||ETHIOPIA|| PT's Coffee - Ethiopia Biloya Selection One

Coffee: PT's COFFEE - ETHIOPIA BILOYA SELECTION ONE
Price: $23.95/12 oz + Shipping = $2.29/oz
Year: 2007 (December)
Location: Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia. This is a special selection lot of dry processed coffee
Roast: Medium-light ... probably toward end of City

What they say: Various roasters have sold this coffee over the last year. Here is Ken David's review of 4 of them, which provides a good idea of what to expect. I tasted the coffee corresponding to this review.




Tasting Notes:
FRENCH PRESS; Score - 95

Fragrance: The dry fragrance out of the grinder is extremely powerful, and the flavor is undeniable - blueberries, blueberries, and more blueberries. Subtle background hints of ginger and pepper

Aroma: A delicious wet aroma that follows through where the dry fragrance left off. I looked forward to cracking the crust every single time I made this coffee, because the aroma was just so unique and pleasing. Blueberries, tropical fruit, and sweet honey predominate. In the background are earthy notes, and a hint of the roast comes through. Even sitting in the cup, the aroma really permeates the whole room.

Body: It feels like a big bodied coffee, which I would describe as almost tannic - like young Bordeaux wines or Cabs. This puckering flavor is separate from the acidity, and really coats the mouth. There is also a nice earthy body in the cup, which mellows a bit as the cup cools.

Acidity: There is no doubting that this is a bright coffee. Very well balanced. A nice, bright, grapefruit-y sensation is the first thing to hit the tongue. This immediately melts into the driving flavors behind the coffee - blueberries, and a wonderful tartness. If the Lord created a fresh blueberry that had the tartness of a cranberry, this is what it would taste like.

Finish: The coffee finishes quite mildly. As the fruit and acid fades, the coffee flavors left in your mouth are very earthy. Sweet spices - like corriander and ginger - reveal themselves. The finish isn’t big, and it isn’t complex. But it is delicious. Simple, sweet, earthy. There is very little lingering aftertaste, but it does leave a tannic sensation in the mouth, and begs for the next sharp sip.

Profile & Flavors: Blueberries. Earth. The flavors were so straightforward, that I think this coffee can be aptly described with those two descriptors. I could use more: honey, corriander, ginger, and tart. But as I said, this coffee was straightforward ... and delicious. Many people get caught up in culinary complexity. Complexity is great. It’s unique. To execute complex flavors requires skill, and when executed properly, can create whole new avenues in flavor. But complexity isn’t everything. The sum total of a complex dish (food, drink, cup of coffee, etc) won’t come together unless the characteristics of its individual ingredients are impeccable. And once that makes sense, it becomes extremely easy to appreciate simplicity ... even to celebrate simplicity. That is exactly what this coffee brings to mind. It is quite simply amazing quality. The tart blueberry flavors exploded in my mouth and nose. I do want to emphasize the tart flavor. First of all, tart does not equal bitter, and bitter does not equal bad. They are two different things in my mind, neither of which is meant to sound better than the other. I found this coffee to be much more tart than bitter, which I can't recall from any coffees I have tried before.

Pairings: A great “drink-alone” coffee - I found myself drinking this coffee by itself in the afternoon as a snack. Paired well with fresh fruit. Paired poorly with cheese.

Buy Again? Without a doubt. This is the highest I have ever rated a coffee, and I will undoubtedly remember it for a long time to come. Again, like some other coffees I have written about, this is a great example of how good coffee can be. For people who consistently drink good coffee, I think this would be a chance to appreciate the difference between great coffee and good coffee. And for the casual, pre-ground, drip coffee drinker, I have been told the difference is “mind boggling.” The price was certainly high, but among the high priced coffee in 2007, I think this had to be one of the winners.

ESPRESSO; Scores - 83, 85, 86, 85

Crema: Thinnish, reddish brown crema. Tastes nutty.

Aroma: Pineapple and tangerine like aromas. Interestingly, as obvious as the blueberries were in the grind and in press pot coffee, I really didn’t find when pulled as espresso.

Body: A medium body, thinner than most traditional espressos. A nice mouthfeel however, with definite earthiness throughout the sip. The tartness apparent in the press pot is also apparent in the shot.

Milk: I only made one big milk drink with this coffee - a cappuccino. As you might guess, it was quite fruity and sweet. A good cappuccino - different if nothing else. I did make a couple macciatos, and a couple espresso con panna drinks. The con panna was my favorite overall way to drink this espresso - richly sweet with an underlying fruity taste. Quite tasty.

Profile & Flavors: Overall, this coffee is not particularly difficult to pull as espresso, and produces a thinnish, yet nicely balanced shot. This is certainly no ground breaking SO espresso, but it is worth pulling and drinking in my opinion. To put it simply, the shots have an earthy background, with a tartly sweet taste at the beginning of the sip. It finishes mildly, but the sweet flavors linger throughout. I think adding high fat milk helps these flavors stay in the mouth longer, and create nice drinks.

Pairings: Works very well by itself. As an espresso con panna, having a fruit scone or muffin on the side was a very nice treat.

||ETHIOPIA|| Counter Culture Coffee - Yirgacheffe v. Harrar

I think comparing these two coffees is like comparing French wines. You know that you shouldn't compare Bordeauxs to Rhones to Burgundys. They have distinct regions, distinct histories, and distinct flavors. It should be apples to apples, right? I think so ... to an extent. You can't always be so static and structured. It is only in comparing their differences that you figure out that each region is very much worthwhile. And you also discover that no matter how indifferent you try to be, you always develop a favorite.

So I won't fight it with coffee. I am going to compare these two different coffees, from two different regions, with two different histories ... together. And I think my experience was all the richer for doing so. So to lead off, a couple of ridiculous comparisons:
1) If these coffees were French wines, the Yirgacheffe is Champange - fresh, bright, and works great mixed with other drinks. The Harrar is a white Burgundy - fruity, dry, and well balanced.
2) If these coffees were cheese, the Yirgacheffe is sweetned mascarpone - refreshingly sweet in small quantities. The Harrar is mizithra - subtly enjoyable and unique.

YIRGACHEFFE
Coffee: COUNTER CULTURE – ETHIOPIA YIRGACHEFFE
Price: $9.95/12 oz + Shipping = $1.03/oz.
Year: 2007 (March)
Varietal:
Location: Ambessa (southern Ethiopian mountains)
Flavors to look for: Pronounced lemon-blossom-honey flavor, mango, fruit
What they say: “Yirgacheffe just might be the best example of terroir, the “taste of place,” that we seek whenever we search out great coffees. One can taste the potent flowers of the Yirgacheffe bushes in the fragrance of the coffee, and the sweetness of the local honey seems to make its way into the coffee beans themselves. The overall taste of the coffee is so brilliant, is it possible that the sun-drying lets in a little bit of the sun’s brightness? The floral character of this coffee is overwhelming, and brings to mind roses and honeysuckle. The fruity nature and light body of this lot make it the perfect summer coffee

TASTING NOTES
FRENCH PRESS	ESPRESSO
Fragrance: Sweet, floral	Crema: Thin and pale
Aroma: Also floral and fresh	Aroma: Fruity
Body: Fairly light and smooth	Body: Thin
Acidity: Also fairly light, thought acidity seems to be in the drivers seat in the cup.	Milk: Actually makes an interesting milk drink, though I would hardly call it a cap or a latte. The milk becomes the dominant flavor, but it tastes good nevertheless.
Finish: A very fresh overall finish – moist, cool, and enjoyable.
Profile & Flavors: Honey definitely comes through, and it is certainly a light cup. I think this is a nice example of how much different coffees can be from each other. This truly is a very fresh, herbal, sweet coffee. Think of fresh Italian parsley – fresh and lively. And just as parsley truly works best as one element in a larger recipe, I think this coffee may work better in a blend. I do think it would work quite nicely as an iced coffee, and perhaps it is best suited for a hot day like the roaster says, but it doesn't seem suited for a cool March day in Omaha.	Profile & Flavors: I did pull it several times, but couldn’t seem to get much worth reviewing. Sweet elements tried to come through. Of absolutely no consequence: 6 parts vodka + 1 part of this coffee as espresso + 1/2 part simple syrup = a very solid and simple espresso martini.
Score: 85	Score: Not rated.
Buy Again? Yes and no (weak answer, I know). It is definitely educational to compare the Harrar and Yirgacheffe – the two dominant coffees from coffee’s original soil. My palate prefers the Harrar to the Yirg … this time. And while I know I prefer other origins for various reasons, I will undoubtedly be doing this same tasting comparison in years to come, if for nothing more than the fun of doing it.

HARRAR
Coffee: COUNTER CULTURE – ETHIOPIA HARRAR
Price: $10.25/12 oz + Shipping = $1.05/oz.
Year: 2007 (March)
Varietal:
Location: Illili Daarartu
Flavors to look for: Fruit, spice, wine
What they say: “Harrar may be the most exotic place I have ever seen. Coffee is grown in the mountains surrounding Harrar, and has been traded there for generations, making its way in the traditional fashions, by camel, wagon and boat, to the ports of Djibouti and Moka for export to Europe and beyod. We’ve just received the most recent shipment of coffee from Ililli Darartu, and once again it is redolent of fruit, spice, and wine. We love it, and we are looking forward to a long, strong relationship with the community of Bedenno.”

TASTING NOTES
FRENCH PRESS	ESPRESSO
Fragrance: Citrusy and sharp	Crema: Easily burnt, thin
Aroma: Similar to its fragrance out of the grinder	Aroma: A little musty and burnt
Body: Medium body, which battles with the acidity	Body: Thin overall
Acidity: I would call it medium acidity as well, which creates a nicely balanced cup.	Milk: Milk seems to drown out the seemingly thin espresso
Finish: A nice, dry, berry hinted finish. Well balanced, and the flavors are subtle on the finish.
Profile & Flavors: The cup is bright and sweet, but definitely has more strength and body than a Yirgacheffe. A nice Harrar all around. Flavors of cherries and berries are obvious, with a hint of chocolate. A spicy, pungent flavor lingers throughout the cup. It isn’t the typical cinnamon or pepper spice, however, more like fresh ginger. Think chocolate covered candied ginger (if you can) … almost surprisingly potent with the initial sip. On the finish, the flavors are muted, but unique.	Profile & Flavors: At least in my machine, this is too easily burnt and too finicky of a pull. The coffee is resultantly thin and completely without the bittersweet flavor that should be present in an espresso. Again, not every coffee is meant for espresso.
Score: 87	Score: Not rated.
Buy Again? I do prefer the Harrar to the Yirg. On it’s own, I would call this Harrar good, but not great. Credit where credit is due, however, as you can never fault a coffee that has the unique flavor profile that this coffee does.