Lykke Peru Agua De Nieve (Snovatten) – Such an icon at this point. The bag is familiar, but I can’t say the flavor profile is. Snovatten is Lykke’s year-round single origin from their high elevation farm near the Andes mountains at the edge of the Amazon rainforest. This coffee is made up of Caturra and Typica, different from last year when there was also Bourbon mixed in. The focus of these year-round single origin coffees is sustainability in the specialty coffee supply-chain. With so many micro-lots that give producers temporary joy and then drought for the remainder of the year, we will need coffees like this to maintain the future of specialty coffee supply. I tasted Cherry, Wildflower Honey, and slightly more body than past renditions of Snovatten. I brewed this with a 16:1 ratio and ground it one click finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my third pour at 2:20 for a 3:15 final brew time.

Lykke Peru Tito Cachay – A special Geisha can from Lykke! I could not turn this one down – this comes from Tito Cachay. Tito’s farm is deep in the forests; it is free from pesticides and other synthetic fertilizers. The coffee trees are grown under shade trees amongst Kataleya Orchids, for which this coffee is named. A lot of Geisha coffee is grown here at an elevation of 1800 MASL, also in the Agua De Nieve region. This is a classic Geisha profile, which is insane! Typically the Geishas that I am able to include in this subscription are priced much lower, and while usually high quality coffees, are not 10/10 Panama-tasting crazy Geisha. I am tasting jasmine, cane sugar. I brewed this with a 15.6:1 ratio and ground it right at my typical starting point. After a 35 second bloom, I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:10 for a 3:10 final brew time.

Vivid Honduras Kevin Fernandez – This is the second lot we brought in to the sub from Kevin Fernandez, a young producer and nephew of local legend Nahun Fernandez. Kevin’s plot of land is located on his family’s ancestral land and is adjacent to his relatives that are producing some of the best coffee in Honduras. The farm is located in Santa Barbara at an elevation around 1550 MASL. This is a big time Funky natural Pacas! One of the fruitiest and funkiest naturals I have tasted in a minute. I can confidently say the quality has gone up since two years ago when we tried this last, and the brew is holding water better this time, as I remember the beans were super low density last time around. I taste Dark Cherry, deep red wine, Plum, and Dark Chocolate. I brewed this with a 15.5:1 ratio, and ground it three clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured four pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:35 for a 3:20 final brew time. **Wide circles on this one to slow it down!

Vivid Mexico Eber Olivera Baltazar – This Mexican Geisha (WOW) comes from producer Eber Olivera Baltazar, owner of the farm Villa Talea De Castro in the Sierra Norte mountains of Oaxaca. The farm is located four hours away from Oaxaca City, in an area considered one of the bio-diverse areas in the country. The Sierra Norte mountains are consumed by rainforests, allowing a ton of rainfall during the 8-month long rainy “season”. The farm is located at 1600 MASL, where Eber experiments with new farming techniques on the modest plot of land, and this lot represents the first time Eber’s coffee has left Mexico. Apparently is quite the legend in the country’s coffee scene? Big deal! These Geisha cherries are picked at the ripest point, and then dry-fermented for 24 hours before washing and wet-fermentation for 36 hours. This results in a red-fruit filled cup with notes of Amaretto and Pistachio, Very complex profile. Too many tasting notes to even try and list a couple. THIS is what the Geisha varietal is all about. I brewed this with a 16:1 ratio, and ground it two clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:20 for a 3:05 final brew time.

Manhattan Colombia Maria Belen Diaz – Maria Belen Diaz is the operator and owner of the Resinas farm in Acevedo, Huila. She has been deeply connected to the coffee trade her whole life, coming from generations of coffee farmers. Previously, she was one of the coffee quality analysts for the Cauca department and is on the Huila Condor project, a coalition of 96 female coffee growers in Huila. On the Resinas farm, Maria, her husband, and three children grow Bourbon, Caturra, Castillo, PInk Bourbon, and Gesha. This is a “semi-washed” Pink Bourbon – a combination that can still get me excited about this industry after (so) many years. The cherry pickers start by picking only the ripest cherries. The cherries start with a pre-fermentation in the cherry, and then sealed in bags for 36 hours for the anaerobic fermentation. The cherries are then washed, then dried on raised beds for 15 days. I tasted cantaloupe, ginger, and geranium. I brewed this with a 16.3:1 ratio, and ground it right at my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:10 for a 3:15 final brew time.

Manhattan Colombia El Paseo – I must admit, the Maria Belen Diaz was my first choice for this month based on the varietal and process (See above for that madness). However, Manhattan ran out of the Maria Belen Diaz and was only able to fulfill half my order. I was already interested in this coffee so I just supplemented it with this and then when actually I started tasting it I realized this was the true winner. This coffee comes from El Paseo, a farm located at 1800 MASL in Narino. This is an anaerobic washed Caturra, a dangerous combination of processing and varietal in Narino. I should have known this coffee would be fantastic based on this. El Paseo is operated by Huver Castillo, a 3rd generation coffee farmer. Huver was a math teacher up until several years ago and then joined the family business after learning the coffee trade from his father. Huver picked only the ripest cherries and then did a 36-hour fermentation in the cherry. After this, the cherries are floated in a sea salt bath to separate defects and also to disinfect cherries. The coffee seeds are then sealed in stainless steel tanks for 6 days, while specific enzymes are added to the fermenter and pH is monitored. This cup is straight up Bergamont in a cup. Super sweet, and I would believe it is a co-ferment (but it’s not). I brewed this with a 16.3:1 ratio and ground it one click finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:20 for a 3:00 brew time.

Manhattan Tanzania Edelweiss SL28 – We have had coffee roasted by Manhattan, grown in Arusha, Tanzania at the Edelweiss farm located at 1800 MASL. Edelweiss is operated by Neel Vohora, an extremely excited producer in the region, and is located on the edge of the Ngorongoro Crater. Vohora is pushing the boundaries of specialty in Tanzania by using different varietals and a more focused approach on processing. This is a 100% SL28, the Kenyan varietal. It isn’t CRAZY to transplant SL28 to Tanzania, but in a world where the country is dominated by Bourbon, Kent, and various peaberries, it is exciting to see this. I tasted Caramel apple and dry riesling. Dry like a vermouth, but great acidity. I brewed this with a 15.6:1 ratio, and ground it one click coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 50 seconds after my 45 second bloom. I finished my last pour at 2:10 for a 2:50 drop time.

Kaffa Ethiopia Nensebo Refisa – The name from this one comes from the Refisa washing station located in Nensebo Woreda in West Arsi, Ethiopia. Refisa is comprised of 588 smallholding coffee growers that live and tend to their coffee gardens in Refisa and neighboring towns. The average plot sizes are around 2 hectares at an elevation of 2070 MASL. As with most of Ethiopia, various native varietals are grown. However, Kaffa claims this is exclusively 74110. This is a washed coffee, where the seeds are washed, then wet-fermented for 72 hours. The seeds are then soaked for an additional 5 hours, then dried until they reach a moisture content of 10.5%. This is a super sweet Ethiopia, with much more of a sugar content than tea-like characteristics. I brewed this with a 15.8:1 ratio, and ground it seven clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 40 seconds following a 30 second bloom, finishing my last pour at 1:40 for a 2:40 final brew time.

Kaffa Honduras La Orquidea – The Easter coffee! I swear we have had La Orquidea before, but my archives tell me otherwise. La Orquidea is a super cool farm that is the brain-child of the Morenos and Benjamin Paz. The heavy-hitters of the Santa Barbara region of course. Kaffa has worked with the Moreno family, specifically their farm “El Filo” for as long as I have bought their coffee. These are consistently so solid and I can always trust that these are going to be great coffees. When Miguel Moreno and Ben Paz bought La Orquidea in 2014, they planted around 7000 Pacas and 2000 Catuai trees. This lot is a Pacas, grown at 1520-1600 MASL, located down the road from the El Filo farm that the Morenos own. This is a clean, washed coffee, with flavors that are super indicative of this region. I love a natural terroir flavored coffee like this. I taste flavors like marzipan, plum, and maple syrup. I brewed this with a 16.3:1 ratio, and ground it one click coarser than my typical starting point. I poured four pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:45 for a 3:30 final brew time.

A Matter Of Concrete Ethiopia Arsosala – It has become this roaster’s goal to have a delicious washed Ethiopia on the menu consistently, as it tends to be most coffee people’s favorite profile and just a classic coffee to always offer. This one stems from the Single Farmer Project, a program that allows roasters to connect with single farmers in Ethiopia, rather than buying from mega co-ops and washing stations. There are pros and cons to each in my opinion, but that is a story for a different day! This coffee comes from Mr. Ocholo Bedecho, a farmer in the Guji region. The coffees are grown at 1800-2000 MASL, which is considered relatively low for this region. Bedecho’s farm is about 8 hectares, and mixed heirloom varietals are grown. I taste herbs, lime, clove, and some bergamot on the finish. I brewed this with a 16:1 ratio and ground it seven clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 45 seconds, finishing my second pour at 2:00 for a 2:45 final brew time.

A Matter Of Concrete Colombia Daisy Acevedo – Not to be confused with the famous Acevedo region, which this is not in! This washed Gesha comes from Daisy Acevedo’s farm, El Encanto. The farm is located in Quindio, a department just west of Bogota. The region is famous for tourism and it’s mountainous terrain. The farm is located at 1900 MASL, and is described as a breathtaking landscape located on the edge of a nature reserve. Coffee trees are grown under native shade trees on the farm, and the Acevedo family has invested in newer processing equipment that allows much more precise control over the fermentation stages. The cherries were harvested at a slightly overripe stage and rested for 24 hours. After depulping, the seeds are fully washed, and then dry-fermented for 48 hours. This one is even brighter than the washed Ethiopia that was shipped along with it! I taste lemon balm, jasmine, sweet corn, just elegant. I brewed this with a 15.8:1 ratio, and ground it one click coarser than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 40 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:30 for a 3:15 final brew time.

Little Wolf Peru Rogel Segovia – This coffee comes from the Aromas del Valle co-op in Cajamarca, Peru. This is a 100% washed Typica variety grown at 1750 MASL. The team at Aromas del Valle partnered with the Progreso Foundation to bring a better model of local farming support to the operation. The Progreso Foundation helps with not just coffee farming but other trees and vegetable crop as well to help the farmers create better livelihoods. Organic coffee farming has always been huge in Peru, and the foundation assists the farmers with organic practices to keep chemical pesticides and other fertilizers away from the coffee production. I tasted Black Walnut, Orange, and Cane sugar. Sweet and delicious, exactly how I love a washed Peru. I brewed this with a 16.5:1 ratio, and ground it one click finer than my typical starting point. I poured four pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:45 for a 3:40 final brew time.

Little Wolf Colombia YCA – YCA is a program in Antioquia, Colombia that stands for “Young Producer Program”. YCA’s goal is to support the younger producers in the region who have chosen to grow specialty grade coffee and produce it with passion and drive. The program seeks to highlight the young producers with smaller lots by guaranteeing quality control and consistent, year-round availability of their crop. This lot in particular is a blend of many small holding producers who produced high quality lots of Caturra, Castillo, and Colombia. They were grown between 1800-2000 MASL. This extended fermentation means that instead of typical 24-48 hours of wet fermentation, it went on for much longer; I can guess maybe 100-200 hours as I’ve seen in the past, but this number is not published for this lot. This is an absolute fruity funk bomb. I tasted starfruit, papaya, and green apple. I brewed this with a 16.3:1 ratio, and ground it two clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 40 seconds, with as wide of circles as I could manage. I finished my last pour at 2:10 for a 3:00 final brew time.

Standout Ethiopia Atoma Station – It is not common for me to have a new Ethiopian producer, but nowadays roasters are seeking out smaller operations and not Mega Washing Stations. So, with this, we have a coffee from the Atoma Station, the product of Mike Mamo. This is Mike’s second washing station, and opened in 2022 in the Jimma region of western Ethiopia. The site is quite remote, only accessible by horse. This requires the farmers to sometimes take two trips to bring their full harvest to the washing station each evening during harvest. I am so obsessed with this coffee. The first brew I was like ~yeah this is a nice one~, but it did not brew up perfectly. The second brew, !holy shit!. For sure my favorite Ethiopian of the year. I tasted Meyer lemon, honeysuckle, and white tea with mild orange as it cools. I brewed this with a 15.8:1 ratio, and ground it six clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 45 seconds, finishing my second pour at 2:00 for a 2:50 final brew time.

Standout Kenya Gachatha AA – Gachatha, the famous washing station and farming co-op in Nyeri. Most farmers in the co-op grow coffee at around 1800-1900 MASL, and is a blend of SL-28, SL-34, Ruiru 11, and Batian. The coffees are taken to Gachatha and sorted to varying grades. This lot is AA, the largest size of beans. The individual farmers perform their own hand sorting to ensure they are getting paid high prices for the best cherries. The coffees are double soaked in classic Kenyan style, and covered to dry during daytime, and then left open at night to ensure even drying. Once dried to around 10-12%, the seeds are bagged up and ready to ship out. This is such a clean and delightful cup. I taste Orange creamsicle, Grapefruit, Lemongrass. I brewed this with a 16.4:1 ratio, and ground it four clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 40 seconds, finishing my second pour at 1:50 for a 2:50 final brew time.

Junto Tanzania AMCOS Peaberry – Tanzania, a less frequent and somewhat elusive origin lately in specialty coffee. “AMCOS” or Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Societies. This is a Kent varietal and a Peaberry, a quite common combo for Tanzanian coffee. AMCOS basically buys green coffee from many local smallholding farmers, and meticulously sorts it in to grades for quality. AMCOS has helped coffee production in Tanzania grow and gets producers coffee to international markets. When ground, it smells awesome. Spices explode from it. The brew has a bit or sourness, and a lot of sweetness. I tasted Green Apple, Black Walnut, Caramel. I brewed this with a 16.2:1 ratio, and ground it two clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my third pour at 2:30 for a 3:10 final brew time.

Junto Colombia El Diviso – Buying a Nestor Lasso coffee is the true holiday gift that we needed after a November shortage. For those familiar with Nestor Lasso, or have at least tried some in the subscription in years past, you know this is a treat. For the newbies, Nestor Lasso is an expert in experimental processing in Huila, Colombia. Every coffee from his farm, El Diviso, is killer. Like most coffees here, this is a Caturra picked at peak ripeness. The cherries are extremely carefully sorted to ensure perfection. This is a washed Double Anaerobic coffee, meaning that the whole cherries are initially sealed in airtight tanks for 20 hours. The fermented cherries are then removed, and then put in oxidation tanks for 28 hours at a higher temperature. They are then moved back to airtight tanks for an additional 18 hours, but with the added microbial mossto that was removed from the cherries during the oxidation phase. Once complete, the cherries are washed and wet fermented to finish up processing, then dried under solar dryers until specific moisture level. In the cup I taste ripe Strawberry, Grenache, and mostly just Funky. I brewed this with a 16:1 ratio, and ground it three clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured four pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, with a wider circle to attempt to slow this brew down. I finished my fourth pour at 2:35 for a 3:15 final brew time.

duck-rabbit Guatemala Finca Rosma – A beautiful Guatemala is gracing us for the first time in a long while! This is from Finca Rosma in Huehuetenango. Finca Rosma is owned by the Morales family, starting with Alejandro Rosales who bought the farm in 1963 and named it after his mother, Rosemarie. Finca Rosma is now operated by Alejandro’s son, Fredy. The farm is located at 1900 MASL, which is fairly steep for the Huehuetenango region. The region is on the western side of Guatemala near the border with Mexico and always produces fantastic coffee. Several years ago it was really the only specialty region in the country I was seeing coffee from. This coffee is fully washed, and is a field blend of Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, and Typica. I taste marshmallow, coconut water, and plum syrup. This is a sugary-sweet cup. I brewed this with a 16:0 ratio and ground it right at my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my final pour at 2:30 for a 3:20 final brew time. This was also with a 60 second bloom, so if the bloom is shorter, take time off the final brew time.

duck-rabbit Nicaragua Buenos Aires – This gem comes from the Buenos Aires farm located in Dipilto, Nicaragua. I have had some of my favorite Nicaraguan coffee from Dipilto and I think there is more creativity and experimentation happening around here. The region of Nicaragua is called Nueva Segovia, a high-elevation region. This is a honey-processed Maracaturra, a naturally larger bean that I am in love with. This is a hybrid of Caturra and Maragogipe, the latter being one of the largest naturally occurring Arabica coffee seeds. After harvesting, the seed is laid out to dry with mucilage and sticky fruit still stuck to it, creating the honey process. This is an incredible Nicaragua, puts my former Nicaragua hate to shame! I taste mango, honey, and cabernet with spices on the finish. I brewed this with a 16.4:1 ratio and ground it three clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 40 seconds with wide circle pours. I finished my third pour at 2:20 for a 3:15 final brew time.

Vivid Ethiopia Layo Teraga – A coffee from Layo Teraga should never be missed. The coffees from this washing station are always outstanding and big time showstoppers. This is a day lot, separated from other cherries at the station because the quality was noticed. The Layo Teraga co-op consists of 1,841 members, many of these members have been with the group a long time. Layo Teraga is known to re-invest in the community for education in advance coffee production. Most of the coffees here are grown around 2300-2400 MASL in the Uraga department of Guji, Ethiopia. This cup is incredibly bright and fruity with notes of papaya and dry white wine or vermouth. I brewed this with a 15.5:1 ratio and ground it eight clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 45 seconds, finishing my second pour at 1:50 for a 2:40 final brew time.

Vivid Mexico Francisca Francisco – I have absolutely no information on this coffee unfortunately. This is a small farm located in Sierra Norte, Oaxaca. This region is heavily wooded with rolling hills, located near central Oaxaca. Vivid has worked with Francisca for a couple years now, but this is the first time we have placed an order and tried her coffee. This is a Typica/Mundo Novo blend, Typica being very common in the Americas, but Mundo Novo being less common, and very susceptible to leaf rust and disease. The cup was simple but interesting, tasting like mulling spices with clean sweetness. This is a coffee I want a big cup of. Minimal fruit notes on this one. I brewed this with a 16.2:1 ratio, and ground it three clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured four pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, finishing my fourth pour at 2:40 for a 3:15 final brew time.

Clever Papua New Guinea Kindeng – Papua New Guinea is a super interesting and storied coffee producing region of the world. Neighboring Indonesia was colonized by the Dutch, while Papua New Guinea was split into two north/south regions colonized by the Germans and the British, respectively. Under colonial rule, Papua New Guinea became a massive coffee exporter, and not till 1975 did they gain independence and control of their own labor and product. During my first couple years working in coffee, I saw a ton of Papua New Guinea when roasters were not buying as many small lots and the coffees from here were never super exciting. This is because it is relatively new to the specialty scene and is seen a lot more in blends for commodity coffee. I am super happy to see more of these and especially such a funky one! Kindeng is the name of the washing station in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea, receiving cherries from around 1,500 local smallholding farmers with small gardens. The farmers do individual sorting, and then the cherries are floated at Kindeng. This is a full natural, with the cherries are dried for 3-4 weeks, and constantly turned and rotated on the raised drying beds to ensure they ferment evenly. I tasted Creme brulee’d caramel apple and Raspberry with dark chocolate. Big funky. I brewed this with a 15.5:1 ratio and ground it four clicks finer than my typical starting point. This one needs a shorter bloom, around 30-35 seconds. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my third pour at 2:10 for a 2:50 final brew time.

Clever Costa Rica El Desafio – This is the second round of coffee from El Desafio, roasted by Clever. This coffee has always been super indicative of a Costa Rica natural, reminding me of early times when I first tried crazy naturals from the Las Lajas plantation. “El Desafio” is the name of this specific lot, from the farm ‘Cafe Rivense’ in Chirripo. They named their alternate processed coffees like honey or natural “El Desafio” or “The Challenge” because of the difficulty producers face trying to produce clean and delicious natural or alt-processed coffees. The Cafe Rivense farm is located at 1550 MASL and is operated by the Urena Rojas family. The family has put a high priority on specialty since around 2006, and have abandoned chemical fertilizers in order to increase quality. This coffee is a Villa Sarchi, which is most of the coffee produced at Cafe Rivense as well as greater Costa Rica. I tasted strawberry, dark chocolate blueberries, sweet cream, and amaretto when it cools. I brewed this with a 16:1 ratio and ground it two clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured four pulses spaced out by 40 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:40 for a 3:15 total brew time.

Have Fun Colombia Reinel Borbon – Reinel Borbon owns the coffee plantation “El Espejo” in Santa Maria, Huila. This is the second time Have Fun has worked with Reinel, and have even personally visited the farm with the intention of continuing future work together too. The farm El Espejo is located at 1850 MASL and produces mostly Caturra and Pink Bourbon. One interesting thing I read about was the notice that the roaster took to how well organized and taken care of all of the coffee plants actually look. They are perfectly spaced and with special areas dedicated to experimental lots. The cherries are first dry fermented for 20 hours, then depulped. The seeds with parchment still on them are then wet fermented for 48 hours. The coffee is then washed and dried on raised beds. This cup has a warm Maple Syrupy body, with ripe stone fruit like plum or nectarine, and once it cools it is like an apple danish. I brewed this with a 16.5:1 ratio, and ground it one click coarser than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my third pour at 2:10 for a 3:05 final brew time.

Have Fun Rwanda Izikere Akagera – This is another natural Rwanda that comes from Baho Coffee, a network of producers in Rwanda that promotes education along with uplifting the Women’s coffee community in Rwanda. This particular lot is from a collective of 31 women called “Akagera”. This washing station usually buys cherries from around 460 smallholding farmers. This lot is a Red Bourbon that is grown from elevations ranging from 1535-1900 MASL located between Lake Kivu and the Nyungwe National Forest. It is a full natural, with a punchy aroma, but not funky at all. I first tasted rye whiskey, geranium, and rose hip tea when it was super fresh. The flavors have now subsided to more delicate notes like cherry. I brewed this with a 16.5:1 ratio, and ground it two clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:15 for a 2:50 final brew time.

Little Wolf Kenya Gititu PB – This is an interesting one. Historically, Little Wolf roasts Kenyan coffee, regardless of the varietal, very well. This washing station is at only 1300 MASL, which might be the lowest elevation Kenya I have ever had. It is a blend of Batian, Ruiru 11, and SL28. I was curious as to how the lower elevation would play in and wish I could see what the percentage of each varietal was. The washing station is located in Kiambu, southern Kenya. The ripe cherries are double-soak washed overnight when it is cooler, then dried on raised beds. On the taste, I would not have known it was lower elevation or that it was not a ‘single variety’, it actually reminded me more of how bright and spicy washed Kenyan coffees used to be, and I mean that in a good way. The cup is full of acidic blackberries, with clean corn sweetness and coconut. It is a puncher of a brew and super fun. I brewed this with a 15.8:1 ratio, and ground it two clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 40 seconds, finishing my second pour at 1:50 for a 2:35 brew time.

Little Wolf Ethiopia Tagel Alemayehu – This coffee comes from the Hambela region of Ethiopia where Tagel Alemayehu operates a washing station co-op where 130 smallholding farmers local to the washing station deliver cherries to. The area is at 2,350 MASL, which was a huge reason I wanted to bring this coffee in. That is such a high elevation, and the lot separation performed gives more clarity into this coffee’s origins. This is a blend of Kurume and Dega, that underwent standard wet fermentation for 50 hours and then dried on raised beds. This is a beautiful example of how iconic this summers’ washed Ethiopians have been. The cup is full of berries and florals. Right away I tasted fresh raspberry, cherry, and jasmine. Could have been a gesha, and more floral than other geshas we recently had. I brewed this with a 16.3:1 ratio, and ground it seven clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 45 seconds, finishing my second pour at 1:55 for a 2:45 brew time.

Junto Rwanda Inzovu Peaberry – This coffee is a natural rendition of the washed peaberry from the Inzovu washing station we had earlier this year. Overall, the cup has similarities, however this one has a bit more of a punch brought out by the natural processing. This is a small washing station that pools small lots together from farmers that have coffee gardens around Lake Kivu in the Nyamasheke district. The coffee gardens range from 1400-1900 MASL. Inzovu is a subsidiary of the Rwandan Trading Company (RTO) that works to encourage and promote smaller Rwandan coffee farmers, and provides funding and education to improve quality and train the community on what it takes to produce specialty coffee that Rwanda has become so famous for in their bright juicy profiles we have all come to appreciate. In the cup I tasted lime and plum, with maple on the finish and a creamy body. I brewed this with a 15.7:1 ratio and ground it one click coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 45 seconds, finishing my pour at 1:50 for a 2:50 final brew time.

Junto Nicaragua Finca Misericordia – This is my first coffee from Misericordia, and also my first Nicaraguan Parainema. I am glad to see the varietal shifting through borders and making its way through Central America. It is a high quality, disease resistant varietal that has created awesome coffees from low and high elevations. This is a family-owned farm located at 1350 MASL and has been in the Blandon family since the 1960s. It is now operated by Alvaro Blandon, the grandson of Zacarias Blandon, who was the first to start cultivating the land. The region of Jinotega in northwest Nicaragua is characterized by lush forests and volcanic soil. The Misericordia farm has worked on setting up direct partnerships with roasters in the US and has even opened up their own cafe in Orlando. This coffee is a classic Central American honey process with big time sweetness and subtle funk. I tasted tart cherries and raisin. I brewed this with a 15.5:1 ratio and ground it three clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured four pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:30 for a 3:05 final brew time.

A Matter Of Concrete Guatemala Las Brisas – Las Brisas is a farm located just east of the capital, Guatemala City, in Mataquesquintla. Las Brisas is located at 1800 MASL and is operated by the owner, Marvin Carias. Marvin has owned the original piece of land since 1990, and has slowly added to the plots as the farm became more profitable and has implemented techniques like shade trees and replanting old varietals and trees from the beginning. Marvin continues to be inspired by the local community and what coffee has done for them, and regularly reinvests into better water systems and supporting community projects. This is a washed Caturra, meaning it was pulped and then wet fermented for 12 hours, then washed and dried on raised beds. This is just the definition of a “nice coffee”. Sweet rounded flavors like chocolate and walnut come together with a hazelnut aroma. Perfect every day cup that will develop nicely as it develops farther off roast. I brewed this with a 16.0:1 ratio and ground it right at my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:30 for a 3:10 final brew time. I recommend at least a 45 second bloom on this one.

A Matter Of Concrete Peru Herlin Gesha – A gesha in the subscription! In this economy? This one comes from Herlin Encarnacion’s farm, Nueva Zelandia. The Nueva Zelandia farm is located deep in the jungle in the Huanuco, 8 hour car ride from the city of Huanuco and located at 1650 MASL. Herlin has been in coffee for 20 years, and only planted gesha in the last couple years. The first few harvests seemed to be a struggle, with this harvest being one of the first that went to market. It is a typical washed process that we typically see in Peru. This is not a typical floral and fun Gesha profile I am noticing. This is a nice coffee, and I would probably most closely compare it to a really high quality Colombia that has slightly more uniqueness than what I would find in a typical Peru. I tasted geranium and juniper, with a slight woodiness that more “stems” from the herbaceous notes of the cup. Very herbal liquor, very cool. I brewed this with a 16.3:1 ratio, and ground it one click finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my last pour at 2:15 for a 3:05 final brew time. I recommend a shorter bloom on this one around 30 seconds.

Sey Ethiopia Banko Gotiti – Banko Gotiti is a famous washing station in the Gedeo region of the Kochere department. This washing station pools lots from around 2,000 smallholding farmers, each with an average of 2.5 acres of coffee gardening space. These lots are grown at around 2100-2200 MASL and are typical heirloom varietals grown from wild coffee cultivation. The cherries are harvested and brought to Banko Gotiti for processing. This lot was depulped and washed, and wet fermented for 24-38 hours. The resulting coffee gives an intoxicating fragrance coming from the ground coffee like wildflowers and honey. The cup tasted like dry riesling, almond, wild strawberries, and green apple. I brewed this with a 16.3:1 ratio and ground it seven clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 45 seconds, finishing my second pour at 2:00 for a 2:50 final brew time.

Sey Kenya Muhito – This is a cool coffee. It is part of a program that SEY started called Retro 1984, a project shared with SEY and prominent Kenyan farmers. The goal is varietal separation at co-ops and more intensive quality checks on the cherries when harvested. The reason behind Retro 1984, is that 1984 is the year that Ruiru 11 was introduced to Kenya to combat disease. I don’t know if I totally am down with eradicating Ruiru 11 quite yet, but I do appreciate that SEY is working on returning to pure SL varieties that Kenya became famous for. I think we can probably get behind the idea that a pure SL28 or SL34 tends to be higher quality but I believe that has to do more with lot separation and a more intense focus on the sorting and processing than just a pure binary yes/no on Ruiru 11 addition. This lot is an SL28 and SL34, harvested and floated, then double soaked with a 24 hour fermentation. A classic Kenya process that allows for the natural flavors to shine on their own in a clean washed profile. Muhito washing station is located in Nyeri at 1,760 MASL. The cup tastes like Grapefruit, blackberry, and bubblegum. Super clean and juicy, just like we all want it to. I brewed this with a 15.8:1 ratio and ground it four clicks coarser than my typical starting point. I poured two pulses spaced out by 45 seconds, finishing my second pour at 2:00 for a 2:55 final brew time.

Manhattan Brazil Gisele – “Gisele” is a Yellow Catuai from Gisele Almeida’s farm in Mata de Minas in southeast Brazil. Gisele has worked in coffee from a young age, picking cherries on her parent’s farm. She has continuously worked to maintain different plantations, and then move up in the community to a point where she was able to buy some land and plant around 8,000 coffee trees. This is yet another super low elevation Brazilian coffee, marked at 600 MASL. This is a typical pulped natural process that we see from Brazil, and a Yellow Catuai which is super common in Brazil specialty coffee. I would say over half of the good Brazilian coffees I have had are Yellow Catuai – It must grow well at low elevations? I don’t understand how Manhattan keeps sourcing these Brazilian coffees that taste like a 90+ Colombia! This is a super sweet cup. I tasted sweet corn, whole wheat roll, and orange rind. I brewed this with a 16.2:1 ratio, and ground it two clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 35 seconds, finishing my third pour at 2:25 for a 3:15 final brew time.

Manhattan Colombia Rainbow – Rainbow comes from the El Vergel estate (1500 MASL) in Tolima, a farm that has been popping up on offer lists of the nicest roasters in the world. El Vergel has always been a farm, but was previously much more diverse in the harvest than just coffee. In the early 2000s, fruit prices and avocado prices dropped and the family behind El Vergel decided to open up to more coffee. At first, the two main brothers behind the farm went after certifications like organic and rainforest alliance. As most of us know, these certifications are mainly checkboxes and don’t correlate to quality at all. The brothers were introduced to Miguel Jimenez in 2017 and were influenced to plant much more intensely specialty varietals like Gesha, Java, and so on. With the more specialty trees growing, the brothers went on to focus on processing. Stainless steel anaerobic tanks, dryers, yeast strains, and different processes were introduced. Now we get to where we are now, this coffee. A Pink Bourbon, washed, and fermented in anaerobic tanks. I had been giddy on my toes waiting for this shipment to show up. I swear I could smell it through the box, even with the Gisele alongside it. I don’t even know what to say. Every possible tropical fruit. Cantaloupes, papayas, mangos, whichever one you choose. What a ridiculous cup of coffee, makes you wonder how this can even exist. I brewed it with a 15.5:1 ratio, and ground it two clicks finer than my typical starting point. I poured three pulses spaced out by 30 seconds, finishing my third pour at 2:00. My final brew time was 2:45.