Go to Bean Offers to view current beans for offer.
August 2008 offers (New)
Brazil Ipanema Special Reserve
Indonesia Bukit Rantepeo Grade 1
Ethiopian Harrar Grade 4
Ethiopian Limu Grade 2
Yemen Ismaili
Brazil Ipanema Special Reserve (Top)
This is the same coffee offered in March this year. It represents the balance of bag purchased to top up personal supplies to take me to the end of the year when the new crop will be due.
Indonesia Bukit Rantepeo Grade 1 (Kalosi Toraja) (Top)
The Bukit Rantipeo is a special preparation produced for our supplier. One of the characteristics that distinguish it from the majority of coffees on the market is that it has been aged to introduce a different flavour profile. Now all of that is interesting but what really matters is how it drinks. In this case, it drinks very well indeed. The nose is intense with some of the rich, complex, forest floor, earthy characters present in fine aged Hunter Valley Shiraz. The palate is rich and syrupy. Acidity is relatively low and the finish is very long and soft. This coffee was clearly different from others in the tasting. We both ranked it highly.
Ethiopian Harrar Grade 4 (Top)
We have been extremely fortunate with the quality of the Harrars we have been able to access over the last 3 years. This is another one to add to the list.
Our notes on this one are very similar. Good Harrars tend to be very distinctive. Blueberry aromas are one of the keys we look for. They are definitely present in this one starting with whole roast beans and carrying through to the ground coffee. There is great consistency from the nose to the palate which is rich, sweet and fruity with a long finish.
We both ranked the Harrar as our preference in the line up of the nine coffees.
Ethiopian Limu Grade 2 (Top)
This is the first Limu we have offered. The nose shows variously vanilla, caramel and chocolate. It has a fruity palate with hints of citrus flavours, chocolate and clean acidity. Finish is long with a slight touch of earthiness. The Limu showed well as a cupped sample and was even more to our preference as an espresso.
Yemen Ismaili (Top)
Although this is a coffee we have always purchased when it is available, getting it this time was pure luck and good timing. The amount brought into Australia was so small the importers did not advertise it and chose to tell us about it when discussing coffees for this offer.
Comparing the new Ismaili with some from May last year, the profiles are similar but different. Still clearly recognisable as a Yemen Ismaili but a little less overpowering with less of the “stable fragrance” on the nose. The other qualities we look for in a Yemen Ismaili are still there. Espresso is our preferred preparation. It pours like a liqueur. Rich crema, distinctive fragrance, syrupy body and a very long finish. The high value of the A$ has kept the price to almost exactly the same level as last year.
April 2008 offers
Ipanema Special Reserve - RFA Certified
Ipanema Yellow Catuai Natural - RFA Certified
Ipanema Conquista Natural
Ipanema Rio Verde Estate Eden Natural
Panama SHB Sitton Boquette washed
Ipanema Special Reserve - RFA Certified (Top)
This is a pulped and fully washed coffee blend using cherries grown at high altitude. This blend is the result of Ipanema's incessant selection and analysis process. Its cup is one of a kind with a creamy body and strong acidity enhancing an overall almondy profile.
Ipanema Yellow Catuai Natural - RFA Certified (Top)
This is an Estate coffee from Fazenda Rio Verde. The Yellow Catuai varietal is known for its refined acidity, thick creamy body with a pronounced caramel taste and rich floral overtones.
Ipanema Conquista Natural (Top)
Conquista is prepared by using tree dried cherries which after picking rest unhusked in wooden bins for 45 days to promote uniformity in humidity levels and flavour complexity. It has plenty of floral and chocolatey tones and a noticeable balance.
Ipanema Rio Verde Estate Eden Natural (Top)
Fazenda Rio Verde's high altitude Mundo Novo and Red Catuai varieties are rested unhusked in wooden bins for 45 days. This resting period promotes a balanced and vibrant acidity profile and a bold yet sweet body.
Panama SHB Sitton Boquette washed (Top)
This one was always going to be part of our offer and had been through the normal tasting process. This coffee has a structure typical of Centrals show vanilla/berry aromatics , it is medium bodied with lively acidity and a sustained spicy finish. A well balanced coffee showing well as a cupped sample and even better as an espresso.
January 2008 offers
Guatemala SHB Huehuetenango Washed
Ethiopia Harrar Grade 4
Sumatra Mandheling Grade 1
Mexico SHG La Llusion
Guatemala SHB Huehuetenango Washed (Top)
This is another new arrival. It was the second Guatemalan coffee in the tasting and although it was the lower priced of the
two it was clearly our preference. Appearance of the green beans was very consistent and it was easy to roast to a very even
appearance. The aroma of the ground beans was the most pronounced of the line-up with strong berry notes (blackberry like).
The aroma of the cupped sample tended towards strawberry. The palate is medium bodied with lively acidity, fruity flavours
and a long clean finish. We both rated the Huehue as our pick of the cupping sessions. I suspect that cutting the roast on
the first snaps of second crack resulted in higher retained acidity and produced a coffee ideally suited to a plunger or
syphon. For espresso use there will be value in taking the roast a little further into SC to lower the acidity.
Ethiopia Harrar Grade 4 (Top)
This is the same coffee offered in May last year. We needed more of this and the new crop will not be available until
April/May so we were very pleased to be able to buy more of the May 07 lot. The coffee is 6 months older but the quality
remains is excellent.
The Harrar is a very distinctive coffee. The blueberry notes are still there. It has excellent balance and complexity,
some earthiness and finishes very long. It makes an excellent SO espresso and shines in a Brazil/Sumatra blend at
concentrations of 20% to 30%. If you are interested, you will need to be quick because there is only 30 kilos available.
Indonesian Sumatra (Mandheling) Grade 1 (Top)
This is a December arrival. Its appearance is much more consistent than the Gayo Mountain we had several times in 2007. \
The aroma is intense and shows fruity liquorice characters. On the palate it is full bodied with low acidity, chocolate,
fruit characters and a long finish with little of the earthiness typically encountered in these coffees. There is enough
body and character to cut through in milk drinks and stand up well as a SO espresso.
Mexican La Llusion Estate HG Altura (Custepequez, Chiapas) Washed. (Top)
This is the latest crop of a coffee we first offered in December 2006. In our tastings it was extremely consistent and
always in the top group. The green beans are very uniform in size and colour and it is easy to produce consistent appearance
in the roasted beans. The aroma shows a touch of vanilla. The palate is medium bodied with clean acidity, sweet complex
chocolate flavours, some earthiness and a long finish. The La Llusion stands up well in milk drinks and makes a good SO
espresso.
September/October 2007 offers
Brazil Fazenda IraremaYellow Bourbon
Costa Rica Miel SHB (Tarrazu – Dota Co-op)
India Yelnoorkhan Estate
PNG Sihereni 'AX' Washed
Rwanda Cyangugu Washed
Brazil Fazenda Irarema Specialty Yellow Bourbon (Sao Sebastiao Da Grama Valley) Semi Washed (Top)
The Brazil Fazenda Irarema Specialty Yellow Bourbon is presented here primarily as a blending base for Espresso. It is a very good quality mild coffee. Very even middle palate and low acidity provide an
excellent base for building a blend.
Costa Rica Miel SHB (Tarrazu – Dota Co-op) Semi Washed (Top)
The Costa Rica Miel was the pick of the three Centrals in the line-up.
Slightly fuller flavoured, sweeter with some caramel and chocolate
showing. This one stood out from the bunch by showing more character,
more flavor and very good balance.
India Yelnoorkhan Estate 'A' Grade 'Cauvery' (Top)
The Indian Yelnoorkhan Cauvery ran a very close second to the PNG
Sireheni AX. Richly flavoured, chocolate, with some zippy acidity
retained by roasting to the verge (but not into) second crack.
PNG Sihereni 'AX' Washed (Top)
Our top pick for this month is the PNG Sihereni AX. Pronounced berry
characters, sweet and well balanced with a touch of clean acidity. An
excellent coffee that showed well in our cupping and espresso line-ups.
Rwanda Cyangugu Washed (Top)
The previous release of the Rwanda Cyangugu was to be part of our first
poll for the year but unfortunately went missing in a shipping mix-up.
The new one is appears very similar with nice chocolate/cocoa flavours,
slightly earthy with soft acidity.
Brazil Ipanema Conquista (RFA Certified)
Brazil Ipanema Dulce (RFA Certified)
Brazil Ipanema Dulce (RFA) Jan/March 2007 Offer
Brazil Ipanema Espresso (RFA Certified)
Brazil Ipanema Gourmet 'PB' Moka (RFA)
Cost Rica Marquez de Tarrazu
El Salvador Cerro De La Ranas
Ethiopian Harar 2006 offer
Ethiopia Harrar Grade 4 Unwashed Arabica May 07 Offer
Ethiopian Sidamo
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 2 Aug 06 Offer
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 2 Washed Arabica May 07 Offer
GG Premixed Espresso Blend
Guatemala SHB Antigua
India Palthorpe Butter Beans Cream "RKR" Robusta
Indian Yelnoorkhan S795
Kenya AB (Blue Mountain)
Kenya Fine Estate AA
Mexico La Ilusion HG
Nicaragua Nueva Segovia SHB 2005 crop (washed)
Nicaragua Nueva Segovia SHG (Finca La Esperanza-COE Quality)
Premium Decaf Espresso Blend
Rwanda Cyangugu A
Sulawesi Bukit Marante
Sumatra Gayo
Sumatra Kudas Mas (OzGreens)
Swiss Water Process Premium Espresso Blend Decaf
Uganda Organic Bugisu Sipi Falls
Uganda Organic Bugisu Sipi Falls Aug 06 Offer
Uganda Organic Okoro White Nile
Yemen Ismail 2005
Yemen Ismail 2006
Yemen Ismail Jan/March 2007 Offer
Zambia AA
Brazil Ipanema Conquista (RFA Certified) (Top)
The Conquista was new to us. The first thing to stand out is that it looks to be a pea-berry but it is not marketed as such.
The aroma was the most pronounced of the Ipanemas and showed traces of spicy fruit, cedar, smoke and leather.
The palate is of medium body with very clean soft acidity. Flavours are complex with a touch of earthiness to a palate
that is very consistent across the width and length with a strong sustained finish. This is a very good coffee with
great flavours and sweetness. It really rang the bell for both of us!
Brazil Ipanema Dulce (RFA Certified) (Top)
This was one of our best discoveries last year. At the time we could get only a single bag and it was fully spoken for before
it could be offered on the site. The Dulce has a rich cedary aroma with hints of fruit and spice. It is a fuller
bodied coffee than both the Espresso and the Conquista. Acidity is low and the front palate impact is strong
with the flavour maintained to a strong sustained finish. We have both had great success in drinking the
Dulce as a single origin espresso (that is, if you can accept a blend from the same area as a single origin).
This is not a bland Brazil. It is an excellent coffee rich in body and very sweet.
Brazil Ipanema Dulce (RFA) Jan/March 2007 Offer (Top)
Ipanema Coffees is one of the largest producers in Brazil and is a member of the Rainforest Alliance. The mission of the Rainforest Alliance is to protect ecosystems and the people and wildlife that depend on them by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behaviour. Companies, cooperatives and landowners that participate in our programs meet rigorous standards that conserve biodiversity and provide sustainable livelihoods. Ipanema farms are located in the heart of the Sul de Minas region. Ipanema Dulce is a blend of natural coffees harvested at different elevations
This is the third time we have offered the Ipanema Dulce. It is from the prolific and high quality 2006 crop. The Dulce is distinguished from the lesser Brazils that form the basis of much of the espresso blends throughout the world by having enough flavour and impact to stand alone without an obvious requirement for other coffees to cover up their shortcomings. It is even to roast and produces very consistent appearance across the batch. The whole bean aroma is quite different and much less intense than any of the other coffees in this selection. In the cup it has a rich cedary aroma with hints of fruit and spice. This years coffee is perhaps a little lighter bodied that previous examples and is probably better for it. Acidity is low; impact across the palate is very even with a sweet middle palate. I use it as the base for my blend, which I use mainly to deliver body and impact in milk drinks. We have both enjoy the Dulce as a single origin espresso (that is, if you can accept a blend from the same area as a single origin).
This is not a bland Brazil. It is an excellent coffee rich in body and very sweet.
Brazil Ipanema Espresso (RFA Certified) (Top)
This is a medium bodied coffee that showed well as a cupped sample but one we preferred as espresso.
It has a delicate aroma with some hints of leather and wood. In the mouth it has low acidity and shows a
pronounced front palate impact dipping slightly over the middle rising to a sustained long finish.
Sweet and fruity. This is a very good coffee and one that is complete enough to drink on its own;
however, you may also choose to use it as a base to blend with other origins
Brazil Ipanema Gourmet 'PB' Moka (RFA) (Top)
he plan this month was to continue the regular offer of the Ipanema Dulce but we had the opportunity to taste 'Gourmet' as an alternative. The Gourmet is a semi-washed pea-berry. It roasted very evenly. It shows chocolate and cocoa characters on the nose and palate and is reasonably full bodied. Although we both tend to go to more exotic sources for single origin espressos the Gourmet stands up very well in this application, particularly in milk drinks.
Cost Rica Marquez de Tarrazu (Top)
This is our first coffee from Costa Rica. It is medium bodied showing definite chocolate characters and some gentle front palate acidity.
It shows more body than any of the coffees in this selection. There is a touch of earthiness which adds to complexity of flavour.
Overall the palate is clean and the finish is long. Another good coffee.
El Salvador Cerro De La Ranas (Top)
Finding this coffee was pure chance. I had collected a lot of samples from our supplier and was just about to leave when I asked if there was anything really special I might have not asked about. This one was the response; and here is the outcome.
The Cerro De La Rana is a pulped natural. It was roasted to the edge of second crack but it will be worth experimenting with because it seems to stand up very well to a deeper roast. The ground bean aroma was different to all of the other coffees tasted and had a slight citrus touch. As a cupped sample it was redolent of chocolate and fruit, very intense and very attractive. On the palate the Cerro de la Rana was medium bodied but intensely flavoured. Acidity is low and very clean. The flavour across the palate was very even with a long intense finish. It is easy to be impressed by the scale of the more full bodied coffees but in this case a medium bodied intensely flavoured really shone through.
This is a very good coffee that will shine any way you choose to serve it.
Ethiopian Harar 2006 offer (Top)
The Harar was a revelation for us. When researching Harar you will find a lot of references to fruit characters. Apricots are mentioned frequently with blueberries often being associated with the best Harars.
The blueberries were definitely out to play in this one!
As whole roasted beans it was immediately evident this was a very good coffee. The berry aroma jumped out. Grinding it magnified the flavours. As a cupped sample it had the most dominant aroma. You could mix these
up any way you liked and always recognise the Harar. The palate is dominated by sweet berry flavours, a touch of chocolate and very clean acidity. This is a fuller bodied coffee than the Sidamo with a bias to
the front of the palate. As is common with Harar, there is a touch of earthiness to the flavour. The finish is very long with the chocolate flavours persisting.
We both ranked the Harar as the top coffee in the tasting. With loads of complex berry fruit this is a very, very good coffee.
Ethiopia Harrar Grade 4 Unwashed Arabica May 07 Offer (Top)
There is not much to add to the notes prepared for the Harrar last year. It is a natural coffee with considerably greater variation in bean size and appearance than (for example) the Grade 2 Yirgacheffe. Right from the start it was clear this was another top quality coffee. The blueberry notes were present in the whole beans and jumped out of the ground coffee. It did not matter what preparation was used to brew the coffee, the origin was always very clearly evident. The balance is excellent, it has little of the earthiness typically encountered in Harrar and it has a very long flavour. This makes a great single origin espresso. It will also shine in a blend. We both ranked it as the top coffee of the tasting. We also think it is at least as good as the Harrar from last year but we did not have a time machine to allow us to do an AB comparison.
Ethiopian Sidamo (Top)
The Sidamo showed flavours ranging from citrus (lemon and lime) to berries, spice and cedar. The flavour was a little brighter than the Harar and showed more weight on the front of the palate. It is a medium
bodied coffee showing natural sweetness, some chocolate and then finishing with a very clean, very long finish. The Sidamo will work very well as a single origin in a plunger and as espresso. It is very well
priced.
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 2 Aug 06 Offer (Top)
This is another very good coffee from the current crop. It is a completely different style to the Harar we offered in May
The aroma is spicy with some lemon citrus characters. Given that this is a washed coffee that would not normally produce a lot of crema,
it actually showed well in this respect providing good mouth feel. Yirgacheffe is said to show a winey character. In practise, this
translates into a higher level of acidity sensed on the front and sides of the tongue. Relative to the other coffees in the line-up,
the Yirgacheffe is more subtle and refined. It is medium bodied, fruity and shows good balance and length. Overall, a lovely clean coffee.
The Yirgacheffe works well as in a plunger and as a single origin espresso. It is probably best roasted to the first snaps
of second crack or just before that point if you understand your roaster profile well enough to do this. Because its flavours are
subtle, it will probably be lost in a blend and not show its best as a single origin in a milk drink.
Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Grade 2 Washed Arabica May 07 Offer (Top)
Whenever new Yirgacheffes are on offer we always request samples but the quality has not always had us jumping out of our skins with enthusiasm. When the chance to try was presented we accepted the opportunity with open minds but without great expectations. Whenever you read tasting notes for Yirgacheffe, the keys are pristine appearance, lemon/floral aromas, wine-like structure, delicacy and great length and balance. Most of the time the experience for us has never matched expectations. This time, the Yirgacheffe was a revelation. The aromas of the ground Harrar and Yirgacheffe were absolutely distinctive. One was distinctly redolent of lemons and floral characters and the other of blueberries. It was impossible to confuse them.
In comparing notes we both thought the Yirgacheffe was the best we have ever seen. When discussing this with Scott Bennet (H A Bennet and Sons), he agreed and said it was the best he had seen in at least the last five years. We are now pleased to offer our second Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Don’t expect it to knock your socks off with power and intensity. Don’t put it in a blend because it is likely to disappear. Enjoy it on its own. It is a lovely coffee.
GG Premixed Espresso Blend (Top)
Single origin or a blend for espresso? Ask an Italian and the answer will always be a blend. Ask a coffee enthusiast and answer
could be entirely different. Buy a coffee in a caf�and the probability is it will be a blend. Blending creates (or more correctly
enables the creation) of coffees with consistent structure and style even though the characteristics of individual components may
change from crop to crop. We started blending to experiment with different combinations and flavours. Some work better than others.
Over time we have developed variations on the published formulas of some people recognised for their expertise in this arena. We don't
claim to be experts but we think the results we produce are very good. We have been asked to consider an offer of a pre-mixed green bean
espresso blend. The components are much better coffees than might typically find their way into blends. The base is a Brazil with
components from Indonesia, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Roasted about 20 - 30 seconds into second crack the blend produces a full bodied coffee, showing lots of crema, low acidity, rich
mouth feel and a long finish. It has enough punch to stand out as a milk drink. If you have not experiment with blends before, this is a
very good example of what you can do.
Guatemala SHB Antigua (Top)
Antigua is Guatemala's oldest and best known region. The SHB (Strictly Hard Beans) are grown at high altitude in a region dominated by volcanoes.
This is a washed coffee of very uniform appearance. I roasted the sample just to the point where the rolling second crack was starting. This seemed to suit the Guatemalan Antigua well.
The aroma is slightly earthy and the palate has a touch of brightness with low levels of bitterness. A quality akin to Cabernet in a wine is the strong front palate impact and a dip in middle palate flavour. This is a medium weight coffee that is very clean and very attractive. Through it clean flavours and lively acidity, the Guatemalan Antigua is reminiscent of a very good Kenyan coffee.
In our tasting comparison with five other coffees, Ed and I ranked the Guatemalan Antigua identically and in the top 2.
India Palthorpe Butter Beans Cream "RKR" Robusta (Top)
Yes, you have not misread this. These are coffee beans and they are of the Robusta variety.
The mission was to find a Monsooned Malabar to use in an espresso blend. Our line-up included 3 Indian coffees.
One was highly regarded but did not show well in our tastings. Another was a Monsooned Malabar that was fine but ultimately not as
interesting as the Palthorpe Butter Beans. The inclusion of these beans in the line-up was pure chance. We knew nothing of this coffee.
When it was offered it was presented as something interesting we should try.
There was no indication it was Robusta until after we had tasted it and decided to buy it.
The green beans did not look unusual but the roasted beans were much darker in colour than the Monsoon Malabar when roasted to the start of second crack.
As a cupped sample it was OK but not unusual. It was notable that there was no crema at all on the surface of the cup and the palate showed similar
earthy characters as the other Indians. The espresso tasting was entirely different. The first sign something was different was the grinder setting.
It required a much finer grind than all of the other coffees (i.e. except for the Monsooned Malabar which was similar to the Palthorpe Butter Beans).
When the grind was finally nailed the crema was extraordinary. It poured like a Guiness and then held it rather than gradually collapsing.
The exceptionally rich crema provides great mouthfeel. Although the underlying coffee is not special, there are no nasties and no rough edges.
This is not a coffee we would seriously suggest as a single origin but in a blend the crema could do wonders.
At $4.40 per kilo it is downright cheap but definitely not nasty. There was a lesson in here for the tasting team.
If we had realised this was Robusta before tasting it, we would probably have passed on the opportunity. That would have been a mistake.
Indian Yelnoorkhan S795 (Top)
Our experience in tasting the Indian coffees closely paralleled the Brazil exercise. In this case we had three new Indian coffees to try plus the Tiger Mountain for reference. I will concentrate on the fascinating comparison of the Yelnoorkhan Cauvery and the Yelnoorkhan S795. On their own, the other two coffees were fine but in this company they were definitely on a lower plain. The Yelnoorkhans are from The Yelnoorkhan Estate is situated at an elevation ranging from 3500 to 5000 feet above sea level on the Inner Giris. It is recognized as home to the finest Indian coffee. In a comparison owing more to wine tasting concepts than I have previous experienced with coffee, The Cauvery and S795 are produced on adjoining plantations, and processed identically. The difference is that they are produced from different clones (
Cauvery &
S795) . The beans look a little different and they taste a little different. We have selected the Yelnoorkhan S795.
Yelnoorkhan S795 - An interesting name and a very interesting coffee. It is easy to see that the two Yelnoorkhans are very closely related. The ground bean aroma of this one was slightly more intense than the Cauvery and quite superior to the Tiger Mountain. The espresso aroma was very clean and closely related to the ground bean aroma. This is a full bodied coffee, low in acidity, a strong front palate impact and a sustained finish. It is very sweet and very well balanced. To me it had the most complex flavours. In a reflection of how close a comparison this was, Ed preferred the Cauvery and relative to it thought the S795 to have an aroma not as strong as the Cauvery with slight orange and some cocoa, flavour that was clean and a little fruity with slightly more bitterness than the Cauvery. We recommend this as an excellent SO coffee but its application for me will be as a replacement for the Tiger Mountain in my blend. At $6.45 per kilo it is excellent value.
Kenya AB (Blue Mountain) (Top)
"Blue Mountain" refers to the original source of the coffee. This was another recommendation from our supplier.
We included it in our tasting for future reference but after seeing how good it was, we have included it in this offer.
The Kenya AB is a mdium bodied coffee showing some front palate acidity with a sweet middle palate.
It is slightly less intensely flavoured than the LaLlusion, is very clean and has a long sustained finish.
In comparison to the Kenya Fine Estate, it is not quite of that standard but it is a good coffee that is very reasonably priced.
Kenya Fine Estate AA (Top)
The appreciation of Kenyan coffees has been an interesting journey of discovery for us. Initial encounters were invariably
disappointing. Searing acidity and thin flavours did not create a lot of enthusiasm. We found one we liked two years ago
but a lot of other coffees were more readily accessible and easier to like.
A couple of months ago we were at a master class conducted by
Hazel de los Reyes
at the Coffee Academy in Melbourne where she showed a special Kenyan.
We could not get that one but we have the newest release from the current crop.
The aroma has scents of blackberries, chocolate and citrus. There is obvious acidity on the front and edges of the palate
concentrating the rich flavours. This is a medium bodied coffee with a complex middle palate full of sweet flavours.
A touch of sugar opens this up even more.
The Kenya Fine Estate showed very well as a cupped sample and perhaps surprisingly, as a single origin espresso.
Previously, this has been a stretch for most of the Kenyans we have tried. It will definitely have a role in our blends.
Mexico La Ilusion HG (Top)
The La Ilusion came to us as a highly regarded coffee. It showed very well in our tastings. It is a medium bodied coffee.
Chocolate features several times in the notes. The cupped sample showed some front palate acidity. It is a very clean cup with a strong sustained finish.
The La Ilusion is a very good coffee from a source we have previously not explored.
The cleanness of flavours and touch of acidity make it a good each way bet for a plunger and as espresso. It is very well priced.
Nicaragua Nueva Segovia SHB 2005 crop (washed) (Top)
At GreenGuys we are always on the lookout for stand-out coffees rather than run-of-the-mill stock coffees that may be very good but perhaps not sufficiently different to really standout. The Nueva Segovia was offered to us and described as a "real cracker jack coffee". Like virtually every special, the quantity was small so we had to jump on it quickly. The Nueva Segovia is a washed coffee.
I tried this one four days after roasting. The beans had roasted very evenly, there was a slight sheen on the surface without any oil spots showing. When tasting classic Central American coffees you expect to find then very clean with clearly defined flavours. The Nueva Segovia definitely fits this description. It has a delicate fruity aroma with a touch of nuttiness, very clean acidity and very little bitterness. It is very well balanced with a lingering aftertaste. I recommend drinking this as a SO coffee rather than using it in a blend where its fine flavour could be easily overpowered and lost.
This is also a coffee that will reward experimentation with different roast levels. If you prefer you coffee dark and oily, the Nueva Segovia may not be your best choice. Try roasting this a little lighter and you will be in for a treat. You might also try this in a plunger or a siphon where its exceptionally clean flavours will shine.
Nicaragua SHG (Finca La Esperanza - COE Quality) Nueva Segovia (Top)
The name is certainly a mouthful. The Cup of Excellence Quality refers to the fact this coffee was entered in the Nicaragua COE competition.
It did not win but scored 84.5 points. Looked at from another angle, if it was a winner it would not be on offer here at $6.25 per kilo.
We have previously offered the Nueva Segovia and believe this one is every bit as good as last years lot.
It has mild acidity, full middle palate flavour with a long finish.
Premium Decaf Espresso Blend (Top)
Decaf Premium Expresso Blend - Swiss Water Processed - this coffee will be sourced and distributed by
OzGreens.
Notes courtesy of OzGreens.
This is NOT the same decaf blend we have offered previously. It is a smooth, full-bodied coffee with good mouth
feel that is very hard to pick as a decaf. The caffeine removed by the Swiss Water Method - a totally 'natural' method
involving no chemicals. There is 25Kg available for this poll. Pick up is available in Sydney.
Rwanda Cyangugu A
(NEW)
(Top)
The initial lead for this coffee came from one of our West Australian members who had seen very positive references to it on other sites. Although coffee has been grown in Rwanda for over a hundred years very little of it has been seen in Australia. As production and quality levels rise there will be more to go around. On the basis of our tasting we secured one of the last remaining bags and are delighted to include it in this offer.
The Cyangugu is a semi-washed coffee of consistent size. Roasted to the first snaps of second crack it had very consistent colour across the batch. The aroma is very clean showing berries and floral hints. I thought there were some coconut characters there but when I checked with Ed this was something he did not see. The acidity is mild and the body is rich and creamy and the finish is long and very clean. The Cyangugu showed very well as a cupped sample and as espresso. We are very pleased we were able to react in time to secure and offer what has proven to be a very good coffee.
Sulawesi Bukit Marante (Top)
This is a semi-washed coffee produced by a co-op in the village of Kailosi in Southern Sulawesi. We were looking for
something a coffee that would stand out as a distinctive single origin and add body to a blend. The Bukit Marante delivers this in spades.
As a green bean the Bukit Marante is completely different from the other Indonesians we have seen from Sumatra
in that it is very clean and uniform in appearance. It was an easy coffee to roast evenly. For this tasting it was
taken to the beginning of second crack and then cooled quickly. Before deciding to roast it this way I had been
advised it is a bean that can be roasted hard (deep into second crack). I will experiment with this to find the best point.
Aroma for this coffee is quite intense showing spicy, leathery fruity characters combining with some earthy, smoky
flavours. It is a medium to full bodied cup showing relatively low acidity. The impact on the palate is a low intensity
on the front of the tongue rising to a peak in the middle and a very long lingering finish. The broad pronounced middle
palate should make it an excellent partner for the Brazils. Expect the slight earthiness to be impacted by roast levels.
You have it just right when the earthiness diminishes and the chocolate flavours peak. Advice from our supplier is that
this is the best Bukit Marante they have seen in several years.
Sumatra Gayo (Top)
We are always on the lookout for good Sumatran coffees. In sourcing these the strike rate tends to be less than 50%. Appearance is not always a good indication. A lot of Sumatran coffees tend to have a distinctive blue/green appearance but the Gayo was much more conventional in appearance although there was more variation in the size of the beans than typically encountered. All that aside, it roasted evenly.
The aroma of the whole beans was very attractive and continued to develop over a week. The ground bean aroma was similarly rich and fruity. The Gayo had very mild acidity and showed almost none of the earthy funky characters you often find in Sumatran coffees. This is a full-bodied coffee with rich syrupy flavours. Flavour is strongest on the front palate but it has good length and balance. We both rated the Gayo highly. It was fine as a cupped sample, has the overall strength to cut through milk and made a lovely espresso. What more could you want. Highly recommended!
Sumatra Kudas Mas (OzGreens) (Top)
This coffee is will be sourced and distributed by
OzGreens.
GreenGuys notes
The Kudas Mas shows the characteristics typical of Sumatra coffees. It has a slightly earthy chocolate aroma, low acidity and a medium bodied mouth filling flavour felt all over the tongue. The crema and richness of the palate provide excellent mouth feel with a sustained long finish.
The Kudas Mas comes with the reputation of being one of the finest coffees from Sumatra. It is a very good each way proposition as a plunger coffee or as SO espresso. It will also stand up well in a milk drink. Our particular interest was to use it as the body bean in an espresso blend. We are very pleased with the result.
Swiss Water Process Premium Espresso Blend Decaf (Top)
After multiple requests for a decaf we are offering what we believe is the best decaf available in Australia (and probably anywhere). This is the first time GreenGuys have offered a decaf but it is the same coffee we offered several times in another operation. If you have not tried a quality decaf before, it is definitely worth having a taste of this one. You need to roast it a little differently to regular coffees. It starts out with a brown colour and roasts faster than what you will be used to but take the time to get it right and you will be very pleased with the result. Try serving it to regular drinkers and don't tell them it is decaf. Some people may see it being a little different to their normal brew but virtually everyone will accept it as good coffee. This is a great drink for the occasions when you want a coffee, don't want the caffeine effects and don't want to compromise on flavour.
Uganda Organic Bugisu Sipi Falls (Top)
In a country where 95% of the coffee crop is robusta, there has not been a tradition of high quality arabica coffees. After some very good overseas reviews of the Uganda Bugisu and Budadiri coffees, we were very keen to get our hands on some to do our own evaluation. A new shipment into Australia early this year gave us the opportunity of comparing the Uganda Bugisu with 5 other well regarded coffees.
The Bugisi is a washed coffee from the Sipi Falls area on the Kenya border. It is of very uniform appearance. Other reports suggest the Bugisu will work well over a wide roast range but for this assessment I roasted it to the point of rolling second crack. It worked well. The Bugisu is not as full bodied or rich as the Okoro and has relatively low acidity and bitterness. It was a very pleasant and well balanced coffee with a persistent finish.
After its identity was revealed it was very interesting to see what this coffee was. The expectation was that it would taste like a very good Kenya with some strong chocolate flavours. Being medium bodied with soft acidity and complex flavours, the Bugisu is a unique coffee that is very attractive and very well priced.
Uganda Organic Bugisu Sipi Falls Aug 06 Offer (Top)
This is the second time we have offered the Bugisu. Last year, it was good but the lesser of the two Ugandans we offered. We decided to re-visit the Bugisu after seeing it feature as a component of some of the blends in the Australian Barista Championship and notably as part David Makin's blend.
The Busisu shows chocolate and spice aromas. Acidity is low and it has strong front palate flavours. It is medium bodied, showing chocolate flavours that persist in a very long clean finish.
The Busisu is a very good coffee. It showed well as a cupped sample and as espresso. Very clearly, it works well in a blend. You can drink it as a single origin and it stands up to milk.
An excellent all-rounder.
Uganda Organic Okoro White Nile (Top)
This was our second pass at the White Nile. A previous sample from an earlier shipment did not impress. This time the sample was from the new crop and the differences were like night and day.
The Okoro is a washed Arabica coffee grown at high altitude in a region that looks down on the White Nile.
I used my standard roasting process for the tasting, stopping just as the rolling second crack was under way. This proved to be a good starting point. As a roasted bean it had a very fruity, very attractive aroma. This carried through to the ground coffee aroma which was redolent of chocolate (which made me think this was the Bugisu I was tasting). The palate showed some brightness and low bitterness. This was a full flavoured coffee that was complex and with great persistence.
In our tasting comparison with five other coffees, Ed and I ranked the Uganda Okoro identically. It was our top ranked coffee and something we regard as a real discovery.
Yemen Ismail 2005 offer (Top)
The Yemen Ismaili is a dry-processed coffee and the most immediate thing you will notice is that the beans are small with considerable variation in size and appearance. When you roast them, they will take longer than most of the other beans you normally work with and the level of roast colour will vary from bean to bean. Give these a few days to rest before you try them and you will find they develop an amazing complex aroma variously described as tobacco, liquorice, dried fruit or leather. Whatever you make of it, the flavours are complex and pungent! Grind it and the flavours seem to leap out. It is by any measure one of the most powerfully aromatic and distinctive coffees you are ever likely to encounter.
As an espresso, the Yemen Ismaili produces voluminous amounts of crema; almost too much if that is possible. This gives it an incredibly rich mouth-feel with flavours every bit as distinctive as the aroma. The dominant flavour characteristic for me is chocolate and more specifically the type of chocolate that is very high in cocoa butter and bittersweet. The flavours persist long after the cup is empty. Relative to most of the other very good coffees you may be familiar with, the Yemen Ismaili may seem almost overpowering but once you get used to it you will start to think it might be the other coffees that are somehow lacking something. It really is a powerhouse.
I roast the Yemen 20 to 30 seconds into second crack. I find this softens the acidity and brings out the rich chocolate character. When roasted in a popper, a common experience is very variable colours and lively acidity (brightness). Once I used to limit myself to drinking the Yemen Ismaili as a single origin espresso but recently I have found it lifts my blend so much that it is making a regular appearance there too as espresso and with milk. A note of caution; small rocks and other foreign matter are often found in the bags. It pays to sort through your roasted beans before you commit them to the grinder.
Yemen Ismail 2006 offer (Top)
This is the third time (and second for GreenGuys) we have offered the Yemen Ismaili. This sample looked a little different from previous years in that the beans were generally more uniform and cleaner. It also
roasted a little more evenly.
The flavours are unmistakable. Over a few days the Yemen Ismaili develops a deep complex fruity aroma reminding us of fruitcake and prunes. On the palate it is a rich and full bodied coffee with very sweet long earthy chocolate finish.
This is one of the great coffees of the world.
Yemen Ismail Jan/March 2007 Offer (Top)
The Yemen Ismaili is now firmly regarded as one of the best coffees obtainable anywhere in the world. Compared to the other coffees in this offer it is expensive but then compared to Hawaiian Kona or Jamaica Blue Mountain it is a bargain and incomparably superior. The bag we offered in January was almost completely spoken for before the poll with the remainder lasting just a few minutes. At least one person was very wary about how any coffee could be worth at least triple the price of what he was accustomed to buying but he did secure a small quantity. After tasting it, this is what he had to say:
"My greatest regret so far this year is I did not buy 10kg of the Yemen Ismaili. It is by far one of the best coffees I have roasted. Is there any chance of getting some?"
We feel there are probably other people in the same category and possibly others who have no idea what all the fuss is about so we are opening it up again to see if there is sufficient interest in another bag.
For a description of what it is all about, there are several notes from the previous offers. The 2006 Yemen Ismaili is at least as good. The appearance is similar to last years and the size is perhaps slightly more consistent. The aroma is very distinctive. The body is positively syrupy. This year the acidity seems a touch higher which I think improves the balance. This is a great coffee.
Zambia AA (Top)
Over the last 12 months we have tasted several coffees from African countries that do not immediately come to mind when thinking about coffee production. Most of these have been fine without the wow factor that says this is different and good. We tasted four African coffees this time and our strike rate has improved to 50%. The Zambia A is sourced from three farms near to Kasama in Northern Zambia.
The Zambia has very even appearance and roasted to a consistent colour. A distinctive quality of this coffee was a pronounced berry character produced by the whole beans. As a cupped sample it had mild acidity and a rich sweet flavour with body between the Rwanda and the Sumatran Gayo. The finish is long and clean. My second espresso sample with a touch of sugar filled out the middle palate beautifully. Another very attractive coffee that has the strength to stand up in a milk drink and the quality and balance to be a good SO espresso.
