Ok...so its been a long time since an entry has been posted.  We will get some new stuff generated and out to ya.  Until then look for the Sumatra Retro.  Roaster Jill is dialing in the roast as we speak.  We cupped them today and there is still some deep black cherry we want to bring out.  Just 1 to 2 degrees too much.  Look for it in the retail shops soon.
Dan

 
We are thrilled to be able to offer you the Winner of the 2008 El Salvador Cup of Excellence, San Isidro Lot 19.
 
San Isidro is operated by Ana Sylvia Schonenberg, a woman dedicated to producing high quality coffee.  Her objective is to seize the opportunity of her farm’s conditions to obtain a competitive product that catches the attention and appreciation from connoisseurs around the world. Ana Sylvia inherited San Isidro farm from her father Don Juan Federico Schonenberg Silva, a well known coffee grower and miller around the Tecapa-Chinameca Mountain Range area. San Isidro is located at over 1,300 meters above sea level at Cantón San Juan, which is very near to the colorful town of Alegría, Usulután.
 

This farm has been cultivated with Bourbon variety since its beginnings back in 1960. The lot selected to participate in this event was chosen from Plot #2, because it’s 100% bourbon. Ana Sylvia waited for the optimum ripeness moment and guided the pickers to select the best beans, and even then, at the end of the working day they sorted the coffee to take out the over-ripe, dried, green and defective ones. To get the pickers motivated to do this labor, they were paid over the industry standards. All coffee picked was delivered that same day to the mill.
 
 
Ana Sylvia thinks the reason why San Isidro was given this award was the hard and passionate work of all the people involved in the picking and processing of the coffee, this is why she hopes to be able to improve the quality of life for these people. She is constantly working on improvements to the water supply, electricity and living conditions for the people that live on the farm. This year she is also expects to be certified by The Rain Forest Alliance (an organization that awards it's seal to farms certified to practice sustainable agricultural practices and participate in meaningful community improvement and involvement).
Lot #19 exemplifies the best in traditional El Salvador Coffee.  It has a somewhat subdued acidity.  It presents a fine, gentle, fragrant and seductive cup according to coffee expert Ken Davids.  On the whole, it is a mild, balanced coffee, pleasant in all respects.  It is not an "in your face" coffee, and if you like a milder cup, you will really enjoy Lot #19.  As we cupped it, we both independently had visions of a lazy tropical morning on a large veranda--it's that kind of coffee.
 
 
Justin Johnson
Roaster and Green Coffee Buyer
World Cup Roasters

So we did a little test with our new assistant roaster Jill today.  We are lucky to have her backing up Justin.  We did a roast of our Puddle Jumper at a finish time about 1 min faster than our usual time.  The cupping results made the coffee roasted 1 min faster flat with limited flavors.  Kinda wanted to be a good coffee but wasn't breaking through the undeveloped flavor.  Controlling the flame gives us the ability to finish our roasted coffee in a consistent manner.  The flavors of berries and chocolates came through in the coffee just roasted one minuet longer. 

Rule of law is to maintain yourself as the keeper of the flame when you are roasting.  Amping up the finish time doesn't make a coffee good.  The same is true for slowing the speed of the roast.  We tasted less of the freshness in the coffee and you risk a bakey flavor in the coffee. 

Roaster fun...

Lets not forget the majority of what coffee is.  H2O!!!

If you have not considered water filtration for your office then I and the most recent weather we have been having surely is.  The cost benefit of water filtration for you office is huge.  Less space needed since you don't have the bottles on the floor, nobody spilling water trying to put the bottle on, nobody hurting their back lifting the bottle up, and the cost of the water is pennies per gallon as opposed to dollars per gallon.  Also if you have our coffee delivery service and equipment we'll hook up your brewer to the filter at no charge!!!  We have the equipment ready and in stock to install at your call. 

New cupping notes next week.  Sumatran Retro is back in play.  Our first play with it in the espresso was described as Mmmmmm and Ahhhhhhh.

Dan

Today's cupping involved our Sumatran.  My first smell of the wet grounds was like warm caramel.  Breaking the cap sent off a peat like fragrance.  The flavors in this coffee are quite complex.  This and our current offering of Colombian Mesa de los Santos are my two top favorites.  I'd encourage you to stop in and get some from home.  They brew quite well right now.