Crafting Blends at Caffenation, and a word on 'Specialty Coffee' labeling.

Crafting Blends at Caffenation: A Word on Mister LGB, Roast ED, and the Cape Town Blend

At Caffenation, we’re proud to offer a wide range of single origin coffees where the craft of the producers is front and center—and the story is easy to tell.

Still, with blends like Roast ED and Mister LGB, we sometimes combine different lots. The goal? A balanced and delicious cup, but also more consistent pricing. Blends help us work with larger volumes, allowing us to secure better (bulk) prices for the coffees we use day in and day out in our bars.

More importantly, blending is a creative tool. By layering coffees with complementary characteristics—say, one with bright acidity and another with rich sweetness—you can create something more complex and full-flavored than the parts alone. You can turn two mediocre lots into something decent, or blend excellent ones into something truly smashing. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But—there are a few important things to note.

Seasonality Matters

We’ve found that freshness is key to a great blend. That’s why our main blend, Mister LGB, is always seasonal. We typically use two freshly harvested lots, and each version of the blend is featured in our bars for about three months. It’s the go-to for all milk and plant-based drinks across our locations.

We’ve played with naming these blends by season—winter, spring, summer—but found that a more narrative approach brings the coffee to life. In the past, we’ve had great success with our “coffee cities” concept, where each blend pays tribute to a vibrant coffee hub. It gave us great stories—and who doesn’t love a good story?

Introducing: The Cape Town Blend

Launching this summer, the Cape Town Blend brings together three small, vibrant lots to create a rich and versatile coffee experience—perfect for the sunny season.

Famous for its breathtaking landscapes and iconic Table Mountain, Cape Town is more than just a visual masterpiece—it’s a city that runs on coffee. With its dynamic café culture and a community of passionate roasters, it’s a must-visit for any coffee lover.

Here’s what’s in the cup:

• KARII Peaberry – Kenya
  The final lot from last season, preserved in vacuum packs to retain its punchy, fruity intensity. It’s classic Kenya: bold, bright, unforgettable.

• CABALLERO Collective Lot – Honduras
  Smooth, mellow, and endlessly reliable. This is a blend-builder’s dream—perfectly balancing fruitier coffees with its comforting body.

• YIRGACHEFFE Grade 2 – Ethiopia
  Fresh from the new harvest and already a standout. Floral, fruity, and elegant, it performs beautifully black or with milk/plant-based alternatives. It’s also the cornerstone of our upcoming Roast ED Summer & Harvest blend.

Which brings us neatly to our second in-house blend...

The Story of Roast ED

Roast ED was our original house blend between 2003 and 2010. The structure is simple: two clean washed coffees plus one natural Brazil. It’s a blend profile you’ll find at countless Belgian roasteries and is often the default for milk-based bar drinks. But let’s be clear—don’t call it Specialty Coffee just because it’s roasted light.

To us, “Specialty Coffee” requires a few non-negotiables:

• Taste: A cupping score of at least 85, preferably 86+

• Traceability: We want to know where the coffee comes from, and I don't mean the region alone, and how it was grown

So if a 2,500-bag, year-round, full-container Brazil lacks traceability and cups below 85, we won’t call it Specialty—even if it’s widely enjoyed.

A Note on Transparency

We’ll be honest: the third component of our Cape Town Blend isn’t fully traceable either. It’s a conventional lot we’re using out of necessity during a difficult sourcing season. That said, it does cup at 86 points and plays beautifully with the other two lots. We’re confident this 2-month summer blend will deliver exactly what you need for sunny mornings and cool milk drinks alike.