Admitting that Cafe Vita created the history and standard for Seattle coffee culture, but still, Lighthouse Roasters is the one of the favorites in Seattle.
Located in northern Fremont, Lighthouse Roasters is a cozy and quiet neighborhood coffee shop/roaster has grown locally. Although the shop located on 43rd St., on the same street as Vita Fremont is, we need to closely pay attention to find the location: the shop is hidden in residential. Not big enough to stay for a day, but a friendly and cozy atmosphere may make you want to stay longer watching roasting.
Creamy espresso and Cafe latte entertain us as well as roasting...
Someone loves Starbucks type deep roast flavor may not happy with their clear flavor espresso but has enough boldness with body and well balanced sweetness/bitterness.
Coffee beans are roasted on-site in vintage cast-iron roasters even in the afternoon. Both roasting machines and Tower of coffee bean bags are there, close enough to excite coffee lovers spirits. There are noting disturb us to hear and smell how they roast in live.
Lighthouse Roasters carries various beans all over the world as usual third wavers, or maybe called specialty coffee, together with rare beans seasonal/monthly. Still, there are some blends and single origins can live/stay with us as "regular" daily cups for years.
Beans: Jungle estate
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: Full City
Origin/Area: Kingongo, Nyeri county, Kenya
Grade: AA Top
Screen: 18 up
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,740m
Variety: N/A
Process: Washed
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 5
Bitterness: 4
Richness: 5
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium note, floral, jasmine flower, a touch of almond flower, bitter chocolate, soothing, roasted black beans, light note of tropical fruits, yellow kiwi, papaya, creamy, juicy texture, full bodied, Bordeaux like, rich, silky, mellow sweetness, brown sugar, bosc pear, Red Bartlett, cacao beans, full body, light clear bitterness, soothing, cocoa, raw cacao nib, sheer acidity behind bitterness, passion fruits, white grapes, Rosé Champagne like fruitiness with passion fruits like mouth feel as a long lasting aftertaste.
【Note】
Jungle estate, established by European settlement in 1920's, is blessed with extensive wild life surrounded by primeval forests, volcanic ash, and has rich water supply from both chania river and Muringato River. Currently the estate is owned by Keremara Limited and managed to marge into the forest. The owner has been managed the estate along with philosophy of sustainability over 100yrs.
Many says this is one of the highest quality Kenyan coffee we can ever dream of, and I totally agree with their opinion. This is the one to present after I found the best roaster.
Beans: Sulawesi Mamasa
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: Full City
Origin/Area: Mamasa, Sulawesi, Indonesia
Grade: SG
Screen: 7.0 mm up
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,200～1,500m
Variety: Typica
Process: Sumatra Traditional
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 4
Richness: 5
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Dark, aromaful, fruity, floral, sheer fresh green as top note, dark chocolate, sheer clove, cinnamon, clear, a bit creamy, mellow sweetness, hazelnuts cream, cane juice, herbal, a tip of fresh peach and lychee, thin layer of green apple, soothing and clear bitterness hidden, clean but light fruity acidity, clear and juicy sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.
【Note】
Unlike other Indonesian dark roast, Sulawesi Mamasa is beyond dark roasted beans: clear, clean, juicy. Flavor is pleasantly well balanced enough for refresher, but also good enough for tea time coffee with sugary and creamy heavy pastries. Mamasa is region located on about 30km west of Toraja, one of the most popular coffee cultivation area in Sulawesi island. Green beans has beautifully dark and deep green color even compared to other Indonesian beans. Sumatran style enhances greeness of beans and transparency/clearness of the color.
Beans: Ache Green
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: Full City
Origin/Area: Takengon, Ache, Sumatra, Indonesia
Grade: SG
Screen: 7.0 mm up
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,200～1,500m
Variety: N/A
Process: Sumatra Traditional
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 3
Acidity: 3
Bitterness: 4
Richness: 4
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium to Medium dark, aromatic, passion fruits, high tone cacao, Criollo varietal, sheer vanilla, Vanilla planifolia, almond flower as a top note, mellow, mild flavor, medium body, rich, smooth texture, well balanced sweetness and bitterness, creamy, condensed milk, matured & rich sweetness, Amazake, hazelnuts syrup, mellow bitterness, malt, clear but mellow sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.
Beans: Lima Kibo
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: City
Origin/Area: Mbeya, Tanzania
Grade: AA Kibo
Screen: 18
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,600m around
Variety: N39 (Bourbon)
Process: Washed
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 4
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium dark, fruity, blackcurrants, gooseberries, blackberries, light touch of white grape fruits, juniper as a sheer top note, fruity, juicy, rich, heavy but well balanced, layers of sweetness, soothing and clear, white grapes, bilberry, deep sweetness, molasses, amber maple syrup, cacao nib like bitterness, carob powder, lime skin like top note, matured sweetness, dried figs, apricot, rich mouth-feel as a long lasting aftertaste.
【Note】
2014 harvest is one of the best, gift from Southern part of Tanzania to all African flavor fans. Earthy but flavorful, and full flavored ever.
Beans: Tarime Natural
Roaster: Namamame Hompo
Roasting Degree: City
Origin/Area: Tarime, Tanzania
Grade: N/A
Screen: N/A
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,250～1,800m
Variety: N39 (Bourbon)
Process: natural
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 5
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 2
Bitterness: 3
Richness: 4
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Medium, smoky, papaya, cherimola, lime in bottom, stable, mellow aroma, medium body, mild, Mocha character shared, lightly citric, caramel cream, a tip of milk sweetness, dark cacao, slightly tangy with acidity but clean in aftertaste, Wasanbon sugar, fruity and mellow sweetness as a long lasting aftertaste.
【Note】
Impressive. Clean, well sorted, bright flavor beans.
Beans: Alto Del Obispo
Roaster: Home roasting
Roasting Degree: City
Origin/Area: San AgustÃn, Huila, Colombia
Grade: Excelso
Screen: 14 to 16
Defect: N/A
Altitude: 1,730m
Variety: Typica
Process: Fully washed
【Flavor scale】
Aroma: 4
Sweetness: 4
Acidity: 4
Bitterness: 4
Richness: 4
※Grade 1 to 5
【Impression】
Light to Medium light, high in aroma, fruity, a touch of almond flower, caramel, hazelnuts, roasted kabocha pumpkin, sweet potato, bit smoky, linden, roasted wheat berry, medium body, well-balanced, mellow sweetness, raspberry, maple, heavy but clear bitterness, oak, acidity follow on the edge of bitterness, mild, juicy in texture, calming, herbal, sophisticated but daily flavor, mixed berry with bitter chocolate, blackberry like sweetness with clear bitterness as a long lasting aftertaste.
【Note】
Alto Del Obispo is the association of about 25 farmers near San AgustÃn, Huila, where well known as origin of Columbia mild coffee. Including Nariño Department, Southern part of Columbia is home for a lot of high quality coffee estates. This lot was highly selected: Hand-picked, ripe on trees, 24hrs fermentation, and fully sun dried.
Coffee beans are roasted on-site in vintage cast-iron roasters even in the afternoon. Both roasting machines and Tower of coffee bean bags are there, close enough to excite coffee lovers spirits. There are noting disturb us to hear and smell how they roast in live. 
