1890, stands as one of Costa Rica's largest and most historic coffee farms, boasting over a century of continuous production. Nestled on the fertile slopes of the Turrialba Volcano, its name, "Aquiares," meaning "land between rivers" in the indigenous Huetar language, reflects its rich pre-Columbian heritage. Since 1971, and fully managed by the Robelo family by 1992, the estate has pioneered a modern model of sustainable agriculture.

Today, Aquiares spans 924 hectares, with 80% dedicated to shade-grown Arabica coffee. This commitment to extensive shade tree planting (over 50,000 trees of 100+ species) has transformed the farm into a vibrant biodiversity hub, with bird species surging from 30 to over 142, and new mammals like ocelots and sloths returning. The estate is remarkably carbon negative, storing 3,790 tons of CO2 annually, far exceeding its emissions. This is achieved through efficient machinery, organic fertilizers, and methane reduction efforts. Aquiares also actively combats Coffee Leaf Rust by adopting resilient F1 hybrids like Esperanza, ensuring long-term quality and sustainability while supporting a thriving community of 1,800 people.

The F1 Esperanza is a resilient F1 hybrid varietal, a cross between Sarchimor T5296 and an Ethiopian landrace (ET25), known for its very high productivity, strong rust resistance, and excellent quality, particularly in humid environments. This varietal, initially overlooked, uniquely thrived at Aquiares, showcasing its adaptability.

The coffee undergoes a washed process, starting with de-pulping using a Penagos DCV 306, followed by mechanical washing and a precise 6-hour partial fermentation. Drying is crucial, utilizing a Guardiola mechanical dryer for 32 hours at 45ºC – 55ºC. This controlled method ensures consistency, preserves delicate flavors, enhances sensory attributes, and minimizes defects, contributing to a clean and vibrant cup profile.

300g

Sourced by Catalogue Coffee

Origin:

Turrialba Volcano, Costa Rica
Producer: Robelo family
Variety: F1 Esperanza hybrid (Sarchimor T5296 x Etíope 25)
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1200-1400 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter - Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Red Grape, Pecan, Cacao Nibs

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Rumudamo Washed

From The Coffee Quest:

"Rumudamo Station is located in Arbegona woreda or Village and is part of the Sidama zone. Managed by Asefa Dukamo Korma, the site sits at an elevation of 2,200 m.a.s.l and is dedicated to producing both Washed, Honey and Natural coffees, where more than 600 farmers contribute with their cherries, mostly with 74112 Heirloom Variety.

For the Natural lot, the coffee is purchased from the farmers, hand-selected once it arrives at the site, and placed to dry in African beds, with constant movement to ensure an even drying. For the Washed lot, the coffee is de-pulped once it arrives at the site, wet fermented for between 48-72 hours, washed and then later placed to dry in African beds to dry for between 8-12 days.

Located amongst the highest elevation when compared to other coffee-growing areas, Rumudamo has a story of excellence, having placed 2nd and 3rd in the 2020 Cup of Excellence of Ethiopia."

300g

Sourced by The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Arbegona, Bensa, Ethiopia
Producer: Asefa Dukamo Korma
Variety: Landraces
Process: Washed
Elevation: 2200 masl
Harvest: Spring 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter - Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Floral, Nectarine, Honey

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

To our valued customers,

This month marks a very special milestone for us — our 10th anniversary. As I reflect on the journey of the past decade, I am filled with gratitude for each of you who has been part of our story. We are here because of you, we are here for you.

Your trust, passion, and support have made it possible for us to grow from a small idea into the business we are today. Every order, every conversation, every piece of feedback has shaped who we are and motivated us to keep improving and innovating.

On behalf of our entire team, I want to sincerely thank you for choosing to support us over the years. We are excited to continue to push specialty coffee forward and serve you even better in the years ahead. As a small token of our appreciation, we have a rare limited time discount on orders to celebrate our 10th anniversary (see below for details).

Here’s to the next 10 years — and beyond!

With heartfelt appreciation,
Alfonso Tupaz
Founder & CEO

10% OFF

Use coupon code: 10YEARS

20% OFF for Hatchlings!
Use *coupon code: HATCHLING20

*This only works for Hatchlings with an active membership

Valid until July 27 (11:59PM EST)
Cannot be applied to previous or submitted orders.

Many of you have noticed the recent slew of washed coffees and we have heard you! This month we're pleased to welcome the return of an annual favourite, a natural Ethiopian from Rumudamo Station. To pair off with it, we have a lovely washed pacas from Honduras. In line with the previous month's recommendations to beat the heat, the Rumudamo should be quite brilliant as an iced pourover or iced americano. Whereas the washed Pacas should fair well as an iced pour over or a classic cold brew. Our only tip would be to just grind finer to bump up the extraction for cold brew as we find grinding coarser rarely gets rid of the fines so you may as well get a better extraction.

Finca El Jardin Washed

From Coffee Quest:

“Finca El Jardin is located in the community of Ojos de Agua, Concepción de Soluteca, La Paz, Honduras, and is managed by Mario Mejia, a 24 year old, fourth-generation coffee grower. The farm consists of 32 hectares of land, sits at an elevation of 1,650 m.a.s.l, and boasts around 100,000 coffee trees in production of the Catuai, Pacas, IHCAFE90, Pacamara and a few special exotics he hopes to have in production in the coming years.”

“Mario Mejia is one of the youngest producers we work with in Honduras. At only 24 years, he took the mantle of Finca El Jardin from his father, and has managed the farm flawlessly ever since. He received a degree in Agronomy, and began the Specialty Program in his region in January of 2019.

He’s the leader of the Program, and introduces producers in the area to Specialty Coffee and teaches them about the advantages. It was in 2023 that he took it up a notch, building his own Wet-Mill at the farm, and even started offering the service to producers in the Program.”

300g

Sourced by The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Ojos de Agua, Honduras
Producer: Mario Mejia
Variety: Pacas
Process: Washed
Elevation: 1650 masl
Harvest: 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter - Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Plum, Tangerine, Candied Walnut

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Rumudamo Natural

From The Coffee Quest:

"Rumudamo Station is located in Arbegona woreda or Village and is part of the Sidama zone. Managed by Asefa Dukamo Korma, the site sits at an elevation of 2,200 m.a.s.l and is dedicated to producing both Washed, Honey and Natural coffees, where more than 600 farmers contribute with their cherries, mostly with 74112 Heirloom Variety.

For the Natural lot, the coffee is purchased from the farmers, hand-selected once it arrives at the site, and placed to dry in African beds, with constant movement to ensure an even drying. For the Washed lot, the coffee is de-pulped once it arrives at the site, wet fermented for between 48-72 hours, washed and then later placed to dry in African beds to dry for between 8-12 days.

Located amongst the highest elevation when compared to other coffee-growing areas, Rumudamo has a story of excellence, having placed 2nd and 3rd in the 2020 Cup of Excellence of Ethiopia."

300g

Sourced by The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Arbegona, Bensa, Ethiopia
Producer: Asefa Dukamo Korma
Variety: Landraces
Process: Natural
Elevation: 2200 masl
Harvest: Feb 2025

Recommended Brew:

Filter - Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Violet, Red Berries, Honey

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

More washed coffees for the incoming Summer warmth! To beat the heat, this month we have a washed Ethiopia and a washed Guatemala. With a lovely fruit-forward sweetness, we would easily recommend trying an iced-pourover with the washed Ethiopian. Meanwhile, if one were so inclined to do some cold brew at home, then the Guatemala will serve well with a lovely nuttiness that offers a deeper sweetness with a rounded acidity.

Vista Al Bosque Washed

From Onyx Coffee:

“Wilmar Castillo’s been working in coffee more or less since he was six years old. Tagging along with his father and three older brothers, the family worked on farms from their home in La Libertad throughout Huehuetenango. Some of the earliest memories Wilmar shares include his father’s passion and care for coffee. Everything he learned during those hard years he attributes to his success now, and he is set on providing a brighter future for his family. Looking back, Wilmar knew he would end up in Hoja Blanca. Stories were passed around about this little valley, folks calling it a blessed land. He finally convinced the family to move about 14 years ago, and is so glad for that. Vista Al Bosque (Overlooking the Forest) sits along the verdant ridges of the valley neighboring two of his brother’s lots, and Wilmar manages the land along with his wife and teenage son.”

300g

Sourced by Onyx Coffees

Origin:

Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Apple, Candied Pecan, Brown Sugar

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Tagel Alemayehu Washed

From Crop to Cup:

“After visiting with smallholders and single farmers around Yirgacheffe, we got picked up in a truck driven by Tagel Alemayehu, the owner of Olkai coffee—a former race circuit driver, whose efficiency as a driver is only matched by his humility and warmth. Over dinner at Aragesh Lodge, (in addition to teasing him about his car’s sound system— which sounded as awful as his reflexes were quick), we got to know Tagel better. For Tagel, coffee runs deep: He’d grown up in Bule Hora, the son of a local coffee trader who built the first washing station there and installed the first Pinhalense dry huller in Ethiopia. Starting in 2004, he worked as washing station manager at one of first specialty natural stations in Guji, and founded Olkai in 2018 as the government export regulations opened. Olkai is a family business; his wife works as the export manager. Tagel and Olkai operate a half dozen washing stations in the south dotting many of the most sought-after regions for quality in Guji, Bule Hora and Sidama. Tagel’s ties to the community were forged over 20 years of collecting cherry from these regions. Community members later sold land to make space for him to operate a washing station in their community, and many stopped us along our journey out of Hambella to say hello to Tagel and chat.”

300g

Sourced by Crop to Cup

Origin:

Hambella, Ethiopia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Floral, Kumquat, Honey

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

With the warmer weather we often crave the brighter and lighter things for our palate. As such, we have a washed and semi-washed coffee pair from Colombia this month featuring the same producer with two varieties, a geisha and a caturra. We are featuring coffees from producer Israel Jamioy that were processed by NOSCOFFEES, a brand of specialty coffee sourced from the Nariño region, under the direction of Huver Castillo. Through this brand he buys and processes coffees from several farms who may not have the resources or infrastructure to do so themselves. The NOSCOFFEES processing plant in Buesaco uses an innovative fermentation technique for this. By adding yeast residues from craft beer production, they perform a fermentation to craft more predicatble and controlled flavour profiles.

Paramo Alto Regional Washed

This regional lot of caturra from producer Israel Jamioy that was processed by NOSCOFFEES, using brewers yeast residues from craft beer production, they perform a fermentation after pulping. During this process, they carefully monitor factors such as pH, temperature, and brix to precisely develop the aromas and flavors.

Following fermentation, the coffee cherries undergo sun-drying for 10-20 days. This is done carefully to ensure uniform drying and safeguards the coffee's distinct characteristics. Subsequently, the coffee are stabilized for 10 days before resting in the warehouse to further enhance and preserve their organoleptic properties before packaging.

300g

Direct trade with NOSCOFFEES by Huver Castillo

Origin:

Aponte, Narino, Colombia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Fuji Apple, Caramel, Nougat

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Paramo Alto Geisha Semi-Washed

This lot of geisha from producer Israel Jamioy was also processed by adding yeast residues from craft beer production, they perform a 48 hour fermentation in whole cherry and again for 24 hours after pulping. During this process, they carefully monitor factors such as pH, temperature, and brix to precisely develop the aromas and flavors.

Following fermentation, the coffee cherries undergo careful drying with the remaining mucilage for 8+ days. This is done carefully to ensure uniform drying and safeguards the beans' distinct characteristics. Subsequently, the parchment coffee is stabilized for 30 days before resting in the warehouse to further enhance and preserve their organoleptic properties before QC cupping and packaging.

300g

Direct trade with NOSCOFFEES by Huver Castillo

Origin:

Aponte, Narino, Colombia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Chamomile, Grapefruit, Black Tea

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Now that the Spring rains are here, we're featuring two washed coffees this month. First, we have a Chiroso from Carmen Montoya. Although Carmen Montoya is a new producer for us, this coffee beautifully demonstrates how expressive Chiroso can be. This variety often presents delightful floral tones and a tea-like elegance, reminiscent of Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees. Second, we have a classic, sweet, and well-rounded washed bourbon from Burundi. After resting, this coffee should be suitable for espresso, should you be inclined to try it.

Carmen Montoya Chiroso Washed

We are happy to introduce you to Carmen Montoya. With 23 years of experience, Carmen inherited her love for coffee and farming from her parents.

Her journey began with a small plot and a mystery coffee variety. In 2014, she reached a significant turning point when she won the Cup of Excellence with her "chiroso" coffee. Carmen has pioneered the cultivation of this variety in her region, becoming a leader in her community. She now supports other farmers in improving their practices, with the goal of achieving global recognition for the exceptional quality of Urrao's chiroso coffee.

300g

Sourced by Da Vida Coffee

Origin:

Antioqua, Colombia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Rosemary, Grapefruit, Brown Sugar, Black Tea

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Turihamwe Bourbon Washed

From JNP Coffee:

“Turihamwe, which means “together” in Kirundi, is a high-quality coffee produced by women coffee farmers and processed in Burundi’s first washing station built and owned by women farmers. Seven women pooled their savings from their JNP Coffee premiums to build their own wet mill in 2019.

Now they control the quality of their coffee and this stage of the supply chain. The result is an exceptional coffee that features the sweet and citrus flavors so prized by specialty coffee drinkers. Through their small investment group, Turihamwe Turashobora, these businesswomen plan to use future premium earnings to increase production from five micro-lots to 1,200 bags a year.”

300g

Sourced by JNP Coffee

Origin:

Ngozi Province, Burundi

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Red Currant, Prune, Cane Sugar

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

With spring on the horizon, we can look forward to warmer days soon! The return of a sligthly polarizing coffee, Deri Kidame CM was very popular for those who liked it and it may challenge some others. We recommend approaching such a coffee with a slightly longer ratio as it tends to offer a more delicate touch at a lower strength with higher extraction. The second coffee is a subscription exclusive Yellow Pacamara, a variety which was a natural mutation noticed by the Mierisch Family back in 2004. It is a bit more of a delicate and demanding variety to cultivate but the Mierisch family found it worthwhile for the excellent cup quality it presents.

Deri Kidame CM Natural

From La Baia Coffee Supply:

"Tracon’s reputation is well regarded and are no strangers among COE members globally. In 2021, Tracon chose to participate in Ethiopia’s second ever Cup of Excellence Auction and had 2 different coffees score an impressive placement in the top 20 of all the coffees submitted in the Ethiopia COE Auction. In 2021, a record-breaking number of entries 1,849 for any countrywide Cup of Excellence competition entered the competition to compete that particular year. Placing in the best of top 20 coffees produced in Ethiopia should speak volumes for itself."

Cherries are floated in water to sort and clean the skin before being placed in sealed tanks with a one-way valve. The coffee is undergoes a 72 hour fermentation before it is transferred to raised beds to dry for 21 days. The resulting cup showcases the high intensity flavour profile the carbonic maceration can produce. Intensely sweet with some funk, this coffee should do well with slightly longer brew ratios.

300g

Sourced with La Baia Coffee

Origin:

Guji Hambela, Ethiopia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Berries, Mango, Chocolate

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Santa Lucia Yellow Pacamara Washed

The Mierisch family first started producing coffee in Nicaragua since 1908 and have been involved as head judges in the Cup of Excellence in Honduras since 2011. Their Santa Lucia farm won 1st place Cup Of Excellence Honduras 2019 with a Gesha washed. Their wet mill is located on Santa Lucia with the cupping lab, warehouse and drying patios on Cerro Azul. This is our second year working with the Mierisch family and we continue to be honoured to share their beautiful hard work with you.

From Fincas Mierisch:

“Our Yellow Pacamara seed stock comes from our farms in Nicaragua. We first discovered the Yellow Pacamara, a natural mutation of the Red Pacamara, on our farm Limoncillo around 2004. It is a really low yield varietal, and it is susceptible to all major diseases, nevertheless the amazing cup profile it produces more than makes up for these downsides. We first planted the Yellow Pacamara in Santa Lucia in 2016. This variety is very rare with not many producers growing it, and it has been awarded and used in various barista competitions such as World Barista Championship and Coffee in Good Spirits Championship. In 2021, this variety was blended with Gesha from the same farm and earned 2nd place in Cup of Excellence Honduras.”

300g

Direct trade with Fincas Mierisch

Origin:

Comayagua, Honduras

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Green Grape, Apricot, Nougat

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Though it has been a cold winter with plenty of snow, we hope this month's treats will be a lovely source of warmth and comfort to lift the spirits. This month we have some not-often seen coffees showing up. First up is a washed Colombian geisha, a first for our Roastery Select subscription and the first we have had for a seaonal bag offering. This could have been been marked up more by others, but sticking to our consistency in pricing we now have a colombian geisha offered in our seasonal kraft bag lineup! The second coffee is from Mexico, an origin that we haven't had in a while. This one stood out on the cupping table with its lovely sweetness.

Finca San José Geisha Washed

Finca San José, owned and operated by Isidro Castillo, is nestled in the village of Sumapaz, approximately 30 minutes from Buesaco. Isidro Castillo, who inherited the land from his father, has dedicated his life to coffee cultivation on this property. The farm spans eight hectares, and boasts its own irrigation system, a rich reserve of organic material, and hectares of forest that contribute to the farm's sustainable environmental management.

The coffee from this particular lot underwent a washed process. The freshly harvested cherries when through a fermentation process where the cherries are allowed to oxidize for 17 hours. Then the coffee was fermented with brewer's yeast for 74 more hours. The parchment coffee was then dried in a mechanical dryer for four days, maintaining a constant temperature below 35ºC.

300g

Direct trade with logistics help from The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Narino, Colombia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Floral, Peach, Wildflower Honey

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

San Francisco Ozolotepec Washed

This one is a clean and sweet washed community lot from San Francisco Ozolotepec, sourced by Osito Coffee.

From Osito Coffee:

“Osito has been working hard these last four years to build a presence in Mexico. We hope to not only find some of the best coffees that Oaxaca, Chiapas and Puebla can offer but we hope to create meaningful opportunities for farmers and communities. This is our third year buying in the Ozolotepeques. Last year in 2021, these coffees were some of the most impressive and we decided to double down and buy as much as was offered to us this year. The quality has been high but the community of producers there was significantly impacted by Hurricane Agatha which tore through southern Oaxaca in late May '22. We started a fundraiser and donated our own money and managed to sent over $3k USD to help farmers with the rebuilding process.”

300g

Sourced by Osito Coffee

Origin:

Oaxaca, Mexico

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Fuji Apple, Plum, Marzipan

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

To kick off 2025 we have a powerhouse pairing of African coffees! Both Kenya and Ethiopia often represent the very best of highly complex and fruity coffees grown at high elevations. This month we have both a natural and a washed coffee to offer a contrast and balance for both styles. A juicy and bright start to 2025!

Bekele Yutute Natural

From Crop to Cup:

“Bekele Utute’s brother-in-law manages his farm in Kokose, which was the 5th place winner in the Cup of Excellence in 2021—a lot named after his nephew, Samuel, who manages Bekele’s Kokose drying station. At his farm, he grows primarily 74158, common to the quality-focused farms around Bensa. Like at his other drying station near Dembe—where he was born into a family of coffee growers—Bekele produces dry processed coffee at his Kokose site, which he purchased in 2019. He used to sell coffee to local suppliers before obtaining his export license in 2021, exclusively producing dry processed coffees (traditional naturals and anaerobics) for export to the U.S. and Korean specialty markets.”

300g

Sourced by Crop to Cup

Origin:

Kokose, Bensa, Ethiopia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Violet, Nectarine, Blackberry

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Rung'eto Kii AA Washed

From Apex Coffee imports:

“This coffee originates from the Kii Factory, which operates under the Rung’eto Farmers Cooperative Society located in Central Kenya. Kii is one of three wet mills managed by the cooperative in Kirinyaga County and holds Fairtrade certification. Under the leadership of the cooperative's manager, significant quality improvements have been implemented across all Rung’eto FCS facilities. For instance, the installation of tiled washing channels and fermentation tanks, along with a water recycling system, highlights their commitment to quality. A 3- Disc Agaarde pulping machine removes the skin and pulp. The coffees are graded by density into three grades by the pulper. Grade 1 and 2 go separately to fermentation. The coffee is dry fermented for 18-36 hours in concrete tanks under a roof that provides shade for better temperature control during fermentation. Farmers associated with the Rung’eto Cooperative cultivate their crops on the slopes of Mount Kenya, renowned for producing coffees that are bold, complex, and rich in flavor.”

300g

Sourced by Apex Coffee Imports

Origin:

Kirinyaga, Kenya

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Grapefruit, White Currant, Honey

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

To wrap up 2024 we have the return of a long time favourite producer that some of you might have been patiently waiting for: Luis Balladerez! Back when we first tasted his coffees we were so impressed with how beautiful and expressive his coffees were and it has become our longest standing relationship. To pair with we also have the return of Rumudamo natural; two fruity naturals to round things off as we head towards the new year. Cheers!

Rumudamo Natural

From The Coffee Quest:

"Rumudamo Station is located in Arbegona woreda or Village and is part of the Sidama zone. Managed by Asefa Dukamo Korma, the site sits at an elevation of 2,200 m.a.s.l and is dedicated to producing both Washed, Honey and Natural coffees, where more than 600 farmers contribute with their cherries, mostly with 74112 Heirloom Variety.

For the Natural lot, the coffee is purchased from the farmers, hand-selected once it arrives at the site, and placed to dry in African beds, with constant movement to ensure an even drying. For the Washed lot, the coffee is de-pulped once it arrives at the site, wet fermented for between 48-72 hours, washed and then later placed to dry in African beds to dry for between 8-12 days.

Located amongst the highest elevation when compared to other coffee-growing areas, Rumudamo has a story of excellence, having placed 2nd and 3rd in the 2020 Cup of Excellence of Ethiopia."

300g

Sourced by The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Arbegona, Bensa, Ethiopia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Violet, Passion Fruit, Strawberry

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Un Regalo de Dios Pacamara Natural

Hatch first began selling roasted coffee in 2017 and Luis was one of the first producers that we worked with and featured in our Roastery Select subscription. The Balladarez family have been coffee producers for three generations and today Luis carries that legacy. Each year his farms always produces incredible coffees that continue to rank amongst the top 10 of the Cup of Excellence competition.

Pacamara is a variety that resulted from the cross breeding of the giant Maragogype variety (elephant bean) and the Pacas variety. Pacamara is well known for its high cup quality potential, often dominating Cup of Excellence competitions with incredible flavours and quality. This coffee variety is often identifiable by its large size and oblong seed shape.

300g

Direct trade with the Balladerez Family

Origin:

Mozonte, Nicaragua

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Ja

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

As a note, the roasting of the coffees for the advent calendar were done on the last week of October and first week of November. The roasting order does not necessarily match the order that the coffees are placed in the calendar. Our head of coffee specifically chose certain coffees to roast first or later based on how they will age and keeping in mind that people will brew them in order starting on Dec. 1

We opted to not include flavour notes this year as some of these coffees have had their profiles modified to be roasted on the Stronghold vs the Loring and will develop differently as a result. That said, keep an eye on our stories as we will be referring back to these coffees so you can reference the info about them through some of our earlier posts this year. They are still wonderful coffees but the notes may vary from our earlier labels as a different expression. We hope you enjoy them as you enter into the Holiday season!

Rounding towards the colder season, we have an extremely unique coffee from El Diviso showcasing some slightly festive spices and herbs to tease the coming holiday season. Nestor always amazes us with his interesting profiles. To offer a milder contrast against such a wild coffee, we have it paired an ever consistently sweet and delicate washed Ethiopian coffee.

El Diviso Pink Bourbon Double Anaerobic Mossto Washed

From La Baia Coffee:

“Nestor and Adrian are two young people who represent the new generation of coffee producers in Colombia. They are risky, innovative, and they are in an endless pursuit to develop thought provoking flavor profiles that are truly one of a kind. Today, at 22 and 24, the two brothers have teamed up to run the family farm Finca El Diviso. Nestor’s coffees as of recent have become a cult hit among the industry and have gained acclaim on the world stage from this years 2022 World Barista Championship when his anaerobic natural Sidra was used to win the World Barista Championship.”

The coffee cherries are oxidized for 48 hours before they are moved to sealed barrels to undergo a low oxygen fermentation for 20 hours. Afterwards, they are moved to sit in open air for 28 hours before they are moved back to sealed barrels for a second round of low oxygen fermentation. In this second phase, a microbial mossto (leachate that was collected from the cherries in the previous fermentation) will be added back for an 18 hour fermentation. Finally the cherries are depulped and soaked in water with mossto for 18 hours before being carefully dried in covered solar dryers.

300g

Sourced with La Baia Coffee Supply

Origin:

Huila, Colombia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Pink Peppercorn, Oregano, Fruit Loops

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Chelchele Washed

This coffee is from the region of Gedeb, Yirgacheffe. Most coffees grown here are referred to as “garden coffee” as they are often grown in the backyards of farmers in small areas of land. The majority of the coffee brought in to Chelchele washing station are heirloom varieties along with JARC 74110 and 74112. Being a sizeable washing station, Chelchele does washed, natural and special fermentation coffees.

This particular lot is a washed coffee. Cherries are pulped and washed with running water and a 36-48 hour soak before being dried on raised beds to achieve a 11.5% moisture content. This is typically achieved in 7-10 days depending on the weather.

300g

Sourced with Catalogue Coffee

Origin:

Gedeb, Ethiopia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Jasmine, Stone Fruit, Black Tea

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

This month we are featuring two washed coffees again. Washed coffee lovers rejoice! First up a lovely classic washed Ethiopian from Crop to Cup to pair with a community lot Chiroso. The Chiroso variety has always struck us as exhibiting very Kenyan or Ethiopian character in the cup so it is a fitting companion to benchmark against the ever loved washed Ethiopian coffee.

Mulugeta Muntasha Washed

From Crop to Cup:

“Mullugeta Muntasha grew up in the Bursa village, which until recently did not grow coffee. In his youth, he went to the neighboring region of Arsi and worked as a truck driver, transporting cherry from the collection center to a private washing station. Through this experience, he learned the coffee business, eventually becoming a collector of coffee in Arsi and supplying coffee to the central market. Through the effects of time and climate change, though, farmers in his home of Bursa began to plant coffee with the support of the Agricultural office, and in 2021 Mullugeta returned to Bursa and began processing coffee at his own drying station, called Dawencho, where he won 2nd place in the Cup of Excellence for the Dawencho farmer group coffee and 6th place under his own name, Mullugeta Muntasha. In 2022, four of the top 10 CoE winners were Mullugeta’s lots, including that of Legesse Botola—the top winner and Mullugeta’s brother-in law—who processed coffee at Mullugeta’s washing station located next to his farm.”

300g

Sourced with Crop to Cup

Origin:

Arbegona, Ethiopia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Floral, Raspberry, Tangerine, White Tea

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Las Perlitas Chiroso Washed

From The Coffee Quest:

“What happens when multiple farmers produce excellent Micro-Lots, but not enough to make up for an entire lot? The answer is: Las Perlitas. In Spanish, Las Perlitas means “Little Pearls” and throughout the harvest, it’s quite common that small-holders in Colombia produce lots that aren’t large enough to be exported on their own. However, the quality is often just as good (or better) than samples received from larger lots. As such, we buy all coffees, regardless of size and create a larger, export-size lot based on cup score and profile.”

300g

Sourced from The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Huila, Antioquia and Nariño, Colombia

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Rhubarb, Cherry, Orange Peel

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

This month we are featuring the return of Gaia Farm by Finagro Plantations. It is our second season working with this producer and they have done some interesting innovations in Tanzanian coffee. From their co-fermented Mahaha (found as our 2023 Holiday Coffee) to an Ethiopian landrace that was grown on their farm when they brought back seeds from Sidamo. For this subscrtiption we have a Batian variety as well, which is typically one found and grown in Kenya. 

Gaia Batian Washed

This coffee is a batian variety from Kenya that was planted in Gaia Farm. Batian is a tall, high yielding variety that has become more popular in Kenya in recent years. It has been known for good cup quality along with some good resistance to coffee leaf rust and coffee berry disease. As global climate change continues to make coffee growing more challenging it is important to explore newer varieties that are more hardy as part of the innovations to preserve coffee in order to provide a sustainable future for the industry.

300g

Direct trade with Finagro Plantations

Origin:

Ngorongoro, Tanzania

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

White Grape, Candied Pecan, Brown Sugar

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Gaia Ethiopian Landrance Washed

This coffee is a natural landrace variety from Ethiopia that was planted in Gaia Farm. Back in 2006, five seeds were brought back from Sidamo to be planted and cultivated into 10000 trees. Long-time subscribers may remember from our December box that a similar coffee was featured. That one was a natural process whereas this one is a washed coffee. Expect a more delicate profile that exhibits a more nuanced character as you spend time enjoying this cup from hot, then warm to cool.

300g

Direct trade with Finagro Plantations

Origin:

Ngorongoro, Tanzania

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Pomegranate, Dried Fruit, Black Tea

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

We have a washed and natural Ethiopian for this months box.

Rumudamo Washed

From The Coffee Quest:

"Rumudamo Station is located in Arbegona woreda or Village and is part of the Sidama zone. Managed by Asefa Dukamo Korma, the site sits at an elevation of 2,200 m.a.s.l and is dedicated to producing both Washed, Honey and Natural coffees, where more than 600 farmers contribute with their cherries, mostly with 74112 Heirloom Variety.

For the Natural lot, the coffee is purchased from the farmers, hand-selected once it arrives at the site, and placed to dry in African beds, with constant movement to ensure an even drying. For the Washed lot, the coffee is de-pulped once it arrives at the site, wet fermented for between 48-72 hours, washed and then later placed to dry in African beds to dry for between 8-12 days.

Located amongst the highest elevation when compared to other coffee-growing areas, Rumudamo has a story of excellence, having placed 2nd and 3rd in the 2020 Cup of Excellence of Ethiopia."

300g

Sourced with The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Arbegona, Bensa, Ethiopia
Producer: Asefa Dukamo Korma
Variety: Landraces
Process: Washed
Elevation: 2200 masl
Harvest: January 2024

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Lavender, Bergamot, Nectarine

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Hamasho Natural

From The Coffee Quest:

“Hamasho Station is located in the Hamasho Kebele or Village and is part of the Bensa area, in Sidama, Ethiopia. Managed by Asefa Dukamo Korma, the site sits at an elevation of 1,920 – 2,020 m.a.s.l and is dedicated to producing both Natural and Washed coffees. Hamasho or “Serpent”,  translated to English, works with over 600 farmers who contribute with their cherries, mostly with 74158 Variety.

With its mix of rainy and sunny days, the Hamasho region really benefits from its microclimate conditions. In addition, due to the warmer days and cooler nights from such a high elevation, the beans develop slowly and are very dense, with higher concentrations of the smaller screen sizes (the majority of the coffee screen sizes at 13-14). ”

300g

Sourced with The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Bensa, Sidama, Ethiopia
Producer: Daye Bensa
Varieties: 74158 and various landraces
Process: Natural
Elevation: 1920-2020 masl
Harvest: Dec 2023 - Jan 2024

Recommended Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

Reminds us of:

Honeydew Melon, Berries, Peach

-

We recommend Recipe B in our brew guide

With the summer heat in full swing, it is only fitting to have a juicy refreshing fruit basket for this month! We have two washed coffees from Kenya and Ethiopia. Iced pourover lovers rejoice! These will make crisp, juicy and refreshing pourovers to help you beat the heat for these sweltering days.

Ruiru AA Washed

From Covoya Coffee:

“This AA-grade, washed process coffee is from the Ruiru Mills estate, a 145ha coffee farm first established by British colonists and now one of 6 estates owned and operated by Sasini, a publicly listed company with a majority Kenyan ownership.

Sasini’s estates have long placed an emphasis on equity and community. In the case of the estates’ workers this involves the provision of living quarters, early child education, union membership and guaranteed payment above minimum wage. In collaboration with Covoya and over 30 of our customers, they have also been able to invest further in the local primary school Njenga Karume. This has principally been through the building of a new computer lab to equip students with the IT skillset to maximise their oppotunities in an increasingly digital world.”

Sourced from Covoya Coffee

Origin:

Kiambu, Kenya

Reminds Us Of:

Red Currant, Peach, Dark Honey

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Suke Quto Washed

From Trabocca:

“Suke Quto Farm is stretched out over the high lands and valleys of the Odo Shakisso woreda. The volcanic soil found on the farm is very fertile. Tesfaye keeps the soil in shape by organic recycling through litterfall, root residue from coffee and shade trees. Suke Quto coffees are all Organic and Rainforest Alliance certified.

Tesfaye works together with 171 outgrowers that deliver cherries to the Suke Quto Washing and Drying Station. Besides partnering up with outgrowers, he owns another 221 hectares in the highlands of Guji. More than 200 seasonal workers are needed to pick and process the Suke coffees.”

The coffee is pulped and allowed to ferment in for about 35-48 hours in fermentation tanks to break down the mucilage before being fully washed.

Sourced from Trabocca

Origin:

Guji, Ethiopia

Reminds Us Of:

Tangerine, Prune, Brown Sugar

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

It's been a hot minute since we have had a single origin Brazil outside of our Supernova. Just in time for the hotter weather, this is a tasty Brazil that can shine in filter showcasing some lovely fruit-forward character that is not typical of the average Brazil. Tasting this blind several team members did not guess Brazil at all, a fun one to pair with a reliable offering from the Miersch family's Cerro Azul in Honduras.

Fazenda Roseira Arara Pulped Natural

From Catalogue Coffee:

“Patrick graduated in agronomy and lives on the farm with his wife Janaína and their three children - two boys and a girl. His parents, Seneval and Gislaine, also live on the property, ensuring the legacy and essence of what coffee represents in their lives. Always learning from his father Seneval and his uncle, they lead the farm with skill and determination, always remembering everything that coffee has brought and brings to their lives. Besides the financial support, coffee sustains the family's unity through coffee cultivation.”

Arara is a relatively new coffee variety that was introduced in 2012. It has grown quickly in popularity as it has large seeds, good cup quality, good productivity with smaller bushes for easier harvesting, and resistance to diseases such as leaf rust.

This coffee was manually picked before being pulped to remove the skin. The mucilage is allowed to remain in contact with the seed as it is laid out to dry on a open-air terrace in layers no thicker than 4cm. The coffee is monitored carefully and turned over from time to time to ensure even drying.

Sourced with Catalogue Coffee

Origin:

Região Vulcânica, Brazil

Reminds Us Of:

Raisin, Melon, Vanilla

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

-

We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Finca Cerro Azul Java Natural

The Mierisch family first started producing coffee in Nicaragua since 1908 and have been involved as head judges in the Cup of Excellence in Honduras since 2011. The family owns several farms in Honduras: La Alita, Cerro Azul and Santa Lucia. The wet mill is located on Santa Lucia with the cupping lab, warehouse and drying patios on Cerro Azul.

From Finca Mierisch:

“We’ve been in Honduras, our adoptive home, since the end of 2011. After Erwin Jr.’s amazing experience with Cup of Excellence Honduras 2010, he saw the incredible potential for specialty coffee cultivation in the country. After a chance encounter to purchase a farm, called Cerro Azul, Erwin Jr. jumped at the chance. Since then, we’ve expanded to two more adjecent farms: Santa Lucia and Lalita.”

Direct Trade with Finca Mierisch, and logistics help from The Coffee Quest

Origin:

Rio Bonito, Honduras

Reminds Us Of:

Berries, Caramel, Fudge

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

A month from two processing wizards! This subscription is featuring a pair of giants in the industry. Nestor Lasso and Diego Bermudez have been putting out coffees that are constantly surprising and challenging what can be considered 'classic' Colombian coffee flavour profiles. Some of you might even notice a slight difference in the 'weigh' we are doing our subscription this month. We are thrilled to offer these two vibrant coffees as we enter into the full swing of Spring!

El Diviso Sidra Washed

There is still limited technical information widely available about the origins of the Sidra variety. It is believed that the variety is a hybrid of Red Bourbon and typica with Ethiopia landraces and originally originates from Ecuador in the form of what is identified as “Sidra Bourbon” today. What is currently known is that it was created on a large Ecuadorian research farm that was funded by Nestlé. The goal of this hybrid was to represent the best characteristics of both red bourbon and typica varieties and then distributing them widely to farmers in the region. The resulting Sidra produces high yields and is resistant to several pests and diseases, but is still susceptible to coffee leaf rust and CBD. In exchange for feedback from farmers, Nestlé offered the variety to farmers in the region, leading to a surge in its cultivation in Ecuador and now is being traded between growers in various countries.

The coffee is soaked for 24 - 48 hours in whole cherry for the initial fermentation. Then they are pulped to remove the seed from the fruit and any residual mucilage remaining on the parchment before being gently washed.

Direct trade with Finca El Diviso

Origin:

Bruselas, Huila, Colombia

Reminds Us Of:

Lemongrass, Raspberry, Candied Almond

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

El Paraiso Tropical

A white bag coffee! Long time subscribers of our Roastery Select will know that we like to throw in the occasional curve ball. This is a 200g bag from our premium lineup and the first time we have offered this profile from Diego.

This is a double anaerobic fermentation Castillo variety.

Whole cherries are first washed, followed by whole cherry anaerobic fermentation for 48 hours. Then the cherries are pulped and undergo second stage anaerobic fermentation in mucilage. After fermentation, coffee is washed with thermal shock (high temperature washing, followed by cold water). Final phase of controlled mechanical drying.

Direct trade with Finca El Paraiso

Origin:

Cauca, Colombia

Reminds Us Of:

Mango, Passionfruit, Peach, Osmanthus Tea

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

For the April box we have the return of another coffee showcasing one of our producer partner's innovation projects. The Fellows Farms project from Inmaculada is an initiative where they collaborate with small neighbouring producers to buy their coffee. A higher premium is paid for the cherries and then Inmaculada processes them with their expertise and infrastructure. To pair with this, we have a lovely washed guatemala from a collective of female producers called Ella Todos Santos. 

Todos Santos

From Onyx Coffee:

“In the breathtaking highlands of the San Martin Cuchumatanes, a sisterhood of 276 courageous women coffee farmers has gathered to fight impossible odds. Meet Todos Santos, a collective known as ‘Mujeres luchando por un mejor futuro’, or Women Fighting for a Better Future.

In this remote part of Huehuetenango, many men have left their families to work in the US. The women are left to raise their families, manage their farms, bring in an income. A decade ago, the women of this community were tired of doing it all alone. Banding together, the community leaders gathered more women unto themselves and began talking solutions. Soon, they had gathered over 200 small producer women, and formed an association to benefit the whole community.”

Sourced by Onyx Coffee Importers

Origin:

Huehuetenango, Guatemala

Reminds Us Of:

Raisin, Plum, Pecan, Walnut

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Inmaculada Fellows Farms Mix

With their impeccable processing and innovative horticulture with varieties like geisha, sudan rume and eugenoides, the Holguin family have had repeat showings on the world stage of coffee. 

This coffee is part of a relatively new series offered by Inmaculada Farms. Their Fellows' Farms series is a project where they partner with local smallholder farms to purchase their coffee cherries. A higher premium is paid for the cherries and then Inmaculada processes them with their expertise and infrastructure. This helps Inmaculada scale up their volume bring these coffees to a wider international audience while providing a price premium to help these farms benefit from their quality work.

This coffee was first floated to remove unripe cherries before undergoing an anaerobic fermentation. It is then carefully monitored in a parabolic dryer in three stages averaging about 15 days before being held in Grainpro. It is subsequently milled and vacuum sealed just before exporting to ensure and maintain quality.

Sourced with Inmaculada Farms with logistics help from Forest Coffee

Origin:

Pichindé, Colombia

Reminds Us Of:

Apricot Jam, Berries, Stewed Stone fruit

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

With Spring just coming around the corner we have the return of a fan favourite from last year as well an offering that is new to us. This year, the return of the Angamaza field blend is showcasing lovely floral and red fruit notes to usher in Spring. In contrast, we have a semi-washed catuai from Costa Rica with a warming sweetness for those slightly brisk days before Winter is fully done with us.

El Bebedero Catuai Semi Washed

From Selva Coffee:

“Jose Solis loves coffee and continuing the tradition of his family in producing it. He works closely with his father, who we affectionately call Pito. Jose’s father is a legit coffee farmer and is known to be very good grower in the area. Pito is very involved in making nurseries of baby coffee so that he can also help other farmers grow good and new varieties. They also plant new varieties in their farm to see if it will work and when they have real proof, then they work with other farmers to grow the new varieties. Their main farms are in El Vapor and Naranjo in the Los Santos Growing Region. Jose Solis is a teacher, but makes the time to take some of his father’s best fruit and process them to make micro lots. Over the years, Jose’s passion has become a true skill in selecting the best fruit, processing with intention, and creating some outstanding micro lots.

El Bebedero is a micro lot that Jose prepares from their farm in Naranjo which is south of Santa Maria. There is a great altitude and unique microclimate in this area due to it’s influence from the Pacific. The farms here are a bit more remote and mystical somehow. The fertile soil and often young farms produce outstanding coffee cherries. Jose and his father began processing coffees just for them to drink from this particular lot and therefore began calling it El Bebedero.”

Sourced with Selva Coffee

Origin:

Chimaltenango, Costa Rica

Reminds Us Of:

Apple, Strawberry, Maple Syrup

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Angamaza Field Blend Washed

From The Coffee Quest:

“Finca Angamaza is located in Conganama, Loja, Ecuador, and is managed by Angel Capa Carrion, a second-generation coffee grower. The farm consists of 19 hectares of land, sitting at an elevation of 2,080 m.a.s.l, with 4 hectares dedicated to coffee growing: a mix of approxiately 30% Caturra, 25% Typica, 10% in Typica and 35% in Yellow Catucai.”

This is a washed coffee consisting of caturra, bourbon, and typica mejorado varieties so we describe it as a "field blend" from this farm. A coffee with full sweetness and an approachable acidity that is easy to love.

Origin:

Conganama, Loja, Ecuador

Reminds Us Of:

Floral, Red Grapefruit, Raspberry Jam

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

This month we have a featured origin and specific farm from Guatemala. Producers David and Eddy Solano are the 4th generation coffee producers working on their family farm Concepción Buena Vista. Both of them are coffee experimental enthusiasts and professionals. David is a mechanical engineer as well as a 3 time back to back National Barista Champion. He is currently in charge of the operations at their wet mill, La Joya while Eddy manages their logistics and exports. This month we have an insightful offering as these two coffees are the same variety from the same farm, ultimately leaving the processing as the key differentiator between these coffees. This is a perfect set to showcase the importance that post-harvest coffee processing plays into influencing the cup profile you experience.

Red Bourbon Washed 

This coffee serves as a baseline for this roastery select subscription set. It is a lovely washed red bourbon that you would expect to find from a quality producer in Guatemala. With characteristic stewed fruit in the cup along with a sweet nutty base it is easy drinking and a fantastic archetype of a washed coffee from Guatemala and thus providing the reference by which we can compare with the processing found in the next coffee.

From David Solano:

"We selected the La Joya red Bourbon trees because they have a very dense natural tree shade. It’s mainly a flat topography giving a less erosion on the ground and as a result, it’s one of the best Bourbon lots on our farm. The brix needs to be between 25-26%. Once they arrive to the wet mill, they are submerged in clean water to wash out any possible dirt or contamination that could affect the development of bacteria inside the fermentation tanks. Once all cherries are clean and classified by density, we depulp the cherries and the move them to open fermentation tanks where the coffee beans are fermented for 48 hours. Following the initial fermentation in the tanks, the coffee goes to the drying patios for 7-10 days, with constant movement every hour."

Origin:

Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Reminds Us Of:

Apple, Prunes, Ferrero Rocher

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Red Bourbon Pineapple Yeast Anaerobic Natural

This coffee was processed not only as an anaerobic natural, but a lot that was innoculated with a yeast that David Solano and his team had cultured from pineapple. As this coffee is the same variety from the same farm, it could be considered to have the same 'terroir' as most would consider it. However, this coffee is now showcasing how intentional processing methods can influence the flavour profile. It is an excellent example of how careful processing can add to and shift the inherent qualities of a coffee into something uniquely more but still the same.

From David Solano:

“This specific lot of anaerobic with pineapple yeast, it's the first time developing at our farm. It’s the first time that we have our microbiology lab at the farm, and our goal is to create a more consistent maceration lot and create replicability between batches, we believe in order to change the name of “experimental” to “maceration” or “pineapple yeast anaerobic” name, we need to be consistent and create a stable and replicable protocol to achieve it. We started to investigate the different ways to ferment coffee, those options are oxidation, fermentation by bacterias or fermentation by yeast, so that opened up our experimentation rabbit hole. We tried natural yeast of peach, apples, kiwi and pineapple and the pineapple yeast was the one that yielded the best result.”

"Once the cherries arrive to the wet mill, they are submerged in clean water to wash out any possible dirt or contamination that could affect the development of bacteria inside the fermentation tanks. Once all cherries are clean and classified by density, we place them inside a food grade fermentation tanks that can hold up to 2,500-2,600 pounds of cherries. We use food grade tanks in order to keep the tanks as clean as possible so we don’t risk cross contamination from batch to batch. The tanks are equipped with a pressure valve, a relief valve, pH meter and temperature meter. The interesting aspect about this coffee is that is easily misunderstood that this coffee was fermented using whole pineapple chunks or the actual pineapple fruit in the coffee during the fermentation process, but thats not the case here. We didn’t want to risk contamination at any phase during this process, and the yeast developed in our microbiology lab from the pineapple is far more effective at reaching the objective. We got fresh pineapple fruit and extracted the pineapple pure and let it ferment in order to develop a healthy population of yeast. When the population was healthy, we separated the proper amount of yeast needed for every specific batch produced and continued to feed the “yeast village” with high sugar media so it would keep feeding and reproducing for the upcoming lots. Once the pineapple yeast mossto is created, we add the mossto solution and then seal the fermentation tanks with the coffee cherries for 70 hours."

Origin:

, Guatemala

Reminds Us Of:

Tropical Fruits, White Wine, Vanilla

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe B in our brew guide

Happy New Year! To kick off 2024 we have a familiar coffee showing up, Okoluu. Our third year bringing in this coffee, it continues to impress with its syrupy body and should be quite lovely for those who desire to brew as a fruity espresso. To pair with, we have a red honey catuai from Costa Rica to also showcase a jammy sweetness that is typical of honey processed coffees.

Ethiopia Natural 

From La Baia:

"We are extremely honored to directly partner with Ture Waji. We previously directly sourced all of our Guji lots with Ture in collaboration with his Dambi Uddo venture, but this year marks the inaugural first year of his solo venture and launch of SooKoo Coffee. SooKoo is producing some of the most exiting and provocative coffees in the entire country of Ethiopia."

"The cherries for Okoluu were sourced around the forests of Dambi Uddo Kebele, a small kebele located at 2180 MSAL in Woreda Shakiso of Guji. Cherries once picked by local pickers from the Kebele of Okoluu, the farmer group then delivered to two sites, SooKoo's Suku drying station and their external cherry collection center depending on the distance to travel for pickers."

Origin:

Dambi, Ethiopia

Reminds Us Of:

Floral, Dried Apricot, Caramel

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Costa Rica Red Honey Catuai

From Selva Coffee:

“Ivan Solis is a success story built on the foundation of the coffee producing culture of the growing region, Tarrazu. Today, he is somewhat of a coffee magnate in the prestigious micro region of Santa Maria de Dota - he seems to know about all the farms and people comprising his beloved, small town. However, Ivan had to struggle and earn his way into the position he is in now from extremely humble beginnings. His hard work ethic, passion, experience, and vision have brought him to create the Santa Fe wet mill with his wife and 3 kids.”

This coffee is a red honey processed lot. Honey process is where the cherries are first pulped but some of the mucilage is allowed to remain in contact with the seed. Left as a pile or in tanks, the mucilage will undergo fermentation and oxidation as it dries. The amount of mucilage left on the seeds and drying approach can influence the colour change that occurs. As a result honey processes are often categorised as white, yellow, red or black; usually with the darker colour from increased mucilage contact and longer drying times. As a red honey process this coffee exhibits more of the jammy sweetness one might expect from a natural coffee.

Origin:

Santa Maria de Dota, Costa Rica

Reminds Us Of:

Berries, Plum, Cocoa

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Two African coffees to round off the year 2023! First up is the last coffee of the year by Finagro Plantations from their Gaia Farm. This has been our first year working with this producer and they have done some interesting innovations in Tanzanian coffee. From their co-fermented Mahaha (found as our Holiday Coffee) to this Ethiopian landrace that was grown on their farm when they brought back seeds from Sidamo. To pair and contrast, we have included a rock solid washed Ethiopian coffee that is always a favourite origina and process of our roastery. Happy Holidays!

Tanzania Natural 

This coffee is a natural landrace variety from Ethiopia that was planted in Gaia Farm. Back in 2006, five seeds were brought back from Sidamo to be planted and cultivated into 10000 trees! This coffee was given a 4 day pre-ferment followed by a 56 hour pulped dry ferment. The genetic diversity and cup quality of Ethiopian varieties have always been recognized as cornerstones for the future of arabica specialty coffee. It is interesting to see producers taking a chance to improve the access of these varieties in new origins to broaden the genetic diversity and availability outside of Ethiopia.

Origin:

Ngorongoro, Tanzania

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Cherry, Berries, Marzipan

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Ethiopia Washed

From Crop to Cup:

“In 2006, Musa won a competition held by the Ethiopian government among the 500 participants selected and, as a reward, was sent to participate in AFCA in Uganda, received prize money and a hand pulper. He used the prize money to expand his farm to 43.8 hectares, but, in 2008 the Ethiopian government introduced the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange, ending direct export and requiring Musa to sell his coffee at commercial prices locally in Agaro.

This changed in 2016 when the government began to liberalize coffee export and allow some farmers to hold their own export licenses. Crop to Cup was Musa’s first direct sale customer that year. Musa has inspired other farmers in the region—including his brother Gugu—to pursue direct export as a way to receive higher prices for their coffee. With the premiums he’s earned, Musa has begun to renovate his farm and replant using seedlings from his nursery; built new drying beds; purchased shade cloth; and built a larger warehouse."

Origin:

Agaro, Jimma, Ethiopia

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Floral, Tangerine, Nectarine, Butterscotch

Brew:

Filter, Modern Espresso

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

As a note, the roasting of the coffees for the advent calendar were done on the last week of October and first week of November. The roasting order does not necessarily match the order that the coffees are placed in the calendar. Our head of coffee specifically chose certain coffees to roast first or later based on how they will age and keeping in mind that people will brew them in order starting on Dec. 1

We opted to not include flavour notes this year as some of these coffees have had their profiles modified to be roasted on the Stronghold vs the Loring and will develop differently as a result. That said, keep an eye on our stories as we will be referring back to these coffees so you can reference the info about them through some of our earlier posts this year. They are still wonderful coffees but the notes may vary from our earlier labels as a different expression. We hope you enjoy them as you enter into the Holiday season!

The annual return of a much-loved producer. Luis is the producer that has the longest standing direct trade relationship with us. Hatch first began selling roasted coffee in 2017 and Luis was one of the first producers that we worked with and featured in our Roastery Select subscription. The Balladarez family have been coffee producers for three generations and today Luis carries that legacy. Each year his farms always produces incredible coffees that continue to rank amongst the top 10 in the Cup of Excellence! We are always excited to receive the pre-shipment samples to see what treats he has in store for us as his coffees are a fan-favourite amongst many of our long-time subscribers. This year the two coffees are both from the farm that is his pride and joy, Finca Un Regalo de Dios which translates to "Gift from God".

Pacamara Natural 

A variety that resulted from the cross breeding of the giant Maragogype variety (elephant bean) and the Pacas variety. Pacamara is well known for its high cup quality potential, often dominating Cup of Excellence competitions with incredible flavours and quality. This coffee variety is often identifiable by its large size and oblong seed shape.

Origin:

Mozonte, Nicaragua

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Grape, Raisin, Mulled Wine

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Java Natural

From World Coffee Research:

"Java has a long history of cultivation. As indicated by the name, the variety was introduced to the island of Java directly from Ethiopia by the Dutch in the early 19th century.It was originally thought to be a Typica selection. In the mid-20th century, it was brought to Cameroon by a local farmer via the Vilmorin company, which acquired the seeds in Java from Porteres (a famous breeder). In Cameroon, the breeder Pierre Bouharmont observed that it was partially tolerant to coffee berry disease (CBD), a prevalent problem for coffee growers in Africa, and well adapted for smallholder growers using few inputs. After nearly 20 years of selection, it was released for cultivation in Cameroon in 1980-90.Even so, genetic fingerprinting of molecular markers has revealed that Java is a selection from an Ethiopian landrace population called Abysinia."

Origin:

Mozonte, Nicaragua

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Mangosteen, Guava, Almond

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Natural lovers rejoice, it's another month of naturals! The first is a wild carbonic macerated natural Ethiopian sourced with our friends at La Baia Coffee Supply. The second coffee is the first iteration of a new project from producer our dear friend Diego Samuel Bermúdez Tapia. This new initiative is the Natural Friends project whereby Diego is purchasing coffee cherries at parchment prices from producers in his hometown of Bolívar, Cauca.

Deri Kidame Natural 

From La Baia Coffee Supply:

"Tracon’s reputation is well regarded and are no strangers among COE members globally. In 2021, Tracon chose to participate in Ethiopia’s second ever Cup of Excellence Auction and had 2 different coffees score an impressive placement in the top 20 of all the coffees submitted in the Ethiopia COE Auction. In 2021, a record-breaking number of entries 1,849 for any countrywide Cup of Excellence competition entered the competition to compete that particular year. Placing in the best of top 20 coffees produced in Ethiopia should speak volumes for itself.

Once the cherries arrive to Tracon’s Deri Kidame Washing Station, they are submerged in clean water to wash out any possible dirt or contamination that could affect the development of bacteria inside the fermentation tank. Once all cherries are clean and classified by their density, the heaviest cherries are selected and placed inside the sealed fermentation tanks. After fermenting in the tanks for 72 hours, the coffee is then transferred to complete drying on raised drying beds for 21 days where the coffees are routinely raked and rotated by hand to assure consistent exposure and uniform drying during the drying phase."

Origin:

Hambela, Guji, Ethiopia

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Mango, Grape Candy, Chocolate

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe B in our brew guide with a longer 1:17 ratio

El Paraiso Natural Friends

This coffee is, in some ways, the natural counterpart to our beloved Eco-Enigma. It is part of a series of regional offerings by Finca El Paraiso whereby Diego purchases coffee cherries from local producers in his hometown of Bolívar at parchment price so farmers earn a premium as if the coffee were already processed. El Paraiso then takes the cherries and will process it themselves before bringing the coffee to market. In essence, it allows smallholders who do not have processing infrastructure to be able to receive a premium for their cherries without needing to process it themselves. This is to encourage farmers to move away from growing coca and to preserve their water tributaries from the potential contamination from coffee processing.

Origin:

Bolívar, Cauca, Colombia

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Tangerine, Nectarine, Cane Sugar

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

This month we have two naturals from Africa. The first is a lovely natural Ethiopian sourced with our friends at The Coffee Quest that we hope will serve as a familiar baseline to compare and contrast against the natural SL28 from Edelweiss Estate Coffee. They have had successes in experimenting with anaerobic and special processes so this year they have pushed for a focus on developing more consistent and repeatable processing protocols specific for the varieties they produce. This is our first year working with Edelweiss Estate Coffee and we are excited to share their work (this will not be the only coffee you see from them!)

Rumudamo Natural 

From The Coffee Quest:

"Rumudamo Station is located in Arbegona woreda or Village and is part of the Sidama zone. Managed by Asefa Dukamo Korma, the site sits at an elevation of 2,200 m.a.s.l and is dedicated to producing both Washed, Honey and Natural coffees, where more than 600 farmers contribute with their cherries, mostly with 74112 Heirloom Variety.

For the Natural lot, the coffee is purchased from the farmers, hand-selected once it arrives at the site, and placed to dry in African beds, with constant movement to ensure an even drying. For the Washed lot, the coffee is de-pulped once it arrives at the site, wet fermented for between 48-72 hours, washed and then later placed to dry in African beds to dry for between 8-12 days."

Origin:

Arbegona, Bensa, Ethiopia

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Passion fruit, Strawberry, Apricot

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Edelweiss Natural SL28

SL28 is a variety that has gained wide renown since it’s introduction from Scott Agricultural Laboratories, now called National Agricultural Laboratories (NARL) situated at Kabete, Kenya. As a result its lineage is often considered to originate from Kenya. However, from historical documents its heritage is derived from a parental seed that was first found in Tanzania and brought to Scott Labs for selective breeding due to its drought resistance.

From Edelweiss Estate Coffee:

"SL28 conventionally is presented as a fully washed coffee but we tried to push the flavour parameters. After trialing the potential with various fermentations we found the SL28 to be an extremely versatile coffee lending itself well to many different treatments. In this instance we found that pre-fermenting the SL28 for 3 days and then drying it out as a natural produced a wonderful fragrant and sweet cup."

Origin:

Arusha, Tanzania

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Raspberry, Honey, Hazelnut

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe B in our brew guide

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This month's release comes to us in partnership with JNP Coffee, a company specializing in Burundi specialty coffee with a focus on many female-owned farms. The founder of JNP Coffee and certified Q-Grader, Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, first met Cup Of Excellence Head Judge, Sherri Johns at the 2012 Burundi COE Competition. They soon became fast friends and have since partnered in running multiple cuppings and auctions. This past June we were honour to have them host a cupping at our roastery showcasing various lots of Burundi coffee. We're excited to share with you the pair of coffees we picked out from that cupping. 

Icuti Washed Bourbon

From JNP Coffee:

“Grown near a high-altitude rainforest among tea, banana, bean and cassava plants, these exceptional coffee cherries are new to the JNP Coffee family. In Kirundi, ‘incuti’ means relative, but it can also mean friend. One man learned of JNP Coffee’s Dushime\u2122 premium program from friends in another province and sought us out for his group of coffee farmers.”

The Dushime\u2122 program is where farmers are paid a secondary premium on top of their original price based on the global sales performance of their crop.

Origin:

Kayanza Province, Burundi

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Blackberry, Plum, Cherry

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Hafi Natural Bourbon

From JNP Coffee:

“Currently producing only natural coffees, this washing station is now building a new wet mill for future fully washed coffees.

We call the coffee from this new terroir Hafi, which means ‘close’ in Kirundi. Before the washing station opened, small farmers in the area faced a 20km journey to deliver their freshly harvested cherry to the nearest wet mill. With the hilly terrain, that was too far to travel in one day. Quality standards require same-day processing for harvested cherry. A wet mill nearby makes it possible to grow this specialty coffee we treasure, which features silky smooth notes of sweet, dried cherries and blackberries.”

Origin:

Kayanza Province, Burundi

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Hibiscus, Red Grape, Anise

Brew:

Filter

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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

**IMPORTANT UPDATE**

Dear subscribers, we are making some changes to our subscription management and ecommerce platform. As such, there will be some upcoming adjustments to how our subscriptions work to allow more flexibility. Keep an eye out here and in your email inbox as we will be providing some additional info in the days to come. Thank you for your continued support in what we love.

With that said, this month's release is a hot one that we sourced with Red Fox Coffee Merchants! With the heat over the last few weeks these coffees will offer some much needed refreshment.

Duromina Lot 9

Washed Ethiopia

This coffee is a bright and delicate offering that is perfect for a hot July release! It is from the Duromina washing station with a cooperative comprised of over 100 smallholder farmers. Before the cooperative, the region had poor quality due to the lack of quality control and delays in processing. Technoserve was able to help secure funding and training necessary for the cooperative to build the wet mill which greatly improved the quality of the coffees and thus the premium they could earn. The name Duromina translates roughly as "to improve their lives."

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Sourced with Red Fox Coffee Merchants

Origin:

Agaro, Limu, Ethiopia

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Daisy, Ginger, Yellow Peach, Honey

Brew:

Filter
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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Karindundu AB

Washed Kenya

This coffee is a great 'archetype' of how juicy and complex a washed Kenya AB can be. Fittingly crisp for the summer, the mouth-watering acidity should make for a fantastic iced coffee."

From Red Fox Coffee Merchants:

Karindundu is a Kikuyu word meaning “the wrapped”, inspired by the Kikuyu and Ukabi war over land issues in regards to migration in the old days. Within the vicinity, there is a famous open-air market and several hotels that cater to visitors. About 400 farmers contribute cherry to this factory resulting in 300 tonnes of cherry delivered per year.

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Sourced with Red Fox Coffee Merchants

Origin:

Nyeri, Kenya

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Raspberry, Apricot, Plum, Brown Sugar

Brew:

Filter
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We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

Sitio Imperio da Serra

Black Honey Red Catuai

From Silmara Emerick:

"My relationship with coffee started very early, as I am the daughter and granddaughter of coffee producers, thus being the fourth generation in coffee. It was in 2001 that I started to take care of my own coffee plantation, I inherited a little piece of coffee from my parents and soon after I got married I went to take care of that land. We only produced commodity coffees, but in 2019, with an uncle's encouragement, we decided to try to make special coffee, and it was from there that we discovered great potential in the coffees we had here on our farm. and that motivated us to want to continue producing specialty coffees. At the beginning, when we were starting in the specialty coffee business, many people thought that we couldn't get anywhere, and today I can say that I feel accomplished, because I know that I can produce coffees with great quality potential."

- Sourced with Mountain Coffee

Origin:

Caparaó, Espírito Santo, Brazil

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Citronella, Candied Cashew, Vanilla

Brew:

Filter - We recommend Recipe B in our brew guide

Villa Betulia

Washed Papayo

From La Baia:

"The coffees produced and grown by Don Luis Anibal are heavily revered and recognized as some of the best coffees to come out of Colombia. The lineage of varieties grown at Villa Betulia is nothing short of outright impressive. Today, Villa Betulia is planted with a wide range of specialty but notably exotic varieties that include Papayo, Caturron, Chili Bourbon, Tabi, Java, Sidra, Striped Bourbon, Pink Bourbon, Geisha, Maragogype, Pacamara, Marageisha, and Wush Wush just to name a few."

"The Papayo variety in general is very rare. Rarely ever detected or produced outside of Huila, information about its origins is very limited. Papayo cherries are distinctive, with an elongated shape similar to that of a papaya fruit hence the name “Papayo”. This variety is also revered by local farmers for its natural resistance to the devastating effects of leaf rust and its potential for healthy production yields."

- Sourced with La Baia Coffee

Origin:

Huila, Colombia

Roast Profile:

Light Roast

Notes:

Floral, Apricot, Plum

Brew:

Filter - We recommend Recipe A in our brew guide

1 part Adventurous (or Classic) cold drip concentrate
4 parts Tonic water

Ice

We recommend adding Ice and Tonic water into a glass first, then adding the coffee concentrate

1 part Classic
4 parts oat milk (hot works too!)

1 part concentrate
4 parts water

We recommend 50ml concentrate with 200ml water to make a cup of straight cold brew.