our coffees
The name Aquiares means “land between rivers” in the Huetar indigenous language and the farm is situated on the enchanting slopes of the Turrialba volcano, a lush area of forests, rivers, fauna, and bright flora.
Aquiares focuses on carbon neutrality thanks to its founder, Alfonso Robelo, a refugee from neighbouring Nicaragua who fled with his family during the civil war in the 1980s. Today his son, Diego manages the farm which has become an example of innovation and perseverance and serves as a model for sustainable, equitable production for the broader coffee industry. This lot we received from Aquiares is a washed coffee of mixed variety Peaberry, named for its pea-like appearance. Most coffee cherries contain two seeds, and Peaberries occur when only one seed, small and round in shape, develops in the cherry. This is a super sweet and juicy cup of coffee with lots of brightness. Roasted on the lighter side to highlight the notes of plum, honey and lemon. Best enjoyed as a filter coffee.
The COMICOVEL cooperative—Cooperativa Mixta Cosecha Verde Limitada—in San Juan Intibucá is composed of smallholder producers who farm coffee organically with a focus on overall environmental sustainability.
Members’ properties are located in the Opalaca mountain ranges across the Intibuca and Lempira Departments. The dry mountains of the area reach altitudes of 1500m and are generally planted with pine trees to provide shade for the coffee and increase animal habitat. This variety of Lempira is a washed process which shines at a medium roast. Expect a cup with nice body, balanced sweetness and round acidity. We are tasting notes of cocoa, baking spice and citrus and think it makes a perfect colder weather filter coffee. Try it as an espresso and expect some brightness to shine through!
A returning favourite from Ricardo Tavares, a second-generation coffee farmer who quit his career in economics to follow in his father’s footsteps.
His dedication and hard work have transformed Fazenda Primavera into a state-of-the-art specialty coffee farm. But his commitment doesn't end with the coffee. Ricardo is also an advocate for social and environmental sustainability in his region of Minas Gerais.
This particular lot is a natural process that we roast for espresso, but it can be enjoyed using all brewing methods. The coffee has lots of chocolate goodness, with a big body and low acidity. Super smooth, rich and balanced for a perfect morning cup.
A decaf bean that actually tastes good!
Dating back to the 1970s, the Fazenda Primavera farm is located in the municipality of Angelândia, Minas Gerais. The region sits at the transition between biomes, with land and vegetation characteristic of both the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado.
Environmental sustainability has always been integral to the farm’s operations, incorporating production techniques to minimize environmental damage. A power plant on the farm recycles water used in de-pulping to produce energy for the farm, and coffee pulp is composted for use as natural fertilizer.
Primavera’s agility in responding to new agricultural research and technology and to new trends in consumer preference is one of the main reasons we love this farm. For example, microlots are dried on raised beds, coffee is intercropped with shade trees on specially selected plots of the property, Honey processing eliminates the use of water, and coffee is evaluated constantly to find the best cup profiles. Primavera continues to keep an eye to the future, striving to lead the way for Brazilian specialty coffee.
This lot from Fazenda Primavera has been decaffeinated by Swiss Water, leaving it caffeine free but still full of chocolatey rich goodness. We love it for espresso, though it can easily be used in any brewing process. Its notes of honey, citrus, and cacao make it actually delicious, we promise!
This isn’t a regular Dark Roast, it’s a cool Dark Roast.
Our ode to dark roast is a little bit smoky, a lot a bit tasty, and has all the integrity and flavour you’ve come to expect from a Good Grief coffee. A blend of seasonal beans, the Dark Roast will satisfy drinkers without leaving the bitterness of a traditional French Roast behind. It’s perfectly balanced notes of molasses, baking spice, and caramel make it suitable for both filter coffee and espresso, and everything in between. Although roasted a bit darker than our standard coffee, the nuance of the beans still shines through giving the drinker a delicious mouthful of caffeinated goodness, sip after sip.
