New Crop Central American Coffees
Carrie Masek
Do you like your coffee sweet and rich with a lively zing? Are you looking for a coffee smooth enough to sip it all day? How about one you can take to any roast level, so you can enjoy the same coffee light for breakfast and dark for dessert? Sound good? Then you should try a new crop Central American coffee!
Summer is the best time to buy Central American coffee. Here's a summary of some of our favorites along with links for more information on each coffee:
Costa Rica Tarrazu, Cafe Vida: There are some great coffees coming out of Costa Rica this year. Our pick, Coope Tarrazu's, Costa Rica Cafe Vida, a sweet coffee with a smooth body, soft blueberry topnotes and a rich lingering milk chocolate finish.
Guatemala Ceylan and Waykan: This year, we brought in two great coffees from Guatemala. A Rain Forest Alliance and organically certified, estate coffee, Guatemala Ceylan, and a non-certified, but outstanding coffee grown by small growers in the Huehuetenango region, Guatemala Regional Select Waykan. Try one or both for the buttery richness we love in the coffee of Guatemala.
Mexico Baxtla and Chiapas: Mexico is one of the best, and least appreciated, coffee origins. This year, the coffee is so good, we bought two. We've been enjoying the Grupo de Productores de Cafe Sustentable de Baxtlawas Mexico Regional Select Baxtla for a couple of months and just brought in an amazing organically certified coffee from the Chiapas region, Mexico Chiapas Grapos Altura. If you like your coffee sweet, rich and lively, give the coffees of Mexico a try.
Nicaragua Segovia: Every year, we make a point to buy this organically certified coffee from Nicaragua. It's another example of small growers working together to improve their lives and produce wonderful, sustainable coffee. Rich and balanced, with a sweetness that reminds us of almond nougat, Nicaragua Segovia is one of our all time favorite Central American coffees.
Panama Boquete Cafe Garrido: Panama grows some of the most sought after coffee in the world, coffee famous for its sweet, rich flavor. Many coffee plantations in Panama are being bulldozed for housing developments, and the coffee is getting harder to find. That's why we were so happy when one of our importers recommended Panama Boquete Cafe Garrido. If you like coffee with a sugary sweetness, chocolate richness and a hint of tangerine, this is the coffee for you.
Whether you like your coffee piping hot or cold-brewed over ice, summertime is the best time for coffee from Central America!