Welcome the the wayback window of Sweet Maria’s green coffee bean reviews! Want to read green coffee reviews from 2003?
This is how we used to publish our review archives, and just for the heck of it, we like to keep our old stuff online … you know, the dustbin of history and all that. Likely none of the links work or the images show up. But old web sites are like other old things: stuff breaks. So here it is, our Coffee Review Archive:
| 2003-2004 Sweet Maria’s Coffee CuppingCupping 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.... Reviews Archive: R – S |
| RwandaA Bourbon cultivar variant from Rwanda and Burundi. Bourbon coffees are named for the island in the India Ocean where French colonists grew it. Some history from the... |
| Rwanda Gatare Grade A | |||||||
| Country: | Rwanda | Grade: | A | Region: | Gatare, Cyangugu Province, Western Rwanda | Mark: | Gatare Washing StationIn Rwanda and some other East African countries, a wet mill is called a Washing Station.: In Rwanda and some other East African countries, a wet mill is... |
| 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...: | Wet-processed | Crop: | late Dec 2004 arrival | Appearance: | 0 d/300gr, 17 Screen | Varietal: | 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,... |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3.3 | Notes: I will come flat out and say it: I really like Rwandan coffee… not all of it, but some of it. And the potential is great. Why? Great altitude, climate and seedstock. The cup has classic East African character with a bright, firm, lively character. It has floralFloral notes in coffee exemplify the connection between taste and smell. Describing the taste of a specific flower is near impossible...we always default to “it tastes like it... notes, is clean, has pungentRefers to an aggressive, intense aroma or flavor, often related to spices (pepper) or roast tastes. Pungent foods are often called "spicy", meaning a sharp or biting character,... and sweet elements. It’s the stuff that gets a coffee cupperOne who cups, or tastes and evaluates, coffee.: A cupper is a person who performs the somewhat formal analysis of coffee quality, called cupping. See the definition of... like me excited. This is our second year of purchasing Rwandan coffee we were able to cup quite a few offerings — this Gatare Grade A really jumped out of the pack. Like most all Rwandan coffee, it is from a combination of small-holder farms and small estates, each with a small output of parchmentGreen coffee still in its outer shell, before dry-milling, is called Parchment coffee (pergamino). In the wet process, coffee is peeled, fermented, washed and then ready for drying... coffee but together able to produce an exportable lot. The Gatare Washing StationIn Kenya, a "Factory" is actually a coffee wet mill (called a washing station in other parts of Africa) where the fresh cherry is brought for wet-processing. It... is the coffee millA coffee mill might mean a coffee grinder, but we usually use the term to refer to a coffee processing facility, either a Wet-Mill or a Dry Mill.... for the town, located in the most productive and fertile coffee area in Rwanda, the Western District near Lake Kivu. (This is #4 on the coffee map above). This microclimatedistrict has a whopping 1700-2000 meter coffee growing altitude, a range not found in many places. This is small-holder (basically, village coffee gardens of less than 1 hectare) coffee and is 100% traditional Bourbon arabicaArabica refers to Coffea Arabica, the taxonomic species name of the genus responsible for around 75% of the worlds commercial coffee crop.: Arabica refers to Coffea Arabica, the...! The wet-milling, raised-bed-drying and dry-milling is done on-site at the co-op mill (called a washing station). The cup qualities depend greatly on the roast, and yet the coffee is terrific with a varietyA botanical variety is a rank in the taxonomic hierarchy below the rank of species and subspecies and above the rank of form (form / variety / subspecies... of roast treatments: at a lighter City stage it has great floral aromatics, with a more pungent, intense aspect emerging in the aromaAroma refers to sensations perceived by the olfactory bulb and conveyed to the brain; whether through the nose or "retro-nasally": The aromatics of a coffee greatly influence its... at a Full City stage. This is going to sound odd, but this darker roast aroma has a dark wood aroma that reminds me of vintage furniture – and I mean that in a good way! It’s not a sweet aroma, but very pleasing. I suppose it makes more sense to say that this aromatic woodiness is in the cup flavors of the dark roast too, along with black walnut, mild-dark chocolateA 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..., and a hint of fruit. In the light roast the cup has an Earl Grey hint with a twist of lemonLemon notes, as well as other related citrusy flavors or acidities, are prized in coffee. These usually express themselves as a bright accent in the cup, or aromatic... rind, orangeOrange aromatics and flavors are prized in coffee, whether they take the form of sweet orange flesh and pulp, or orange peel. Orange flavors or aromatics can range... blossom floral, zestyA flavor or mouthfeel characteristic, hinting at a tingly, prickly, lively or piquant aspect. Peppers, spice or citrus can all be zesty., and spicy. The 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... is fairly light, but the cup is complexThe co-presence of many aroma and flavor attributes, with multiple layers. A general impression of a coffee, similar to judgments such as "balanced" or "structured" in that this coffee shows you different sensations as the aroma passes to flavors passes to aftertasteAftertaste refers to lingering residual sensations in the mouth after coffee has swallowed. It might be distinguished from "finish" which is the final sensations of the coffee while... – in other words, it unveils itself in a very interesting way, and with each different roast treatment, it shows a slightly different variation on its overall theme. | |||||
| Wet AromaIn cupping, wet aroma refers to the smell of wet coffee grinds, after hot water is added. It can involve smelling the "crust" (floating coffee grounds) on the... (1-5) | 3.8 | ||||||
| BrightnessA euphemistic term we use often to describe acidity in coffee. A bright coffee has more high, acidic notes. : A euphemistic term to describe acidity in coffee.... – AcidityAcidity 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... (1-10) | 8.7 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.8 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 2.8 | ||||||
| FinishSimilar to aftertaste, but it refers to the impression as the coffee leaves the palate. Aftertaste is the sensations gathered after the coffee has left the mouth. We... – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8.7 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | IntensityWe have a simple scale to rate intensity in our coffee reviews, from Mild to Bold. Low intensity does not mean low quality!: We have a simple scale.../Prime Attribute: Medium/ floral aromatics, brightness, complexity. | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Roast: City to Full City+City+ roast is an ideal roast level that occurs roughly between 425 and 435 degrees Fahrenheit in many coffee roasters with a responsive bean probe where First Crack... and on. This has great dark roast potential, but of course I find more flavors worth discovering in the medium range of City. See my roast photo above to discern the difference between them | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 86.1 | Compare to: Has qualities of a lower-acid Yirgacheffe (like the lot we had early in 2003) and Tanzanian, but is like neither exactly – a distinct East African cup profile. | |||||
| Saint Helena |
| Isle of Saint Helena -see our unfortunate comments about this coffee on the St. Helena page. | |||||||
| Country: | Saint Helena (British Protectorate) | Grade: | 1 | Region: | Saint Helena | Mark: | St. Helena Coffee Company, Coffee Ground Plot |
| Processing: | Wet-Processed (washed) | Crop: | 2003 | Appearance: | .2d/300gr –Flatbean/Peaberry Mix | Varietal: | Heirloom 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,... Seedstock: “Green-Tipped Bourbon” |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3 | Notes: St Helena is the very small island in the South Central Atlantic where Napoleon was banished to, and died. The island is just 8 miles long and 6 miles wide, but was a small but productive coffee producer owned entirely by the Dutch East IndiaS-795 is a variety based on the " S-Line" coffees of India, and stands for Selection 795, It has a very fine cup, one of the best in... Co. until recently. Because the cost of production was so high and the shipping costs so outrageous (St Helena has only 1 boat, the RMS Saint Helena, servicing the island every every 2 weeks) the farms was left largly abandoned for decades. Only in the past 10 years has the coffee production been revitalized under the care of one David Henry, and the current output is about 4,500 lbs per year. We have the only 2 bags of this coffee in the U.S. from the ’01 crop. Compare this to a small Central American 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... that can produced 2 containers, or 75,000 lbs per year, and you understand that this is a very rare coffee indeed. And why else is it special? Because the seedstock used to cultivate it is pure heirloom varietal Yemen brought to the island in 1730. Mr. Henry revitalized the production with meticulous care by nursing new seedlings from the aged 100 year old trees. The coffee looks like a wet-processed Sana’ani: a light opal color, small, roundish, flat with a well-defined edge. The coffee is guaranteed by Mr. Henry to be non-certified, but 100% 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..., sustainabley grown. The cup? The acidity is bright, citrus-berry but not sourSour is one of four basic sapid (in the mouth) tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter (and possibly a 5th called Umami which indicates savory flavors). In coffee, sourness..., the body is medium light (let is rest and the body really comes up), and there is a distinct spicy-pepperiness in the cup. In the finsh there are flavors ranging from cola nut to a pungent creosote and chocolate notes in the darker roasts. The brightness is very roughly similar to an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. It’s a 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..., balanced too when the coffee is allowed to rest 24-36 hours after roasting (recommended), deep. …. Its expensive! …but for obvious reasons of high production costs. And it is unique —there is no coffee like it!You can read more about the coffee on our additional Saint Helena Pictures page, and on the Tea & Coffee Trade Journal’s cover article on Saint Helena, April ’01 | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 4 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 8 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 9.5 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 4 (after 72+ Hours Rest! |
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| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 9.5 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 2 | ||||||
| add 50 | 50 | Roast: City to Full City. If you like the brightness, keep it lighter. If you are willing to mute the brightness for the sake of complex roast tastes layered with the originIn coffee talk, it refers to a coffee-producing region or country; such as, "I was just at origin." Of course "Origin" for most product we use is not... tastes, take it a couple snaps into 2nd crackAn audible popping sound heard during roasting. In coffee, one refers to "first crack" and "second crack," which come from two different classes of chemical reactions.: An audible.... This coffee will take a little longer to enter 2nd crack than others. There is lots of character, this coffee will not get obliterated by a little darker roast tastes. I prefer the slightly heavier roast on this coffee. The coffee shows intense roast color, but does not expand as much as you would expect for a specific degree of roastDegree of Roast simply means the roast level of a coffee, how dark it has been roasted.: Degree of Roast simply means the roast level of a coffee,.... | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 90 | Compare to: The Citrusy-berry notes of a Yirgacheffe, the 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 an island (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...) coffee, the complexity (spice and chocolate) of a Yemeni dry-processed without the 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... or earthiness. | |||||
| El Salvador |
| El SalvadorEl Salvador coffee had an undeservingly poor reputation for years, marred mostly by the inability to deliver coffee of high quality in an unstable political climate. Unfortunately, agriculture... CoE Lot #19 -Montecarlos PB | |||||||
| Country: | El Salvador | Grade: | SHB | Region: | Cantón Saltillal, Apaneca, Ahuachapán | Mark: | Cup of ExcellenceThe Cup of Excellence is a competition held yearly in many coffee-producing countries, designed to highlight the very best coffees from each origin.: The Cup of Excellence (COE)..., Montecarlos Farm |
| Processing: | Wet-Processed | Crop: | Late August 2004 Arrival | Appearance: | 0 d/300gr, 19-20+ Screen | Varietal: | 100% PacamaraAs the name implies, Pacamara is a large bean cultivar, a cross between Pacas and Maragogype with unique flavor properties. This variant originated in El Salvador in 1958,... |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 4.2 | Notes: Montecarlos is a larger and well-regarded coffee estate in El Salvador; in sense it is actually a volcano turned into a coffee estate. Here is some information from farm literature: “The farm occupies the sides of a single volcanic cinder cone in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range. It is composed of an area of over 1,500 acres out of which 2/3 are planted with coffee and 1/3 are part of a cloud forest inside the crater of the volcano. The altitudes vary from 1,800 meters at the top of the volcano to 1,000 meters at the bottom of it, with this particular lot coming from 1500 meters (4,921feet). The surrounding tropical cloud forest and different altitudes provide a wide range of different microclimates that in turn produce some very distinct qualities for its coffees. The entire Montecarlos Estate coffee production is half bourbon and half Pacamara. But at El Caracól, only Pacamara is grown. The pacamara is a hybrid between the PacasA mutation of Bourbon cultivar that appeared in El Salvador in 1949: Pacas is a natural mutation of Bourbon cultivar that appeared in El Salvador in 1949. It... and the 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... varieties. It was developed in El Salvador in the 70’s and Montecarlos was the first to plant it and develop it at an estate gourmet level. There are some 10,000 quintals of Pacamara produced in El Salvador and Montecarlos accounts for about half of them. It is worth noting that the Montecarlos Pacamara peaberries are a rare indeed, as they are the only Pacamara Peaberries produced in the world. Montecarlos won the most awards in this year’s cup of excellence competition for three different lots; Its coffees won 7th, 19th and 35th. The coffees from Montercarlos are wet processed, washed with clean mineral water at a tradtional wet millThe wet mill is a processing center where coffee cherry from the tree is brought for initial processing.: The wet mill goes by many names (Beneficio, Factory, Washing..., controlling key points of the milling process. FermentationFermentation in coffee processing traditionally referred to the stage in wet-processing of the coffee. We now understand that fermentation happens more broadly in nearly all processes, including honey... depends on weather conditions but it normally takes about 15 hours, drying method is 100% sundried.” I have previously tried to indicate that the exact spot a coffee wins in the CoE competition isn’t that important … that a coffee that comes in at #5 might be the equal of a #15, given that each judge uses their own subjective tastes to score; the key point is that all are good coffees. And this #19 lot underscores my pint, it is truly an exceptional coffee. This is unusual becoause it is both the Pacamara cultivarCultivar is a term used interchangeably with Varietal in the coffee trade to indicate plant material, although there are distinctions.: The naming of a cultivar should conform to..., like the #15 La Montanita lot, but it is in fact the Peaberries culled out from the Pacamara. Pacamara 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...! A first for us … and I had never heard that Pacamaras produced enough peaberryThe Spanish-language term for Peaberry is the same for "snail". See Peaberry for more information on the single bean fruit of the coffee tree. A peaberry is the... to sort it out and sell it separately. WHile this is a light body coffee, the prime attribute in the cup are the honeyed, citrusyQualities in coffee that are reminiscent of a citrus fruit; orange, lemon, grapefruit, kumquat, etc.: Qualities in coffee that are reminiscent of a citrus fruit; orange, lemon, grapefruit,... and floral aromatics. In a blind cupping here at the shop, I thought it was a Yirgacheffe or similar Ethiopian wet-processed coffee! The cup has a “twist of lemon” flavor in the top end of the cup, with the previously mentioned light body and 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. flavors – it does not develop strong roast tastes in the City+ range. Roasting it darker dimimishes the wonderful aromatics so my suggestion is to keep it well awawy from the 2nd crack, and enjoy it for what it is; a sweetly aromatic, breezy, light-intensity, delicate, and floral flavor profileFlavor Profile implies a graphical impression of a particular coffee, whether it be an artistic portrait or data graph of the perception of flavor compounds. In the case.... | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 4.5 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 9.2 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.5 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 2.5 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8.2 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Intensity/Prime Attribute: Mild intensity / Sweet, floral, citrus aromatics | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Roast: See above; I think this coffee should be kept well away from 2nd crack, where it has the best bright end to the cup and the most floral aromatics. It is a delicate coffee, perhaps a bit simple, but really charming! | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 87.1 | Compare to: Has some wet-processed Ethiopian character in the aroma, and an unusual character overall for a Central American. Yes, the 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... Jaramillo comes to mind. | |||||
| El Salvador CoE Lot #15 -La Montanita | |||||||
| Country: | El Salvador | Grade: | SHB | Region: | El Tunel, La Palma, Chalatenango | Mark: | Cup of Excellence, La Montanita Farm |
| Processing: | Wet-Processed | Crop: | Late August 2004 Arrival | Appearance: | 0 d/300gr, 19-20+ Screen | Varietal: | 100% Pacamara |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 4 | Notes: La Montanita is an extremely small farm, only 2 Hecatares in total (that’s just under 5 acres). It is planted entirely with the large-bean Pacamara cultivar. If you are not familiar with it, Pacamara is a cross between a naturally-occuring hybrid if CaturraCatimor is a broad group of cultivars derived from a Hibrido de Timor (HdT) and Caturra cross, highly productive, sometimes with inferior cup flavor. The main issue is... (known for its citrusy acidity) and the so-called elephant-bean cultivar, Maragogype (know for it’s low-yeild trees with huge bean size). The result is a non-traditional cup character with medium body, bright and libely acidity and unusual flavor profiles. The farm was hadnded down through the family to the current owner, Antonio Aguilar. He runs his own wet-mill so all steps of the coffee cultivation and processing are under the control of the farm (a true Estate coffee). While the farm is not organic certified, like many coffee farms it could be … Antonio does not use herbicides and practices manual weed control. He uses organic fertilizers like, chicken manure, coffee pulp and counts on nature for insect control. La Montanita is located in the Alotepec Mountain Range and has excellent altitude for coffee (1460 meters, 4790 feet)which accounts for the slowly-maturing, dense coffee seeds and better acidity in the cup. But in the case of Pacamara, a lot of the cup character comes from this unusual cultivar. The high notes in the cup have citrus tones but are more rounded, not drying or tart. For a Pacamara, it has very good body and exceptional balance. The key here is to take the roast to the verge of 2nd crack, trying to stop the roast just as the coffee enters it, or just before. At this temperature (around 445 f) the cup has the best aromatics, delivers a citrus-flower brightness to the middle of the palate and has a neat, black walnut roast tasteThe set of flavors that result from the degree-of-roast.: Roast Taste is a term we started to distinguish it from "Origin Flavor". We use the "roast taste" term.... There’s a very slight, pleasant husky note in the aftertaste, on of the curious artifacts of the Pacamara flavor profile. | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 4.2 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 9 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 3.5 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8.2 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Intensity/Prime Attribute: Aromatics, unique character / Brightness and aroma -Unique flavor profile for this origin | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Roast: Full City/ Full City+. See the notes above. City roastCity roast is what we define as the earliest palatable stage that the roast process can be stopped and result in good quality coffee. City roast occurs roughly... is a bit odd with this coffee, almost like green onions, so it requires just a bit more time in terms of “degree of roast”. Also be aware that these large Pacamara beans will not agitate as easily in an air roaster, so reduce batch size slightly. Best to roast manually and stop at the verge of 2nd crack. | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 86.9 | Compare to: Unusual among the El Salvador coffees, a character driven more by the cultivar (Pacamara) than the origin. | |||||
| El Salvador CoE Lot #12 -San Jose | |||||||
| Country: | El Salvador | Grade: | SHB | Region: | Canton Los Trozos, Juayúa, Sonsonate | Mark: | Cup of Excellence, San Jose Farm |
| Processing: | Wet-Processed | Crop: | Late August 2004 Arrival | Appearance: | 0 d/300gr, 17-18 Screen | Varietal: | 100% Traditional Bourbon |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3.3 | Notes: The lot coffee we selected from the San Jose farm is markedly different than the other 2 CoE Salvadors we bought in 2004. This is the quintessential Salvador cup, the traditional and highly regarded Bourbon cultivar. One of the great applications for this coffee is in 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... blends as the aromatic farctor and to give the cup a distiguished and clear bright note, an accent mark in terms of flavor. There was a lot of talk about Ernesto Illy using quite a bit of the Salavador Bourbons for this reason, especially since Illy is so particular about the cultivar and the bean denisty of the coffees they use. The Borubons grown at sufficient altitude are very physically dense. (You can see this as you take the roast darker – the central crease in the seed remains tight, and no offshooting “cracks” develop that would indicate softer, low elevation coffee). The farm is at a very impressive 1,550 meters (5,085 feet). Some background from the farm literature: “In 1944, Mr. Rodolfo Ruffatti acquired this farm and currently his great-grandchildren run it, Mauricio, Adela and Fiorella. They are committed to continuing their ancestor’s legacy. Mr. Mauricio Ruffatti recognizes that coffee has a historical compromise not only with this country but also the hundreds of people that depend on this crop. He has worked the farm steadily and has made jobs available for people.There are two families that live on the farm that count on electricity, running water, and housing free of charge and steady jobs. There is a 14-hectare forest on the property located at the highest point of the farm.The total area of San Jose farm is 70 hectaresWe use this metric term often to discuss the size of coffee farms. 1 Hectare = 10000 Square Meters = 2.471 acres: We use this metric term often... and it is at an average altitude of some 1550 meters above sea level; 56 hectares of this farm are planted with Bourbon Coffee trees. The farm is in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range; the fresh air and perfect microclimate are perfect for growing high quality coffee. The fertilization is injected and applied at the ideal moment. This provides the best nutrition for the coffee trees and helps protect the environment. The application of organic materials is also used, as well as manual weed control.” In the cup, this coffee shouts out Bourbon! (By the way, you say this “Burr-bone”, not Bur-bun). It is insrutably balanced, bright, bittersweetBittersweet is from the language of chocolate, and describes the co-presence of positive bittering compounds balanced by sweetness. It is directly related to caramelization, but has inputs from...; a “classic” Central American flavor profile. There’s a fine balance between nuttyNutty is a broad flavor term, reminiscent of nuts ... but what kind exactly?: Nutty is a broad flavor term, reminiscent of nuts. It is tied intrinsically to... and chocolate roast flavors, hints of vanillaVanilla notes in coffee are often related to caramelization notes, as butter and vanilla can be found in flavors and aromatics of roast reactions from reducing of sugars. and caramelCaramel is a desirable form of sweetness found in the flavor and aroma of coffee, and is an extension of roast taste. Extremely light or dark coffees will... in the finish, but not what I would call a sweet cup. This sort of “muscular” and balanced coffee lends itself perfectly to espresso, and in fact, roasted to a light Vienna roastVienna roast occurs at the beginning of second crack. The Vienna stage is where you begin to find origin character eclipsed by roast character.: Vienna roast occurs at..., I like it as a 100% straight shot. An Illy approach is to use a blend of it with 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... (I would use 80% Ipanema or Bom Jardim Natural, and 20% San Jose … Illy does not use this much natural though, they prefer more Pulped Natural Brazils.) Note that the scores are given for drip/press coffee, and if I graded it for espresso to it would go much higher. | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 3.7 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 9 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.2 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 3.2 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8.2 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 1 | Intensity/Prime Attribute: Medium intensity / Classic Bourbon profile, “clean cup” – As espresso, excellent straight or blended | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Roast: For drip/press coffee this can take a wide range between City + and Full City ++, a bit into 2nd crack. The character really holds up throughout the roast range. For espresso it can also take a wide range between Full City and Vienna, or French. It is a very dense seed and holds up to darker roasts very well. Vienna roast drip develops very nice aniseAnise seed is highly aromatic and has a flavor similar to fennel and licorice, used to flavor various foods and liquors: Anise is a flowering plant in the.../licorice notes. | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 86.6 | Compare to: Classic Central American cup profile, bourbon cultivar and very high grownHigh Grown, or HG, is a coffee designation that can mean different things in different countries. : High Grown, or HG, is the highest quality Mexican coffee designation.... Truly dual-use, as drip/press or as espresso. | |||||
| El Salvador Chalatenango -Zona Alta | |||||||
| Country: | El Salvador | Grade: | SHB | Region: | Northern El Salvador – Los Planes, Chalatenango | Mark: | Zona Alta Co-op Group |
| Processing: | Wet-processed | Crop: | 2003 | Appearance: | 0 d/300gr, 17-18 Screen | Varietal: | 100% Bourbon |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 4 | Notes: The area in and around Los Planes where the coffee comes from is an average of 5500 feet in altitude, with a year-round cool climate and well-draining volcanic soils. While this coffee is organically grown from 100% Bourbon varietal arabica under a shade-tree canopy, it is not certified Organic. The coffee is hand-pulped, fermentedAs a defect flavor, a fruit quality in a coffee that is excessively ripe, toward rotten. Fermented flavor can be the result of poor wet-processing, over-ripe cherry, or... per the wet-process method, and sun-dried on the patio with hourly “raking” of the parchment coffee to ensure even drying. This coffee shines in the aromatics: sweetly floral with a hint of cocoa. The flavors on the palate are floral with a distinct coffee-cherry fruitiness (if you have been lucky to taste a fresh ripe coffee cherryOriginally coffee literature referred to the fruit of the tree as a "berry" but in time it became a cherry. It is of course neither. Nor is the..., you would recognize this flavor right away!). There is a mild but persistent sweetnessSweetness is an important positive quality in fine coffees, and is one of five basic tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter, Savory (Umami). In coffee, sweetness is a highly... throughout the cupping, adding to the charm of the cup. As it cools, a nutty-almondy flavor emerges in the finish- very nice! It has a fairly light mouthfeelHow a coffee feels in the mouth or its apparent texture, a tactile sensation : A major component in the flavor profile of a coffee, it is a... and mild aftertaste, which makes this a really refreshing break from the heavy-handed cup profiles like the Africans and Indonesians. This coffee is the result of a localized affort to get a better price to small co-op of farmers, focused on quality. You can find out more about the Zona Alta project at http://www.zonaalta.org/ | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 4 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 8.8 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.6 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 2.8 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8.5 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Roast: A City to Full City roastA coffee that has been roasted to the brink of second crack.: A coffee that has been roasted to the brink of second crack. The internal bean temperature... is ideal here, and not more than a few snaps into 2nd crack. You want to preserve the delicate flavor nuances here. | |||||
| Add 50 | 50 | Compare to: Medium-bright, flavorful, floral, sweet Centrals … it cups very much like a Bourbon cultivar, and has some Antigua-like characteristics. | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 86.7 | Intensity/Prime Attribute: Mild to Medium / balance and brightness | |||||
| El Salvador Cup of Excellence- San Francisco Farm | |||||||
| Country: | El Salvador | Grade: | SHB -Strictly Hard Bean | Region: | Buenos Aires, Chalchuapa | Mark: | 2003 COE Auction Lot #9, FincaSpanish 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.... San Francisco |
| Processing: | Wet-processed | Crop: | 2003 | Appearance: | 0 d/300gr, 17-18 Screen | Varietal: | 100% Bourbon |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3.8 | Notes: While this coffee ranked #9 in the Cup of Excellence competition for El Salvador, it was my personal #1. It is 100% traditional Bourbon arabica cultivar, and is exclusively sun-dried on patios. It comes from an altitude of 4900 f eet, the San Francisco farm owned by Juan Francisco Rodríguez, 4th generation of a coffee growing family. Sr. Rodriguez was a founding member of the wet-mill co-op, along with 27 other small farms, called the Cuzcachapa cooperative. At his farm, some 80 workers are employed for harvest time and 6 people are permanently working on the coffee field through the cooperative effort. The coop helps the community in the maintenance of roads and providing economic support to surrounding communities complementing their bills for water supply. The cup is floral in the aromatics, both before and during brewing. This follows through on the first sip, when I often get a very floral burst, like brilliant hop flowers. When roasted to a lighter City stage, the coffee needs to rest a couple days to bring some equilibrium to the top end of the taste profile: this is bright coffee! This cup is complex, everything I look for in a high grown Central. With ample acidity, you can roast this a bit darker and get really amazing, tingly ripe-sweet orange notes in the cup. This overlays a complex, black tea flavor that persists through the finish at this slightly darker roast stage -very nice! |  |
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| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 3.8 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 9.2 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.7 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 3.3 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 9 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Roast: This coffee resists the roast a bit and may need a little more time in the roast to hit the degree-of-roast you are targeting. It’s very bright in the lighter City stage, and I had the most complex cups when it was true Full City, meaning that just a couple snaps of 2nd crack occurred and the roast was stopped. | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Compare to: Bright, flavorful, complex Centrals … intensifying more as it cools. It truly compares only to Bourbon varietal Salvadors. | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 87.8 | ||||||
| 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... |
| Sulawesi “Aged Kalossi” Toraja | |||||||
| Country: | IndonesiaUSDA is (obviously) the United States Department of Agriculture. USDA also had coffee plant breeding programs in the past and one variety they distributed to Indonesia and was...: Sulawesi | Grade: | One | Region: | Sulawesi: Torajaland | Mark: | POI Aged Kalossi |
| Processing: | Semi-washedAn uncertain term to describe a coffee processing technique somewhere between wet-process and dry-process: Semi-washed has been used, most commonly in Brazil, to describe a hybrid coffee process....: Aged | Crop: | 1999 -Aged | Appearance: | .5 d/300gr, 16-18 Screen | Varietal: | 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... |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3.0 | Notes: We finally found a lot of true Aged Sulawesi coffee, held back from the 1999 crop in Toraja to properly aged the cup. Aged coffees are rare only in that it costs the producer a lot of money to hold back a crop from the market, and to properly age it. Aged coffees need to be regularly rotated in the warehouse to make sure all bags age evenly and that a consistent moisture content is maintained. Aging coffee at origin means that the coffee will not dry out (if properly rotated in stock. Then the coffee has to be broken out of bags, mixed, and is then either re-bagged for shipment, or re-bagged and aged more. The aging process lowers the brightness (acidity) in the cup, increases the pungency, and (arguably) increases the body. The result is a bass-toned cup with oaky smokiness in the cup, and a thick mouthfeel. Compared to other aged Indonesians we have stocked, our regular customers might remember the Aged Sumatra Pwanu from 2 years ago: a cleaner, less aggressive cup than the Old Brown JavaThere are several types of Abyssinia variety coffee, but they are not from Ethiopia but rather Indonesia. Abyssinia 3 = AB3. PJS Cramer, a Dutch plant researcher, introduced this variety.... This is like the Pwani: chocolatey, with pleasant, soft aged smokeyUsually a defect of roasting, or of green coffee processing, smokey notes are sometimes found as a positive flavor in a few exotic coffees; This smell and flavor... character but without a hard edge in the cup. The aftertaste is lighter than other aged coffees, which have a tendency to stay with you for … well … a day or two! In scoring, I am compelled to add a +1 cuppers correctionThe cupper's correction is a term we use to measure the "intangible" qualities of a cup: if, for instance, a coffee totals 88 points, but it is high... because the score punishes the coffee for low acidity, which is exactly what people who select this coffee will want! | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 3.0 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 7.0 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 9.0 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 4.0 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8.0 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 1.0 | Roast: You can roast this anywhere from Full City to French to Flaming charcoal. If you roast it to a lighter city roast you need to rest it a few days to let body develop in the cup and mellowA general primary-to-secondary post gustatory flavor characterization, often called "rich" or alternately "smooth" Coffee that has been hanging out in the warehouse, but not really helping out with... the more astringentAstringency is a harsh flavor sensation, acrid flavor, that provokes a physical reaction on the toungue, the tactile feeling of papery dryness. It can have saltiness, sourness and... roast taste. RestingEither the resting of parchment coffee after drying, or for the home roaster, post-roast resting.: Resting might refer to "reposo", the time after drying the parchment coffee, when... 48 hours for all roasts of this cup is recommended. | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Compare to: A bass-note cup with extremely low brightness, lots of depth and body, and a smokey aged character. | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 85.0 | ||||||
Also see the Monsooned Sulawesi and Aged Sulawesi reviews in the Archives
| Sumatra |
Aged Sumatra Update As you may know, we have had some very nice Aged Sumatras in the past. These are not simply old coffees, they are carefully and intentionally aged at origin to produce a smokey, thick cup profile. A good Aged coffeeAged coffee is not the same as old coffee. Aged coffee typically has very strong earthy flavors, and can be very pungent, leather or tobacco aromas and flavors.:... actually has a dark, rusticA general characterization of pleasantly "natural" flavors, less sophisticated and less refined, but appealing. : What is Rustic? This is a general term we came up with... Dried... sweetness to the finish. Unfortunately, some can be quite bad, with harsh rubberyA taste fault giving the coffee beans a highly pronounced burnt-rubber character. Result of continued enzyme activity in the coffee bean when it remains in the fruit and... aromatics and very bad cup flavors. We sold out of our delicious Aged Lintong, and at this writing, there is only some very poor lots available, which I refuse to buy. I will be on the lookout for anything upcoming though… Tom 3/05
| Aged Sumatra Lintong | |||||||
| Country: | Sumatra | Grade: | One | Region: | Lintong | Mark: | |
| Processing: | Semi-wet process, Aged 3 years at origin | Crop: | 99-2000 | Appearance: | .4 d/300gr, 17-18 Screen | Varietal: | Sumatra Arabica |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3 | Notes: This is a aged coffee that originated with ’99-’00 crop Lintong Grade One and was held in Sumatra 3 years for the aging process. Aged coffees are not simply old coffee! You can’t just put some green coffeeGreen 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,... in your basement for 3 years and end up with aged coffee (although its fun to see what you get -other than moldy coffee!) The process has to occur in a controlled environment in the country of originCountry of Origin is where the coffee is grown in general terms. Region is a more specific area within the country. Arabica coffee grows in only in particular... with appropriate climate to prevent the coffee from drying out. The bags are turned and rotated in their stacks every so often, and the rebagged before shipping. It costs a lot to hold onto a stock of coffee like this, and the final results can be disastrous! The coffee can be ruined at any point along the way, and result in a total loss. I have cupped terrible Aged coffees that someone is attempting to pass off (with little luck). This Aged Lintong is a really, really nice lot, and to my mind strikes a balance between the two cup profiles of Aged coffees we have stocked. On the one hand we have mildly Aged flavors that are not that far from a very earthyEarthy is a flavor term with some ambivalence, used positively in some cases, negatively in others.: Sumatra coffees can have a positive earthy flavor, sometimes described as "wet..., very funky non-aged Sumatra. On the other we have deeply aged coffees that have no sweetness remaining, are low in aromatics but have full-on smoky, biting Aged character. But here we have a lot that is both loaded with aged character, AND has sweetness. Even more than that, there is a wonderful finish to the cup, a molasses-sorghum syrup sweetness, a deeply caramelized (not burned) sweetness that is very special. The sophistication of the finish and aftertaste of this cup really sets it apart. The body in this cup is rather slight for the first 48 hours after roasting and then comes up immensely. I cupped some after 5 days and couldn’t believe how the coffee balanced out, and the body was so huge. Even the 2 people here who dislike aged coffees really responded to this cup after the couple days of additional resting time. | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 3.3 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 7.5 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.9 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 4.5 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 9.2 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Roast: Full City. I like this roasted a few snaps into second crackAfter First Crack, a roast reaction around 440 to 450 degrees that is distinguished by a snapping sound. Second Crack is the second audible clue the roaster-operator receives..., or a tad darker for espresso uses. This coffee gets smoother and more sophisticated as it rests. Give it 48-72 hours If you are a BBQ roast enthusiast or have heat control, use a low initial heat when the coffee hits the roast chamber/drum, and raise it progressively. | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Compare to: Complex, low acid, deep, brooding cup profile. | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 86.4 | Intensity/Prime Attribute: Bold / Body, smokey, woodyGenerally a taste defect from age; old green coffee, perhaps yellowing in color. This is due to the drying out of the coffee over time, and as the... | |||||
| Sumatra 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... Grade 1 Lot 1613 | |||||||
| Island: | Sumatra | Grade: | One | “Region” | Central Sumatra -Mandheling | Mark: | None |
| Processing: | Semi-washed (but called “dry”) |
Crop: | Nov 2003 arrival | Appearance: | 1.2 d/300gr, 16-17 Screen | Varietal: | Sumatra |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3.3 | Notes: Dry-processed Sumatran coffees are the boldest of the Indonesian coffee-growing world. Low-acid, deep, complex; it is entirely sensed in the anterior regions of the palate. Our Grade 1 Sumatran Mandheling coffee from the region of Lake Toba and Lake Takengon (Mandheling is not really a region …it is a Sumatran ethnic group) has a heavy body (dry-processing aids this) and a rich, complex earthy flavor. It has a pleasing, tangyAn adjective modifying a flavor descriptor, describing a sharp effect; tangy citrus, tangy bittersweet flavor, tangy green apple. bittersweet and aggressive mustyOff aroma and flavor that reminds one of a dank, moldy closet. This flavor can hint at a dangerous coffee mold and should not be consumed.: Off aroma... twist in the flavor which makes it so popular among fans of the darker roast. Sumatras are earthy to varying degrees. It’s Sumatra, it’s great, and when it is a really good lot (and not past cropRefers to an older coffee not from the "New Crop" or the "Current Crop". Cuppers will even use it as a general term for baggy, old hay or...!) it always is: what more can be said. This coffee is basically dry processed, so DO NOT cull out odd-looking beans before roasting …you will be surprised how well things work out in the end. You can’t buy Sumatras based on the appearance of the green coffee: certain odd looking beans contribute to the pleasantly aggressive cup profile, and certain over-prepared lots can be flat and without proper Sumatra character. This is a special lot we were able to buy, since there are SO many lots of Grade 1 Sumatra to choose from. Anyone can stock a Sumatra -just all any broker and buy a bag. But getting a really good lot takes a lot of cupping and a good sense of timing. The best Sumatras usually aren’t the first arrivals of the new season, nor the last, but exactly where the crop quality will peak is hard to say. This lot is a late arrival and a cleaner Mandheling cup profile than the earlier coffees. It’s still a true Mandheling cup though, with a touch of earth and aromatic woodiness, low acidity, a deep cup with a very full body. | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 4 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 7 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.5 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 4.4 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8.5 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Roast: Full City+. This years Sumatra crop can be roasted on either side of 2nd crack. It works great for darker roasts and blends too. Sumatra appears lighter to the eye than the actual degree of roast, when compared to other coffees visually. People tend to prefer more roast on this coffee, but I enjoy it at a City stage (properly rested for 24 hours) where the surface is dry looking and a bit variegated (unsmooth and patchy color). Uneven roast color in a Sumatra is normal and expected in the lighter roasts! | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Compare to: Powerful Indonesians, Low acidity, earthy, deep flavors | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 85.8 | ||||||
| Sumatra AcehThe northernmost district in SumatraL Aceh District is north of North Sumatra and produces some very classic Sumatra coffees. The center of coffee in Aceh is Lake Tawar... Gold -Super Prep | |||||||
| Country: | Sumatra | Grade: | Super Prep | Region: | Aceh, North Sumatra | Mark: | Aceh Gold |
| Processing: | Semi-dry -processed | Crop: | 2003 | Appearance: | .1 d/300gr, 18+ Screen | Varietal: | Sumatra |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3.4 | Notes: We really didn’t need another Sumatra for our offering list, but I just can’t pass up a great cup. The Aceh Gold is a mid-crop/late-crop offering that simply blew me away – so much spice, aromatic, syrupy flavors, clean yet intense. The cup has some similarities with the Sumatra Iskandar Triple Pick – a tarryA dark roast-related flavor of pungent, intense bittering roast flavor, reminiscent of the smell of tar., molasses body, deep flavors that are delivered in a plump body and stay around in the aftertaste for a long, long time. Right after roasting the coffee is more hideyA rustic smell or flavor of animal hides, similar to leathery.: This descriptor is somewhat reminiscent of the smell of animal hides, similar to leathery. It is not... and wild than sweet or floral. It needs time to balance out the flavors and to develop its body. With proper resting it has a dark sweetness, like blackstrap molasses, on top of a mossy-humus flavor that describes a walk in a wet subtropical forest, when I think about it! I want to say that the coffee has the mouthfeel and flavor range of a good brandy, especially when we make it in a Vacuum brewerA vacuum brewer works by heating water, pushing it into a chamber with coffee grounds, and then sucking the water back. Vacuum brewers produce a clean, aromatic cup.:..., but I would be a bit out of my are of expertise with that assessment. It’s a heavyweight, that’s for sure, roasted to a finish temperature before 2nd crack. Remarkably, it tones down a bit if roasted into 2nd crack. We had remarkable cups from a roast that was 25 seconds into 2nd crack (about 8:30 minutes) on an air roaster … it was bittersweet chocolate laced with dark cherryEither a flavor in the coffee, or referring to the fruit of the coffee tree, which somewhat resembles a red cherry.: Either a flavor in the coffee, or... fruitiness: fantastic! | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 3.5 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 8.0 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 9.0 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 4.0 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 9.0 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0.0 | Roast: I like this a few snaps into 2nd crack, a Full City + roast. You can go darker, you can go lighter with this coffee. It really excels at a wide range of roasts. | |||||
| add 50 | 50.0 | Compare to: Potent, spicy, but clean (not too earthy) Sumatras like the Iskandar or Lake Tawar. | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 86.9 | ||||||
| Aged Sumatra Mandheling | |||||||
| Island: | Sumatra | Grade: | One | “Region”: | Mandheling | Mark: | Holland Aged |
| Processing: | Semi Wet ProcessWet-processing starts by removing the outer skin of the coffee cherry with a machine called a pulper, then fermenting the remaining fruit (with green bean inside) in water..., Aged | Crop: | 1999 Crop | Appearance: | 2 d/300gr, 17 Screen | Varietal: | Sumatra Arabica |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3 | Notes: This is a aged coffee that originated with ’99 crop Mandheling Grade 1 and was held in Sumatra 3 years for the aging process. Aged coffees are not simply old coffee. You can’t just put some green coffee in your basement for 3 years and end up with aged coffee (although its fun to see what you get -other than moldy coffee!) The process has to occur in a controlled environment in the country of origin with appropriate climate to prevent the coffee from drying out. The bags are turned and rotated in their stacks every so often, and the rebagged before shipping. It costs a lot to hold onto a stock of coffee like this, and the final results can be disastrous! The coffee can be ruined at any point along the way, and result in a total loss. I have cupped terrible Aged coffees that someone is attempting to pass off (with little luck). But this Aged Sumatra is wonderful… It has no acidity, tons of body, and wonderful strong aged flavors: very smokey (hickory), spicy, pungent, chocolatey, with a very long aftertaste. We bought this lot because I feel it has a more “aged” quality and more powerful cup, although it is a little less attractive in appearance than other age coffees we have had. But you don’t cup coffee by looking at it! And this has the look of a true aged coffee: yellow orange. This coffee is exceptional in espresso blends and not bad as a straight roast espresso. | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 3 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 6 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 9 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 4.5 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 9 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Roast: Full City. I like this roasted well into second crack, Vienna or so, or a tad darker for espresso uses. If the coffee is too potently bitterBitterness is one of 5 basic tastes: Sour, Sweet, Salty, Bitter and Umami (savory flavors). There are many types of bitterness, hence not one avenue to tracking down... for you, try blending it 50-50 with a non-Aged Sumatra or a Sulwesi. Allow this coffee to rest 24-48 hours! | |||||
| Add 50 | 50 | Compare to: Deep, pungent, potent, smokey … not for everyone! | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 84.5 | ||||||
| Sumatra Mandheling “Classic” Lot 4365 | |||||||
| Island | Sumatra | Grade: | 1 | Island: | “Mandheling” -Toba region | Mark: | Lot 4365 |
| Processing: | Semi-washed process | Crop: | 2003 | Appearance: | 1 d/300gr, 17-19 Screen | Varietal: | Sumatra |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3 | Notes: For general information about Mandheling, see the Sumatra introduction and the review for the other Grade 1 coffees. It dawned on me, as the mid crop 2003 Mandheling samples arrived, that the quality was good, even among the lesser ones. When we started getting the really nice mid-crop samples it was clear that this was going to be a special year for Sumatras. I can’t say whether this is due to better human effort in producing and preparing the lots, or whether it’s due to favorable weather through the flowering and fruiting stages. It is probably a combination of both. Since my “strategy” in cupping is simply to buy everything I think is really excellent, I found that I ws getting smaller quantities of more lots, each with their own special character. So (despite some grumbling over the extra hassle) I decided we had to offer multiple lots of Mandheling at the same time, with separate cupping reviews to explain their unique character. While the 4009 lot is the aggressive, musty Mandheling, I indulged myself and labeled this 4365 lot “Classic.” There’s a good reason: this is the kind of Mandheling I used to roast 10 – 15 years ago, the classic Mandheling cup character that defined the origin back when Specialty coffeeSpecialty 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... was itself being defined in the U.S. It really looks like a Grade 1 from the old days -extremely nice 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,... with much less percentage of defects than we have seen in recent seasons. Yes, it has that aggressive, woody, earthy (slightly mossy) character. But it also has a sweet fruitiness, lightly caramel. In other words, it has a bit of all the defining Sumatra flavors in one cup -incredibly balanced between them. Most people might taste this and just say “boy, that’s nice Sumatra”. But I really enjoy the depth and balance of this cup, qualities that I haven’t enjoyed in a Gr. 1 Mandheling for a long time. | |||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 4 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 8 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 9 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 4 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 8 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 1 | Roast: Full City+. Sumatra can be roasted on either side of 2nd crack. It works great for darker roasts and blends too. Sumatra appears lighter to the eye than the actual degree of roast, when compared to other coffees visually. People tend to prefer more roast on this coffee, but I enjoy it at a City stage (properly rested for 24 hours) where the surface is dry looking and a bit variegated (unsmooth and patchy color). | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Compare to: Powerful Indonesians, Low acidity, earthy, deep flavors | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 87 | ||||||
| Sumatra Mandheling DP Grade 1 -Lot4009 | |||||||
| Island: | Sumatra | Grade: | One | “Region” | Mandheling | Mark: | None |
| Processing: | Semi-washed (but called “dry”) | Crop: | Late 2002 /03 | Appearance: | 2 d/300gr, 16-17 Screen | Varietal: | Sumatra |
| Dry Fragrance (1-5) | 3 |
Notes: Dry-processed Sumatran coffees are the boldest of the Indonesian coffee-growing world. Low-acid, deep, complex; it is entirely sensed in the anterior regions of the palate. Our Grade 1 Sumatran Mandheling coffee from the region of Lake Toba and Lake Takengon (Mandheling is not really a region It is a Sumatran ethnic group) has a heavy body (dry-processing aids this) and a rich, complex earthy flavor. It has a pleasing, tangy bittersweet and aggressive musty twist in the flavor which makes it so popular among fans of the darker roast. It’s Sumatra, it’s great, and when it is a really good lot (and not past crop!) it always is: what more can be said. This coffee is dry processed, so DO NOT cull out odd-looking beans before roasting You will be surprised how well things work out in the end. (This late 2002 new cropRefers to fresh shipments of green coffee within the first month or two of the earliest arrivals ... not quite the same as Current Crop, which means the... has a few white-ish beans in it that are usually associated with too much moisture content in coffee after the pergamino stage – however, we judge coffee by the cup character, not the look of the green. This Lot 4009 cup is excellent … true earthy, pungent, new-crop Sumatra character with a brighter 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... snap in the cup too. -Tom 11/23/02) |
|||||
| Wet Aroma (1-5) | 3.5 | ||||||
| Brightness – Acidity (1-10) | 7 | ||||||
| Flavor – Depth (1-10) | 8.5 | ||||||
| Body – Movement (1-5) | 5 | ||||||
| Finish – Aftertaste (1-10) | 7 | ||||||
| Cupper’s Correction (1-5) | 0 | Roast: Full City+. This years Sumatra crop can be roasted on either side of 2nd crack. It works great for darker roasts and blends too. Sumatra appears lighter to the eye than the actual degree of roast, when compared to other coffees visually. People tend to prefer more roast on this coffee, but I enjoy it at a City stage (properly rested for 24 hours) where the surface is dry looking and a bit variegated (unsmooth and patchy color). | |||||
| add 50 | 50 | Compare to: Powerful Indonesians, Low acidity, earthy, deep flavors | |||||
| Score (Max. 100) | 84 | ||||||
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