Our Island Sampler contains some truly unique coffees and will include 6 - 2 oz. pouches, one of each island. A 2 oz. pouch will make 10-12 cups standard cups of coffee for your drinking pleasure.
Jamaican Blue Mountain. Clydesdale Estate. Certified by the Coffee Industry Board
Hawaiian Kona 100% certified by the Coffee Kona Council
Flores Bajawa Ngura "Komodo Dragon"
Sumatra Mandheling
Haiti Mare Blanche Farm, Honey Processed
Sulawesi G1 Mamasa Microlot
***** Jamaican Blue Mountain: *****
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee or Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee is a classification of coffee grown in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. The coffee was introduced to Jamaica in 1728.
The best lots of Blue Mountain coffee are noted for their mild flavour and lack of bitterness. Over the past few decades, this coffee has developed a reputation that has made it one of the most expensive and sought-after coffees in the world. Over 80% of all Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is exported to Japan. In addition to its use for brewed coffee, the beans are the flavor base of Tia Maria coffee liqueur.
Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee is a globally protected certification mark, meaning only coffee certified by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica can be labeled as such. It comes from a recognised growing region in the Blue Mountain region of Jamaica, and its cultivation is monitored by the Coffee Industry Board of Jamaica.
The Blue Mountains are generally located between Kingston to the south and Port Antonio to the north. Rising to 2,256 metres (7,402 ft), they are some of the highest mountains in the Caribbean. The climate of the region is cool and misty with high rainfall. The soil is rich, with excellent drainage. This combination of climate and soil is considered ideal for coffee.
The Coffee Industry Regulation Act
The Coffee Industry Regulation Act specifies what coffee may use the Blue Mountain label. Additionally, it restricts the use of the Blue Mountain trademark to those authorized by the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (formerly the Coffee Industry Board). Broadly speaking, coffee harvested from the parishes of Saint Andrew, Saint Thomas, Portland and Saint Mary may be considered Blue Mountain coffee.[3]
Traditionally, only coffee grown at elevations between 910 metres (3,000 ft) and 1,700 metres (5,500 ft) could be called Jamaica Blue Mountain. Coffee grown at elevations between 460 metres (1,500 ft) and 910 metres (3,000 ft) is called Jamaica High Mountain, and coffee grown below 460 metres (1,500 ft) elevation is called Jamaica Supreme or Jamaica Low Mountain. (All land in Jamaica above 1,700 metres (5,500 ft) is a forest preserve, so no coffee is grown there.)
Classifications of Blue Mountain Coffee
There are generally three types of grades of Jamaica Blue Mountain ranked by size and defects. Number 1 beans as the largest and most desired with least defects, followed by number 2 and 3 beans. Separately, there are peaberry beans which are smaller beans which appear shaped as a rugby ball as opposed to the usual flat beans.[4] >
As with most other varieties of coffee, there are several grades assigned to different lots, based on factors such as size, appearance, and defects allowed.
***** Hawaiian Kona *****:
Kona coffee is the market name for coffee (Coffea arabica) cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Only coffee from the Kona Districts can be described as "Kona". The weather of sunny mornings, cloud or rain in the afternoon, little wind, and mild nights combined with porous, mineral-rich volcanic soil create favorable coffee growing conditions. The loanword for coffee in the Hawaiian language is kope, pronounced [ˈkope]
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History
The coffee plant was brought to the Kona district in 1828 by Samuel Reverend Ruggles from Brazilian cuttings. English merchant Henry Nicholas Greenwell moved to the area and established Kona coffee as a recognized brand later in the 19th century. The former Greenwell Store and Kona Coffee Living History Farm have since become museums.
In other parts of the Hawaiian islands, it was grown on large plantations, but the 1899 world coffee market crash caused plantation owners to lease land to their workers. Most were from Japan, brought to work on sugarcane plantations. They worked their leased parcels of between 5 and 12 acres (49,000 m2) as family concerns, producing large, quality crops.
The tradition of family farms continued throughout Kona. The Japanese-origin families have been joined by Filipinos, mainland Americans, and Europeans. There are approximately 800 Kona coffee farms, with an average size of less than 5 acres (20,000 m2). In 1997 the total Kona coffee area was 2,290 acres (9 km2) and green coffee production just over two million pounds.
Growing and processing
Kona coffee blooms in February and March. Small white flowers known as "Kona snow" cover the tree. Green berries appear in April. By late August, red fruit, called "cherry" because of resemblance to a cherry, start to ripen for picking. Each tree, hand-picked several times between August and January, provides around 15 pounds of cherry, which result in about two pounds of roasted coffee.
Within 24 hours of picking, the cherry is run through a pulper. The beans are separated from the pulp and then placed overnight in a fermentation tank. The fermentation time is about 12 hours at low elevation or 24 at higher elevation. The beans are rinsed and spread to dry on a hoshidana or drying rack. Traditional hoshidanas have a rolling roof to cover the beans in rain. It takes seven to 14 days to dry beans to an optimal moisture level of between 10 and 13% (by Hawaii Department of Agriculture regulations: 9.0-12.0%). Too much moisture content in coffee allows the growth of ochratoxin A, a harmful mycotoxin, hazardous to human health From here, the beans are stored as "pergamino" or parchment. The parchment is milled off the green bean prior to roasting or wholesale.
Kona coffee beans are classified by law according to seed. Type I beans consist of two beans per cherry, flat on one side, oval on the other. Type II beans consist of one round bean per cherry, otherwise known as peaberries. Further grading of these two types of beans depends on size, moisture content, and purity of bean type. The grades of type I Kona coffee are 'Kona Extra Fancy', 'Kona Fancy', 'Kona Number 1', 'Kona Select', and 'Kona Prime'. The grades of type II Kona coffee are 'Peaberry Number 1' and 'Peaberry Prime'. Also, a lower grade of coffee, called 'Number 3' (or 'Triple X') can not legally be labeled as "Kona" but as 'Hawaiian' coffee. Any bean grade below Number 3 is considered 'Offgrade' coffee and can only be labeled as generic coffee. Not an official classification grade, but commonly used by Kona coffee farmers, is the 'Estate' grade where the various grades are not being separated from each other. Only the 'Number 3' and 'Offgrade' beans are being sorted out.
Infestations of the root-knot nematode damaged many trees in the Kona districts in the 1990s. Symptoms are single or clusters of trees with stunted growth, especially when transplanted.In 2001 rootstock from the Coffea liberica species was found to be resistant to the nematodes. It could be grafted with Coffea arabica 'Guatemala' variety to produce a plant that naturally resists the pest, still producing a quality coffee product. The combination was named after Edward T. Fukunaga (1910–1984), who was superintendent of the University of Hawaii's Kona Research Station in Kainaliu in the 1950s through the 1970s.
Kona blends
Because of the rarity and price of Kona coffee, some retailers sell "Kona Blends". These are not a combination of different Kona coffees, but a blend of Kona and Colombian, Brazilian, or other foreign coffees. Usually they contain only the minimum required 10% Kona coffee and 90% cheaper imported beans.
Current Hawaiian law requires blends to state only the percentage of Kona coffee on the label but not any other coffee origins. There is no matching Federal law. Some retailers use terms such as 'Kona Roast' or 'Kona Style'. To be considered authentic Kona coffee, the state of Hawaii's labeling laws require the prominent display of the words "100% Kona Coffee".
In 1993 the Kona Coffee Council, a regional coffee growers association, tried unsuccessfully to protect the name "Kona Coffee" by trademarking their logo with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. They were opposed by Kona Kai Farms, Inc, Captain Cook Coffee Co., Hawaiian Isles Enterprises, and Hawaii Coffee Company. In 2000 the Department of Agriculture of the State of Hawaii registered a "100% Kona Coffee" certification mark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Administration in regard to this certification mark was handed over by the State Department of Agriculture to the Hawaii Coffee Company, part of Topa Equities Ltd, based in Los Angeles.
Kona coffee farmers launched a class action lawsuit against some of the largest retailers in the USA on Feb. 27, 2019. The Lanham Act permits a civil action for, among other reasons, “false designation of origin." Walmart, Costco, Amazon, Safeway, and Kroger are among the sellers and producers of 19 brands of supposedly Kona coffee that have been named in the complaint.
Recent developments
In the 1990s, a company called Kona Kai Farms, in Berkeley, California, was sued on behalf of Kona coffee growers. In October 1996, federal officials in San Francisco indicted Kona Kai Farms executive Michael Norton on wire fraud and money laundering charges. He was found to have put Central American coffee into bags with labels indicating it was Kona coffee since 1993. In 2000 Michael Norton pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of tax evasion In 2007 his two sons were arrested in a multimillion-dollar medical marijuana scam.
Some Kona farms have become successful tourist attractions. Although some roadside stands are allowed with special permits, large gift shops at some areas that are zoned agricultural have met local resistance.
Former Mayor of Hawaii County Stephen Yamashiro, who served from 1992 to 2000, is credited with introducing the "100% Kona Coffee" logo and emblem now used by the industry.
Coffee berry borer infestation
Coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei), the most harmful beetle to the arabica coffee crop, was discovered in Kona coast plantations in September 2010 by a graduate student of the University of Hawaii. How the tiny beetle got to Kona is unknown, but the size of the infestation indicates it has been going for a few years. Some growers suspected severe drought conditions had reduced the fungus Beauveria bassiana, which might have kept the beetle population under control for years
` ***** Flores Bajawa Ngura "Komodo Dragon" RFA *****
Roast: Medium
Varietals: Catimor,Timor Hybrids,Typica
Milling Process: Wet Hulled
Drying Process: Patio and solar dried machine
Harvest Start Month: May
Harvest End Month: October
The island of Flores was first discovered by the Portuguese in the early 15th century. The Ngada district is where most coffee is grown, located on the slopes of the Inerie Volcano. Within Ngada, coffee is grown on an estimated 6000 hectares of which 90% is Arabica coffee. Coffee tree varieties include a high percentage of S795 Flores, Typica, Catimor and Timor hybrids with shade trees such as Bamboo and Juria varietal. All coffee is grown and processed by a cooperative organized by the farmers. There are now 12 different coops in Bajawa all working together, to produce wonderful coffee with smooth body and overwhelming, syrupy chocolate flavors.
Cupping notes: Black pepper, Cedar, Dark Chocolate, Vanilla
Acidity: Low
Body: Very High
Sweetness: Low
***** Indonesia Sumatra *****:
Region: Island Oceania
Roast: Medium, Dark
"Our dry-processed Sumatra Mandheling coffee is the boldest of the Indonesian coffee growing world. It has very low acidity, is deeply complex and is entirely sensed in the anterior regions of the palate. Our Sumatra is known for its heavy body and rich complex earthy tones.
Sumatra is the second largest of the 13,500 islands that comprise Indonesia. Many of the islands of Indonesia were formed by volcanoes and are, therefore, mountainous with rich soil that is ideal for growing coffee. It is no wonder that some of the worlds most famous coffees come from this region. Sumatra is a relatively rare, though famous coffee, that is considered by connoisseurs to be one of the worlds finest. The natural drying method used in its production results in a very full body and a richness that lingers on the back corners of your tongue."
Cupping notes: Cedar, Cherry, Dark Chocolate, Vanilla
It is the lowest acid coffee in the world!!!
***** Haiti Mare Blanche Farm Honey Processed *****
Region: Island Oceanis
Roast: Light-Medium
Cupping Notes: Sweet Milk Chocolate, Dry Grapefruit, Raisins
Region: Singing Rooster’s Mare Blanche farm, Haiti
Drying station: 3770’, uniform screen size
Surrounding Vegetation: banana, plantain, grapefruit, almond & citrus trees
Varietal = 100% Arabica typica – honey processed
Introducing Singing Rooster’s Haitian Honey! This is our FIRST honey processed coffee where we leave on some of the pulp and then let it ferment for an extended period. Not only does this save water for a country who badly needs it, but also, honey processed coffees offer sweeter profiles and fuller bodies.
***** Sulawesi G1 Mamasa Micolot (wet hulled) *****
Region: Island Oceania, Indonesia
Roast:Medium
Cupping Notes:Prune, raisin, melon, semi sweet chocolate, heavy body
This is a Grade 1 wet hulled coffee from Sulawesi cultivated in the Mamasa valley in the western province of Sulawesi.
Grown at heights of 1300-1850 masl, this coffee is grown in warm temperatures ranging between 19 degrees Celsius and 27 degrees Celsius, with annual rainfall of 3000-3700 mm. This lots consists of the varietals S795 and Typica.
The Indonesian island of Sulawesi, formerly called the Celebes, lies to the north of Flores. The primary region for high altitude Arabica production covers the Toraja highlands, and the district of Enrekang to its south, where coffee is commonly traded through the town of Kalosi, which is a well-known brand of specialty coffee. The regions of Mamasa (to the west of Toraja) and Gowa (further to the south near Makassar), also produce Arabica, although they are less well known.[14]
Sulawesi coffees are clean and sound in the cup. They generally display nutty or warm spice notes, like cinnamon or cardamom. Hints of black pepper are sometimes found. Their sweetness, as with most Indonesian coffees, is closely related to the body of the coffee. The after-taste coats the palate on the finish and is smooth and soft.
Most of Sulawesi's coffee is grown by smallholders, with about 5% coming from seven larger estates.[15] The people of Tana Toraja build distinctively shaped houses and maintain ancient and complex rituals related to death and the afterlife. This respect for tradition is also found in way that small-holders process their coffee. Sulawesi farmers use a unique process called "giling basah" (wet hulling).
| SUBREGION | Mamasa |
|---|---|
| PROCESSING | Wet Hulled |
| BAG TYPE | Grain Pro / Ecotact |
| PLANT SPECIES | Arabica |
| VARIETY | S795, Typica |
| COFFEE GRADE | IDN CA WA SUL WH |
| GROWING ALTITUDE | 1300-1900m |
All coffees may be subject to change depending on availability....