3 Goddesses of Hawaiian Coffee

Sitting in the center of the pacific ocean the volcanic archipelago that is a rugged, majestic & lush tropical paradise forms the state of Hawaii.  The Hawaiian islands with her difficult terrain promises beauty and protection. The energy of the land also known as "Aina" allows for food cultivation, while waterfalls provide year round irrigation for the Aina and the seas have been blessed with ample amounts of food for fishermen.

Early settlers would pay tribute to the Hawaiian Gods by building temple sites or "Heiau" a place of worship and prayer where they would also provide offerings. Normally Heiau's  are long rows of stacked rocks and there are many ancient worship sites across the islands.

Still to this day Spiritual energy is alive on the Islands and Hawaiians believe it has power from the source of life the Aina gives off. Whether it is Grain of Sand under your feet, a powerful crashing wave on the coast or the calming winds moving across the surface, they all have power.

 Heiau in Hawaii (Photo Cred: American Travel Journal) 

Before Pan Am clippers brought intrigued tourists to enjoy the spirit of Aloha and before trade ships arrived in the 1700's there is a  different story to tell of heritage and ancient mythology that created the Aina and Inspired the Heiau's.

A story of Gods inspired by the Islanders nature-myths.

This is the story of Namakaokaha'i, Haumea & Pele and how each goddess contributes to the tradition of Hawaiian coffee.

Haumea: "Mother Earth"

Haumea: Goddess of Earth- Haumea the Mother of Pele and Namaka provides beauty, fertility, abundance and She is symbolized by fresh flowers and/or Lei's.

Haumea provides bountiful foods to the Islanders through the land including coffee plants would thrive in the conditions set by Pele with rich volcanic soil guiding the plants nutrition and Namaka providing the right amount of rainfall and waterfalls for irrigation.

Namakaokaha'i: Goddess of Water

Namakaokaha'i: Goddess of Water & Sea- Hula drums rain with acoustics that ring through the rugged cliffs and greeted by the changing surf dancing across the sand and gracefully making her presence know to the Land.
Namakaokaha'i is also know as Namaka and is Pele's older sister. Namaka will send waves crashing into the coast almost quarreling with her sister and showing force.  Namaka provides us with the water the brew coffee and that water may come in different forms. Waterfalls and rivers navigating through the islands from the Snow melt at the top of Mauna Kea a dormant volcano allows Namaka to shown her presence at high elevations 13,796 Ft. above sea level.  The Islanders embrace Namaka being on the ocean for sea voyages in outrigger canoes and feasting off the gifts below the waters surface.

Pele: Goddess of Fire

Pele: Goddess of Fire- The most active and famous Goddess unpredictably erupting blazing the sky red and sending fire to the heavens creating new land mass that continues to stretch the Archipelago into new rugged land. The volcanic soil Pele produces will then give ground and porous drainage for Haumea to produce wild plants such as coffee trees to bear fruit. Volcanic fires are always burning in the mountains showing Pele's direct creativity & Passionate personality. Pele resides at the Halemaumau Crater.


Many years ago I was inspired by a coffee tasting that took place in Hawaii that sourced Namakaokaha'i's fresh snow from the volcano mountain top. The snow was melted in a french press in Pele's boiling hot springs.  Kona coffee provided by Haumea was added to the press for the freshest and most bountiful press the Goddesses would have given energy to provide.

Sources:
Pele - Goddess of Fire (Winter 1999) By Betty Fullard-Leo

Pele, Volcano Goddess of Hawai'i: A History by H. Arlo Nimmo
Hawaiian Mythology by Martha Warren Beckwith 

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14202811/?claim=26ury7end89">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Brazil Sïtio Baixadāo - Origin, Tradition, Process & Passion

Brazil Sïtio Baixadāo - Cup of Excellence (COE) Naturals 1st Place (95.18 points)

First I have to say thank you to Starbucks Melody for graciously sending over this COE coffee and allowing me to have a virtual shared experience.

I am particularly a fan of Sun dried, Natural processed coffee. It has always been the process I gravitated to not just for the unique taste profile. To understand Natural processed coffee you have to understand the meticulous care taken in harvesting and drying coffee to produce this special cup. Once coffee is picked the coffee cherries begin to ferment in 2 hours and has to begin processing the same day. In terms of potential financial impact Whether the coffee is sun dried over 4-7 days on a concrete patio or raised beds carefully adjusted by hands this process creates a bottle neck in production for the farmer to continually move coffee off the patio and lay out next harvest.

Brazil Sïtio Baixadāo has the highest score ever for a cup of excellence natural processed coffee. This Coffee is a Natural processed Catuai varietal that was grown on 5 Hectares with an average elevation of 4,101 Ft. in Mantiqueira de Minas region. The Mantiqueira de Minas region is the geographical indication (GI) that represents a regional heritage, traceability and coffee producing culture that truly highlights a coffee growing area producing something special with strict and consistent standards. The goal is to maintain the identity of the area. For Example think of the famous Nariño region of Colombia and how coffee buyers wax poetic about the coffee in that particular area. 

The farm is located in Cristina, on the Minas Gerais side of the Mantiqueira Mountain Ridge and owned by 2 Brothers, Antônio Márcio da Silva and Sebastião Afonso da Silva. Coffee growing on the farm began 20 years ago as an idea to set aside land and eventually evolved into compelling passion of sustainability and is now the families main income.  All harvesting on the farm is done by hand and taken to a mill for processing directly on the farm.  Coffee is dried out on patios and then in mechanical dryers to ensure quality. 

Photo Cred: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantiqueira_Mountains

Catuai: Brazil and Hybridizing Coffee

Brazil is not a stranger to hybrids. Farmers began to learn different coffee varieties such as the the first plantings of typica and Bourbon produced different characteristics. Typica often had your classic coffee taste profile and Bourbon produced a sweet cup characteristic and has a smaller yield. Eventually Coffee farmers would cross these 2 Varieties and Name it Mondo Novo meaning “New World.” Mondo Novo (Typica x Bourbon)

Soon Coffee farmers would then take Mondo Novo and cross it with Caturra. Caturra is a hybrid of Bourbon that naturally morphed in Brazil. This genetic differentiation was just 1 gene that impacted that plants internal distance between leaves leading to a smaller plant that can be planted closer together for harvesting. Caturra became extremely popular due to its compactness and higher producing yields. 

Catuai is compact hybrid crossed with Mondo Novo & Caturra. (Mondo Novo x Caturra)

Variety is important to know what the coffee is going to taste like. Genetic differentiation between plants allows for unique characteristics to come forward and allow each varietal to shine. Eventually the Catuai (cat -two- ah- ee) would soon be planted all over Brazil which brings us to our Natural Processed Brazil Sïtio Baixadāo today.

Tasting Notes (Used Kalita Wave 185 as it is forgiving on the pour and minimizes technique)

• 24 Grams x 288 Grams Water in Ceramic Kalita Wave 185 
• Grind Setting: 9 on Baratza Virtuoso Burr Grinder
• Hario Buono Kettle with Flow Restrictor
• Water: 50 PPM
• 30 grams of water with 30 second Bloom time
• Pulse pour every 50 Grams to achieve 288 grams total volume
• 17.4% Extraction Yield

Aroma: 

Distinct Red wine, Fruity aroma  during brew

Hints of fresh Mango shined through at 124 Degrees

On the fun side the nose reminded me of Fruity/Berry children cereal 

Acidity: Nice soft Citrus acidity when hot, very juicy making you salivate

Body: Sturdy body with hint of Spice and Plum aftertaste that still had a clean a invigorating finish

Flavor: Cherry, Spice, Citrus, Juicy = complex

Pairings:

Paired with Mango Marmalade coffee became sweet like simple syrup

Paired with Fage Yogurt mixed with Mango Coffee displayed an astringent quality

Paired with a Cannoli and the cup loved hints of spice

In Short Anyone can buy coffee based on their expectation level and this Brazil Sïtio Baixadāo Cup of Excellence coffee truly reflects the many 1st prize and 2nd prized awards it has achieved.

Explore Aroma w/ Starbucks Gold Coast Pour Over

Here is a Coffee tasting I Completed with Gold Coast pour over on the importance of utilizing whole bean and ground coffee for aroma attributes during a tasting.  

Whole Bean at 70 degrees releases certain CO2, when I  grind the coffee on my Burr Grinder it elevates 5 degrees increasing the amount of CO2 released introducing new aromas. 

First pre-wet your filter to warm the cone, remove paper taste and loosen fibers for great extraction then add coffee grounds, shake to flatten the bed and add a small dimple using a spoon in the middle to direct your water.

The introduction of Hydrolysis (Hot water to coffee bed) elevates temp, since CO2 repels water there needs to be a 30 sec bloom time to allow gases to escape and prepare the coffee bed for the remaining water. Only then will you unlock flavors on your second pour and create unique slurry, adding water in circular motion starting in the middle and working you way out without touching the sides of the filter.

Enjoy!

Colombia Nariño

Coffee Loyalty- Colombia through time has always been the branded face synonymous with coffee. If Ethiopia represents royalty as the Queen of coffee and Sumatra creates a cult following with its earthy/herbal lusciousness, then Colombia truly represents adamant loyalty.



First offered in 1990 Colombia Nariño Supremo referred to the country (Colombia), the region (Nariño) and the bean size (Supremo).



Colombian coffee is often celebrated for its milk chocolate taste and dry nutty finish similar to the skin of a Walnut.



The Nariño region for Coffee in terms of Harvesting, soil composition and altitude is all about Location, location, location!



With perfect jeans and T-shirt weather (60-75 degrees) the Nariño region in Colombia has the most outstanding attributes to create an outstanding harvest.



The region benefits from a great deal of sunlight since it is located near the equator and achieves a nutrient rich organic soil composition from the Galeras volcano. A considerable amount if rainfall and mix in one of the highest altitudes in the world for growing coffee at 2300 meters (2nd to Kenya, also depends on who you're asking a Kenyan or Colombian) you have all the variables on your side to create something masterful. Tons of sunlight, the right genetic material, soil composition, and now you just need proper nurturing and pruning!



When you think about high altitude farming, consider the hot days and cooler nights that will slow down production for these coffee trees and allow for fruit with deeper more concentrated profiles.

This high-altitude theoretically would have conditions that do not favor exceptional coffee practices, however the trapped in the heat from the bottom of the valley rises as the day goes on creating warmer air turbulence in the evening so that the climate doesn't get cold overnight.



This coffee is ethically sourced working towards a preferred status through C.A.F.E practices ensuring prerequisites of quality and economic standards are met followed by social and environmental responsibility.



This is a Pre-Roast region blend that achieves with the washing process a medium body with medium acidity and can impart herbal flavors as well as rich chocolate notes and nutty finish.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Deconstructed Tribute Blend

The Art of Blending- Starbucks most complex roast originally created in 2011, definitely has a compelling story to tell. Howard Schultz tells the story best in Onward.  "I stood in the cupping room across from my office and tasted the new blend for the first time. The coffee hit my tongue with a beautiful aged cedar note that gave way to a robust fruitiness and ended with a balanced acidity. This is exactly what I was looking for,  I said to Dub, Andrew, and Doug Langworthy, who had led the development. “This is a big, bold, knock‐your‐socks off coffee.” It really was spectacular. We hugged and shook hands, and I took a sample home to make for my wife, Sheri, and me in my French press. Sipping the coffee the next morning, I knew it was exactly what I had hoped for and like nothing I’d ever experienced." —Excerpt from Onward: by Howard Schultz.



Each portion of this blend played a specific role in why it was chosen and truly displays a culinary skill of roasting and blending.  To tell each coffees individual story we deconstructed the beans and measured out 15 grams of coffee for each profile.  For brewing them separately we used Hario V60 Size 02 pour overs ground on 14 in Virtuoso grinder with SCAA standard ratio of 1 gram of coffee to 16 grams of water.

The Coffees:

• Colombia

• Natural Processed Ethiopian

• Aged Sumatra

• New Guinea Peaberry

The washed high altitude coffee from the Colombia Nariño region are great for blending and was selected since it is where Starbucks first contributed to social projects to improve the life of the farmer. The Colombian beans are the largest beans in the bag. These beans are most likely Supremo bean size, the next size down would be excelsior. In the Pour over this coffee displayed Mild nutty taste similar to almonds and walnuts with an astringent clean finish. The acidity was present and did not dominate the cup profile, instead would play nice with another coffee.

I would imagine of the Sun has a favorite coffee it would be Naturally processed Sun‐dried Ethiopian coffee.  These coffee beans are actually roasted separately to achieve the complex berry taste and are the smallest coffee beans in the bag.  These beans were selected for the Skill in traditional natural process coffee. Natural processing concentrates the sugars and flavors in the Cherry as they are allowed to dry traditionally on raised tables. The raised tables can regulate heat and airflow while reducing moisture similar to the "Passito" Wine making techniques.  As this coffee drys often it smells like raisins and provides the most risk as coffee begins to ferment 2 hours after it is picked from the tree. Rotting in the sun can occur if weather variables are not regulated. As we brewed this portion the grounds it gave off a strong fruity (raspberry and cranberry) aroma. The taste profile on its own definitely had wild blueberry component similar to Ethiopia Harrar with a sturdy body and quick tart acidity.

The Washed Peaberry coffee beans comes from Papua New Guinea and was on the Starbucks coffee menu when Pike Place first opened.  Papua New Guinea coffee farms are identified by eastern and Western along a continuous mountain top. The varietals are bountiful with Typica, Kent, and Bourbon, however its the processing of the coffee that can taint such a great harvest.  Peaberry only makes up 5% of all coffee and occurs when only when seed inside the cherry is fertilized and develops a round shape since there is not another seed to flatten it. Tribal Knowledge and some experts say these beans roast better and evenly.  These beans have well rounded shape and are plump full oval coffee beans in various shapes and sizes. The washed process is unique to Indonesian coffee and really brings forth the acidic complexity.  This coffee still had a coriander spice component and actually sweetened up when it cooled down similar to Sugar in the Raw on the finish.

Aged Sumatra which was the first coffee chosen for this blend, is semi‐washed coffee that tells the story of High Sea romance of nature and coffee seed chemistry. The green coffee is aged 3-5 years in Singapore to replicate the aging of coffee on dutch ships sailing the Indian ocean. Aging Indonesian coffee has become a Starbucks trait to showcase the big velvety cedar and spicy profile. Aged Sumatra mostly makes up the tangible broken pieces. As age coffee is roasted it often breaks up since it is brittle.  Tasted Separately this coffee demonstrated a heavy full body, deep woody notes with a unique cinnamon spice smoothness.

Yes the pour over stand is home made.

Starbucks Puerto Rico

"La Isla de Encanto"- When I think about Puerto Rico or the "Isle of Enchantment" and its roots and I can proudly embrace such a great food culture and traditions celebrated by Carne Guisada, Arroz con Gandules, Alcapurrias, and Pasteles. It brings back memories of Being in Cabo Rojo and Vieques as a child. Traditions are the spoil of our life, they connecting us to who we are, what we believe in, and strokes the emotion of the heart. Everyday at home started with either Stovetop espresso or coffee steeped stove top in a pan and filtered through a coffee sock (Woodneck pour over or Chorreador) and the coffee of choice was café Bustelo or Pilon.

The island of Puerto Rico has always flourished with outstanding pride. When I think of Puerto Rico I always think of outstanding food culture, vibrant community, pristine beaches and tradition.

Puerto Rico's coffee tradition dates back to 1736 when Spanish explorers and settlers brought coffee trees to the island. The genetic material from these coffee trees are direct descendants from trees that belong to Louis the 14th. Even though Once upon a time Puerto Rico dominated the coffee industry, Coffee production has always been a secondary classification as sugar became it's top export. Unfortunately Hurricanes throughout history have really devastated the coffee production in Puerto Rico and it really takes eight years of speculation to know if you have anything really great happening in your cup after you think about having the right coffee plant, nurturing, and labor for harvest.

Even though you can find great coffee varieties on the Island (Mundo Nuevo, Red & Yellow Bourbon, Villalobos, Caturra, Pacas, Columnaris) Rarely anymore does anyone think of Puerto Rico having such a great coffee Production culture. Climate change, Low altitude, and lack of interest from a younger generation has with increased job options have really changed the landscape over time.

The aroma in this cup really shines through with heavy Walnut/Pecan notes and subtle honey like sweetness.

The body in this cup really achieves a balanced bitter sweet taste with a delicate acidity that really doesn't sparkle or provide brightness.

I can see why this coffee has held so much pride on the island as it would be a great coffee to adulterate with cream and sugar.

Coffee Bigger than our Dreams- Hacienda Alsacia

"Its amazing what you can afford if you share Knowledge."-

On a recent trip to Costa Rica one of our support staff stated it's amazing what we can afford if we just share knowledge and it has resonated with me ever since. Coffee along with its pride and tradition needs community. No one meets over a cup of coffee to celebrate failures or disconnect friendships, instead it is a building block of friendship and a free ticket to explore the world up by geography. Coffee needs a great supporting cast to bring to life the great genetic material, soil composition, and plant nurturing. This knowledge really comes from sharing proven practices and allowing the coffee tree to be a great mother for its fruit. Just like every job and productive group I have been a part of- teaching, coaching, accountability, and integrity were the most common themes in every conversation amongst farmers and agronomist alike.

Now, going to Coffee Origin with its caring people and culture was humbling enough on its own. Every day one of my most overwhelming challenges was to truly listen and appreciate each moment as I wanted to take so many notes and document photos to show pride and joy each farmer wanted to share.  When someone is practically donating happiness it is truly hard to listen instead of celebrating and this listening was totally different, it was truly listening with empathy.

All in all listening gives respect and listening really gave me the capacity to collect the data I needed and I didn't have to write it down all I had to do was interpret it back from the heart. The journey that I am sharing with you today is what each Day meant to me down in Central America.

My shared experience started with the sense of commitment. Each farmer and the support staff were ordinary people with talent to literally change the world. The farmers stood right in the center of possibility and showed up passionately and fearlessly. They did not want to pick coffee on the plateau of a hill instead they behaved masterfully at the top of the mountain.

The greatest message I received on this journey was that of integrity. It was not only what I heard, it was also what I saw the farmer do with his hands! Each farmer played great at the fundamentals, it wasn't about the quantity of the work it was about the true quality and commitment that was shared throughout the work.

This deep emotional experience made me realize sharing coffee at its core really sparked relationships. It was not just the relationships I gained during my time in Costa Rica, it was every connection that I have had over coffee since my first coffee tasting in 2004.

I truly realize embarking on this journey definitely was not the pinnacle, however it was a midway point on my journey that truly carved out authentic excellence and shaped my imagination into what it is today.

Anniversary Blend - Closer look at Aged Coffee

Starbucks Sumatra

Coffee cultivation in Sumatra began around 1699 when Dutchmen transplanted trees from nearby Indonesian islands.

One of the most beloved traits and hallmarks of Asian/Pacific region is the luscious body of Sumatra coffee. The earthy notes are results from this coffee being semi-washed heightening it's already full body and creating a cup with minimal acidity. The lure with Sumatran coffee is enough to drive consumers and connoisseurs alike to craze a cup on a cold day.

While Semi-washed processing can only occur in countries where the humidity is low and the coffee can be dried rapidly without fermenting, there is much risk as the wet and unprotected green bean can easily be damaged while hulling, or drying on the patio. 

During the semi-washed process the coffee is picked,hulled, then dried for about 4 days. An important note is when coffee is picked from the tree it begins to ferment 2 hours after picking so processing the coffee is critical.  The beans are meticulously checked and raked about every 30 mins until they reach the appropriately moisture level. This is where experience alone pays off evaluating the drying beans as all the farmers senses come into play.

If a delicately produced Latin American coffee displayed taste attributes of Asian/Pacific coffee it would immediately be thrown out. The earthy and herbal tones would be considered defective or bad processing.

If a Sumatra supplier can consistently provide the same coffee, processed the same way, there are buyers who see this as a uniquely different flavor profile, and a welcome break from the Latin American or African coffees.

The aroma of Sumatran coffee Reminds me of hiking or smelling the leaves and red clay after it rains or fresh potting soil. People have fell in love with this coffee murkiness and even captured everyones attention by having a ferocious cup much like the sumatran tiger.  The body in the cup is thick and heavy and if you rub your tongue on the roof of your mouth it will create a coating similar to half and half.  This coffee will linger and is excellent for blending. On a side note often with blending sometimes 10% of Indonesian blends comes from India which is know as "Poor Mans Sumatra." The taste of the place captivates all who want a sturdy coffee, that behaves well with other coffee origins and creates a special cup.

Food Pairings- Warmed pumpkin loaf w/ Butter, Oatmeal Cookie, Madeline's, Oatmeal w/ 2 pumps Cinnamon Dolce, Asiago Bagel w/ Cream Cheese

Howard Schultz described his first sip in the book "Pour Your Heart Into It":

“As we spoke, the counterman scooped out some Sumatra coffee beans, ground them, put the grounds in a filter cone, and poured hot water over them. I took a small, tentative sip. Whoa. I threw my head back, and my eyes shot wide open. Even from a single sip, I could tell it was stronger than any coffee I had ever tasted......
Then I took another sip. This time I could taste more of the full flavors as they slipped over my tongue. By the third sip I was hooked.”

Kenya Nyeri Gatomboya Peaberry

Exotic Complexity - We were intrigued just by the thought of purchasing and roasting a Kenya peaberry coffee to see how dynamic the cup would be. Just the description of what the final taste could be teased us for 24 hrs as we let the fresh coffee de-gas. We knew peaberry are rare and coming from Kenya after some research peaberry is only about 6% of the entire crop. These beans are from Nyeri region and Gatomboya is a coffee wet mill where the coffee cherries are washed, pulped, fermented, washed and then dried.

Kenyan coffees as we know are the heavyweights of east African coffee and usually roasters use Kenyan coffees as a benchmark for comparing quality.

     We roasted this coffee ourselves this time using a plain ol' rival popcorn popper from your local vendor. They are nice and plump in the raw form and appeared slightly larger after roasting.  We took this coffee to a full city roast as documented on the left.  After letting the coffee sit overnight we took it for a course grind and noticed a very exotic fruit aroma. 

     As we let the grounds bloom for a minute with 8 oz. of water the aroma intensified and gave off a thick jam like scent of berry and possibly mango.  On first slurp these beans shine with an acidity that lights up your palate front to back and dissipates quickly with a mango/apricot flavor rolling in afterward.  Scents of red berries interestingly took over as the cup cooled and the acidity became balanced with the smooth body.  This coffee is very similar to a 3-piece jazz ensemble when it comes to complexity. It was clean as it cooled, bright up front when it was hot, fleshy stone fruit flavor in the beginning, exotic and berry tasting as it cooled.  We paired this Kenyan coffee with Raspberry chocolate cake.  The raspberry flavor gave the coffee a sweet delicate red berry taste with a subtly tart finish.

Guatemala Casi Cielo

     Almost Heaven - Coffee from the Antigua region represents the best of the best!  This coffee was created in collaboration and once upon a time served at Seattle's legendary Canlis restaurant to pair with their decadent pastries and also used as espresso.  Rumor has it that at that time Starbucks had a decaf version of  Casi Cielo for Canlis Restaurant as well.

     This coffee really highlights the aspect of blending/roasting to achieve a tapestry for your palate and showcase the signature style of Guatemala.  Antigua's coffees are grown above 5,000 feet and the coffee farms are in close proximity to three of Guatemala's 37 volcanoes: Agua, Fuego, & Acatenango.  There are four farms that make up this blend and all four were chosen because each farm has a long history of high-quality coffee.  Each coffee is a Starbucks exclusive and over the years, Starbucks has supported at least one social project at each farm.
The four farms are San Miguel, Entre Volcanes (Special Reserve Estate 2001, Special Reserve 2002), Santa Clara (Special Reserve Blend 2002,2003), and Bella Vista.
     We tried this coffee in a french press and noticed the subtle floral aroma as we bloomed our grounds then prepared our press.  It is described as elegant in flavor and that's exactly how the beans flourished.  Casi Cielo was balanced, very smooth, and medium viscosity.  This coffee definitely had character and wanted to flaunt an outstanding flavor profile on the finish.  There is a tangy acidity to it but it does not over take the experience.  We tried this first with homemade Lemon Bars made by one of our partners coincidentally that day. The lemony acidity was alive, but it was sweet and showed off a different layer of flavor in this complex roast.  Now, before we tried this with chocolate we made a new batch with our chemex brewer but this time we added La Espanola Choffy to the grounds

before steeping on 7 grind.  La Espanola is coarsely ground cocoa beans from the Dominican Republic.
All we had to say was wow.  The cocoa tones and the texture of casi cielo was unreal.  The chocolate taste was astringent and decadent, paired with rocky road cake pop and we had a brownie in our cup. Cheers!