Mexico Chiapas Altura Organic
ROASTING IN AUGUST
This limited release dark roast Mexico Chiapas Altura Organic is sustainably and organically grown in the mountains of Mexico’s southernmost state, at altitudes where clay mineral soil holds water and imparts nutrients, this single origin coffee is a special find.
YOU CAN TASTE THE CARE THAT GOES INTO IT
With that first sip, you can taste the care shown by GRAPOS Cooperative in farming, harvesting, and drying the beans. Grown in Mexico’s southernmost state, where clay mineral soil holds onto water and imparts nutrients, each bean carries distinctive aromas that are preserved through a gradual sun-drying process. The seeds, washed but still holding onto their juicy pulp, are laid on a patio and raked at intervals to release moisture and maintain flavor. No machines, just patience. We’ll meditate on that while we brew our next cup. And maybe grab a pastry…
THE CARE SHOWS UP IN THE CUP
At altitudes where clay mineral soil holds water and imparts nutrients, and with a gradual sun-drying process, this brew carries robust aromas. The berries, with skins removed but juicy pulp clinging to the seeds, are laid on a sunny patio and raked at intervals, soaking up rays and flavor while releasing moisture. There are no machines in this gradual drying process, and the beans’ notes of fudgy chocolate and spice and fruit make for a particularly complex cup.
NOTES FROM THE PEET’S ROASTERY
A washed coffee from Chiapas, Mexico, this small batch of medium and small sized, light and dark green beans arrived at the Roastery with no visible defects and with a fresh sweet smell— not green like leaves, more like apples.
Once in the test roaster, first crack came on at a consistent temperature even though it came on very late, with only one or two pops audible. Second crack was also very faint, so it was hard to use auditory cues to help determine where to cut back on heat. This isn’t the case with many coffees, but it’s one of the reasons we spend hours (and hours. And hours.) training. There are batches like this that require us to use different senses. And when it’s a test roast, the slightest nuance and change makes a difference. But the roast responded well to our educated ball-park burner cuts made around first crack temperature. The color at the finish was easy to follow—when we can’t use our ears, we use our eyes. For Mexico, we went wide on test roasts, with the roast levels of five of the batches outside of the target range on both the high and low ends, plus two batches roasting right inside our target range. We test roast because we always want to bring out the best from each bean, and only by testing can we be certain.
We evaluated all seven profiles with five tasters, blind and randomized. While we found all of the batches to exhibit positive qualities; one profile hit the mark for origin character and flavor profile preferred by Peetniks. Naturally, it also happened to be the preference for our Coffee Department based on what we’ve been cupping out of Mexico this season. Unanimously, we found this profile to be very fruit forward and juicy, with a rich floral aroma. In addition, this profile highlighted the malic acidity we know and love from coffees coming out of Chiapas. As it cooled it became more complex, with notes of apricot, dark chocolate, and a pleasing roasty finish. Now, where are those pastries?
-John Nicolini and Michael Madden, Roasters; Jamie Smith, R&D
PEET’S LIMITED RELEASE COFFEES
You might think that a monthly coffee subscription sounds amazing in and of itself, but Peet’s coffee-of-the-month takes it a step further than most. Good things come in small packages, and we only get these coffees in small batches, which is why you can only find them at peets.com and only for a month at a time. They’re special. And while you don’t have to be a Small Batch Coffee subscriber to experience these amazing coffees, their fleeting nature means they can sell out—fast. So subscribing guarantees you get to taste each one of these incredibly special lots.