For several weeks over this spring and early summer, we were tasting a lot of unusual coffees. Many of those coffees were below the threshold for quality that we typically work with, and a fair number of them were Robusta varieties. We had also partnered with a few clients to produce very dark roast profiles. Because of this trend, our visits to the cupping table were challenging.
July offered us a break. A return to normalcy. Our cupping table was once again filled with classic, delicious. 81-85 point Arabica coffees, and our sensory team was able to slurp a sip of relief. July also saw a continuing decline in the cost of green coffee prices, as the C-Market dipped below $3.00/lb for several days last month. It was a good time to bring in samples and go deep on reliable coffees, and we were able to take advantage of the opportunity with several new offerings from Latin America.
A 3-month summary of the price of US Coffee C Futures from Investing.com
Among the 46 coffees we cupped in July, almost half of them were tasted on behalf of customers seeking green or roasted coffee evaluations. This program, which is available to everyone, is a great way to utilize a highly trained sensory team to capture detailed descriptions for retail bags or websites, make purchasing decisions, improve your roast profiles, or understand the value of your green coffee. We love tasting coffees as part of this program, as it introduced us to new regions, producers, and roasters, and helps us expand our palates and understanding of the world of coffee.
We tasted a lot of great coffees last month; here are a few highlights from the cupping table.
Myanmar Sam Phoo
We received another set of green coffee samples from a client who is sourcing coffees directly from producers in Myanmar. She's partnering with us for green coffee evaluations to help determine which coffees she will buy in larger quantities, and we're recommending roast levels for the coffees that are selected. This month, she sent three more greens, and one from the Tachileik District really stood out.
This sundried natural coffee was complex yet balanced. The cupping notes included matcha tea, raspberry, strawberry pastries, and vanilla. It had great acidity and clean sweetness. It's been a treat getting to taste so many interesting coffees from Myanmar lately, and we hope to see her brand available in the US soon, because we know specialty coffee people will love these coffees.
Honduras COMSA
Another coffee that crossed our table for a green coffee evaluation, this Honduras came to us from a Roasting 101 student who has connections with farmers in Honduras. She brought us two samples to evaluate, both from the Café Orgánico Marcala Sociedad Anónima (Marcala Organic Coffee Society), or COMSA.
One of the samples, a washed offering, was very nice. We tasted gingersnap cookies, clover honey, lilac, dried strawberry, and cherry lemonade. The cup was lightweight and clean with a quick finish. Our feedback to the student was that this coffee would be a very nice light to medium roasted single origin, or could work to bring lively acidity to a blend.
Papua New Guinea Western Highlands Kindeng Mill, Natural
With another session of our Advanced Roasting Workshop coming up in August, and Coffee Fest Los Angeles shortly after that, we were on the lookout this month for fun, unusual, and adventurous coffees. When this natural processed coffee from Papua New Guinea came up on the table, we knew it would fit the bill.
I can't remember ever having a natural processed coffee from PNG. I've tasted naturals from Sumatra and Bali, other producing regions in Indonesia celebrated for earthy, fruity, and interesting coffees. So, when this coffee came across our table, I incorrectly guessed Colombia as the region, and assumed it was an experimental processing method like the anaerobic naturals we often carry from the Manos Juntas Micromill. In fact, Bryant and I both wrote "Manos" as a tasting note, a shorthand way of saying that the coffee was boozy, fruity, and funky.
My other notes for this coffee were mango, off-dry white wine (like a Riesling), fruit-packed Sangria, and farmhouse ale. When the origin was revealed (after tasting and deliberation) I was surprised. I associate Papua New Guinea with notes like blackberry, tobacco, spice, and jammy fruits, and this offering is so different and distinct. We're excited to explore this coffee through profiling, and with students in our advanced workshop.
Ethiopia Ayla Bombe, Natural
Blog readers and Mill City green coffee customers will recognize the Testi Bombe washing station from our list of current offerings. We've had a washed Ethiopia Ayla Bombe available for a few weeks. When we cupped a few options for natural Ethiopians this month, a green from Ayla Bombe was on the list.
It's always fun to compare different processing methods from the same region, farm, or washing station. Where this washed coffee is punchy and tropical, with notes of vanilla, hibiscus, kiwi, and key lime, the natural version is vibrant and layered. We tasted white pepper, roasted strawberry, pink lemonade, and fresh navel orange. The fragrance had the classic, sweet blend of berries and cream that we associate with naturals from East Africa. We bookmarked this coffee as a back-up and will check back in with it if our inventory of Ethiopia Limu Tega & Tula run low. It would make a great replacement.
Looking Ahead
We are starting to plan for events coming up in August and September. Our second Advanced Roaster Workshop is next month, and (as of today) we have only one seat remaining in that class, which is built to be a small group to maximize hands-on time on the roasters.
In September, we look forward to hosting the inaugural year of Level Up, a 2.5-day training and networking event for coffee professionals. We've designed this event to fill the gap left by once-great annual professional development retreats like Barista Camp. We're excited to welcome 80 baristas, trainers, cafe managers, roasters, and other new friends from the coffee industry into our space.
If you're attending Coffee Fest LA in August, be sure to stop by and see us at the Big Red Roast Rig. We'll have plenty of coffee to share, and we're always happy to chat.
