Articles in the Exceptional Coffee Category

Our Coffee Subscription Pick: January 30 - February 12

Banks Thomas •  30 January 2012

Sumatra High Density, Aceh Gayo.

Your brew method.

Well, it might be as simple as reaching for what’s on your countertop or using what’s available in the office kitchen, but at Salt Spring Coffee we're hoping to make your choice of brew method a little more intentional.

Brew method can really play-up or play-down certain characteristics of a coffee. On this site, there are two brewing tutorials: one for the French Press, and one for the Chemex. Water temperature, portioning and grind also play a big part, but the video tutorials are a good place to start to refine your skills.

My recommended brew method for our Sumatra High Density, Aceh Gayo is the French Press. Though very good as a single cup drip, the full-bodied nature of this Sumatran coffee really comes to life when it’s given the freedom to breath in a French Press. Giling Basah is what gives this coffee its body. Semi-washed coffee (referred to locally in the Aceh province of Sumatra as Giling Basah) is a process unique to coffee producers in Sumatra that tends to produce coffee with rich, full body.

Try the French Press here, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what it reveals.

Enjoy your cup,

Banks Thomas, Director of Coffee

Category: Exceptional Coffee

Our Coffee Subscription Pick: January 16 - 29

Banks Thomas •  16 January 2012

Peru, Finca Marin.

Since creating our Fair to Farmer Direct program in the early days of 2010, we’ve used our direct trade model to build communities and relationships in distinct coffee markets like Peru, Indonesia and Nicaragua. Exploring new territory is big part of our pioneering spirit.

Recently, I visited the Copan region of Honduras - my first time in this small, Central American country. In the past, the beans produced in Honduras have had an average reputation, but a shift toward high quality coffee has rejuvenated the farms of the region. To get the full story, check out my recent blog post.

Travelling to up-and-coming coffee markets like Honduras, as well as established coffee markets like Peru gives us the chance to us to discover beautiful, untapped seasonal coffee. We actually discovered Peru, Finca Marin by chance in July 2010 while on a direct trade sourcing trip to the Villa Rica district of Peru.

One night, over dinner some staff from a local NGO told us about a neighbouring farm that they believed was producing exceptionally high quality coffee given the terroir of the region. Without hesitation we scheduled a visit to Finca Marin. And now, just a handful of months later, it’s yours to enjoy.

Enjoy your cup,

Banks Thomas, Director of Coffee

Category: Exceptional Coffee

Our Coffee Subscription Pick: January 3 - 15

Banks Thomas •  03 January 2012

Papua New Guinea, Purosa.

I think Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most unique and complex countries of origin that we work with. Not only is PNG in the South Pacific, which means shipping and receiving the coffee can be a logistical challenge, the coffee plant continues to be the only cash crop in the country for many families.

Also nowadays it’s fairly common to see established co-ops working in countries like Nicaragua, Guatemala and Indonesia, yet in PNG it's individuals and families who are surprisingly still the country’s primary coffee producers.

The Coffee.

My team and I experimented with the roast level of this season's PNG, Purosa a few times before we settled in on its sweetspot. As the coffee cools, you’ll notice that it becomes much more complex with key flavours of milk chocolate and nuts rising to the surface. The coffee also has a hint of fruit flavour at its finish, which is rounded out nicely by its well-balanced acidity and body.

This is the second season that we’ve offered a coffee from Papua New Guinea as part of our seasonal line-up and given our Purosa’s recent cupping performance there will be many more to come.

Enjoy your cup,

Banks Thomas, Director of Coffee

Category: Exceptional Coffee

Our Coffee Subscription Pick: Dec 19 - Jan 2

Banks Thomas •  19 December 2011

Holiday Blend.

** Seasonal supply is longer available at shop.saltspringcoffee.com

There’s nothing we look forward to more than our trips to origin. Even though our visits are business related, finding new coffee to share with you and spending time with our farming partners is one of the best parts of our job.

Recently, I visited Honduras on just such a trip. And after a few fantastic cuppings, I can’t wait to share our latest discoveries with you in the New Year.

A look back at our 2011 coffee subscription.

Our intention with this year’s coffee subscription was to challenge you; to share coffee from different countries of origin, of different varietals and with varying roast profiles to help you bust through your ‘coffee comfort zone’. Many of you shared your top picks from our subscription selection this year, and we want to thank you for the feedback. We’re always refining and tweaking the roast profile of our single origin coffees and your feedback is valuable.

Also, this year we wanted to highlight the importance we place on in-season coffee. Just as apple growers in BC’s Okanagan Valley don’t harvest their crops year-round, the same goes for our partner farmers in Nicaragua and Peru.

Sourcing in-season, single origin coffee by direct trade is a priority for our company in 2012/2013. I’ll be posting my Honduras Trip report to our blog shortly, where I share stories about some of the new co-op relationships we’re building in the Copan region of Honduras and notes on some of the great coffee we cupped along the way.

From all of us at Salt Spring Coffee, Happy Holiday and enjoy your cup,

Banks Thomas, Director of Coffee

Category: Exceptional Coffee

Our Coffee Subscription Pick: December 1 - 19

Banks Thomas •  01 December 2011

Roaster's Revolution.

Roaster's Revolution is known for its smoky, earth flavours and for having a very full body. One of our very first Classic Blends, it continues to be hugely popular with fans of dark roast coffee.

This two-bean blend is a combination of a single origin Sumatran and our French Roast Nicaragua, which means this coffee enjoys the best of both worlds: the full body of a Sumatran coffee and the delicious smoky and “roasty” characteristics of a French Roast.

Westcoasters often talk about their love of dark roast coffees. Though, the roast profile of a coffee is just one element of the overall coffee experience. Origin, varietal and harvest season all play an important role is shaping the tasting notes of a coffee. If you are a “dark roast lover” we challenge you to move beyond roast level when you describe your favourite coffees.

What key flavours do you come across when you sip your Roaster's Revolution? Post your tasting notes on our Facebook page or tweet them to us.

Enjoy your cup,

Banks Thomas, Director of Coffee

Category: Exceptional Coffee