December 2012 Tasting Box

Seattle, Washington

In the fertile red soil skirting the slopes of Mount Kenya, the nearly 1,000 farmers of the Tekangu Cooperative Society grow their coffee under the shade of macadamia and avocado trees. These family farmers, who each grow only 150 coffee plants, are known for their focus on sustainable farming and for producing beans of exceptional quality. Kuma Coffee’s Mark Barany first fell in love with coffee while attending school in Kenya, so this special micro-lot is in particularly good hands. Heady aromatics lead into a sweet body of dates and spice. A sparkling acidity reminiscent of cola carries through the juicy finish.

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

  Karogoto Mill, farmed by 1,500 smallholder farmers

• Origin

  Nyeri, Kenya

• Varieties

  SL28, SL34

• Elevation

  1750-1900 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  Heady aromatics lead into a sweet body of dates and spice. This complex Kenyan coffee is beautifully structured, with a sparkling acidity reminiscent of cola that carries through the juicy finish.

New York, New York

A group of 100 farmers in the Nyamyumba region of Rwanda formed the Coopac Collective in 2001 to help each other grow better coffee and get paid fairer prices for their beans. Something must be working because today the cooperative numbers 2,000 members and produces award-winning coffee with state-of-the-art equipment. This selection, roasted by New York’s Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, is the first ever Certified Organic coffee from Rwanda. This classic Bourbon variety tastes sweet and creamy, with notes of clove and crisp pear, leading into a tangy cider-like finish. Warm, savory notes of dark rum and maple round out this comforting coffee.

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

  Coopac Collective

• Origin

  Nyamyumba, Rwanda

• Varieties

  Bourbon

• Elevation

  1400-1850 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed & sun-dried

• Our Notes

  Sweet and creamy with notes of clove and crisp pear, leading into a tangy cider-like finish. Warm, savory notes of dark rum and maple round out this comforting coffee.

Brooklyn, New York

Nestled between peaks in the Colombian Andes, the 400 small farmers of the Asorcafe Growers Association grow their coffee on slopes overlooking Colombia’s highest volcano, el Nevado del Huila. When the farmers banded together in 2004, they adopted the name “La Piramide” in honor of the pyramid-shaped mountains that tower over their land. When Toby's Estate, an Australian micro-roaster, arrived on our shores to open a Brooklyn roastery and cafe, La Piramide was an immediate hit. In their hands, it features a rich backdrop of dark wood which showcases a sugary maple candy sweetness, a syrupy body, and an elegant warm plum acidity.

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

  La Piramide, Asorcafe Growers Association, farmed by 400 smallholder farmers

• Origin

  Inza, Cauca, Colombia

• Varieties

  Caturra, Typica

• Elevation

  1400-1850 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  A rich backdrop of dark wood showcases a sugary maple candy sweetness, a syrupy body, and an elegant warm plum acidity.