TRADITIONAL
Nº 232 Peru Los Amigos Del Oso
Country: Peruvian Andes
Process: Washed
Grown / Region: Cajamarca
Altitude: 1350m - 1890m
Varietals: Various (Typica, Caturra, Mundo Novo, Bourbon, Catimor, Imperial, Pache, Catuai)
Producers: El Oso farm and neighbouring smallholders
Tasting Notes: Brown Sugar, Cashew & Black Forest Fruits
Roast Level: Dark 5/5
Flavour Category: Nuts & spice, Chocolate & Caramel
FARM NOTES:
The original El Oso project was founded in the San Ignacio region of Peru for the purpose of establishing organic farming methods. Stewardship of the land and local wildlife is central to the survival of an environment that produces good soil, canopy shade cover, and biodiversity - all the ingredients to grow great coffee.
The project’s success has more recently encompassed neighbouring farms and so the Amigos Del Oso (friends of Oso) has been born. The contributing farms to this coffee lot are situated in the buffer zone of a protected natural area where native animals are under constant threat of extinction, including the Andean ‘spectacled’ bear.
The project has supplied seedlings to the producers that include native forest species, as well as compatible coffee varietals. Solar tents and fermentation tanks have also been supplied, to enable quality and consistent processing of the picked coffee cherry.
Amigos Del Oso (friends of the bear) refers to a group of coffee producers who contribute to the larger El Oso project which champions organic farming in the region. The coffee cherries mature slowly resulting in high natural sweetness and complex fruit flavour. These characteristics lend themselves well to darker roasting, and result in an accessible coffee that stands up to a wide range of brew methods.
DISCOVERY
Nº 233 Papua New Guinea Baroida
Country: Papua New Guinea
Process: Washed
Grown / Region: Kianantu, Western Highlands
Altitude: 1700m - 1800m
Varietals: Arusha, Bourbon, Mundo Novo & Typica
Producers: Colbran Family
Tasting Notes: Black Cherry, Port, Chocolate Orange
Roast Level: Medium 3/5
FARM NOTES:
The Baroida estate was founded by Ben Colbran in 1962, and he was one of the first to cultivate coffee in the Eastern Highlands of the country. Now his son Nichol owns and manages the farm and mill where the coffee cherries are processed. The family have become closely in-tune with the unique climate and soil conditions of PNG, and have adapted traditional Kenyan methods of farming. High rainfall and frequent flooding make coffee cultivation very tricky, so the Colbran family implemented a system of drainage ditches and shade-cover in the form of indegenous trees. They have been coffee pioneers in the region, and have even begun processing coffee cherries for neighbouring farms.
Remote farmlands and high rainfall pose challenges to coffee cultivation in PNG. The Colbran family have employed strict quality control and encouraged shade canopy growth to protect the more delicate coffee trees. In doing so they have built a strong reputation for highly graded coffees in the region. The slow ripening stage results in high sweetness which encourages more caramelisation during the roasting process. Hence, a super sweet chocolatey coffee with deep notes of black cherry and port.