Episodes
Saturday Mar 31, 2018
Episode 490 on Monday the 2nd of April, 2018. Bolivia Vincent Paye Washed
Saturday Mar 31, 2018
Saturday Mar 31, 2018
A few years ago we had a lot that was produced by various smallholder farmers from the small town of Copacabana, which lies about 180 kilometres from La Paz in the heart of the Caranavi coffee-producing region. Then in 2016 this coffee came from just one producer in the area, whose name is Vincent Paye. That year I described him as a beacon of hope in a tough growing region, and that beacon has continued to shine brightly.
Caranavi is a lush and fertile region. Its steep slopes and valleys provide excellent conditions for growing specialty coffee and supporting a diverse range of native flora and fauna. It has rich volcanic soils and regular rainfall.
The colony of Copacabana has a collection of small farms that are each around five hectares in size (although Vincent has ten hectares). The farms range over an altitude of 1,300 to 1,700 metres above sea level, and they benefit from an average annual temperature between 15 and 26°C. This lot comes from a farm matching these criteria, and it's at around 1,550 m.a.s.l. These traditional farms use no chemicals or pesticides and are certified organic, although we do not hold an organic certification.
The main harvest runs from May to September, peaking around July and August. The cherries are handpicked only when fully ripe, and they're then delivered to the central mill, called Buena Vista, where they are fully washed.
Bolivia is a challenge and is going through some tough times: dwindling crops, ageing plants, lack of varietal diversity and ageing producers with children who have little to no interest in carrying on the family business. But then there are people like Vincent who are doing wonderful work to buck that trend. He's been planting new stock, working hard with his family, and increasing his yield – and also the quality of his coffee.
In the cup this coffee is instantly all about melted milk chocolate, but you can also expect to enjoy notes of caramel and toasted pine nut, before it finishes with a lemon like acidity.
- Country: Bolivia
- Region: Yungas
- Municipality: Caranavi
- Town: Copacabana
- Farm: Vincent Paye
- Altitude: 1,550 m.a.s.l.
- Owner: Vincent Paye
- Varietal: Red & Yellow Caturra & Catuai
- Processing: Washed
- Washing: Manual
- Fermentation: Yes (18 hours)
- Drying method: Stationary dryer (71 hours)
CUPPING NOTES
Melted milk chocolate, caramel, toasted pine nut, lemon.
Clean cup: (1–8): 6
Sweetness: (1–8): 7
Acidity: (1–8): 6
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5
Flavour: (1–8): 6.5
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6.5
Balance: (1–8): 6.5
Overall: (1–8): 7
Correction: (+36): +36
Total: (max. 100): 88
Roasting Information
Medium dark - just to the first pops of second crack and drop, no more.
"Quick Look" Guide
Melted milk chocolate, caramel, toasted pine nut, lemon.
Saturday Mar 24, 2018
Saturday Mar 24, 2018
La Pira is located in the high altitude Dota valley of the Tarrazu region: an area that was known for producing great coffees. This relatively young estate is only 50 years old and is owned by the founder’s son, Carlos Urena Ceciliano. He has worked the farm for eighteen years; however, he has worked in coffee all his life.
We first found this coffee in the Cup of Excellence in 2009, and we were pleased to be reunited with it only recently after a lot of effort and hard work. Two years ago it proved tricky to secure, stretching both my pocket and patience, but it was well worth it. Thankfully last year and this year things were a little less stretchy and stretchy!
After inheriting the family farm, Carlos worked for many years as a certified organic coffee producer, but he realised doing so was just not possible on this farm. Organic coffee is good, but not possible for everyone. The yield was very, very affected. So Carlos looked for alternatives, while still holding the organic principles very close to his heart. For instance, instead of using chemicals to control the weeds, sheep roam freely amongst the coffee plants and eat the weeds (and strangely leave the coffee plants alone). They work as automatic and mobile 'fertilisation units' (nature’s a wonderful thing). This has eliminated the need for herbicides. This is the kind of thinking Carlos has about coffee.
When I last visited the farm, Carlos told me about how he wakes up in the middle of the night with an idea of how he can improve production, change the way the coffee is harvested and processed, and how systems can be improved upon. I too suffer from this type of sleep deprivation relating to ideas popping into the head, so I can empathise about this.
During one of these late night bursts of inspiration, Carlos thought that using the coldest water he could would be the best way of processing the cherry. During the night the Dota valley gets a really sharp, cold breeze, and it runs through the whole farm. He had noticed the way the water on the mill roof, which sprinkled from processing, was almost frosting up. So he created a sprinkling system and a zinc ramp that the water runs across before hitting the cherries in the fermentation tank.
I am convinced that these little details are what makes this coffee so very very special, and you can taste it in the cup. I don't think it’s the processing so much, but Carlos' care and attention to the very smallest detail.
We have chased this coffee ever since we first had it many years ago from the Cup of Excellence program. It's been tough to get our hands on due to its low yield, but I pestered the exporter we partner with in Costa Rica so much that I got my wonderful and wicked way! In every Skype call and every email I begged them to sort this one out. Even after visiting it wasn't easy, and what is here is a really small lot, but I think you will love it.
In the cup expect candied lemon peel, with a white sugar sweetness that's super clean and finishes with what I can only describe as a toffee stickiness.
- Country: Costa Rica
- Region: Tarrazú
- City: Santa María de Dota
- Farm: Finca La Pira
- Farmer: Carlos Ureña Ceciliano
- Farm size: 7 hectares
- Altitude: 1,650 m.a.s.l.
- Variety: Caturra
- Processing system: Red Honey
CUPPING NOTES
Candied lemon peel, white sugar, clean, toffee.
Clean cup: (1–8): 8
Sweetness: (1–8): 7
Acidity: (1–8): 6.5
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6
Flavour: (1–8): 7
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6
Balance: (1–8): 6.5
Overall: (1–8): 7
Correction: (+36): +36
Total: (max. 100): 90
Roasting Information
Medium – through the gap between cracks but drop before second crack begins.
"Quick Look" Guide
Candied lemon peel, white sugar, clean, toffee.
Saturday Mar 17, 2018
Saturday Mar 17, 2018
We're now into our sixth year of working this this amazing farm, but the first year's lot was so tiny that it never made it onto the website and was sold as an exclusive to one of our lucky wholesale customers. Luckily, ever since then we've been able to focus a little bit more on the farm: we cupped a lot more pickings and found a little more coffee.
Finca La Chorrera is located near to the city of Pitalito, in the south of the Huila department. It's in the valley of the Rio Grande de la Magdalena, known as 'The Valley of Laboyos', which is 180 km away from Nieva, the capital of Huila. Pitalito is also the second largest city of the department of Huila, at approximately 125,000 inhabitants, and is considered one of the largest areas of coffee production in Colombia.
This farm is located on top of a mountain at 1,735 metres above sea level. It contains 70% Caturra (25,000 plants; this lot comes from them), 20% Colombia F6 (7,000 plants) and 10% Castillo (2,000 plants). The farm consists of eight hectares, six of which are planted with coffee. The other two hectares house the mill and inaccessible mountainous areas. The family house, which is also used for drying, is at the bottom of the hill at around 1,400 metres above sea level.
I took some amazing pictures on my trip in 2013, so take a look here, and I took some more on my trip in 2014 – find them here!
The farm is owned and run by the Claros family: Pedro, his wife Nelcy and their six children (Alberio, Edilson, Sandra, Hermes, Diana and Monica). It's a real family business with everyone pitching into the farm to make it work.
Carlos sent us every day's pickings to cup and we bought everything that scored over 86 points on the cupping table; anything below 86 was sold for commodity. This meant we had to pay a premium for the coffee, but I think it's definitely worth it.
The farm's drying patio is one of the most amazing things I’ve seen. It's a greenhouse built on top of the house so that the coffee can be turned regularly, but also to make sure no one steals it. The latter was not so much of a problem last year with market prices being low, but it was a real problem over the previous three years. Of course, Pedro doesn't have to worry about market prices; he always gets a premium because he consistently gives quality, but black market coffee goes to the highest market bidder.
In the cup expect classic Colombian milk chocolate mixed with blackberry jam, this coffee has a wonderfully smooth body and hints of Granny Smith acidity.
- Country: Colombia
- Department: Huila
- Nearest town: Pitalito
- Farm: Finca La Chorrera
- Owners: Claros family
- Altitude: 1,735 m.a.s.l.
- Farm size: 8 hectares
- Coffee growing area: 6 hectares
- Varietal: Caturra
- Processing: Washed
CUPPING NOTES
Milk chocolate, blackberry jam, Granny Smith.
Clean cup: (1–8): 6.5
Sweetness: (1–8): 6.5
Acidity: (1–8): 6
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 7
Flavour: (1–8): 7
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6
Balance: (1–8): 6.5
Overall: (1–8): 6.5
Correction: (+36): +36
Total: (max. 100): 88
Roasting Information
Medium – just up to the cusp of second crack, but not into it.
"Quick Look" Guide
Milk chocolate, blackberry jam, Granny Smith.
Saturday Mar 10, 2018
Episode 487 on Monday the 12th of March, 2018. Ecuador Hilda Pacha Washed Caturra
Saturday Mar 10, 2018
Saturday Mar 10, 2018
In the middle of the Amazon Rainforest, in the southeast of Ecuador, there is the province of Zamora-Chinchipe, home to Hilda’s farm. This farm has 10 hectares in total, and 7 of them are made up of virgin forests and native trees and the other 3 are where the coffee's grown.
This region counts with the only nogal reserve in the country and with the wood of these trees, they make cooking utensils for their kitchen. In this region, you can find more than 160 different bird species that migrate from farm to farm to find their perfect habitat and in the process cheer up hundreds of coffee growing families.
Its remote and exotic location, makes this farm unique and priviledged for its biodiversity and microclimates. The passionate and experienced producers in the region, geographic location, climatic conditions, and the rich soil, are the perfect mix to produce extraordinary coffee.
Even though coffee growers in this region still say they have many things to learn about producing specialty coffee, it's a region with very high potential. Hilda is part of the association called ACRIM that believes that “The sustainable progress and development of communities can only be done by getting together, working as a team, and respecting the environment together.”
In the cup this super sweet coffee reminds me of brown sugar and toffee, with a green apple and watermelon aftertaste.
- Country: Ecuador
- Province: Zamora - Chinchipe
- Cantón: Zumba
- Producer: Hilda Terest Pacha Cordero
- Altitude: 1,700 m.a.s.l.
- Total farm size: 10 Hectares
- Farm coffee growing area: 3 Hectares
- Varietal: Caturra
- Drying method: Fully sun dried on parabolic covered patios
- Processing method: Traditionally fully washed
- Fermentation time: 18 hours
CUPPING NOTES
Brown sugar, toffee, green apple, watermelon.
Clean cup: (1–8): 6
Sweetness: (1–8): 7.5
Acidity: (1–8): 6.5
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5
Flavour: (1–8): 6.5
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6
Balance: (1–8): 6.5
Overall: (1–8): 6.5
Correction:(+36): +36
Total (max. 100): 89
Roasting Information
Medium dark - take it through first and then there is quite a long gap, you want the very first pops of second as the coffee hits the cooling tray.
"Quick Look" Guide
Brown sugar, toffee, green apple, watermelon.
Saturday Mar 03, 2018
Saturday Mar 03, 2018
This coffee is a staple, a big favourite and a stunning example of what a very fine coffee from Brazil should be. Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira Pulped Natural Yellow Bourbon from the Minas Gerais area is one of my all-time great cups. This coffee has always been fantastic, and it has such amazing memories for me.
This farm and its coffee sparked a massive change in what I thought I knew about coffee. I remember the first time I ever cupped this coffee: time stood still as the cup opened my mind to what great coffee is and can be. Gabriel, the farmer, continues to produce great coffee year on year. We have access to the best of the crop this year – and have had for the last three years – on a European exclusive. This is due to the special relationship we, and our importers, enjoy with Gabriel.
I like this coffee so much I used it for the UK Brewers Cup last year (where I made it to the semi-finals) to show off just how delicious a Brazilian coffee can be. To see my performance, please click below.
Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama has been in the Carvalho Dias family since 1890 and is located in São Paolo state, just three miles from the border with Minas Gerais state. It enjoys the typical characteristics of the mountainous Mogiana and Sul de Minas regions, and it's located at an altitude of 1,100–1,250 metres above sea level.
Gabriel de Carvalho Dias is one of Brazil’s leading agronomists. His family owns several farms, and they border each other in this area. With a total area of 417 hectares, Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama has a coffee plantation area of 165 hectares. Everything is done manually on this farm since its topography does not allow any kind of mechanisation. The mill is located close to the spa town of Poços de Caldas, which is 45 minutes away from the farm.
The Carvalho Dias family consider social and environmental sustainability to be very important. The farm has a programme of planting native species of trees to maintain a better ecological balance. There is also a school, a club and an official-size soccer field for the employees and workers. There are 47 houses, all with modern facilities. The waste water is treated in order to avoid polluting the stream that runs across the farm. The farm has a small hydroelectric plant and only buys energy during the peak harvest. Some of the original Bourbon varietal trees are as much as 108 years old.
The beans are harvested on a sheet and prepared by the ‘pulped natural’ process, which separates the greens. The beans receive the maximum possible attention after harvest so that they don't lose any of the body and cup qualities for which this region is famed.
In the cup expect hot chocolate with hazelnut, and a Jammy Dodger aftertaste.
- Country: Brazil
- Region: Mogiana (São Paolo)
- City: São Sebastião da Grama
- Farm: Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama
- Processing: Pulped Natural
- Varietal: Yellow Bourbon
- Altitude: 1,100–1,250 m.a.s.l.
- Owner: Lidolpho de Carvalho Dias and family
CUPPING NOTES
Hazelnut, hot chocolate, Jammy Dodger.
Clean cup: (1–8): 6
Sweetness: (1–8): 7.5
Acidity: (1–8): 6
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5
Flavour: (1–8): 7
Aftertaste: (1–8): 7
Balance: (1–8): 6
Overall: (1–8): 7
Correction: (+36): +36
Total (max. 100): 89
Roasting Information
Medium dark – finish the roast just before second crack gets going.
"Quick Look" Guide
Hazelnut, hot chocolate, Jammy Dodger.