"I love doing these posts, I'm worried I'm running out of ones to do. If there is one you would like me to do in particular please let me know through the normal channels"
Time for another of these (I’m post crazy with the new blog don’t worry I’ll slow down soon.
I love doing these posts, I’m worried I’m running out of ones to do. If there is one you would like me to do in particular please let me know through the normal channels.
Varietal: Caturra
Related to: Red Bourbon
Origin: Brazil
Grows best at: 800meters or above
Type: Mutant (bourbon)
Prevalent in: Brazil /Costa Rica /Colombia
Predominant Colour: Red
Fruit size: Normal
Leaf Characteristics: Wide Like Bourbon stumpy
Botany: Mutant
Special Notes:
Originating in Brazil but not found so much there now, this is a mutant from the popular Bourbon varietal. Like Bourbon it shares many of its negative aspects, its not very pest resistant and can be difficult to grow. Its one big plus is its higher yield than Bourbon (over 200kg per hector).
Its other bonus is that it can be used as a high density planting areas, as much as 10,000 plants per hector (normally around 6,000 though) and as little as 1mtr apart.
Its also a dwarf varietal so is easier for picking etc.
Typical cup characteristics are low body, bright, with a typically sweet profile.
Links: mutation of Bourbon links to Vili Sarchi and Pacas
Examples: Nicaragua Los Altos,Colombia La Manuela 2009-2010 Crop,Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa SHB Huehuetenango Michicoy Micro Lot,Bolivia Machacamarca BV Maria and Mario Andrade 2009
Written on November 24th, 2009 | Posted in Articles | 1 Comment »
"To create a blend it is necessary think of individual beans, how they might compliment each other and what they can bring to the blend, primarily in terms of taste."
I often get asked how we build espresso blends here at Has Bean. I wrote an article on the subject many moons ago though I think the process of blending has moved on a bit since then, so now seems like a good time for a re-write.
The first part of the process to produce any blend takes place in the mind and on paper. Before any coffee is tasted or anything is brewed, it is crucial to have some aims and objectives for the coffee. These can be diverse aspirations or simply seeking specific flavours within the blend. There is also the basic question of what proportion of acidity, sweetness and body is required. Next, with these answers in mind, it’s time for me to think about the Has Bean coffee inventory, and this is where I feel we have an advantage over many. We taste and cup lots of coffees, and have numerous beans available to us at any given time. I like to think we always have all the bases covered in terms of options and diversity.
To create a blend it is necessary think of individual beans, how they might compliment each other and what they can bring to the blend, primarily in terms of taste, but also in respect of mouthfeel, viscosity, aroma and complexity of flavours. Putting a complex, busy coffee in a blend alongside a wallflower of a bean may not be good, though two complex coffees can also just end up as a car crash of flavours. Read the rest of this entry »
Written on November 22nd, 2009 | Posted in Articles, featured | 14 Comments »
When checking through my varietal posts the other night I couldn't believe I hadn't done bourbon probably my favourite varietal of all. So here it is, Bourbon
When checking through my varietal posts the other night I couldn’t believe I hadn’t done bourbon probably my favorite varietal of all. So here it is, Bourbon
Varietal: Bourbon
Related to: Heirloom
Origin: Bourbon Island
Grows best at: 800meters or above
Type: Heirloom
Prevalent in: All over the coffee growing world
Predominant Colour: Red yellow and orange but mainly red
Fruit size: Normal rounded
Leaf Characteristics: Wide Like and short
Botany: Heirloom
Special Notes:
Originating maybe on the Bourbon island or maybe Ethiopia, this varietal finds its way in to many sub varietals. At risk of pest and disease, and yield wise is decidedly average, but the cup profile tends to be anything but.
There is some evidence that the yellow bourbon gives a higher yield compared to its red and orange derivatives, although red it the most prevalent.
With very close links to SL28 and Typica and Cattura, bourbon because of its low yield in the right environment tends to produce a very high quality cup (there is evidence that the lower the yield the higher the quality as the plant can use its energy more efficiently). I don’t think it is a coincidence that my top three coffees of all time have been from the bourbon varietal.
Typical cup characteristics are low body, balanced, with a typically sweet profile that tends to lend it self well to espresso based coffees.
Links: SL 28, Typica, Cattura
Examples: Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira Bourbon,El Salvador Finca La Fany Bourbon, Rwanda Murambi Bourbon, El Salvador La Ilusion Bourbon
Written on October 19th, 2009 | Posted in Articles | No Comments »
Keeping the weekend theme going og Geisha thought it needed to be added to the list of varietal posts.
Varietal:Geisha (or gesha)
Origin:Ethiopia
Grows Best at:post 1500 masl
Type:Heirloom
Prevalent in:Ethiopia, Costa Rica and Panama
Predominant Colour:Red
Fruit size:Standard
Leaf Characteristics:Elongated thin and long
Plant Characteristics: Tall thin, elongated leaves
Geisha is a controversial varietal when found in central america that is for sure. Extremely rare at the moment although expect to see lots in the coming years. Made famous around five years ago by panama Hasienda La Esmerelda. and the best of panama competition.
Little known it was originally introduced to central america in Costa Rica (1953 est) not Panama as many think. Originally from a south western Ethiopian town of Gesha its an heirloom varietal, that is low yeilding, thin and spindly branches open to strong winds, and pest friendly as they come (although resistant to coffee rust). The leaves are very long and thin too and grows very tall (if not a little gangly).
Can grow and many altitudes, but anecdotal evidence shows this only shines at real big elevation (post 1500 masl) lower altitude coffee tends to be of poorer quality than those from higher up.
Although esteemed in coffee circles the fact its a geisha is no guarantee of quality although when it is right it has potential to be amazing.
Special Notes:An example of this can be found in the Costa Rica La Candelilla Tarrazú 100% Geisha El Quemado lot
Written on August 30th, 2009 | Posted in Articles | 1 Comment »
Time for another Varietal post I do plan to do a few of these over the coming weeks, having got my head back into the books. If you want to see what we have done so far, I’ve created a page with them all here
Varietal:Rasuna
Related to:Catimor and tipica
Origin:Indonesia
Grows Best at:1100-1300 masl
Type:Hybred
Prevalent in:Indonesia
Predominant Colour:Red
Fruit size:Standard
Leaf Characteristics:Elongated Leaves
Plant Characteristics: Medium tall tree, small elongated leaves
The Rasuna variety derives from the cross of Catimor and Tipica varietal’s.
This is a new variety being planted in Sumatra around the Takengon area.
In Sumatra there has been a push towards Catimor for its high yeilds, but it been noted to have a short production life of around 10 years, after this time has passed, yields get dramatically lower over a short
period.
Another varietal used has been Typica, but this is a low yielded variety in Sumatra but has a much longer production life compared to Catimor before its yiled drops off.
So the obvious solution was to combine the two which they did and here it is, Rasuna
Special Notes:An example of this can be found in the Sidikalang we offer this year.
Links:Catimor and Tipica
Written on August 22nd, 2009 | Posted in Articles | No Comments »
Its been a while since one of these so its time for another varietal post. This time its the interesting Icatu thats been very difficult to tie down. An interesting and potentially exciting varietal, one to watch.
Varietal: Icatu
Related to: C.arabica and c. canephora
Origin: Brazil
Grows best at: 800ft and higher
Type: Hybred
Prevalent in: Brazil
Predominant Colour: Red and Yellow
Fruit size: Large
Leaf Characteristic’s: No noticeable traits
Plant Characteristic’s: Tall plant
Special Notes:
Only when I started to dig into this varietal did I find how widespread it is. With DNA in Iapar 59 and others, this relatively young varietal came to the forefront in 1985 in Brazil (again), but was officially released in 1993.
There are lots of sub varietals around icatu, most of them just sub variations. These hybrids are the result of repeated backcrossing of arabica with robusta hybrids to arabica cultivars with Mundo Novo and Caturra, and is by far the most complicated of the varietals I’ve looked at so far.
It has a strong resistance to leaf rust, and rootknot neratodes.
A relatively young varietal its true potential as a specialty coffee has yet to be accessed but its pest resistance and it success in brazil’s COE competition (our Brazil Rancho Sao Benedito from the 2008 competition a great example) show positive signs. In the cup too
Typical characteristics: Low acidity, medium to full body, sweet dark chocolate taste with a hint of citric aroma.
Links: Mundo Novo
Written on May 6th, 2009 | Posted in Articles | No Comments »
