August 2013 Tasting Box

New York, New York

High in the Amaro Mountains in southwestern Ethiopia, one woman is doing her part to improve the quality of Ethiopian coffee and the lives of Ethiopian women. Her name is Asnakech Thomas, and she is Ethiopia’s only female coffee mill operator. As she rose to prominence in her community, Asnakech decided to use her position to focus attention on the dire state of women's issues in the region. That combination of high-quality coffee and social awareness stood out to Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, whose masterful roast made our taste buds dance with delight. This certified organic coffee—-our fourth feature from the wonderful team at Irving Farm—-is naturally-processed, bringing out a distinct strawberry flavor that is clean and sweet til the last drop.

Craft Coffee subscriptions are the best way to drink better coffee for less money. With prices as low as $7.99 per 12oz bag, Craft Coffee's subscriptions are the best coffee deal anywhere -- online or offline.

• Producer

  Asnakech Thomas

• Origin

  Amaro Mountains, Ethiopia

• Varieties

  Heirloom

• Elevation

  1,400-1,800 meters above sea level

• Process

  Natural

• Our Notes

  This cup reminds us of a strawberries & cream cookie. A luscious, sugar cookie base underlies the bright flavor of macerated strawberries with a hint of lemon.

Sacramento, California

High gusts, rocky crags, low altitude – conventional wisdom says Serra Do Bone (literally “Saw Tooth” in Portuguese) isn't the place to grow coffee. It also says you shouldn't preserve half of your land as rain forest, and that a Brazilian brew is bound to taste like a musty pile of peanut shells. Luckily Carlos Sergio Sanglard, who grows some of Brazil's best on these wild lands, believes different. Carlos has proven that great coffee can grow on a crag, and that Brazilian beans can be just as nuanced as the finest Africans. This coffee is one of the dozens that Temple Coffee as converted to direct trade within the past year. Their team went to exhaustive lengths, including cupping over 100 samples, to bring you this Brazilian gem.

Craft Coffee subscriptions are the best way to drink better coffee for less money. With prices as low as $7.99 per 12oz bag, Craft Coffee's subscriptions are the best coffee deal anywhere -- online or offline.

• Producer

  Serro Do Bone, farmed by Carlos Sergio Sanglard

• Origin

  Araponga, Matas De Minas, Brazil

• Varieties

  Catuai

• Elevation

  1200 meters above sea level

• Process

  Pulped Natural

• Our Notes

  Flavors of cacao nib and black cherry lead into a well-structured cup with a soft, silky mouthfeel. The nutty sweetness of marzipan fades into a lingering walnut finish.

Asheville, North Carolina

In southwestern Colombia, members of the APROCAFEQ El Paraiso Association have cultivated their own little slice of paradise. Banding together has allowed the collective’s farmers to bring their high quality coffees to markets around the world, and to develop direct relationships with passionate roasters, like Marshall Hance of Mountain Air Roasting. A material scientist and engineer by training, Marshall was first exposed to the delicate art of coffee roasting while working at an upscale restaurant. It didn’t take long for his inner-scientist to kick in. Soon he was designing a one-of-a-kind air roaster that gives him meticulous control over his roasting process. You can taste the result of his innovation in this beautifully-structured, sugary sweet Colombian brew.

Craft Coffee subscriptions are the best way to drink better coffee for less money. With prices as low as $7.99 per 12oz bag, Craft Coffee's subscriptions are the best coffee deal anywhere -- online or offline.

• Producer

  APROCAFEQ El Paraiso Cooperative, farmed by 62 smallholder farmers

• Origin

  Tarqui, Huila, Colombia

• Varieties

  Caturra, Colombia

• Elevation

  1,600-2,000 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed, sun-dried

• Our Notes

  Notes of juicy orange balance a beautifully-structured, sugary sweet foundation. The rich, sparkling body segues into flavors of bergamot and bakers spice, and then lingers like pears in spiced syrup.