Ethiopian Harars Go Chocolate
A general flavor or aroma term reminiscent of chocolate. But what type? Usually described with more specifics.: Chocolate is a broad, general flavor or aroma term reminiscent of...
Weather patterns and climate changes might play a large role in the cup profiles of coffees from the Harar region for the past 2 years.
Sometime back, we chanced on a wonderful Harar that was very light-bodied with incredible flowery-jasmine aromatics. It was tea like, but not a wimpy cup by any standards. Since that time, Harars have tended toward flavor profiles with deeper hues; intense chocolate notes with stronger earthiness, and fruityIn some coffee taster’s lexicon, “fruity” means the coffee is tainted with fruit, and “fruited” means a coffee is graced by positive fruit notes. We don't exactly see... aromatics lingering way in the background.
After many cuppings from many sources, it would seem that climate influences, perhaps the El Nino/La Nina years, have had a greater hand in determining the taste profile, since the dry-processed preparationPreparation refers to the dry-milling steps of preparing coffee for export: hulling, grading, classifying, sorting.: Preparation refers to the dry-milling steps of preparing coffee for export: hulling, grading,... seems improved if anything, and the quality in general is high.
That initial tea-likeA term used to describe coffees with light, tannic, slighly astringent mouthfeel and tea aromatics. We find it in some Rwandan flavor profiles, among others. Harar was from the late ’96 crop, while samples received in late ’97 through this year, ’99 emphasize pungency and chocolate/earthy notes. While brokers have promised berry notes, this fella can’t find them.
Is this a bad thing? No, really. Coffee is a crop, and mastery of its botany or biochemistry hasn’t occurred to the point where desired qualities appear in the cup with the wave of a chemists or geneticists magic wand …thank God! And perhaps waiting for the wonderful qualities we cherished many cups ago makes the discovery of new tastes that much more special.
That said, I am very proud of our current stock of Harar. Cupped rigorously against 8 competing sources, we settled on a grade 4 Longberry offered by Erna KnutsenErna is known as the first dedicated "Specialty Coffee" importers/brokers in the US ... in fact she coined the term Specialty Coffee! Here bio reads, "After several years.... Visually, it reminds me of that wonderful Harar in that processingThe removal of the cherry and parchment from the coffee seed.: Coffee is either wet-processed (also called washed or wet-milled) or dry-processed (also called wild, natural or natural... is good, but color varies greatly in the green coffee
Green coffee refers to the processed seed of the coffee tree fruit. Coffee is a flowering shrub that produces fruit. The seeds of the fruit are processed, roasted,..., with an apparent large number of what are called “pales” in Ethiopian dry-processed coffees; under-ripe seeds. While one broker would scoff at the number of pales as a sign of inferiority (in fact, at last years SCAA in Denver, one scoffed me right out of his booth!) I honestly think they are responsible for increased aromatics and high notes in the cup. The proof is in the tasting. Roast the harar, pick out a few of the roasted seeds that are lighter and eat them! You wont find off tastes there, but lighter, fruitier notes, and a pleasant tang.
All About Coffee …Not Really!
With hope and a bit of dread I march off to the SCAA in Philadelphia April 30 – May 3. This, the stomping ground for 8000 coffee professionals, from growers to brokers to roasters, is also the place for pandering, one-upmanship, pointless marketing of pointless new products, and bold-faced lying. Maybe I am grumpy, or just intimidated. As a small fry in a big pan, it is always awkward. I am too little to visit origins and hob-nob, so the SCAA is my big chance to have a good conversation with coffee growers and other roasters. But quality is not always at the guiding principle with coffee folks …the question lurking behind many conversations is, “how big is your batch”; that is, your value in the trade is proportional to how big your business is. So chest-pounding and exagerations abound; I have been known to slip a few times too.
But there are other barriers too. I quickly find myself estranged from coffee merchandisers. Giftware annoys me. How many ways can you redesign the “commuter mug” until they become laughable (have you seen the ones with the grippy rubber fetish “money bumps” –the more bumps on the mug, the more money you pay).
Then there’s all the sweet slushy coffee drink and flavoring folks. The logic of their pitch is; “increase sales now: train customers to love artificial flavorings and sugar: kill the specialty coffee
Specialty coffee was a term devised to mean higher levels of green coffee quality than average "industrial coffee" or "commercial coffee". At this point, the term is of... trade.”
Then, ironically, there are the big guys who really do “walk the walk” and have a sincere working relationship with coffee quality. Oddly, I find some are quite snobby toward the small roaster. They believe only they can secure the great coffees.
In fact, I would argue the opposite. In most cases, medium sized roasters are too cost-conscious to get great coffee, or too cynical to believe their customers can tell the difference between the mediocre and the great, or they can’t get enough bags of a great coffee to satisfy their needs, so they settle for something more readily available.
As someone who buys 2-5 bags of particular coffees, small quantities meet my needs, and price premiums for great coffees don’t phase me. (If you need 100 bags and its .20 more per lb., a lot of roasters will look for a cheaper coffee …honest!)
Hooray for Colsuaves
It took me a while but I figured it out! A lineup of 8 Colombians past and present, a blind cupping
Cupping is a method of tasting coffee by steeping grounds in separate cups for discrete amounts of ground coffee, to reveal good flavors and defects to their fullest.... to root out the best of the bland (I do not find Colombians to be inspiring). Among these cups are all types of premium Supremos from the famous growing regions: Huila, Popayan, Bucaramunga, Tetuan. (Actually, the Colombian Coffee Federation calls them “ecotopos”, not regions, since within a region only smattering of particular plots has the conditions that typify the area). Going down the line, I find the typical clean cupClean cup refers to a coffee free of taints and defects. It does not imply sanitary cleanliness, or that coffees that are not clean (which are dirty) are... profiles, some with a nip of fruity acidity
Acidity is a positive flavor attribute in coffee, also referred to as brightness or liveliness. It adds a brilliance to the cup, whereas low acid coffees can seem..., some with a balanceSuggests a harmony and proportion of qualities, and implies mildness since no one quality dominates.: Balance is both an obvious and slippery taste term. It implies a harmony... of bodyAssociated with and sensed by mouthfeel, body is sense of weight and thickness of the brew, caused by the percentage of soluble solids in the cup, including all..., flavor and aromatics that are well-intended but rather dull.
Then come “the cup,” like some divine hand had spiked the Colombian with a winey
A taste term to describe a wine-like flavor with a similar perceived acidity and fruit, and some level of acetic acid. It is found most commonly in East... KenyaKenya is the East African powerhouse of the coffee world. Both in the cup, and the way they run their trade, everything is topnotch.: Kenya is the East..., a twist of fermentAs an aroma or flavor in coffee, ferment is a defect taste, resulting from bad processing or other factors. Ferment is the sour, often vinegar-like, that results from... over luscious acidity and a deep brooding body. It’s the kind of cup that makes you roll it back over your tongue, stand up straight and make a drooling guttural sound. I just couldn’t believe it …really, I couldn’t. I waited until the bags appeared weeks later to recup it before I spilled the beans publicly. There had to be a mistake. There wasn’t! So what was this coffee? Colombian Popayan exported under a particular “marca” of Colsuaves, an insider’s secret I suppose, since he is known for quality and dealing only in “coffee on hand” –he doesn’t do futures, and only offers coffee to US brokers when he has it in stock and ready to ship. In a regional market where US brokers can’t deal with farmers (they’re too small in ColombiaColombian coffee is highly marketed and widely available in the US. They have been largely successful at equating the name Colombian Coffee with "Good" Coffee. This is half-true.... -average farms produce 40-60 bags per year!) it is the exporter than determines quality mostly, and finding one like Colsuaves has made me rethink the possibilities of Colombian coffee.
This list is superceded by the web page list, since that is updated continuously!
Sweet Maria’s Green Coffee Offerings on 4/15/99
***Central American*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Costa Rican Tarrazu Papagayo $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Guat. Antigua -La Tacita EstateA "coffee estate" is used to imply a farm that has its own processing facility, a wet-mill. In Spanish this is called an Hacienda. A Finca (farm) does... $5.80 $11.02 $25.23
Guat. Antigua -Santa Barbara $5.20 $9.88 $22.62
Guat. Organic-Atitlan $5.40 $10.26 $23.49
Guat.- Finca
Spanish 101: Finca is the Spanish word for farm. Sometimes the term Hacienda is used to imply an Estate, which would mean the farm has its own wet-mill.... Dos Marias Estate $6.00 $11.40 $26.10
Mexican OrganicGrown without the use of artificial fertilizers, herbicides, etc.: Organic coffee has been grown according to organic farming techniques, typically without the use of artificial fertilizers. Some farms... Atoyac $5.65 $10.74 $24.58
Mexican HG Chiapas $4.25 $8.08 $18.49
Mexican Coatepec -Roma $3.90 $7.41 $16.97
Mexican MaragogypeMaragogype is a mutation of Typica coffee and was discovered in Brazil. The Maragogype is a large plant with big leaves, low production and very large fruits (and... $5.40 $10.26 $23.49
Mex. San Pablo Tres Flechas $4.65 $8.84 $20.23
Mexican HG Organic Putla $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Nic. Jinotega/Matagalpa $4.65 $8.84 $20.23
Nic. Matagalpa Gavilan Estate $4.80 $9.12 $20.88
Nicaraguan Organic Segovia $5.20 $9.88 $22.62
PanamaPanama coffee ranges from medium quality lower altitude farms to those at 1600 - 1800 meters centered in the area of Boquete in the Chirqui district near the... Boquete Lerida Estate $5.10 $9.69 $22.19
Panama Hartmann “Songbird” $5.10 $9.69 $22.19
***South American*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
BrazilBrazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra sang, "they grow an awful lot of coffee in Brazil".: Brazil is a coffee giant . As Frank Sinatra... BourbonA coffee cultivar; a cross between Typica and Bourbon, originally grown in Brazil: Mundo Novo is a commercial coffee cultivar; a natural hybrid between "Sumatra" and Red Bourbon,... Santos 2/3s $3.50 $6.65 $15.23
Brazil Cerrado-Monte Carmelo $4.40 $8.36 $19.14
Brazil Minas 17/18 “Organic” $4.50 $8.55 $19.58
Col. Huila SupremoA Colombian coffee grade referring to screen size of 17-18 screen. In the traditional bulk Arabica business, Supremo was the top grade Colombia, with Excelso one step below... $4.30 $8.17 $18.71
Col. Popayan Supremo “Colsuaves” $4.60 $8.74 $20.01
PeruPeruvian coffees have Central American brightness but in a South American coffee flavor package overall. The good organic lots do have more of a "rustic" coffee character.: Organic... Org. Chanchamayo Florida $4.75 $9.03 $20.66
***African*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Ethiopian Ghimbi Gr5 $4.75 $9.03 $20.66
Ethiopian Harar Gr4 Longberry $5.70 $10.83 $24.80
Ethiopian Limmu Washed Gr2 $6.10 $11.59 $26.54
Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Gr2 $6.45 $12.26 $28.06
Kenya AB -Gaturiri Farm ’98 $7.80 $14.82 $33.93
Kenya AA -Mweiga Farm ’98 $7.50 $14.25 $32.63
Kenya AA -Kiungu Farm ’98 $7.80 $14.82 $33.93
Ugandan Bugisu AA $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
ZambiaFrom the country formerly known as upper Rhodesia in a country now named for the Zambezi River, Zambian coffees range from Kenya-like brightness to subtle, balanced coffee with... AA Chisoba Estate $6.60 $12.54 $28.71
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe, formerly known as lower Rhodesia until independence in 1980, has produced great coffee since production was introduced in the 1960s. Like Zambian coffees, these coffees are often... AA Canterbury $6.00 $11.40 $26.10
Zimbabwe PeaberryA peaberry is a green coffee "bean" that has a rounded form: Coffee is the dried seed from the fruit of a flowering tree - each fruit having... + $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
YemenYemen has a coffee culture like no other place, and perhaps some of what we enjoy in this cup is due to their old style of trade...: Technically,... Mocca Rimy $6.90 $13.11 $30.02
***Indonesian*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
SulawesiSulawesi coffees are low-acid with great body and that deep, brooding cup profile akin to Sumatra. The coffee is sometimes known as Celebes, which was the Dutch colonial... Toraja $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
SumatraIndonesians are available as a unique wet-hulled or dry-hulled (washed) coffees. Giling Basah is the name for the wet-hulling process in Bahasa language, and will have more body... Batak MandhelingA trade name used for wet-hulled Sumatra coffees. It is an area and a culture group as well (spelled Mandailing often) but there is not as much coffee... $5.35 $10.17 $23.27
Sumatra Golden Pwani $5.80 $11.02 $25.23
Sumatra Mandheling Gr1 DP $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
Sumatra Aged Mandheling DP $6.40 $12.16 $27.84
Sumatra OrganicGayoMtn.Gr2 $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
TimorTimor-Leste (East Timor) is a tiny island between Australia and Sulawesi, annexed by Indonesia and liberated in a referendum several years ago. Small scale coffee farming was jump-started... Organic MaubesseGr1 $5.35 $10.17 $23.27
***Other*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Indian Monsooned Malabar $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Indian Mysore-Kents Varietal $5.40 $10.26 $23.49
French ChicoryChicory was a popular coffee substitute and economizer for 2 centuries, back when coffee was more prized, and pure coffee was a luxury. : Chicory was a popular... -Roasted $6.00 $11.40 $26.10
KonaKona coffee comes from farms along the Kona Coast on the Big Island of Hawaii: Kona coffee comes from farms along the Kona Coast on the Big Island... -Eames Farm-Estate Grade $16.00 $30.40 $69.60
Maui Kaanapali Moka $7.40 $14.06 $32.19
Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea (PNG) occupies the eastern half of the island it shares with the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya, part of Indonesia. The two primary areas for... Gumanch A $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Papua New Guinea Wahgi PB $5.70 $10.83 $24.80
SM’s EspressoA small coffee beverage, about 20 ml, prepared on an espresso machine where pressurized hot water extracted through compressed coffee.: In its most stripped-down, basic form, this is... Monkey Blend $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
Sweet Maria’s Fr.RoastBlend $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
***Decafs*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb
Colombian ExcelsoA Colombian coffee grade referring to screen size of 15-16. In the traditional bulk Arabica business, Excelso is a step below the large bean Supremo grade, which indicates... CO2 D $5.50 $10.45 $23.93
Costa Rican HB Natural D $5.30 $10.07 $23.06
MexicanEsmeralda Natural D $5.00 $9.50 $21.75
PapuaNewGuinea Org.SWP D $6.40 $12.16 $27.84
Timor Organic SWPSWP means Swiss Water Process is a patented water filtration decaf method, not a chemical solvent method. The plant is in Vancouver, Canada. Decaf $6.40 $12.16 $27.84
Sweet Maria’s Coffee Roastery
9 E. 2nd Ave. * Columbus Ohio 43201
ph/fx:614 294 1816 * orders:888.876 5917
web: www.sweetmarias.com
email: [email protected]
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