Coffee is here! Roasting up 100% organic Peruvian beans this week. These beans are from northern Peru, the Jaen/San Ignacio area, from a cooperative of 1,900 farmers that puts a premium on a fair price for its members.
I am really interested in this supplier as they have family ties to Peru and have a mission of working as closely to the farmer as possible in order to better benefit both ends of the coffee equation.
So, what do I have available? Well, some of this batch is already claimed, but I still have 11 14-oz. bags. $7.50 per bag.
Have I explained why I sell it in 14 oz. bags? I roast in full pound increments, but about 12% is lost as evaporated moisture from the beans. The math there was staggering, finding the common denominator between the amount of pounds purchased and the amount of pounds sold, until it dawned on me to reduce the selling size and price accordingly. Well, the math involved was really more of a fourth-fifth grade level, not really staggering, but it was too hard to do while doing five other things at once.
As always, thanks for checking out this blog! If you would like some coffee, call, email, or message me on FB, and I'll get it ready!
Saturday, March 26, 2016
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
Beans on the way!
As of Sunday afternoon, I was totally out of beans, but I have organic Peruvian beans on the way, which should arrive later this week. I am very excited about these beans for two reasons--one, the Peruvian ones are my favorite so far; and, two, it's so cool to be part of a transaction that I can trace back to the people it benefits. My goal is to only use suppliers that provide information about the people back at the source of the beans. From start to finish, that makes roasting a joy and something that involves research and a lot of learning. Every region's beans roast up a little differently and have a recommended roasting profile. It depends on the growing season and conditions, as well as the harvesting and drying methods.
So, wanted to share that I will have beans soon, and thanks for checking out this blog!
So, wanted to share that I will have beans soon, and thanks for checking out this blog!
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Monday, March 7, 2016
Learning the language....
I read a quote about coffee roasting the other day that summed up where I am with this....it was something to the effect that you really can't learn anything until you realize you don't know anything about it and that you will always have a ton to learn. The more I learn and understand, the more I realize there is to learn about roasting, and I am thoroughly enjoying the process!
You can click here for an online dictionary of coffee terms from roastmagazine.com. I'll try to break down what I'm learning about the roasting process.
The beans, green and practically having no smell, go into a roaster that is already heated to about 400 degrees. From the moment they are poured in, I make sure they are in a constant, steady state of motion. As they begin to roast, a smell that is somewhat bread-like becomes noticeable, and before long, I hear a tell-tale pop that's the signal that I've reached first crack. If it happens too quickly or later than I expect, that's a cue to make sure I'm paying attention to temperature. The pops increase in frequency, and the aroma is becoming more akin to what we think of as a coffee smell. As first crack winds down, there seems to be a quiet interlude leading up to second crack. As the roast continues into second crack, the sound to me is more of a sizzle than a series of pops, and the smoke becomes more dense when I check the beans. This, full city +, is the point when I like it best, just barely into second crack, so this is normally what I shoot for. This is when, in my opinion, the aroma is just incredible. However, I am learning by experience that it's important to try out different levels of roasting. One day, I accidentally went a little farther into the roast, and I loved the taste of those Peruvian beans when they were pushed to a deep, shiny, dark brown.
What is first crack? What's really happening? How do the beans look as they roast? Well, I found this site, Sweet Maria's, and it has been such a help all along the way, and they have a wonderful page devoted to the roasting process. Click here to read more about what's really happening at each state of the roast.
Hope y'all find this interesting!
You can click here for an online dictionary of coffee terms from roastmagazine.com. I'll try to break down what I'm learning about the roasting process.
The beans, green and practically having no smell, go into a roaster that is already heated to about 400 degrees. From the moment they are poured in, I make sure they are in a constant, steady state of motion. As they begin to roast, a smell that is somewhat bread-like becomes noticeable, and before long, I hear a tell-tale pop that's the signal that I've reached first crack. If it happens too quickly or later than I expect, that's a cue to make sure I'm paying attention to temperature. The pops increase in frequency, and the aroma is becoming more akin to what we think of as a coffee smell. As first crack winds down, there seems to be a quiet interlude leading up to second crack. As the roast continues into second crack, the sound to me is more of a sizzle than a series of pops, and the smoke becomes more dense when I check the beans. This, full city +, is the point when I like it best, just barely into second crack, so this is normally what I shoot for. This is when, in my opinion, the aroma is just incredible. However, I am learning by experience that it's important to try out different levels of roasting. One day, I accidentally went a little farther into the roast, and I loved the taste of those Peruvian beans when they were pushed to a deep, shiny, dark brown.
What is first crack? What's really happening? How do the beans look as they roast? Well, I found this site, Sweet Maria's, and it has been such a help all along the way, and they have a wonderful page devoted to the roasting process. Click here to read more about what's really happening at each state of the roast.
Hope y'all find this interesting!
Friday, March 4, 2016
Just waiting to be roasted.....
So far, since beginning this, probably one of my top five favorite hobbies ever, I've roasted beans from Columbia, Peru, and Honduras. So far, out of the three, the Peruvian beans are the ones I like the best. When roasted just to the beginning moments of second crack, they reveal a taste that has a velvety chocolate fullness. On the other hand, the Honduran beans when roasted to the same point presented a lighter touch with caramel hints. As I grow in experience, my goal is to get to know beans from a variety of regions. So, this week I placed an order for five pounds apiece of both Guatamalan and Brazilian beans, and they arrived today. Can't wait to open the burlap bags and measure out my first batch for the roaster tomorrow. So, here's what's available for this week:
3 bags of Honduran beans
5 bags of Guatamalan beans
5 bags of Brazilian beans
Let's talk about where these beans are coming from. Coffee roasting is an incredibly holistic learning experience. It reminds me of the lesson plan templates I would fill out in my education classes twenty years ago....I can easily identify learning experiences throughout this process that tap into all of our senses and individual learning styles. Just as actually sewing only comes after a whole slew of other decisions and actions, the act of roasting those beans comes near the end of a chain that begins with......research that guides each succeeding step to that cup that warms the hand and the heart.
In choosing where to purchase my beans, I want to know more than the general region of the world. I want to know as much as I can about the people who are involved in the process of growing, harvesting, and marketing. I want to know what kinds of certifications and standards these folks have for their coffee plants.
Here's the rundown on the beans available this week:
These Honduran beans are Rainforest Alliance certified. They are strictly high altitude beans, shade grown and hand picked at elevations 1,300-1,600 meters above sea level. They come from the Beneficio De Santa Rosa farm. They roast to give hints of bakers chocolate, nutmeg, and caramel. This coffee is pleasant without being in-your-face about it. To learn more about the Beneficio De Santa Rosa farm operation, check out this link.
What do I know about the Guatamalan beans? Well, I have not roasted them yet, but I am looking forward to seeing if I agree with the descriptions I've read. Cupping notes include dark chocolate, butter, cinnamon, toasted nuts, raisins, lemon. Bright with a lasting sweetness. Now, before you put the sugar bowl up, understand that sweetness is a relative concept when it comes to coffee, and, as much as I enjoy it, I enjoy it all a lot more with a little sugar. These Guatamalan beans come from the Finca Nueva Granada farm, are grown at 1,800 meters, and have the Rainforest Alliance certification. You really need to check out the Finca Nueva Granada operation at the link here--think on-site schooling and an emphasis on sustainable practices.
Let's get to those Brazilian beans. I chose to try these out because my favorite coffee before I began learning to roast was the Brazilian Cerrado whole bean from Plantation Coffee Company out of Mooringsport, Louisiana. Talk about a cool operation along the shores of Caddo Lake! Our family was able to tour their facilities several years ago, and I think that is probably when the seed of my own roasting adventure began. This company roasts coffee right, and seeing their dedication to that was infectious! Anyway, that's why I bought these Brazilian beans--they seem like a good bet to me based on my own experience as a coffee consumer. They come from the Fazenda Santa Rosa operation and are grown at a lower altitude than the others I have, at 800 meters. They are Rainforest Alliance Certified. Nutty hints and a full bodied flavor all-around without overpowering.
There you have it! In my next post, I'll share some information about some coffee roasting terms and techniques! By the way, if you would like to purchase my coffee, email me at shadrobyn@gmail.com or you can reply to my Facebook post to let me know what you want, and I'll get it roasted. It's $7.50 for 14 oz. Per Texas cottage food sales laws, I can't do online sales, just promotion. Actual sales have to be in person.
3 bags of Honduran beans
5 bags of Guatamalan beans
5 bags of Brazilian beans
Let's talk about where these beans are coming from. Coffee roasting is an incredibly holistic learning experience. It reminds me of the lesson plan templates I would fill out in my education classes twenty years ago....I can easily identify learning experiences throughout this process that tap into all of our senses and individual learning styles. Just as actually sewing only comes after a whole slew of other decisions and actions, the act of roasting those beans comes near the end of a chain that begins with......research that guides each succeeding step to that cup that warms the hand and the heart.
In choosing where to purchase my beans, I want to know more than the general region of the world. I want to know as much as I can about the people who are involved in the process of growing, harvesting, and marketing. I want to know what kinds of certifications and standards these folks have for their coffee plants.
Here's the rundown on the beans available this week:
These Honduran beans are Rainforest Alliance certified. They are strictly high altitude beans, shade grown and hand picked at elevations 1,300-1,600 meters above sea level. They come from the Beneficio De Santa Rosa farm. They roast to give hints of bakers chocolate, nutmeg, and caramel. This coffee is pleasant without being in-your-face about it. To learn more about the Beneficio De Santa Rosa farm operation, check out this link.
What do I know about the Guatamalan beans? Well, I have not roasted them yet, but I am looking forward to seeing if I agree with the descriptions I've read. Cupping notes include dark chocolate, butter, cinnamon, toasted nuts, raisins, lemon. Bright with a lasting sweetness. Now, before you put the sugar bowl up, understand that sweetness is a relative concept when it comes to coffee, and, as much as I enjoy it, I enjoy it all a lot more with a little sugar. These Guatamalan beans come from the Finca Nueva Granada farm, are grown at 1,800 meters, and have the Rainforest Alliance certification. You really need to check out the Finca Nueva Granada operation at the link here--think on-site schooling and an emphasis on sustainable practices.
Let's get to those Brazilian beans. I chose to try these out because my favorite coffee before I began learning to roast was the Brazilian Cerrado whole bean from Plantation Coffee Company out of Mooringsport, Louisiana. Talk about a cool operation along the shores of Caddo Lake! Our family was able to tour their facilities several years ago, and I think that is probably when the seed of my own roasting adventure began. This company roasts coffee right, and seeing their dedication to that was infectious! Anyway, that's why I bought these Brazilian beans--they seem like a good bet to me based on my own experience as a coffee consumer. They come from the Fazenda Santa Rosa operation and are grown at a lower altitude than the others I have, at 800 meters. They are Rainforest Alliance Certified. Nutty hints and a full bodied flavor all-around without overpowering.
There you have it! In my next post, I'll share some information about some coffee roasting terms and techniques! By the way, if you would like to purchase my coffee, email me at shadrobyn@gmail.com or you can reply to my Facebook post to let me know what you want, and I'll get it roasted. It's $7.50 for 14 oz. Per Texas cottage food sales laws, I can't do online sales, just promotion. Actual sales have to be in person.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)