One of the fun things about roasting our own coffee and offering those fresh beans is helping people learn more about the different coffee beans, how they're roasted, and what that means for the delicious morning (or whenever) ritual. Maybe you've been drinking grocery store or big brand coffee and are curious if fresh, small batch roasted makes that much of a difference (it does, in our humble opinion!). 
Maybe you want to know more about the coffee industry and understand some of the intricacies of the process from farm to your cup. Or perhaps when you stop by for a simple cup of coffee you just don't know which one to pick! Either way, here we will highlight three of our current beans for you to peruse!
We'll start with two of our single origin coffees. If you're not familiar with that term, at a basic level it means the beans were all grown in one specific country (or even region or farm!). Does that matter? Should I care? Well, often single origin has been more carefully selected and is higher quality. It also gives us as the roaster/cafe and you as the end recipient a clear picture on how the coffee was grown and processed. So if you're learning what coffees you prefer, it can help to know what's unique about it.
Our Costa Rican Coffee
The actual title of this bean is "Costa Rica SHB Tarrazu La Pastora" - whew! The SHB means "Strictly Hard Bean" - which in Latin America refers to beans grown above 4,500 feet. The higher altitudes and lower temperatures produce a slower maturing fruit and a harder, less porous bean, and are thus more desirable. Tarrazu is the region within Costa Rica where it is grown, and La Pastora is the blend of beans the co-op makes from their many small farms.
The co-op is CoopeTarrazu, one of the most important contributors to the economic development of the region. They provide their small farm members with technical assistance, low-cost loans, and affordable fertilizers. The co-op employs approximately 10,000 people through the process, which they control from harvest through sorting and milling and eventually exporting.
We roast these beans lightly, which allows you to taste the notes of milk chocolate, lemon, and brown sugar. It is average or moderated bodied -- wait what? What does that mean? The term body describes the physical characteristics of the coffee- the mouth feel or how it feels on your tongue. It also has an average acidity. This is a good coffee for you to try if you are looking to expand your coffee experience to a new region. Central America often gets over-looked, but has so many excellent coffees to offer.
Our Sumatran Coffee
The full name of our Sumatran coffee is Sumatra Takengon Grade 1 Double Picked- again, a bunch of extra info that tells you more about the bean! Sumatra is an island in Indonesia, and Takengon is the region our particular coffee comes from.
It is Grade 1 (GR1) which means it is of the highest quality, and double picked means it was hand picked for defective beans twice! Sumatran coffees have long been distinct for their earthy, savory, somewhat vegetal characteristics, in part contributed by the climate and volcanic soil, but also due to a specific post-harvest processing style called Wet-Hulling, which imparts much of the unique qualities these coffees have. A topic for another day!
Our coffee is sourced from the Jagong Mill and surrounding family-owned farms. Irham Junus owns and operates the mill with his son and daughter. The Junus family has focused on meticulous ripe cherry selection resulting in something truly unique in Sumatra. The Junus family also has full control of the processing and milling right up to the final export stage, avoiding the long and convoluted supply lines that can compromise Sumatran quality.
The richness of the Sumatran bean has a full body that lingers on the tasting notes are syrupy, cedar, and dark chocolate. We roast this bean DARK! This is a great coffee for you if you like a bold, flavorful cup - it's the darkest roast we have!
Our River Blend
Blended from Ethiopian and Brazilian beans, this is our popular Light/Medium Roast blend. Ethopian is one of our most popular single origin (and personal favorite of owner Eric Irwin), and we've combined it with Brazilian beans to give it a full bodied, well rounded flavor. This coffee offers notes of chocolate, honey, and lemon. This is a good coffee for you if you’re looking for a medium roast with complex flavors.
And there you have it- three different coffees each from different parts of the world, roasted to the level that best compliments their flavors! Hopefully this helps you decide which cup of coffee you want to try next time you stop by, or what beans to take home to brew. Check back regularly for more education on what makes each coffee unique and what other coffees (and teas!) we offer.
