SINGLE ORIGIN

PALESTINA, HUILA, COLOMBIA

NOTES: FLORAL, COMPLEX CITRUS, RIPE CHERRY, SWEET

Our love affair with Pink Bourbon continues with another beautiful selection from Producer Wilson Alba, of Palestina, Huila, Colombia.  He is good friends with Jose Martinez, who's coffee blew us away earlier this year. Pink Bourbon was given out and propagated mostly in Huila, and it seems to love these dramatic growing conditions.  It is called Bourbon Rosado in Spanish, and we at Black & White can't get enough.

This beautiful variety was believed to be a Bourbon type because of its cherry shape. The term "Rosado"(Pink) comes from the color at which the cherries ripen. In reality the color is light reddish orange but the Cherries do look very different from Orange Bourbon.

The latest work in genetic study shows that Pink Bourbon actually has heritage in Ethiopia, as one of the thousands of varieties that exist there, some natural and some cultivated. This seems to explain Pink Bourbon coffees pronounced floridity, and crisp clean citric like acidity, like an Ethiopian Coffee. The heavy sweetness and cherry notes come from the soil, and agricultural practices of the area in which it is grown.

Producer & Farm: Wilson Alba, "Finca Sierra Morena"

Variety: Pink Bourbon

Process: Washed

Altitude: 1750 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN

LA PLATA, HUILA, COLOMBIA

NOTES: CANDIED ORANGE, BLACK CHERRY, BROWN SUGAR

This is a blend from a group of 18 producers in Alto Cañada, La Plata. Kyle met them last year and was humbled by their kindness and impressed by their amazing coffee quality. Its members showed an inspiring amount of dedication to producing the highest quality coffee possible, along with an uncompromising commitment to transitioning to fully organic production. We have always loved coffees from La Plata, and some of the earliest coffees we received were from here and finding a group of producers this organized and dedicated is very rare. We are very excited to see what they are capable of doing in the coming years.

Producer: A group of 18 Producers from Alto, Cañada

Variety: Caturra, Castillo, Colombian Varieties

Process: Washed

Elevation: 1800 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN | DIRECT TRADE

TARRAZÚ, COSTA RICA

NOTES: CINNAMON, STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM, COMPLEX

Cordillera del Fuego (the name of the farm) comes from producer Luis Eduardo Campos who 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 World Barista Championship where the top contenders all used coffees that were produced using this method.

The Anaerobic process owes its ideas from the wine industry's use of yeasts to produce champagnes and other wines. During the fermentation process, the coffee sits in an oxygen-free steel container with sugar cane 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

Producer: Luis Eduardo Campos

Variety: Caturra

PROCESS: Anaerobic Washed

ELEVATION: 1,750 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

SINGLE ORIGIN

YIRGACHEFFE, ETHIOPIA

NOTES: FLORAL BERGAMOT, RED RASPBERRY, SUBTLE CHOCOLATE

Every year coffee professionals and customers alike long for their beloved Natural Ethiopian Coffees. For so many people these Natural Ethiopians represent that "aha" coffee that changes everything, and reshuffles everything believed to be true about coffee and coffee flavor. We are so happy to have an opportunity at a very early Natural Ethiopia from the very group that truly changed my coffee life. Yirgacheffe is known for its intensely floral washed coffees and big red fruit natural coffees. I am happy to say that this beautiful early harvest Natural Yirg clearly shows both sides of that coin. Big Floral Bergamot, with beautiful Red fruits displayed as raspberry on the cupping table, with a beautiful juicy texture that we love so much on these super sweet Ethiopian Coffees.

Process: Natural

Variety: NA

Altitude: 2000 - 2200 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN

SIPI FALLS, UGANDA

NOTES: GRAPE CANDY, PEACH, STRAWBERRY JAM

Last year was our first year buying  from the Gamatui Community and we are super excited to have the Natural back for another year. Big jammy fruit and great sweetness Uganda has recently become a powerhouse for natural coffees in East Africa.

This coffee comes from the Gamatui Community by Kawacom. Kawacom started in Uganda in 1999 and help build the Sipi Falls Washing station in the Eastern Part of the country on Mt Elgon. Kawacom has been doing super high quality Naturals for 3 years now and has been focusing on quality of their naturals and honey processed coffees, making them better and better each year. This Particular Coffee shows amazing clean and clear fruit character with a lovely medium plus acidity. Every step along the way we have been encouraged by the amazing flavors and willingness to innovate with this project. We hope to continue with this project long term. The natural processed coffee is dried on raised beds but in a much thinner layer than is typical and are hand sorted. This coffee has a rich jammy body with notes of strawberry, grape candy and peach.

Producer: Gamatui Community, Sipi Falls Washing Station 

Region: Kapchorwa, MT Elgon

Process: Natural

Variety: SL 34, SL 28, SL 14

Altitude: 1900 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