Feliz Fiestas Patrias!

Peruvian Independence Fiestas are in full effect and we placed our flag out front in Seattle WA! Feliz fiestas a mis queridos Peruanos.

What is a Buying Trip?

This is the most active time of year for the Peruvian coffee industry. The harvest is approximately 1/2 way through, high altitude coffee harvest has began, exports are ramping up, and buying trips begin.

So what is a Buying Trip?

Buying trip to Quillabamba Cusco, June 2009

Green Coffee Buyers (exporters, importers and roasters) have the elusive job of discovering, developing and preserving the right coffee for their customers. Traditionally this takes place from an office, where the buyer waits for hundreds of samples to arrive and then picks through them, perhaps never setting foot at the origin of production. For specialty green coffee buyers, the buying process requires travel to origin.

These excursions into coffee mountains consist of a great deal of interaction with the farmers and associations in order to provide the personal testimony of transparency, motivate both sides of the supply chain, calibrate tasters palates, and gain a personal knowledge of the people and place which produces our coffee. The end result is a better cup of coffee, higher premiums for farmers and dignified seller-buyer relationships.

In August Cafe Verde will have the privilege of leading 6 top North American specialty coffee buyers to the mountains of northern Cajamarca. This area is the hot bed of Peruvian specialty coffee, and certainly has been the most impressive origin for consistent specialty coffee of Peru.

Cafe Verde is proud to have been working with CENFROCAFE since our inception, and we look forward to tasting and buying their most fabulous coffees in August. Look for Cajamarcan coffee in Cafe Verde towards the end of August or September.

July 13 Cupping Results

Straight from Monday's notes:

Espresso blended batch #130: 25% Espresso Base, 25% Llenar Base (16.22 minutes, 217 degrees F), 17% Selecto Base, 32% House Base (14.51 minutes, 216 degrees F)

Purple grape and black olive dry fragrance, vanilla cream wet aroma, Round dark chocolate taste, folding to Plum and Mid Chocolate notes as it cools.

Enjoy!

Cafe Verde in Arequipa

Last month I had the privilege to visit Cafe Ole in Arequipa. I have lived and worked in Peru since 1997, yet this was my first time to the renowned "white city". Misti, the volcano which overlooks the city, was out in full glory.


The purpose of my time was to understand the needs of Cafe Ole as our customer, and give a short training. I was supper impressed by the team there, very enthusiastic and passionate about coffee. They are one of the few shops in Peru with Barista who hope to compete for entrance in the World Barista Championships.

Also unique to their location is it doubles as a hostel; and after staying there I give it my recommendation.

So if you're ever in Arequipa this is your place for great coffee!