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the blog of Stephen Leighton

Guatemala

New Coffee Update

Hello you lovely people, Steve here with an update on a few new coffees that have gone onto the website over the last 2 weeks but unfortunately I haven’t found time to shout about.

It’s been a bit of a funny couple of weeks, lots of travelling for me mixed with super naff weather in the UK and then our water + electricity supplies trying to make friends : ( we’ve been doing our very best at Hasbean Towers to carry on as normal despite the challenges that have been thrown at us, but unfortunately I did slip a little letting you know about the most delicious new things to hit the website : ( BUT here we are! So let’s get on with the tasty…

Hilda Pacha Washed Caturra
Zamora – Chinchipe, Ecuador
Brown sugar, toffee, watermelon
In the cup this super sweet coffee reminds me of brown sugar and toffee, with a green apple and watermelon aftertaste.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/ecuador-hilda-pacha-washed-caturra
£9.00 for 250g, £34.20 for 1kg.

Fazenda Inglaterra Pulped Natural Bourbon
Minas Gerais, Brazil
White sugar, Scottish tablet, walnut
In the cup expect white sugar sweetness that changes to Scottish tablet as it cools, there’s a red fruit acidity and walnut on the finish (for those of you wondering what Scottish tablet is – a medium-hard, sugary fudge style tasty treat)
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/brazil-fazenda-inglaterra-pulped-natural-bourbon
£6.00 for 250g, £33.00 for 1kg

Fazenda Inglaterra Natural
Minas Gerais, Brazil
Baker’s chocolate, date, pecan
In the cup expect bitter baker’s chocolate, with hints of date, muscovado sugar and pecan nut. Look out for the thick and gloopy mouthfeel too.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/brazil-fazenda-inglaterra-natural
£7.00 for 250g, £26.60 for 1kg

Finca La Soledad Cold Fermentation Washed Catuai
Acatenango, Guatemala
Single cream, peach, orange
In the cup this coffee is like the other La Soledad, but brighter sharper and crisper. Expect single cream with a light syrup sweetness but a finish of peach, orange and green apple.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/guatemala-finca-la-soledad-cold-ferment-washed-catuai
£7.50 for 250g, £28.50 for 1kg

Finca La Soledad Washed
Acatenango, Guatemala
Single cream, light syrup, white grape
In the cup this coffee is all about mouthfeel. Single cream with a light syrup sweetness with a white grape acidity and finish.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/guatemala-finca-la-soledad-washed
£6.50 for 250g, £24.70 for 1kg

Finca Alaska Natural Bourbon
Apaneca-Ilamatepec, El Salvador
Raspberry jelly, creamy, sponge cake
In the cup this distinct coffee is a lot like a bowl of Auntie’s trifle. Raspberry jelly, creamy finish, hint of booze, a sponge sweetness and a complex fruit acidity. Party time!
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/el-salvador-finca-alaska-natural-bourbon
£10.00 for 250g, £38.00 for 1kg

Don Carlos Washed Caturra
Bolinda, Caranavi, Bolivia
Mars Bar, tinned peaches
In the cup a Mars a day helps you work, rest, and drink coffee! There’s a Mars Bar mix of chocolate, nougat and caramel which is finished off with soft yellow fruit – think tinned peaches.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/bolivia-don-carlos-washed-caturra
£7.00 for 250g, £26.60 for 1kg

Tana Toraja Kalosi Washed Peaberry
Pango Pango-Perindingan, Indonesia
Rambutan, cacao, elderflower
In the cup this is a bit of a confusing coffee as it’s a mix of both sweet and savory. Rambutan, cacao and delicate elderflower all compete in this unique cup.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/sulawesi-tana-toraja-kalosi-washed-peaberry
£7.50 for 250g, £28.50 for 1kg

New Black Blend – Black Beauty!
50% Brazil Fazenda Inglaterra Natural Selection
25% Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama Pulped Natural Canario
25% Guatemala El Limon Natural Caturra
Dried fruit, brown sugar, fruit cake, almond, chocolate
In the cup this is a Dundee Cake! There’s the dried fruit and brown sugar of fruit cake, but also that subtle nutty almond edge. It’s got a shoulder of chocolate on the aftertaste too, but first and foremost it’s liquid cake!
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/black-beauty
£6.00 for 250g, £22.80 for 1kg

As a special Stevey treat and to start saying sorry for the lack of updates, how about 10% off all the above coffees? But only for a short time, because I can only be so nice! Place an order between now and 23:59 hrs on Tuesday the 13th of March + enter the discount code “hasblog” into the discount code box and click apply, it’ll knock 10% off all the above delicious delights : )

New Coffees!

Hi hi hello there folks!

Yes I know I normally post on social media when I have some new coffees to share with you but to be totally honest I’ve got so many on the way that I’m not sure I want to fill your newsfeeds with that many individual tweets, FB posts and Instagrams! So I’ve decided that I’m going to try and focus the releases into small batches where a couple of coffees will go on at once and then I’m going to do a blog post (just like this!) letting you know about all the new tasty and delicious things.

“OK shhh now Steve stop telling me about telling me things and how about you let me know about these new coffees that I came here to find out about?!”

Yeah yeah alright! I just like to chat sometimes so – heeeeey good lookin’ (that’s me!) whaaaaaat ya got cookin’…

5 coffees from Beto @ El Limon in Guatemala! And a naturally processed Canario from Fazenda de Cachoeira in Brazil I’ve got a big folder of pictures and videos from my recent visit to El Limon that I’m working to get up on Flickr for you to all enjoy, have selected some of my favourites as the product images for the new El Limons : )

Guatemala El Limon Natural Pacamara
Papaya, floral, blackcurrant
In the cup this is a sweet papaya blended up with a bunch of geraniums! At the start of the sip there’s papaya, then a twist towards floral and I’m going to be specific here – geranium, finally finishing off with blackberry. As it cools you can also expect to see a little black tea starting to appear, a delicious, layered and really interesting cup.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/guatemala-el-limon-natural-pacamara
£9.00 for 250, £34.20 for 1kg

Guatemala El Limon Washed Pacamara
Orange mousse, blackcurrant
In the cup this coffee is super creamy and smooth, think orange mousse and a blackcurrant aftertaste that goes on and on.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/guatemala-el-limon-washed-pacamara
£7.00 for 250g, £26.60 for 1kg

Guatemala El Limon Natural Caturra
Sultana, papaya, glacé cherry
In the cup think black tea with sultanas floating in it, shall we call it sulTEAna?! Then comes the acidity of papaya and glacé cherry, a really complex and interesting coffee.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/guatemala-el-limon-natural-caturra
£6.50 for 250g, £24.70 for 1kg

Guatemala El Limon Black Honey x Natural
Marzipan, fig, hazelnut
In the cup this super sweet and complex cup immediately hits you with Marzipan, which is closely followed by something else sweet and delicious, fig! There’s then a really rather delicious hazelnut finish that is long and true.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/guatemala-el-limon-black-honey-x-natural
£7.00 for 250g, £26.60 for 1kg

Guatemala El Limon Washed Pache
Yoghurt, lemon rind, dark chocolate
In the cup this reminds me of Greek yoghurt and lemon rind but the finish does a right turn into dark chocolate and delicate allspice.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/guatemala-el-limon-washed-pache
£8.00 for 250g, £30.40 for 1kg

Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira da Grama Natural Canario
Cacao nibs, treacle toffee, peanut
In the cup this cup make me think of cacao nibs covered in treacle toffee. Its chewy mouthfeel finishes with a pleasant peanut crunch.
https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/brazil-fazenda-cachoeira-da-grama-natural-canario
£6.50 for 250g, £24.70 for 1kg

New in my mug

Just a very quick post to let you know the latest in my mug is up at http://www.inmymug.com

I’m really proud of this one its a 20 min first part of an interview
with two of the brothers from La Perla in Guatemala. Its the best so far as it has less of me talking and that’s got to be a good thing. I found it really interesting I hope you do to, let me know what you thoughts.

Guatemala Continues

So Yesterday was meant to be a day where I was visiting two farms we buy coffee from, one called La Perla, and the other El Bosque (where I’ve been before).

To get to La Perla you need to fly in or take a two day truck and mule Journey (I’m not so good on the back of a donkey) or fly in on light aeroplane. So a light aeroplane was arranged but due to the rain and low cloud we were not able to go out. As much as I tried to hide it, Christian who has been my fixer on this trip could see how disappointed I was, so arranged for me to meet two of the three brothers who own La Perla Ricardo and Enrique Arenas at there offices at Guatemala City.

We talked what seems like for minutes but worked out to be a couple of hours. Both brothers we so engaging and friendly and generous with there thoughts and time and I was made to feel so welcome. I managed to get some video of it, which I’ll edit down once I’m back in the UK and share with you.

The afternoon was spent back at El Bosque a farm I visited two years ago virtually to the date on my first trip to Guatemala. Francisco the one brother who was there, was amazing, we went up to the farm and recorded some more video (the amount of editing I have to do is scaring me), which is gold dust stuff. Francisco Flores is a natural in front of the camera and put me to shame. The smell of the farm just blows me away, and being amongst the trees such a special time for me.

I also did some video on the drying patios, but it was rush hour and now you will all see what I mean about the main road being close to the patios. I hope I can rescue the filming here.
We were going to make another attempt at La Perla this (Friday) morning on the plane, but the weather drew in again and there was no chance. This is really sad, as I love visiting farms but I also didn’t want to get out there and the weather draw in again and be trapped for days.
On to Friday, and the first thing this morning I had a really interesting meeting with a guy called Rick Carrey (again more video and I think you will really enjoy this one) who is working together with Ricardo and Enrique on a new project called Coffee Dreams Foundation. This is something you will hear a lot more about over the coming months.

And then the rest of the morning at Anacafe and got to see some good friends from all around the world there who I’ve met on my travels. I also got a chance to buy some new Anacafe cups (more for In My Mug) and some coffee books I’ve not seen before.