Our monthly digest from the Sweet Maria’s Email list, announcing new coffees, new content and new events!
July 2020 offerings are all listed here, for your reference. If you want to read about our arriving coffee, events, product and news, sign up for our emailer.
July 2, 2020
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... ...more Agaro Kenisa – Syrupy 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... ...more and texture, the cup fades to herbalA flavor descriptor in coffee reminiscent of herbs, usually meaning aromatic, savory, leafy dried herbs. Usually, more specific descriptions are given, whether is is a floral herb, or... ...more rue and tropical fruit aromatics, mango and orange
Orange 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... ...more marmalade, a soft floral
Floral 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... ...more highlight.
Ethiopia Agaro Tuma Tesso – Pour-over brewing teases out the vibrant, 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" ...more profile. Flavors of ripe apricot and nectarine, baked sugar, puckering yellow cherry
Either 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... ...more and fruit-floral aromatics.
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.... ...more Caicedo Bernardo Montoya – Versatile in the roaster, simple brown sugar
Brown sugar is a type of sweetness found in coffee ...a sweetness characterized by a hint of molasses, yet quite refined as well. Since Brown sugar of the... ...more with a touch of dried fruit, chocolate-covered almond, hints of woodsy spice, prune and bell pepper.
Costa RicaCosta Rican coffee is typically very clean, sweet, with lots of floral accents. hey are prized for their high notes: bright citrus or berry-like flavors in the acidity,... ...more Don Mayo La Loma – Middle roasts are balanced, 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... ...more and capture sweet flavor notes of candied walnut, 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... ...more biscuit, bran muffin and umami
Umami is a Japanese word that has been adopted to indicate savory flavor and scent, and is considered by some as the 5th core flavor along with sour,... ...more hints in the 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... ...more. Good for 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... ...more
FloresFlores is an Indonesian island, and as a coffee bears more resemblance to the coffees of Timor-Leste, New Guinea and Java than to the wet-hulled coffees of Sumatra... ...more Honey Process
"Red honey" process gesha at a coffee farm in Costa Rica's Central Valley growing region. The honey process has nothing to do with honey other than the fact... ...more Laga Lizu Marselina – Sweetness like palm sugar blankets the coffee in a rustic-sweet overlay, leading into hints of natural dried fruit and aromatic cedar. FruitedIn 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... ...more 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... ...more and a mild acidic impression.
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... ...more La Huaca Calistro Cordova – Aromatics of cinnamon and sugar toast, hints of pomegranate and cantaloupe are tethered to brown sugar sweetness when brewed, a glimmer of lemon
Lemon 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... ...more vibrance, some bittering in the finish.
Costa Rica Don Oscar SWPSWP means Swiss Water Process is a patented water filtration decaf method, not a chemical solvent method. The plant is in Vancouver, Canada. ...more Decaf – Chocolate malted grain, popcorn, puffed wheat, caramel
Caramel 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... ...more, honeyIn coffee, honey-like sweetness is often found, but we use terms such as refined honey (highly filtered and processed) as opposed to raw honey rustic honey sweetness. This... ...more wheat bread, rice crispy treats, soft but present 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... ...more when roasted light. Good decaf espresso.
- Peru – the nationwide lockdown ended on Tuesday and localized quarantine restrictions have been implemented in severely affected regions, including producing areas San Martin, and Junín starting July 1st.
- 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... ...more – Despite increasing Covid-19 case numbers, the coffee harvest continues to progress, although slower than usual. An exporter recently stated that activity at the port is continuing with minimal disruptions.
- GuatemalaGuatemalan coffee is considered a top quality coffee producer in Central America. Due to our proximity to Guatemala, some of the nicest coffees from this origin come to... ...more is finishing up with a good end to the 2019/2020 coffee season. The government has extended their state of emergency until the end of July and continues to enforce current lockdown measures.
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Sweet Maria’s office and warehouse will be closed this Friday (7/3) so our staff can take a well-deserved break and get a head start on enjoying the 4th of July weekend. We’ll be back on Monday.
July 8, 2020
CongoKivu is the general name for East Congo (Kinshasa), covering a very broad geographical area, and the lake of the same name that divides them. It borders on... ...more Dry ProcessDry process coffee is a method for taking the fruit from the tree to an exportable green bean. The whole intact coffee cherry is dried in the sun... ...more Kabare Katana – Intense dry process cup profile laced with berry jam, subtle earth hints, dried blueberry Blueberry flavors in coffee take different forms. Dried blueberry was something we first encountered in natural Harar coffee from Ethiopia. It seemed to be most potent in fresh... ...more and a “root” note like sarsaparilla.Colombia Inzá Las Estrellas – Supremely sweet coffee with floral honey and panela  Panela is the minimally processed sugar with floral and vanilla accents: Found in Colombia (and noted to be best in Pitalito and Pedregal), Panela is tan-colored cakes of... ...more sugar flavors, hints of apple An acid that adds to favorable perceptions of cup quality; malic acid often adds apple-like acidity, and perhaps other taste aspects recalling apples. Malic acid is yet another... ...more, golden plum, and a dried stone fruit accent. Good for espresso.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... ...more Honey Process Bebesen Auliya – A sweet aspect in the front end leads into 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,... ...more, herbal and spice hints and bittersweet finish. Juicy 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... ...more and a flavor note of dark tea. Good espresso. BurundiBurundi coffee bears resemblance to neighboring Rwanda, in both cup character, but also the culture surrounding coffee. Burundi is a small landlocked country at the crossroads of East... ...more Dry Process Kibingo – Cooked fruit and wheat flavors that bring to mind raspberry pie, a layer of barley malt syrup and a hint of pomegranate. Soft acidity and bittersweet when roasted dark. Colombia Doña Yessica Heirloom 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... ...more – A dynamic cup profile, tart plum, flame grape, berry, tropical fruit accents, raspberry leaf tea and baking spice. Brisk acidity and delicate, floral aroma  Aroma 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... ...more when roasted light. |
What happens when you roast 20 back to back roasts with a Bullet R1? Dan did it and was impressed with the results.
Hey BehmorA popular electric drum roaster designed for home use, with variable batch sizes (from 1/4 pound to 1 pound) and a smoke-reduction system. It has been modified and... ...more owners! Take a little time once in a while to give your machine a deep clean. We made a video a little while back to give you a little guidance.
July 10, 2020
| Guatemala Proyecto Xinabajul Los Chuchitos – A balanced, classic Guatemalan profile expressing brown sugar and candy corn sweetness that extends to the 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... ...more, mild bittersweetness, apple-like acidity adds a touch of brilliance. Good espresso. Guatemala Michicoy 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.... ...more Rosma – Flavor compound that alludes to oatmeal-raisin cookie, brown sugar, black currant, cacao bittersweetness, dried fruit accent notes and a hint of dried coconut. Good for espresso.Sweet Maria’s Ethiopiques Version 2.0 – At Full City, berry flavors are nicely folded into a persistent bittering cacao tone, highlighted by notes of dehydrated blueberry, cranberry and dark citrus. Best with 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... ...more 48-72 hours. Good for espresso. DIY Moka Java  There are several types of Abyssinia, but they are not from Ethiopia but rather Indonesia. Abyssinia 3 = AB3. PJS Cramer, a Dutch plant researcher, introduced this variety in 1928,... ...more Blend Sampler – The Moka Java blend is probably the most widely produced blend in the world, and certainly the oldest. We’ve grouped together our own coffees to make a contemporary version of this old standby.DIY Decaf Moka Java Blend Sampler – This is our decaf version of the Moka Java blend. This blend as non-decaf is probably the most widely produced coffee blend in the world, and certainly the oldest. We’ve grouped together two of our own Swiss Water Process (“SWP”) decaf coffees to make a close approximation of this old standby! |
Our new DIY Moka Java sample set is great for folks wanting to get behind the wheel of the world’s most popular blend. The elements are all there. It’s up to you to construct the blend the way you want it. Read our latest blog post and learn about how this set is great regardless of if you go freestyle or stick to a strict recipe. P.S.- We made a decaf one too!
Summer has arrived. Pick up a Sweet Maria’s hat and look good while keeping those sun rays off your forehead. Trucker or bucket. You choose.
July 15, 2020
| 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... ...more Ibisi Bya Huye Mountain 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... ...more – Flavors of honey, spice, lemongrass tea and citrus accent simple syrup sweetness, with complex Earl Grey tea, spiced finish as you exhale. Excellent light roast pour over. Rwanda Rusizi Nyakarenzo – A range of flavors from caramel sweetness to delicate and spiced, hints of mace and cinnamon stick, butteryA mouthfeel description indicating thickness and creaminess, and can also be a flavor description.: Buttery is primarily a mouthfeel description indicating thickness and creaminess. It indicates a high... ...more caramels, iced black tea with lemon. Good for espresso. Burundi Kazoza N’ikawa Station – A “light and bright” Burundi on the City end of the roast spectrum, sugarcane juice sweetness, raisin and dried apple Apple-like flavors in coffee can take on many different forms. The more common ones we use relate to malic acid brightness, which can recall different apple types: green... ...more notes, acidity like sweet lime and cinnamon tea spiced aroma. |
| With so many cafés closed in major cities, and less overall demand from buyers, it’s almost a curse that some producers have large harvests this season. Rwanda and Burundi finally have sizable crops, but not enough buyers demanding the coffee. We are finally listing 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... ...more Central American coffees, with more on the way. It may seem that our Centrals arrive quite late, considering that some arrive in February, but those tend to be the lowest altitudes, and softest flavor profiles. Consider the range of altitudes in one area, like Huehuetenango, Guatemala. There are farms at 850 meters there! Most of our coffee comes from 1800 m. That’s a completely different climate at these high altitudes, and in a way a completely different harvest time. In their ongoing effort to prevent cervical cancer in coffee communities, Grounds For Health has come up with an HPV self-sampling test that helps the new need for social distancing. Read more about it HERE. You can donate to GFH HERE. Guatemala has started the process of withdrawing from the International Coffee Organization (ICOThe ICO, International Coffee Organization, is the governing body for the world coffee trade. The ICO was responsible for the quota system that limited exports from each country,... ...more), citing the ICO’s inability to proactively shield farmers from historically low prices as the main reason. We are 75 bags away from finalizing another Colombia container that should ship to us in early August. Nariño samples will hit the 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.... ...more table soon.The early samples from Rwanda and Burundi are still quite fresh, and we anticipate the best coffee will come later in the harvest season. Stay tuned for more specific info at the end of Summer. |
July 17, 2020
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... ...more Leste Honey Process Haupu – Light roasts show a subtle citrus note that lends to the acidic impression, hints of black tea, lemon zest and dried apple, aroma of vanilla Vanilla 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. ...more wafer and pistachio.Brazil Colinas de Pedralva – Nutty  Nutty 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... ...more aroma leads into a surprisingly fruited cup for Brazil, dried cherry and date, 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... ...more palm sugar, peanut sauce in the finish. Good for espresso.Colombia Inzá Carlos Apio – Initial sugar and coffee bittering flavors fade to notes of fleshy fruits, plum jelly, dried fig and cranberry juice. Immense sweetness provides a necessary backing to this fruit-forward coffee. East Africa Sample Set – High caliber coffees in their own right, the East Africa Sample Set emphasizes flavor diversity found in the coffees from these two neighboring countries. Brazil Carmo de Minas SWP Decaf – Chocolate wafer, hazelnut, honey-wheat bread, an undeniably sweet and big bodied decaf coffee. City to Full City. Good for espresso. |
Here’s another amazing DIY roaster build from Sweet Maria’s customer, Larry Cotton. It’s based around a DIY heat gun/flour sifter design with a lot of Larry’s ingenious design features like an offset agitation disk, neodymium magnets that hold the roasting chamber onto the heating element. The magnets also conduct electricity to the motor that moves the disk.
New video! When Tom went looking at 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,... ...more sources in the Chiapas region of MexicoMexican coffee originates from South-central to Southern regions of the country. For that reason, coffees from Coatepec and Veracruz are much different from Oaxacan Plumas, which are in... ...more, he found good quality, and was able to see neighboring farms as well.
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We have some site maintenance scheduled for about 5 hours on Mon. night, July 20th sometime after 7pm PST. We apologize in advance for the inconvenience. Thanks for understanding.
July 20, 2020
Our latest video has great footage of Tom meeting coffee producers and walking some farms in Miramar Oaxaca / Sierra Mixteca, Mexico. The area has nice altitude and varieties, but has struggled with low coffee prices and the effect of Roya
Castillo is a selection of the Colombia cultivar that has become the most commonly grown coffee in Colombia. It is preferred to the older resistant variety, Variedad Colombia... ...more fungus.
Lana’s on our customer service team and is always around the endless coffee offerings that flow through our office. She put together a list of her faves. You can purchase them individually or as our newest Green Coffee Sample Set.
| Gene Cafe coffee roasters are back in stock. It’s a unique hybrid between a drum roasterA roaster with a rotating drum that provides agitation to the beans, while a heating element (typically either electric or gas) provides heat. The metal drum conducts heat... ...more and a hot air roaster that roasts 8oz per batch. They also ship with as free 8lb Sweet Maria’s green coffee Sample Set. Now all you have to do is choose between red or black. |
| We have some site maintenance scheduled for about 5 hours tonight, Mon. 7/20 sometime after 7pm PST. We apologize in advance for the inconvenience. Thanks for understanding. |
July 22, 2020
What’s that sticky stuff on your Aeropress
A portable coffee brewer that makes a unique dense brew, somewhat similar to an Americano.: The Aeropress looks like a giant syringe: coffee grounds are in the bottom,... ...more plunger? Don’t worry. Sure, it looks a little gross, but It’s harmless. It comes from the natural rubber that Aeropress uses. Clean it off and press on .
July 24, 2020
| Brazil Dry Process Minas Café Pequeño – Middle roasts meld molasses-type, rustic sweetness with roast bittering, bran muffin and a fruited accent that has elements of amaretto (like almond and cherry). Good for espresso. 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... ...more Finca Matalapa Lote Pino – Versatile, balanced, big bodied and a well-integrated acidity. Notes of pecan cookie, black strap molasses, sesame candy and robust chocolate roast flavors. Colombia Inzá Vereda San Antonio – Raw panela sugar, vanilla caramel, raisin, fruited acidity, a bittersweet bass note, and a spiced hint caps off the finishing flavors. Good for espresso. Guatemala Hunapu Small Producers SWP Decaf – 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... ...more is a good starting point, flavors are bittersweet with a savory hint, “Malta” (malted soda from barley hop), cocoa, bread dough, soft acidity. Good for espresso. |
| If you are looking to stock up on Guatemalas, now is a great time. We have a nice selection and most of them are from our Guatemala Xinabajul program. |
It’s unfair to say that Indonesian coffeeIndonesian coffee is known for its unique earthy, potent flavors. Some like it, some hate it, but it's certainly distinctive. Much of the coffee in Indonesia is processed... ...more has a single 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... ...more since each producing nation within the country has their own 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... ...more practices, cultivars and climates. Our latest sample set is a cross-section of coffees that highlight this uniqueness. Sumatra is the axis, featuring two nice examples processed in different ways. Rounding out the set are coffees from the islands of Java and East Timor.
July 29, 2020
| Ethiopia Dry Process Genji Challa – Layers of fruited flavors interspersed by rustic sweeteners, Genji Challa Dry Process is intense. Notes of cherry, fruit jam, berry fruit leather and apricot fruit nectar (like Kerns drink). Guatemala Acatenango GeshaGesha is a long-bean Ethiopia selection with unique cup character.: Gesha (often wishfully misspelled as Geisha) is a long-bean Ethiopia cultivar selection with unique cup character. It is... ...more Lot 3 – Pristine, sugar in the raw, cane juice, accent notes of Assam, blackberryBlackberry flavor in coffee sometimes relates to slightly more developed roast levels.: Blackberry is found as a fragrance, aroma or flavor in some coffees. I find that it... ...more tea, rose hips, tangyAn adjective modifying a flavor descriptor, describing a sharp effect; tangy citrus, tangy bittersweet flavor, tangy green apple. ...more lemon twist, floral aromatics like star jasmine  A very positive and intensely floral quality in coffee, usually with a strong aromatic component, reminiscent of jasmine flower or tea. There are many forms of jasmine; the... ...more and tuberose. Keep this one light and bright for a complex floral cup! |
| Our recent Instagram post shows a few quakersA quaker is an industry term to describe under-ripe, undeveloped coffee seeds that fail to roast properly.: A quaker is an industry term to describe under-ripe, undeveloped coffee... ...more we culled from a 100 gram offer sample. For those who don’t know, quakers are un-ripe coffee. They are light tan and have a dry, nutty flavor no matter how dark you roast them. Generally, we expect most of these types of defects to be sorted out during the dry milling process. The problem isn’t the 3 full quakers up top, but rather, the 5 partial quakers that are cause for concern. In small amount, partial quakers really aren’t too much of a concern and shouldn’t have a negative affect on the cup. But a high number like this most likely will (and did). This is why we ultimately why we passed on this particular lot. |
