Sept – Oct 1999: S.M.’s Rated in Coffee Review; Coffee Prices Hit 5 Year Low!

S.M.’s Rated in Coffee Review

A while back I received an invitation for a special 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.... by Ken Davids, author and 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..., for the web publication Coffee Review. The theme was single-shop roasters, so I decided to send off our wonderful Ethiopian Harar and a Mocca 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... Blend. Frankly, I was surprised to be rated so high: the straight roast Harar was awarded an 89 and the blend was an 85. Coffee review can be found at www.coffeereview.com. Here’s Ken Davids’ comments:

Score: 89 Ethiopian Harrar Horse

-Sweet Maria’s Coffee -Reviewed: Sep-99

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...: 8 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...: 9 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...: 8 Flavor: 9 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...: 8 Roast: Dark

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...: Africa Origin Detail: Harrar growing region, eastern EthiopiaEthiopia, formerly known as Abyssinia, or a coffee cultivar: Ethiopia, or more specifically the Empire under Haile Selassie,  was known as Abyssinia. The name is Latin, derived from.... Notes: Harrar is the most celebrated of many Ethiopia coffees processed by the dry method, meaning the beans or seeds are sun-dried inside the coffee fruit. The dried fruit husks are removed later by machine. This Harrar displays both the strengths (deep, sweet flavor, fruit tones, full body) and weaknesses (slight off-taste owing to fruit fermenting during drying) of many dry-processed coffees. Blind assessment: Tremendous but balanced range and dimension. The acidity is full, deep, sweet, enveloped in the unifying matrix of the cup. Circumspect hints of fruit and flowers emerge in 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... and aftertaste. As the coffee cools the slightest hint 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... reveals itself behind the rich aromatics of the cup. Who should drink it: Lovers of the wild, deep, archetypal dry-processed coffees of 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,... and the Horn of Africa.

Score: 85 Mocca Java Blend -Sweet Maria’s Coffee -Reviewed: Sep-99

Aroma: 7 Acidity: 8 Body: 7 Flavor: 9 Aftertaste: 7 Roast: Dark

Origin: Blended — Various Origin Detail: Three origins, including 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... (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... 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...), Yemen (Raimi), and Ethiopia (Sidamo). Notes: An interesting and provocative variation on the world’s oldest blend, Mocha-Java. Here the “Java” component is a traditionally processed Sumatra and the “Mocha” a combination of authentic Yemen Mocha and a dry-processed Ethiopia. Sweet Maria’s main business is operating a popular website catering to home roasters, but owner Tom Owen roasts for local customers three days a week. Blind assessment: 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,... Sumatra tones wrap around the Ethiopian flowers and Yemen fruit. The deep, aromatic wood tones modulate to a 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..., cherryish 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... in the finish. The pungency turned slightly flat as the cup cools, slightly shadowing an intriguing and dramatic cup. Who should drink it: People who watch the X-Games on television; skydivers; people with studs in their tongues; admirers of Baudelaire.
Yemen Sana’ani Saihi -Wow!

We have a new specialty Yemeni coffee in stock from a new origin-specific Yemeni broker. It is the lighter, brighter side of Yemen than the Yemen Rimy we also stock …but don’t think for a second this cup isn’t anything less than a powerful coffee experience. While the body is lighter, there are 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" alternating flavors: apricot, wine, tobacco, spice. This outcupped other pedigree Yemens like a true Mattari and an Ismaili (Hiraz). It is not your typical Sana’ani either, often sold as generic blends from the regions around the Yemeni capital of Sanaa. Stock up …there will be no more!

Coffee Prices Hit 5 Year Low!

I amazed to think that I started my own coffee business (after years of managing stores and roasting coffee for other) at the worst possible time. In late ’97 the New York C Index that determines 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... coffee prices was edging upward of $2.00/lb, yet to hit its peak, and prices for the premium coffees was astronomical. And here we are 2 years later and the C has hit a record low at 83¢. What does this mean?

Well, prices for great coffee do depend on the C price, but I have never paid that for coffee, nor do I want to. In fact, premiums for 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... coffees, certified 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... and particular origins really don’t change much. The weak market has influenced some prices dramatically. Last year I paid (and you paid) $2 more per lb for auction lot Kenyas, this year the price is downright cheap. What you pay directly reflects what I pay, so I am getting prices of .30 less for origins and you can see from our prices this time last year, thats about the discount you get.

Is this good for farmers? No, it is horrible for farmers, especially the most quality-oriented. Frankly, I don’t care what I pay for coffee as long as it is good. Ridiculous and unwarranted prices only pertain to ridiculous coffee like Jamaican and Kopi Luwak. If a great cup can be had for 60¢ or $1 more per lb., I will pay that without hesitation, and I think many of you will too. That’s good, because without people like us lending some stability to the premium-priced coffee market, there would be NO quality coffee …it would simply not be worth it to the grower.. This has happened before: farmers simply walk away from their coffee farms, allowing the trees to get choked out by more vigorous plants, and dooming the consumer to cheap Brazilian coffee and new virulent strains of disease resistent arabica.

What is the answer? I agree with those that want to institute a minimum price on the C, something around $1.20. Many people have discussed this as an insurance policy for farmers, and since the actual premiums for cup quality will remain, as they do now, we wouldn’t be doing harm to the great cup we love while insuring a decent existence for those who make it all possible.

Sweet Maria’s 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,... Offerings on 9/13/99

***Central American*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb

Costa Rican Dota Tarrazu $5.30 $10.07 $23.06

Costa Rican Tarrazu LaMinita $7.30 $13.87 $31.76

Costa Rican La Pastora Tarrazu $4.80 $9.12 $20.88

Costa Rican Tarrazu Papagayo $4.80 $9.12 $20.88

Guat. Antigua -La Tacita Estate $5.80 $11.02 $25.23

Guat. Antigua -Santa Barbara $5.20 $9.88 $22.62

Guat. Organic Atitlan SHB $5.65 $10.74 $24.58

Guat. SHB Huehuetenango $5.00 $9.50 $21.75

Mexican Chiapas La Floresta Est $4.90 $9.31 $21.32

Mexican 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... Hamburgo $4.30 $8.17 $18.71

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

Nicaraguan SHG La Illusion $4.75 $9.03 $20.66

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... Hartmann “Songbird” $5.10 $9.69 $22.19

Salvador Organic Los Naranjos $5.20 $9.88 $22.62

***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 Minas17/18″Organic” $4.50 $8.55 $19.58

Brazil Serra Negra 17/18 $4.70 $8.93 $20.45

Colombian Narino 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... $4.60 $8.74 $20.01

Colombian Reserva Del Patron $5.50 $10.45 $23.93

Colombian San Bartolo 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... $4.55 $8.65 $19.79

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 ’99 $4.75 $9.03 $20.66

***African*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb

Ethiopian Ghimbi Gr 5 $4.75 $9.03 $20.66

Ethiopian Harar Gr5 Horse $5.70 $10.83 $24.80

Ethiopian Limmu Washed Gr2 $6.10 $11.59 $26.54

Ethiopian Sidamo DP Gr4 $5.20 $9.88 $22.62

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Gr2 $6.45 $12.26 $28.06

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... AB Gaturiri Farm ’98 $5.40 $10.26 $23.49

Kenya AA Nyanja Farm 98/99 $6.20 $11.78 $26.97

Kenya AA Kirinyaga 98/99 $6.20 $11.78 $26.97

Tanzanian AA -Adela Farm $5.80 $11.02 $25.23

Ugandan Bugisu AA $5.00 $9.50 $21.75

ZimbabweZimbabwe, 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 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... + $5.50 $10.45 $23.93

Yemen Mocca Rimy $6.90 $13.11 $30.02

Yemen Sana’ani-Saihi Type $7.00 $13.30 $30.45

***Indonesian, Indian*** 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

Indian -Pearl Mountain Estate $4.90 $9.31 $21.32

Java Aged Old Brown $6.20 $11.78 $26.97

Myanmar (Burmese) Arabica $3.20 $6.08 $13.92

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 Gr 1 $5.00 $9.50 $21.75

Sumatra Blue Lintong Gr 1 $5.40 $10.26 $23.49

Sumatra Golden Pwani $5.80 $11.02 $25.23

Sumatra Mandheling Gr1 DP $5.00 $9.50 $21.75

Sumatra OrganicGayoMtn.Gr2 $5.50 $10.45 $23.93

***Other*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb

Dominican -Monte Verde Estate $4.80 $9.12 $20.88

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... Extra Fancy Haka Nui Farm $14.20 $26.98 $61.77

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 Moka Kadir Blend $5.80 $11.02 $25.23

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.Roast Blend $5.50 $10.45 $23.93

***Decafs*** 1 lb 2 lb 5 lb

Brazil Santos SWPSWP means Swiss Water Process is a patented water filtration decaf method, not a chemical solvent method. The plant is in Vancouver, Canada. Decaf $5.40 $10.26 $23.49

Colombian Natural Decaf $5.20 $9.88 $22.62

Costa Rican HB Natural D $5.30 $10.07 $23.06

Guat. Organic Atitlan SWP D $6.55 $12.45 $28.49

MexicanEsmeralda Natural D $5.00 $9.50 $21.75

Papua New Guinea Org SWP D $6.00 $11.40 $26.10

Sumatra Org.Gayo Mtn SWP D $6.40 $12.16 $27.84

coming: Kenya Kiriko AA, Kenya Gichunji AA, CR La Pastora