90+ SERIES

A small blog post on our new beans grading called "90+ SERIES". 

A couple of months ago we were cupping a long row of coffees at the 32 Cup cupping tables. 

Actually we went over to select one or two fresh new Peruvian coffees, but a couple of coffees next to these were really distracting us. It were three or four new lots from Colombia. Not always our favourite origin, but these were rocking it so hard, we couldn't believe our tastebuds. Without hesitation we bought the best ones. 

Back home i realized we cupped something so extraordinary that we had to bring these coffees in a different way. Briefly, they were too good to sell in the same bags as our other Specialty stuff.....Can you imagine? LOL

Two years ago we were already having similar thoughts when buying some fantastic Costa Rican lots, but in those days we thought we needed a full new line and different colored bags, but this finally never happened. Mainly because we had a bad experience when launching Ethio PIA in 2016. This line was specialty Ethiopian coffee in Omni roast and new bags. It failed unfortunately and from this experience we learned among other things that really good beans are best roasted in two different degrees; filter and espresso. 

So we decided to use our classic red (filter FIL) and brown (Spro JOE) bags for the new Colombian coffees, but with an extra (90+series) sticker on the front and a stapled small info card on the back. This way it stands out, but at the same time it is very easy to integrate in the existing line up. Also price wise we didn't have to spend millions.... hashtag 'alwaysgood'. :-)

Now we needed to refine the concept and also find a good name.

After long debates we landed on '90+ Series'!

Where does this name comes from and what does it mean?
In our profession we are always on the lookout for exceptional beans and the best of the best is often named a 90+ coffee. Which basically means it cups 90 points or higher at the cupping table. Off course it's a personal opinion, but we had years that we couldn't offer 1 single 90+ coffee! So encountering two 90+ coffees in one cupping was a serieus happening. And with the knowledge I still had one fantastic Kenya AA waiting (in the harbour) i felt that this was a great opportunity to give it a go. 

So first one the list is the magnificent JOSE ABELARDO from Colombia Narino. 

More info here. 

Then we bring the Kenya Nyeri GIATHUGU AA. 

Click here for the details. 

Third coffee in this series is the Colombia Narino PANCHO ARMANDO

Info here. 

After that, we don't know yet what's going to happen with it. It could be entirely possible we can't find one coffee at this level anymore for the rest of the year. We'll have to pray and taste and stay in touch with our favourite coffee traders and contacts at origin, and hope for the best.

The coffees going underneath this label are best described the following way:

For our 90+ Series we are on the lookout for exceptional beans. In our philosophy is great coffee by nature fruity, floral, juicy, and has a super clean and long aftertaste. 

By the way: the three lots selected are all Caffenation exclusive.

Final words: in stead of rotating these coffees we want to start roasting it and keep on doing so till we fall short. The lots are relatively small so we expect that each one lasts between 5 and 8 weeks approximately.  

Enjoy the coffees and let me know your thoughts on these gems..... 

Rob