Rainy Season Brewskis!The trip north to coffeelandia is still on hold, pending the arrival of clear skies and sunny weather, so I still don't have local coffee on offer.
BUT, I have some splendid new ones that have arrived, and based on my initial cupping, they are as good as the previous offerings!
Panama Elida Natural - P800 per 200g pack. Limited stocks. I will let the cupping notes from my supplier speak for itself. Usually, coffees with scores of 86 and up are considered very good already.
Dry- 3.9 Huge Aroma, Honey, floral, sweet, berries, cloves
Wet- 4.2 Huge aroma, Sweet, floral, Blueberries
flavor- 8.4 Honey, citrus, fruit, crisp apples
acid- 7.6
body- 7.8
aftertaste- 8.2 similar as the flavors with a delicate earl grey tea finish.
total+50=
90.1Ethiopia + Yemen Red Sea Blend - P600 per 200g pack. This is a proprietary blend (meaning we don't know the specific origin and ratio of the bean blending) of Yemen and Ethiopian arabica, but a consistent best seller for many years now in the US. The coffee is pre-blended and so does not roast evenly BUT this makes for a very interesting cup. It is full bodied and yet substantially acidic. In coffee, acidity is not a bad thing - that does not translate to "asim" or sourness, but to a drier mouthfeel, almost astringent. Think "dry" in terms of wine. "Excellent" comes to mind when drinking this blend. Highly recommended!
Jamaica Blue Mountain Mavis Bank Estate - P1,500 per 200g pack. Stocks are dwindling, but my 2009 JBM is still here. Surprisingly, in these lean and supposedly mean time of economic crisis, my premium coffees (like my Grey Garrards) are the ones being snapped up. So, why the JBM? Simple. It is considered by many as the best in the world, bar none. The Japanese love this coffee and a must try at least once by a true coffee aficionado. Go to UCC to try a cup - at P300 per cup, I think.
Hawaii Kona - P1,200 per 200g pack. This is GONE. I didn't realize I was out until I got an order yesterday and checked my stocks. Nada. I wrote to my Mauna Loa supplier and they will send me a new batch soon.
La Esmeralda Gesha Lot 7. Among the auction lots during the last Gesha auction, this is the one that scored the highest in independent cuppers' blind tests. I still have a small amount of this bean so try it while stocks last. I can't price it lower than P1,200 per 200 gram pack, unfortunately. But it is still cheaper than the Jamaica Blue Mountain.Very smooth, hints of fruit, mildly chocolatey and a lingering finish. Very complex. Excellent for any type of brewing. And great anytime of the day. Stocks are getting really low.
Ethiopia Idido Misty Valley Yirgachefe - P700 per 200g pack. This is new crop and in my opinion much better than the IMV that I sold out last year. Almost Gesha-ish in character. Always in demand. I am almost tempted to pull this out of the market. My stocks are low and this is now the current favorite in my home.
Ethiopia Kochere Wet Processed Yirgachefe - P500 per 200g pack. A traditional Yirg, processed wet, the traditional way. Good acidity, hints of lime and lemon, malty and complex. Great from hot to cool. In fact, it gets sweeter as it cools in your cup! Very nice body and mouth feel, typical of good Yirgs. Smooth and full bodied. I'd say that this is an all day coffee.
Ethiopia Korate Dry Processed (natural) Sidamo - P500 per 200g pack. Fruit Punch! Amazingly different from the Yirg, considering that they come from the same country. Coffee with cherry. Blueberries. Your taste buds will be given a workout by this coffee. It is one of the most complex coffees that I have roasted. Enjoyable from the time you open the pack and sniff it, up to when you drink the last drop of it from your cup. A coffee for sipping and savoring. Definitely a conversation stopper. This was the best seller during the Hifi show. This is almost gone.
Ethiopia Korate Wet Processed Sidamo - P500 per 200g pack. From fruit punch to aged cabernet. The Ethiopians never fail to amaze. The Korate coop use the same Sidamo bean that they usually process dry and prepare it like a Yirg to achieve a very different flavored coffee. If you like fruit in your cup, but not too much of it, with a certain amount of wildness left in the brew, you have to try this bean.
Ethiopia Bagersh
Harrar - P500 per 200g pack. Big, bold African flavors - blueberries and nuts. And aroma to die for! This is a classic African coffee, dry processed and great for any type of coffeemaker. Fantastic waker upper! Some new stock came in so we're back in business with this one.
Brazil Fazenda Vista Alegre. Typical Brazil with a classy twist. This is a small estate high grown arabica. Hints of drak chocolate and already the favorite in my household. Terrific body, nice subdued fruit and a delightful smokey undertone. This is a perfect choice for espresso but great also in a French press. Fantastic lunch or afternoon coffee. Limited stocks only. - P500 per 200 grams.
Colombia Supremo 18+. That's bean size, not age. If you want your coffee simple - kapeng kape - no fruit, no tobacco, no flowers - just coffee - this is the coffee for you. Smooth but punchy, developing a chocolatey after taste as it cools. Excellent for breakfast. Or lunch. Even dinner. One of my mainstays. - P500 per 200 grams.
Costa Rica La Minita Tarrazu - P700 per 200g pack. Every Internet coffee place will tell you how great a coffee the Tarazzu arabica from La Minita Farms is! It is the quintessential coffee from Central America - smooth, full bodied. Suave with a long finish. Very enjoyable any time of the day, but really perfect in the evenings after a nice dinner.
Kenya Peaberry Gethumbwini Meryl Streep in Out of Africa grew coffee on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro where this coffee is from also. Very different from the Ethiopians. And the fact that this is a Peaberry (only one bean per coffee cherry instead of two) makes this a very unusual coffee. My daughter calls it "kapeng-kape". Just when you thought you've tried them all, along comes great coffee like this. Now selling for P700 per 200 grams.
Sagada arabica - temporarily withdrawn from my offerings because of price issues with the local traders.
Cordillera arabica - temporarily withdrawn from my offerings because of price issues with the local traders.
Costa Rica Swiss Water Process Decaf is still available. Nobody will believe that this is Decaf. The body and mouth feel suggest a very good Central American coffee. All the flavor characteristics of a good Central, sans the caffeine! I take this even at midnight, with no caffeine kick. Great for evenings. And anytime of the day for the caffeine-sensitive among us! - P600 per 200 gram pack.
Buying tips: buy only enough coffee for one week use, maximum two weeks. I can grind it for you, but you will get the best results if you grind the beans yourselves just before you brew your coffee.
Storage tips: I pack roasted coffee in resealable bags but they are not as airtight as the Ziplocks. Best way to keep them fresh is to store them in those Lock and Lock airtight containers and keep them in your pantry - NOT IN THE REF! Refrigerating coffee will expose them to condensation every time you take the container out of the ref to get your daily dose. Room temperature is best. And brew your beans no later than 2 weeks after the roast date. I will indicate the roasting date of your coffee for your guidance.
Aeropress available again and still at the same prices - P1,900 per unit.
Delivery service is available via 2Go. Still P150 for up to 2 packs of coffee within 2Go's "Serviceable" areas - this means the big cities like Angeles, Baguio, or even CDO, Davao and Cebu. This is usually next day delivery, which is pretty good.
Orders may be PMed or texted to me. Makati or Pasig pick up if you're in a hurry for your coffee.
Thank you!