6/16/2012

East Timor Fair Trade



Beans: East timor Fair trade
Roaster: Beans Tei
Roasting degree: Full City ~ Dark
Area: N/A
Altitude: 1,200m~
Varieties: Arabica
Grade: N/A
Processing: Washed


【Flavor scale】
Mildness: 1
Bitterness: 4
Richness: 4
Aroma: 3
Acidity: 0
Sweetness: 1
※Grade 1 to 5



【Impression】
Rich body, clear, smooth velvety texture,  Cocoa like aroma with a little acidity (perhaps, from roasting), sweetness as roasted cashews, gentle bitterness as dark chocolate like bitterness, short lasting bitterness as aftertaste.  Well balanced flavor, creamy natural sweetness rapped with cacao bitterness, a tint of acidity gradually grows within bitterness at first and aftertastes on top of thick layer of mild bitterness.  Although sweetness grade is low in Roaster's Flavor scale, significant flavor characters of  this beans are sweetness, mildness, well balanced body and naturally fully matured flavor.  Delicious with rich sweets like something with dairy whipped-cream.  



Note
East Timor is one of the finest coffee producer, though the production is small in the global coffee context, less than one percent of the international total.  Nevertheless, coffee hold strong influence over East Timor's overall economy.  It is said that about one forth of population relies on foreign exchange related to coffee industry.  coffee  is one of the main source of foreign currency   Nevertheless, coffee is crucial to the country’s overall economy.  Since 1994, 16 organic cooperatives and nearly 500 groups have been organized by 19,000 micro-farmers/small-scale farmers.  In 2000, they developed the structure and founded/created a national cooperative structure known as CCT, the Cooperativa Café Timor , the organization of the organic coffee farmers of East Timor.  CCT represents and helps East Timorese farmers in market, process, transport, export and even improving farmers lives in all aspects.  CCT also has been taking great effort in developing status of   East Timorese coffee value in the global market. Not only from the business aspects, but also primary aspects the has CCT been helping the farmers under the name of the Clinic Cafe Timor, as a part of fair-trade program financed by USAID.   The Clinic Café Timor benefits and offers primary health services to the farmers and their families in rural/coastal Timor, who have been historically isolated from the mainstream of health services.  Over 115,000 people are supported  This program, according to the CCT.



6/12/2012

El Salvador Hot Springs

Name: El Salvador, Hot Springs
Roaster:  Beans Tei
Roasting degree: Medium
Area: San Ramoncito,Ahuachapán, El Salvador, 
         Finca El Madriado
Variety: Bourbon
Grade: SHG, EP
Screen: 16up
Altitude: 1250~1350m
Processing Method: Fully Washed, Sun-dried
RA, JAS, BCS certified


【Flavor scale】
Mildness: 3
Bitterness: 2
Richness: 3
Aroma: 4
Acidity: 2
Sweetness: 3    ※Grade 1 to 5
 【Impression 】
Medium Body, creamy and clean flavor, soft texture, well balanced , Mandarin Orange like flowery aroma mixed with sweet aroma as ripe banana, dried raison sweetness as carmel covered with milk chocolate bottomed with moderate richness and bitterness from roasting, shade tone of acidity slightly detected on top, short lasting aftertaste with creamy natural sweetness.

【Note】
While ago, there are only few farms provides speciality beans with "Hot spring processing method" in El Salvador, but it seems to become one of popular processing methods.  Hot spring.  Many of farms are surrounded by hot springs in this volcanic small country and now some of them realized that "hot spring water" may add extra vale to their cultivation.  Now one of popular "Hot spring" processing variety is Paca-mara, a hybrid seed varietal of the Pacas and Maragogype.  I believe this was the Original HOT Spring beans.  Since Hot Spring process adds special values in the market, appreciated especially in Japanese Market, each farm are trying to rise the market value with certifications or recognized methods, such as shade grown, organic and so on.
Coffee processed with Hot Spring/Sun-dried gives clear and sweet flavor, although El Salvadorian coffee often characterized its clear, transparent flavor.  It's maybe because fully matured cherries, red-cherries, are often used initially, but hot spring may help to add extra sweetness through fermentation.

Finca El Madriado is now called as Finca Altamira, lies on Santa Teresa area, won 25th place in 2003, 19th 2007, in COE.  This farm is one of excellent SPECIALTY beans producer in competitive El Salvadorian coffee market.