News Archive
Decaf 21st de Septiembre Returns
9-29-10
In 2005, we first heard about a group of small farmers in Oaxaca, Mexico, who had just established an independent cooperative of family farms dedicated to the pursuit of coffee quality and organic agriculture. Based in the remote mountain town of Zaragoza, the co-op named itself after the date of their founding: the 21st of September. We soon discovered their coffee to be magnificent and forged a relationship.
For the past four years, the 21st de Septiembre has been our source for great Oaxacan coffees, and each year, we select a portion of the 21st's harvest for natural decaffeination via the gentle, flavor-preserving Mountain Water Process, which we believe is the highest-quality, all-natural coffee decaffeination process available.
In fact, we are particularly devoted to the decaf drinker, because they, perhaps more than anyone, value great coffee flavor above all else. With this attention to flavor in mind, we work hard to identify those coffees most suited to natural decaffeination and use them to craft what we believe to be the most exceptional decaf coffees in the world. Its authentically rich notes of chocolate and spice make Decaf 21st de Septiembre arguably the best of the best.
Sincerely,
Nathan
In 2005, we first heard about a group of small farmers in Oaxaca, Mexico, who had just established an independent cooperative of family farms dedicated to the pursuit of coffee quality and organic agriculture. Based in the remote mountain town of Zaragoza, the co-op named itself after the date of their founding: the 21st of September. We soon discovered their coffee to be magnificent and forged a relationship. For the past four years, the 21st de Septiembre has been our source for great Oaxacan coffees, and each year, we select a portion of the 21st's harvest for natural decaffeination via the gentle, flavor-preserving Mountain Water Process, which we believe is the highest-quality, all-natural coffee decaffeination process available.
In fact, we are particularly devoted to the decaf drinker, because they, perhaps more than anyone, value great coffee flavor above all else. With this attention to flavor in mind, we work hard to identify those coffees most suited to natural decaffeination and use them to craft what we believe to be the most exceptional decaf coffees in the world. Its authentically rich notes of chocolate and spice make Decaf 21st de Septiembre arguably the best of the best.
Sincerely,
Nathan
Hoy, Celebramos el 21 de Septiembre
9-21-10
The name 21st de Septiembre probably piques more interest among our customers and friends than any other coffee of ours, and there’s no better opportunity than this day, month and year to talk about the cooperative behind this delicious coffee.
Today, the co-op celebrates its seventh birthday! On this day in 2003, a small group of coffee growers broke away from a larger co-operative in Oaxaca in and founded the Sociedad Cooperativa 21 de Septiembre, and since then, their membership has grown to include more than 900 farmers in 23 communities. We are fortunate to have found them in 2005, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.
Finally, beyond today's celebration of the 21st, 2010 is also a momentus year for Mexico in general, because not only did the nation celebrate the bicentennial of its independence from Spanish colonial rule just last week, they will also celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the Mexican Revolution in November. Viva México! Viva la 21 de Septiembre! Órale!
Saludos,
Kim Elena
[Note: A delicious new decaf offering from this co-op will be available Friday, September 24. -Nathan]
The name 21st de Septiembre probably piques more interest among our customers and friends than any other coffee of ours, and there’s no better opportunity than this day, month and year to talk about the cooperative behind this delicious coffee. Today, the co-op celebrates its seventh birthday! On this day in 2003, a small group of coffee growers broke away from a larger co-operative in Oaxaca in and founded the Sociedad Cooperativa 21 de Septiembre, and since then, their membership has grown to include more than 900 farmers in 23 communities. We are fortunate to have found them in 2005, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration.
Finally, beyond today's celebration of the 21st, 2010 is also a momentus year for Mexico in general, because not only did the nation celebrate the bicentennial of its independence from Spanish colonial rule just last week, they will also celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the Mexican Revolution in November. Viva México! Viva la 21 de Septiembre! Órale!
Saludos,
Kim Elena
[Note: A delicious new decaf offering from this co-op will be available Friday, September 24. -Nathan]
Coffee Review Scores Apollo Best Espresso Overall
9-9-10
We're very pleased to share the great news that Coffee Review scored our Apollo seasonal espresso highest among 10 published espresso reviews for September! The reviewers gave Apollo a score of 93 and called it "distinctive and original," before tipping their hat to our roasters by noting that the "softly acidy lemon character of the green coffee is brilliantly interpreted in an espresso format."Read the full review here at Coffeereview.com
Best,
Mark
Taza Coffee Chocolate Mexicano
9-7-10
We have known and admired Taza Chocolate for years. First of all, their chocolate is astoundingly good, and their craftsmanship and dedication to sustainability make them unique even among the world’s best chocolate makers. In fact, Taza’s direct trade with partnering cacao farmers and traditional stone-grinding mirror our own approach to coffee, which has its roots in authentic flavor, transparency, and direct collaboration.
And so, we are extremely proud to announce the delicious result of a recent collaboration between Taza and Counter Culture Coffee: Taza’s new Coffee Chocolate Mexicano, which marries Taza’s organic Dominican cacao with our 21st de Septiembre coffee. We think that the high, fruit-toned notes of the cacao work in perfect harmony with the coffee’s signature notes of roasted nuts and sweet cherries. And best of all, we think this first collaborative effort is but one step toward more, perhaps even tastier collaborations between Taza and Counter Culture Coffee.
Best,
Mark
We have known and admired Taza Chocolate for years. First of all, their chocolate is astoundingly good, and their craftsmanship and dedication to sustainability make them unique even among the world’s best chocolate makers. In fact, Taza’s direct trade with partnering cacao farmers and traditional stone-grinding mirror our own approach to coffee, which has its roots in authentic flavor, transparency, and direct collaboration. And so, we are extremely proud to announce the delicious result of a recent collaboration between Taza and Counter Culture Coffee: Taza’s new Coffee Chocolate Mexicano, which marries Taza’s organic Dominican cacao with our 21st de Septiembre coffee. We think that the high, fruit-toned notes of the cacao work in perfect harmony with the coffee’s signature notes of roasted nuts and sweet cherries. And best of all, we think this first collaborative effort is but one step toward more, perhaps even tastier collaborations between Taza and Counter Culture Coffee.
Best,
Mark
Brazil Trip Report: August 2010
9-1-10
Our Head Roaster Tim Hill recently returned from his first trip Brazil, where he toured coffee farms and met with producers and exporters. The trip provided insight into Brazil’s variety of processing techniques – and the sometimes confusing, interchangeable terms used to describe them – as well as a better sense of both the challenges that such a large coffee producing region faces and how better understanding those challenges may benefit emerging production regions.
Tim posted an annotated photo essay about his trip on our flickr site, and you can read his introduction to the photos in our COFFEE ORIGINS section.
Check out our other flickr sets for photos from coffee-related events, farm visits, and more.
Thanks,
Nathan
Our Head Roaster Tim Hill recently returned from his first trip Brazil, where he toured coffee farms and met with producers and exporters. The trip provided insight into Brazil’s variety of processing techniques – and the sometimes confusing, interchangeable terms used to describe them – as well as a better sense of both the challenges that such a large coffee producing region faces and how better understanding those challenges may benefit emerging production regions.Tim posted an annotated photo essay about his trip on our flickr site, and you can read his introduction to the photos in our COFFEE ORIGINS section.
Check out our other flickr sets for photos from coffee-related events, farm visits, and more.
Thanks,
Nathan
