The Coffee Adventures

documenting my adventures into the world of coffee one cup at a time...

[jferguson87]

Madcap Coffee Company: Kenya Set

About two weeks ago I ordered one of Madcap's latest offerings, a Kenya set which is comprised of two 12oz bags of their Kenyan coffees, Kiaria and Kirura.

From the moment I read about these coffees that I knew I wanted to try them both. 

I haven't had that many Kenyan coffees this year. I think I've once again topped the year by having more Ethiopian coffees than I can stand to, but I can't complain... I've had some killer Ethiopian coffees that have easily made my favorites list of 2014 for sure!

I can say for sure that I have also had a few really great Kenyan coffees recently as well so it was pretty exciting to order this Kenya set and seeing what Madcap had to offer with these. 

NOTE*** Madcap has been very welcoming toward splitting bags so if you're looking to try this in a 6oz bag of each, just ask them!

  Kiaria, Kenya

Coffee/Roaster: Kiaria, Kenya / Madcap Coffee Company

Region: Kiambu

Producer: Kiaria Factory

Elevation: 1,850-1,950 meters

Varietal: SL28 and SL34

Process: Washed and dried on raised beds

Harvest Season/Date: December 2013 - January 2014

Cost: $18 per 12oz

  Thoughts

On the nose is a strong mixture of sweet glazed doughnuts and juicy plum. The first initial whiffs is apparent that this coffee is nothing short of complex. 

The juicy plum and glazed doughnut only scratches the surface of what's to come. Before you know it, a wave of flavors come at you; spices like nutmeg, and cinnamon followed by fresh coconut and floral undertones.

Mind blown!

The taste is everything you've smelt in the aroma and more. Each sip is sweet combining a hefty mixture of that glazed doughnut and coconut I mentioned in the aroma.

Its really interesting tasting this much sweetness in a Kenyan. Lately all the Kenya's I've had have been very fruity, floral-like, or both, so this is a welcoming surprise. 

Underneath the thick wave of sweetness I find some plum and cherry tones and maybe even some red delicious apple. A nice palate of fruit.

As the coffee starts to cool it begins to pop out here and there. The sweetness starts to mellow down letting some lime zestiness come forth along with some floral qualities. 

The floral play comes bursting out with lavender, jasmine, and rose petals as the cup nears ice cold. The flavor really hits the tongue hard. 

Kiaria is a great representation of the quality of Kenya’s best coffees ―  full bodied and complex with flavors of plum and strawberry with a delicate, floral finish. ~ Madcap Coffee Company

  *   *   *

  Kirura, Kenya

Coffee/Roaster: Kirura, Kenya / Madcap Coffee Company

Region: Karatina, Kiambu

Producer: Kirura Factory

Elevation: 1,800 meters

Varietal: SL 28 and SL34

Process: Washed and dried on raised beds

Harvest Season/Date: December-March

Cost: $20 per 12oz

  Thoughts

This coffee wastes no time diving into what it has to offer. Sweet cane sugar, plum and lime invade your nose in such a pleasing way. The plum is juicy and when mixed with the cane sugar, it gives off a sweet fruit play to make your mouth water.

On first sip, it's a fight between the juicy plum and the slight tartness of the lime. The fight ends with the cane sugar as it coats your tongue leaving a slightly sweet finish at the end of each sip.

As the cup cools I find myself tasting some more fruit like raspberries, a touch of tangerine, apple.

Smooth and heavy, with notes of bright berry, plum, and sugar cane, this coffee’s complex flavor is a standout. ~ Madcap Coffee Company

  Verdict

Holy goodness! Both of these coffees were beyond what I expected. 

I had fun comparing these two coffees. Both had qualities to it that just blew my mind. The Kiaria carried a lot of doughnut and plum while the Kirura had cane sugar, plum and apple. 

You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

Compelling & Rich Coffee: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe ECX Janbar Grade 1

It's funny how almost every month I rant my growing boredom of Ethiopian coffees, and more so the naturally processed ones for the heavy candied like qualities.

It's hard not to become bored of a coffee when each coffee, even when from a different roaster tends to taste the same every time. 

And then every so often comes that same processed coffee you've grown to hate comes back into your life that brings you back to a place, a memory that reminds you why you fell in love with that coffee in the first place.

My love/hate relationship with this region has kept me from ordering a lot of Ethiopian coffees lately and I hate that. I've come to the assumption that they'll all taste the same and I've missed some coffees that I probably would have genuinely liked.

This past week I had ordered up some Ethiopia Yirgacheffe ECX Janbar coffee from Compelling & Rich and I am glad that I got the chance to try this. It reminded me why I shouldn't judge a coffee before trying it. You never know what coffees you might be missing out on.

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe ECX Janbar Grade 1 / Compelling & Rich Coffee

Region: Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia

Producer: ECX (Ethiopian Coffee Exchange)

Varietal: Heirloom Ethiopia varietals

Process: Natural Process, Sorted for defects to ECX Grade-1 standards

Cost: $12.50 per 8oz

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 25/375g • 206° water • medium fine grind (#18H baratza preciso) • 3:10 total time

Liquid fruity pebbles come to mind immediately. Blueberries, strawberries and lime fill up both the aroma and taste. 

Hands down, the cleanest tasting natural I have ever had. The finish is so clean it's really quite mind blowing. Having had so many naturally processed Ethiopians in the past, I can say I have never come close to one like this. 

  Chemex (paper filter): 30/450g • 208° water • medium grind (#20H baratza preciso) • 3:00 total time

The Chemex feels dulled down compared to the v60. Not near as juicy, but still very delicious. 

Taste seems to be opening up with more lemon upfront, whereas the blueberry play seems stuck in the background. Actually the cup still has that fruity pebble play, but now its more mild.

  Complex tropical fruit: pineapple, lychee, mango, coconut; Rose wine acidity, Balanced sweetness, Syrupy body ~ Compelling & Rich Coffee

  Verdict

I mentioned in this post my love/hate relationship toward natural processed coffees. The candied fruit notes get boring easily on me and mostly because the notes are usually so intense and sweet that it becomes a sickening sweetness that is all too much for me.

I used to love when these Ethiopian coffees tasted this way but not so much anymore. 

However, this particular coffee is not the case. The coffee carries that candied sweetness reminding me of fruity pebbles, but it also has one quality to it that really pushes this coffee over the edge and makes me really love it. There's this clean finish to it that I didn't expect to find in this coffee, this particular process. 

Normally this process has a heavy lingering sweetness in the finish, but this coffee is not that way. Instead it carries an extremely clean finish.

  You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

Compelling & Rich Coffee: Kenya Nyeri Gatomboya Mill AA

I am really excited to have some Compelling & Rich coffee back in the house this week. It has been a few months since first trying some of their offerings. 

I really enjoyed my first go-around with them but I will say that this second round really shows how much these guys have grown. The coffees are just spot on.

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Kenya Nyeri Gatomboya Mill AA / Compelling & Rich Coffee

Region: Gatomboya Mill, Nyeri region, Kenya

Varietal: SL-28

Process: Washed, sun-dried on raised beds

Cost: $12.50 per 8oz

  Thoughts

Chemex (paper filter): 30/450g • 208° water • medium coarse grind (#22H baratza preciso) • 3:15 total time

Sweet and floral-like aroma. Delicate sugar and fruit notes.

Intense dried dates and raw sugar upon initial sips. As the cup cools, it opens up to a silky mouthfeel with juicy green grapes, a light grapefruit acidity and floral undertones. Diving more into the taste, I am finding notes of lemon and pineapple.

Complex, tart, & very lively.

  Hario v60: 25/375g • 208° water • medium fine grind (#18H baratza preciso) • 2:45 total time

The v60 might have more bang than the Chemex. 

Very sweet! Lots of cane sugar and dates hitting my tongue followed by an underlying floral play. The floral starts off on the light side but quickly becomes more pronounced as the cup starts to cool.

As the coffee cools I start to notice how different the coffee is becoming from the Chemex. While I taste some of the same notes like green grapes and cane sugar, the v60 carries more of a juicy play. Like an intense gusher like juiciness. I taste some honey surrounded by mango perhaps. Also tasting notes of pear, tangerines, and pineapple as well.

Long syrupy finish.

  Ruby red grapefruit, Mango, Honeysuckle, Sweet, Complex. Our first returning lot of coffee, and one of the best representations of a classic Kenya Nyeri cup. Tropical fruit – mango, lychee, pineapple – and honeysuckle floral aromatics up front. Sweet meyer lemon and pomelo define the acidity. We're happy to say this is even better than last year's lot.    ~ Compelling & Rich Coffee

  Verdict

This isn't my first go around with Compelling & Rich. The first couple of coffees I had of theirs was good, but the latest coffees are just wow. 

I can definitely taste the growth in these roasted coffees. This Kenya is complex and absolutely delicious. 

Kian, the man behind Compelling & Rich is roasting some really damn fine coffee and he is also writing some really great roasting posts so follow his tumblr here for some coffee roasting learning.

  You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

A Look At Two New Offerings From Perc Coffee Roasters

Perc Coffee has won my heart over and over again with each coffee they have sent over. I can't show enough appreciation to the kind folks over there for sending me these surprise coffee packages. Thank you, guys!!

Back to coffee now… I have truly loved every coffee that has been sent to me, and not just the top shelf coffees either.

A couple weeks ago I got two great new coffees to share with you all. I had been working hard on a review for each, but I must experiencing writer's block because trying to form a review has been terribly hard. Funny that even when the coffee is really good, I still find it hard to put words together to describe said coffee.

I am glad that I at least had some notes written down to at least share with you all what I thought of these two coffees. They are really tasty coffees worth sharing!

*   *   *

Bella Vista, El Salvador

Simple and delicious. Orange, orange, orange everywhere. Tastes like a freshly in season tangerine. A bit of spunk (acidity) to really liven up the tangerine play I'm tasting. Underneath I do find myself tasting hints of caramel. It’s very mild though. Just enough to notice a bit of creaminess to the cup.  Buttery mouthfeel as cup cools. Oh so creamy and smooth. Finishes off really clean.

* Think of caramel creams, and fresh tangerines with this coffee.

Yirgacheffe Adado, Ethiopia

Candied strawberries and hints of melon come out slowly. Not your average natural processed coffee. While it sure smells like one, it is in fact much more reserved, much more delicate than most of the ones I've had in the past.

Taste is the same way. Very delicate, and reserved. Sweet, but also carries an extremely clean finish. None of that sugary sweetness lingers on the tongue. Also the cup is quite juicy for a natural coffee. I mean they're juicy to begin with, but this seems to go beyond the natural aspect.

* This coffee has the sweet notes of a natural coffee mixed with the acidity and body of a washed.

*   *   *

Perc coffee is really fast tracking it to my favorite roasters list. These coffee's aren't as complex as the Finca Kassandra or the Flor de Cafe but that doesn't make these two any less special or amazing. 

These two coffees shine in their own way, and they are beautiful!

Check these out before they're gone.

[jferguson87]

Huckleberry Roasters: Gondo, Kenya

My last brush with Huckleberry Roasters was about five months ago. Out of the three coffees I got to try, I was happy with two out of the three. One of the coffees, the Long Miles Coffee Project: 3 Hills gave me some trouble, but that didn't stop me from trying out more offerings from the Denver based roaster.

I am happy to be back with a new coffee from these guys. I've been eyeing this Gondo, Kenya ever since they announced it as being available for purchase. It is also one of their most complex coffees to date.

I am relieved I didn't miss my chance at trying it. After having already had a cup since writing this. I'd really kick myself for missing the chance, but good thing I don't have to think about these scenarios anymore.

Let's get right down to it now because I don't think I can wait any longer to share this with you all... 

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Gondo, Kenya / Huckleberry Roasters

Region: Murang'a County, north of Nairobi, Kenya

Farm/Farmer: Gondo Farmers Cooperative Society

Elevation: 1500 meters

Varietal: SL-28

Process: Traditional washing (soaking the coffee for an additional 24 hours before drying)

Harvest Season/Date:

Cost: $18 per 10oz

  Thoughts

Kalita Wave (155 series): 15/240g • 206° water • medium fine grind (#18H baratza preciso) • 3:00 total time

Holy cow! The flavors just explode upon hitting your tongue. First I notice lemon which is probably the more pronounced note going. After that, the coffee just jumps to life letting off a grapefruit acidity, followed by a tomato play and then cools off with a caramel sweetness, and raw sugar.

Chemex (paper filter): 30/480g • 208° water • medium grind (#20H baratza preciso) • 3:30 total time

The aroma from the chemex is on the calmer side. I find myself smelling sweet caramel along with a nice array of fruit notes. Up first, peaches, oranges, and a little pink lady apple.

The first sip is sweet like caramel with vanilla underneath. Reminds me of Goetze's caramel and vanilla cream candies. 

As the cup cools, it opens up better giving a better view of what this coffee has to offer. Lemon is once again the first thing that really pops out at me. It's not near as explosive as the Kalita, but it's still quite pronounced.

Next is a mixture of grapefruit and perhaps a pink lady apple acidity coming forth. 

As the cup cools even further, this is where it gets good. It starts off full of light and somewhat mouth puckering, but then it rounds off giving you a beautiful silky mouthfeel with lots of sweet delicious notes like caramel, a little raw sugar, and to throw a punch in for good measure, some tomato in the finish. 

Clever Dripper: 23/350g • 206° water • Medium grind (#21H Baratza Preciso) • Start timer, Pour in 80g of water and gently stir and let bloom for 30 seconds • At 30 seconds in, slowly finish pouring remaining water in • Let sit until timer reaches 1:45 • At 1:45, gently stir and let sit again • At 2:30, put on carafe and drain • 3:15 total time

I've had a hit or miss relationship with the Clever this week. When I get the recipe perfect, this coffee shines and is beautiful and so delicious, but when it's bad, it's bad.

What I have taste is pretty much the same notes from both methods. It's probably closer to the Kalita acidity wise and carries a little more depth, longer finish with each note.

We taste bright pink grapefruit, cranberry and stone fruit, with a juicy, but also creamy body.  Gondo also has savory, tomato-like notes to add another dimension to its fruity pop, and rounds out the package with deep, brown sugar sweetness.  ~ Huckleberry Roasters

   Verdict

I think Brian at Abandon Coffee did a better job at really capturing all this coffee has to offer, but I think we are in agreement that this is a really complex coffee.

Overall, really enjoyed this coffee. Would love to try this one again!

You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[compellingrich-deactivated20160]

I recently devoured Scott Rao’s “The Coffee Roaster’s Companion,” which will doubtless produce a few great roasters and a lot of better amateurs. Rao’s forgotten more about roasting than I’ll ever learn, and he raises some game-changing points and proposals in the book. In my experience/opinion,...

[jferguson87]

Great read for any roaster, even those home roaster's out there! 

[jferguson87]

Relentless Coffee: Los Congos, Nicaragua

I am really excited to have another Florida roaster in the house this week. This week we have Miami based roaster, Relentless Roasters.

Found in 2013 by Daniel Choiseul Paguaga and Andre Villarreal, 

Relentless Roasters goes beyond the concept of roasting specialty coffee. It is our tradition, vision and passion for great tasting coffee, fueled by the cultivation of long-lasting relationships with coffee producers, which ensures that our quality standard of coffee is unlike any other. We believe in the notion that every coffee drinker deserves a more enjoyable and educating coffee experience. Because RR cares about responsibly grown and ethically traded coffee, RR views its coffee to have unmatched value not only for the consumer, but equally for the producer. 

I am really excited to check these folks out. They sent me their Los Congos, Nicaragua to try.... 

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Los Congos, Nicaragua / Relentless Coffee

Region: Nicaragua

Farm/Farmer: Los Congos

Producer: Jose Rene Paguaga

Elevation: 1,550 MASL

Varietal: Caturra & Pacamara

Process: Natural

Cost: $14 per 8oz

  Thoughts

Beehouse Dripper: 25/375g • 206° water • medium grind (#20H Baratza Preciso) • 2:45 total time

Chocolate, sweet but light aroma. Coming across quite delicate. Underneath tobacco and cherry tones.

Taste is smooth. Chocolate upfront that sweeps clean across the tongue followed by cherries, a hint of tobacco and lemon undertones. 

  Clever Dripper: 23/350g • 206° water • Medium grind (#21H Baratza Preciso) • Start timer, Pour in 80g of water and gently stir and let bloom for 30 seconds • At 30 seconds in, slowly finish pouring remaining water in • Let sit until timer reaches 1:45 • At 1:45, gently stir and let sit again • At 2:30, put on carafe and drain • 3:30 total time

Light juicy aroma. Lemon and chocolate fills the nose. Not smelling a whole lot going on.

Light, juicy, medium body. Full of chocolate in the finish. As the cup cools I find some lemon play along with oranges and more chocolate in the finish. Quite the chocolaty cup.

Chocolate, smooth, tangy, lemon, mango and cherry ~

  Verdict

Some cups were a little too heavy, or a little more smoky than I would have preferred. It took me a couple cups, but I found the Clever and Beehouse to be the two best methods.

Sure, I'd be curious to see what a lighter roast would do for this coffee, but as is, it was pretty good. Darker roasts can be good too. (This is more Full City style) Not quite a dark roast yet!

You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

Black Oak Coffee Roasters: San Diego Buena Vista, Guatemala

  I am back with the second coffee sent to me by Ukiah, CA based roasters, Black Oak Coffee. 

Their first coffee I talked about was the Siberia, El Salvador and oh my gosh was that good. For a naturally processed coffee, I found myself surprised to find there not be an explosion of candied fruits and an overly sweet body. Instead, this one was sweet but never overpowering. Just the right balance of sweet. Beautiful coffee!

This one here is the San Diego Buena Vista, Guatemala. I didn't get a lot of time with it. Not as much as I wanted to, but even still I found this coffee to be pretty killer.

Read my review after the jump...

Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: San Diego Buena Vista, Guatemala / Black Oak Coffee

Region: Acatenango

Varietal: Caturra and Bourbon

Process: Fully washed, naturally fermented, sun and machine dried.

Cost: $13.50 per 12oz

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 25/378g • 208° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 2:20 total time

Getting some definite red apple on the aroma along with plum and sugar. 

The tasty is quite lovely. Red apple juiciness followed by plum, raisins along with caramel and sugar cookies to finish it off. Red apple note has only gotten stronger reminding me much of apple juice.

Coffee has the right balance of tart and sweet blending it together making this a seriously refreshing coffee.

Aromas: caramel apple, vanilla, cinnamon, freshly baked sugar cookies/snickerdoodle, root beer as it cools

Flavors: clean and classic, with syrupy body, red apple, cinnamon, caramel candy, light brown sugar, just a slight hint of raisin and plum as it cools.

~ Black Oak Coffee Roasters

  Verdict

I couldn't help but agree with almost all of the notes Black Oak mentioned for this coffee. This coffee is like drinking apple juice. So smooth going down, sweet, yet tart and oh so delicious. I got hooked on the first sip. 

Also, this coffee was a little over two weeks old when I got it and by the time I opened it so I was surprised by how much flavor it had. I definitely hope to try this again with a fresher bag because if it's this good now, I can only imagine the taste at a couple days old.

Well done guys!

  You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

Passion House Coffee Roasters: Rwanda Lake Kivu Kabirizi

Passion House Coffee Roasters are quickly becoming a good favorite of mine. I've only had a few offerings from them, but the few I did have has been nothing short of great. 

I am excited to share one of their other offerings that they had sent me recently, Rwanda Lake Kivu Kabirizi.

Let's just cut right to it already... 

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Rwanda Lake Kivu Kabirizi / Passion House Coffee Roasters

Region: Lake Kivu- Nyamyumba 

Farm/Farmer: Kabirizi washing station

Elevation: 1800M

Varietal: Bourbon Mayaguez

Process: Fully washed and dried on raised beds

Cost: $15 per 12oz

  Thoughts

Kalita Wave (185 series): 25/375g • 208° water • medium grind (#20H Baratza Preciso) • 2:30 total time

Aroma is sweet like caramel with a pleasant raisin play underneath.

The first sip is a lemon and grapefruit explosion. Bright acidity on tongue that honestly shocked my tongue. Was not expecting that at all. The aroma is mild, sweet, but the taste is the complete opposite. 

Finding notes of kiwi, strawberries, plums, raisins, along with a caramel finish. Every sip I find myself tasting something new. Very complex coffee.

Hi: passionfruit, marjoram, wild ripe strawberry

Mid: grape tomato, sweet cream butter, kapoho papaya

Lo: dark brown sugar, amaretto, caramel

 ~ Passion House Coffee Roasters

  Verdict

This is a damn good Rwandan coffee. Very complex, lively, and sweet coffee. I had a rough start with this coffee, but that was completely my fault.

My brewing temperature was too low and unfortunately I didn't realize it until Shannon over at Passion House suggested to go higher. Once I did, I realized what I was missing.

Sucks I wasted half the bag before finding this out, but either way, a stellar offering from Passion House Coffee.

You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

Bold Bean Coffee: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere

I'm back with more coffee from Florida. It's about time we start seeing some good roasters popping up. Bold Bean Coffee as I mentioned before is based out of Jacksonville, FL and they are doing roasting some really good coffee.

This week I got to try some more. First up, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere.

I know I said I was writing off Ethiopian coffees, but then I'd be missing out lovely coffees such as this one here.

Let's dive in... 

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster:

Region: Kochere, Yirgacheffe, Southern Nations Region, Ethiopia

Producer: Masrshu Sima

Elevation: 6,500 feet

Varietal: Heirloom

Process: Washed

Cost: $14.50 per 12oz 

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 25/375g • 208° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 3:00 total time

Aroma is hard to detect really. I find such mild hints of perhaps citrus and floral.

Soft, delicate body surrounded by light nectarine and jasmines notes. Slightly lemon acidity with more tea play beginning to emerge as cup cools. A lot of white tea being displayed on my tongue.

Chemex (paper filter): 30/460g • 208° water • medium coarse grind (#20H Baratza Preciso) • 3:20 total time

The aroma is lightly sweet with a very creamy sweetness of caramel or vanilla.

The taste at first is the same way. I am getting this creamy sweetness like caramel or vanilla. As it lingers on my tongue, I begin to taste even coconut.

The chemex sure has done a full 360 degrees on me. 

As I taste more, more of what I tasted in the v60 starts to come out. A little citrus play, and some floral undertones. These notes only grow more pronounced as the cup cool. Some lemon popping up now with a little tea play too.

Lush notes of nectarine, highlighted by a delicate jasmine fragrance, a creamy body and sweet finish.  ~ Bold Bean Coffee

  Verdict

I am pretty bummed that I didn't have the time to really dive into this coffee the way I wanted to, though, what I did get to experience was pretty delicious.

Tastes like what you'd come to expect from an Ethiopian. Lovely sweetness, florals, citrus, but before you write this one off as just another Ethiopian coffee, you may find yourself getting big bouts of vanilla and caramel in the mix.

You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

Black Oak Coffee Roasters: Siberia, El Salvador

Based out of Ukiah, CA, Black Oak Coffee Roasters are a company who strives in making good coffee. Using a culinary approach, Black Oak Coffee sources in small lots and roasts each coffee to ensure that it best showcases the aroma and flavors of said coffee at hand.

Black Oak are the type of coffee companies I like to hearing about. These guys understand coffee, and it seems wine too based on the wine analogies on their site.

Recently, what brought me to trying these guys (besides getting an email offering me coffee) was actually from a fellow blogger. I’ve been seeing quite a few reviews from Drew Moody over at Corner of the Cafe which was the main reason I decided to dive head first and try some coffee for myself.

I am not sure why it has taken me until now to check their coffee out, but then again with all these new roasters popping up it’s hard to keep up and to weed out the good between the mediocre and know who to try and who to avoid.

I am just happy to have broken the long line of not having any coffee from Black Oak Coffee. I am also happy to say that this and maybe the others are quite satisfying… 

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Siberia, El Salvador / Black Oak Coffee Roasters

Region: El Salvador

Farm/Farmer: Llano Grande / Rafael Silva Hoff 

Process: Natural

Cost: $13.50 per 12oz

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 25/375g • 208° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 3:00 total time

From the aroma, I expected a smack in the face explosion of candied fruits since being a naturally processed coffee, but instead I found myself receiving a more delicate approach with this coffee.

The beans itself carried a lovely orange rind aroma with scents of strawberry.

I was expecting a syrupy body with heavy notes of candied fruits, but instead, a lovely orange play came flowing out. Sweet, but not overpowering. It just danced across my tongue ever so delicately, all the while a sweet dark chocolate note came crashing down onto my tongue. Orange flavored dark chocolate came to mind instantly.

At first the dark chocolate play is a little much and completely destroys that delicate body and flavor profile that this coffee has to offer. Thankfully it dies down and goes back to this sweet, but light syrupy body with juicy orange, strawberry, and a somewhat nutty finish.

  Clever Dripper: 23/350g • 206° water • medium coarse grind (#22H Baratza Preciso) • pour in 80g and stir • bloom for 30 seconds • Pour remainder of water and let sit under timer reaches 1:45 • Stir and let sit again until 2:30 • At 2:30 set over carafe and drain •  3:30 total time 

Lovely candied blueberries, watermelon and oranges flowing out from the Clever while brewing. With each passing moment I started to feel like I was brewing an Ethiopian coffee. For a moment I actually had forgotten what I was brewing. 

This El Salvador is beautiful with intense candied fruit flavors but with a crisp acidity. Very clean tasting making sure not to be like some natural processed coffees that end up heavy on the tongue with that syrupy body.

An orange rind like acidity comes popping out while sweet blueberries and watermelon jolly ranchers dance across the tongue. After each sip its so clean that its quite ridiculous. 

As the cup cools it becomes a little sweeter which I expect from a natural process coffee, but again it isn’t overpowering or heavy. The sweetness which reminds me of caramel or a mix of a caramel and vanilla is just sweet enough to please.

Like biting into an orange almond cake topped with ganache. Juicy, ripe citrus acidity well balanced, medium bodied. ~ Black Oak Coffee

  Verdict

It’s funny because my initial thoughts of this coffee were good, but I had that good, but it could be better mentality going on. After a few days I dove into the coffee again and my thoughts changed for the better.

I don’t really care for natural processed coffees because they all just taste the same to me nowadays, but I have to say this El Salvador Siberia might have squeezed its way into my heart. Sure, it has everything I have grown to dislike in a natural process, but at the same time there’s a crisp, zesty element that sets this coffee apart from the others.

Black Oak Roaster’s pretty much summed up why I love this coffee so much:

For a natural processed coffee, the profile is very clean. The acidity is juicy and ripe and the body is voluptuous without being overpowering or too syrupy. This coffee is interesting because it’s not what you normally expect from this type of coffee. You expect to be smacked in the face by gobs of fruit, but instead you are greeted with a more refined, elegant, and clean flavors and aromas.

  You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[jferguson87]

Kuma Coffee: Panama Carmen Geisha

Last year I got to experience A Panama Esmeralda Geisha that not only was Mark's first geisha offering for Kuma Coffee, but one geisha I really enjoyed. It definitely made one of my favorite coffees of that year. 

Fast forward to 2014, Mark has another Geisha on hand from the same region, but this one happens to be from a different farm. Carlos Aguilera, the farmer behind this lot had planted some geisha coffee about 5-6 years ago and this is the first year that the trees were able to produce enough cherries to harvest which was about 500-600lbs. Mark bought 100lbs which has now unfortunately sold out.

Another cool tidbit is that this coffee placed 4th in the "Best of Panama 2014" competition. 

Let's see what it has to offer.

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Kuma Coffee: Panama Carmen Geisha / Kuma Coffee

Region: Boquete

Farm/Farmer: Carlos Aguilera

Elevation: 1800 Meters

Varietal: 100% Geisha

Process: Washed

Cost: Sold out!

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 25/377g • 208° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 3:00 total time

All through brewing was an explosion of very pronounced fruit and floral notes. I found myself smelling meyer lemon followed by candied watermelon, floral tones like jasmine and hibiscus. After that, raspberry jam, and even some tomato along with some spice hints I couldn't quite place my finger on. It seemed like by the time I smelt and identified one note, there were about three more notes popping up. Very complex coffee. This is probably just scratching the tip of what this coffee has to offer.

The taste is nothing short of awesome. Tangerines and meyer lemon, upfront with a slight chocolate or maybe more of a caramel finish. Raspberry jam sitting on tongue after each sip. Very pronounced raspberry sweetness on tongue. Creamy body. Tart, but also sweet like sugar. Very clean tasting.

  Beehouse Dripper: 15/240g • 208° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • start timer, pour in 40g of water • bloom for 45 seconds • pour in another 40g or so to break bloom • pour water in a nickel sized circle until water ratio is reached • 2:40 total time

Light and crisp with notes of jasmine, lemon, plum, and tangerine to start the cup out, followed by raspberries and a caramel finish.

The beehouse dripper is not as bright as the v60, but I find the Beehouse having more of a gentler approach whereas the v60 is like pop rocks in that it's just one note popping up after another.

The beehouse slowly sends bit after bit of awesome flavor so as not to feel so overwhelmed.

  Bright Tangerine, Raspberry Preserves, Meyer Lemon, Jasmine,  ~ Kuma Coffee

   Verdict

It's a real bummer when a coffee sells out as quickly as this one did. This coffee will be one to remember for 2014 for sure. I have to say that this offering even topped the one from last year even though they were from different farms. 

Overall, well done! I wish I had more on hand. Already sad my bag is empty...

[jferguson87]

Passion House Coffee Roasters: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere

It has been quite a few months since my last Passion House Coffee. I can't believe it has been so long. Feels like just yesterday. Mostly I am just thankful that I have great coffee in the house, and more so happy to be enjoying coffee again.

Quick thanks though to the kind folks at Passion House Coffee for sending me a gracious package of coffee to review. 

The last two coffees I had from them left such a positive impression on me that I knew I needed to try more, but with all these up and coming roasters and old ones I have yet to try, some days it's hard to keep up with everyone and all these great things happening. That's beside the point though... 

First up is their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Kochere. 

Quick spoiler: this is the kind of Ethiopian coffee that steals my heart.

  Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster:

Region: Yirgacheffe Borena

Farm/Farmer: Small holders

Elevation: 1875-2050M

Varietal: Heirloom

Process: Fully washed and sun dried on raised beds

Cost: $16 per 12oz

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 25/376.2g • 208° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 3:00 total time

There's a delicate aroma that hits your nose in slow waves. From what I can smell, there's a tea play upfront. Smells like white tea with undertones of jasmine. After that I find myself detecting some fruit tones such as pears maybe peaches and to finish it off. 

While the aroma might be delicate, it certainly has a way of really captivating you and really getting you pumped up for the taste.

The taste is probably my favorite. While the cup has a heavy tea like presence at first, the cup will change flavors before you even know what hit you. Tea like with sweet pears, juicy apple, peaches, along with delicate floral tones and a caramel/brown sugar finish.

Sparkly as the cup cools giving off more jasmine and again white tea. Silky mouthfeel like melted butter with vanilla and caramel to finish it off.

  Hi: jasmine, white peach, vetiver

Mid: hibiscus, asian pear, vanilla bean

Lo: butterscotch, brown butter, hazelnut

~ Passion House Coffee Roasters

  Verdict

This is the kind of Ethiopian coffee I've come to love. Delicate, yet so inviting. Sweet, but not candy sweet. Following suit with delicate floral tones and juicy fruits, this coffee is the kind of flavor profile from an Ethiopian I really love. So drinkable that before you know it your cup is empty...

I had tried this on other methods, but the v60 has just been singing sweet tunes for me lately. That and being out of Kalita filters can put a damper on comparing various pour over methods... 

  You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.

[ludmillatyihorova]

The coffee“bean” is really the fermented seed of a cherrylike shrub, and if coffee is roasted carefully and brewed correctly, you can taste the flower and the fruit.

[jferguson87]

Supersonic Coffee: Ethiopia Wote

I can't express how excited I am to have more Supersonic Coffee in the house to try. Their last shipment was of some Ethiopia Chelelectu, and it was absolutely wonderful. I didn't really take notes on the coffee because I was happy just enjoying the coffee rather than thinking about writing about it.

This week, though, I'm sharing my thoughts on this Wote because it is one to talk about.

Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Ethiopia Wote / Supersonic Coffee 

Region: Yirgacheffe 

Producer: 600 Smallholders 

Varietal: Ethiopian Heirloom

Process: Washed

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 25/375g • 202° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 2:25 total time

All through brewing and into the cup I could smell heavenly notes of honey, lavender, black tea, and sometimes an herbal play I thought smelt like basil. Afterward, the cup sang a different tune, a much sweeter tune. Vanilla wafers, more honey and cherry.

The taste has been amazing. Silky body that envelops the tongue followed by a sweet vanilla play with a juicy pop in the finish. Digging further I find myself tasting more of the honey I found in the aroma along with pear, more black tea play and a sweet lemon play. 

As the cup cools it intensifies the black tea I tasted before and gives off a bit of tobacco in the finish. The lemon has become more pronounced too. I'm starting to see the lemonade play as noted on the bag.

  Verdict

Holy cow! What a beautiful coffee this one is. I am becoming more and more intrigued by Supersonic Coffee. Their roasting has only gotten better and they're coffee is just yum!!

I loved this in the Chemex as well, but I feel the the Hario v60 really brought the most to the table. 

Well done, guys!!

[jferguson87]

Terminus Coffee: Costa Rica Las Lajas

  You might know David & Mae, the writers behind the ever so lovely coffee blog, Purista... David & Mae have a knack for writing captivating coffee reviews that make you feel like you're sitting beside them drinking the coffee at hand. Their reviews make mine feel like elementary chicken scratch. Basically, they have a way with words that have me in awe.

Writing coffee reviews just wasn't the end game for this married duo. They've taken a huge leap forward and have acquired a Huky 500 (a roaster I hope to have in my house some day) and have started a roasting company of their own, Terminus Coffee.

Terminus Coffee is not your average run of the mill home roasting company. To call it a home roasting company is technically correct at this time, but it doesn't seem fitting for them. I feel like they should be judged like any other roaster no matter the space that the roaster occupies. Big or small, house or shop, Terminus Coffee is here to make some waves...

Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Costa Rica Las Lajas / Terminus Coffee

Region: Sabanilla de Alajuela

Farm/Farmer: Finca San Luis By Oscar Chacon

Elevation: 1,450 masl

Varietal: Caturra, Catuai

Process: Yellow Honey Process - Screen and Patio Dried

Cost: $12 per 250g

  Thoughts

Hario v60: 14/227g • 202° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 2:20 total time

The aroma coming off from brewing is very wine like carrying lemon tones, a very fruity body underneath. Noting notes of raspberries, cherries, and raisins.

The first taste is sweet. Almost caramel like upfront. As the coffee hits the back end of your tongue, the coffee kind of explodes into lemon and an orange like acidity. As the cup cools, more lemon and orange along with white grapes, pink lady apple, white tea, floral undertones, and a sweet caramel and chocolate finish.

  Kalita 185 (paper filter): 25/375g • 202° water • medium grind (#20H Baratza Preciso) • 3:05 total time

Heavier on the tongue showing off caramel and chocolate upfront followed by a light lemon and crisp apple in the background before finishing off with more caramel and chocolate play. Reminds me much of Werther's original caramel candy.

  v60 Iced: 30/335g, 165g of ice • 202° water • medium fine grind (#18H Baratza Preciso) • 2:30 total time Holy cow! This is one of the most refreshing coffees over ice I've had in recent months. Like drinking a slightly sweet tea with underlying caramel tones. Sweet, but not overpowering. Incredibly clean tasting. 

Floral, Caramel, Grape, Nectarous ~ Terminus Coffee

  Verdict

It was hard to avoid reading tweets about this coffee. I was late to purchasing this, but I am so glad I got to try it before it runs out. Currently, it is still available for purchase. I hope everyone heads over to the site and gives these guys a try. Very excited to try more offerings in the future. 

  You can read more about this coffee and purchase here. 

[jferguson87]

Perc Coffee: Carrizal, Costa Rica

Perc Coffee really outdid themselves again with their latest surprise shipment they sent me recently. The Flor de Cafe, Costa Rica was just beautiful. Very flavorful, juicy, never a dull moment with it. I did have a little trouble the first few days dialing it in, but then out of nowhere it finally let me see what it had to offer and from there it was non-stop goodness.

Next up I have their Carrizal, Costa rica which was another coffee I really enjoyed. 

Read my thoughts after the jump...

Info About This Coffee

Coffee/Roaster: Carrizal, Costa Rica / Perc Coffee

Region: Leon Cortes, Costa Rica

Producer: Coopetarrazú

Elevation: 1650–1750 MASL

Varietal:

Process: fully washed + sundried

Cost: $12 per 12oz

  Thoughts

Chemex (paper filter): 30/480g • 204° water • medium coarse grind (#22H Baratza Preciso) • 3:20 total time

Lush raspberry sweetness, syrupy, really envelopes the tongue in a silky mouthfeel. Quite candied-like with some blueberry undertones. As the cup cools it begins to become slightly brighter, less sweet. Now I am tasting a lemon note that I wasn't getting before. 

Aeropress (inverted with paper filter): 17/240g • 202° water • medium grind (#18H Baratza Preciso)  • Cap and let sit until 2:00 • Flip and plunge! • Total time: 2:30

Completely different from the Chemex. While the Chemex gave me a lot of lush fruit flavors reminding me very much of an Ethiopian. The Aeropress gave me a bit of a tropical feel with a slight nutty finish. Mild orange citrus, cherry sweetness, lemon undertones, and a creamy body with a nutty finish.

tropical + sweet + syrupy ~ Perc Coffee

  Verdict

What an interesting coffee this one is. I've gotten confused as to what coffee I was drinking a few times now. Reason being is that there is quite the Ethiopian characteristic to this coffee. While the coffee is delicate and silky, this coffee also carries some nice candied fruit and lemon tones that I find in a naturally processed Ethiopian Yirgacheffe.

Costa Rica has not been my favorite region in recent years. Coffees from there have just been okay, maybe even good.

Definitely can see that the Aeropress is truer to the tasting notes from Perc. Definitely prefer the Aeropress or even the v60 (not posted above) over the Chemex. Though all in all, very interesting coffee.

You can read more about this coffee and purchase here.