After much soul-searching, sampling and slurping, we have found some really exceptional new coffees, notably decafs.  It's hard for most staff sergeants in the java army to get excited about decaf but these two are boat floaters....an organic Sumatra Mandheling and an organic, Fair Trade Peru.  The Sumatra is from the Descamex mountain water processing facility in Veracruz, but offered now in an organic selection.  This newly-landed Peru is decaffeinated using the super-critical CO2 method...a first for us...and relatively new to the US market, which has only seen organic CO2 in the past year.  It comes from the Maximus Group plant in Houston, a ginormous facility cranking out massive quantities of commercial-grade and proprietary coffee.  So now at least we FINALLY have access to organic, US-processed decaf...Swiss Water production is in Burnaby, British Columbia and the MWP in Mexico. Andrea and I were cautious when we first heard about the use of CO2 but have now had decisive discussions with not only the head of the Maximus company but one of our most stringent importers, Elan Organic.  "Doesn't taste like decaf" has been a yada yada thing until now...this is wonderful COFFEE.  To my mind tastier that the vast bulk of caffeinated Peruvian product out there.  Elan, always a big believer in the best Peruvian co-ops, has outdone themselves in specifying superb green to decaffeinate and the cup results will delight you. I will add these to the product list when we receive them....

On the rocket fuel side we have an exquisite wet-processed organic/FT Yirgacheffe coming in in the next couple of weeks, as well as a nicely blueberry/curranty-toned Harar from the Oromia co-operative.  We have sold out of last year's Yirgacheffe Anbassa Bunna, a stellar offering which was not brought into the US for 2009 crop as it didn't come up to Dominion Trading's high standards and profile.  The ECX is mostly to blame for this, apparently, but we all hope the kinks get worked out for 2010 shipments, since this very high-grown, small co-op java was superb in '08. Also gone is the Daterra Sweet Yellow, but that leaves us with Sweet Collection and Sweet Blue still from our phenomenal partners in Brazil (www.daterracoffee.com.br) 

Rossalina, our bright-red roaster, is mourning the final passing of several of our favorite coffees...SO DON'T try to order them!!Farewell!! But long-awaited beans will be landing on Tuesday from Ethiopia, El Salvador, Brazil, Panama and sumatra will be ready to share next week.

ARRIVING:  Panama Carmen Estate, Ethiopia Amaro Gayo (OG/RFA),, Brazil Cerrado Natural, Sumatra Mandheling (OG),  El Salvador (Women's) Santa Teresa (OG/FT)

DEARLY DEPARTED (some will be back either this or next year): Dominion Yirgacheffe Anbassa Bunna (2010 we hope!!!), Sumatra Takengon, Ethiopia Longberry Harar (back in 2010 hopefully!), Ethiopia Shanta Golba.

Starting the last week of August Badbeard's will be shipping 1 lb. coffee packages in compostable bags from our friends at Pacific Bag.  

The tin-tie should be separated from the bag and can be recycled.  Part of our commitment to making the planet healthier and reducing the burden on our burgeoning landfills.  For more info on the materials, please read at:

http://www.pacificbag.net/stock_pop_up/tintie_pop.html

http://www.earthfirstpla.com/

Please help us take care of the planet!  Buying some of our delicious organic and Rainforest Alliance® certified coffees doesn't hurt a bit either!

After a lot of cupping these last few weeks we found some gems to bring to your table starting in early September.... the awesome Ethiopian Amaro Gayo, Panama Carmen Estate, and a fine organic Sumatra Mandheling from the North Aceh region.    From the Sidamo region, the natural (dry-process) Amaro Gayo comes to us from the only woman at the forefront of a coffee producing/milling operation, Asnakech Thomas. [And special props to Joseph Brodsky of Novo/Ninetyplus for his tireless work on all our behalf in the specialty coffee world!!!Go Joseph!!] This coffee will truly be a star among the arriving East African offerings anywhere this year as that country sorts out the arcana of its new Ethiopian Coffee Exchange (ECX). One of Panama's finest producers, Carlos Aguilera's Carmen Estate is a habitual top finisher in the annual Best of Panama competiton.  Rainforest Alliance®-certified, you'll drink this and swear your in the middle of a nature fantasyland in Central American natural.

So our great friends at Tina's will now have select Badbeard's Coffee offerings to complete their dining experience.  Espresso featuring Daterra Sweet Collection, the impeccable washed Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Anbassa Bunna in their drip machine and the extra-hardy decaf Sumatra-Terruno Nayarita blend.  As usual I got caught there before I could eat a meal...gotta work on that timing!

If it's still on the menu you MUST try the pea soup...paired with the house-made bread, just amazing.  For starters...

well, it is, but take a look at the following article which appeared on the website of the SCAA, the Specialty Coffee Association of America (www.scaa.org). ***DISCLAIMER***Badbeard's Coffee is not a SCAA member***

A very thoughtful recitation by Ric Rhinehart, SCAA Executive Director.  There's always supermarket coffee for thr uninterested.  If you're a consciencious coffee consumer, you can read this article and get an idea why your latte is expensive, but remember that were it not for the inherent inequity to the quality coffee grower on a worldwide scale, you'd be paying a lot more.  Kinda like the gasoline disparity between Europe and the US....

Well done, Ric.

Absolute have-to-haves for coffee lovers....one of the highest-grown and most reponsibly traded Yirgacheffes ever experienced from Anbassa Bunna, organic and WAYYY better than fair trade.  Also two surprises of new crop  Daterra Estates, Brazil's finest producer....stay tuned....

New crop (2009) Antigua Pastoral has hit the shores from Guatemala and promises the same beautifully balanced, classic Antigua profile offered in last year's Pastoral.

New for this year is the delicious, full-bore Sumatran offering from the Aceh region.  For more info click here

A nice reprint in the May/June issue of wonderful trade mag Roast of the rating assessment of This is MY (house)! coffee which appeared in the February Coffee Review (www.coffeereview.com) alongside two others.  Also an interesting synopsis of coffee advertisiments thru the ages with a screen cap of one of the revolving Badbeard logos...."peacocks prefer it....", in the ahoy mateys page (p. 26). Thanks Connie Blumhardt, shanna Germain and gang

Andrea and I, yon Badbeard, are thrilled to be the only source for the exquisite new crop Kattehollay Peaberry from the Chikmagalur district.  This is an awesome coffee, grown at an unusually high 4500 ft elevation.  Sustainably-farmed of course, as are all of the coffees sourced by Karnataka Plantation Coffees...Kattehollay Estate being a client of KPCI's micro-nutrient program.  For those who have never tried an India coffee, this is a winner...