Instructions 

Step 1: Dose and grind 14g of coffee into the individual cups 
Grind 2g of coffee through the grinder before grinding the 14g of coffee. This will  remove any stray grounds.

Step 2: Take a whiff of the dry fragrance
What do you smell? Jot it down on your cupping evaluation form!

Step 3: Fill your cupping bowls with hot water and wait for 4 minutes
Make sure that you fill it to the brim!

Step 4: Take a whiff of the crust while waiting
What do you smell? Jot it down on your cupping evaluation form and compare it with what you noted in Step 2. Do you notice anything different? Some coffees’ fragrance will change after coming into contact with hot water.

Step 5: Use the back of the spoon to break the crust when the timer goes off
Put your nose near the surface and smell the wet aroma as you break the crust.  Be careful not to dip the entire spoon into the cup, but just push it gently at the surface. Breaking the crust releases more aroma from the cup. What do you smell? Jot it down on your cupping evaluation form!

Step 6: Rinse the spoon in the rinsing cup when you are done with the first coffee
Repeat Step 5 for the rest of your coffees. Remember to rinse your spoons between each coffees. This will prevent cross-contamination.

Step 7: Remove the crust
Scrape the crust on the surface of the cup so that you don’t drink the floating grounds and excess coffee oils. Just imagine you are cleaning the surface of your hotpot!

Step 8: S-L-U-R-P
The coffees should have cooled by now. Take a small spoonful of each coffee and slurp the coffee. The purpose of slurping is to aerate the coffee and coat your tongue for you to taste more flavour and aroma. 

Step 9: Take your time to taste 
Flavours often change with temperature. Sip and evaluate your coffee slowly, from hot to warm to cool. Take note of how the coffees change with temperature!

We hope that you enjoyed this activity. If you have any feedback for us, please let us know in the comments below!

San Antonio Chaguite, Guatemala

The Perez family has been one of our direct-from-origin producers since 2014, and we are delighted to present our sixth harvest with them this year. The San Antonio Chaguite farm sits at the highest elevation amongst the Family Bonds Coffee farms, at 1950 metres above sea level. 

Finca San Antonio Chaguite is one farm out of six in Family Bonds Coffee, a family-owned business that strives at harvesting, processing, and distributing unique varieties. Guatemala benefits from high altitudes and unique microclimates. There is constant rainfall and mineral-rich soil in most regions, which is suitable for producing coffee. Huehuetenango sits on the highest and driest coffee producing region, and is protected from frost as it experiences dry and hot winds, allowing coffees to be grown on high elevations. The Huehuetenango region also has an almost boundless amount of rivers and streams, a very important resource in washing coffees. 

The Caturra varietal is a mutation of the Bourbon varietal. This natural mutation causes the coffee plant to be smaller than the other coffee plants. Though small in size, it is still a favourite amongst coffee producers. Its size allows more crops to be grown closer together, resulting in higher yield during harvesting. 

This lot is a washed-processed coffee, where cherries are pulped to remove the skin, and then rinsed in water tanks to remove the mucilage. The coffee is then dried on raised beds. San Antonio Chaguite prides itself on this processing method, and the quality is always clean and consistent, and this keeps us buying from them every year. 

Guji Uraga Tome, Ethiopia

A native of the Guji region in Ethiopia, Tadesse Edema is no stranger to the specialty coffee industry. He set up his first washing station in Uraga over 12 years ago, paving the way for the well-known Layo Teraga Cooperative. Later, the Tome washing station was set up on the other side of the ridge, across the river that separates Hambela from Uraga. Tadesse is a renowned figure in not just the coffee industry but the community as well, contributing to the building of infrastructure such as schools and roads in the region. 

Previously in the 2000s, due to restrictions set by the Ethiopia Government on the coffee industry, coffees had to be traded on the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX). It was conceived to reduce price volatility through a centralized commodity-based trading system. However, this meant that the supply chain between international buyers and private washing stations were broken. Many farmers like Tadesse were unable to get the recognition they deserve, and the higher prices they drew. With new regulations introduced in 2017, cooperative and some larger farmers were able to sell directly to international buyers, and Tadesse was finally able to deliver his world-class coffees without obscuring traceability. 

This is the second time we have bought from Uraga Tome, with a natural processed coffee the previous year. This year's crop has consistently produced some of the highest-scoring Ethiopian lots we have tasted. As a Grade 1 classification, cherries undergo an additional hand-sorting stage to remove defects, ensuring quality. 

Finca Ceylan y Anexos, Guatemala 

Finca Ceylan resides in the San Miguel Pochuta area of Chimaltenango, at an altitude of 1300 metres above sea level. The region is also rich in volcanic soil. Like many producers we work with, Dariush Echeverria is a firm believer of both quality and sustainable farming practices. 

Following his philosophical approaches. Dariush invested in wastewater treatment facilities. Coffee residues from the wet mill are used as organic fertilizer in the coffee plantation, creating a self-sufficient system. Wastewater is also filtered through oxidation tanks to avoid contamination to surrounding water sources. 

Finca Ceylan contributes to that system by investing in local infrastructure and education as well as employing local labour to maintain the farm throughout the year. They also achieved Organic as well as Smithsonian Bird Friendly certifications.

The Bourbon varietal is favoured for its excellent cup quality, though it has low yield and is also highly susceptible to diseases like coffee leaf rust and cherry borers. Bourbons are valued for its complex acidity, and has a caramel-like sweetness and texture. Typically red in color, the orange Bourbon is a natural mutation and generally has higher sweetness. 

As demand for specialty coffee increases, different producers has directions - some are quality driven, some driven by sustainability. The Finca Ceylan Orange Bourbon falls under the category of ‘rare’ as firstly, of Darish’s efforts and purpose. We respect and recognise his efforts of keeping his farm both environmentally and humanitarian sustainable. These efforts are translated into the quality of the rare mutation of the orange bourbon. 

Finca Isnul, Guatemala
We have been working with the Finca Isnul family as part of our direct-to-origin program since 2014. Owned and operated by the Anzueto family, Finca Isnul is part of Danny Perez’s Family Bonds union of farms. Finca Isnul has been producing some of the most outstanding Pacamara varietals in Guatemala, and that is part of the reason behind why we keep buying from the Perez family time and time again. 

Under the guidance of Family Bonds, Leticia and Lorena, the current stewards of the farm, have applied a new hybrid processing technique to their highly-prized Pacamara varietal. They have taken a small percentage of their already small volume of Pacamara and applied the NatWashed processing technique. 

Coffee cherries are first rinsed with water, and the floaters removed, which helps to prevent earthy, unpleasant flavors, creating a clean cup. They are then dried on raised beds, kickstarting fermentation for 48 hours, until the coffee turns a dark raisin color. Thereafter,  the cherries are rehydrated for another round of fermentation, in cold water for 2-3 hours, before being depulped and washed in the traditional manner. 

The processing is finished with a combination of raised beds and mechanical drying, which contributes to consistent drying, allowing them to control the flavor profile. This unique process not only creates a unique spectrum of flavours, but also retains the crispness and vibrancy that is the hallmark of Finca Isnul. 

In this month's subscription, we are comparing two different coffees with the same varietals but from different origins - Colombia and Guatemala. This is part of the Surprise subscription’s aim - to pair coffees that provide an interesting contrast. 

Finca La Falda, Colombia

Born in Urrao, Antioquia to coffee producer parents, Jose Arcadio Caro Rueda has long been connected to coffee. Since purchasing his own plot of land to grow coffee, amongst other crops; he and his wife, Marbeluz, and teenage son, Santiago, tend to 9500 trees, consisting of the Caturra varietal (known locally as Caturro Chirozo). The farm in its entirety is 10 hectares, but only 3 of these are dedicated to coffee - Jose also grows a variety of other crops, such as corn, beans and tomatoes. Therefore, La Falda only produces about 55 bags of coffee a year. 

Jose Arcadio Rueda is no stranger to coffee contests. In 2013, La Falda placed 7th in the Colombia Cup of Excellence. This was a proud moment not just for Jose, but also the Antioquia department, which is a major player in Colombia’s coffee production, but had yet to place in the top ten for the Cup of Excellence contest.

For Jose, he does not intend to compete in the Cup of Excellence program again, instead believing in upholding the reputation of La Falda by offering quality coffee at fair and sustainable prices. 

This varietal is a natural mutation of Caturra. It grew to fame in the 2014 Cup of Excellence, when Doña Carmen Cecilia Montoya from Bella Vista, Antioquia won using the same variety. It has since caught on with other farmers with a similar penchant for quality coffee. 

San Antonio Chaguite, Guatemala

The Perez family has been one of our direct-from-origin producers since 2014, and we are delighted to present our sixth harvest with them this year. The San Antonio Chaguite farm sits at the highest elevation amongst the Family Bonds Coffee farms, at 1950 metres above sea level. 

Finca San Antonio Chaguite is one farm out of six in Family Bonds Coffee, a family-owned business that strives at harvesting, processing, and distributing unique varieties. Guatemala benefits from high altitudes and unique microclimates. There is constant rainfall and mineral-rich soil in most regions, which is suitable for producing coffee. Huehuetenango sits on the highest and driest coffee producing region, and is protected from frost as it experiences dry and hot winds, allowing coffees to be grown on high elevations. The Huehuetenango region also has an almost boundless amount of rivers and streams, a very important resource in washing coffees. 

The Caturra varietal is a mutation of the Bourbon varietal. This natural mutation causes the coffee plant to be smaller than the other coffee plants. Though small in size, it is still a favourite amongst coffee producers. Its size allows more crops to be grown closer together, resulting in higher yield during harvesting. 

This natural processed Caturra varietal started out as a special request from us. We thoroughly enjoyed the washed version and its layered complexity, and wanted to understand how applying a different drying process would alter the flavour profile. Natural processed coffees often result in a fruit-forward cup due to the fermentation of sugars during the drying process. This year, we are lucky to be able to taste the Caturra natural’s complex and clean profile again.

In this month’s subscriptions, we are featuring two coffees from our favourite producers. Danny Perez and Gonzalo Hernandez’s two stellar producers whose stories we always enjoy sharing. Both producers are constantly innovative in their approach towards processing and varietals, and keep us excited each year with their fresh harvests. 

San Antonio Chaguite, Guatemala

The Perez family has been one of our direct-from-origin producers since 2014, and we are delighted to present our sixth harvest with them this year. The San Antonio Chaguite farm sits at the highest elevation amongst the Family Bonds Coffee farms, at 1950 metres above sea level. 

Finca San Antonio Chaguite is one farm out of six in Family Bonds Coffee, a family-owned business that strives at harvesting, processing, and distributing unique varieties. Guatemala benefits from high altitudes and unique microclimates. There is constant rainfall and mineral-rich soil in most regions, which is suitable for producing coffee. Huehuetenango sits on the highest and driest coffee producing region, and is protected from frost as it experiences dry and hot winds, allowing coffees to be grown on high elevations. The Huehuetenango region also has almost boundless amount of rivers and streams, a very important resource in washing coffees. 

The Pacamara varietal is known to have complex and intense aromas, with elegant acidity. This Pacamara varietal has always been extremely popular with the neighbouring farm, Finca Isnul, within the Family Bonds group. It was experimentally planted on Finca San Antonio Chaguite as well, and the results have been astounding. 

Coffea Diversa, Costa Rica

Most coffee farms are typically mono-varietal, in other words they grow a single varietal, or a few at best. These would consist of high-yielding varietals such as Caturra, Bourbon, Catuai or Typica, to name a few. 

At Coffea Diversa, this is hardly the case. Gonzalo Hernandez has created one of the largest private collections of coffee varietals in the world, at over 600 and counting. Just like in a flower garden where one would find many different types of flowers, he considers Coffea Diversa to be more of a coffee garden, instead of a coffee farm. 

With a background in agronomy, Gonzalo started this garden in 2003, choosing to pursue the path of genetic diversification and retaining the history and lustre of coffees that were once grown around the world but now have been all but forgotten. Each varietal is produced in limited supply due to the small lot size and lower yield, but these make for unique taste profiles that would not be found in common coffees. 

The Dilla Alghe is a wild Ethiopian varietal found close to the southwestern Ethiopian town of Dilla Alghe. This coffee is characterised by tall trees, with medium-sized oval leaves, and young leaves that are reddish in color. The plant is very susceptible to diseases and its yield is low as well. 

Thank you to everyone who signed up for our monthly Surprise subscription box! We hope that you like the Surprise in your boxes and we can't wait for you to start brewing the coffees that our roasters have curated.

As shared in your welcome letter, we will be updating this blog monthly with the details of the coffees inside your box.

For the month of December, we have two coffees: Hartmann Estate from Panama, as well as Pa-O from Myanmar. If you have been following us for a while, you might have tried other coffees from these farms. 

Hartmann Estate, Panama 

Helmed by Ratibor Hartmann, a third-generation coffee producer, the Hartmann Estate is a family business. It consists of 2 farms – Santa Clara Finca Hartmann and Ojo de Agua, located between 1,300 and 2,000 metres above sea level with nearly 100 hectares of forest reserves bordering on the Parque Nacional de La Amistad. 

The farm was founded in 1950 by Ratibor Hartmann Sr., who is now retired. Today, the estate is now helmed by Ratibor Hartmann Jr., as well as his four siblings, with each sibling is in charge of a specific operation on the farm. For the Hartmann family, every harvest is an opportunity to explore, refine and push the boundaries of coffee processing. 

The Hartmann Estate promotes sustainability at the farm, with shade-grown coffee and a focus on preserving wildlife and the lush rainforest. Rather than clearing the land and exploiting it for commercial production, they aim to preserve the unique micro-climate and fertile soil. These, combined with their focus on advanced techniques and processing methods, produces the highest quality coffees. 

We have visited Hartmann Estate on multiple occasions and seen how the processing has developed over the years, and this is one of our favourites. The Winey process is where very ripe cherries - that are left to ripen slightly more than usual - are picked and sorted, with the fruity ‘pulp’ left intact and left to dry on African raised beds. The end result is a very fruit-forward cup, with a full body and notes not unlike wine. 

Pa-O, Myanmar 

The Pa-O tribe is one of the ethnic tribes of the Shan State in Myanmar. Legend has it that the people of Pa-O are descendants of a dragon and an alchemist named Zawgyi. Traditionally isolated from the outside world, they have their own language and traditions, like many other tribes in Myanmar.

In recent years, Behind The Leaf Coffee was started to educate the Pa-O tribe on growing and processing specialty coffee. All these helped to improve the tribe's standard of living, allowing them to earn a fair wage. During the harvest season, coffee cherries are picked and processed on the same day to ensure freshness. Their drive for quality has seen their coffee receiving a cup score between 85-87 points in recent competitions.

In honey-processed coffees, coffee cherries are first depulped and left to dry with some mucilage on. This mucilage is a sticky layer that coats the coffee seed, typically yellow in color, hence the term "honey". The amount of mucilage determines how much fermentation occurs, in turn giving the cup more sweetness and body, along with fruit-forward flavors. With varying amounts of mucilage and drying times, the coffee may be termed differently, ranging from white honey, to yellow, gold, red, and black honey. 

The darker the honey, the more work is required to prevent over-fermentation or mold. Therefore, a black-honey coffee is the most labor-intensive and in certain cases, the more expensive types of honey-process. In this case, the Pa-O Black Honey was processed meticulously, resulting in a clean cup without over-ferment notes.

Now that you have read about your coffees, it's time to start brewing!

Let us know what you think about the coffees in your Surprise Box. Tag us at @ppp.coffee and hashtag #PPPCoffeeSurprise.

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