Alvin's of San Francisco - Persian Choice Royal Earl Grey Tea

Photo courtesy of Alvin's of San Francisco.

In the ancient Persian court, legend says that the ideas of royalty, excellence and the good life evolved around the sacred tea ceremonies where only the very best tea blends were served. Centuries later tea is still a staple of Persian cuisine.

We are proud to present Persian Choice Royal Earl Gray Tea, a secret blend prepared in accordance with these ancient sentiments. Made from the absolute highest quality tea leaves from Ceylon, Assam, and Darjeeling, this pungent Earl Grey blend has been transformed into pure royalty. We use the finest tea leaves available to ensure the least bitter taste possible. We blend these exquisite tea leaves with a secret variety of natural and organic extracts. With hints of bergamot and the aroma of a middle eastern spice market our Persian Choice Royal Earl Grey will transform any event into an elegant setting.

CERTIFIED ORGANIC and KOSHER.

We are proud to announce that our Persian Choice Royal Earl Grey Tea has won FIRST PLACE in the North American Tea Championship in the Earl Grey Category. 

16 oz: Medium Roast; High acidity; Medium to bold body; Citrus and sweet caramel undertones. 

Since the 10th century BC, tea has been a staple in almost every cuisine in almost every culture. Whether used as medicine, for relaxation, or to jumpstart your day, tea will will always deliver. At Alvin's of San Francisco, we take pride in our tea selections, whether single origin or hand crafted tea blends our teas are some of the finest most luxurious teas on Earth. Our organic and traditional teas have won awards and been regarded as the finest teas anywhere. Discover the Alvin's world of teas today! 

Klatch Coffee - Colombia La Falda S.O. Espresso

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee.

Placed #2 in Taza de Antioquia out of 2,500 crops and #7 in COE and #3 at the Antioquia Microlot Competition SALGAR


This outstanding crop offers a blast of sweet and bright flavors of red wine and cranberries, adding notes of creamy caramel along with a subtle rum finish.

This year’s Colombian Cup of Excellence saw a turn of events with two of the thirteen lots coming from Antioquia: La Falda from the municipality of Urrao and Montero from the village of la Sierra achieved #7 and #11 respectively. Joining forces with three local roasters plus customers from Poland and USA, Mercanta were lucky enough to be able purchase Jose Arcadio Rueda’s La Falda. With some strong contest, this lot managed to achieve the fourth highest price of all thirteen coffee 

Born and brought up in Urrao, Anitoquia by coffee producing parents, Jose Arcadio Rueda’s passion for coffee was encouraged from a young age. Today this passion is shared by his wife and teenage son, who both work on the farm. Over the 16 years since buying the lot, they have together built up a plantation of 9500 trees. 

Their interest in specialty coffee was ignited five years ago when they won the first regional coffee contest they participated in. The success of being recognized as one of the best coffees in Antioquia as well as their desire to continue producing high quality coffee gave them the motivation to continue competing. Their long-term goal of planting more coffee, striving for greater quality and spreading the word to the rest of the world is one shared by the Department of Antioquia. 

Currently 72,000 of the 132,000 hectares cultivated with coffee in Antioquia produce specialty coffee. Having recognized the potential this provides farmers, the ‘Antioquia: Origin of specialty coffees’ was set up. Started in August 2012, this strategy aims to increase rural development through education, training, technical assistance to improve quality and the development of market access.


EXTRACTION RECOMMENDATIONS
DOSE: 20 grams [ double ]
TEMPERATURE: 203 degrees
TIME: 26 - 28 seconds
VOLUME: 1.7 - 2.0 oz

REGION: Antioquia, La Sierra
VARIETAL: Caturra
FARM: Taza Cafe de Antioquia
ALTITUDE: 1500 M
FARMER: Jose Arcadio Rueda
ROAST: Medium
NOTES: Espresso Roast, Single Origin, Hand picked, pulped, sun-dried, Placed #2 in Taza de Antioquia out of 2,500 crops and #7 in COE and #3 at the Antioquia Microlot Competition SALGAR

Victrola Coffee - Kenya Embu Kiviuvi Peaberry

Photo courtesy of Victrola Coffee.

Roaster’s Notes: 
This beautiful peaberry coffee comes from the Kiviuvi Mill which borders the Mt. Kenya forest on the southeast edge of Mount Kenya. The 4000 member cooperative society was founded in 2001 and operates one wet mill in Embu County. 

Take note of the unusual shape of these beans. Usually, two seeds develop inside the coffee cherry resulting in seeds with a rounded side and a flat side. In about 5% of coffee crops, one side of the seed never fully develops and the remaining seed grows into an ovoid shape leaving what you see here. These seeds, called peaberries, are occasionally sorted out of the rest of the lot making them especially rare. We are very pleased to offer two different peaberry lots from Kenya this year, this one from the Kiviuvi Mill and another from the Gura mill. 

In the cup, Victrola’s Kenya Kiviuvi exhibits some classic Kenyan aromatics and flavors: sweet tomato notes cooling into ruby red grapefruit, sparkling acidity and pleasing mouthfeel. 

Facts 
Factory: Kiviuvi 
County: Embu 
Elevation: 5512 
Process: Washed 
Varietals: SL 28, SL 34, Ruiru 11 
Producer: Kiviuvi FCS 

Tasting Notes 
Fragrance/Aroma: Strawberry, Floral
Flavor: Tomato jam, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Honeydew Melon 
Body: Medium 
Finish: Clean 
Acidity: Sparkling

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Klatch Coffee - Panama Kotowa Duncan Organic Mirco-Lot

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee. 

This highly anticipated coffee, provides a superb aromatic and taste profile! Our new crop (2013) offers honeysuckle and caramel on the nose, turning to toffee, mild citrus and honey dew melon along with subtle hints of chocolate and berries in the cup. 

Ken Davids from Coffee Review recently scored our Kotowa Duncan 92 points! Blind Assessment: Complex, spicy floral notes, tangerine-like citrus, sweet dark chocolate in aroma and cup. Brisk acidity; smooth, velvety mouthfeel. Rich, balanced, flower-saturated finish. Who Should Drink It: The complex floral notes, which include spicy florals like aromatic tea rose and bitterish florals like lavender, are one good reason for aficionados to seek out this unusual coffee. 

Kotowa meaning "mountain" comes from the native language of the Ngobe Indians. Alexander Duncan Maclntyre came to Panama in 1913 from Canada, where he fell in love with the land, the people and the magic. Four generations of Alexander's family have cultivated and processed quality coffee. Today, the estate is being managed by Alexander's great grandson, Ricardo Koyner. 

Kotowa Estate sits on the green mountain highlands of Panama near Volcán Barú with a distant view of the Pacific Ocean. The estate is naturally blessed with a consistently cool climate, creating coffee that holds great tasting characteristics. 

Sustainability efforts at Duncan Estate are embedded into production and processes profoundly. Their ecological mill uses only one liter per pound of green coffee, lower then 10-20 liter used by many other mills around the world. All the by-products from milling activity (pulp and waste water) are used to produce the organic fertilizer, which is used in combination with other fertilizers. 

Protection of the virgin forests in the surrounding areas of the estate a major principle, ensuring there's no hazard fires in the dry season nor hunting or degradation of the environment. In addition, 500 acres of untouched virgin rainforest considered to be wildlife sanctuary, which is currently a natural habitat to both local and migratory birds. In order to ensure the lively hood of wildlife, they have planted over 500 indigenous trees that produce fruits and nuts for feeding. In 2006 The National Environmental Agency presented Kotowa as the winner of The Panama National Award for The Years Environmentally Cleanest Industry. 

In addition to environmental efforts, Kotowa has implemented many social programs for the children of Kotowa and their families who work on the estate. Proving free medical care, day care and after school programs. Earning recognition from UNICEF for nine consecutive years. 

REGION: El Salto, Boquete 
VARIETAL: Caturra, Typica 
FARM: Kotowa Estate 
ALTITUDE: 1700 M 
FARMER: Richard Koyner 
ROAST: Medium 
NOTE: Washed, Organic, Micro-Lot, 92 Points from Coffee Review

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee - Ka‘u Classic Peaberry

Photo courtesy of Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee

Distinguished by their rounded shape, peaberries account for only 5% of our harvest. They are the rarest of our classic Ka‘u coffees.

Consider these beans a riff on the quintessential Ka‘u coffee. Like our Classic Medium and Classic Dark roasts, these peaberries are of the Typica variety, grown in the rich soil and cool climate of the Mauna Loa volcano’s southern slope.

We sort the unroasted coffee to separate the peaberries from the more typical flat beans.
Now comes the fun part. We roast, taste and evaluate individual peaberry lots in a procedure called cupping. Our goal: Choose peaberries that show off the classic Ka‘u profile of sweetness, balanced acidity and flavors of caramel, citrus and chocolate.

Taste: Caramel and chocolate, with citrus and floral notes

Roast: Medium

Varieties and Processing Methods: Typica, washed and sun dried

Altitude: 1,600-2,100 feet (500-650 meters)

Klatch Coffee - El Salvador Las Mercedes Pacamara

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee. 

The King bean of Central America returns in the gates of Klatch Coffee. Our new crop comes from a hybrid Arabica coffee tree grown in high altitude and fermented prior going into the mill maintaining the natural sweet honey flavors.  

This very special and rare coffee has chocolate and citrus notes on the break. Royal acidity, complex flavors of chocolate, grapefruit, honey and herbs. A powerful and ruling cup. 

What drew Klatch Coffee to Las Mercedes was great coffee, but what we fell in love with was the people, the process, and their passion to make the coffee so great. It begins with hand picking only ripe mature cherries, and then subjecting them to intense screening before depulping to eliminate twigs, leaves and other foreign material. At the wet mill the cherries are received into ceramic tiled ditches, washed with fresh collected rainwater from their own tanks and immediately fed into a pulper, which consists of rotating disks or cylinders, each one fitted with adjustable knives. These are designed to separate the bean from the flesh of the fruit while leaving each bean intact in its parchment envelope. They then dry the coffee on clay patios to ensure even drying. 

The same care and consideration invested in the coffee is invested into the Las Mercedes community. The Ortiz Family has always been devoted to taking care of those who have helped in their success, by providing clothing, food and health care. In addition, Las Mercedes is constantly making efforts to preserve natural wild life by taking special care of the disposal of by-products from the mill in order to avoid contamination also, in compliance with our certifications, chemical and pesticides are carefully store and managed by trained personnel, avoiding intoxication and contamination. In the last years, a great effort has been made in planting native trees to preserve these species. 

Finca Las Mercedes is a beautiful coffee farm with dedicated owners who care for their community, their workers, the environment and, nonetheless, seek to provided specialty coffee. We are proud to offer this limited Direct Trade coffee that is also Rainforest Alliance Certified. As part of our Direct Trade contract, 25 cents of every pound is given back to fund community sports programs and Los Ortiz medical clinic. To read more about Los Ortiz medical clinic please visit cafelasmercedes.com/dispensary.asp. 

Because Pacamara supplies are truly limited, we urge you to order right away to guarantee your share of this most rare and delicious coffee. 

REGION: Cerro El Tigre 
VARIETAL: Pacamara 
FARM: Las Mercedes 
ALTITUDE: 1560 M 
FARMER: Ortiz Barriere 
ROAST: Medium 
NOTES: King Bean of El Salvador

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Victrola Coffee - Empire Blend

Photo courtesy of Victrola Coffee

In homage to the art deco masterpiece that popular opinion believed was impossible, our Empire blend was thoughtfully created to carry the distinction of "the only blend that is not espresso". We chose three Latin American coffees that would compliment each other well in body, acidity and mouth-feel and the results are delightful: tobacco, dried fruit and toasted marshmallow followed by a clean, balanced cup full of sweet chocolate and linear acidity. Perfect if you can't decide on a single origin, perfect with toast in the morning or cookies in the afternoon.

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Klatch Coffee - FTO Ethiopian Gedeo Worka

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee. 

One of our most popular coffee returns to Klatch! Our new crop offers an abundance of fine flavors from the birthplace of coffee. This is the bowl of berries we come to expect from a clean Ethiopian Natural. It's composed of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries along with its additional notes of bing cherries and the unexpected tropical fruit nuances. Overall, the subtle hints of vanilla and slight cocoa powder hold the flavors together, providing a bright acidity within a creamy and juicy body. 

Ethiopians are proud to claim coffee as having been first discovered growing wild in their majestic highlands. With the coffee ceremony foundation to their national culture, Ethiopians cherish coffee as both a drink which unites the nation, and a treasure to share with sharp coffee drinkers from every corner of the world. 

Fed by fresh mountain water, and matured through 'thirteen months' of sunshine, the rich resonance and variety of the sundried coffees contrast with the delightful floral and aromatic flavors of the natural coffees to provide an unrivaled range of tastes, highly esteemed by many and fully loving up to their reputation as outstanding specialty coffee. 

This coffee was sourced by Mike, earlier this year during his Ethiopian Cupping Caravan Trip. This caravan brought 24 international coffee buyers face to face with the people who grow some of the best coffee in the world. The cupping caravan was an exploratory trip designed to benefit coffee professionals on both ends of the chain, from farmers to roasters. 

Coffee Reviewed scored Ethiopian Gedeo Worka 92 points, there blind assessment was stated as: "big, syrupy mouthfeel and a long, deeply resonant finish particularly distinguish this coffee, but the rich acidity is impressive too, as are the sweetly pungent aromatics: fir, dark chocolate, cherry, almond." 

Gedeo Worka was awarded with a Good Food Award Gold Seal in 2012. Nicknamed the “Oscars” of food, the Good Food Awards were created to honor food and drink producers who have demonstrated a commitment to building a ‘tasty,’ authentic, and responsible food system that honors farmers and producers. 

REGION: Gedeo 
VARIETAL: Heirloom 
FARM: Worka 
ALTITUDE: 1750 - 2400 M 
FARMER: Co-ops 
ROAST: Medium 
NOTE: 92 pts by Coffeee Review, 2012 Good Food Award

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Alvin's of San Francisco - Autumn Spiced Chai Tea

Photo courtesy of Alivin's of San Francisco. 

6 oz Packet: Spiced Autumn Chai with long leaf Ceylon, dried orange peel, cracked clove, allspice berry, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom.

Introducing an all American version of an Indian classic. Alvin's Autumn Spiced Chai is a warm and zesty blend of Ceylon long leaf black tea, dried orange peel, cracked clove, allspice berry, cinnamon, ginger and cardamom. This seasonal delicacy has been blended with autumn in mind. Perfect for a crisp morning or a chilly autumn night. Great as is or with honey or brown sugar. A perfect complement to spiced cider.

Click here to purchase this tea. 

Klatch Coffee - Colombia (Frutas) La Virgen

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee. 

La Virgen offers a wonderful representation of what Colombian coffees are all about. It has an elevated floral, perfume-like fragrance, a balanced body and acidity with flavors of citrus and cherry. 

On December 12, 1715, Dona Francisca Salazar Valdez, daughter of a very wealthy Spanish landowner named Francisco de Salazar y Barrios y Petronilla Valdes, donated 3 hectares of their Hacienda to build a town that was to be named in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe. During most of the 18th century, the small town with a small church near the Suaza river was known as La Viciosa. A huge earthquake struck on November 16, 1827 and completely destroyed the town but caused few deaths. A year later, the town was rebuilt on nearby grounds and renamed Guadalupe to honor the Virgin that protected them from the earthquake. 

Guadalupe is located in the valley of the Suaza River, about 2 hours south of Neiva, on the route to Florencia, the capital of the department of Caqueta. 

The idea was to create a coffee growers association in the municipality of Guadalupe came from 4 coffee growers from the vereda La Esperanza: Javier Joven Penagos, Javier Figueroa Nunez, Fernando Guzman and Pablo Cuellar. In June 2003 these 4 gentlemen organized a meeting with some other coffee growers of the region and presented to them the idea to create a group with the objective of improving their income and their quality of life through the joint commercialization of their coffee. By offering higher volumes of coffee to exporters, they could achieve higher prices. 

Throughout the years, the group has managed to develop a few programs with the objective of obtaining certifications, improving their quality of life and helping preserve the environment. 

The group today has about 100 members and during 2011, they sold 400,000 kg of parchment coffees to several exporters, mainly coffee RFA and Cafe Practices. Javier Joven Penagos, one of the funding members, is the current president of the group. 

REGION: Municipality of Guadalupe, Dept. of Huila 
VARIETAL: Caturra, Colombia/Castillo 
FARM: Grupo Asociativo Villa Esperanza 
ALTITUDE: 1400-1900 M 
FARMER: Various 
ROAST: Medium 
NOTES: Fully sun-dried

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Klatch Coffee - Guatemala Huehuetenango

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee.

Our new Huehuetenango (way-way-tenango) offers bright tropical medley of sweet papaya, lemon and mango on the nose that transcends into a clean apricot and brown sugar, sweet almond and cherry in the cup. 

This coffee comes from El Mirador Finca El Rincon in La Libertad, Huehuehtenango, which is managed by the Molina family. The coffee is grown between 1,550 and 1,700 meters above sea level, and the varietals include Bourbon and Caturra. 

Huehuetenango is a city and a municipality in the highlands of western Guatemala. It is also the capital of the department of Huehuetenango. The municipality's population was over 81,000 people in 2002. The city is located 269 km from Guatemala City, and is the last departmental capital on the Pan-American Highway before reaching the Mexican border at La Mesilla. 


91 POINTS FROM COFFEE REVIEW 

Blind Assessment: Balanced; soft but lively. Honey, night-blooming flowers, black cherry, crisp roasted cacao nib in aroma and cup. Sweetly tart, lively acidity; lightly syrupy mouthfeel. Deep, juicy finish. 

Notes:Produced from trees of the Caturra and the heirloom Bourbon varieties of Arabica. Huehuetenango is a particularly admired Guatemala growing region. 

Who Should Drink It: A fine exemplar of the gently balanced, quietly seductive, Bourbon-influenced style of Guatemala. 

REGION: Huehuetenango 
VARIETAL: Bourbon + Caturra 
FARM: Finca El Rincon 
ALTITUDE: 1200-1800 M 
FARMER: Molina Family 
ROAST: Medium 
NOTES: Micro-Lot, Washed process

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Apple Caramel Cinnamon Coffee Cake - The Coffeecake Connection

Photo courtesy of The Coffeecake Connection.

APPLE CARAMEL CINNAMON COFFEE CAKE 

IT'S BACK!!! A favorite especially this time of year. Our Apple Caramel Cinnamon all natural, buttermilk coffee cake is bursting with the crisp tart taste of Granny Smith Apples and the right amount of cinnamon and topped with only the best caramel sauce - a great choice as Summer comes to an end and nights cool down for Fall. Serve warm with ice cream for a great Fall dessert! 

Unlike many other coffee cakes, we use no preservatives or additives - just how grandma used to – and we’ve added a modern twist to the coffee cake experience. 

Not only will our coffee cakes send your (or your gift-recipients) taste buds to coffee cake heaven, you’ll be just as “wowed” with how it arrives. Exquisitely hand-packaged with a custom gift card in a chocolate brown gift box and neatly tied with beautiful raffia ribbon, this cake is perfect for gift-giving, not just self-indulgence. 

Click here to purchase this cake.

Coffea Roasterie - Organic Ethiopia Zelele Microlot

Photo courtesy of Coffea Roasterie.

Tasting Notes 
Soft citrus notes with a creamy, luscious body and sweet, tropical fruits. 

About This Coffee 
It's pretty common to see farmer specific microlots come out of South and Central America. But to see one make it's way out of Ethiopia is a big deal. Most of the problem is due to farmer's lots which aren't big enough to justify setting the coffee aside for sale. So to see a coffee come from Ethiopia with the tractability back to the farmer level, it's crazy. We are glad that we were able to receive some of this coffee. 

Region: YCFCU, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia 
Varietal: Heirloom Varietals 
Processing: Washed and sun dried 
Growing Elevation: 1950 masl

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Alvin's of San Francisco - Kona Blend

Photo courtesy of Alvin's of San Francisco. 

16 oz: 50% Mix, Light/Medium Roast, Floral and fruity essence with hints of citrus and papaya.

Some of the best Kona Extra Fancy beans mixed with other South and Central American beans. Fruity hints of citrus and papaya with a floral bouquet. 50% Kona blend roasted light/medium.

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Victrola Coffee - Ethiopia Yirgacheffe YIRGZ

Photo courtesy of Victrola Coffee.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and as such, the coffee trees thrive in their natural environment.  Most coffee there is grown by small-hold farmers whose ripe coffee cherries are processed and dried at a local mill or cooperative.  Typically the trees are wild varieties that grow in the ecosystem they evolved in, contributing to the great cup diversity found from one microregion to another.  This natural relationship between the coffee trees and their environment allows the plants to grow at extraordinary elevations, often beyond 6000ft, as with this coffee from Kochere.  For these reasons Ethiopia continues to produce some of the most complex and desirable coffees on the planet.

The “Z” in “YIRGZ” denotes Zero Defect. The distinction of “zero-defect” indicates the remarkable sorting process the producers of this washed coffee employ.  Seeds are hand sorted for defects for 10 minutes per 10 kilograms, as opposed to the conventional hand sorting of 2 minutes per 24 kilograms.

This meticulous processing translates to a clean and complex cup. Ginger and cinnamon, lemon and a prominent sweetness combine in aromatics reminiscent of ginger cookies, and the brewed coffee carries ginger, citrus and stone fruit with a surprisingly heavy body for a washed Yirgacheffe coffee.

Facts 
Region: Yirgacheffe
Elevation: 6234-6890 feet
Process: Washed
Varietals: Heirloom
Harvest: Oct-Dec: 2012

Tasting Notes
Fragrance/Aroma: Cinnamon, Ginger, Lemon
Flavor: Ginger, Lemon, Under-ripe Peach
Body: Syrupy
Finish: Clean
Acidity: Bright

Pour Over Parameters:
Coffee- 19g
Water- 300g

Click here to purchase this coffee. 

Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee - Ka‘u Classic Dark Roast

Photo courtesy of Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee

Of our three types of Classic coffees, this one is the smoothest. The dark roast softens this coffee’s brightness and brings out more hints of chocolate.

Otherwise, it shares the characteristics of the Classic Medium Roast. This coffee consists of the Typica variety, grown in the rich soil and cool climate of the Mauna Loa volcano’s southern slope.

If you’re on the islands, we’d love for you to try it at several restaurants and farmers markets. Confession: We have a soft spot for the restaurants of renowned chef Alan Wong, who supported Rusty’s Hawaiian long before Ka’u coffee gained popularity.

Taste: Chocolate and berries, with citrus notes

Roast: Dark

Varieties and Processing Methods: Typica, washed and sun dried

Altitude: 1,600-2,100 feet (500-650 meters)

Stories: 
"Ka'u coffee inspires Alan Wong's "The Blue Tomato" 
"In Modern Luxury Hawai'i, coffee is glamorous"

Pumpkin Coffee Cake - The Coffeecake Connection

Photo courtesy of The Coffeecake Connection Company.

PUMPKIN COFFEE CAKE - FLAVOR OF THE MONTH

Our Pumpkin coffee cake has just the right blend of clove, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg blended into the pumpkin filling that is then added to our "signature" buttermilk cake batter to create one of the best pumpkin coffee cakes you will ever eat! This treat is unmistakably ideal for family gatherings or for your Thanksgiving celebration. Serve up as a dessert with your favorite ice cream, caramel sauce or whipped cream.  

Unlike many other coffee cakes, we use no preservatives or additives - just how grandma used to – and we’ve added a modern twist to the coffee cake experience. 

Not only will our coffee cakes send your (or your gift-recipients) taste buds to coffee cake heaven, you’ll be just as “wowed” with how it arrives. Exquisitely hand-packaged with a custom gift card in a chocolate brown gift box and neatly tied with beautiful raffia ribbon, this cake is perfect for gift-giving, not just self-indulgence.

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Beansmith Coffee - Nightingale Blend

Photo courtesy of Beansmith Coffee 

Nightingale Full City Roast Blend boasts all the richness and depth of a dark roast, yet preserves the subtle flavors of origin the that are too often roasted away in your average dark coffee. Along with the heavy body and chocolate notes you’d expect from this roast level,  Nightingale offers a delicately balanced acidity that translates dark berry notes and a winey complexity.

Get out your French press and get ready to warm your hands on real ceramic – this is a ""sit-back-in-your-favorite-chair-and-sip"" coffee.

Our Signature Blends exist for one sole purpose – sustainability.  We are a seasonal roaster, which means we offer the finest coffees we can acquire from each particular harvest season. Though we often carry beans from familiar countries of origin, the specific origins from within those countries change with each season, as do the flavors of the coffees themselves.

We have developed our signature blends to showcase specific flavor profiles drawn out by different roasting techniques, in order to offer consistent, non-seasonal choices to our coffee shops and retail customers year round.  Focusing on flavor rather than origin guarantees that the coffees we use for blending are seasonally fresh and of the highest quality, and while the origins may change, the core attributes of the blend stay intact.  

With options from bright and fruity to smoky and brooding, there’s sure to be a Beansmith Signature Blend that feels as familiar as an old friend.

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Coffea Roasterie - Guatemala Finca La Esperanza

Photo courtesy of Coffea Roasterie. 

La Esperanza Pacamara comes from farms of the Villaure family, which produces consistent, award winning coffees. This particular lot of pacamara took seventh place in the 2012 Cup of Excellence, proving once again, the dedication of the Villaure family to produce quality coffee. We were lucky enough to receive some La Esperanza in a direct trade. 

This coffee brings a very well rounded body with complex brightness. Aromas of brown sugar and vanilla cut through and a clean, sparkling, raspberry sweetness gives way to a well balanced, silky body. This is a coffee you don't want to miss. 

Region: La Libertad, Huehuetenango, Guatemala 
Varietal: Pacamara 
Process: Fully Washed 
Altitude: 1650 masl

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Alvin's of San Francisco - Blue Mountain Jamaica

Photo courtesy of Alvin's of San Francisco.

16 oz:Medium roast; Medium acidity; Medium body; Clean, fresh and floral aroma, with sweet hints and a caramel finish.

Known as one of the best coffees on the planet, Jamaican Blue Mountain is a fantastic and rare bean that comes from the high mountains in Jamaica. Usually grown at about 5,000 feet Blue Mountain is low in acidity and is roasted medium. It has a nice, medium body with mild and fruity undertones with subtle hints of caramel and spice.

Click here to purchase this coffee. 

Victrola Coffee - El Salvador Finca Matalapa - Matalapitas

Photo courtesy Victrola Coffee. 

Facts 
Wet Mill: Beneficio el Paraiso 
Region: La Libertad 
Elevation: 1200-1350m 
Process: Washed 
Varietals: Bourbon/Pacas 
Producer: Vickie Ann Dalton de Diaz 

Tasting Notes 
Fragrance/Aroma: Cinnamon, Hazelnut, Cereal Grains 
Flavor: Hazelnut, chocolate, hints of citrus 
Body: Meduim 
Finish: Cocoa 
Acidity: Mellow 

Victrola’s El Salvador Finca Matalapa is a classic estate coffee. It has a complete independent mill to service the farm; from the tree to washed processing, patio drying, hulling and preparation, and finally to packaging the coffee. All procedures are completed onsite. 

Finca Matalapa is in the Libertad area, not far from the capital of San Salvador, on a west-facing slope ranging from 1200 meters up to 1350 meters. The 120 Hectare estate was founded in the late 1800s by producer Vickie Ann Dalton de Diaz’s great grandmother, Fidelia Lima. Today, Vickie maintains 14 acres of virgin tropical forest and keeps her coffee plants shaded with over forty varieties of larger trees. 

The term ‘Matalapitas’ refers to the small bean size of the lot. Despite its petite size, this coffee brews a pleasing and mellow cup, the sort you want to enjoy every morning. The dry fragrance has a sweetness carrying nuts, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and a very slight citrus. You’ll find caramel and hazelnut in the wet aroma and the cup itself is nutty, mellowing into flavors of cereal grains and cocoa with a slight green pepper in the background.

Click here to purchase this coffee. 

Coffee Science Project

Many thanks to the Science Friday crew for this entertaining look at brewing coffee at home.

Beansmith Coffee - Tanzania Peaberry

Photo courtesy of Beansmith Coffee. 

Peaberry is one of those coffee words that everyone knows, but a surprising number of people don't understand. It's pretty simple really. Coffee beans usually come in pairs inside their cherry, but sometimes there's only one bean and it soaks up all the lovely flavor from the cherry for itself and that's a peaberry. 

While peaberries occur naturally, they don't end up all in one lot naturally. The discerning eyes of sorters must spot the smaller, rounder beans and pick them out by hand. The intense extra work for a 100% peaberry lot definitely shows up in the cup. The clean, sweet flavors of this coffee from Tanzania are a direct result of of it being a full-on peaberry lot. Enjoy! (We sure do.)

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Klatch Coffee - El Salvador Las Mercedes Pepinal 1

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee. 

Our 2013 crop of Pepinal 1 from Las Mercedes has finally arrived! Las Mercedes never fails to provide us with a complete multidimensional coffee from start to finish. Pepinal 1 conveys a sweet tangerine aroma with caramel and subtle floral notes. The flowers become more pronounced in the cup, offering a bright acidity, round body and a substantial and intense fruity flavor. It's creamy with hints of cherry, plum, peach, honey and chocolate. Lot Pepinal 1 placed 1st in 2006 El Salvador Cup of Excellence auction with a record 94 points. 

What drew Klatch Coffee to Las Mercedes was great coffee, but what we fell in love with was the people, the process, and their passion to make the coffee so great. It begins with hand picking only ripe mature cherries, and then subjecting them to intense screening before depulping to eliminate twigs, leaves and other foreign material. At the wet mill the cherries are received into ceramic tiled ditches, washed with fresh collected rainwater from their own tanks and immediately fed into a pulper, which consists of rotating disks or cylinders, each one fitted with adjustable knives. These are designed to separate the bean from the flesh of the fruit while leaving each bean intact in its parchment envelope. They then dry the coffee on clay patios to ensure even drying. 

The same care and consideration invested in the coffee is invested into the Las Mercedes community. The Ortiz Family has always been devoted to taking care of those who have helped in their success, by providing clothing, food and health care. In addition, Las Mercedes is constantly making efforts to preserve natural wild life by taking special care of the disposal of by-products from the mill in order to avoid contamination also, in compliance with our certifications, chemicals and pesticides are carefully stored and managed by trained personnel, avoiding intoxication and contamination. In the last years, a great effort has been made in planting native trees to preserve these species. 

Finca Las Mercedes is a beautiful coffee farm with dedicated owners who care for their community, their workers, the environment and, nonetheless, seek to provided specialty coffee. We are proud to offer this limited Direct Trade coffee that is also Rainforest Alliance Certified. As part of our Direct Trade contract, 25 cents of every pound is given back to fund community sports programs and Los Ortiz medical clinic. To read more about Los Ortiz medical clinic please visit cafelasmercedes.com/dispensary.asp. 

REGION: Cerro El Tigre 
VARIETAL: Bourbon 
FARM: Las Mercedes 
ALTITUDE: 1560 M 
FARMER: Ortiz Barriere 
ROAST: Medium Light 
NOTES: 92 points by Coffee Review

Click here to purchase this coffee. 

Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee - Ka'u Classic Medium Roast

Photo courtesy of Rusty's Hawaiian Coffee

For us, the Classic Medium Roast is the quintessential Ka'u coffee: bright, yet balanced and elegant, with notes of lime and brown-sugar sweetness. We're not the only ones who like it. 

This coffee scored 92 points in Coffee Review, tying for the top score in a cupping of Hawaiian and Caribbean coffees in March 2010. 

From Coffee Review: "Very sweet, complex coffee. In the aroma molasses, milk chocolate, aromatic wood, sweet tomato. In the cup rich acidity, lightly syrupy mouthfeel, almost sugary sweetness, with continued notes of molasses, chocolate, and a richly tart tomato. Clean, long finish." 

Our Classic Medium Roast features Typica, the most common coffee variety in Hawaii. When grown in the rich soil and cool climate of the Mauna Loa volcano's southern slope, these beans take on characteristics of the Big Island's Ka'u District. 

Awards and Recognitions: 
92 points in Coffee Review. 
Tied for the top score in a review of Hawaiian and Caribbean coffees, March 2010 

Taste: Brown sugar, with citrus and floral notes 
Roast: Medium 
Varieties and Processing Methods: Typica, washed and sun dried 
Altitude: 1600-2100 feet (500-650 meters)

Coffee's Forgotten Home

Great video from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens in the UK discussing the effect of climate change on coffee and what is being done to preserve our favorite beverage.  

Ethiopian Kochere Grade 1 (Natural) - Klatch Coffee

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee. 

Ethiopian Kochere Grade.1 (Natural): Yes, a Grade 1 Natural! Hands down, the cleanest and best Ethiopian Natural I have ever tried. The sorting and hand labor prove themselves in the cup. On the nose, we get a combination of flowers and mixed fruit. In the cup, all that and more. The most prominent fruit is strawberry, both a strawberry cream and cobbler. To that we also get rose tea, cascara, blackberry custard, mascarpone cheesecake, and dried apricots. While cupping with a group of coffee enthusiasts, one cupper said it reminded him of our Don Pache Natural Geisha. Now that's something to klatch about. 

Ethiopia Kochere: While traveling in East Africa earlier this year and attending the African Fine Coffee Association in Uganda, the best coffee I cupped from Kenya or Uganda came from Ethiopia. It was here under a tent outside in the rain that I first tasted the best Ethiopian washed I had cupped in years and my first Gr 1 Natural, that's right..... a Gr 1 Natural. The washed was a true traditional but ultra clean washed Yirgacheffe with tons of floral notes. Everything you hope for and rarely find. The Natural on the other had was a mind blower. This is the cleanest Natural I have ever tasted. In asking questions, I found both (the washed and natural) started with only ripe fruit, something we take for granted in some countries but are still educating those in Ethiopia. For this, the farmers (mostly all very small land holders or garden farmers who maybe have one bag of cherry) are paid a premium. Next, the cherry is sorted by hand and processed as either washed or natural. Both receive special preparation of screening, sorting, and even more hand sorting. These are both labor intensive and the proof is in the cup......so clean. 

The growing conditions, elevation, and terrior in Yirgecheffe produce a great flavor, the picking and processing provide only the best of them. Most often coffee from Ethiopia is evaluated with Gr 1 being the best. Typically the best washed coffees are Gr 1 or Gr 2. Natural processed coffee does not look as clean as its washed counterpart and used to begin at Gr 3 to Gr 5. Last year some buyers from Japan wanted a cleaner and better natural bean so they convinced our partner in Ethiopia to screen and sort the best natural processed coffee to that of Gr 1 and the result was our Gr 1 Natural Kochere. Call it timing, luck or hard work, we were able to find this special prep and even cup the various lots to get only the best of the best for our customers here at Klatch. Try for yourself and see what the best Gr 1 Kochere has to offer. 

REGION: Yirgacheffe 
VARIETAL: Heirloom 
FARM: District Zonegediyo, District Irgacheffe 
ALTITUDE: 1800-2000 M 
FARMER: Various 
ROAST: Medium 
NOTES: Natural

Click here to purchase this coffee.

Ethiopian Kochere Grade 1 Special Prep (Washed) - Klatch Coffee

Photo courtesy Klatch Coffee. 

Ethiopian Kochere Grade.1 Washed: Super floral with sweet honeysuckle on the nose. In the cup more floral, jasmine, even cascara (dried coffee cherry) plus pomegranate, lemon zest and lime citrus. The best washed processed coffee from Yirgacheffe I have cupped in years! 

Ethiopia Kochere: While traveling in East Africa earlier this year and attending the African Fine Coffee Association in Uganda, the best coffee I cupped from Kenya or Uganda came from Ethiopia. It was here under a tent outside in the rain that I first tasted the best Ethiopian washed I had cupped in years and my first Gr 1 Natural, that's right..... a Gr 1 Natural. The washed was a true traditional but ultra clean washed Yirgacheffe with tons of floral notes. Everything you hope for and rarely find. The Natural on the other had was a mind blower. This is the cleanest Natural I have ever tasted. In asking questions, I found both (the washed and natural) started with only ripe fruit, something we take for granted in some countries but are still educating those in Ethiopia. For this, the farmers (mostly all very small land holders or garden farmers who maybe have one bag of cherry) are paid a premium. Next, the cherry is sorted by hand and processed as either washed or natural. Both receive special preparation of screening, sorting, and even more hand sorting. These are both labor intensive and the proof is in the cup......so clean. 

The growing conditions, elevation, and terrior in Yirgecheffe produce a great flavor, the picking and processing provide only the best of them. Most often coffee from Ethiopia is evaluated with Gr 1 being the best. Typically the best washed coffees are Gr 1 or Gr 2. Natural processed coffee does not look as clean as its washed counterpart and used to begin at Gr 3 to Gr 5. Last year some buyers from Japan wanted a cleaner and better natural bean so they convinced our partner in Ethiopia to screen and sort the best natural processed coffee to that of Gr 1 and the result was our Gr 1 Natural Kochere. Call it timing, luck or hard work, we were able to find this special prep and even cup the various lots to get only the best of the best for our customers here at Klatch. Try for yourself and see what the best Gr 1 Kochere has to offer. 

REGION: Yirgacheffe 
VARIETAL: Heirloom 
FARM: District Zonegediyo, District Irgacheffe 
ALTITUDE: 1800-2000 M 
FARMER: Various 
ROAST: Medium 
NOTES: Washed

Click here to purchase this coffee. 

Colombia Huila Jose Nolvis Rodriguez Finca El Mirador - Victrola Coffee

Photo courtesy Victrola Coffee.

Facts
Farm:  Mirador
Town:  Alto de los Pinos
Region: Pitalito, Huila
Elevation: 5250 ft
Process: Washed, Sun Dried
Varietals: Caturra
Producer: Jose Nolvis Rodriguez

Tasting Notes
Fragrance/Aroma: Chocolate, molasses, spice
Flavor: cocoa, sour cherry, floral
Body: Medium, Creamy
Finish: Cacao

Pour Over Parameters: Coffee: 17.5g Water: 300g

Roaster's Notes
We are grateful for the opportunity to offer another exceptional micro lot from the Huila department of Colombia.  Producer Jose Nolvis Rodriguez consistently offers high quality, meticulously processed coffee, which earned 7th at the Colombian Cup of Excellence in 2011. 

Coffee from Finca El Mirador is washed processed and sun dried, as is traditional Huila.
However, Mr. Rodriguez employs distinct techniques to ensure high quality, including a pre-wash 12 hours into the 24 hour fermentation period before washing the coffee and a 3 day pre-drying phase  before the coffees are moves to another drying bed where they receive more intense heat.  

In the final stage before coffee is packaged for export, it is put through a sieve so that any small imperfections can be sorted out. The result of this meticulous processing is an exceptionally balanced coffee with a luxurious mouthfeel, cocoa and spice aromatically, with cocoa, cream and slight hints of sour cherry in the cup.

Here is a great video of Sr Rodriguez talking about his experience with COE and what makes his coffee so unique.

Panama Elida Natural - Klatch Coffee

Photo courtesy of Klatch Coffee. 

Klatch welcomes back the Elida Natural! Producer Wilford Lamastus created this lot especially for Klatch Coffee, giving the whole Klatch team and all coffee lovers something to be excited about. The Elida Natural offers pure flavors of light rum with touches of fruit; strawberry, blueberry, blackberry and tones of orange and chocolate. A great body, sweet acidity and well balance. Ken Davids of Coffee Review previously scored Klatch Elida Natural 93 points. 

More than half of this farm is located in the Volcan Baru National Park, a protected ecological reserve and sanctuary for exotic plants, birds and mammals such as the tropical tiger. The Baru volcano is one of the highest volcanoes in Central America and covers 7 different climate zones. The coffee is only grown up to 1,850 meters, the highest elevation to grow coffee in Panama. 

There are several local conditions that set this coffee apart from others. The farm is located at a very high elevation, one of the two highest coffee farms in Panama. It is grown in rich, volcanic soil with a cool climate and a significant amount of fog and mist during the dry season. The coffee trees are surrounded by virgin-native cloudy rain forest, and because of the cool temperatures at night, it takes 2 to 3 years longer than the average coffee tree before these trees begin to produce. The low temperatures also contribute to an extended ripening time by 1 month, creating a more developed coffee bean. 

93 Points scored by Ken Davids from Coffee Review (2012) 

Blind Assessment: Impressively rich, deep, savory-sweet; dark chocolate, dusk flowers, honey, berry in aroma and cup. Comfortably backgrounded acidity; full, almost chewy mouthfeel. Chocolate in particular carries into a long, resonant finish. 
Notes: This is a dry-processed or "natural" coffee, meaning the beans were dried inside the fruit rather than after the fruit has been removed, as is the case with wet-processed or "washed" coffees. The Lamastus family’s Elida Estate averages the highest growing elevations in Panama: 5,500 to 8,200 feet (1,700 to 2,500 meters). 
Who Should Drink It: The style of coffee we used to call “after-dinner” coffee, meaning a rich, full-bodied, deeply complex coffee with acidity pushed to the background. 

REGION: Alto Quiel 
VARIETAL: Catuai 
FARM: Elida Estate 
ALTITUDE: 1750 M 
FARMER: Lamastus Family 
ROAST: Medium Light 
NOTES: 93 Points from Coffee Review (2012)

Click here to purchase this coffee.