Episodes
Saturday May 26, 2018
Episode 498: Brazil Fazenda Inglaterra Natural Catucai COE Entrant
Saturday May 26, 2018
Saturday May 26, 2018
Fazenda Inglaterra is a farm we are supporting for the tenth (!) year, cruising into double digits in 2018. It's a farm that I am super proud to be working with and linked with because the owner is my very good friend, Stephen Hurst.
Each year Stephen (can I just call him Hursty from now on?!) picks a lot from his farm to enter into the Cup of Excellence competition. Unusually, there are separate competitions for Pulped Natural & Natural processed coffees in Brazil, with Hursty competing with a Natural this year. Unfortunately for him, this lot was a hair’s breadth short of making it through - though that works out well for us because it’s a really delicious coffee which we can now enjoy!
It’s grown on the highest part of Inglaterra, which isn’t easy to get to, where they've planted the Catucai varietal. Catucai is a hybrid of Catuai and Icatu. It’s no surprise it was developed in Brazil, where it’s parents - Catuai and Icatu - are both popular choices on farms. The Catuai varietal has found lots of success both in cup quality and in being a practical varietal for farming in difficult conditions - it’s resistant to high winds, is high yielding and has a short height. Icatu is a hybrid of Arabica and Robusta, back crossed with Arabica varietals. This gives it superior disease resistance and hardiness to Catuai, but whilst it’s held it’s own in terms of cup quality, it’s not got the proven track record of success that Catuai has. This all makes a hybrid of the two - Catucai - a thoughtful balance of practicality and cup quality.
A fairly new varietal, Catucai can be found not only in Brasil but in other countries around the world (including Haiti and India) where disease resistant new plant stock with good flavour potential is being planted.
In the cup this is a banana milkshake, sweet and gloopy, with a little kick of caramel and then a shoulder of hazelnut on the finish.
- Country: Brazil
- Region: Minas Gerais
- City: Poços de Caldas
- Farm: Fazenda Inglaterra
- Owner: Stephen Hurst
- Farm size: 10 hectares
- Coffee growing area: 5 hectares
- Altitude: 1,200 m.a.s.l.
- Varietal: Catucai
- Processing method: Natural
CUPPING NOTES
Banana milkshake, caramel, hazelnut, sweet, gloopy.
Clean cup: (1–8): 6.5
Sweetness: (1–8): 7
Acidity: (1–8): 6
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5
Flavour: (1–8): 7
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6
Balance: (1–8): 6.5
Overall: (1–8): 6.5
Correction:(+36): +36
Total (max. 100): 88
Roasting Information
Medium to medium dark - nice and steady through first crack and the gap that follows, but don't let second start.
"Quick Look" Guide
Banana milkshake, caramel, hazelnut, sweet, gloopy.
Saturday May 19, 2018
Episode 497: Bolivia Bebeto Mamani
Saturday May 19, 2018
Saturday May 19, 2018
The name of this coffee producer may sound a little familiar. Bebeto (Beto for short) is the son of the legend that is Teodocio Mamani. Teodocio owns Finca Canton Uyunense, which is a farm we have worked with since 2012.
His farm is located in 18 de Mayo, which is a municipality of Caranavi (and part of canton Uyunense). Lots of farms can be called a variation on these names because the land traditionally tends not to have a name.
This year is the third year that Bebeto has grown his own coffee under his own guardianship, and it's the second year that he has processed it himself (Dad letting go). And just like previous years, and as you'd expect from a Mamani, the results are super tasty!
This coffee is a mixture of red and yellow Typica, Caturra and Catuai. Bebeto used a depulper that removes the cherry, then left the coffee to go through a dry fermentation process for 16–18 hours, and then ran it through the scrubber section of the pulper to remove the final remains of the mucilage. Bebeto then transferred the coffee to raised African beds, where it dried in around 7–9 days.
The picking method Bebeto uses is called 'Ayne', just like his dad uses on Canton Uyunense. This method involves selective picking (not stripping the tree like their neighbours), and demands much more labour and incurs much higher costs. But because of this Bebeto gets more coffee he can sell as specialty, and the cup profile is improving year after year.
In the cup this makes me think of soft, sweet fruits. It begins with a subtle, sticky papaya before you get a burst of pomegranate with a floral edge. As it finishes, it takes a left turn, leaving a milk chocolate aftertaste which lingers delightfully.
- Country: Bolivia
- Department: La Paz
- Region: Yungas
- Province: Caranavi
- Municipality: 18 de Mayo
- Farm: Bebeto Mamani
- Owner: Bebeto Mamani
- Varietals: Typica, Caturra and Catuai
- Ripe cherry colour: Red and yellow
- Altitude: 1,600–1,750 m.a.s.l.
- Processing: Washed
- Fermentation: 16–18 hours
- Drying method: Raised beds
- Other crops grown: citrus, papaya, banana, wild forest
CUPPING NOTES
Papaya, pomegranate, floral, milk chocolate.
Clean cup: (1–8): 6
Sweetness: (1–8): 7
Acidity: (1–8): 6.5
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 6.5
Flavour: (1–8): 7
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6.5
Balance: (1–8): 6
Overall: (1–8): 6.5
Correction: (+36): +36
Total (max. 100): 88
Roasting Information
Medium to medium dark - through first and make sure it's well developed, but anywhere from the end of the gap into the early start of second crack will give tasty results.
"Quick Look" Guide
Papaya, pomegranate, floral, milk chocolate.
Saturday May 12, 2018
Episode 496: Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama Natural Canario
Saturday May 12, 2018
Saturday May 12, 2018
This farm and its coffee sparked a massive change in what I thought I knew about coffee. I remember the first time I ever cupped this coffee: time stood still as the cup opened my mind to what great coffee is and can be. Gabriel, the farmer, continues to produce great coffee year on year. We have access to the best of the crop this year – and have had for the last few years – on a European exclusive. This is due to the special relationship we, and our importers, enjoy with Gabriel.
Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama has been in the Carvalho Dias family since 1890 and is located in the São Paolo state, just three miles from the border with the Minas Gerais state. It enjoys the typical characteristics of the mountainous Mogiana and Sul de Minas regions, and it's located at an altitude of 1,100–1,250 metres above sea level.
Gabriel de Carvalho Dias is one of Brazil’s leading agronomists. His family owns several farms, and they border each other in this area. With a total area of 417 hectares, Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama has a coffee plantation area of 165 hectares. Everything is done manually on this farm since its topography does not allow any kind of mechanisation. The mill is located close to the spa town of Poços de Caldas, which is 45 minutes away from the farm.
The Carvalho Dias family consider social and environmental sustainability to be very important. The farm has a programme of planting native species of trees to maintain a better ecological balance. There is also a school, a club and an official-size soccer field for the employees and workers. There are 47 houses, all with modern facilities. The wastewater is treated in order to avoid polluting the stream that runs across the farm. The farm has a small hydroelectric plant and only buys energy during the peak harvest. Some of the original Bourbon varietal trees are as much as 108 years old.
The beans are harvested on a sheet and prepared by the ‘natural’ process, where cherries are taken and dried in the sun.
This comes from the rare Canario varietal, which is a Bourbon mutation that originated in Brazil. You can find out more about it here, but what you will notice in the cup is that it adds complexity and acidity compared to Bourbon.
In the cup this cup make me think of cacao nibs covered in treacle toffee. Its chewy mouthfeel finishes with a pleasant peanut crunch.
- Country: Brazil
- State: São Paulo
- Municipality: São Sebastião da Grama
- Farm: Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama
- Processing: Natural
- Varietal: Canario
- Altitude: 1,100–1,250 m.a.s.l.
- Owner: Lidolpho de Carvalho Dias and family
CUPPING NOTES
Cacao nibs, treacle toffee, chewy, peanut.
Clean cup: (1–8): 6
Sweetness: (1–8): 6.5
Acidity: (1–8): 6
Mouthfeel: (1–8): 7
Flavour: (1–8): 6.5
Aftertaste: (1–8): 6.5
Balance: (1–8): 6.5
Overall: (1–8): 7
Correction (+36): +36
Total (max. 100): 88
Roasting Information
Medium dark – aim to finish the roast just before second crack gets going.
"Quick Look" Guide
Cacao nibs, treacle toffee, chewy, peanut.
Saturday May 05, 2018
Saturday May 05, 2018
The ownership of this farm has a quite short story, however Maria Jose and her husband, Luis have both been in coffee for a while, Maria Jose represents the fifth generation of coffee growers with six years experience in quality and marketing coffee programs like Cup of Excellence, while Luis, a new grower has a background of nearly twelve years working in the Salvadoran coffee industry as market analyst, and he used to coordinate El Salvador's coffee marketing and developed quality and educational programs. Nowadays, he keeps busy between his farm and searching quality coffees through Virmax Mesoamerica which focused on exceptional quality coffees in several Latin-American countries.
La Gloria is a little jewel previously owned by Abel Castillo, from whom they bought it in October, 2009. After a few weeks evaluating soil, vegetative tissue, extension, varietals, and investment needs, Maria Jose and Luis got to acquire this small yet special piece of land located in a well-known area for growing amazing beans. Many experts recognize the mountains surrounding Apaneca for their microclimate characteristics that have prove awesome qualities for growing heirloom and exotic varietals consistently over the years. The name "La Gloria" which in Spanish means "Glory”, was given in honor of Maria Jose's mother who is a big inspiration and supporter for this coffee-couple's endeavor.
La Gloria is a 2.6 hectares piece of coffee heaven with an average altitude of 1,450 m.a.s.l. and rich volcanic loam topped with a heavy coat of organic matter. The steep part of the farm is mostly grown to Bourbon and Pacas varietals, but it also has a flat plot or "tablon" dedicated to the exotic Pacamara varietal. Coffee grows below a canopy of ingas and other native trees, that serve as a natural habitat to a wide variety of birds, small mammals, snakes and insects. Sounds of life can be heard from every inch of the farm adding to the atmosphere and the magnificent view of the "Laguna del Espino" and the Guatemalan border mountains.
Another great aspect of the farm is its infrastructure. Water tanks and pit-digging were done amongst the cultivars to make watering and fertilizing easier, and also to prevent erosion. Some of the cultural practices being performed this year are fertilization, maintenance of windbreaker barriers, appreciative coffee pruning, stumping and trimming, shade tree pruning, maintenance of "cajueleado" or pit digging practices to collect organic matter, reduce erosion and oxygenate the land, and building a coffee and shade tree nursery for replanting during next winter.
An expanding varietal garden with nearly 65 different varietals has been planted for research and educational purposes.
Maria José and Luis got this farm and made a commitment for producing the best possible coffee while keeping its faith in hard work, innovation and experimentation. They are very proud and thankful with God because their farm has been also awarded two years in a row by CoE.
The milling process was performed at El Carmen mill in Ataco, depulped within few hours after harvesting, fully washed process with 24 hours-natural fermentation of sundried in clay patios for 20 days.
In the cup you can expect a sweet biscuity wafer, but then a fruity tropical edge creeps in - not quite Totally Tropical, but almost! The texture is silky smooth and it finishes cleanly with a crisp, delicate hit of Asian Pear.
- Country: El Salvador
- Department: Ahuachapán
- Municipality: Apaneca
- Location: Cantón San Ramocito
- Farm: La Gloria
- Varietals Grown: Pacas and Bourbon, and a little plot with Pacamara
- Processing Method: Washed
- Type of Shade: Pepeto, inga sp, and other native trees
- Average Annual Rainfall: 2,200 mm
- Altitude: 1,450 m.a.s.l. (average)
- Average Temperature: 20ºC
- Type of Soil: Loamy
- Mill and company where lot was processed: Beneficio El Carmen, Agrícola San Agustín, S.A. de C.V.
- Fauna: Armadillo, small wildcats, agouti paca, hawks, pocket gopher, magpie, turquoise-browed motmot, snakes.
CUPPING NOTES
Wafer, tropical fruit, Asian pear.
- Clean Cup: (1-8): 6.5
- Sweetness: (1-8): 6.5
- Acidity: (1-8): 6
- Mouthfeel: (1-8): 6
- Flavour: (1-8): 7
- Aftertaste: (1-8): 7
- Balance: (1-8): 7
- Overall: (1-8): 6.5
- Correction: (+36): +36
- Total: (max 100): 88
Roasting Information
Medium dark - a classic fruity El Salvador, take this just to the first pops of second crack as you drop it, no further please!
"Quick Look" Guide
Wafer, tropical fruit, Asian pear.