LONDON (March 1, 2010) – Colombia has been selected to host the 12th annual World Barista Championship, which will be held in combination with the 2011 EXPOESPECIALES conference in Bogota.

Seven countries vied to host the 2011 event. “Choosing a winner from the very competitive site proposals we received was an extremely difficult task for the WBC board,” commented WBC Executive Director Cindy Chang.

The World Barista Championship (WBC) event is the annual destination for barista champions hailing from more than 50 countries. In each national competition and dozens of local and regional preliminary events, baristas prepare espressos, cappuccinos and original signature drinks to exacting standards for a panel of international judges.

“We are delighted to host the 2011 Championship,” said Luis Muñoz, CEO of the National Federation of Coffee Growers of Colombia (FNC). “It will be an opportunity for baristas and visitors to keep discovering the world of Colombia Coffee, and also to support our domestic coffee consumption program.”

“The barista movement is worldwide,” said Ric Rhinehart, Executive Director of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, which co-owns the WBC alongside the Speciality Coffee Association of Europe. “We are delighted to see the event take place in a coffee producing country for the first time in its history.”

About World Barista Championship UK Ltd.

The World Barista Championship is the preeminent international coffee competition. Founded by the Specialty Coffee Associations of America and Europe, the event organization promotes excellence in coffee, advancement of the barista profession and engages a worldwide audience with an annual championship that serves as the culmination of regional and national events held in more than 50 countries.

The 2010 World Barista Championship will be held June 23-25, 2010 at Olympia Exhibition Centre in London. For more information, visit the WBC website at http://www.worldbaristachampionship.com.

Keurig B60 Brewer

For those who are not already familiar with Keurig, it is the latest in single cup brewing technology for home use.  It delivers a cup of coffee in less than a minute, using pods called “K-cups” that hold a pre-dosed amount of ground coffee. While they have selections from a handful of roasters on their site, they have made an accessory available that allows the user to try any coffee they like in their Keurig. This attachment is called “My K-Cup” and is available at  various online retailers for about $15.00 on average (some higher priced and some lower, some used and some new).  The attachment is user friendly and allows you versatility in your dose, depending on what size brew you are doing. This offers more precision of flavor than using the pre-portioned K-cups from other roasters. I weighed a few different coffees from various K-cups I received with the brewer and the doses ranged from 10-12 grams depending on brand. Since the brew sizes are 6, 8 and 10 ounces the flavor will vary using the prefabricated k-cups from size to size. I played with the My K-Cup doses at all three sizes to find the best flavor balance for each, something an ordinary K-Cup cannot offer. Here’s the run down of how I used the attachment to make a pretty tasty cup of coffee with our Ethiopian Sidama Ardi Natural…

For the best results you will want to weigh out your dose. Scoops can get you in the ballpark, but are not a completely accurate way to measure your coffee, as a darker roast will weigh less per scoop than a lighter roast (due to weight lost during the roasting process). On the B60 model, the sizes and doses came out to the following-

6oz size (”small cup”)- 8 grams coffee

8oz size (”small mug”)- 12 grams coffee

10oz size (”large mug”)- 15 grams coffee

If your coffee is whole bean you will want to grind it a little finer than the automatic drip setting. It will end up being a little finer than sugar in the raw. The setting I used on our grinder was for the Melitta style (conical filter) brewer. I recommend grinding into something pliable so that you can funnel it into the My K-Cup filter basket (I tapped the basket as I filled it to settle all the coffee in). To retrieve the basket take the My K-Cup attachment and unscrew the lid and pull it out. Once you have filled it, place it back in the holder and screw the lid back on.

Now you’ll want to pop out the K-Cup holder, which is very easy. Open the cover and then push up on the K-Cup holder (where you put your normal K-Cups) from underneath.  Now you should be able to place the My K-Cup housing into the same spot that you removed the holder from. Once it’s in you just shut the lid and press the button for the brew size you dosed for. While it’s not as simple as placing a plastic predosed pod in the machine, it’s still very easy and took me no more than 2 minutes to accomplish.

All in all I was impressed with the result. I wasn’t sure what to expect with a shorter extraction time and a little bit lower temperature, but it was pretty tasty. I tasted it against another Ethiopian K-Cup from a name brand company and the difference was astounding. Ours was lush, sweet and juicy while theirs was heavy bodied and lacked the expected sweetness usually associated with Ethiopian coffees.  I will be doing a few other comparative tastings between pre-made K-cups and our comparable alternatives. Keep a look out!

Step By Step Instructions-

Step By Step- Using the "My K-Cup"

1- Remove the K-Cup holder and set aside

2- Retrieve the filter basket from the “My K-Cup” accessory

3- Weigh your dose of PT’s Coffee according to your brew size:

6oz size (”small cup”)- 8 grams coffee

8oz size (”small mug”)- 12 grams coffee

10oz size (”large mug”)- 15 grams coffee

4- Grind your coffee for a conical filter (a little finer than auto drip)

5- Put your grounds into the “My K-Cup” filter basket

6- Reassemble the “My K-Cup” accessory (put filled filter basket back in and screw on lid)

7- Place “My K-Cup” in Keurig brewer

8- Select Brew

9- Wait for coffee…

10- Enjoy!

These are photos from a recent origin visit to Finca Las Mercedes in El Salvador. I visited producer Lucia Ortiz and her family with staff members Holly Bastin and Morgan Smith. Hope you enjoy the pictures as much as we enjoyed the visit with our friends.

Jeff

[View with PicLens]

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Day 8:

Following a successful MWRBC, I made a last minute decision to continue the coffee party and head to Seattle for the weekend. Seeing an opportunity to share some coffee with industry professionals up there, I brought with me a bag containing some of my favorite coffees from PT’s, including Panama Elida Estate Natural, Las Mercedes El Pepinal 1, Beloya Selection #8, and our signature espresso blend, La Bella Vita, amongst others. I worked with my good friend Alex Negranza to organize a last minute candlelight cupping at Trabant in Pioneer Square.

Upon stepping off my plane, however, I was first headed to Slayer Espresso for an informal cupping and experimental exploration of what a variable pressure espresso machine could do for coffee. I’d visited Slayer back in July, about a week before the first machine was shipped off to Melbourne, Australia. Unfortunately the “display” machine was not up and running at the time, so I could only gaze at the beautiful wooden paddles and stainless steel X’s longingly. Eric Perkunder (one of three masterminds behind Slayer) did, however, spend at least two hours excitedly explaining the machine to me. Not as a salesman, mind you – Eric is far too down to earth, not to mention he knows how much baristas make – but as an inventive coffee geek sharing discoveries with another coffee geek.

Even now, Eric will tell you he still doesn’t have a 100% understanding of the machine’s possibilities. Slayer simply created a machine designed with the barista in mind in every way possible, from variable pressure to unlimited dry steam to individualized group head temperature control to a little stainless steel mirror that lets the barista watch their shots from any angle (brilliant). From there, they’re right there with the rest of us trying to understand what this tidal wave of possibility truly means for coffee.

Nathan, Sam, and myself huddled around a beautiful pull -Photo by Eric Perkunder

This weekend I was fortunate enough to get a glimpse of what that possibility might entail. An impressive crew had convened for a day of exploration. I had the pleasure of meeting Sam Lewontin, barista trainer for Equal Exchange, and Nathan Slabaugh, whose wild journey includes his work as a musician in the circus, a motorcycle trek from Florida to Alaska, and of course, coffee. Nathan’s story can’t possibly be relayed in a few sentences, so be sure to check out his blog at www.thecalloftheroad.com. Later on we were joined by seasoned competitor barista and fellow Midwesterner Robbie Britt, of Zoka. Nic and Glenn of Black Mountains Coffee Co. in the UK had already been around caffeinating themselves with Seattle for at least a day. I also had the opportunity to meet another of Slayer’s masterminds, Jason Prefontaine, with whom I spent hours discussing the inner workings and design of the machine. We really had our own little coffee convention right there in Georgetown, Seattle.

Out of my bag we initially pulled out PT’s espresso blend, La Bella Vita. On a standard espresso machine, La Bella Vita is beautifully balanced with a deep red fruit sweetness, dark chocolate body, and peppery spice finish. Slayer didn’t necessarily change this – it amplified it. All those notes we at PT’s have become custom to expecting in La Bella Vita suddenly exploded in technicolor on my palate. In what I’d find to be a theme with anything we pulled with Slayer, the most notable aspect was a remarkable clarity of flavor, not to mention an effortlessly full body. Even more interesting was the potential of control through pressure profiling. I won’t be claim to be well versed in the techniques to approaching Slayer, but through various pressure profiling parameters, we were able to highlight different aspects of La Bella Vita’s flavor profile. With a soft pre-infusion of 3.5 bars of pressure to the standard 9 bars for most of the extraction, we might get the aforementioned red fruit and chocolate. A slight change in pressure profiling and that red fruit became citrus while the chocolate became caramel – still balanced, still full bodied, and still our trademark La Bella Vita, just with small shifts of controlled focus. It was fascinating.

Sam tinkers while Robbie and I discuss the potential... -Photo by Eric Perkunder

Next, Eric wanted to throw our Sumatra Harimau Tiger in the Anfim’s hopper – eliciting a chuckle from myself. Sumatran coffee is excellent as brew and provides much of the body and spice in La Bella Vita – but I’ve joked on numerous occasions about using it as a single origin espresso. The one time I attempted this I was met with an overwhelmingly earthy and not-so-pleasant savory characteristic. There was no sweetness and it was unbalanced no matter how long I spent trying to dial it in otherwise. Eric, however, gave me a knowing smile and pulled a shot anyways. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to try it, but closed my eyes and threw it back nonetheless… and was absolutely stunned. The same shot that previously contained notes of dirt and black pepper was now a beautifully sweet and round espresso, full of body and shockingly balanced with notes akin to a fresh red bell pepper. I still can’t explain how this happened, but I suddenly understood Eric’s infatuation with Indonesian coffees.

Bewildered as I already was, Slayer had more tricks up its sleeve for me. I’d heard whispers that Slayer could “brew” a cup of coffee similar to a French press. My introduction to this “pseudo-French press” technique was with the same Sumatran coffee. I watched in amazement as Eric dosed a naked portafilter with 7.6 grams of coffee, pulled it for a little over a minute at 3.5 bars of pressure, into a 6 oz ceramic cup. There was no tamping and no crema. We passed it around to appreciate the aromatics until I took a sip – and I can now say the best cup of Sumatran coffee I’ve ever had was brewed with an espresso machine. To say it was comparable to a French pressed cup might be an understatement, since I felt it was better. I apologize if this is blasphemy, but once again Slayer pulled a beautiful sweetness and clarity that I’ve never experienced in a Sumatran before.

The same routine was repeated with several other coffees, including our Panama Elida Estate Natural, which reminded me more of a chemex-brewed coffee and astounded us with it’s floral aromatics and bright acidity. Eventually it was late in the evening and we were far too caffeinated to think straight, much less drink more.

I said goodbye and caught a bus to Capitol Hill for the night, where my good friend Alex Negranza lives. Alex is a certified USBC judge and currently works the bar at both Trabant and Tougo Coffee amongst a slew of other coffee-related activites. Though my eyes could barely open following an intense caffeine crash, Alex convinced me to join him for a ‘night capp’ from Victrola Coffee on 15^th. I’d mention if it was good or not, but by that point in the night, my palate was shot – the day was over.

Day 9:

A miniature coffee crawl commenced following a failed attempt to wake up early. First on our list was Victrola, where we ordered Ethiopia Harrar single origin espresso. Perhaps there was a bad extraction or the flavor profile simply didn’t agree with me – I’ve had a number of fantastic espressos from Victrola – but this particular cup was salty, even reminiscent of salted pork (No, I’m not kidding). Kind of a startling flavor for a vegetarian! It wasn’t terrible, just very odd and not particularly enjoyable.

Your friendly baristas at Cortona Cafe -Photo by Alex Negranza

Next stop was Cortona Café in the Central District, for whom Alex has been working as a consultant. The atmosphere was minimalist but warm, nestled in the midst of a quiet neighborhood. It was their opening day, so I will admit my expectations were rather low when I asked barista-on-duty Whitney for a shot of espresso. My first reaction when she handed me the demi: “Oh my god, that’s beautiful!” My second reaction, upon first sip: “What is this?! You just served me a better shot than Victrola, on your opening day!”

Turns out the coffee being used was Herkimer, which I’d honestly never heard of before. According to Alex the espresso was a seven-bean blend, which sounds like a horrible idea initially, but apparently works in such a way that when one note isn’t hit, another is brought into focus. Probably not the most predictable espresso, but it was indeed consistently sweet and balanced.

Cortona Cafe -Photo by Alex Negranza

La Marzocco Mistral at Stumptown -Photo by Alex Negranza

After a quick stop at nearby Tougo Coffee (we didn’t get anything), we were onward to Stumptown on 12^th in Capitol Hill for a quick macchiato. I was impressed, not only by the drink but by the shiny La Marzocco Mistral on the bar. I’ve never used one of these, so I can’t attest to much beyond its looks, but boy is it shiny!

The candlelight cupping at Trabant was a lovely event. We brought together a number of roaster’s offerings beyond PT’s. 49^th Parallel, Stumptown, and Ritual graced the tables as well. So as not to encourage any subconscious discrimination, we kept the tasting blind. We weren’t interested in pitting them against each other – simply noting the differences. That said, I got a kick out of one barista’s comment on two particular cups, “Those are too clean to be anything I’m familiar with.” Those cups turned out to be PT’s Panama Elida Estate and Beloya Selection #8.

Alex and Mike at Trabant -Photo courtesy Alex Negranza

Though the dimly candle-lit tables provided a romantic setting (not to mention my firm belief that constricting certain senses can heighten others), I admit we were a little over-zealous in the number of coffees on the table! At times it was hard for us to keep track of what flavor profiles we noted in what cups. I must also note that we were careful to use scentless candles – a must for anyone wishing to conduct their own candlelight cupping.

After clean up and a quick cab ride Alex and I were back at Cortona Café for their opening party. I had the pleasure of meeting owner Will Little, whom I believe will invariably succeed in his efforts to provide a solid community center in the neighborhood. Clearly word was well spread, as the place was packed. I was somehow roped into working the bar (OK, I admit, the possibility was passively mentioned and I eagerly jumped on it) alongside Cortona barista Joe, who pulled lovely shots while I steamed milk for most of the evening.

Joe and myself making free drinks at Cortona's grand opening -Photo by Alex Negranza

Finally the crowd left, the bar was cleaned and the lights were shut off. I’ve experienced a lot of caffeine crashes since becoming a barista, but this one made them all pale in comparison. Time to pass out!

Day 10:

Alex was off to Portland to serve as a guest barista at a coffee fair well before the sun was up, and my flight wasn’t much later. Before heading to the airport though, I realized I still had some coffee leftover from the weekend – it wouldn’t be fresh enough for formal cupping if I kept it for later, so what to do? I called Eric from Slayer to see if he’d be interested in using it down there. He met me at Victrola on Pike about a half hour later for cappuccinos and lovely non-coffee related conversation (is it odd that that’s odd nowadays?). I gave him the coffee and Eric, easily one of the nicest people I’ve come across in coffee, offered me a ride to the airport - even gave me some reading for the flight! The Devil’s Cup: A History of The World According to Coffee - I’ve only begun it but I can already recommend highly, even to the non-coffee snobs among us. It’s remarkable to realize just how much coffee has not only been present throughout history, but the degree to which it has frequently influenced history itself. Thank you Eric!

It’s been quite a weekend, and I look forward to many more like it. All of it might seem a bit silly and over-the-top to some, but I have to nod to a PT’s motto and agree, “Without the love, it’s just coffee”. Back to Kansas!

Seeing as I’m a fairly new addition to PT’s and the coffee world at large, I suppose I ought to introduce myself; My name is Kasey Klimes and I make coffee. It’s what I love. While living in St. Louis I worked the bar for Kaldi’s Coffee for two years before moving to Kansas to attend KU. I began working for PT’s about two months ago and at the same time began training for the Midwest Regional Barista Competition. We were cutting it close – competition was only six weeks away – but PT’s trainer Holly Bastin graciously invested the extra work in me to make it happen.

As I write this now, I am sitting in the Seattle airport waiting on a flight back to Kansas. The past ten days have been a caffeinated whirlwind, beginning the night before MWRBC.

DAY 1:

At about 7:30pm team PT’s rolled into St. Louis just in time for the MWRBC kick off party at Velocity Café, a relatively new shop that has ingeniously tapped into the intrinsic overlap between coffee people and bike people. The atmosphere was jovial and friendly. It made me even more excited to be making coffee in the Midwest, amongst these amazing people.

Having been initially trained by Mike Marquard during my time at Kaldi’s, we were granted a light-hearted moment of Obi-Wan/Darth Vader melodrama before catching up with each other. It was good seeing the Kaldi’s guys again.

Naturally, a latte art throwdown had to commence, in which several others and myself embarrassed ourselves while Pete “The Pete” Licata took all our money in the night’s jackpot.

The gathering stood as proof to anyone who might suspect otherwise that any rivalries in the Midwest coffee community exist purely within the realm of competition. If anything, we all wish we could get together outside competition more often.

DAY 2:

The first two days of MWRBC comprise round one, in which all competitors are given 15 minutes to serve four judges each a single espresso, a traditional cappuccino, and their own signature espresso beverage. Lucky me, I’m the first of our team to bat.

It took about a dozen scrolls through my checklist to convince myself I had everything I needed before rolling out my cart for prep time – allowing Holly to wish me luck and go babysit other nervous baristas. I remembered tasting my espresso earlier in the morning and found confidence in the fact that, whether or not I was among the best baristas here, I did have some of the best coffee - and a barista can only be as good as his or her coffee.

Explaining the herbs & spices of my sig drink -Photo by Mike Marquard

Despite the adrenaline vibrating through my hands while pouring my cappuccinos, my performance overall went fairly smoothly. It wasn’t the best I’d ever done but it certainly wasn’t my worst. I had a spill or two, served a slightly hot set of cappuccinos, and cross-contaminated one of my rags, but I served good coffee and I knew it. I left the stage proud (and to be honest, a little relieved that it was over). My espresso gave me consistent results as well, something I couldn’t have promised beforehand. A good amount of my blend was a natural processed Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, which blessed the espresso with a wonderful juicy sweetness but also cursed it with an unpredictable behavior. I’d been wrestling with it for weeks. In fact, the blend was finalized only three days before competition – how’s that for cutting it close?

Team PT’s had the pleasure of joining forces with Jon Freihofer and Tom Billionis of The Coffee Ethic in Springfield, Missouri, during the weeks of training prior. Jon and Tom both used PT’s La Bella Vita espresso blend to impressive results. Jon gave the judges an admirable performance later on in the day, serving his own brand of charm alongside his delicious pumpkin and white chocolate signature drink.

Day 3:

The next day of round one lined up Tom, Robin, and Morgan, all of whom put on incredible performances. I’d seen Tom become a little flustered when problems arose in practice run-throughs. Under the real pressure though, he presented the judges with a smooth, polished professional. As with all performances, small things didn’t go as perfectly as planned, but Tom disregarded them with the grace of an athlete and kept his eyes on the ball. The Mad Greek didn’t even break a sweat, certainly more than the rest of us could say.

Robin infusing his ingredients -Photo by Jeff Taylor

Robin “Big Daddy” Seitz met and exceeded the expectations that awaited a returning regional champion. He displayed his passion and knowledge while keeping his performance light hearted and entertaining. Having sat on the judges table for many of his practice run-throughs, I can assure the judges enjoyed a sweet espresso with notes of cane sugar, stone fruit, and cocoa. His “espresso soda” is a light and crisp beverage with an amazing citrus nose that strengthened the body of his espresso, El Pepinal 1 from Las Mercedes, produced by Lucia Ortiz in El Salvador.

In fact, the PT’s team was infinitely fortunate to have Lucia with us for the weekend to cheer us on – and to give Robin a little extra pressure! It was an honor to meet and talk with the producer of such a beautiful coffee – an opportunity very few baristas ever get.

Morgan's secret weapon: La Bella Vita -Photo by Jeff Taylor

Morgan Smith finished the day for PT’s with a solid performance. Nonetheless, I was in the back biting my nails. We both later agreed that it is far more nerve wracking to sit on a teammate’s sideline than to perform yourself. No need, however, as Morgan made it look like she’d been doing this for years (Morgan, like myself, was a first-time competitor).

So, who would rank amongst the midwest’s top six baristas? The end of the day brought our results; Robin Seitz (PT’s), Mike Marquard (Kaldi’s), Joe Marrocco (Kaldi’s), Micah Svejda (Kaldi’s), and, to our earnest surprise, Morgan Smith and myself.

What Robin had previously dubbed the “Midwest Side Story” was now playing out – Sharks vs. Jets, PT’s vs. Kaldi’s. The top three Kaldi’s baristas against the top three (aka the entire) PT’s team.

I can’t give details, but there was indeed a triumphant air amongst the PT’s crew as we left the building. Whatever happened, finals were destined to be epic.

Day 4:

Finals brought us six solid performances, all of which proceeded with minimal hiccups (Robin was even able to prove he can pull amazing shots in the dark!). Team Kaldi’s once again brought out their impressive Costa Rican single origin espressos and notably coffee-centric signature drinks. Team PT’s represented our own outstanding coffees well. Of the two main contenders for the 1^st place prize, there was certainly no clear winner until it was announced. Ultimately, Mike Marquard took home the hard earned title of regional champion. Big Daddy took runner-up. Both of these baristas have taught me a massive amount about coffee, and I am incredibly happy for them both. They’re veterans with years of experience and knowledge under their belts. They’ve worked hard to achieve what they’ve done and I’ve long looked up to them both.

MWRBC Champion: Mike Marquard -Photo courtesy Mike Marquard

That said, to me, 3^rd place is the truly amazing story of MWRBC. Underdog and first time competitor Morgan Smith took the competition by surprise. I’ve had the honor to work and train beside Morgan for the six weeks prior to competition. She is a humble and hard working barista that I can promise will represent our community well in Anaheim.

Team PT's -Photo by Jeff Taylor

And so it was, we packed up and hit the road. Pete Licata graciously tolerated Morgan and I’s pestering coffee questions for at least four hours (we gave him a ride to Kansas City), and excitedly discussed ideas for USBC – at which all MWRBC finalists have agreed to compete. Plans to keep each other sharp and on our toes are being discussed - the Midwest will undoubtedly prove a united force at nationals.

Days 5, 6, 7:

Pretend to be a collegiate scholar, work a couple bar shifts back in Topeka, and attempt to keep my life outside of coffee looking reasonably well-maintained.

Exciting news for those living in Springfield, Missouri! This weekend, Jason Johnson will be holding free public coffee cuppings (tastings) in Springfield, Missouri. He holds public cuppings three times a week at our retail location in Topeka, Kansas, but it is rare that he has the opportunity to actually visit another coffee shop that carries our coffee. In Springfield he will be holding public cuppings at three coffee shops that use our coffee.

All of the cuppings will be free of charge. During these cuppings, he will discuss the origins of the coffee, how it is processed, and how regional and processing differences translate into the cup. Here is the list of the coffee shops that he will be visiting, the coffees that they will be cupping, and the times of the coffee cuppings. We hope to see you there.

The Coffee Ethic on Saturday the 21st at 11am.

Panama Esmeralda Special Mario Carnaval

El Salvador Finca Los Planes Pacamara

Ethiopian Amaro Gayo

Sumatra Tiger

Tanzania Kanyovu Coop

Panama Elida Estate Natural

Guatemala Finca El Soccorro

Nicaragua Coop 15 de Septiembre CoE #18

*The Coffee Ethic is also going to be offering a free small drink to anybody who attends the cupping.

Hebrews Coffee on Saturday the 21st at 3pm.

Panama Esmeralda Special Mario Carnaval

El Salvador Finca Los Planes Pacamara

Ethiopian Amaro Gayo

Sumatra Tiger

Costa Rica Finca Cerro Paldo

Tanzania Kanyovu Coop

Dancing Mule Coffee on Sunday the 22nd at 9am.

Panama Esmeralda Special Mario Carnaval

El Salvador Finca Los Planes Pacamara

Ethiopian Amaro Gayo

Sumatra Tiger

Costa Rica Finca Cerro Paldo

Tanzania Kanyovu Coop

It is always an exciting moment when you are able to meet with the creator of something you love.  Last Thursday presented us with just such an opportunity.  Lucia Ortiz, from Finca Las Mercedes, flew up to Topeka, Kansas to share her story with PT’s customers and to support PT’s Barista Competition Competitor Robin Seitz, who is using her coffee in the competition.  We had a wonderful morning where customers were able to meet Lucia and listen to her intriguing story.

Lucia Ortiz’s family, like many in El Salvador, was steeped in the traditions of the coffee industry.  This heritage, along with a desire to set an example for her children, led Lucia to jump at the chance to take over her in-laws’ coffee farm.  Her leadership, marketing skills and attention to detail has helped the farm become an exemplary farm within the specialty coffee industry in El Salvador.  Her secret (don’t tell anyone) is that she yells at, and occasionally coddles, the trees.  Well, whatever she does, we want her to keep doing it.  Her El Pepinal 1 is a true eye-opener.  It has the distinct aroma of coriander seed and black currant. In the cup, it combines slight floral notes with a bright spiciness. Its effervescent acidity sparkles with notes of peach.  Try El Pepinal 1 from Finca Las Mercedes here!

You can also read Topeka’s Food+Flicks coverage of the visit here!

Join us this Thursday, October 29th at our Barrington Village shop for casual coffee with Lucia Ortiz from Finca Las Mercedes in El Salvador.  She will be available to meet and chat between 8:00 and 10:00 am.  Come to enjoy her spectacular coffee, El Pepinal 1, and great conversation.  We are brewing up her coffee all week, so if you cannot make it on Thursday, stop by another time for a cup or two!

Finca Las Mercedes - El Pepinal 1 won 1st place in the 2006 El Salvador Cup of Excellence with a record-breaking score of 94.  Our relationship with the producers of El Pepinal 1, the Oritz family, began in 2008.  From their history with the Cup of Excellence, we knew they had great coffee, but it was not until we tasted it for ourselves that we realized how fortunate we were to roast and sell this spectacular coffee.  El Pepinal 1 is a very complex coffee. It has the distinct aroma of coriander seed and black currant. In the cup, it combines slight floral notes with a bright spiciness. Its effervescent acidity sparkles with notes of peach.  You can purchase Lucia’s coffee at our Barrington Village Store or online here!

I’ve always been a fan of “underdog” stories. You know, the stories where there’s no chance of someone succeeding and yet, despite all odds, they do. That is the story of Finca Los Planes and several other farms in the small region of Chaletenango, El Salvador.

The Chaletenango region of El Salvador is a very small producer in the world of coffee. As a matter of fact, this region is a very small producer of coffee in El Salvador. For years the entire coffee harvest in this tiny region, located near the Honduras border, was simply sold as commodity coffee.  No one even tasted the coffee they produced.

All that changed in 2006 when Finca Los Planes, owned by Sergio Ticas, received 2nd place in the El Salvador Cup of Excellence. Coming from Chalentenango, Sergio was not supposed to produce a remarkable coffee. And yet, here stood Sergio at the Awards Ceremony collecting his plaque for 2nd place. This award, and his remarkable coffee, has helped catapult this “no name” region of El Salvador into a star in the coffee-growing world.

We purchased his coffee in the Cup of Excellence auction, a Pacamara Variety coffee, and later that year I traveled to El Salvador to meet Sergio and his family and visit his farm.  On that visit, I met a man who has a passion for the land, the people he works with and the coffee he produces!  We developed a quick friendship that has become stronger each year. We’ve carried Finca Los Planes as a Direct Trade coffee for several years now, and each year we have worked with Sergio to bring you new and different coffees from his farm, along with the normal favorites.

The first coffee we bought was the Pacamara variety of coffee that won 2nd place in the 2006 Cup of Excellence.  Throughout the years, it has maintained its beautiful, sweet citrus flavor, and it seems to get better year after year.  After running out a couple of weeks ago, you can now purchase the new crop of this incredible coffee!  You can purchase it here!

The next year, we introduced a little spin on the Pacamara variety, a carefully sorted Peaberry coffee we christened Reserva del Mandador.  It was a specially processed, hand-sorted Peaberry that was a mixture of Pacamara and Bourbon Peaberry.  We will be launching the new crop of this spectacular coffee very soon, just in time for the Holiday season.

And this last year, we convinced Sergio to go even further in his pursuit of the perfect cup.  We had him sort out his Pacamara Peaberry from his Bourbon Peaberry.  The Bourbon Peaberry we introduced as Peaberry de La Lagunita. It is a remarkable Peaberry that is full bodied, juicy and sweet.  We still have a little bit of this extraordinary coffee, and at its current price, it is literally a steal!  Buy Peaberry de La Lagunita here!

The Pacamara Peaberry we are offering as Peaberry de Pacamara.  It is an elegant cup, with rounded notes of citrus and a beautifully full body.  Do not miss out on trying these two Peaberries side-by-side!  In fact, in the next couple of months, we are going to start offering a limited time Celebration of Harvest Box that will contain all three Peaberry Coffees from Finca Los Planes- Peaberry de Pacamara, Peaberry de La Lagunita and Reserva del Mandador.  It will be the perfect gift for the holidays! Purchase Peaberry de Pacamara here, and watch out for the forthcoming Celebration of Harvest Box!

As you may have noticed, Finca Los Planes produces two different varieties of coffee. The Pacamara variety coffee that won 2nd place in 2006, and now, in its first release, the Bourbon variety called Lote La Lagunita.  This coffee was entered into the 2009 Cup of Excellence and finished in 30th place, a very admirable finish in a country that is now producing some of the best coffees in the world.  Lote La Lagunita is a wonderfully clean coffee, with nice depth and sweet notes of nectarines.  You can try this beautiful coffee for the first time here!

We consider Finca Los Planes a part of our PTs Family, and we hope you enjoy the many different coffees we share with you from this remarkable farm.

- Jeff Taylor

Our coveted Hacienda La Esmeralda Special - Mario Carnaval has again proven itself as one of the best coffees in the world!  In this month’s Coffee Review article about coffees from Panama, Mario Carnaval obliterated the  competition.  It received a 96, a score 2 points higher than any other coffee in the review and 3 points higher than any of the 4 other Esmeraldas that were reviewed!  This coffee is very limited in supply, so purchase yours here before we run out!  We chose not to send in our Hacienda La Esmeralda Special - Mario Pascua, but on the cupping table it scores only 3 or 4 points lower than the Mario Carnaval.  Try out Mario Pascua here!  Here is Coffee Review’s assessment of Hacienda La Esmeralda Special - Mario Carnaval:

Blind Assessment: Delicately rich, balanced but gracefully intense coffee. High-toned aroma with flowers, nut and a hint of pungent cedar. Richly tart, opulent acidity; full, lightly syrupy mouthfeel. The flavor is dominated by voluptuous notes of night flowers, orange, tart cherry, nut, all of which coast into a long, deep, clean finish.

Who should drink it: Those who appreciate “a particularly complete version of one of the world’s greatest coffees.”