Customer Reviews
Roasted - Guatemala Antigua
GuR-Ant-0.5-FCR
$12.11
About the bean
We tried this one from the Acate Estate this time last year and we loved it. Guess what? We love the new batch! Guatemala Antigua is one of our most popular offerings. Why? Because these beans are just so darn pleasing. The region they're sourced from is pure coffee romance: good soil, not particularly muggy, lovely amounts of sun, followed by cool nights, surrounded by volcanoes that, now and then, top up that good soil with dustings of mineral-rich ash. It's quite the spell these beans are under and perhaps why they're so lovely in the cup: fragrant, velvety, sweet, rich and so well balanced. If only we could actually be in Antigua as we enjoy this dreamy brew.
One of the most charming coffees around; practically a coffee kiss.
Quick Notes
Region: Antigua
Cupping Score: 85.5 points (a score of 80 points or above on a 100-point scale is graded "specialty" coffee)
Supplier: Acate Estate
Process: Wet milling, 75% sun-dried
Altitude: 1,500 masl.
SHB: Strictly Hard Bean specifies that the coffee was grown at an altitude above 1,350 meters. This term is also synonymous with SHG/Strictly High Grown; this classification is higher than HB.
EP: European Process specifies that the raw beans are all hand sorted to remove any defective beans and foreign material.
Taste Test
American roast profile brewed in a Hario V60: The balance here is to rave about. The beans themselves are a syrupy gold. In the cup, the American roast profile gave us plenty of juiciness, fruit (strawberry) and light chocolate notes, honeyed by an overall molasses mouthfeel. A touch of spice in the fragrance left us with a memorable aftertaste. We were eating this coffee, it was so good! [See picture - more about this below].
City+ roast profile brewed in a French Press: Going darker emboldened the caramel sweetness of the bean, tamped down the fruity brightness (acidity) and introduced an enjoyable tartness to the finish. We savoured more of a spice complexity at a darker roast, increased body, less fruit, more chocolate and, again, that velvety mouthfeel this bean is known for. Last year when we sampled the Acate Estate's Antigua beans, we brewed them at a Vienna roast profile and that level really delighted us with a smoky, fuller character. This bean seems to perform across the spectrum thanks to a balance that is quite exceptional.
Cold Brew (City+ roast, coarse ground) brewed in a jar! You don't have to be fancy to chill. Although, fancy is nice. For our jar of cold brew, we used a 1-5 coffee-water ratio, then left it to sit refrigerated for 14 hours. Once out of the fridge, we strained the liquid through a filter and diluted it to half strength to serve. The result was a striking pop of brightness that amped up the strawberry (and even gave us some cranberry) - a juicy, singing tartness with an underlay of chocolate. Very refreshing and tasty.
More! Oh. We made scones [pictured] using the Guatemala Antigua to infuse the butter used for one batch and as a topping drizzled over for another. Delicious. Go ahead. Get cooking! Coffee is unlimited fun and adventure.
Roast recommendation: Light to enhance flavour nuances, darker for chocolate depth. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
Related Items
Roasted - Colombian Supremo SC 17/18
$11.72
About the bean
Do you like a medium to dark roast? Do you like espresso? Do you like a brew rich in flavour and bold in body? Yes? Then our new batch of Colombian Supremo SC 17/18 is for you! These beans are sourced from the central northwest of Colombia in the Antioquia region, the country's largest coffee producing region. Coffee here is mountain-grown by small farmers and large estates. The high altitude slows the pace of ripening and the result is a classic Colombian - rich, full bodied, and a toasted chocolate taste that cools to a cold brew perfection.
No surprises and that's OK because this coffee is super good. And the crema! Go espresso, go cold brew and get happy.
Taste Test
City roast, medium-fine grind, brewed in a Hario V60 pour over (30g of coffee to 500ml of water)
This combination produced a silky body and a sweet taste with a light acidity. Pleasant indeed with a smoky finish.
Vienna roast, medium grind, brewed in a French press (40g of coffee to 500ml of water)
Oh, yeah! We upped the ratio of coffee to enhance the body, which at this level was syrupy strong with a potent chocolate, almost brownie flavour. When the cup cooled, the flavour balance evened out, making this one a great pick for cold brew.
Our only regret? We didn't pull an espresso shot. And that's where this bean shines.
Roast recommendation: Medium to dark. Oh, Vienna! You were nice. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
Roasted - Ethiopian Yirgacheffe GR2
$15.87
About the bean
A number of the major coffee-growing countries we source from may not know how great their product is. When the "good stuff" is exported elsewhere, local coffee can be a sub-par experience, roasted dark to hide defects and mixed with filler to increase volume. Happily, that isn't the case with Ethiopia, which consumes half of its annual coffee production and boasts a thriving domestic coffee culture (Google for examples of an Ethiopian coffee ceremony). The birthplace of coffee according to legend, Ethiopia is where Coffea arabica originated, which is said to be the first species of coffee ever cultivated; it remains the dominant species and accounts for more than 60 percent of the world's commercial coffee production. Given its genetic wealth and history, Ethiopia is a coffee region like none other and an unparalleled paradise of coffee flavour.
A delicious flavour combination and a must-try Yirgacheffe.
This wonderful batch of Yirgacheffe is from the Wonago district in Ethiopia's Gedeo zone, a region known for its Yirgacheffe production from farms run by local smallholder families.
Coffee cherries are sorted, depulped and then the beans, still covered in mucilage, are fermented for 36 to 48 hours before washing. The wet beans in parchment are placed on raised beds in thin layers and turned every 2 to 3 hours during the first few days of the drying process. Depending on the weather, the beans continue drying for 10 to 12 days until the moisture content reduces to 11.5 percent. The beans are then transported to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, to be milled and bagged prior to export.
Quick Notes
BEAN: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Wanago Surafel Burhanu GR2
REGION: Wonago
PROCESS: Washed
FERMENTATION: 36 to 48 hours
DRYING METHOD: Raised African beds
ALTITUDE: 1780 – 1850 masl.
VARIETALS: Heirloom
SCREEN SIZE: 14+
GRADE: GR2
DIRECT TRADE: Yes (bought directly from the farmer)
GRAIN PRO: Yes
CUPPING NOTES: Strawberry, rose, dried fruit, toffee, good acidity.
SPECIAL NOTE: This batch of Yirgacheffe is an entirely NEW entry to our inventory (a different supplier from our usual).
Roast recommendation: Typically, light to medium. For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart.
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Roasted - Espresso Sweet Santa
$13.53
It doesn't get much sweeter than this! No sugar needed.
Green Espresso Sweet Santa (unroasted)
For an explanation of our different roast, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart View full product details
Roasted - Espresso Jubilee
$15.61
About the bean
A traditional European-style espresso and a perfect balance of bittersweet notes. Jubilee is rich in flavour with an almond colouring and thick crema.
For an explanation of our different roasts, see here: http://greenbeanery.ca/pages/roasting-chart
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Photography by Lisa Peryman and Richard C. Owens
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