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.

When developing a strategy for our new mainline blend, a lot of discussion and trials took place. After a year of exploration of different blending styles, single origins as espressos, playing with parameters and percentages of extraction, and just tasting what else is out there, we wrapped our heads around all the different versions, ideas and possibilities of espresso. It was a fascinating exploration of what espresso has been, is, and could be.

Southpaw is a well rounded expression of much of what we have come to enjoy and require of a house espresso.  Much of the challenge in creating a “balanced” daily use espresso is achieving a complex and sweet flavor profile in a straight shot that will manage to have enough body to punch through in milk based beverages (the majority of drinks sold in the US).  In Southpaw we have accomplished this.  It has a sparkling tangerine acidity, juicy cherry sweetness, all grounded with rich milk chocolate and cocoa notes.  The texture is syrupy and dense, lending itself well to combining with milk, creating a malty milk chocolate flavor.

The official launch of Southpaw is Friday, February 18th at CoffeeFest Chicago.  If you are planning on attending the show, stop by booth # 718-720 for a shot!  For those of you not attending CoffeeFest, the first orders will be sent out on Monday the 21st.

CoffeeFest is a great chance to meet some of the people from PT’s.  Account Representatives David Amos, Robin Seitz, and Kasey Klimes will all be in attendance as well as PT’s owners Jeff Taylor and Fred Polzin.

We are searching for an energetic student that specializes in Marketing and/or Graphic Design.

This is a Part-Time or Full-time internship that has a flexible schedule to work around class schedules.  This is a unique opportunity to diversify your experience and credentials.  There is potential for future employment in 2012.

Responsibilities:

1) Research - Graphic and Marketing concepts and proposals.

2) Graphic Design - Marketing material design and ongoing development, Photoshop/image editing, image design for website usage, brand imaging, product imaging, and customer support.

3) Marketing Strategy - Managing current email databases for focused utilization and brainstorming new ideas to help build sales online and offline

4) Office/Administrative Assistance - Assist the office staff with handling file work, organization and shipping

5) Potential for international travel

This is an unpaid internship with real potential for growth opportunities and employment.  We have hired interns in the past.  Interested applicants can contact us by phone or email.

The internship is located at our roasting facility and office at 929 University Blvd., in the Forbes Industrial Park in Topeka, KS.  For more information regarding this opportunity contact Steven at 1-785-862-5282.

A printable application form can be found here.

The New Year is upon us and we thought it would be a great time for a review of the past years coffee’s, with an update of what’s to come in 2011.  Last year was an exciting year for us at PT’s Coffee Roasting Co..  We made new coffee discoveries, in Brazil and Guatemala, and received great reviews for coffees that have become favorites for many.  The New Year brings an new excitement of new-found coffee discoveries and fresh harvests. We’ll continue our outstanding relationships with the current Direct Trade Farms and develop a few new relationships that we hope will become just as rewarding.

The Year In Review - 2010

In January our classic offering, Moka-Java Organic Blend, received a 90-point review.  And that was just the beginning of what would become our all-new Organic Line of Coffees.  If you haven’t checked these coffees out yet, you’re missing some wonderful Single Origin Organic and Blended Organic coffees.

One of our goals last year came to fruition around mid-year when some of our blends took on a new look and others got new names.  The Moka-Java Organic Blend is now called “OLD 93″ in honor of our company founding February 3^rd, 1993.  Another popular blend, Kansas Sunrise, became an immediate hit with its new name – Farm Girl Blend.  And Rolling Thunder changed to Thunder Road.  Same great coffees, just some updated branding.

In March, another of our 2010 discoveries, Ethiopia Sidama – Ardi, received a 92-point review from Ken Davids of Coffee Review.  We also developed the Ardi as a Single Origin Espresso and Robin Seitz featured it in the Midwest Regional Barista Competition and United States Barista Competitions.

2010 was a good year for espresso as well.  Through dogged determination, experimentation and discovery, we launched Flying Monkey Espresso. With a flavor profile that is gently fruit-filled and an undercurrent of licorice and aromatic wood, Flying Monkey Espresso has become extremely popular in it’s first year. In addition to Flying Monkey, Jeff Taylor, co-founder and coffee buyer for PT’s, and Holly Bastin, staff Barista Trainer, developed our first Seasonal Espresso Offering - Don Roberto Espresso Reserve from Finca Las Mercedes, El Salvador. This blend features coffees from three different Micro-Lots on the same farm, Don Roberto Espresso Reserve was a huge hit and didn’t last as long as we originally hoped it might. Boasting of two Honeyed Micro-Lot coffees and one fully washed coffee, Don Roberto introduced an all-new flavor profile to our line-up of espresso blends.

It was a slow year for us on Coffee Review as we only scored four other coffees that received 90+ reviews, unfortunately, as we transition through harvest seasons, some of them are no longer available.  Panama Elida Natural received a 93 and Guatemala Finca El Socorro Maracaturra received a 92, both are still available.  Burundi Mwurire and Colombia Los Naranjos San Agustin received 90+ reviews, but are no longer available.

Last but not least, as we rounded out the year, a unique find, and the only Kona coffee we’ve purchased in a number of years from Hawaii, scored a 94-point review.  Hawaii Isla Kona Mauka was the result of three pickers, including our friend Miguel Meza, who was sent to one of the highest farms in Kona, near 3200 feet, and close to the town of Holualoa.  We paid a premium to the pickers for only the ripest cherries and to process this coffee just for us to provide for you during the holidays. The resulting cup is remarkable and worth the effort. There is still a very small amount of this coffee available, but you’ll want to order soon as it won’t last. Jeff is working to process some more of this coffee, but we don’t have an arrival date yet.

2011 New Year Offerings

With so many exciting things happening in 2010, we are really looking forward to a great 2011.  

Introducing our newest Direct Trade Farm - Guatemala El Socorro Bourbon Espresso. This is our January Single Origin Espresso offering.  Holly believes this is the most balanced Single Origin Espresso she has seen since our offering of Ethiopia Sidama Ardi as an Espresso last spring.  This espresso has notes of Bing Cherry, Clementine Orange, and Bittersweet Cocoa.

We are anticipating the arrival of another new offering from South America very soon.  Brazil - Pocos de Caldas - Yellow Bourbon – Pulped Natural.  This coffee is produced and blended from 3 small farms in the region of Mogiana.  Pocos de Caldas is a volcanic crater, and these farms are located around the rim of the crater.  This coffee almost elevated itself off of the cupping table and insisted we purchase it last week. Keep your eyes open for this one.

The year 2011 is shaping up to be monumental in terms of quality for PT’s, but the high price of coffee is going to be an issue. Demand for Specialty Coffee worldwide is at an all-time high. So the climatic weather conditions that caused the loss of untold amounts of coffee in growing regions of Colombia, Brazil and many other coffee origins couldn’t have come at a worse time.  With demand sky high and supply at all time lows, the price is already at a 15-year high on the New York “C” market. This is the commodity market that sets the base price for coffee.  So we are very sorry to tell you our prices too will be rising in the near future. We’re doing everything we can to hold the line of prices, but this market is out of our control and it’s going to affect everyone. You’ll see prices for coffee going up everywhere, not just for PT’s coffee.  Stick with us and we’ll make it through this market and continue to provide you with the best coffees the world has to offer.

Because as we are often heard to say: “Without the love, it’s just coffee!”

Our exclusive Passport line of coffees gives you the opportunity to taste the best the world has to offer. All the travel, cupping, and know-how we have is poured into spotting these rare coffee gems and bringing out the best in each.

First
For our Passport offerings, we specifically seek out coffees that are rare, exceptional, or have a limited offering.

Then
We roast them to the peak of perfection, in small batches, and on specific roast dates to ensure freshness and quality.

And Then . . .
We ship directly to you. You’ll be able to taste each mastered step of PT’s Passport coffees from tree to cup.

As of Monday, July 19^th you will see some new names added to our blend offerings, while some will seem to disappear. No worries though, fundamentally these coffees aren’t changing…just getting a fresh look and feel. The coffees you have come to know and love will still be available, but here’s a run down of their new identities-

Thunder Road

Formerly our Rolling Thunder, this blend’s new identity is in homage to Jeff’s favorite musician- Bruce Springsteen. Hearty and smooth, this blend is still “The Boss”.

Ol’ 93

You will have known this blend as Moka Java, a classic blend of opposites. Sweet and earthy, this is our rendition of the oldest coffee blend in recorded history, and the new name reflects the year of our inception as PT’s Coffee.

Farm Girl

Bright but balanced, this blend has been loved by many. Previously our Sunrise Blend, the Farm Girl is still sweet and sultry and filled with character. We are currently out of this blend but it will return soon!

B-ville House Drip

This take on an approachable and well rounded drip coffee has been previously known as Coffeehouse Blend. Still a Direct Trade offering, this standard is still what we serve daily in our original café- Barrington Village, which has been coined “B-Ville” as our term of endearment for it.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email at info@ptscoffee.com or call at 888-678-JAVA!

PTs Coffee Roasting Co. and the Gombe Coffee Project, along with travels to Burundi and El Salvador, are featured in the Fall 2009 TKBiz Magazine. Click through the pages and check out the “postcards from coffees origin.”

[View with PicLens]

You are invited to join PT’s Coffee Roasting Co and Gizmo Pictures to celebrate The Gombe Coffee Project Video release!  Gizmo Picture’s David Kitchner traveled with PT’s Jeff Taylor on a coffee sourcing trip to Tanzania, documenting the lives and work of these hardworking farmers.  That night will be the first viewing of this incredible documentary!  Join us at 6:00 pm on Thursday, October 15th at the Blind Tiger Brewery for great food, coffee and discounted Java Porter!

During the peak of new harvest arrivals, it is difficult to choose between so many great new coffees.  We have heard the questions time and time again…  “Which coffee from Los Planes should I try?  Which Panamanian coffee should I try first?  How can I choose?”  To help alleviate this conundrum, we are creating a new Celebration of Harvest Box that will highlight our new harvests and help you choose.  Each of these boxes includes one 12oz bag of two of our new harvests.  This week’s Celebration of Harvest offering hails from the Salvador coffee harvest.

Celebration of Harvest Box - Finca Los Planes

You no longer have to choose between the two wonderful coffees from our Direct Trade partner at Finca Los Planes!  The Finca Los Planes Celebration of Harvest Box gives you the chance to try both coffees, one right after the other or you can have the chance to give them both as the ultimate coffee gift.  In this box we include one 12 oz bag of Finca Los Planes Pacamara variety and one 12 oz bag of Finca Los Planes Lote la Lagunita. Purchase the Finca Los Planes Celebration of Harvest Box here!

Celebration of Harvest Box - Cup of Excellence

With so many spectacular accolades attached to our coffees, such as Finca Kilimanjaro and Finca Las Mercedes’ 1st  Place Cup of Excellence finishes, it can be hard to choose which award winning coffee to purchase.  Therefore, we have bundled two 1st Place Cup of Excellence Award winners for the Cup of Excellence Celebration of Harvest Box.  You will enjoy one 12 oz bag of Finca Las Mercedes’ El Pepinal 1 and one 12 oz bag of Finca Kilimanjaro’s spectacular Kenyan variety coffee.  This is one coffee box that will be too good to give away; so buy two so you can give one to your closest friend!  Purchase the Cup of Excellence Celebration of Harvest Box here!

Beautiful Beloya Box

The naturally processed Ethiopian Beloyas have made a name for themselves in the world of specialty coffee, and you  can now purchase both selections, Beloya Selection 8 and Beloya Selection 1, in one beautiful box.   Both of these coffees are the quintessential representation of naturally processed Ethiopian Yergacheffes.  Selection 8 bursts with strawberry and blueberry goodness, and Selection 1 has a sweet lemony goodness with a hint of blueberry.  Purchase this beautiful Beloya package here!

We have a little confession to make. When we are searching for great coffee at origin, we don’t always just fly to the country, get off the airplane and follow our super-sensitive noses up the mountainside to the best coffee farm in the country. Don’t tell anyone, but oftentimes we have help. One of our best guides in sourcing great coffee is the Cup of Excellence program. If you are not familiar with this program, here is its story.

The Cup of Excellence began in 1999 out of a desire to help reward coffee farmers for producing exceptional coffees. A group of industry professionals decided that one of the best ways to do this was to hold a national competition that would bring in coffee cuppers from across the world to find the best coffees in that particular country. After the competition, the winning coffees would be sold to roasters all over the world at an Internet auction.

After holding the first couple of competitions in Brazil, the coffee world started to catch on to the fact that this competition was doing an incredible amount of good for everyone involved. It was helping impoverished coffee farmers receive a sustainable price for their coffee. It was helping roasters connect with farmers who truly cared about producing exceptional coffee. And it was helping consumers realize the huge potential of this small bean. Now the Cup of Excellence program has been running for 10 years and has spread to 9 different coffee producing countries.

This week we are celebrating the launch of two new 1st Place Cup of Excellence Award Winners from El Salvador. The first of these coffees is El Pepinal 1, a mircrolot from Finca Las Mercedes in El Salvador.

Finca Las Mercedes won 1^st 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 back 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. Finca Las Mercedes 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.

In addition to producing great coffee, Finca Las Mercedes has everything else that we look for in a Direct Trade farm. Obviously, the quality of their coffee is outstanding. They go to great lengths to insure that their coffee is as pure and clean as possible by processing the coffee on their farm. Their dedication to sustainable practices, both environmental and social, aligns well with our own commitment to sustainability. They do this by continually giving back to their community, constructing and supplying a school, providing food for a nursing home and supporting the local soccer team. PT’s Coffee has pitched in with their efforts to help the community by providing medicines for a local clinic and soccer balls for the local team.

The second coffee for this week’s celebration is a rock star in the world of specialty coffee. In 2003, Finca Kilimanjaro astounded the judges at the first El Salvador Cup of Excellence with its complex sweetness and exquisite aftertaste and mouthfeel. Aida Batlle, the producer of Finca Kilimanjaro, is growing a Kenyan variety in the volcanic highlands of El Salvador that is an absolute pleasure to drink.

Finca Kilimanjaro’s quality is a testament to the hard work and attention to detail of Aida Batlle and her workers. On visits to Finca Kilimanjaro, it is clear that she is intimately involved in every aspect of coffee production. She is not one cut corners or to skimp on quality. She also recognizes that imperative to producing quality coffee is paying her workers a sustainable wage. In fact, she pays her workers almost twice the normal wage.

Because of all of this hard work, this coffee knocks your socks off! Its aroma has exquisite floral and fruity notes that balance very well with its supple sweetness. It has a lingering aftertaste that is so clean and so smooth that it leaves you with a sense of wonder. We have a very limited supply of this great coffee, so buy a bag before it runs out! This coffee is in our Passport lineup, so be sure to check on the next roast date before ordering!

In addition to Finca Kilimanjaro, we will also receive a very small lot of Peaberry from Aida named Aida’s Grand Reserve. She sorts out only the best Peaberry from her three coffee farms to create this exquisite coffee. We will launch this coffee closer to the holiday season, so be sure to be on the lookout for it before it sells out!