January 2013 Tasting Box

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Like an all-star team, this coffee combines distinctive parts to yield an extraordinary whole. Typically, coffee roasters do not participate in separating out coffee lots on the farm. But this is not your typical coffee. MADCAP Coffee Company evaluated nearly 1,000 lots from the Growers of Occicafe. They selected only the 30 best for this clean, multifaceted brew. Our first taste was a wave of cherry juice with a tartness reminiscent of a cherry jolly rancher. That round cherry acidity carries through a cup replete with flavors of almond, brown sugar and golden raisin, a syrupy body, and a sweet, lingering finish.

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• Producer

  Growers of Occicafe

• Origin

  La Plata, Huila, Colombia

• Varieties

  Caturra, Bourbon

• Elevation

  1500-1900 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  A round cherry acidity carries through a cup replete with flavors of almond, brown sugar and golden raisin, a syrupy body, and a sweet, lingering finish.

Richmond Hill, Ontario

How far would you go for a great cup of coffee? Social Coffee & Tea Company would break the law—and they did. The Ethiopia Commodity Exchange forbids exporters from isolating specific beans. But this heirloom coffee was so lively, the exporter wanted it to shine on its own. So it was carefully isolated in an “inside job”, and whisked away from the crowd. If you’re feeling a little edgy this morning, now you know why. Aromas of butterscotch and jasmine perfume a cup that leads with a playful lemonade acidity, opens into a deep sweetness like apricot jam and finishes with notes of toasted coconut.

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

  Ethiopia Commodity Exchange

• Origin

  Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia

• Varieties

  Heirloom Ethiopian

• Elevation

  1850-2100 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  Aromas of butterscotch and jasmine perfume a cup that leads with a playful lemonade acidity, opens into a deep sweetness like apricot jam and finishes with notes of toasted coconut.

San Francisco, California

For Rwandans, the road to recovery is paved with coffee. Coffee is the nation’s most important crop, but structural problems—like antiquated tools and land erosion—have undermined production. Enter Cotecaga Wet Mill, a collective that united 1,750 smallholder farmers in 2006 to pool resources for processing and export. This year’s harvest shows the true potential of coffee from the region, with an impressive complexity. In the hands of Four Barrel Coffee, the result is juicy lime acidity that complements flavors of toasted walnut and black cherry, a deep, syrupy sweetness, and a soft marzipan 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

  Cotecaga Wet Mill, farmed by 1,750 smallholder farmers

• Origin

  Macuba, Nyamasheke, Rwanda

• Varieties

  Bourbon

• Elevation

  1500-1700 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  Juicy lime acidity complements flavors of toasted walnut and black cherry, a deep, syrupy sweetness, and a soft marzipan finish.