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BALI — FULL CITY ROAST —

Within the archipelago nation of Indonesia lies its hidden jewel, the Island of Bali. The eruption of the Gunung Agung Volcano in 1963 caused a delay in the progress of modern-day coffee cultivation on Bali. In response to this situation, the government enacted programs in the 1970’s and 1980’s to help rejuvenate coffee production. With the distribution of coffee seedlings to local farmers, an island-wide coffee growing campaign began.

Today, the coffee growing area in Bali is an estimated 7,500 hectares. The Kintamani Highlands, where most coffee is grown, sits atop a large volcanic plateau between 1300 and 1700 meters in altitude.

Coffee tree varieties include a high percentage of Bourbon and Typica, along with shade trees such as Erythrina, Albizia, Tangerine and Orange. The use of pesticides is prohibited on Bali, and all fertilizers are 100% organic.

The Subak Abian is a traditional farming structure organization in Bali, similar to a farm cooperative. There are 13 different Subak Abians that are currently growing and processing coffee. The “SA” oversee both agricultural technology and religious activities. The promotion of improved coffee growing practices is expected to enhance not only agricultural technology but social and economic standing in Bali, as well.

MEXICAN CHIAPAS TURQUESA — VIENNA ROAST —

Because of the beautiful blue skies in the region where it is grown, this coffee is named “Turquesa,” after the precious stone. This area stretches up to the region of the city of Yajalon and coffee is grown at an altitude between 900 and 1,100 meters. The coffee is characterized by large bean sizes and a round, balanced cup.

For decades this zone has been the center of political and ethnic conflicts. Although the situation seems to have calmed down lately, the so-called “Zapatista Movement” has prevented any large coffee farms from coming into existence. Therefore, the coffee is cultivated mainly by smallholders, often descendants of indigenous tribes.

These producers plant, harvest and prepare the coffee by hand, sparing no effort to produce a product which makes them proud. To ensure that producers have the best chance possible of receiving a fair price for the product, we feel that it is our obligation to work with exporters that support these communities with social projects and use their transportation infrastructure to bring their coffee to market.

The harvest season is December through March. All the coffee is received in parchment, quality controlled, and transported to a high tech dry mill in Veracruz. After a second quality control, the coffee is cleaned, milled and sorted to be prepared for export.

This coffee has a quality control standard which allows only 15 imperfections per 300 grams — a lofty standard to be sure — and is fully washed prior to patio drying. In the cup it presents medium body, with light to medium acidity. It is sweet, with a hint of dark chocolate. We are certain you will find it balanced and smooth.

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