Coffee Advent 2023 | Part #1
I thought it might be a bit of fun to write up (as unpretentiously as possible) how I feel about each of the 25 advent coffees from Pact this year. A single (generous) dose of each for £30 seemed like a 'reasonable' deal and a good opportunity to try some coffees I might not want to commit to a full bag of*. I fully expect my uncultured northern pallet to notice little difference between them to be honest
I do love a nice coffee, but I've never truly nailed down if I prefer a particular region or roast type the most. So I'll loosely rank each and we can see at the end if I have a strong preference. All coffees supplied were pre-ground, brewed with the aeropress (upside down method), and consumed without milk**. I've gone for a simple rating out of 10, let's not overcomplicate it.
Let the caffeinated festivities commence!
Mid-way round-up with graphs below. Stay tuned for Part 2 (day 14-25) and final stats.
*A friend let me try some of his kopi luwak (civet coffee) recently, you know, the one that gets eaten by a toddy cat and pooped out again. It was very... earthy... and whilst I enjoyed it, somehow I'm glad I didn't commit to a full bag of this one!
**AKA the proper way (fight me). Life is too short to water down your coffee with lactose.
Day 1
Coffee: Kiri (light roast)
Origin: Kenya
This coffee is grown at high altitudes on small, excellent quality farms in Kirinyaga County, just south of Mount Kenya. This cooperative operates with a luxuriously lengthy washing process. Their patience is rewarded by a remarkable complexity and bright fruit flavours in the coffee, which you certainly don't get by cutting corners.
A solid start. Nice and smooth (round mouth feel I believe people say). A subtle tanginess/acidity. Not really getting the 'hints of blackcurrant jam' that are supposed to be in this one though. I'm starting to think my pallet probably lacks the subtlety and sophistication for this…
Rating: 7/10
Day 2
Coffee: Sitio de Jaja (dark roast)
Origin: Brazil
Gilberto and Jaceline 'Jaja' Basilio are big believers in the rainforest. When they took over this farm, they reforested land that was stripped by the previous owner for sugar cane. Animals returned to the farm, the microclimate became cooler, the trees were shielded from the sun - and they saw a massive increase in coffee quality.
I'm supposed to be getting dark chocolate and cocoa nibs, but it just tastes mildly bitter to me. Not offensively so, but it's not the best. It has a certain nondescript quality, a bit like beige wallpaper. It won't change your life, but it won't ruin your day either.
Rating: 4.5/10
Day 3
Coffee: San Carlos (medium roast)
Origin: El Salvador
All coffee is fermented once it's picked. But anaerobic fermentation is something new and exciting. In short, it's done by removing all the oxygen (like Beaujolais wine). This makes for a slower fermentation that creates a complex flavour profile and bright, vibrant, fruity flavours. Anaerobic fermentation is the new fascination of the speciality coffee world - and this is a first-class way to taste what all the fuss is about.
Now this is better. Mildly tangy and a touch spicy. Neither aspect being overpowering made this one a lovely morning brew. Moreish. Though I'm not convinced the anaerobic fermentation makes much difference, I've had plenty of coffees like this so it can't be making that much difference.
Rating: 8/10
Day 4
Coffee: Karambi Honey (light roast)
Origin: Rwanda
The Karambi Washing Station is a collective of 755+ farmers who have, on average, less than half a hectare of land. More than two thirds of these farmers are women. Because they're in the district with the highest concentration of coffee farmers in Rwanda, competition is fierce. So the cherries behind this coffee are the very best around - and this certainly reflects in your brew.
Living up its name this time, I might have believed myself if I had described this one as having hints of honey without knowing what it was called first. It's smooth, robust, and leaves you with a feeling of contentment - like discovering a forgotten fiver down the back of the sofa. Truly one of the best I've had in years.
Rating: 9/10
Day 5
Coffee: Andino (light roast)
Origin: Honduras
Parainema is the answer to a number of the threats posed by climate change to coffee farmers. It's quickly receiving plenty of acclaim at Honduran coffee quality competitions. But it's still produced in small quantities. Andino is one of the highest scoring coffees we've had from Honduras his year - and it shows plenty of potential for this exciting new variety.
Well today I learned that Parainema is a hybrid coffee plant developed in Honduras that is resistant to coffee-leaf rust (fungus) and some nematodes (worms) (read more). Despite these accolades though, the taste of the resultant beverage is something akin to battery acid. So tangy in fact I might have accidentally been drinking a warm cup of xenomorph blood. A definite swipe left on coffee Tinder.
Rating: 2/10
Day 6
Coffee: Nyangoma (medium roast)
Origin: The Democratic Republic of the Congo
This Nyangoma Washing Station was built thanks to the deserved premiums its members were paid for their fantastic specialty coffee. It's part of the Muungano cooperative, one of the most notable players in the DRC coffee industry. And we specifically chose this coffee because of its festive-spice aromas, booze-like body and red-fruit flavours - just like the most indulgent mulled wine.
Not bad. I'm supposed to be getting hints of mulled wine, and a 'booze-like' body but all I sensed was a faint suggestion that someone nearby might have once considered fermenting a grape. It's more of a general mild bitterness to be honest. Not unpleasant, but not earth shattering either. This one promised sunshine but delivered drizzle. An embodiment of mediocrity.
Rating: 5/10
Day 7
Coffee: Kiangoi (light roast)
Origin: Kenya
Kiangoi Washing Station sits just south of Mount Kenya and uses the mountain river to wash its coffee. It commands some of the highest prices for its coffee in Kenya and wows the critics on the cupping table. For this reason, it's constantly under CCTV watch in fear of theft. When you taste these silky, vibrant, complex flavours, you'll see why there's such demand.
Yeah, cracking. Feels like the kind of coffee Churchill would have drunk before giving a speech during the Blitz; commanding the tastebuds to stand to attention and standup for what's right. A coffee that looks at today's to-do list and says "JFDI". We shall drink it in the kitchen, we shall drink it in the lounge!
Rating: 8/10
Day 8
Coffee: Capim Seco (dark roast)
Origin: Brazil
Rafael (our grower) comes from a long line of coffee farmers. But interestingly, he got into farming by breeding horses. When he found equestrian success, he bought a small plot of land and began growing coffee. Since his first harvest, in 2007, he's wowed the critics on the cupping table with this delicious coffee, which gets better every year.
I was a little disappointed with Pact that I could only read their accompaniment suggestion as I opened the packet... "Perfect with Stollen". Well yes, it would have been if I'd known beforehand! A smooth brew and cosy jumper for the tastebuds. It doesn't knock me over with intensity, but instead offers a warm comforting hug. Even though it's a dark roast, there isn't a hint of bitterness. Perhaps lacking a little 'depth' though...
Rating: 7/10
Day 9
Coffee: Buenos Aires (light roast)
Origin: Columbia
Maria and José Ramon began making coffee together 17 years ago. Since then, they've reinvested lots of their profits into making the dining and living quarters better for their workers. If you mention their names in the local area, you'll get an overwhelmingly positive reaction. This new arrival is particularly exciting – made from the climate change-resistant Cenicafé 1.
Oranges and lemons, say the bells of St. Clements. Citrus overtones push this right to the edge of my tolerance for acidity. Jason Hoffmann (celebrated YouTuber/coffee nerd) says acidity is a sign of refinement… which is not me apparently. Still a decent cuppa though. If it were a person, it would be the friend who tells you the truth but cushions it with a smile.
Rating: 7.5/10
Day 10
Coffee: El Volcon (medium roast)
Origin: El Salvador
The eruptions of El Salvador's active volcanoes drive up the nutrients in the soil, resulting in unique coffees of very high quality. This one is made with the honey process. It involves drying the coffee beans with a small amount of the golden, sticky (hence the term honey) mucilage remaining. It dials up the complexity and adds an intense sweetness to your cup.
Day 10, but not quite a ten out of ten. It's lovely and smooth, and quite frankly I'm running out of new adjectives to describe my morning bean water. A few points off for being a touch too tangy.
Rating: 7/10
Day 11
Coffee: La Cuesta (medium roast)
Origin: Honduras
This is made a towering 1,800 metres above sea level. At this high altitude, these first-class Arabica coffee beans benefit from a luxuriously long ripening period, resulting in a tremendously complex brew. These bright, zippy flavours of cantaloupe melon are truly unique. And this is a fantastic example of coffee made with the washed process.
A triumphant comeback for Honduras after the spectacular swing-and-a-miss on day #5. The high altitude where these beans are grown lends itself to lower temperatures and – so I'm told – better tasting coffee. Overtones of melon actually do come through. Again, a bit too much acidity for my liking. It's good, but it's only getting a 7.
Rating: 7/10
Day 12
Coffee: Kibirizi Washed (light roast)
Origin: Rwanda
Washing stations are pivotal to economic growth in Rwanda. And the Kibirizi Washing Station buys its coffee cherries from around 1362 farmers. It also provides training and land management advice to each of them, and once the cherries arrive, they're put through a strict selection process by specifically trained staff. You can certainly taste the benefits.
This morning's brew is neither here nor there; slightly above average but nothing to shout about. It's not unpleasant but lacks a certain something. If coffee were a film, it would be a forgettable rom-com.
Rating: 5.5/10
Day 13
Coffee: Terras Atlas (dark roast)
Origin: Brazil
Aurelio planted the very first coffee tree in the area when he began at Terra Altas. But since the very beginning, his coffee has been admired in competitions and pleased even the most demanding palates. It's indulgent, chocolatey and rich with a creamy acidity - the very best of Brazilian speciality coffee.
At the advent half way house we finish strongly with today's variant of brown water. It's the kind of coffee that makes you ponder life's mysteries, like why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways.
Rating: 8.5/10
Midway round-up
Looking at the data, I think this whole experiment might end up as inconclusive to be honest. All because the coffees are from Pact probably. Generally all these coffees are pretty decent – with a few notable outliers of course – but perhaps that just leads me to the conclusion that it's more about other factors rather than where the beans are grown and how they're roasted. For me at least.
All much of a muchness really. Stay tuned for part 2 and perhaps the picture will be become clearer with more data.
