Welcome to October, Ruby subscribers! I hope your fall is off to a great start as we soak in the last of the summer sun, and prepare for cooler, darker evenings. So I have some bad news, and I have some good news. Bad news first? Okay. Did you know that, depending on the latitude of your location, you’re losing two to three minutes of daylight every day?! Here’s the good news: there’s some delicious coffee on its way to you this month to brighten your ever-darker days! Roasters Choice subscribers can expect Guatemala Finca de Dios Nacimiento and Ethiopia Tega & Tula Farm on their doorstep. Rich & Sweet subscribers, keep your eyes peeled for Guatemala Finca de Dios Nacimiento, and Bright & Lively subscribers, you’ll be enjoying Colombia Rafael Medina this month.
Let’s hit it off with Guatemala Finca de Dios Nacimiento. It’s been 10 years since Ruby started purchasing coffee from Finca de Dios, and this long-standing relationship is a source of pride and joy for Ruby. Finca de Dios is the name of the Prentice family’s farm, and Nacimiento is the name of this particular lot. Nacimiento translates to “spring” in this case, referring to the spring-fed river that runs through the section of their farm where this coffee was harvested. Another lot, Zapote, will be making its way to our menu later, so keep an eye out for that! We are grateful to get what we can from Finca de Dios, since a hail storm a couple of years ago damaged their plants and had a significant impact on yields. Unfortunately, weather and climate-related events are a real challenge for producers in general, but we hear that Finca de Dios’ plants are recovering well, and we’re hopeful that more of their delicious coffee can be enjoyed next year.
While you’ll find notes of brown sugar, toffee, and dark chocolate in Nacimiento, Tega & Tula Farm from Ethiopia provides a nice contrast with notes of apricot, spiced pear, and lemonade. This coffee is brand new to the Ruby menu, and when learning about the farm’s operations, I was impressed and touched by their commitment to their community. The owner, Ahadu Woubshet, built a school on the farm that educates over 80 children, and the farm pays its workers 20% more than other farms. In my opinion, this is one of the things that makes this coffee a standout beyond its undeniable sweetness and delicious tasting notes.
Speaking of standouts, we have last, but far from least, Rafael Medina from Colombia. I enjoy all the coffees Ruby has to offer, I really do, but every once in a while there is one that really stands out to me. Most recently, that’s Rafael Medina’s coffee. Since we started roasting this lot from Rafael, I think it’s made my personal list of favorites in every single cupping, and I’ve also been enjoying it at home for weeks on end. It boasts a well rounded and balanced flavor profile, with notes of dark chocolate that form a solid base, and sweet, juicy, berries that lend a more complex overtone. This is a versatile coffee that will taste great no matter the brew method, giving you the opportunity to play around with all it has to offer. Try it in the french press for those rich notes, or put it on espresso or in your Chemex for some of that berry-like acidity. Either way, cheers! I hope you enjoy this coffee as much as I do.
As always, happy brewing, and have a lovely October.
Emily