November Coffee Club
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Costa Rica Finca Monte Alto Venecia (250g)
Process: Anaerobic Natural
Varietal: Venecia
Altitude: 2000 MASL
Tasting notes: Red wine, spiced apple, brown sugar
Finca Monte Alto is one of two farms operated by Cafe Directo, a family business founded in 2013 by Father and daughter team, Gerardo and Jennifer Arias.
Its founders have over thirty years of experience in the production and processing of specialty microlots qualities including naturals, yellow, red, and black honey, anaerobic, semi-washed and fully washed processes.
The full details of the Finca Monte Alto anaerobic process are a closely guarded family secret. However here is what we do know:
- Cherry selection is paramount. Brix readings are taken to ensure the cherries are harvested at the optimum time.
- The cherries are then pre-dried on cemented patios for 48 hours, prior to fermentation
- Extended cherry fermentation is carried out in plastic tanks without valves.
- Temperature is controlled throughout the fermentation process and Brix is monitored, as well as the aroma and appearance of the pulp.
- After fermentation the cherries are dried on raised beds for an average of 30 days.
Venecia is a natural mutation of the Bourbon varietal found in Costa Rica
Uganda Bulaago (250g)
Process: Natural
Varietal: SL28, SL34
Altitude: 1900-2100 MASL
Tasting notes: Strawberry , lavender, black cherry
This lot is sourced from a small community of farmers in Bulaago on Mount Elgon, Eastern Uganda. The purchase price of this coffee includes a dedicated premium used to fund social projects in the community.
The Zukuka Bora Coffee project was set up to support the people of Mt Elgon in many different ways. While coffee farmers are at the heart of the project, the profits from the project are also used to support their partner NGO: JENGA Community Development. JENGA have been working in the Mt Elgon area for almost 20 years, and had laid much of the groundwork for Zukuka Bora to build relationships with farmers and their communities. JENGA operate a range of projects - including education sponsorship, clean water schemes, savings groups, health promotion and training, and wider farming support.
Mt Elgon is an extinct volcano on the border with Kenya and is thought to be the oldest volcano on the African continent. Volcanic soils, plentiful rain, high altitude and abundant sunshine are all contributing factors to the excellent terroir of the Mt Elgon region.
Our Story
We are an Irish coffee roasting business. We have roasted coffees from producers that are genuinely world renowned and whose coffees are frequently used on both a national and international competition stage. We feel we have the quality side of coffee sorted but our business is about a lot more than just selling coffee for profit.
Faqs
Ordering & Business Info
What are your hours of business?
We open from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. from Monday to Thursday and close at three on Friday's. We are closed on Bank Holidays and weekends.
I’ve ordered online. When will my coffee arrive?
If you're in the local area, we'll deliver it to you the next day. If you order online, you will get a tracking link from our third-party courier service. Our courier collects from the roastery each day around 10 a.m. and our aim to to have any orders from the previous day ready for them to collect.
Do you have a physical coffee shop?
I'm afraid not. We're a roastery and not a cafe. You can collect beans you purchase online from us but we don't sell coffee or take cash on our premises.
Do you sell dark roast coffee?
No, unfortunately, we don't, and we're not saying there's anything wrong with it. It's all about personal preference.
At Imbibe, we prefer to roast to a light-light/Medium roast profile, which brings out the complexity and character of the beans.
Brewing & Recommendations
What’s the best option for espresso?
We would always recommend Kaleidoscope as our flagship coffee, Boa Sopa would be a staff favourite, but any of our certified organic coffees are the ones best suited for espresso.
How should I make this coffee at home?
There are no hard and fast rules or wrong answers here. If you've chosen a blend, then we feel it's suitable for all brew methods, particularly espresso. If you have chosen one of our single origins, we recommend a filter or immersion method of brewing, but this doesn't mean you can't use it for espresso! You can visit our brewing videos section to give you an idea as to how you can best enjoy these coffees at home.
Coffee Knowledge
What’s a coffee variety/varietal?
A coffee varietal is like the "breed" or "type" of a coffee plant. Just like there are different kinds of apples ( Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp) that taste a bit different, there are different kinds of coffee plants, each with its own flavour, size, and growing needs. Examples of coffee varietals INCLUDE Typica, Bourbon, Gesha and Caturra, each with its own distinct flavour profile and characteristics.
What does “process” mean in coffee descriptions?
In coffee, "process" means the way the coffee beans are removed from the fruit (the coffee cherry) after harvesting. The chosen method has a big impact on coffee flavour.
The main processing methods are
- Washed (wet) Process- Cherries are pulped to remove the skin and most of the fruit, then fermented to break down remaining mucilage, washed with water, and dried. This tends to produce a clean, bright, and vibrant flavour profile.
- Natural(Dry)Process- Whole cherries are dried intact, allowing sugars and flavours from the fruit to infuse into the beans. This often results in a sweeter, heavier-bodied cup with a fruity, sometimes wine-like profile.
- Honey (Pulped Natural) Process- The skin is removed, but some fruit remains on the bean during drying, creating a flavour profile between washed and natural - often sweet, smooth, and with balanced acidity.
Over the years, experimental coffee processing methods have gained in popularity (anaerobic, carbonic, etc.)
They are based on the traditional main methods -washed, natural, or honey - with extra steps to create distinctive flavours.
Are all coffees blends?
No. Coffees that are blends have two or more countries or origins on the bag and can contain many coffee varieties. Single-origin coffees are generally one or more varieties of coffee grown in a specific region or country that will highlight a flavour profile from that specific region. Just because you've tried one "Colombian" coffee doesn't mean that you've tried them all. Coffee is an ever-changing drink that yields a unique flavour profile each harvest cycle, so we recommend you try many different coffees from many different origins to find the flavours you like most.
