So we reach the summit again. I promised you 7 coffees in 7 days (after the previous 7 coffees in 7 days) and you have them all. I thought I would finish with a stormer !!

From the same farm as two of the others added, this is like its brothers amazing, but also uniquely different too. Any way read on.

Introducing a coffee we have seen before, but this time it joins us as a UK exclusive and direct trade offering, and one I am very happy to have in that stable.

The story starts back in 2009 when it seemed like we had been searching for a great Colombian coffee forever. This had been much harder than it should have been, with Colombian yields massively down and lots of the coffee being hoovered up by people with big pockets who just need to have a Colombian, regardless of the quality.

We stocked the 2009 Typica crop from the Mirador region of this farm and it was only a small lot, but it was so popular and so enjoyed that it was gone in two and a half weeks. We had expected it would last until the new crop was due to arrive, many weeks later. So we stocked a good amount of it last year (and it still flew out the door). So I am very pleased to get some of the Typica al be it from a different section Galpon.

The farm has become a favourite farm and producer. But this year we found out from Camilo that the importer would not be bringing in the coffee and all the hard work, searching, and cupping would be wasted. So cue the music and a flight to Colombia (tagged on to the start of my trip to the World Barista Championships); I flew out to see Camilo and to try to fix this.

A few days with Camilo and you realise that he is the future of the Colombian coffee industry. I’ll try and quantify that statement; for years Colombia has had a great reputation, and has achieved great prices (even when markets were low the Colombian differential was always high). But changes in climate and issues with plant diseases (leaf rust is a huge problem in Colombia) have put pressure on yields, and so put pressure on farms to change traditional plant stock for that of more disease resistant strains such as Castillo, Catimore, and Colombia. The problem with this is that these varietals don’t take into account what’s important to me: how it tastes.

Camilo is working with varietals purely for their intrinsic taste values and to make the best farm; not just in the region or in Colombia, but the world. He is constantly asking questions, working with interesting irrigation ideas to work against the change in climate, even building a giant greenhouse for an experimental lot of growing coffee under cover.

This crazy approach to growing coffee is nothing new to Camilo; he bought land that Santuario now sits on, before it had any coffee on it at all. The land had previously been grazing ground for cattle. It was barren and in a rather bad way, but it seemed there was potential for great Colombian coffee to be grown. With an altitude of 1800-2100 metres, low temperatures at night (but not too low), and high temperatures during the day (again not too high), the land had possibilities. With active agronomy, soil management, and careful varietal selection, this farm is now one of the most amazing coffee experiments I have seen. If I were to build a farm (and one day I hope this will happen), this would be the model I would follow. Camilo has selected Typica and Bourbon as the main crop (80%) and experimental lots of Geisha, Maragogype, and Mocha (20%). You can see by the map below that this farm has been meticulously planned and every piece designed to fit in with each other. With further plans to extend the varietal stock and build a wet mill, this farm will continue to become a benchmark for farm design, and to show that quality coffee can achieve the premiums that are needed to maintain this style of farm.

So, in the cup this Typica has a far bigger sweetness compared to that the Bourbon. This is sweet milk chocolate, with a more subdued acidity which is still present but just the volume of turned down. Stoned fruit but this time apricot and there is also a hint of a vanilla pod in the aftertaste that’s a real delight. I said this last year but both of these varietals, the Typica and Bourbon, are amongst some of the most complex tasting coffees I have ever cupped.

<click to enlarge>

Coffee:     Finca Santuario Galpon Typica Bourbon
Farm:         Finca Santuario Heliconias
Varietal(s):     100% Typica
Processing:     Washed
Altitude:     This lot 2050 metres above sea level rest of farm (1890 – 2010)
Farm Size: 135.4 hectares
Coffee growing size: 62.9 Hectares
Owner:     Camilo Merizald
City:        Cali
Region:     Cauca
Country:     Colombia

You can buy it here

Time to shake it up with a blend rebuild. Gutted that mark one ran out so quickly. But we are running super low on one of the components, so its a matter of having to. The journey starts trying out some things, and this I think this is an improvement.

This one will be around for a while.

This has gotten replaced way too quick this time, and I am sorry but I think you will think its worth it.

Has Bean Premium Blend became so important to Has Bean, but we didn’t like the name. It infers that everything else is not premium, and of course it all is. I decided it was time for a revamp to make all the blends a little more fun. So now we have ‘Jailbreak’ (a replacement for the Premium and Has Bean Espresso Blends). This is our house blend that we think is perfect for everyone from the home user right through to the best commercial espresso machines. There is a reason for the name, and I am sure lots of people will get it. It has lots to do with how I got into coffee.

For me a roaster’s espresso blend for home users should be:

1. Good with other brew methods as well as with espresso. This saves customers from needing to have two different blends to hand, which is particularly useful for those who do not get through them very quickly.

2. Good in a cheaper home machine as well as a top of the range commercial machine.

3. Good across a range of temperatures and extraction times; it should be forgiving.

4. Just totally tasty.

This blend does all that and more.

We are very proud of what we do here at Has Bean Coffee. Some roasters will pretend that there is a dark art in blending. We think that good ingredients make a good blend when you think about what you want to achieve. We also don’t keep secrets; our blend contains 100% great quality coffee from some of the best single estates in the world and we are happy to tell you all about them. Jailbreak consists of:

(50%) Bolivia Loayza

(30%) Colombia Oporapa

(20%) Peru Café Verde Cusco Organic 2012

These are premium coffees that on their own are amazing single origin coffees, but as a blend bring sweetness, acidity, body and all around deliciousness.

You can buy it here

These weeks fly by, but some killer coffees coming through. So This may sound a little familiar and yes the write up is the same as yesterdays wonderful (but expensive yellow bourbon). Good news this is its more reasonably priced brother and is equally as special.

This is the second year of this coffee, and well I say enough in the write up so enjoy.

Introducing a coffee we have seen before, but this time as a UK exclusive and direct trade offering, and one I am very happy to have in that stable.

The story starts back in 2009 when it seemed like we had been searching for great Colombian for ever. This had been much harder than it should have been, with Colombian yields massively down and lots of the coffee being hoovered up by people with big pockets who just need to have a Colombian, regardless of the quality.

We stocked the 2009 Tipica crop from this farm and it was only a small lot, but so popular and so enjoyed that it was gone in two and a half weeks. We had expected it would last until the new crop would arrive many weeks later. So we stocked a good amount of it last year (and still flew out the door), its become a favourite farm and producer.

But this year we found out from Camilo that the importer would not be bringing in the coffee, and all the hard work, searching and cupping would be wasted. So cue the music and a flight to Colombia, (tagged on to the start of my trip to the World Barista Championships) I flew out to see Camilo and to try to fix this.

A few days will Camilo you realise that he is the future of the colombian coffee industry. I’ll try and quantify that staement, for years colombia has had a great reputation, and has achieved great prices (even when markets were low the colombian differential was always high). But changes in climate and issues with plant diseases (leaf rust is a huge problem in colombia) have put pressure on yields and pressure to change traditional plant stock for that of more disease resistant strains such as castillo, catimore and colombia. The problem with this is that these varietals don’t take into account whats important to me, how it tastes. Camilo is working with varietals purely for their intrinsic taste values, and to make the best farm, not just in region or colombia but the world.He is constantly asking questions, working with interesting irrigation ideas to work against the change in climate, even building a giant greenhouse for an experimental lot of growing coffee under cover.

This crazy approach to growing coffee is nothing new to Camilo, he bought land that Santuario now sits on, without any coffee on it at all. The land had previously been grazing, for cattle. It was barren and in a rather bad way, but it seemed there was potential for great Colombian coffee to be grown. With an altitude of 1800-2100 metres, low temperatures at night (but not too low), and high temperatures during the day (again not too high), the land had possibilities.

With active agronomy, soil management and careful varietal selection, this farm is now one of the most amazing coffee experiments I have seen. If I were to build a farm ( and one day I hope this will happen), this would be the model I would follow. Camilo has selected Tipica and Bourbon as the main crop (80%) and experimental lots of Geisha, Maragogype and Mocha (20%). You can see by the map below that this farm has been meticulously planned and every piece designed to fit in with each other.

With further plans to extend the varietal stock and build a wet mill, this farm will continue to become a benchmark for farm design, and to show that quality coffee can achieve the premiums that are needed to maintain this style of farm.

In the cup you can expect very clean and very elegant sweetness with bakers chocolate and a brown sugar, which develops into a lovely plum like acidity. The complex aftertaste and smooth body are what makes this coffee so special and unique carrying on and on.

<click to enlarge>

Coffee:     Finca Santuario Heliconias Bourbon
Farm:         Finca Santuario Heliconias
Varietal(s):     100% Bourbon
Processing:     Washed
Altitude:     This lot 2050 metres above sea level rest of farm (1890 – 2010)
Farm Size: 135.4 hectares
Coffee growing size: 62.9 Hectares
Owner:     Camilo Merizald
City:        Cali
Region:     Cauca
Country:     Colombia

You can buy it here

So spluttering into day 4 (over half way) a special coffee for special occasions. Maybe not one for drinking every day (but tomorrows will help with that) but one that you just have to try (preferably with tomorrows). Exceptional coffee that I am proud to have here.

Introducing a coffee we have seen before, but this time as a UK exclusive and direct trade offering, and one I am very happy to have in that stable.

The story starts back in 2009 when it seemed like we had been searching for great Colombian for ever. This had been much harder than it should have been, with Colombian yields massively down and lots of the coffee being hoovered up by people with big pockets who just need to have a Colombian, regardless of the quality.

We stocked the 2009 Tipica crop from this farm and it was only a small lot, but so popular and so enjoyed that it was gone in two and a half weeks. We had expected it would last until the new crop would arrive many weeks later. So we stocked a good amount of it last year (and still flew out the door), its become a favourite farm and producer.

But this year we found out from Camilo that the importer would not be bringing in the coffee, and all the hard work, searching and cupping would be wasted. So cue the music and a flight to Colombia, (tagged on to the start of my trip to the World Barista Championships) I flew out to see Camilo and to try to fix this.

A few days will Camilo you realise that he is the future of the colombian coffee industry. I’ll try and quantify that staement, for years colombia has had a great reputation, and has achieved great prices (even when markets were low the colombian differential was always high). But changes in climate and issues with plant diseases (leaf rust is a huge problem in colombia) have put pressure on yields and pressure to change traditional plant stock for that of more disease resistant strains such as castillo, catimore and colombia. The problem with this is that these varietals don’t take into account whats important to me, how it tastes. Camilo is working with varietals purely for their intrinsic taste values, and to make the best farm, not just in region or colombia but the world.He is constantly asking questions, working with interesting irrigation ideas to work against the change in climate, even building a giant greenhouse for an experimental lot of growing coffee under cover.

This crazy approach to growing coffee is nothing new to Camilo, he bought land that Santuario now sits on, without any coffee on it at all. The land had previously been grazing, for cattle. It was barren and in a rather bad way, but it seemed there was potential for great Colombian coffee to be grown. With an altitude of 1800-2100 metres, low temperatures at night (but not too low), and high temperatures during the day (again not too high), the land had possibilities.

With active agronomy, soil management and careful varietal selection, this farm is now one of the most amazing coffee experiments I have seen. If I were to build a farm ( and one day I hope this will happen), this would be the model I would follow. Camilo has selected Tipica and Bourbon as the main crop (80%) and experimental lots of Geisha, Maragogype and Mocha (20%). You can see by the map below that this farm has been meticulously planned and every piece designed to fit in with each other.

With further plans to extend the varietal stock and build a wet mill, this farm will continue to become a benchmark for farm design, and to show that quality coffee can achieve the premiums that are needed to maintain this style of farm.

In the cup its hard to talk about this one, without talking about its larger lot sized (and cheaper) red brother. Like the red you can expect very clean and very elegant sweetness with bakers chocolate and a brown sugar, which develops into a lovely plum like acidity. Where it changes and grows is in its magnification. Everything gets a little big bigger a little more defined, but what is different is the mouthfeel, creamy, liquid velvet wraps it up quite nicely.

<click to enlarge>

Coffee:     Finca Santuario Heliconias Bourbon
Farm:         Finca Santuario Heliconias
Varietal(s):     100% Bourbon
Processing:     Washed
Altitude:     This lot 2050 metres above sea level rest of farm (1890 – 2010)
Farm Size: 135.4 hectares
Coffee growing size: 62.9 Hectares
Owner:     Camilo Merizald
City:        Cali
Region:     Cauca
Country:     Colombia

You can buy it here

So we are are day three, of seven days / seven coffees mk 2 and time for another cup of excellence. This year we were part of a buying group for two lots from the competition. And I have to say the coffees are the best yet from the COE competition from Rwanda. But I must also follow that up that its the most awful information pack with each I have ever received. We know very little about this, apart from its a seriously tasty cup.

So here goes

From the third Cup of Excellence in Africa, we are pleased to offer you this tasty coffee.

Normally we can go into lots of detail at this point as Cup of Excellence provides lots of background information, but this time it’s a bit sketchy. What I can tell you its from the Northern region of Rwanda from the Gakenke districut and that when you drink it , its very very nice

The lot was produced by a cooperative of 20 growers all of them below

Kaziyumugabo Justin
Babonampoze Chreophace
Ntamuhanga Agnes
Nakabonye Josephine
Dusingizimana Seba
Hitimana Michel
Hakizimana Donath
Ndagijimana Faustin
Nyiramanza Alphonsine
Kanyaruganda Edouard
Association Tuzamurane
Harerimana Uwimana Evariste
Nzabarinda Anastase
Nyirangirabega Euphrasie
Habimana Francois Xavier
Bihoyiki Vestine
Mukamana Beatrice
Hategekimana Ignace
Mabugu Assiel
Ntambara Zacharie

In the cup expect jasmine with coffee blossom. Super floral with a orange acidity, with a mouthfeel and hint of honey. For me not for espresso, but thats just me, if you like them bright it might be your thing.

Farm: SACOF Rulindo
Farmer: See Above
Rank: 30
City: Gakenke
Region: Northern
Country: Rwanda
Farm Size: Not Available
Coffee growing area: Not Available
Altitude: 1794 masl
Certification: None

You can buy it here

So day two is for one of the more less popular types of coffee decaf. Decafs are hard, and I understand why some don’t like them. But for the caffeine intolerant amongst you I know how important it is to you (I get the many many e-mails asking us to get more). This year has proved harder to get decafs for some reason. We have cupped more than ever, but also rejected more than ever. But this one is a familiar favourite we have had before.

Its also the CO2 method which I must admit tens to be my favourite of the methods, and the least harmful to the bean. The water process is ok, but CO2 is much kinder to the environment and slightly a better cup.

The CO2 Decaffeination Process

Carbon dioxide is a highly selective solvent for caffeine. Based on this phenomenon, CR3 developed its Natural Liquid Carbon Dioxide Coffee Decaffeination Process. In this process, the natural carbon dioxide is used under sub-critical conditions, i.e. in a liquid state at low temperature and pressure. These particularly gentle process parameters, together with the good caffeine selectivity of CO2, guarantee a high retention rate of the coffee components responsible for aroma and taste. The process can be described in detail as follows:

The raw, unroasted coffee is moistened with water and put into a vessel where it is brought into contact with pressurised, liquid carbon dioxide. By circulation through the coffee, the carbon dioxide draws the caffeine out of the bean. In an evaporator, the caffeine precipitates out from the CO2 which, after evaporation and re-condensation, is pumped again into the vessel containing the coffee for a new cycle. When the required residual caffeine level is reached, the CO2 circulation is stopped and the coffee is discharged into a drier where it is gently dried until it reaches the original moisture content. The coffee is then ready for roasting.

Any way here goes

El Guabo Estate coffee is produced in the San Ignacio region in the Northern Peruvian Highlands. El Guabo is made up of 4 small committees that include 120 families. The average size of each farm is 3 hectares. The excellent coffee that they produce is certified by OCIA and IMO/NATURLAND. During 2003, the total production from El Guabo was approx 6,000 quintales.

Coffee is the mainstay of the economy and the community lives from what they earn selling the coffee beans. It is also not uncommon for beans to be exchanged or bartered (known as ‘treque’) for basic foods as there is considerable poverty at El Guabo. To supplement their income and to provide for their families, many of the families also grow other products such as bananas, yucca and corn.

I have only ever stocked one Peruvian (an organic, like they all seem to be) before as they tend to underwhelm me. Cupping this one, straight away I noticed how clean it was in the cup. For the uninitiated clean means free from taints or faults and means the flavours can come through. It has sharpness and clarity that lets the body, brightness and depth be delivered straight to your tongue. Like many Central American coffees its has a consistency and reliability that means each cup is great.

In the cup expect floral, expect honey and expect a fine cup of organically produced decaf.

Farm: El Guabo

Varietal: Bourbon Caturra Catimor Paché Típica

Processing: Fully Washed and dried on patio

Altitude: 1,250-1,400 metres

Owner: Association of growers

City: District and Province of San Ignacio

Region: Department of Cajamarca

You can buy it here