Finca Tamana

Don Elias, Tim, and Alejandro at Finca Tamana

This is the coffee from the farm Finca Tamana that Tim has been working with closely in order to improve the picking and processing.  We started working with Elias early 2012 and did our first harvest together in May – July 2012. The farm is 63 hectares but only 23 hectares are planted with coffee so far. It is located in the mountains near El Pital in Huila where the climate is constantly changing with scattered showers almost every day. The area in general produces a lot of coffees with bright citric acidity, a lot of berry notes and juicy mouthfeel. However, it is hard to get big volumes of high quality from this area as most farms are 2 hectares or less of size and the farmers are not being thorough enough with the picking and processing. That is why we decided early on to work with Elias when he told us he had purchased a farm with 63 hectares.

Although we have only been working with Elias for less than a year, we have already made a lot of progress in improving the quality of the coffee. Here are some of the most important changes we have made:

1. Improved the picking and implemented sorting of all coffee cherries before it is delivered and processed. The pickers are paid a lot more to do a more selective picking.

2. Improved and cleaned the fermentation and washing process to make sure the product is super clean.

3. Improved the drying process by drying the coffee in shade for 30 – 50 days instead of the normal 6 days. This helps keep the coffee fresh for a lot longer.

4. Improved logistics and storage by storing the coffee in cooler climates and milling at a smaller mill.

5.  Separated all daily pickings and varieties. A daily picking is now only of one variety and is processed, dried and kept separate in storage. We cup through all daily pickings and build lots based on cupping score, harvest date and variety.

We will be working on improving the coffee even more from this farm as well as making the farm more sustainable and self-sufficient. The November harvest has already been finished so there is more coffee coming to Norway in 2013.

We have two lots from Finca Tamana this year, #4 and #5, that are the result of 5 daily pickings from June 2012

Tim has written a lot about Finca Tamana and the work we have done with Elias at Timwendelboe.no.

Farm: Finca Tamana

Wet mill: Micro mill

Region/Area/Village: Huila, El Socorro, Pital

Altitude: 1650 to 1750 masl

Producer: Elias Roa

Varietals: Caturra and Colombia

Grade: Screen 15 up, zero defects.

Production: Pulped and demucilaged with traditional de-pulper and fermentation.

Process: The cherries are selectively hand-picked by hired pickers under supervision by Elias.

Cherries are hand sorted before they are processed in order to make sure only the ripe cherries are processed together. After de-pulping the parchment coffee is dry-fermented for about 2 hours before it is rinsed in clean water. Then the water is drained from the fermentation tank and the parchment is left to dry-ferment for another 12 to 14 hours. After fermentation the coffee is washed in clean water that is changed 4 times. All floaters are removed manually during the washing. The parchment is soaked for 24 hours in clean water before it is dried in parabolic dryers under shade for about 28 to 30 days. The green coffee is packed and shipped in Grain-pro bags.

Soil: Sandy clay loams, porous soil

Notes: This lot is made of 5 daily pickings harvested in June 2102

Quituro

In Colombia you have everything from big coffee estates to small scale farmers producing a few bags each. They have two harvesting periods per year, great altitude and climate. Most of the coffees in Colombia are still sold as Excelso, Supremos, etc. based on the bean size, not considering individual cup quality as the main objective. This has started to change for high end coffees in the last few years.

This coffee is from the Cooperative Coocentral in Huila. Quituro is a region in the south of the Central Cordillera. The area Quituro is in an interior mountain range called the Serrania de Las Minas. Tarqui is again a micro region in Quituro that produces great coffees. By working closely with Cooperatives like Coocentral on lot separation from this farmers and farmer groups you can find unique coffees that previously was going in to big batches of Excelsos and Supremos and sold as standard commercial grades.

Farm: Los Bordos

Wet mill: Micro mill

Region: Huila

Area: Quituro

Village: Tarqui

Altitude: Average 1700 masl

Producers: Jhon Hermerson Murcia

Varietals: Caturra and Colombia

Grade: Screen 15 up, zero defects.

Production: Pulped and demucilaged with traditional handpulper and fermentation.

Process: Cherries are handpicked by the farmers before they are going in to small flotation tanks to separate out over ripes and damaged cherries. They are then handpulped and fermented in small traditional concrete tanks for 12-16 hours. The coffees are then washed and rinsed in clean water before dried. They are sorting the parchment using screens and by hand to remove defects at the drying tables.

Drying: Sun dried 12 -20 days on solar drying beds under transparent plastic cover.

Soil: Sandy clay loams, porous soil

Notes: The coffee is from a farmer who has 2,6 hectares of coffee, producing 60 bags annually. He is using residue tanks and sand filter for wastewater as well as they have strict routines on picking and processing. The coffee is grown under semi shade that contributes to slower maturation.

Cupping notes: Red berries and cocoa aromas. Sweet red fruit character and red berry acidity. Some mature dark fruit notes and sweet cherry flavors. Slightly floral. rich, creamy, juicy and delicate. Balanced with medium – high acidity level. Clean, transparent with good complexity and fruit intensity. Overall bold, sweet and intense with nice berry attributes.

Download Information: Quituro (pdf)

Planadas

In Colombia you have everything from big coffee estates to small scale farmers producing a few bags each. They have two harvesting periods per year, great altitude and climate. Most of the coffees in Colombia are still sold as Excelso, Supremos etc based on the bean size, not considering individual cup quality as the main objective. This has started changing for high end coffees in the last few years.

This coffee is from one of the Cooperative supporting the many small farmers and farmer groups in Planadas, south of Tolima. Together with regions like Narinho and Huila, this region has great potential. In this case the farmers produce batch sizes of 2-6 bags at the time that are delivered at the local cooperative for parchment receptions. The producers are located in an area fairly distanced from everything and has not yet been fully discovered and recognized for the flavors and qualities they are able to produce. By working actively with the cooperatives on lot separation from this farmers and groups you can find unique coffees that previously was going in to big batches of Excelsos and Supremos and sold as standard commercial grades.

Cooperative: Cooperativa de Caficultores del Sur del Tolima, Cafisur Ltda.

Wet mill: Individual micro mills

Region: Tolima

Area: Planadas

Villages: El Diviso, El Porvenir and El Cedro.

Altitude: Average 1600 masl

Producers: Chaguala Cruz Jose Jair, Chaguala Arguello John Jaiber, Diaz Vallejo Eugenia Maria

Varietals: Colombia and Castillo

Grade: Screen 14 up, preparation and bean selection for close to zero defects

Production: Pulped by the farmer in his farm, on the same day of harvest in a small pulper and two tanks, one for fermentation and the other for washing.  A few large growers have mechanical demucilagers (becolsub), but in this region the coffee is processed using traditional methods.

Process: Cherries are handpicked by the farmers. After fermentation (overnight, 12 to 16 hours), washing takes place in small flotation tanks where over and under-ripe beans, floaters, and damaged cherries are separated. The coffees are washed and rinsed in clean water 2 or 3 times before being sent to the drying patio or to marquesinas, ventilated structures on raised beds covered with plastic. Growers hand sort impurities and light beans.

Drying:  Drying is now taking 10 or more days due to climate change. Solar drying beds under transparent plastic cover is the norm in South Tolima.

Soil: Sandy clay loams, porous soil

Notes: This coffee is a mix from three small producers doing from 2 to 20 bags each annually.  In Planadas and South Tolima, growers are doing great work to improve quality at a small scale level.

Cupping notes: Mature dark fruit and cocoa aromas. Cherry and blackberry-like acidity. Classic mature dark fruit notes and sweet cherry flavors.  Rounded and rich, but juicy and delicate.  Soft and balanced with medium acidity. Good complexity and fruit intensity.  Overall, rich, sweet with classic Colombian mature berry attributes.

Download Information: Planadas (pdf)

Dusangirijambo

Burundi is a small landlocked country in East Africa. The Belgians introduced coffee there in the 1930s. With help from the World Bank in the 80s, they increased the number of trees and built state owned coffee washing stations around the country to produce fully washed coffees. After the civil war ended in 2005, the state washing stations have undergone privatization. The industry is now liberalized and the government is selling existing washing stations and privates and cooperatives invest in constructing new ones.

Despite a lot of deforestation, Burundi is still fertile. With altitudes up to 2000 meters, volcanic soils, and rainfall of 1300 mm per year, the growing conditions are good. With a diverse flavor range from mature dark fruit flavors to complex citrus, currant and stone fruit, Burundi is one of the most promising African coffee countries in regards to quality.  Today there are thousands of smallholder coffee farmers with some hundred coffee trees each that delivers their cherries to the communal washing stations for processing.

This coffee is from a new Cooperative in one of our favorite areas, Kayanza. The 2011 season was their first year of production, but the management has for years worked at some of the most prestigious coffee washing stations in the area.

We have three lots available — #1, 2, and 5. Each lot is a selection of different pickings from this wet mill.

For more information on Burundi, visit our earlier post here

Washing station: Dusngirijambo

Cooperative: Karinzi Coffee

Region: Kayanza

Commune/Local municipality: Karinzi

Altitude: Located at 1650 – 2000 masl

Producers: About 400 smallholders. Buying cherries from non members as well. Membership is optional. Non members don’t qualify for second payment.

Varietals: Different traditional types of Bourbon

Grade: Screen 15 and up.

Production: Pulped with mechanical mucilage removal and washed, soaked over night in water and, skin dried under shade with intense parchment hand-sorting before sundried on African beds.

Process: Floatation sorting in buckets before cherries are hand sorted for unripes and overripes by the farmers before they go in to production. A Penagos Eco Pulper removes the skin, pulp and mucilage. It is then moved to plastic tanks, floaters are removed before it’s soaked in clean.

Drying: Skin dried and sorted under shade for 1 day. Sun dried 14 – 20 days on African drying beds on nylex. Covered in plastic or shade nets during midday and at night.

Soil: Hygro-Xero Ferralsols with Ferralic

Notes: They are taking on modern processing techniques and investing in training of the farmers that are members of the cooperative. The cooperative is located in a valley at 1650 meters surrounded by mountains and steep hills with coffee farmers.

Cupping notes: Red berries, and floral aromas. Citrus and red currant acidity profile. Has a range of red berry flavors such as raspberry, strawberry as well as rosehip and hints of hibiscus. Overall it’s sweet, intense, transparent and delicate with complex fruit and floral notes.

Download Information: Dusangirijambo (pdf)

Mpemba

Burundi is a small landlocked country in East Africa. The Belgians introduced coffee there in the 1930s. With help from the World Bank in the 80s, they increased the number of trees and built state owned coffee washing stations around the country to produce fully washed coffees. After the civil war ended in 2005, the state washing stations have undergone privatization. The industry is now liberalized and the government is selling existing washing stations and privates and cooperatives invest in constructing new ones.

Despite a lot of deforestation, Burundi is still fertile. With altitudes up to 2000 meters, volcanic soils, and rainfall of 1300 mm per year, the growing conditions are good. With a diverse flavor range from mature dark fruit flavors to complex citrus, currant and stone fruit, Burundi is one of the most promising African coffee countries in regards to quality.  Today there are thousands of smallholder coffee farmers with some hundred coffee trees each that delivers their cherries to the communal washing stations for processing.

This coffee is from a new Cooperative in one of our favorite areas, Kayanza. The 2011 season was their first year of production, but the management has for years worked at some of the most prestigious coffee washing stations in the area.

We have three lots available — #6, 7, and 8. Each lot is a selection of different pickings from this wet mill.

For more information on Burundi, visit our earlier post here

Washing station: Mpemba

Cooperative: Kazoza Nikawa

Region: Kayanza

Commune/Local municipality: Buyenzi

Altitude: Located at 1750 – 2000 masl

Producers: About 400 smallholders. Buying cherries from non members as well. Membership is optional. Non members don’t qualify for second payment.

Varietals: Different traditional types of Bourbon

Grade: Screen 15 and up.

Production: Pulped with mechanical mucilage removal and dry fermented, washed, soaked in water and, skin dried under shade with intense parchment hand-sorting before sundried on African beds.

Process: Floatation sorting in buckets before cherries are hand sorted for unripes and overripes by the farmers before they go in to production. A Penagos Eco Pulper removes the skin, pulp and mucilage. Its then dry fermented in buckets over night before washed and rinsed in clean water and graded by removal of floaters.

Drying: Skin dried and sorted under shade for 2 days final washing. Sun dried 14 – 20 days on African drying beds on nylex. Coffees are gathered in to pyramids to rest, covered in plastic or shade nets during midday and at night.

Soil: Hygro-Xero Ferralsols with Ferralic

Notes: They are taking on modern processing techniques and invest in training of the farmers that are members of the cooperative.

Cupping notes: Red berries, and citric aromas. Limey and red currant acidity profile. Has a range of red berry flavors such as raspberry, cherry as well as yellow stone fruit. Overall it is sweet, intense, transparent and delicate with highly complex fruit notes, great intensity and juiciness.

Download Information: Mpemba (pdf)

Buziraguhindwa

Burundi is a small landlocked country in East Africa. The Belgians introduced coffee there in the 1930s. With help from the World Bank in the 80s, they increased the number of trees and built state owned coffee washing stations around the country to produce fully washed coffees. After the civil war ended in 2005, the state washing stations have undergone privatization. The industry is now liberalized and the government is selling existing washing stations and privates and cooperatives invest in constructing new ones.

Despite a lot of deforestation, Burundi is still fertile. With altitudes up to 2000 meters, volcanic soils, and rainfall of 1300 mm per year, the growing conditions are good. With a diverse flavor range from mature dark fruit flavors to complex citrus, currant and stone fruit, Burundi is one of the most promising African coffee countries in regards to quality.  Today there are thousands of smallholder coffee farmers with some hundred coffee trees each that delivers their cherries to the communal washing stations for processing.

This coffee is from a private Coffee Washing Station in one of our favorite areas, Kayanza. The producer is investing a lot in to quality control and sustainability programs for the surrounding farmers and local workers. As they are separating their coffees based on daily pickings and different processing methods it is possible to make a very specified selection of micro lots based on the different flavor profiles.

We have four lots available — #3, 6, 9, and 12. Each lot is a selection of different pickings from this wet mill.

For more information on Burundi, visit our earlier post here

Washing Station: Buziraguhindwa

District: Kayanza

Commune/Local municipality: Muruta

Altitude: Coffee grown from 1800 to 2000 masl

Producer: Salume Ramadhan

Farmers: about 3000 smallholders.

Varietals: Different traditional types of Bourbon

Grade: Screen 15 and up.

Production: Pulped and dry fermented, graded in washing channels, soaked in water and, skin dried under shade with intense parchment hand-sorting before sundried on African beds.

Process: Cherries are hand sorted for unripes and overripes by the farmers before they go in to production. A 3 disc Mckinnon pulper removes the skin and pulp. The coffee is then dry fermented for 12- 16 hours, dependent on the weather conditions. It’s then graded in washing channels in to two grades based on density before soaked under clean water in tanks for 18 hours.

Drying: Sun dried 15 – 20 days on African drying beds on hessian cloths. Coffees are covered in plastic during midday and at night.

Soil:  Hygro-Xero Ferralsols with Ferralic

Notes: The producer is investing to improve quality. Coffees are separated by region, daily pickings and different processing methods and fermentation techniques. Parchment is thoroughly sorted during drying to decrease potential off flavors and number of defected beans.

Cupping notes: Black currant and citrus aromas. Sweet, intense and ripe with black currant acidity profile. Very well structured with high flavor intensity. Good range of complex berry flavors from mature dark cherries.  Dense, rich and warming fruit notes in the opening, delicate with good intensity and juiciness, and a floral finish.

Download Information: Buziraguhindwa (pdf)

Nordic Approach and Ethiopian Beans Cooperation

Ethiopian Beans and Nordic Approach will merge and cooperate on all activities in Ethiopia from this harvest and on-wards.

Goal: To be able to supply the best Ethiopian Coffees ever!!

We, Seife Tuloskorpi from Ethiopian Beans, Morten Wennersgaard and Tim Wendelboe from Nordic Approach have always had a good relationship and shared the values and goals in regards to work systematically in Ethiopia for quality. Many of our clients buy from both companies, and we think it will be a great strength to cooperate rather than compete.

We are currently working on a structure where Nordic Approach will manage the spot sales for the coffees from both companies, and Seife from Ethiopian Beans will have more time to be active on the ground in Ethiopia to secure logistics and supply. It will eventually work as one organization under Nordic Approach, with ground staff presented in Ethiopia.

Seife will also do FOB sales and support roasters internationally that wants a direct shipment from Ethiopia on great trace able quality coffees. The coffees will still be under the transparency and quality criteria of Nordic Approach.

What we want to achieve:

Cupping – Access the best qualities Ethiopia has to offer through actively work on quality control and cupping. Both Seife and Morten from Nordic Approach will be there during the season to cup, ensure quality control and select the coffees.

Projects – initiate sustainable projects to look at experiments on processing and increased quality.

Samples – follow up on samples and trace ability. Access pre shipment samples being present in origin makes it easier. We will also be able to pre sell coffees and get hem out in time.

Milling – follow up our coffees in the  dry mills and dialogue with the Unions, producers and exporters.

Shipment – secure efficient transport and shipment to destination.

FOB sales – access really good quality of fully trace able coffees for FOB sales to clients that are taking coffee direct from origin.

What does it mean for Ethiopian Beans clients and coffees?

The clients that are already buying from Ethiopian Beans will still have priority up on arrival of coffees

The coffees from Ethiopian Beans will still be available, but from the Nordic Approach offer list. The only difference will be that it will all be handled and invoiced by Nordic Approach in Oslo.

We will work out warehousing, transport and handling so there will be minimal changes for the existing clients.

We are really excited about this new take on Ethiopia, and are sure we will be able to supply even better and more unique coffees through this project.

Stay well -

Warm regards from Nordic Approach & Ethiopian Beans