Each month our cafe menu changes, highlighting our new and delicious specialty coffee offerings. So we asked our lead trainer, Josey Markiewicz, to take us through whats new on the bar for April.
The idea of this BURUNDI. What light it should be painted in and with what web of words. Every coffee tells a story. From the soil, the seed, the people. Coffee from Burundi is a delicious treat, but it didn’t happen that way by chance.
A lot of actual blood, sweat, and tears have been shed during the evolution of specialty coffee in east Africa, whether by tribes, militants, or imperialists. This area of the world has persevered through a truly staggering amount of adversity. We are privileged enough to be the benefactors of their hard work and resilience. To be allowed to partake in the sweet, berry-like flavors that this coffee is known for is a gift. Let’s be sure to pay it the attention it deserves.
This month’s shake-up will see a brand new single origin making its way to the Workshop Batch! So, say goodbye to Colombia Inga and hello to BURUNDI Kayanza.
BURUNDI-KAYANZA is a coffee composed of seeds grown by the inhabitants of thousands of small farms in the Kayanza region of Burundi. Kayanza is commonly known as the birthplace of the Nile River, the very beating heart of the African continent. It is this river that nourishes the soil of the farms of the Kayanza. Which means this coffee is actually born of the River Nile.
After these fruits are harvested they are transported by thousands of farmers to one of eight processing stations in the region. Here they are dried, rinsed, dried, rinsed, then dried again in a method called “Double Fermentation.” Now, if this sounds familiar it is because double fermentation is the method championed and made popular by Kenyan coffee processors. This type of processing results in a very fruity and somehow creamy cup of coffee, with an approachable acidity, and lingering aftertaste—a true delight.
Don’t believe me? Well, here’s what our head Workshop roaster Hugh Morretta had to say about it. BAM!
We will be also be introducing two new coffees (yet perennial favorites) to the pourover station this month. The Bourbon Blend and Colombia San Roque will be taking the stage in place of Papau New Guinea and Mexico Sierra Sur, respectively.
Here’s a little reminder of the majesty of these two coffees.
BOURBON:
Bourbon is a coffee’s coffee. A blend of origins (Guatemala / Brazil) of a single variety (Bourbon.) Bold, flavorful, and lasting with flavors of chocolate, peanut, and caramel. It tastes delicious on its own or with a splash of your favorite whitener. This is the kind of coffee that’s not too polarizing. It’s the kind of coffee that you can take home to meet your folks.
COLOMBIA SAN ROQUE:
Ah, our old friend. We’ve been happily musing about this coffee for years. Here’s a snippet from last season’s harvest:
“What can we say that hasn’t been said before about our old friend San Roque? This is a true example of the benefits of “direct trade” relationships and “vertical integration” in the chain from the farm-to the cafe. You can see it in the villages tucked within hillsides surrounding the San Roque monastery, and you can taste it in the cup. Better quality of life all the way around. That’s the goal with the Workshop program, and after four years of continued partnering with the San Roque Association the fruits of everyone’s labors are paying off big.”
This remains true. Every year we invest in this farm and every year the coffee gets tastier and their community gets stronger. Gotta love when things work as they should. It’s just good business.
Written by National Manager of Training and Quality Assurance, Josey Markiewicz
