Kendra's Corner - Coffee That’ll Have You Movin’, Groovin’—and Maybe Even Throwin’ on a Tie

Hey everyone! I’m back… this time reporting from our brand new roaster, the Loring S15, with not just one—but two—of our newest coffees!

Chambakú Microlot – Anaerobic Natural from Caldas, Colombia

First up, I’m evaluating our Anaerobic Natural Process microlot from Finca Chambakú, produced by our friend Juan Felipe Restrepo in beautiful Caldas, Colombia. Felipe is a character with a big passion for coffee, and it shows!

Along with having a name that’s very fun to say, this microlot has some groovy notes in the cup. The anaerobic process has become one of my favorites, as the beans always offer such vibrant flavors and undeniable tropical fruit notes.

This particular lot starts off with plum and other punchy stone fruits on the nose and will make your palate dance with tangy notes of passionfruit, raspberry, and citrus. For me, the cup finishes with a nice cacao nib-like note that really rounds out the explosion of flavor, especially as it cools. But don’t worry—this coffee still gets the glands in the back of your mouth jivin’! Our new roaster is perfect for delicate beans like this, helping maintain focus on their intended flavors while keeping the body light.

I recommend stopping in to the coffee shop to try it as a Single Origin espresso, but if you decide to purchase online or wait to brew it at home, I personally enjoy coffees like this on the Hario V60. This method really accentuates the bold, fruity flavors that one might expect from this process. However, if you try it and feel the need to tame your tastebuds, I’d say go with a Kalita Wave or even a Chemex, as the coarser grind needed for proper extraction may bring out more of those subtle cacao and stone fruit flavors.

I anticipate that this bean will have you movin’ and groovin’ around your house as it has me, here at our new roasting facility! And, as always, visit our website for home-brewing guides and recipes. I hope you enjoy this bright new coffee roasted on our shiny new roaster!

Ethiopia – Suke Kuto, Limited Oxygen Natural from Guji

Next up, I’m sipping on our newest FreeForm Reserve coffee from the Suke Kuto washing station in Guji, Ethiopia. Put on your black tie because this coffee is so elegant it comes with a dress code.

Now, if you know anything about coffee, then you know Ethiopia produces some of—if not the—best beans in the world. I mean, it is the birthplace from which all other coffee shrubs derive. This Ethiopian bean is a Limited Oxygen Natural Process, which basically means it was cut off from oxygen for a duration of the fermentation that all coffee goes through before drying. This helps amplify the fruity notes that natural processed Ethiopian coffees are known for.

While brewing this coffee, I pick up on notes of vanilla bean and almond. In the cup, peach, banana, and sweet florals come forward. And upon first sip, I get notes of nectarine, mandarin orange, and jasmine, with light acidity.

Ethiopian coffees are typically known for blueberry notes with a medium to heavy body. And while I do pick up on a classic berry note in this cup, I mostly taste sweet stone and citrus fruits, as well as delicate but sweet florals, with a light to medium body. Even though you might assume this process would bring out punchier, kombucha-like flavors—as most anaerobics do—this cup is very crisp and clean, much like what you’d wear to a black tie gala.

This coffee is my favorite of our current offerings, and I think it would be hard to tarnish the amazing notes with any brew method. However, I am biased toward the V60 method to not impede upon the clean and delicate flavors of this bean. Stop into the shop and try it as a pour over to see for yourself. But do not fret—you’re totally welcome to sip this while wearing your red-stained boots after hiking up Bear Mountain. Leave the classy to the coffee!

Always feel free to visit our website for different brew methods and accessories, and let us know what notes you pick up on in these coffees.

Happy sipping!

– Kendra ☕✨