May 2013 Tasting Box

San Francisco, California

In their search for great coffee, Ritual Coffee Roasters had to go big or go home. Instead of selecting a small harvest, they picked two producers they trusted—Edilfonso Yara and Duver Rojas—and followed them to Gigante, Colombia. There, they discovered a collective called El Desarrollo Producers, a group of 80 small farmers who combine their crops into elegant lots. This roast, Gigante, takes its name from SF baseball and the sweet flavors of its Colombian home. Its aromas of flowers and honey open into a smooth, round cup. Flavors of cocoa and oak are balanced by a mild cherry acidity that ends with a gentle sweetness.

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• Producer

  El Desarollo Producers, farmed by 80 smallholder farmers

• Origin

  Gigante, Huila, Colombia

• Varieties

  Caturra, Typica, Bourbon

• Elevation

  1500-1900 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  Aromas of flowers and honey open into a smooth, round cup. Flavors of cocoa and oak are balanced by a mild cherry acidity that ends with a gentle sweetness.

San Francisco, California

Big things come in small packages, but what about small regions? When Four Barrel Coffee went to Gera Woreda, Ethiopia, they found a wealth of flavor that had previously been obscured by bad infrastructure. Thanks to the help of a nonprofit, the 240 small farmers of Yukro Cooperative now enjoy a shared washing station, better transport, and more direct payment than ever before. This new infrastructure means they can now ‘wet process’ their crops, leading to more flavorful coffees that yield bigger profits. In this brew, tropical fruit aromas lead into a luscious cup that is sweet like palm sugar. It finishes clean and dry.

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

  Yukro Cooperative, farmed by 240 smallholder farmers

• Origin

  Gera, Agaro, Ethiopia

• Varieties

  Heirloom (Ethiopian)

• Elevation

  1900-2100 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  Tropical fruit aromas lead into a luscious cup that is sweet like palm sugar. It finishes clean and dry.

Chicago, Illinois

Calling Gabriel de Carvalho a purist would be an understatement. Carvalho, manager of the Fazenda Rainha farm in Brazil, demarcates individual plots of land to isolate the most flavorful Yellow Bourbon beans. An expert agronomist, he reduces waste by drawing water from his farm’s own spring, and repopulates the native species that comprise 25% of his farmland. His staff also takes extra care, performing all farming duties by hand. This well-structured coffee from Metropolis has a creamy body that melts into peanut butter with hints of dark fruit and cherry. Notes of smoked almond and pipe tobacco linger on the 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

  Fazenda Rainha, farmed by Luis Fernando de Carvalho Dias

• Origin

  Mogiana, Minas Gerais, Brazil

• Varieties

  Yellow Bourbon

• Elevation

  1,100-1,500 meters above sea level

• Process

  Washed

• Our Notes

  This well-structured coffee has a creamy body that melts into peanut butter with hints of dark fruit and cherry. Notes of smoked almond and pipe tobacco linger on the finish.