Deft. Coffee Roasters.

Peru El Guabo

Dave — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:35:40 +0000

Just did a first cupping of a new Peru coffee – El Guabo… Very impressed. It was what I call a casual cupping, which means I don’t score it and just note my experience with it. It’s something I do with most all the coffees to get to how it strikes me emotionally than, say, the degree of complexity or whatnot.
Anyway, it was quite elegant – hazlenut base, smooth medium-full body with hints of vanilla and apricot (especially in the dry aroma). Great balance. I kept thinking to myself that I could simply drink this all day long and neither get bored of it nor feel that I had to pay attention to it.

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Good news for the Ethiopian ECX

Dave — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:59:14 +0000

There’s been a great deal of not unwarranted moaning within the specialty coffee industry about Ethiopia’s new Exchange system, and how it hadn’t been set up with allowances for direct trade with farms and how that would essentially make it impossible to get the same high quality coffees that we have been getting used to over the past few years…
This morning, I came across an article that states the ECX has responded to these concerns (contrary to some reporting, they never ignored them, they just didn’t deal with the issue…). Anyway, it seems that it’s being corrected for next year… Eleni Gabre-Madhin, chief executive officer of the ECX, said in an interview that the exchange will begin offering a direct buying service to encourage exactly the type of buying we have grown to love.
Awesome. Cause I would sorely miss some years without any wet-processed Koratie.

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Daterra Farms Sweet Collection (from Minas Gerais, Brazil)

Dave — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 05:20:46 +0000

Well, it’s simply that the rustic sweetness of this sample just stuck with me. Honestly, I wasn’t going to purchase this since I was already ordering another of their coffees. Not that I thought it wasn’t a great coffee, but I was clearly referencing the deep complex fruit of their Espresso Reserve. But after a few weeks, I was still thinking about this one. The rustic sweetness of Muskovado Sugar draping over light cocoa and chocolate just kept coming back into my mind. So here we are, and there you go. A smooth, classic Brazil coffee with tons of old world sweetness and chocolate from one of the most innovative, quality-driven estates in Brazil.

Iced Coffee

Dave — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:26:06 +0000

With the recent wave of 100°+ weather, I turn to iced coffee.

This'll help with the heat

Here’s how:
12g La Berlina Estate from Boquete, Panama (or other, nicely balanced, floral, sweet coffee)
2 blocks of solid, cold ice, in some sort of tray
At least 1 box fan
Fill a 16 oz glass as high as possible with cubed ice
Grind coffee slightly finer than you would for press pot
Put coffee in a Vietnamese Coffee brewer & screw filter top onto coffee with light pressure
Place on top of glass with ice
Add just enough hot water (about 1tsp should be enough) to wet the grounds, wait a minute or two
Add hot water, filling it to the top of the brewing cup
Wait, while the sweet goodness slowly drips down over the ice
While that is happening, place the blocks of ice in a couple trays, and set in front of a fan
Make sure the fan is placed so that it is blowing cool(er) air to where you are sitting
By this time, your iced coffee should be about done
Add as much ice to the glass as it will hold
Sit down in front of the iced fan, with your iced coffee and enjoy!

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New Coffee: La Berlina (Typica varietal) from Boquete, Panama

Dave — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:52:02 +0000

Grown on old Typica coffee trees at around 1900 meters, this coffee has a softer touch than the Daterra Espresso Reserve. Medium bodied, with caramel – more than sugar – that comes through as the cup cools. First whiff is sweet, fruity with a nicely balanced toffee, cocao background to it. As a varietal, this doesn’t have the heavier fruit (blueberry, huckleberry) that a typica coffee from Harrar or Sidamo might – it’s softer, lighter than that. Subtly stretched out. There is the influence of climate and the growers particular skill showing through – giving it a character that is completely enjoyable early early in the morning, or mid-afternoon as an http://www.deftcoffee.com/2008/08/06/bolivia-san-ignacio-iced-sumptuous/.

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New Coffee: Daterra Farms Espresso Reserve from Minas Gerais, Brazil

Dave — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 16:47:13 +0000

From the Cerrado region in Minas Gerais, Brazil comes a wonderfully complex Brazilian coffee. Daterra has long been on the forefront of producer technology, but that isn’t why I am so fond of their coffees. It’s the flavor. A rich, full-bodied chocolate & cocao base that mingle with deeply fruited layers of raisin and black cherry delivers an extraordinarily balanced, structured cup with a long, sweet finish.

This particular coffee is a blend of three varietals, grown and selected from different plots on the farms, and although it has espresso in the name, it is equally suited for press and drip brewing.

And to top it all off, this coffee is certified by Utz Kapeh & The Rainforest Alliance.

The Kenyan Coffee System

Dave — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:39:47 +0000

I was directed to an article in The Standard about changes to the Kenyan coffee system that apparently are taking effect immediately…
Is Kenya taking a learning lesson from Ethiopia, and not doing the same thing? It looks like this is a good thing – something which will increase transparency and traceability in Kenyan Coffees – something that the new ECX in Ethiopia has made difficult over the past year or so.
Through the article mentioned above is thin in terms of detail, I think that this is a great step for creating a sustainable system of coffee, equitable to the ones who grow and process it, that is open and where price can be based on quality.

OMG. WTF? Starbucks buys Clover (Coffee Equipment Company).

Couple coffees are out…

Dave — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:19:05 +0000

Quick post to let people know that two coffees are now run out: ‘Bonko’ Black Sun (from Dara Woreda, Sidamo, Ethiopia), and the Kebado Wet-processed (from Sidamo, Ethiopia).

I’m currently cupping new coffees to replace them, stay tuned…

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Bonko Farm “Black Sun” from Dara Woreda, Sidamo, Ethiopia.

Dave — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:35:20 +0000

Rich like the marbling of Kobe beef. Medium-heavy body. Stone fruits – like apricot and the light starch of a real good, I mean amazingly smooth and even textured, pear – weave complex, layered dolphin patterns through a bed of bittersweet cocao and chocolate. (this coffee is currently sold out) Related posts:Kebado Wet-processed from Kebado, Sidamo, Ethiopia New [...] Related posts:

Kebado Wet-processed from Kebado, Sidamo, Ethiopia

Dave — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:32:48 +0000

Similar to the Koratie Dry-Processes that sold out so quickly, but with more crispness. Lighter fruits are at play – starfruit, citrusy notes. But it’s sweet and aromatic, floral. Complex and delicate. Light in body. This is like the sun the last couple days, crisp, bright, but with a stark clarity to the air that is mesmerizing. Truly, this coffee is an amazing display of skill set to work amid the right environmental conditions. This is a very light roast, gingerly stretched at the right points to bring forward the floral and clear crisp complexity of its fruit flavors.
(this is currently sold out)

Three Variations on a Roast: Finca Kilimanjaro, El Salvador.

Dave — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 02:39:53 +0000

As I am getting more familiar with my set-up, I’m now working on developing a more rigorous testing process with several intentions… The most important of which is to be able to sketch with more clarity the potential of a coffee. Cupping is like gesture drawing for me, brief movements meant not to render in high detail, but capture a core and essential trait. Secondarily, though, I want to validate, or make corrections to, my own understanding of the roasting process. These two skills set the foundation for everything else I do in relation to coffee… So, I began.

I use a sort of shorthand for these, so I’ve provided a legend/glossary here that explains how I define each phase of the roast.

For this exercise, I was interested specifically in the Maillard Phase of the roast and the effect of the length of this phase relative to the Warming-Phase (and Caramelization phase, too, though that is minimized as these roasts were dumped quite close to the end of 1rst Crack.). Also, I’m interested in establishing general acceptable boundaries for these limits, i.e. how long is too long, where is ideal and what is too short. Obviously, this is just the beginning, and really only applies to similar coffees, but everything needs to start from somewhere, right?

The set up:

Using a coffee that I know fairly well – one that I know to be excellent – I constructed three variants on one roast profile. W-Phases and C-Phases remained equal in length, heat application and airflow, allowing only the length of the M-Phase to change via heat application. Airflow was kept as consistent as possible, even during the M-Phase. Cup blind for flavor characteristics and relative overall quality.

General Info:
Country of Origin: El Salvador
Farm/Grower: Finca Kilimanjaro / Aida Batlle
Defects: 0 defects / 300g
Processing: Wet Processed
Altitude: 1450m
Grade: SHB
Varietal: 95% Bourbon & Kenyan, 5% Pacas.
Region: Potrero Grande Arriba, Santa Ana Volcano, Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mnts.
Crop: Nov 2007 (vacuum packed)

El Salvadore Finca Kilimanjaro – Roast Variation Comparison
Roast #1	Roast #2	Roast #3
W - 0:00 – 4:55 M - 4:55 – 8:40 1Cb - 8:40 1Cr - 9:09 1Cf - 10:10 C - 10:10 – 10:32 F -10:32	W - 0:00 – 5:02 M - 5:02 – 9:09 1Cb -9:09 1Cr - 9:21 1Cf - 10:01 C - 10:21 – 10:34 F - 10:41	W - 0:00 – 5:00 M - 5:00 – 9:19 1Cb - 9:19 1Cr - 9:39 1Cf - 10:01 C - 10:01 – 11:08 F - 11:08
Cupping Notes	Cupping Notes	Cupping Notes
Compressed, but clear, bright acidity – verging on green, but still quite sweet. Light body. smooth where it might seem like it would be a bit gritty from the light roast. Body flavors are not nearly as developed as other cups. seems comparatively simple (though not absolutely simple). Shortening M brings the fruit flavors too tight for development of fruit flavors.	Nice balance – where the size of the body is subdued, supports the clean fruit, but does not overwhelm with it’s richness or presence. Dry aroma is rich chocolate floats around somewhere about 62% dark. Limited florals. Sweetness shows up as it cools, slight citric tang, hovers occasionally as the cup cools and shifts. Overall was more complex and balanced. In relation to the other two roasts, it showed more development of fruit flavor, while maintaining clarity and structure. Body was balanced and while present, it was well balanced in that it supported the fruit.	Rich & relatively full. Developed body – evenly or maybe slightly shy of equal balance between base/body & developed fruit. Raw sugar sweetness – more than with any other cup here. In relation to the other roasts, fruit flavors are more rounded, smoothed out, blended. While body was rich, heavier than other roasts, though it began to weight out of balance with the fruit. Fruits are slightly diminished, but mostly over shadowed.
Roast Notes	Roast Notes	Roast Notes
Unsteady ramp 0:00-4:55. More than normal gas fluxuating to get steady ramp.	Drum exterior temp: ~110°C – ~ +25°C from roast #1.	Early flux in gas – stabilized by 0:30. Drum exterior temp: 125°C

Overall, I am most happy with the development and balance of roast #2. It was clearly better than the others in complexity, clarity and development. M-phase works its magic on the development of both body and fruit flavors. Further to test is where M begins, as water content does both help and inhibit M development… the next question is how much is the right amount to help keep heat distribution even throughout the bean, but not inhibit full development of fruit flavors.

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Whatever happens…

Dave — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 16:25:39 +0000

While reading ‘Making Sense of Wine’ this morning, I came across a quote that struck me as timely. I don’t know exactly where it is sourced from, but it struck me as insightful on many levels. In the continuous search for quality, there are always shifting tastes and preferences, but there remains the notion of ‘quality’. And quality lasts.

“Whatever happens, the earth will continue to renew itself and mankind will find reasons for living in the constants that survive wars, government, revolution and all historic changes. Everywhere, the things that last are more astonishing than the things that pass.”
-Anne O’Hare McCormick

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Just like milk boxes

Dave — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 16:16:08 +0000

They are here! Delivery boxes for all subscribers! I have, in my basement two old Alpenrose milk boxes (one of which holds the most awesome 6″ tall plaster chess set!), which inspired me to build boxes for Deft deliveries. I’ll post a few more pictures of them actually on porches, but here are what they look like.

Deft Coffee Delivery Subscripion Box

The first batch of boxes, just stenciled and drying.

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Winesap Apple

Dave — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:27:22 +0000

We drove out to Hood river this afternoon to get out of town for a bit, and go back to Rasmussen Farm for some good, fresh apples. The kind you can’t easily get in Portland.

We got a grab bag of about 9 different varieties.. Mitsu, Golden and Red Delicious, Fuji, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, Arkansas Black, Spitzenberg and Winesap.. and others. We immediately washed off 6 for the drive back into Hood River we just couldn’t wait to sink our teeth into to those apples. They just looked soo good.

Of the ones we had, Winesap was clearly the most memorable. Christy too the first bite and immediately declared that it tasted like wine.. Guessing that has something to indicate why whoever named it, decided on winesap.

Anyway, it was incredibly crisp, with a fairly tough skin, and a tart, minerally winey taste. Grapey.

It just stood out completely from the the typical apple. Beautiful… Turns out that it’s one of the oldest, most notable apples in North America tracing back to New Jersey in 1817 as a variety meant for cider, which would seem to make sense with it’s winey-ness.

The other stand-out was the Arkansas Black. Smaller than the others but super crisp and increasibly rich and meaty. I’d label it my second favorite of the haul.

I’ll post images from the trip soon.

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Coffee Delivery Subscriptions

Dave — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:08:20 +0000

The order form for Coffee Delivery Subscriptions is now official and live. You can read the details here, or just download the order form and return it to me at coffee@deftcoffee.com.

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