SINGLE ORIGIN

GEDEB, ETHIOPIA

NOTES: WHITE FLOWERS, JUICY PEACH, RED RASPBERRY

Worasa Mijane and his son Daniel Mijane are the producers of Worka Sakaro and are famous for the quality of their coffee throughout the Gedeb region. The Gedeb region is the most southern Yirgacheffe coffee growing area and in comparison to other areas coffee is somewhat newer to this area. Many farms here have only been growing coffee for 1 or 2 generations, and much of the coffee is only 20 - 30 years old. Farms in this area tend to be slightly larger than in the northern part of Yirgacheffe, but are still relatively small - averaging around 1-2 hectares. This selection comes from their Worka Sakaro washing station and is a testament to their dedication to produce amazing coffees.

This is our main lot Natural Ethiopia, picked form some 20 Offers. We are so happy with how this coffee showed up. Booking coffees from the samples we get from origin before the coffee ships (aka preship samples) is always a bit of a gamble. To hedge against this we utilize UV testing along with moisture, and water activity.  However these are not 100% accurate, and we do get less than stellar coffee from time to time. This coffee however, actually showed up tasting better than the preship samples. Super clean naturals are coming out of Gedeb this year. Tons of floral aromas, with clean tropical fruit, and clean acidity. We are so happy to share this beautiful with you all.

We worked with Tim Hill at Atlantic Specialty on many of our Ethiopian coffees this year and this one is a stunner, along with our Lots from Idido, Genji Challa, and Gogugu.

Process: Natural

Producer: Mijane Worasa & Daniel Mijane

Variety: JARC selections & Indigenous Landacres

Altitude: 1900 - 2100 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN 

TARRAZÚ, COSTA RICA

NOTES: POMEGRANATE, CINNAMON SUGAR, DR. PEPPER

Cordillera del Fuego Farm which translates to Mountain of Fire, produces some amazing anaerobic "cinnamon" coffees. We are so happy to purchase coffee for the 3rd consecutive year from. Luis Eduardo Campos, who we know as Eduardo Campos

Eduardo is an independent Costa Rican coffee farmer, constantly looking for innovative ways to improve coffee production. This coffee, in particular, was processed with Anaerobic fermentation. You may have heard about such process from the 2018-2020 World Barista Championship where the top contenders used coffees that were produced using this method. Even a few competitors using coffees from neighboring farms to Eduardos.  

This lot is our second offering of 3 from Eduardo's Cordillera del Fuego farm. He has selected the Termico, which means Thermal in English.  This is in reference to the fermentation temperature that the coffee undergoes.  Interestingly the warmer temperatures in the fermentation vessel promote more red fruit and wine like characteristics in the coffee. This lot is showcases brighter and more fruit forward notes of red fruit, along with those spiced cola notes.

The Anaerobic process owes its ideas from the wine industry's use of yeasts and bacteria to produce champagnes and other wines. During the fermentation process, the coffee sits in an oxygen-free steel container with water. This builds up lactic and malic acids which add to the coffee's complexity and flavor. Once ready the coffee is 100% sun-dried. We love bringing in coffees that highlight new innovations in coffee production. 

FARM:  Cordillera del Fuego - Termico Lot

Producer: Luis Eduardo Campos

Variety: Caturra

PROCESS: Anaerobic Washed

ELEVATION: 1,750 masl

ROAST | LIGHT MEDIUM

GEDEB, ETHIOPIA

NOTES: BERGAMOT, MANGO, RASPBERRY, DARK HONEY

Over the Last 2 years we have seen a dramatic shift in coffee processing, and Ethiopia, the very birthplace of coffee, has been seen this change as well. Anaerobic Processing has shifted the flavor possibilities for an already amazing coffee region. 

We are so excited to able to share this amazing coffee from such a talented group of producers. Worka Chelbesa has been a specialty coffee mainstay for years, producing some of the most sought after coffees on the planet. Bright, Floral, and intensely sweet, what more could you want.  Well, how about amazingly fruity with juicy and vibrant acidity.  This coffee would likely be set aside for barista competition, but due to COVID we are releasing the entire 7 bag lot to our customers. 

This is accomplished by removing oxygen from the first part of the fermentation of the coffee. At Worka Chelbesa, this done with large bags that are used to "starve" the fermentation of oxygen. This happens because one of the main byproducts of fermentation is Carbon Dioxide which is more dense than oxygen.  This forces out the oxygen, and allow anaerobic bacteria to thrive, they same way they do in alcohol production. This give the coffee a vibrant wine like acidity, and intense fruit aromas.

We are so thankful for our relationships that made this coffee possible, and for the people all along the supply chain. We have been in communication about this coffee and coffees like it for almost a year with the Atlantic Specialty team. Tim Hill, helped us line up this project, and put into motion potential main lot offerings for next year. 

Producer | Farm: Smallholder farmers organized around the Chelbesa coffee mill

Process: Anaerobic Natural 

Altitude: 1800 - 1900 masl

ROAST | MEDIUM

TARRAZÚ, COSTA RICA

NOTES: BLACK GRAPE, YELLOW PEACH, SYRUPY

Over the last three years we haven't bought, or sought out very many Costa Rican coffee, for a number or reasons. They tend to be quite high cost, and when comparing them to coffees from Africa that are available around the same time, it was a difficult cost benefit analysis.  However, this year we were really intrigued at how different the natural coffees from Costa Rica, so we made a space on the menu to share this beautiful coffee with you all.

This coffee comes from Finca El Alto, from producer Don Carlos Alberto Garbanzo his family the Monge Falas Family.  El Alto, has been in the family for 3 generations.  This amazing heritage, is coupled with an amazing microclimate and amazing elevation. All of this comes together to give a distinctly bright and fruity cup profile, with aromas of grape, blueberry, and stonefruits, with an vibrant juicy acidity and a round and syrupy body.  We are certain you will enjoy this beautiful offering.

FARM:  Finca El Alto

Producer: Don Carlos

Variety: Caturra and Catuai

PROCESS: Natural

ELEVATION: 1,800 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN

CHIAPAS, MEXICO

NOTES: ALMOND, CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY, DENSE

It's not everyday that we have access to a coffee from a producing region that we haven't worked with in the past. Eduardo Esteve's coffee is the first coffee that B&W has ever sourced from Mexico.  This coffee punches way above its weight class, even without high elevation, it has a fresh fruit acidity, with a ton of sweetness and body. We are so excited to share coffee from a "new to us" origin that matches our red label flavor profile so perfectly.

Big red fruit and dense chocolate are the main notes we got in our cupping evaluations with lots of fresh cherry, and red wine on both the aroma and pallet. This coffee has a Medium + weight and velvety texture. This is not our "loudest" coffee but it is marked by a great balance and sweetness. 

Farm: Finca San Antonio

Variety: Marsellesa, Starmaya, Centroamericano, Mundo Maya, Mundo Mex

Process: Natural

Elevation: 1100 - 1250 MASL

SINGLE ORIGIN 

EMBU COUNTY, KENYA

NOTES:  FLORAL, GRAPEFRUIT, CRANBERRY, RAW SUGAR

Ghee- chē - rory, or at least that is how we were told to pronounce it. This Coffee represents the highest quality level for the Gicherori Factory, and it embodies exactly what you expect from a high grown Kenyan coffee; tons of juicy grapefruit and cranberry acidity, with delicate florals, and intense unrefined sugar sweetness, with a subtle baking spice finish. It has all the classic notes of the Kenyan coffees that we at Black & White love while still being approachable and affordable. 

Kenyan coffees have such amazing and distinct flavor characteristics, making them consistently sell for a much higher price per pound than your average coffee, especially when it comes to the auction prices. 

We want to sell coffee that people will drink. Maybe that sounds silly, but so many amazing coffees are given as gifts, and never consumed because they are the "fancy coffee." We always want to sell coffees that are amazing, but not so expensive that they are un-obtainable for many of our customers. Gicherori embodies this value and is an exceptional coffee at a reasonable price. 

GROUP/FACTORY :  Kibugu Farmers Cooperative/Gicherori Factory

Variety: SL28, Ruiru 11, Batian

PROCESS: Washed

ELEVATION: 1,650 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN

SACATEPEQUEZ, GUATEMALA 

NOTES: SWEET ORANGE, RASPBERRY COMPOTE, MILK CHOCOLATE 

In Sacatepequez they celebrate a very special way on all saints day. They build and fly ornate kites to honor love ones who have died. Cometa is the Spanish word for Kite, thus the name of this coffee from the growers of Sacatepequez. This particular Lot was created by the contributions of only 3 growers submitting 5 specific lots.  Max Perez (whom we have brought from in the past) submitted 2 lots to make ~ 45% of the lot; Paulino Castillo submitted two lots ~42% of the lot, and Francisco Cardona submitted one lot completing the remainder.

It is fairly common for these community lots to be made up of multiple producers, in order to make enough volume of coffee, and these lots likely do not make up their main volume harvest but rather smaller lots. These community lots do have some variance from year to year, but are typically constructed to embody a specific flavor profile. We feel that this years, La Cometa is perfect easy drinking coffee. It has subtle fruit tones and amazing sweetness balanced throughout. 

Variety: Various

Process: Washed

Elevation: 1500 -1900 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN

AGARO, ETHIOPIA

NOTES: LIME, WHITE PEACH, COLA, TROPICAL

Coffees from Ethiopia hold a special place in the hearts of most coffee professionals, and coffee enthusiasts alike. The true birthplace of Coffea Arabica (the coffee species we drink, mostly) It is amazing how many different flavor profiles exist in this relatively small country. This is due to the immense bio diversity even within the Coffea Arabica species that is present in Ethiopia.

Genji Challa is the sister station to the famed Nano Challa Station, that changed many peoples minds as to the quality that is possible in the Western Part of Ethiopia called Agaro. It was long believed that specialty level coffee was not possible in this part of the country due to the scarcity of water which is used in the fermentation and cleaning aspects of higher end Ethiopian coffees. However, with the advent of a device called an Ecopulper the need for massive amounts of water was eliminated and now through some inventive production techniques Agaro, and more broadly Kata Maduga and their many washing stations have become a favorite of Specialty Coffee people around the globe.

Genji Challa Lot 11 is beautifully distinct and complex. It has flavors that really only exist in the western part of Ethiopia. Rather and Lemon, and Floral like many of the coffees you are familiar with in Ethiopia, this lot presents with Bright Lime, Dried tropical fruits, White Peach, and a subtle Cola note). 

Region: Agaro, Ethiopia

Process: Washed

Altitude: 2000  MASL

YEAR ROUND

COLOMBIA (EL EDEN JAVA NATURAL)  | PERU (ITALIA SANCHEZ) 

NOTES: JUICY, TROPICAL, COMPLEX

Anaerobic coffees have rewritten the rules for Barista Competition's around the world. In the last two years the top 6 Competitors at both the USBC (United States Barista Championship) and the WBC (World Barista Championship) have utilized coffees with this style of fermentation.

As a result, this new method of processing has inspired us to create our own product that focuses on highlighting the complex acidity and vibrant fruit flavors found in these coffees. Not simply concerned with cupping scores and competition points, we believe for a number of reasons that this style of fermentation truly is the future.  

In a time when the Commodity Market value for coffee is dropping lower and lower, producers are always looking for ways to maximize their earnings on a given crop. However, in order to do so they are forced to produce high scoring coffees in order to make these premiums. This is made even harder when a lot of these coffee farms do not have the high elevation required to produce the complex flavors and  boutique varieties found in specialty coffee (such as Gesha, Pink Bourbon, Java).

However, in the last few years many more farms have had access to anaerobic processing, which done simply can add acidity, and complex fruit character to the cup. Anaerobic processing, in its most basic form is holding the coffee (either in cherry, or pulped) in an oxygen free environment (which can be achieved a number of ways) for an extended time in order to promote the growth of bacteria, Lactobacillus. Where, Lactobacillus is the agent that promotes acidity by producing lactic acid. The result of this is the acidification of the coffee pulp, which translates to a more vibrant coffee both on the cupping table and in the cafe. 

This main benefit of this unique style of processing is that it can make coffees that are grown at low elevations taste very similar to coffees grown at higher elevations. As the global climate warms, farmers must go higher and higher up the mountain in order to achieve the same results, but for most producers this simply is not possible.

Now, however farmers can add acidity and complexity through processing and thus combat the effects of climate change, at least in the cup.

This Blend will showcase these coffees and their varying profiles from around the world. Most of these coffees that we are currently sourcing are coming from Colombia, but we are also sourcing some from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Peru. With some being washed, some natural and some honey.  

This version is a blend of an Anaerobic Process from Huila, Colombia; blended with the ever vibrant El Eden Washed Java from Tolima, Colombia.  This is a juicy and clean cup represented by the blue corner on the label. This corner will change as the flavor profile and blend components shift throughout the year.

We hope you all enjoy this adventure into what we believe to be the future of specialty coffee.

 - Kyle Ramage (Co-owner | Green Coffee Buyer)

Regions:  Tolima, Colombia | Peru

Process:  Anaerobic Natural and Anaerobic Washed

Elevation: 1450 - 1800

 SINGLE ORIGIN

NARIÑO, COLOMBIA

NOTES OF CARAMEL, MILK CHOCOLATE AND SUBTLE CHERRY

The Sugar Cane Decaffeination process is a natural process that not only maintains the integrity of the coffee flavor, but allows complete traceability with our coffee since both the growing/ processing and decaffeination all occurs in Colombia, the coffee’s source. Colombian Coffees are commonly known to be big, rich, chocolaty coffees with exceptional fragrance and often great acidity. Since Colombia has many diverse growing regions, the coffee varies mildly from region to region.

Origin: Caldas, Colombia

Process: Sugar Cane/ EA