This fruity espresso from Finca Santa Rita is a collaborative effort. The coffee comes from our partners at BridAzul, it was roasted by Kaffee Korrekte in Cologne, and the project was initiated by the Überlegen Kollektiv.
"Come on, this would be perfect for the two of you," said Nikola from Überlegen when she approached us and Kaffee Korrekte about creating a Christmas coffee together. Nikola was right: we cupped the new harvest from Nicaragua and found the Pacas variety to be perfect for a fruity espresso.
You can find the coffee here:
The Coffee
At Santa Rita, we started planting more of the Pacas variety five years ago. The microclimate favors this variety, which originally hails from El Salvador. The coffee cherries were fermented in barrels for six days and then dried in the cherry as a Natural. First under direct sun, then in the shade, at increasingly lower temperatures. This slow drying process allowed the aromas to bind with the green coffee. Even the green coffee itself smells lush and fruity.
The Roast
We sent the coffee to Kaffee Korrekte in Cologne. They roasted the coffee in small batches into a light espresso, which they describe as follows:
The result is a very complex espresso that provides surprises on all levels: Sweet praline with a creamy body, followed by candied orange for a light freshness and clear acidity; the finish retains the depth of ripe, almost baked plum.
The Überlegen Collective
We have been part of the Überlegen Kollektiv since the beginning, which was born out of the necessity to create a fair, independent online marketplace. From the Überlegen website:
We are an online marketplace for high-quality and authentic coffees from roasteries that show exceptional commitment to the coffee trade. Including genuine transparency in trade relationships and from traceably sustainable cultivation. With clear criteria that all coffees offered here fulfill.
The criteria can be viewed here.
