We’re very excited to release three new coffees this week, all from one amazing farm: Finca Mauritania.
Finca Mauritania is run by Aida Batlle – many of you may remember her coffee we had last year from Finca Kilimanjaro, easily one of our highlight coffees from last year. Aida runs three farms in total – Kilimanjaro, Mauritania and Los Alpes. I had the pleasure if visiting these farms earlier this year while in El Salvador for the Cup of Excellence. We cupped all the farms coffees while viewing the mill where they are processed, and the Mauritania and Kilimanjaro lots stood out for me as coffees I’d really like to introduce to you guys! We bought all three processes from both, as well as Cascara from all three farms. Stored in vacuum sealed bags the greens smell amazing when you open them up, and we’re so excited to be launching the different lots between now and Christmas.
We’re starting by introducing you to three selections from Finca Mauritania – all the same 100% Bourbon coffee, but processed three different ways: Natural Process, Pulped Natural and Fully Washed. Big thanks to Peter Giuliano and Counter Culture Coffee for giving up a little of what they normally buy from Mauritania, we’re now able to present to you this unique and fascinating opportunity to taste and learn a little more about how processing affects the flavour profile of a bean.
On to the coffees, and a little explanation of the processes.
After coffee is picked, our ultimate goal is to get the seeds from middle, and to dry them down ready to store and then ship. There are three main ways used around the world to do this:
Natural Process: Here the cherry is dried whole in the sun, until it is a shriveled husk that can be hulled off. This is commonly used in regions with very little access to water. It is very easy for the natural process to go wrong – drying fruit in the sun can easily lead to fermentation or, even worse, mould. However, when done correctly the natural process is capable of giving the coffee incredible fruit notes and a lovely sweetness.
Pulped Natural: Here the cherry is squeezed until the beans pop out, and then they are dried down. Most of the fruit is removed but a sticky layer of fruit meat (called mucilage) still coats the seeds. Again popular in areas with limited access to water, and much lower risk of defects compared to the natural process. Coffees produced this way tend to have great body and sweetness and are often very popular in traditional espresso blends.
Washed Process: Here the cherry is squeezed until the beans pop out, and then the beans are soaked in fresh water until the sticky, sugary outer layer dissolves. The beans are then dried, often in the sun. This process results in the lowest incidence of defects, and as such is the most popular within speciality coffee. Why work hard to craft and grow amazing coffee, only to take the risk when processing it. The natural acidity in the coffee is really highlighted by the washed process, and the fruit and floral notes often given room to breathe.
With the Finca Mauritania lots the same Bourbon variety has been processed each of these ways. Aida and her team are incredibly skilled, and as such these are great examples of the possibilities of each process. The Natural has amazing tropical and strawberry notes, the Pulped Natural is comfortingly sweet, rich and full bodied while the Fully Washed lot has a lovely honeydew melon juiciness and soft caramel and fruit notes. You can read more about each of them by clicking the links.
This year Aida has once again produced Cascara from the dried coffee fruit left behind after the beans are removed from the cherry. This is used to make one the oldest coffee drink in history – Qishr, a tea made from steeping the fruit in hot water, often adding sugar and other spices as well. (Although we love it on it’s own, or as a highly caffeinated ice tea!)
This is a rare opportunity – to be able to taste the effects of processing so clearly by using the same coffee from the same farm. We really want people to try this so we’ve created the Mauritania Collection. A bag of each of the processes, with a free 200g bag of the Cascara. Hold a cupping, share it with friends to help explain why you are so obsessed with coffee, try them individually or buy the collection and just keep it all for yourself! This is fascinating and delicious! We really look forward to hearing what you think.
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Comments ( 2 )
samuli ronkanen added these pithy words on Hi guys,
so we did a small public blind cupping of the three coffees and it was really fun! There is a short post on our new (private) blog: http://www.doubleshot.cz … if you run it through google translator its a bit awkward but readable. The coffees were excellent, most people got the Natural right but enjoyed most the Pulped Natural … your descriptors were spot on … The Autumn espresso was an excellent good night drink at the end:) Thanks!
Yara added these pithy words on
Oct 03 09 at
9:07 pm
