Tasting Notes: Brown Sugar, Dark Chocolate, Toffee
Ethiopia:
Country: Ethiopia | Region: Djimmah | Importer: Royal New York | Producer: Gera Estate | Processing: Washed | Altitude: 1,880–2,200 MASL | Varietal: 74-110, 74-112, 74-140, 74-165 | Mill/Washing Station: On the farm
Uganda:
Country: Uganda | Region: Mt. Elgon | Importer: algrano | Producer: Mountain Harvest | Processing: Washed | Altitude: 1,880–2,200 MASL | Varietal: Nyasaland, SL-14, SL-28 | Mill/Washing Station: Mountain Harvest
Ecuador:
Country: Ecuador | Region: Cascabel | Producer: Leopoldo Andrade & Ligia Merizalde | Processing: Washed | Altitude: 1,880–2,200 MASL | Varietal: Sidra | Mill/Washing Station: On the farm
Our average cupping score: 85
About the Producers
Ethiopia: The Gera Estate is located in the Dijmmah region of Ethiopia at high altitudes, encouraging slow cherry maturation that results in sweet, dense coffee seeds. The area also has nitrogen-rich plants and natural fertilizers (no chemical fertilizers or insecticides are used) that ensure delicious coffee production, focusing on sustainability and providing good working conditions for their employees. The Gera Estate provides childcare, education, housing, clean drinking water, electricity, healthcare, and recreational facilities for all of its employees free of charge.
Uganda: Mountain Harvest is a Ugandan coffee company for Ugandans by Ugandans. They are a team of quality controllers, agronomists, certification managers, coffee buyers, processing technicians, milling staff, and more. According to founder Kenneth Barigye, Managing Director, "Our reason for being in this business is to improve livelihoods." They are dedicated to helping farming families improve the quality of their coffee sand the quality of their lives.
As a prime example of how this works, Mountain Harvest's Chief Operating Officer, Nico Herr, shared, "In an effort to respect the traditional understandings of the Ugandan farmer, we buy farm washed (home processed) coffees from smallholder farmers. We do so with strident standards with transitionary measures:
1. Higher pay (we pay 30% above anyone else for higher quality)
2. Access to processing infrastructure (taurplins, moisture meters, some communities even have nice drying sheds and pulpers, certified calibration of farmer owned pulpers)
3. Transparent analysis of their coffee done directly in front of them so they learn next steps to meet the standards. We find that many say they have a great price for the standards given, but do not provide opportunity for the coffee to be bettered by the farmer, providing an education to meet the standard. Nathan, our Quality Manager, will work with farmers at our HQ for days to ensure they know exactly how to meet the standard. By next season, we find those farmers being high performers."
Because of their high standards and training of their field team, Mountain Harvest has quickly become recognized as the best source for high quality consistent Ugandan coffee. Mountain Harvest-sourced coffees are rigidly selected through strict quality analysis by their Quality Manager, Nathan Kotaki and his Quality Controller, Emma Amutuhaire.
Ecuador: Ecuador: Finca La Josefina sits on the edge of the Cayambe-Coca ecological reserve, where volcanic soils, cold mountain air, and dense biodiversity create an ideal environment for slow-maturing, high-quality coffee. Run by Leopoldo Andrade and his wife, Ligia Merizalde, the farm is planted with rare and heritage varieties — Typica, Sudan Rume, Pacas, Sidra, and and Typica Mejorado.
What makes this coffee stand out
Ethiopian coffees do very well with a dark, more developed roast — and this coffee is no exception. The longer caramelization of sugars increases the sweetness of the coffee and brings out the dark chocolate and brown sugar notes. The Gera Estate is renowned for producing high-quality, fruit-forward Ethiopian Coffees. Combined with the Uganda Mabono Hills and the Ecuador Sidra, this dark roast is an extremely well-rounded blend.
Pour over recipe:
Ratio: 18g coffee, 320g water | Grind: Medium | Water: 198F
0:00 80 g (bloom)
0:30 200 g
1:00 320 g
3:30 Target brew time
