YEAR ROUND

DAYA BENSA HONEY & EL EDEN JAVA

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.  

Our first version is a blend of an Anaerobic Honey Process from Sidama, Ethiopia; blended with the ever vibrant El Eden Natural Java from Tolima, Colombia.  This is a juicy and clean cup represented by the orange 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: Sidama, Ethiopia & Tolima, Colombia

Process: Anaerobic Honey (Daya Bensa) & Anaerobic Natural (El Eden Java)

Elevation: 1450 - 2100 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN

CHALATENANGO, EL SALVADOR

NOTES: PEACH TEA, RASPBERRY, DARK HONEY

J. Raul Rivera and Kyle met at an SCAA training in California years ago. Kyle had no idea J. Raul Rivera was a coffee producer until about halfway through the class when he, quite humbly, informed us about what he did for a living. Kyle and J. Raul became friends on Facebook, and kept up a bit. A few years later J. Raul Rivera took 3rd place in the El Salvador Cup of Excellence, which is a competition for coffee producers to submit coffee and them be judged by an outside panel of judges.  It is a big deal to place in the top 10. The coffees go up for auction fetching prices up to 150 times the commodity price for coffee. 

Last year Raul, and his Honey Process Pacamara took 1st place overall at COE, and commanded a record $95 a pound for his beautiful coffee. Kyle was lucky enough to get to taste this winning coffee from Jonathan Mendoza the 2018/2019 El Salvadorian Barista Champion in Amsterdam. It was one of the most memorable espressos Kyle has ever been served. Quote Kyle, “It is on my Mount Rushmore of Espresso; floral, super fruity, bright, juicy, clean, but a bit funky too. It was killer.”  When Jonathan told Kyle it was a Honey Process Pacamara from Raul He was blown away.

Pacamara coffees are intensely polarizing, as they are at times savory, even in some places tasting like onion (which some people love). Both Lem and Kyle are not in to the onion pacamara coffees at all, so for this one to be super fruity, and clean with none of those off flavors, they were pumped on it.

This Lot is #31 and another Honey Process Pacamara, which Raul specializes in, from his farm in northern Chalatenango mountains of El Salvador. Not only is his processing on point, but with pretty intense elevation for El Salvador. This coffee along with the natural lot coming later is super bright and fruity. We think you will all love it like Kyle and Lem does.

Farm: Finca Santa Rosa

Variety: Pacamara

Process: Honey

Altitude: 1850 masl

SINGLE ORIGIN

ACATENANGO, GUATEMALA

NOTES: RED FRUIT, NAVEL ORANGE, JUICY

Max Perez was born and raised among coffee plantations and has always had the idea of starting a coffee business himself and in 2010, the opportunity came. His idea was to develop a specialty coffee farm that would blend tradition and innovation to supply its customers with amazing coffees while having a positive impact in the society. 

His farm is located in the Acatenango region, which has mineral rich soil and great altitude for growing coffee. This region is home to great coffees and other dedicated coffee growers who love what they do including Max Perez. This coffee is juicy with red fruit and navel orange through out. 

Producer: Max Perez

Variety: Pache, Typica, Caturra, Bourbon

Process: Natural

Elevation: 1900 masl