As the year comes to a close, we want to look back at the highlights that made 2011 great!  2011 brought much success in our sourcing efforts, and we were able to get our hands on many Award Winning coffees. Whether it be the Best of Panama, Cup of Excellence, or even something from the States, we have had a little bit of everything this year.

GUATEMALA FINCA EL VALLE
As we look back, one coffee stands out for the relationship we were able to develop, and the story behind the coffee.  We introduced Finca El Valle early this year, a farm in Guatemala.  Finca El Valle is a family farm Cristina Gonzalez inherited from her grandmother.  She is continuing the tradition handed down from past generations.  One thing that was apparent when we visited the farm, was their initiatives involving social and environmental responsibility.  Walking around the farm, they have signs showing the diverse species living in the forests surrounding the area.  It seems as if they have an intimate relationship with the environment.  They reuse the pulped cherries, and make compost to fertilize and replant.  The water from the wet mill is also reused, and functions as an organic fertilizer.

In addition to their initiatives and the environmental responsibility of her family,  they have a philosophy that places a high value on relationships.

“I feel that it could be very simple for us: I send you coffee, you send me money, and the story ends. But the fact that I know your family is very beautiful, because that is more than business, it is affection. And that is more important. The money is indispensable, but the relationship is priceless.” - Cristina Gonzalez

We couldn’t agree more, and Finca El Valle is now our newest Direct Trade partner! We are proud to be working with Cristina and are looking forward to visiting her and her family in the years to come.

BEST OF PANAMA
We were very excited to have four offerings from the 2011 Specialty Coffee Association of Panama - Best of Panama Competition this year.  Finca La Valentina took first place in the competition.  We were in attendance when Benjamin Osorio accepted the award.  We introduced ourselves, and were able to meet later that week and talk coffee.   The Aristar Agrario is the first coffee, of what we hope will be a long relationship with the Osorio Brothers.

Hacienda La Esmeralda took second place in the competition this year.  Yet again their coffee went to auction for what would be another successful and extremely competitive auction.  We were able to land our hands on the Hacienda La Esmeralda Montaña lot.  This was the first year the Montaña lot was available, and it represents the highest grown micro-lot at Hacienda La Esmeralda.

We also had a small amount of Don Pachi Geisha Natural.  Unfortunately, we only had this coffee available for about two weeks!  It was the first place winner of the Natural division in Panama.

With all this talk about Geisha, it is hard to remember that there are other great coffees in Panama.  Panama Kotowa Don K, Micro-lot Reserve, is located in the Boquete region, that produces some of the most sought after coffees.  Kotowa Don K took fifth place in the Best of Panama competition, and represents the highest ranking, non-geisha varietal, in all of Panama.

FINCA EL SOCORRO
Juan Diego de la Cerda and his family, have proven to be one of the best coffee farms in Guatemala.  In 2011, their Maracaturra variety won 1st place in the Guatemala Cup of Excellence Competition. Unfortunately, we only had a limited amount of the Maracaturra micro-lot.  A separate lot on their farm, was the Bourbon.  We took this coffee, and found a good roast profile that made it ideal for use as a Single Origin Espresso. Finca El Socorro Bourbon Espresso is one of the most balanced Single Origin Espresso’s we have ever encountered.

EL SALVADOR
It is no secret that we have been working closely with farms in El Salvador.  We have very close relationships with three farms there, and this year they all produced another great harvest.

Finca Los Planes took 6th place in the El Salvador Cup of Excellence competition with their Lote la Lagunita micro-lot.  This micro-lot has shown steady improvement over the past couple of years.   Their Pacamara variety is one of our personal favorites which produces a creamy and juicy cup with hints of brown sugar and caramel.

Finca Las Mercedes had a particularly good year as they have benefited from extraordinary weather patterns that have helped the crop obtain an exceptional quality. The El Pepinal 1 is also one of our personal favorites.  This is the second year that Finca Las Mercedes has produced a special lot, or we should say 3 lots, for us, that we have blended to create the Don Roberto Seasonal Espresso blend. The blend consists of two honey and one washed processed coffee from different lots on their farm.

Finca El Molino and Jose Antonio Salaveria produced another great crop of Orange Bourbon this year.   Las Ranas Estate, also operated by Jose Antonio, generously donated the first 150 lbs of Bourbon to help kick start a joint effort between the Prodigy Youth Soccer Association and PT’s Coffee for a scholarship fund for Topeka area youth.   Flor Del Sol was created in honor of our former Barista and friend, Jonathan Kaspar.  We will be donating $1, for every 8 oz. bag sold, directly to this association in support of youth soccer in our community. We hope to raise $1500 in this effort for the PYSA.

FLYING MONKEY CAFE OPENS
Flying Monkey has been a work in progress all year, and finally opened its doors in November.  The Flying Monkey is an eclectic cafe featuring a diverse menu with Direct Trade coffee and espresso.  Chef  Jamie, has created a unique food menu, with a variety of Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Quiche, and Baked Goods.  We are also serving a variety of micro-brewed beers, including options from the Blind Tiger, here in Topeka, Kansas.

Local Artists display their collections in the cafe, providing a fun ambiance and atmosphere to just kick back, relax, and enjoy a great cup of coffee with a friend.

THE GOTHOT
In August of 2010, a mammoth arrived at our loading dock.  This wasn’t a prehistoric beast, however, it was our newest coffee roaster.  The Gothot is a 90 kilo roaster!  This is perfect for our espresso, and other coffees that are roasted in large batches.  After a team of mechanical engineers coordinated the installation, it was finally set to roast in February of 2011.  The Gothot is unique in many ways, and one is the fact that it utilizes a roasting software, to ensure consistent results.  The roast profiles are 100% customized by our head Coffee Roaster, Adam Ross.  The software on the Gothot is not fool proof though, and Adam has to monitor every aspect of the roast to ensure we are getting the results we set out for.  Our other two roasters, the Diedrich IR-12 and Diedrich IR-24, are still used everyday, for those smaller micro-lots.  Roasting coffee is an art form and science.  Our roasters have to monitor everything during the roasting process on the Diedrichs, and they are operated by brain power, ingenuity, and experience, and not by computer software.

MARITZA TAYLOR
One of the newest additions to the PT’s Team, is Maritza Taylor.  Maritza and Jeff met at origin, and were married in 2010.  Brazil Doce Boda is in part a celebration of our trip to the farm that followed Jeff and Maritza’s wedding in August of 2010. After a long wait, Maritza and Jeff could finally be together in the United States.  Maritza is the head of our quality control, and brings a multitude of expertise and experience from her past career in coffee in Colombia.   She is constantly monitoring our coffee profiles, and evaluating every roast for consistency and quality.  She is also in charge of roast development, and before we release any coffee, she is testing roast temperature, time, and taste.  Maritza has proven to be an invaluable member of our team, and will be helping Jeff source coffees at Origin in 2012.

EPILOGUE
Needless to say, 2011 was packed full of memorable events.  It isn’t until the end of the year, when we look back and reflect on all of the great accomplishments we had.  A few coffees that weren’t mentioned above were great surprises this year.  We had a small micro-lot of Rusty’s Hawaiian in July, and sold out of it the same week we got it.  Although it was disappointing, only having it for a week, it is the kind of coffee we dream about, and are looking forward to their next Harvest Season.  Finca Kilimanjaro was also a pleasant and short lived surprise this year, extremely well balanced with a nice juicy sweetness.

2012 will bring more surprises.  A few things to look forward to are the 2012 harvests from our Direct Trade partners.  Many people have been asking about Panama Elida Natural, and it will be coming back!  We are getting to the point where some of our Central American coffees will start running low on inventory in the next few months.  We typically see the arrival of those Harvests between April and August.

A new Colombian coffee is coming soon.  Pending its arrival and approval, we have sourced a great coffee from the Nariño Department of Colombia, high in the Andean Mountains.  This new coffee will be a Direct Trade partner, and we will keep you posted on the full story in the next couple of weeks!

Happy New Year, and may 2012 be the best one yet!

Written By Martha Piland - MB Piland

A new partnership between the Prodigy Soccer Club and PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. will benefit Topeka-area youth soccer players in need of funding to offset their annual dues. The funding will come from the Jon Kaspar Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is provided for through sales of Flor del Sol, a special single estate blend.

The Prodigy Soccer Club created the fund in memory of Jonathan Kaspar, a member of the Club and employee of PT’s Coffee, who was killed in a car accident in the summer of 2010 at age 20. The Club established the fund shortly after Kaspar’s death to help in-need youth continue to play the game he had loved.

“We couldn’t pass up the chance to honor one of our outstanding baristas and friends,” said Jeff Taylor, owner of PT’s Coffee. “Jon would talk about the soccer games he’d played for Prodigy Blitz—how much his time at Prodigy had shaped him. He’d love the idea that we’re helping more kids hit the field and have the same experiences.”

The first 150 pounds of the Flor del Sol single estate blend was donated by Jose Antonio Salaverria, owner of Las Ranas Estate in El Salvador. Flor del Sol is a micro-lot of specifically selected and processed coffees from Las Ranas Estate, chosen for its excellence and quality.

For each 8 oz bag of the Flor del Sol single estate blend sold, PT’s Coffee will donate $1 to the Scholarship Fund. Prodigy Soccer and PT’s Coffee hope to raise $1,500, which will help as many as 10 youth play in 2012. The Flor del Sol blend is available at both of PT’s Coffee Topeka locations, as well as on their website,  www.ptscoffee.com.

“We’re a nonprofit club, so the fees we have all go to benefit the kids and the game,” said Jeff Gabriel, president and administrator for the Prodigy Soccer Club’s board. “We try to save as much as we can for scholarships, but struggle to pay the fees associated with playing competitive soccer. That’s why we’re so appreciative when we have the opportunity to partner with local businesses—especially when it also helps remember one of our own. Jon was one of our best.”

The not-for-profit Prodigy Soccer Club was established in 1998 by Colby Williams, an experienced professional soccer player, and provides area youth with the opportunity to play at a competitive level under positive, professional instruction.

Since its beginning, professional trainers have provided high-quality training for Club members through regular practices and games. Today, 348 young athletes play on 29 Prodigy teams during the regular season, summer camp, academy program and winter indoor league.

The Prodigy Soccer Club operates using dues collected from players rostered with the Club. These funds pay for trainers, uniforms and other administrative costs. Part of the budget is reserved for scholarships. Each year, the Club receives 15 to 18 scholarship applications. Next fall, the Club will need to find new funding sources for scholarships not covered by the operating budget and the Jon Kaspar Memorial Scholarship Fund.

PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. began in 1993 as a single cafe. In 1997, PT’s Coffee began roasting its own specially-chosen single estate coffees under the brand of PT’s Direct Trade. Today, the company roasts more than 100 tons of specialty coffee each year for cafes and restaurants nationwide, and celebrates its Direct Trade relationships with producers worldwide.

Among the many local and national honors PT’s Coffee has won for excellence are Roast Magazine’s “2009 Roaster of the Year,”  Fortune Magazine’s “17 Top Small Roasters in the Country,” Topeka Chamber’s “Small Business of the Year” and the Coffee Review’s highest-ever rating of 97 points out of 100.

The holidays are rapidly approaching, and we have a few shipping updates to pass on to you for sharing great coffee with your family and friends. Thanksgiving is a time to feast, enjoy the gift of family and give thanks for all that we are grateful for. We are thankful for the time and effort poured into each and every harvest, and the farmers who dedicate their lives to producing great coffee year after year. We are thankful for the barista’s, roasters, staff, and the families who make what we do possible!  Most of all, we are thankful for you, our customers and friends who have followed and supported us through the years.

Unfortunately, Thursday holidays are not ideal for shipping, and if you want to share great coffee with your family, without expediting your order, then you may want to check our transit times to ensure its arrival before the holiday.

If you are located in a four day transit zone, your coffee will need to ship on Friday, Nov. 18th, in order to arrive before Thanksgiving. If you select our Flat Rate, we will choose the best option for you, to get it there on time. FedEx Express also offers extremely competitive rates, and if you order a little late, and your coffee ships next week, choosing the 2-Day or Overnight option will not cost you an arm and a leg! As a reminder, UPS, USPS, and FedEx are all closed during the 4 day holiday weekend from Nov 24-Nov 27. If your order doesn’t arrive on Wednesday, it will not arrive until Monday due to the holiday.

PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. will be closed on Thursday and Friday in observance of Thanksgiving, and our schedule will return to normal on Monday, Nov. 28th. Orders placed after 8 AM on Wednesday morning, will roast and ship on Monday, Nov. 28th. Our retail location at Barrington Village will be open on Thanksgiving from 8 am - 12 pm, and will return to regular hours on Friday Nov. 25th. If you have any questions about our schedule, feel free to contact info@ptscoffee.com.

If you would like to order one of our three Geisha coffees for Thanksgiving, we will be having a special holiday roast on Monday, Nov. 21st for all of them, Panama Don Pachi Geisha Natural, Panama Hacienda La Esmeralda Montaña, and Panama Finca La Valentina Aristar Agrario.

In other news, we recently released a variety of new custom designed logo wares to enhance your coffee experience.  The Vacuum Sealed AirScape coffee containers are perfect for storing whole bean coffee at home. Coffee begins to lose its flavor after about 12 days of storage, and this process is accelerated when the coffee is ground, especially when it is exposed to open air. The Airscape containers are the perfect for extending your fresh roasted coffee for a longer period of time, and preventing exposure to open air.

The OFFERO VESSELS® coffee mug is a new addition to our signature line of coffee mugs. The Offero Mug design placed in the Top 3 of Best New Products at Coffee Fest in San Diego in June, during the official launch of the cups. Much of the taste sensation is driven by the sense of smell, and this design brings out the best in a cup of coffee. Due to the unique shape of the cups (the belly, taper and extended back) these can’t be mass produced by machines. Each cup is hand poured into its mold, fired and hand finished. Each cup will show some irregularities, light mold lines, some uneven finishes, even minute size differences, but the integrity of the design and the Offero cups’ beauty and function will always be maintained.

Everyone at PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. wants to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving.

I got one of “those” emails a few weeks back that seemed a little strange at first . It was a “last chance offer” to respond to an opportunity from Google. Apparently a representative of Google had tried unsuccessfully the prior week to reach me via email only I didn’t respond.  I hate it when that happens. The only explanation I have is the dreaded - Junk Mail Folder.

But this time, I had just settled in at home for the evening and scanned my phone for emails as this one arrived. It just didn’t look like a typical junk mail. So I opened it and began reading.

It seemed strange at first because the initial paragraph was devoted to “this is your last opportunity” type of message from Google. I didn’t remember getting any previous messages from google so I was a bit confused. But as I read further I realized, this was not a “robot” email, it was from a person - Sophia - representing Google. The offer was for a film crew to produce a video on our business at NO CHARGE.

No Charge? Thats what I said!

Sure enough, Google had launched a campaign to get small businesses online in a state by state campaign. So at 7pm that evening I jumped out of my chair and made the return call. I didn’t want to risk my email getting stuck in her Junk Folder. As I spoke with Sophia on the phone, it turns out she’s a coffee lover and wanted to include us in their project. KANSASGETONLINE.com We’re under the Success Stories tab.

The example shared with me was a business from Austin, Texas and the TEXASGETONLINE.com website. It was really well put together and seemed very professional. But it still seemed too good to be true. So I pushed, even acted uninterested, just waiting for the other shoe to fall and her to tell me the real cost was thousands of dollars.

But the more I quizzed, the more it became apparent there were no strings. Only that we have representation at the Launch party in Kansas City. Seemed fair enough to me. So I agreed to proceed and meet with the film crew.

One week later, and a very long day spending time with the film crew, we sat back and waited for the results. I must admit to being a little nervous. For those that know me, I’m prone to OMIFS (also known as “Open Mouth Insert Foot Syndrome.”) So for the next week I recounted everything I said, over and over in my head, and said a silent prayer for good editors.

Well now the video has launched and you get to be the judge of my chronic OMIFS. I hope you enjoy it - it’s not always been easy, but it is…OUR STORY.

Jeff

“This article was republished with the permission of Barista Magazine.  The article appeared in the August + September 2011 issue and you can view the full article in its original form by viewing pages 48-51 on Barista Magazines I-Mag or in the original publication.  Holly Bastin is the Director of Retail Operations for PT’s Coffee Roasting Co.  She has been with us for 11 years and her roles have included Lead Coffee Trainer, Espresso Quality Control, Espresso Research and Development, and Retail Store Manager, as well as providing assistance whenever needed.  Holly recently traveled to Bogota to assist and coach her longtime friend, United States Barista Champion, Pete Licata, on his route to a second place finish in the World Barista Championship.”

ESPRESSO EVALUATION

When I started in this industry in 2000, the specialty coffee movement was known by the off-beat neighborhood cafes that worked tirelessly to show coffee consumers that there is an art to the beverage they enjoy every day.  We threw around terms like “latte art” and “ristretto” to feel out the coffee shops we visited.  We watched to see if they would toss their shots directly on ice while making a latte on the rocks.  What it took to be superior at the craft of coffee was judged almost solely in the arena of espresso making.  Brewed coffee was always there, but we had yet to truly understand just what kind of vehicle it had potential to be.

Most roasters hadn’t visited a whole lot of farms yet, so naturally we turned our attention to places where we could manipulate the coffee without dealing with the agricultural implications.  We churned all of our creative energies towards the only controls we thought we had: improving our equipment, our roasting and our skills.  For me, I stood conflicted the day I was introduced to the newest grinder technology on the market - the “Swift”.  I stared at that grinder realizing that, at the time, it probably was indeed more consistent than I was at something I so enjoyed doing.  As others looked excited by this new gadgetry, I could only think one thing.

I had to beat it.

Now, after a whirlwind of experiences 10 years later, I barely remember that promise to myself.  As the industry is in a boom of brew methods, single origins and direct trade relationships, we’ve been distracted from our old adversary: espresso.  With baristas even having opportunities to meet farmers and visit countries of origin, a lot of focus has been shifted into the regular old cup of joe.  Even I couldn’t resist it.  As a beverage, I have really come to appreciate the flavor profiles that can be enjoyed drip style, experiencing the influence and range that processing, elevation, varietal, and myriad other factors give to coffees.  But when it comes to coffee as a part of what I do and dissect, I still have only ever had eyes for espresso.  It is beautiful to create and difficult to tame, and I have always been determined to figure it out, whatever that means.

In the years that I have worked for PT’s Coffee Roasting Co., I’ve had a number of roles, but espresso has always been a non-negotiable part of each position I agree to take on.  When I started managing some of the cafes, I also took on the role of staff trainer, wanting to ensure that each barista had a good and continuous grasp on their craft.  As I began coaching our competitive baristas, I found a forum for discussing the refinement of technical skills and a playground for experimentation.  In the last five years that I have been our wholesale coffee trainer, I slowly took over the role of espresso blending and espresso development, giving me hours and hours to try and understand how I can manipulate extraction and get varying effects.  I’ve had exposure to a number of different tools and machines, and I constantly try to live up to our old mantra of “any barista, any coffee, any equipment, any time.”  I sought out new media and experiences, whether competing (yes I did), judging, going on jams, or helping with Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) classes.

The Development Begins
But in 2008 I started to struggle to find new and valid resources, hoping to further discover more in-depth ways that I could understand espresso.  I had gotten into cupping and found an appreciation (as well as a jealousy) that there was a standardized system for tasting and evaluating “regular coffees” already in place, and that was so diametrically opposed to our communal approach to trying new espressos: throw it in the hopper and use your senses to dial it in.  I started to wish that someone would have come up with a similar system for espresso, because even for the most adept barista, it requires a fair bit of consumption throughout the process.

My role in blending was increasing to help maintain our mainline espressos, as well as identifying potential single origin espresso offerings, which was fun and exciting.  But it also meant many days of over-caffienation and espresso highs. I needed a structure to work within, and after expressing my wish for a version of cupping for espresso to Jeff Taylor, he challenged me to create my own using our resources.

I accepted whole-heartedly.

The very moment I started to think about what made systems like the Cup of Excellence (CoE) or SCAA cupping forms work, I realized exactly why no one had really done anything for espresso yet.  The fundamental elements that make those systems viable is a standardization of dose, particle size, water volume, and water contact time.  The very nature of espresso - at least as we have so far collectively approached it - defies those kinds of specific parameters, varying in style, preference, and profile the whole world over.  I’m not saying the same can’t be said of all brew methods, but espresso takes the phrase “margin of error” to a whole new level.

While it was almost an overwhelming impasse, I tried to think around the issue, attempting to figure out if there were some variables that could be proportionately set, like a sliding scale for parameters depending on the style of blend you were working with.  The closest I came to an answer was roast profile possibly relating to an optimal dose, the lightest and darkest requiring a lower dose and finer grind, while a more mid-ranged profile tended to be in the 18-20 gram range for a double.  In many cases I did find this to be true, but never totally definitive.

Over the next two-and-a-half years I continued to seek out patterns and answers, constantly adding new data to track so I could find a central point to start building a system.  All the while we constantly used it in whatever current incarnation we were in as a tool for evaluating our espressos, as well as having group double-blind tastings from multiple roasters.

The Result and Implementation

When I try to define what exactly this form is, I find the simplest description for it is the “Espresso Evaluation and Tracking Form.”  At it’s most functional, that is what it is designed to be:  for people who want a way to understand what led to the flavors they are tasting and whether or not it’s a viable option for their purposes and tastes.  It’s not about a hard and fast judgement or score on a coffee, but has built-in versatility, it can be used in creative ways to suit other ends, whether in part or as a whole.

For roasting companies, this form can be massively helpful for the arduous  task of espresso blend management.  Whether building or maintaining a blend, it gives a road map to the many ways that you potentially could achieve the flavor profile you are trying to accomplish.  The Coffee Info Capture section isolates the fundamentals of what comes with the preparation of the coffee before use for consumption.  The Extraction Info Capture section throughout consistent use shows the barisata’s influence on the flavor, shot to shot and day to day.  It also bridges the communication between the roaster and the blender, giving them a common language and format to both have and to share information within.  In full use in a roasting environment, it creates accountability and can help see potential for innovation in research and development of coffee or equipment.

For cafe owners and managers, this form provides a great way to gather information about the coffees you serve and track their peaks and fades.  It can be used in part as a barista dial-in training tool, or for checking grind adjustments during a staff change.  You can use it to track the overall consistency of the shots you serve and the coffee you buy.  It’s a quality control form as much as it is a tracking tool.

With repeated use, it can really pay off for the home barista, as well, who often pays $20 for a pound of coffee.  You can dial in your favorites and basically have a reference for a good ballpark start point for next time, or switch from coffee to coffee without worrying about wasting precious coffee by dialing in the grind again.  It can help you remember old favorites when it’s time to buy again.

And for us barista folk, this form is a tool to use while learning to hone your craft.  It forces us to consider and identify all of your variables simultaneously, and through consistent use creates reflexive habits.  If espresso were music, this would be like an etude or technical piece, designed to make you more comfortable with a particular move or speed of playing.  This trains thought, spurs refinement of action and encourages experimentation, giving a data pool from which to create new theories or confirm them to fact.  It can also rapidly point out weakness on your part, so you know where to focus your technique and quickly improve.  It’s great for training for barista competitions.  It instantly gives you homework while you quickly get to know your coffee and where its absolute peak is.  It’s a bit intense to use on your own, but it is manageable.  Don’t get beat by technology.

The best and worst part?  You get to taste the fruits of your labor to understand how your actions changed it.  After all, the point of coffee is to taste good.

Shipping costs have been on the rise recently due to an increase in gas prices and inflation in our economy.  FedEx has been a competitive outlet for us, and we want to extend their shipping options to you.

FedEx 2-Day and FedEx Overnight Rates are very competitive.  The FedEx Ground option has an added benefit for Residential Customers.  FedEx Home Delivery will deliver on Saturdays.  However, by adding Saturday delivery, they have offset their weekly schedule, and do not deliver on Mondays.  Orders still ship on Mondays, but are delivered to residential addresses Tuesday-Saturday.

Here are some examples of how the transit times compare between UPS and FedEx from Topeka.  The East Coast Metropolitan Area extending from New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C. are all 3-day transits with FedEx, one day faster than UPS.  The West Coast of the United States is also a 3-day ship with FedEx, one day faster than UPS.  The Indianapolis Metro, Ohio, Alabama, the Atlanta Metro and a large portion of Georgia are a 2-day ship with UPS, one day faster than FedEx.  The transit times to the Central Coridoor, Upper Northeast, and a few other Major Metropolitan areas, such as Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and Houston are competitive, and transit times are the same between FedEx and UPS.  For information about the various shipping times to your specific location, you can view our Transit Maps by following this link.

For those of you who prefer our other shipping methods, USPS and UPS, we will continue to provide their service.  We are looking for more ways to provide you with more alternatives when it comes to shipping.

FedEx and UPS rates do not apply to International Orders.  All International Orders are shipped via USPS Priority Mail International due to customs fees and other surcharges.  If you are an international customer, an additional charge must be applied to accomodate the international rate.

We are very excited to offer the two best coffees from Panama in 2011.  In fact these two coffees were vying for the top spot in the SCAP Best of Panama competition.  It was a close finish in the competition, and they were only separated by a 1/2 point.  Jeff and Maritza Taylor were both in attendance and it was clear that the two top coffees were Geisha varietals.  Panama has been known for this variety, and after it was discovered, it has crushed the record books multiple times for the prices paid at auction for coffee.  There would be a new winner this year.

PANAMA - FINCA LA VALENTINA - ARISTAR AGRIRIO GEISHA
Located in the Horqueta, Boqete region of Panama, Finca La Valentina is a family owned farm. In 2007, “The Brothers Osorio” - Benjamin and Efrain - purchased the farm from Mr. Larenzo Firvida and began the process of developing the crop and improving the health and vitality of the farm, making it one of the best in Panama.

Their hard work was validated in May of 2011 when they were crowned the winner of the Best of Panama competition. Benjamin had just accepted the award for winning the entire competition with his coffee “Geisha Aristar Agririo“ before we agreed to meet again later that week over a cup of coffee.

This is the first coffee from what we hope to be a long relationship between the Osorio and PT’s families.

PANAMA - HACIENDA LA ESMERALDA - MONTAÑA GEISHA

We first purchased coffee from Hacienda La Esmeralda in 2006. That was the first year the farm won the SCAP Best of Panama competition. Following the competition, they set a world record for the price paid for coffee at auction. That price has been shattered several times as they have garnered the reputation as one of the elite coffee producers in the world.  2011 is one of the few years since the discovery of the Geisha varietal, that Hacienda La Esmeralda has not won the competition.  They were the runner-up this year.

After the excitment surrounding the 2011 Hacienda La Esmeralda Auction finished, and all of the bids were in, we were proud to announce that we received one of the Montaña lots. This is the first year that Hacienda La Esmeralda made the Montaña lots available, and they represent the highest grown micro-lots on the farm. Montaña received the highest price at the 2011 Esmeralda Auction.

THE WONDERS OF GEISHA

These two stand out coffees combine perfectly in our limited edition set.  It is a rare experience to enjoy the two best coffees from one country side by side. We will roast both of their coffees to the peak of perfection and have created a signature gift set, to memorialize their dedication and hard work.

We are offering 10% off The Wonders of Geisha on all Pre-Orders.

Memorial Day marks the beginning of Summer Vacation for many students across the country, and is a timeless tradition for honoring our loved ones, and the fallen soldiers who gave their lives to protect our freedom.  To pay tribute to our loved ones, we will be extending a free shipping promotion through the holiday weekend.

*Free Shipping on all orders over $50.  Use promo code “HONOR2011BLOG”
*This offer expires at Midnight on Monday, May 30th.

Memorial Day will also put a minor delay in our shipping schedule.  We will be closed on Monday, May 30th, and all shipping carriers are closed as well.  We will resume normal business hours on Tuesday.

In other news, Guatemala Finca El Valle has arrived, and will have its first roast on Tuesday when we return.  The Gonzalez family, owners of Finca El Valle, are our newest Direct Trade partners.  You can read more about this Antiguan farm and our recent visit to Finca El Valle by following this link.

With all of the excitement surrounding the 2011 Hacienda La Esmeralda coffee auction, we felt that it is time to announce the final roast of our 2010 Mario San Jose auction lot.  After tasting each lot, we knew that there were two coffees that we had to have: Mario Carnaval and Mario San Jose. Both of these spectacular lots are harvested from the region that traditionally produces the best geisha lots from Hacienda La Esmeralda. There is something about these spectacular micro-climates that creates a flavor profile unlike any other.

Mario San Jose was harvested at the end of the harvest season: March. On the cupping table, Mario San Jose surprised us.  It was big, it was bright and it was incredibly sweet. When we tasted it, notes of strawberry and grapefruit filled our mouths. Its sweet and juicy character made us long for more.

We are trying to get our hands on another lot from Hacienda La Esmeralda.  We will keep you updated on the results of the 2011 Auction.  The final roast of Mario San Jose will be Monday, May 23rd.

Finca El Socorro, Guatemala

In 2010 we introduced you to a Guatemalan offering that we at PT’s were thrilled to launch as our newest Direct Trade Relationship coffee. Finca El Socorro Maracaturra made it’s way into our roasting plant mid September and was gone before we knew it. As sad as we were to see a staff favorite come and go so quickly, I’m happy to say the 2011 harvest is looking excellent and the coffee should arrive early summer.

This year Juan Diego de la Cerda, owner of Finca El Socorro, as been working hard to expand his farm and increase his production by planting several new varieties, including Pacamara.  The expansion is only one part of the farms changes this year, as they have been working to improve the milling and drying on the patio as well. His wet mill is at nearly 1400 meters and, due to elevation, requires special attention at all times to achieve quality coffee.

On my recent visit a couple of weeks ago, we watched as Juan Diego coached the pickers on proper cherry selection and constantly tweaked things in the mill to make sure the pulpers were running at peak efficiency and fermentation times were accurate. Drying at this altitude requires a non-stop attention to detail as the process is slow and even a small rain can damage the already processed parchment. Each night the parchment is swept up and covered to protect it from any rains that may occur. Quality is the highest priority for everyone at Finca El Socorro and thats why we love working with Juan Diego, his family and the staff, at Finca El Socorro.

Look for his coffee to arrive some time in May. It should be outstanding as always.

Antigua, Guatemala
We are so very proud to announce our newest addition to the Direct Trade line of coffees from PTs this year. Finca El Valle, from the Antigua Region of Guatemala.

In an interesting twist of fate, this farm was one of the very first farms I ever visited in 2001 on my first trip to a coffee growing region. Little did I know, 10 years later I’d have to opportunity to work with the remarkable family.

Cristina Gonzales with her husband and 3 sons manage day to day operations at Finca El Valle. A classic Antigua coffee that is balanced and clean with a gentle acidity and lingering, milk chocolate finish.

When Maritza and I visited this farm harvest was already complete, but we could easily see the care that was taken on the farm as we walked the classically aligned rows of coffee. Organization is at a premium at El Valle and everyone is treated as family. From the pickers to the full-time employees, it’s a family run business with a tremendous amount of pride and love poured into their efforts.

We’ll have a longer report soon on this farm. Expect this coffee to arrive in April. We share this coffee with Batdorf & Bronson and Allegro Coffee which is owned by Wholefoods Inc.

Guatemala City and Beyond…
The last leg of our 10-day trip through Guatemala took us just an hour and a half outside of Guatemala City to a farm we’ve now worked with for several years, Finca Santa Isabel. In previous years we’ve carried a classic washed and sun dried, caturra variety, coffee from this farm. But with the addition of El Socorro and El Valle to our offering this year, now was the opportunity to experiment with the brothers Martin and Alex Keller at Finca Santa Isabel. This farm is positioned just around 1,000 meters. Not a high grown coffee by any standard. So we thought lets have some fun and prepare a Naturally processed coffee and take advantage of the lower elevation to experiment and generate something new for our customers.

Martin picked us up at our hotel on Sunday morning and we headed for the farm. Upon arrival he already had a cupping of the coffees waiting for us at their century old farm home. The naturals were prepared and a comparison cup was offered from another farm. Even though the coffee was just off of the drying patio a very short time, we believe this is going to be a special coffee. Only a small portion of this lot will be offered as a single origin as we’ve got it pegged as an awesome Single Origin Espresso.

Did I mention their farm is 100% certified organic? It’s absolutely amazing to be honest. I visited here two years ago while they were still in organic transition. I saw the damage done to the trees by years of over fertilization and pesticides. It was dramatic on this visit to see the farm respond and come to life. The coffee trees were healthy and the shade trees were plentiful. A complete transition from only a couple of years back. This is now a 100% fully certified Organic farm- one of the largest Organic Farms in the world as a matter of fact. The organization of this farm is spectacular.

We anticipate this crop arriving in May as well. Keep your eyes peeled for the Santa Isabel Single Origin Espresso coming this summer.

I know this is a short recap of my most recent trip through Guatemala. I hope to write something a little more detailed as time permits, but I wanted you to have an idea of the harvest as I visit.

And last but definitely not least- Introducing Maritza Suarez-Taylor
As many of you know I got married in August of last year. My wife, Maritza, currently works in quality control for an exporter in Bogota, Colombia for the last 6 years. We’ve been working hard on legalities of immigration now for nearly a year. You could say its been a bit stressful. But I am happy to announce that we now are confident Maritza will achieve full immigration status around the first week of May! When she arrives her help in Quality Control will be welcomed with open arms as the staff is working extremely hard to keep up with all the changes in the coffee industry this year- from new arrivals of Kenya and Burundi to ongoing pricing and quality changes. Maritza is a certified Q Instructor with the Coffee Quality Institute and is well versed in the subtleties of seed to cup. Her expertise on quality control will be a huge boost to our staff.

Not to mention I’ll be happy to just have my wife here in the USA with me! :o)

Warm Regards,

Jeff Taylor
Co-Founder and Green Buyer
PTs Coffee Roasting Co.