Benjamin Paz - Anaerobic Natural SL28
Description
ROAST | LIGHT
ORIGIN | SANTA BARBARA, HONDURAS
NOTES | IT'S COMPLICATED (SEE BELOW)
Our relationship with Benjamin Paz began long before we opened the doors of Black & White. One of our owners, Kyle, first met Benjamin back in 2015 through a mutual friend (Kevin Bohlin, the mastermind behind Saint Frank Coffee in San Francisco - we can't recommend them enough!). Benjamin's mission to help roasters buy high-grown, single-producer, and (often) single-variety lots from the Santa Barbara region of Honduras has resulted in a beautiful and fruitful relationship with us, and we are thrilled to introduce one of his coffees as our first-ever black label release from Honduras.
Processing: This medium-impact anaerobic natural was held in GrainPro bags for 48 hours in order to promote lactic acid production, after which time it sat on raised drying beds for 25+ days.
In the cup: When hot, this coffee has a delicate florality reminiscent of hibiscus, and the acidity is integrated and balanced. Red wine characteristics, like currants and baking spice, are predominant at this temperature. As the coffee approaches a pleasantly warm temperature, things start to get really interesting. Those red wine notes give way to white wine characteristics, like vibrant acidity and tropical flavors that remind us of pineapple gummy bears. We found the most balance at this temperature and feel it reflects the nature of the coffee's processing most strikingly. As the coffee becomes cool, flavors and acidity continue to intensify, resulting in a bright, tangy, slightly spicy cup profile that reminds us of a sparkling lambrusco wine. Here, the variety characteristics of the coffee become more apparent: blackberry joins the flavor party, and red currant returns for its encore.
Producer | Benjamin Paz
Farm | El Salsa
Process | Anaerobic Natural
Variety | SL 28
Elevation | 1680 masl