Feature Bean: Los Placeres Estate (Nicaraguan)

Fratello Coffee Roasters
Address: 4201-9th Street S.E
Neighbourhood: Calgary, AB
website, @twitter, Tel:1-800-465-7227

Second bag to be from the Calgary Roasters.

They were quite generous, and as such I hosted a coffee party with 10 people last month. The Coffees were quite the hit.

The Goods

Machine: Hario V60 02

Grinder: Hario Slim Handgrinder

Beans: Nicaraguan Los Placeres Estate - Direct Trade

Composition: Single Estate

Roasters: Fratello Coffee

Located: Calgary, AB

Specifications: Rainforest Alliance.

Verdict: Cherry Cola Pop with a smooth velvet finish. Similar to good caramel as it melts in your mouth. This sweetness is attributed to the honey process - where some of the pulp is left on to dried creating sweet burst of extra flavour. It's really good, especially paired with apricot shortbread cookies.

Information from Fratello: Aromas of caramelized cherries, a delicate buttery body, flavors of milk chocolate & pecans with a clean lingering grape acidity.

• Region: Matagalpa, Yasica Norte
• Varietal: 100% Caturra,
• Processing: Honey Prep / Sun Dried
• Altitude: 4950 feet
• Roast Profile: Agtron 50
• Harvest Season: Late March / Early April

Featured Bean: Dernaye, Amaro Gayo

First Wager of 2.0!
In early 2011 there was much buzz about 3 gentleman jumped ship from roasters Intelligentsia. What were they going to do? Where would they go...

Here: Handsome Coffee Roasters - based in LA.

Just missed out on their first wager - but no worries, when they had more spots open in July for the second round... I made the commitment.

Here is their first roast, an delightful Ethiopian that's sure to have all of us bet-takers licking our lips.
This is my style of coffee.

Machine: French Press
Grinder: Hario Slim
Beans: Dernaye, Amaro Gayo

Origin: Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Roasters: Handsome Coffee Roasters

Located: LA

Specifications: Handsome Forty Wager


Verdict: Yummy - lemon pop, and rainbows! (grilled orange rinds - that creates a pleasant essence that reminded me of my favourite cookie growing up)

Featured Bean: Burundi Micro-Mill

FEATURED BEAN 
Coffee: Burundi Kinyovu Micro Mill


Origin: Single
Varieties: Bourbons
Region: Northern Burundi
Elevation: 6200 feet
Processing: Fully Washed / Sun Dried on African Beds
Harvest Season: Early September – Late November

"Straight from Fratello's website"
The Cooperative: Burundi is often referred to as “The Heart of Africa”, and rightly so. The people of Burundi have an amazing spirit, and have fully embraced their raw talent for growing and harvesting coffee.  The Republic of Burundi has been independent since July 1st 1962, and is a small landlocked country just under 28,000 sq kilometres. Their population is around 8 million people, 50% of which is under the age of 14.  90% of population relies on farming as their main source of income, and coffee is by far the largest export.   Coffee Farming and production has quite literally saved many of their lives.

Machine: Hario V60 02
Grinder: Hario HandGrinder Slim
Beans: Burundi Kinyovu Micro Mill

Composition: Single Origin
Roasters: Fratello Coffee Roasters

Located: Calgary, AB

Price: $15.20/ 12oz. (3/4 lbs)
Specifications: 22g (brewed 330g) 35s Bloom, 2:50 brew



Verdict: wafts of aromatic sweet cardamom, cinnamon and citrus chocolate. Acidity is strong, but there is this sweetness that coats your mouth - similar to drinking organic unfiltered juice.

I'd suggest this to some who like bold chocolate but enjoys a bit of sweetness here and there.

MORE from FRATELLO in the upcoming weeks!!

Featured Bean: Gethumbwini (Kenya)

Cafe Grumpy
Address: 4 Locations
Neighbourhood: Chelesa, Parkslope, Greenpoint, LES
website, @cafegrumpy, Tel: 718.349.7623


Featured Bean:
Farm: Gethumbwini Estate
Origin: Thika, Central Province, Kenya
Varietals: SL-28 and SL-34 varieltals 
Process: Washed and slow fermentation.
Dried: Raised BedsAltitude:1800 masl in rich red volcanic soil


VERDICT: As you break rinds of a grapefruit, the citrus oils fill the surrounding air, weakening your knees, falling to the ground. As you take in another sip, it's this tea-like finish that coats your tongue, and is rounded out by a familiar dark chocolate, thick heavy syrup aromas hitting your nose.



From the Roasters:

Pineapple, white tea, red grapefruit; molasses.
 
Abundant wildlife is found on the Estate and the farm members are educated about the importance of preserving these species which include snakes, hares, owls, weaver birds, hawks and hippos. Employees and their families are provided with a number of benefits including full medical care and schooling.
 
“Blind Assessment: Deeply sweet and deeply pungent with round, complexly rich Kenya fruit: grapefruit, black currant, strawberry, supported by an undercurrent of fresh-cut fir. Ringing, resonant acidity, syrupy mouthfeel, flavor-saturated finish.
 
Who Should Drink It: Simply a superb coffee, as grand as it is balanced and inviting, as fine with milk as it is black.”
-Kenneth Davids, Coffee Review, June 2011

M^4: Pleasent surprises

MONDAY MORNING MANIC MUFFINS! (just in case you were wondering what M^4 meant)


Hope everyone cooled down with the heat wave. For some it was a shock to their system with upward of 100F/40C temperatures - similar to the insides of a kitchen... but it's now cooled down.
At least we have seasons here.


Wrap up of what was making coffee headlines this week:

• Randy Hogg from Bridgehead takes the ERBC over in good old QC. 
• Sprudge.com reporting of an event on Aug 4th: Cafe Grumpy in Park Slope.
  (Art from Origin) ART SHOW and COFFEE, fused together? #ifonlyIwasinNYC
• Video of Coffee Common's First public event in London - Prufrock
• 
  
Coffee Common at Prufrock from Coffee Common on Vimeo.
• Looks like good times!
• Got in 5 different coffee from Fratello in Calgary, this week will be cuppings and tastings.

More adventures prior to the long weekend - Civic styles!

HAPPY ESPRESSO ADVENTURES!

Chill with ERBC; and more beans?

Eastern Regional Barista Competition is happening this weekend in Quebec City.
Thinking of live streaming? Here is the link: http://www.livestream.com/2010canadianbaristachampionships
Drink your Iced Mocha and watch the stream to cool off this weekend.
Enjoy! I know Ill be having a relaxing weekend playing with some coffees that just came in from Calgary.
Prairie Regional Barista Competition happening August 5-6 at Fratello.
Enjoy the weekend, maybe go out on an espresso adventure!
For more information check out: http://www.espressoadventures.com

Bean Talk: Detour PNG Wahgi

DH2 (Dark Horse Espresso 2)
Address: 215 Spadina Avenue
Neighbourhood: Chinatown 
Previous posts: (link)

Getting the weekend off on the right foot means decompressing from the work week and kicking back your feet by enjoying a good cup of coffee.
Had the pleasure of enjoying a couple of cups, by the means of French Press.
First sip: CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN.


Let's get down to the details:
Method: French Press
Beans:Wahgi Estate Peaberry
Origin: Papua New Guingea
VARIETAL
ARUSHA, CATTURA, TYPICA, CATIMOR, BLUE MOUNTAIN
PROCESSING
FULLY WASHED
ALTITUDE
1600 m
PRODUCERS
OPAIS PEOPLE FROM THE WAHGI VALLEY


Roasters: Detour Coffee
Located: Dundas/Burlington, ON
Tasting Notes: Clean - light coffee. hints of cherries, and tart pears. As the coffee cooled, it became a nice bright smoothness.
Seriously different from dark, heavy neighbouring Sumatara

Here's is a lovely 1 minute video: ENJOY THE WEEKEND

Requiste shot of their lovely 3-Group La Marzorcco FB80

Bean Talk: Stumptown Costa Rica Montes de Oro

Newest Spring Crops!

Costa Rice Montes de Oro
Elevation: 1500-1700M
Varietal: Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai
Region: Latin America

Roasters: Stumptown Coffee Roasters
Located: Brooklyn, NY (since I picked this up at LIT on College)

Process: fully washed



Brew process: Hario V60 Pourover
Details: 35 pre-infusion, 3:50 total brew-time.

Verdict:
Aromatics: Smoky chocolate
HOT: smooth chocolate with reducution of a cherry glaze, with hints light spicy/smoked meat - subtle clean finish.
Cooling: citrus, savory body starts to take over.

Roasters Notes: Sparkling cherry juice is balanced well with creamy milk chocolate and notes of citrus in this complex, fully washed coffee.

I'll need to pick up a Red Cup to match my V60.... old school stopwatch action. Enjoy it at LIT espresso.

Bean Talk: Panama Rio Serreno

Beans: Panama Rio Serreno
Spotted: Te Aro Roasted
No longer brewing as a SO (Single Origin), but you can find it in Te Aro's new espresso blend: Elevens.

Why are we so excited about these beans? Micro-lots pop up around the coffee belt, and it's not unique to just the Panama region. But if you scroll to the photo of the dried beans below you will see something unique about their processes.

Go to Te Aro's blog to read up on Andy and Chris recent adventure to Guatemala Origin trip and discussing processes... from cherry to dried coffee bean.

Wait, don't the beans on the LEFT look a little odd, they're more red than the normal green beans.

Honey Process my friend.

The mucilage (a thick, gluey substance filled with proteins and sugar) that covers the bean is left on during the washing phase. As the beans go through the drying phase the remaining mucilage produces the red glowing tinge. It's said to generate an amazing, sweeter taste compared to a fully washed bean.

Farmers have traditionally chosen the coffee cherries during the middle of harvest season, as they've found the cherrys to be naturally packed with more sugars and oozes with "honey" sweetness.

Extra Extra: Cafe Grumpy delivery

Wow!

3 bags of joy surprised me today!

Rodomunho - Brazil (Cerrado Region)
Micro lot Las Margarita Y Anexos - Guatemala (Amatitlan Region)
Lo Mejor De San Vicente - Honduras ( Pene Blanca, Santa Barbara Region)

This is 3 out of their current 6 selections being roasted on the Dietrich!

Check out their website for ordering and shipments!
Cafegrumpy.com

As a side note; this package came within 3-5 business days even crossing the border.

Cafe grumpy does right!!!!!

Bean Talk: Stumptown - Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Tumticha

Let's have a little chat about the beans I picked up today!


Roasters: Stumptown Coffee Roasters (Brooklyn, NY)
Roast Date: December 6th, 2010
Beans: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Tutimcha
Varietal: Ethiopian Heirloom
Location: Gedeo, Yirgacheffe
Region: Africa
Elevation: 1900-2300 metres

TO Connection: LIT Espresso Bar (639 Queen Street West)
Price: $14 for 3/4lb - 12oz - 340g