December Box
Everything you need to know about the coffees in your box.
That’s right! Last month’s Blue Bag is the third coffee this month.
Coffee No. 1
Ethiopia
Wolichu Wachu
Natural
Special note: This coffee will be best enjoyed after a 10-14 day rest period.
This Natural from Wolichu Wachu washing station has a complex sweetness, fragrant florals and that delicious jammy, berry taste we love in East African Naturals.
While Ethiopia is famous as coffee’s birthplace, today it remains a specialty coffee industry darling for its incredible variety of flavours.
The exceptional quality of Ethiopian coffee is due to a combination of factors. The genetic diversity of coffee varieties means that we find a diversity of flavour, even between (or within) farms with similar growing conditions and processing.
In addition to varieties, different processing methods also contribute to end quality – and this is a hint of the next coffee we’ll be releasing.
Most producers in Ethiopia are smallholders, and the majority continue to cultivate coffee using traditional methods.
As a result, most coffee is grown with no chemical fertiliser or pesticide use. Coffee is almost entirely cultivated, harvested and dried using manual systems.
Country: Ethiopia
Region: Oromia Region
Altitude: 2100 – 2310masl
Producer: Haileselassie Ambaye PLC
Variety: Red Bourbon and Typica
Processing: Natural
Coffee No. 1
Kenya
Kamwangi AA Lot 2
washed
The Kamwangi Factory (wash station) is one of three wet mills of the New Ngariama Cooperative Society in Kirinyaga in Central Kenya. They have proven to be very consistent in quality over the last years, and have great systems for traceability and quality control. They are Rainforest Alliance certified, and have established soaking pits for waste water treatment. Kamwangi collects cherries from about 1000 smallholders with an average of 0,4 hectares of coffees, about 250 trees each. Fermentation is done with fresh river water which is then recycled during the day through a recycling process enabling them to significantly reduce water consumption.
The farmers under the New Ngariama Cooperative in Kirinyaga are located on the slopes of Mount Kenya. These coffees are world renowned for their intense, complex, and flavour-dense cup profiles.
Country: Kenya
Region: Kirinyaga
Altitude: 1800 masl
Producer: Kamwangi Factory
Variety: SL28, SL34, Batian, Ruiru 11
Processing: Washed
Brewing the Kamwangi AA Lot 2
Brew with high quality water, well-ground coffee for best results.
If you’re struggling with your grinder at home, we can grind for you in the roastery!
Espresso Recipe
Our espresso suggestion is to start at 1 : 2,25 ratio (eg. 20g : 45g) in a range of 25 – 28 sec
AeroPress
Coffee grind: Medium (24 clicks on Comandante)
Recipe: 16g coffee : 220g water
Method: Add coffeee and all the water Stir 5 times and insert plunger without pressing. At 1min20sec, remove plunger and stir 5 times. Press for a total brew time of 2 mins
Total Time: 2 min
Water Temperature: 94°
Coffee No. 2
burundi
Murambi Hill Washed
washed
Migoti Coffee Company is a vision of Dan Brose, conceived in 2015 during long car trips across Burundi with Pontien Ntunzwenimana, a local engineer. Their vision is to connect local Burundian coffee farmers, through quality coffee processing and transparent supply chains, with buyers and roasters from around the world. Dan and Pontien, both born in Burundi, desire to see coffee-producing communities economically transformed, with coffee as a catalyst for the growth. Trained as engineers, Pontien and Dan have a clear understanding of how to build, operate and continually improve systems. Dan’s many years of experience in business and humanitarian development work, and Pontien’s childhood roots in a coffee-producing community make them a powerful team to partner with the local community for long-term transformation. Prior to 2015, the multi-generational coffee farmers in Pontien’s home community had all but abandoned coffee as a source of income due to the 12 year civil war (1993-2005) when their Arabica coffee trees were neglected and destroyed. Another challenge was the great distance between their small farms and washing stations, which led many farmers to process lower quality coffee on their farms.
With peace in the country and a state-of-the-art coffee washing station that Pontien built in 2016, the local community has new-found hope for the future and farmers are excited to invest in their coffee farms. Pontien’s first full year of green coffee production in 2016 proved the local coffee to be some of the best in Burundi, and Pontien continues to work with local farmers to improve quality and quantity in order to build a brighter future for their families and the next generation. Quality coffee production is just one of the entrepreneurial projects that Pontien has planned in his community. He and Dan are actively developing a small hydropower plant to provide low-cost renewable energy to the local community and to the coffee washing station. He is investigating new crops for the coffee farmers to inter crop with their coffee trees – such as essential oil crops which will be processed into essential oils at Migoti Mountain. And he is planning to build an eco-lodge at the Migoti Mountain site for tourists who want to visit this beautiful part of Burundi and to learn about the origins of coffee and essential oils.
Country: Burundi
Region: Bujumbura
Altitude: 1750 masl
Producer: Migoti Coffee Co.
Variety: Red Bourbon
Processing: Washed
Region: Bujumbura
Altitude: 1750 masl
Producer: Migoti Coffee Co.
Variety: Red Bourbon
Processing: Washed
Coffee No. 3
colombia
Delagua Anaerobic Natural
Anaerobic Natural
Delagua Coffee Paradise is a project by Equation Coffee. Equation are also responsible for La Palma y El Tucan.
Delagua’s mission statement is conservation.“This project focuses on producing natural and honey processed micro-lots, using the minimum amount of water in doing so. Through an inclusive, community–based model, they guide their team and neighboring coffee growers, encouraging them to become guardians of the ecosystem.” Delagua supports 68 small holder farmers in the Cienaga region, one of whom is Danger Ruedes, the producer of this exceptional Anaerobic Natural.
Danger is a passionate coffee farmer and has been cultivating his farm for five years with three successful harvests thanks to the legacy of his grandparents and father. He aims to improve coffee quality through soil and water conservation practices, while facing climate challenges in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Country: Colombia
Region: Cienaga
Altitude: 1350 masl
Producer: Danger Ruedes
Variety: Castillo
Processing: Anaerobic Natural
november'S BLUE Bag
colombia
Danger Anaerobic Natural
anaerobic natural
Flavour notes: Grape, cherry fizz pop and milk chocolate
Country: Colombia
Region: Cienaga
Altitude: 1350 masl
Producer: Danger Ruedes
Variety: Castillo
Processing: Anaerobic Natural
Coffee No. 2
Burundi
Migoti Hill
Natural
Sweet, winey and tasting of red grape and nectarine 
This is our fourth season of coffee from Migoti and the increase in quality year on year has been pretty insane.
We have loved this lot for filter and espresso. In fact, it has to be the best value and most versatile coffee on our menu at the moment. You can expect pronounced sweetness and a high quality red-apple-like acidity.
Migoti Coffee are focused on improving the lives of their community through specialty coffee and we are extremely proud to Trade Transparently with them.
Country: Burundi
Region: Bujumbura-Rural Province
Altitude: 1700 masl
Producer: Migoti Coffee Co.
Variety: Red Bourbon
Processing: Natural
Coffee No. 2
Guatemala
El Aquacate
Washed
This lovely lot is full of sweet, floral tones with notes of stone fruit, naartjie and brown sugar 🍊
The producer, Francisco Caspar Salucio, prioritises bringing forth excellent coffee with high standards.
This washed coffee is dried on raised beds, and has lovely tangerine character, along with sugary sweetness. There was obviously a ton of care put into growing this coffee; it is extremely clean and transparent, a joy to drink.
Country: Guatemala
Region: Huehuetenango
Altitude: 1750 masl
Producer: Francisco Caspar Salucio
Variety: Caturra Amarillo, Pache
Processing: Washed
Coffee No. 3
Guatemala
La Joya
washed
A tropical-tasting favourite from the 2021 subscriptions 🏝
“La Joya” means jewel, but it’s also a local term in Huehuetenango that refers to a small valley with mountains on each side.
Ismar Cano’s farm produces outstanding coffee due to the ideal microclimate that forms due to the unique geography. In his 40 years as a coffee producer, Ismar has worked to fill his farms with a variety of shade trees in order to produce great coffee while preserving the natural environment.
In recent years, he has seen the added value of producing coffee of high quality, and with the help of our agronomy team he is proud to have attained his best quality lots ever this harvest season!
Country: Guatemala
Region: Huehuetenango
Altitude: 1700 masl
Producer: Ismar Cano Lopez
Variety: Caturra and Bourbon
Processing: Washed
Coffee No. 2
Guatemala
Primavera Family
washed
The Primavera Family is a coffee we have been excited about for the last 12 months! We’re tasting notes of dark chocolate, cola and some orange zest 🥤🍫
For this lot, coffees from 16 different producers were combined to create a great quality regional blend. The personal relationships the Primavera Coffee company have with the producers goes further than just the trade.
They give a great chance for these producers to highlight their coffees together. This regional Huehuetenango regional lot differs largely from the other coffees on the market since they can provide a full traceability of this coffee.
They constantly work with their producers to improve the quality of their coffee and therefore price of their coffees. They believe that investing in these producers now will bring some great results in the future, both in coffee quality and in social change.
This coffee is balanced, sweet and full bodied. Works like a wonder as espresso!
Country: Guatemala
Region: Huehuetenango
Altitude: 1560-1650 masl
Producer: Small Producers of Huehuetenango
Variety: Caturra, Catuai and Bourbon
Processing: Washed
Coffee No. 3
Burundi
Migoti Hill
Washed
Migoti coffee is produced high in the mountains of Burundi. Their primary producer partnership is with Pontien Ntunzwenimana and the coffee community around his washing station in Mutambu Commune, Bujumbura Rurale Province – high above Lake Tanganyika at 6,070 ft above sea level.
The washing station serves a community of 48,359 people that includes 3,698 coffee farmers with 1,000,487 coffee trees at altitudes ranging between 5,500 and 6,500 ft above sea level.
All of these trees are the red bourbon cultivar of Coffee Arabica–the predominant coffee tree in the Burundi highlands.
At their partner washing stations they produce fully washed, natural and honey-processed coffee. Their roasting partners describe the fully washed coffee from Mutambu Commune as “bright and fruity,” with cupping scores ranking it among the best specialty coffees in Burundi
Country: Burundi
Region: Bujumbura-Rural Province
Altitude: 1750 masl
Producer: Migoti Coffee Co.
Variety: Red Bourbon
Processing: Washed
The Blue Bag
Burundi
Migoti Hill
Washed
Migoti coffee is produced high in the mountains of Burundi. Their primary producer partnership is with Pontien Ntunzwenimana and the coffee community around his washing station in Mutambu Commune, Bujumbura Rurale Province – high above Lake Tanganyika at 6,070 ft above sea level.
The washing station serves a community of 48,359 people that includes 3,698 coffee farmers with 1,000,487 coffee trees at altitudes ranging between 5,500 and 6,500 ft above sea level.
All of these trees are the red bourbon cultivar of Coffee Arabica–the predominant coffee tree in the Burundi highlands.
At their partner washing stations they produce fully washed, natural and honey-processed coffee. Their roasting partners describe the fully washed coffee from Mutambu Commune as “bright and fruity,” with cupping scores ranking it among the best specialty coffees in Burundi
Country: Burundi
Region: Bujumbura-Rural Province
Altitude: 1750 masl
Producer: Migoti Coffee Co.
Variety: Red Bourbon
Processing: Washed
The Blue Bag
Guatemala
Los Tablones
Washed
The Los Tablones is a special offering for this month’s subscribers. This coffee only featured as the Blue Bag this month, and will not appear on bar this year.
Baudilio’s father planted his first coffee about 62 years ago, starting with less than one hectare of coffee, and began learning all he could about the crop.
They started sowing more coffee and made progress little by little. They began processing coffee about 40 years ago, and Baudilio has worked to improve his processes in order to produce the best possible coffee.
On their farm, in addition to fostering native shade trees, they actively work to protect small springs and water sources for the health of the environment.
Country: Guatemala
Region: Fraijanes
Altitude: 1500 – 1900 masl
Producer: Baudilio Lemus
Variety: Pache San Ramon, Caturra, Catuai
Processing: Washed
The Blue Bag
Rwanda
Gisheke Lot 17
Washed
Flavours of kiwi, brown sugar and grapefruit 🥝
For this month’s Blue Bag, we picked a coffee that has not featured for a while – the Gisheke Lot 17.
Gisheke receives much of its cherries from farms on the islands on Lake Kivu.
These cherries are brought to the washing station by boat, and forty percent of the cherries come specifically from the Island of Bushungwe.
During the 2018 crop year, Rwanda experienced records amount of rainfall—the most in 32 years. This posed a significant challenge to the newly reopened Gisheke washing station. The Muraho Trading Company shares that it “fantastically … adopted and learn[ed] and produced truly some of the best…and favorite lots of the year!”
Muraho Trading Co. is helping Gisheke farmers prepare for future crop cycles with a nursery of 43,000 red Bourbon seedling that it will distribute to farmers to help them increase their crop yields and income in future years.
Country: Rwanda
Region: Nyamasheke District
Altitude: 1650 -1850 masl
Producer: MTCo.
Variety: Red Bourbon
Processing: Washed
Bluebird Blog: Two Golden Fish
We’ve started the Bluebird Blog! Want to read about what to expect from Two Golden Fish in the future?
Give it a read.
Add anything to your sub
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June's Sneak Peek 👀
A good friend is moving back to the USA. He played a significant role in inspiring me to start this subscription program. In his honour, we are proud to present the final nanolot from Jaguara in Brazil. We released the first nanolot in January and the overwhelming feedback was that it was a “favourite of all time” coffee for many. That was my less favourite of the two… yes… this is going to be a goodie!
