First Published - March 20, 2018 (By Rudy – Cupping Guru)
Spring is upon us and with it the promise of brighter and warmer days. This new spring blend Equinox (our seasonally changing blend) will reflect this long awaited change of season and gently awaken your senses like blossoming buds after a cold spell- it’s one of the most balanced Equinox we’ve created with a soft citric acidity, a fruity sweetness and sweet and rich chocolate and nutty overtones.
In many cultures “spring” is also synonymous of hope, rejuvenation and growth so we’ve decided to take this opportunity to celebrate two fantastic long-standing relationships Steven and Jeremy started in Costa Rica in 2009.
One of the coffees is from one of our long-time favourite farms Finca Genesis owned by the Mendez family, the other is a delicious lot produced by the Cup of Excellence award winning producer Juan Ramon Rodriguez on Finca Brumas.
Genesis, Costa Rica
Produced by: Olga and Oscar Mendez
Variety: Villalobos and Caturra
Process: Yellow Honey
Altitude: 1650-1700 masl
The term “Genesis” refers to the origin of a change and a new beginning which perfectly describes the changes the Mendez decided to make to their agricultural and economic practices. They call their place a “coffee garden” rather than a “farm” and ultimately aim to produce crops in harmony with nature. They have planted shading trees amongst the coffee trees, and have diversified their crops with a wide variety of fruit trees and flowers that they can sell on the local market. Although they don’t have an organic certification- meaning they are not members of the USDA Organic program- all their crops are produced organically by conviction.
They also decided to sell their coffee independently rather than to the local mill to be blended with other lots; and to this end they built their own micro-mill to process their own lots.
Our coffee lot is made of two varieties: Villalobos and Caturra. Villalobos is a natural dwarf mutation of Typica which offers high cup quality and is easier for picking and tending. It produces complex cups and brings notes of stone fruit and soft citrus. Caturra is also a dwarf variety with a bright acidity and a fruity sweetness which pairs well with the characteristic of the Villalobos.
Brumas, Costa Rica
Produced by: Juan Ramon Alvarez
Variety: Caturra
Process: Red Honey
Altitude: 1500 masl
Juan Ramon’s background in agronomy and his resolute focus on quality improvement have led him to many Costa Rica Cup of Excellence awards over the years, earning him the ultimate recognition when he won the first prize in 2012. This is a fantastic achievement considering that his farm is located in the middle of Heredia, a city located 10km north of the capital San José. It is completely surrounded by urbanization- imagine a 45ha farm in the midst of houses, offices and roads producing the best coffee in Costa Rica! Sadly many farmers in his situation have not met the same success and had to sell their land to real-estate agencies.
In order to make his business sustainable Juan Ramon has built his own micro-mill to process his micro-lots, a roastery where he can roast and sell his coffees to the local market, and a coffee shop where he can directly serve his delicious coffees to customers. He effectively owns the business from seed to cup, which is a wonderful testimony to his passion, dedication and knowledge of the speciality coffee industry as a whole.
In a nutshell this Spring Equinox is a blend of two delicious coffees with enthralling success stories driven by passion and re-invention. We hope that will enjoy it and feel as inspired as we are entering those warmer days of 2018!
