Cravens Blog
Tanzania Mondul Estate Peaberry: NEW COFFEE for the NEW YEAR!
January 13th, 2012It is my job to source tremendous coffee for you, working with coffee farmers dedicated to excellence in their craft. In true Cravens fashion, we bring you a series titled, "From Farmer to Roaster to You" which represents ever changing, rare and limited release coffees — highly sought after from our direct farm visits.
2012 "From Farmer to Roaster to You" Featured Coffee
Single Origin: Tanzania Mondul Estate Peaberry
Farmer: Alex Rechsteiner
Coffee Quality Control: Edwin Agasso
Flavor Profile: unique, tangy, juicy, syrupy, depth, exclusive.
Roast: Northern European
Story:
When we first met, long time Cravens friend Alex Rechsteiner of Burka Estates near Mt Kilimanjaro, acquired an old-growth farm 1,200 feet further up the mountain. Upon hearing of this rare East African high-altitude coffee, with deep volcanic soil and potential for booming flavor, we were determined to track it’s progress and development. Patiently waiting these past years has paid off as the current crop has exceeded expectations resulting in the Cravens exclusive purchase of this year’s entire Peaberry lot.
Mondul Estate sits at over 5,500 feet, an ideal elevation for East African coffee, providing conditions for a denser, harder bean. A land of ridges and valleys, this farm benefits from sunlight effect and soil drainage. Chilly weather at night slows the bean development resulting in the accentuation of sugars for a juicier, heavier bodied coffee – like the old style Kenya’s. Steve, our long-time roaster, said: "…remember how Kenya coffee used to taste, 15 years ago?…" He nailed it!
The coffee is shade-grown and sun-dried in no less than 15 days, which accentuates the coffee’s sweetness and finish. Our first full roasts reveal a coffee with incredible depth to its structure, rarely found these days in East African coffee. Truly special.
40 bags of this Peaberry were harvested and Cravens purchased them all! Craft roasted and packaged with care please find this fine coffee at area grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurants serving Cravens Coffee.
Thank you for choosing Cravens Coffee,
From a Fan:
"I can’t thank you enough for sharing the Tanzanian Peaberry. My son Jake and I were in Coffee Nirvana for a couple of weeks there. You’d asked for my thoughts; though I’m but a humble wordsmith rather than a trained professional, I hereby humbly submit them:
Earthy, almost peppery aroma; a medium- to full-bodied coffee that suggests milk chocolate, roasted nuts, and the barest hint of citrus—bitter orange, perhaps?—yet lacks the overly bright tones of Central American beans. In the mouth it’s creamy and smooth, like a caramel milkshake, which belies the intensity of flavor that takes a moment or two to build. There’s a great deal of complexity in this coffee; it just doesn’t feel the need to brag about it. In other words, if it were a symphony, it’d be written by Bruckner."
~ A.B.
Gifts for the Coffee Lover
December 1st, 2011Ah, Christmas. Lit tree, delicious food, family and friends, and – of course, presents. While the holiday season has different meanings for different people, it is generally regarded as a time to give a gift of sentiment. What will your sentiment be? Thank you? Good cheer? Stop the madness? Whatever your wishes, we’ve gathered together a small list of gift ideas for the coffee lovers on your list.
YULETIDE BLEND
We blend a distinguished trio of coffees grown under sustainable conditions to celebrate the holidays – and honor our faraway friends and farmers for all they do so well.
Costa Rica Monte Crisol’s sweet, tangy, up-front flavor lends sparkle, then perfectly matched with Mr Irham’s IKA Sumatra Mandheling providing a fruity, spicy body at the finish. We include just enough French Roast to elevate the complexity.
Cravens Yuletide Blend – our way of sharing the warmth of the season with you. Cheers!
Flavor Profile: Bright, full flavored, rich finish
Primary Origin: Costa Rica Monte Crisol
Roast: Combination light and dark
Available at area grocery stores and coffee shops serving Cravens Coffee.
CRAVENS COFFEE GIFT BOX
Not only does coffee make a delicious gift but an eco-friendly one as consumable items leave less imprint on our environment.
This season’s Cravens Gift Box includes 2 coffees: Yuletide Blend and Cup of Excellence® Costa Rica La Pira.
If you would like a different coffee selection in your gift box, we are happy to accommodate via cheers@cravenscoffee.com or 800-214-BEAN (2326).
Roasted and packaged with care.
CUP OF EXCELLENCE ®, COSTA RICA LA PIRA
A special coffee for a special coffee drinker. You may have read about this rare and limited-release coffee in our last eNews. Here’s a reminder why this might be the perfect gift for your coffee lover.
COE is a non-profit organization founded by a small group of dedicated coffee experts who, in partnership with source countries, conduct a competition and auction as a way to discover phenomenal coffees and financially reward the coffee farmer. We have chosen one of this year’s winners just for you.
Origin: Cup of Excellence®, Costa Rica La Pira
Winning Farmer: Carlos Urena Ceciliano, La Pira Finca
Region: Los Santos, TarrazuFlavor
Profile: Exceptional, sparkle, bright lingering aftertaste, maple-y and almond-y at the finish.
Roast: Vienna
Thank you for sharing Cravens Coffee this holiday season.
It is a pleasure serving you,
Cup of Excellence Arrives! Rare, Limited Supply, Exceptional.
November 16th, 2011
“Excellence is doing ordinary things extraordinarily well,” as the saying goes. That certainly applies to this year’s Cup of Excellence® coffees.
Serving on the distinguished panel of Cup of Excellence® judges is not for the faint of heart. Slurping and spitting 96 times an hour holds you true to your craft. It was an honor to join this international jury again this year. COE is a non-profit organization founded by a small group of dedicated coffee experts who, in partnership with source countries, conduct a competition and auction as a way to discover phenomenal coffees and financially reward the coffee farmer. We have chosen one of this year’s winners just for you.
Origin: Cup of Excellence®, Costa Rica La Pira
Winning Farmer: Carlos Urena Ceciliano, La Pira Finca
Region: Los Santos, Tarrazu
Flavor Profile: Exceptional, sparkle, bright lingering aftertaste, maple-y and almond-y at the finish.
Roast: Vienna
All Cup of Excellence® coffees must be free of defects and taints while exhibiting the most desirable characteristics of the country of origin. As your specialty coffee roaster, our collective objective at Cravens Coffee was to secure the highest ranked coffee available to the United States. After a long and demanding bidding process, we were thrilled to secure the #3 coffee from the competition — #1 and #2 went to Japan and Korea. You will find no better Costa Rica, at least not in this corner of the world!
This coffee is rare and does not come easy. Commanding a premium price at $15.00 per 12 oz bag this coffee will only be available directly from Cravens Coffee, for a limited time. Simply email info@cravenscoffee.com or visit our website store to place an order.
A special item you may consider for the coffee lovers on your holiday gift list.
Learn more about COE as we share the coffee insider’s ACE Report. Check out page 2 for coffee roasters supporting this important work by the farmer.
Learn more about COE by viewing this fantastic video produced by friends and fellow COE judges at Toby’s Estate in Australia.
Learn more (or maybe just for fun!) enjoy a short (very short!) Photo Album of the Costa Rica Cup of Excellence journey. Clearly, I am better with a coffee cupping spoon than a camera. =
It is a pleasure serving you,
p.s. Whether you have ‘friended’ us in the past or are new to facebook, please follow Cravens Coffee so we may better serve you.
Relationships Matter. From Farmer to Roaster to You.
October 4th, 2011You may recall relationships were discussed in our March email news with regard to the dedicated farmer. Today we recognize the important relationship of the coffee retailer.
If only we could mention each and every business serving Cravens Coffee in this one email. Rather, we THANK a handful of long term Customers committed to serving Cravens Coffee since the beginning.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
What do these businesses have in common? Nearly 17 years ago they took a chance on a small start-up coffee roasting company named Cravens. They believed in the coffee and the people. All these years later we are still together and that says something.
From Spokane, Washington to Missoula, Montana to Carbondale, Colorado these fine businesses took the road less traveled and it has served them well. But let them speak for themselves….
“Cravens Coffee was my first choice then and my first choice now. They set the high standard.”
“Cravens Coffee delivers something special, consistently. It may not be sexy but they know what they are doing and I can count on them.”
“It’s become trendy for coffee roasters to think they are rock stars. Cravens Coffee makes me the rock star!”
As always, we thank ALL of our faithful Customers for reminding us that successful relationships require commitment. Support and learn more about these small businesses (and many more!) serving Cravens Coffee by following us on Facebook.
Do you have a story about your favorite coffee retailer? We’d love to hear it. Email us anytime at cheers@cravenscoffee.com or join us on Facebook to share your experiences.
Thank you for choosing Cravens Coffee!
Fresh Roasted School Spirit
September 8th, 2011
Back to school at Cravens Coffee means fresh roasted batches of collegiate coffees. For over a decade, Cravens Coffee has had the distinction of CLC (Collegiate Licensing Company) certification. This means we have the privilege of being the only coffee company authorized by a handful of universities to bring you these custom blends. In return, Cravens Coffee donates a portion of the proceeds from each of our collegiate blends right back to the institutions. Be true to your school!
Cougar fans are nothing if not passionate. This brew helps keep "Cougar Mania" alive until game time. A blend of lively Costa Rica and dark roasted Colombia serve up hearty Cougar spirit.
The Grizzlies love their coffee so much, they’ve made it one of our most popular blends. Central America and Indonesia beans collide to deliver a cup of hearty character and dynamic flavor. A fitting tribute to the Griz!
A perennial basketball powerhouse like Gonzaga University wouldn’t drink anything less. An accomplished blend of intense full flavor, this unique combination of dark and light roasts guarantees each varietal is roasted to it’s perfect point.
Tucked away among the pines, Whitworth expects students to engage their hearts and their minds. This is the blend for both. Bright Nicaragua beans pair with the good works from our friends in Guatemala. A true blend of luxurious flavor and goodwill.
Not only does Moscow’s University of Idaho play home to the Vandals; it hosts a famous international jazz festival, too. Our Vandals Blend reflects the complexity of that most American style of music.
Check out a few bumper stickers around Eastern Washington, and you’re sure to see "Go Eags." So we made their blend as bold as the bird itself and as smooth as its rising flight.
MSU’s campus sits in the spectacular Rocky Mountain foothills. Scenery that stunning requires a full-bodied brew. Roasted and blended with discipline, this coffee combines smoky and spicy for a magnificent cup.
On game days, the third-most populated city in Nebraska is Lincoln Memorial Stadium. Go Big Red! Strong, hard-hitting and full-bodied define the feared Blackshirts defense as well as this custom blend coffee.
Find Cravens Collegiate Coffees at area grocery stores, coffee shops or cravenscoffee.com.
As always, thank you for choosing Cravens Coffee. It is a pleasure serving you,
p.s. Whether you have ‘friended’ us in the past or are new to facebook, please follow Cravens Coffee on our new page so we may better serve you.
Montana Series: big sky, big flavor
August 8th, 2011Montana’s official travel site says it best: “Landscapes so big and open they stretch your soul. Some places are the same whether you view them from the pages of a magazine or from the soles of your traveling shoes — Montana is not one of those places.” With its rugged peaks and boundless plains, Montana is nothing short of spectacular. Such sweeping majesty inspires artists, writers, filmmakers, and (as it turns out) coffee roasters, too.
We’ve always found there’s a level of sophistication about coffee in Montana. Montanans know how it should be prepared and they know exactly how they want it to taste. They demand consistency and high quality. We created The Cravens Coffee Montana Series for them… and you, wherever you may roam. Enjoy!
As part of the Cravens Montana Series, Montana Jacks tips its hat to those who inhabit Big Sky Country. We’ve dark roasted lively Costa Rica beans and blended them with rich, full-flavored Colombia Huila Supremo. It’s a bold, distinct taste that reminds us of a few people we know.
As our Montana Series continues, Angler’s Roast stars crisp, fresh coffee from Costa Rica. Then we throw in a little hearty, dark-roasted Indonesia to give the blend a lift at the finish. Reach for it before your next pre-dawn fishing trip – or on any morning you face an adventure.
Our Montana Series concludes with the spectacular Big Sky Blend. Combine the smoky, spicy complexity of Guatemala coffee with a buttery smooth landing complimented with fine Colombia Huila beans. Step out on your deck with a cup of Big Sky Blend and enjoy the view: jagged peaks, rushing rivers, cool forests, and the boundless blue above. Or at least that’s how this blend tastes to us.
Montana Series available at area grocery stores and cafes serving Cravens Coffee. Or online at www.cravenscoffee.com, anywhere, anytime. With or without your cowboy hat.
p.s. By popular demand (or at least for those wonderful folks who’ve been asking)… here are the links to our 2 previous Coffee Chronicles. Find them on our website at www.cravenscoffee.com.
p.p.s. Whether you have ‘friended’ us in the past or are new to facebook, please follow Cravens Coffee on our new page so we may better serve you.
Coffee Gives Back
July 7th, 2011You’ve heard us say it many times before … coffee can change the world. Or at least our little corner of it. This month we bring you three very special custom blends supporting great works in our community.
Vanessa’s Blend is a newly designed blend and label art inspired by the important work of The Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery. VBCN is dedicated to keeping children safe and strengthening families while building a healthier community. With your purchase, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of this blend helps prevent child abuse and neglect.
Cravens Coffee has the honor of custom crafting Vanessa’s Blend as a Colombia Huila based coffee combined with a bright, lively Costa Rica Monte Crisol and Indonesia for richness and body. The Valencia family prepares this high grown Colombia coffee for us with nutty and caramelly notes. A full-flavored and nicely balanced cup.
Find Vanessa’s Blend in area grocery stores or online at www.cravenscoffee.com or learn more at www.vanessabehan.org
Our very own Benjamin’s Blend is 15 years in the making and who’s name sake is our first born son, Benjamin. With the blessings of our own healthy children we learned early on the importance of contributing to the well-being of all children in our community. When you choose this full-flavored coffee with unique Central American sparkle you are making a difference. Here are a few of the many organizations who have benefitted from the sale of Benjamin’s Blend over the years:
- ICARE Coeur d’Alene, ID
- Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery Spokane, WA
- Watson Children’s Shelter Missoula, MT
- Children’s Home Society Spokane, WA
- Child Abuse Network Spokane, WA
- United Way Eastern Washington, Western Montana, Northern Idaho and Western Colorado
Find Benjamin’s Blend in area grocery stores or on line at www.cravenscoffee.com.
Grounds for Giving. Providing help and creating hope.
Last year, Catholic Charities Spokane assisted over 70,000 families in crisis regardless of religious, social, or economic background. Grounds for Giving is a unique blend created with diligence by the good folks and works at Catholic Charities with the goal of furthering their mission. Enjoy this bold, full-flavored, fair-trade coffee and Cravens Coffee will donate a portion of the proceeds on your behalf helping to create stability in our community.
Inquire about this special blend of coffee at www.catholiccharitiesspokane.org.
p.s. Whether you have ‘friended’ us in the past or are new to facebook, please follow Cravens Coffee on our new page so we may better serve you.
Slurping and Spitting 96 Times an Hour.
June 9th, 2011And the winner is … Finca La Estrella.
I just returned from Costa Rica as a Cup of Excellence® Judge. As mentioned in last month’s Coffee Chronicle, The Cup of Excellence® is a non-profit organization founded by a small group of dedicated coffee experts who, in partnership with source countries, conduct a competition and auction as a way to discover phenomenal coffees and financially reward the coffee farmer. As promised, here is the latest coffee news that may be of interest….
I first served on this distinguished panel of judges in 2005. Cup of Excellence® is a discovery mechanism for finding the purest coffees in a particular coffee growing region. The coffee must be free of defects and taints while exhibiting the most desirable characteristics of the country of origin. I joined judges from New Zealand, Australia, Russia, Germany, Norway, USA, Costa Rica and Brazil. One of the Costa Rican cuppers was Enid Esquivel, who is the Quality Assurance cupper for our flagship Monte Crisol coffee. She qualified for the Jury as one of the 3 best cuppers in Costa Rica. It was an honor serving with Enid.
As the International Judges, we started the week with 60 coffees submitted to us by a National Jury of Costa Rican cuppers. We are required to cup up to 3 times per day between 8 and 10 sets of 4 cups of each coffee. That means we are slurping and spitting a minimum of 96 times over an hour each time you address a table. By weeks end, the final selection of coffees going to auction (graded at 84/100 or higher at each stage) has been cupped by the jury 3 times. Unusual about this COE was the extra high caliber of coffees. Often coffees get bounced out early, but by Thursday, the final day before the top 10 selected for Friday’s final cupping, there were still 45 coffees in contention. The final number of coffees going to auction will be 31!
The auction is scheduled for June 21. We will secure, import and roast a winning coffee for availability in late August. Stay tuned as, once again, we have the pleasure of bringing you the world’s best coffees.
Why participate as a juror?
Each juror has his or her own story. For me, being a juror is one of the most important things I can do to serve you, our trusted Customers. It is my job to source tremendous coffee for you. And while serving with coffee people dedicated to excellence in their work and in their relationships, we share and learn from each other. Sure we talk about coffee and our businesses but we develop long-standing friendships. Reconnecting with the many farmers who have grown our coffee over the years, along with Jeremy Torz from England (whom I met at the Rwanda COE) and Ruben Sagastume (with whom I served at the Nicaragua COE) is a reminder of how interconnected we all are.
Finally the original concept behind COE was that coffee, like wine, when at its best, can be extra ordinary. Over the years COE has proven that in an industry producing an awfully large amount of commercial quality product and filler, there can be something magnificent and truly special. And that, my friends, is why they call it ‘specialty coffee’.
p.s. Whether you have ‘friended’ us in the past or are new to facebook, please follow Cravens Coffee on our new page so we may better serve you. New upgrades provide you the latest coffee news, crop announcements, special promotions, events and the occasional element of surprise. Friend us, like us, share us and we will deliver!
Simon To Judge Cup of Excellence
May 5th, 2011
On May 9th I travel to Costa Rica as a Cup of Excellence® Judge. I first served on this distinguished panel in 2005 proudly supporting a movement that fundamentally changes what we know is possible in exemplary coffee. For years great coffees have been blended away with very little recognition of the individual farmer or the unique flavor profiles of a region. For the Cravens Customer who appreciates top quality coffees, the Cup of Excellence® award is a guarantee of the best! I look forward to sharing the 2011 Costa Rica Cup of Excellence® experience upon my return later this month. In the meantime, here are some fundamentals you might enjoy…
The Cup of Excellence® is a non-profit organization founded by a small group of dedicated coffee experts who, in partnership with source countries and NGOs, developed a competition and auction as a way to discover phenomenal coffees and financially reward the coffee farmer.
Prestigious Jury Selection
Simon judges 2004 Costa Rica Cup of Excellence®
The Cup of Excellence® program carefully selects an international jury of coffee professionals who care about the farmers, the coffee, their customers and each other. “We are proud that our judges are cupping experts who represent every type of coffee company, dedicated to excellence in their work and in their relationships,” states the founders of Cup of Excellence®. As one of the 18 international jurors from 6 different contents, I will spend 1 week cupping 45 coffees a day. The overall objective is to find the truest, purest example of that particular country of origin.
How important is this award to a coffee farmer?
Winning farmers are internationally acknowledged for their dedication to quality. Not only is the farmer given a prestigious award during a national ceremony but the majority of the record prices at auction go back to the farmer. A winning farm, and often the whole region, can expect to receive future visits from roasters looking to buy more quality coffee based on this important recognition. The positive impact on the quality of life for a winning farmer and his family is permanent as the auction money will often be spent on farm improvements or family education which can change their economic livelihood for the long term.
Who buys these winning coffees?
Coffee drinkers worldwide who appreciate the complex flavor and aromatics found in a world class coffee buy and savor these winners. The roaster who buys these coffees cares about providing the highest quality to his customers as well as creating a direct relationship with the winning farmer. The prized coffees are sold at an internet auction to the highest bidder about 5 weeks after the winners are announced. The rising tide raises all boats and at Cravens Coffee we’re honored to push the envelope of quality for you. We look forward to bringing you special coffee from the Costa Rica Cup of Excellence® in the months ahead. Stay tuned…
p.s. Whether you have ‘friended’ us in the past or are new to facebook, please follow Cravens Coffee on our new page so we may better serve you. New upgrades provide you the latest coffee news, crop announcements, special promotions, events and the occasional element of surprise. Friend us, like us, share us and we will deliver!
Cravens Q&A / April
April 20th, 2011Isn’t there a famous quote, “The key to wisdom is knowing all the right questions”? Thank you for taking the time to send your inquiries our way. I thought I’d answer your questions in this Coffee Chronicle to share with others.
Question: “Is price reflective of quality?”
~ D. Foster Spokane Valley, WA
Simon Answers: “Ahhhhhh, the age old question applies to coffee, too. Yes, for the most part, the price of coffee is a reflection of it’s quality. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. Coffees can be priced high due to short supply, mystique or marketing. Examples might be Pure Hawaiian Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain or Sumatra Kopi Luwak. But a good rule of thumb is, “there is no such thing as great, cheap coffee”. The best coffee in the world is grown at elevation in remote mountainous areas. It is nurtured during the growing stages, picked selectively and processed carefully. Subsequently, the better coffees command a higher price because of the great care, time and attention in their development. We are honored to find these quality coffees for you.”
Question: “I read somewhere that if my espresso tastes bitter or sour I should consider removing the crema. Is that right?”
~ P. Miles Grand Junction, CO
Simon Answers: “After 20 years in the coffee business, I have learned there are few absolutes. So, if espresso minus the crema is your preference, have at it. From where we sit, at Cravens Coffee, if the crema (rich, creamy intense extraction of coffee flavor that sits on top of your espresso shot) is “off-tasting” it is simply a symptom of something bigger such as improper extraction or the recipe for the espresso blend itself.
Espresso blending is difficult. It’s when you take different beans from different countries or origins and at different roast levels combine them for a specific taste profile. A recipe, if you will. It’s very subjective and harder than it sounds. If there are certain coffees we require for our blends, there are just as many roasters who would never choose those same coffees. Sometimes it’s a matter of taste. Other times it’s a matter of price. At Cravens Coffee, espresso blending is about achieving sweetness and body in the cup. We’d like to hear from you at info@cravenscoffee.com. What qualities do you value in an espresso?
Question: “Do I use less coffee if I use a coarse grind vs a fine grind?”
~ S. Post Kalispell, MT
Simon Answers: “Not exactly. Grind is relative to the time the coffee is in contact with the water. For example, French Press ground coffee is very coarse due to a 5 minute steeping process to fully extract the coffee flavor. Espresso, on the other hand, is finely ground due to the 20-25 second time the coffee is being extracted under pressure. In the middle of these two methods, drip brewed coffee, which is controlled by gravity and turbulence, requires a medium grind.”
Do you have a coffee question I can help answer? We’d love to hear from you anytime at info@cravenscoffee.com or Facebook.
Thank you for choosing Cravens Coffee!
p.s. Just for fun, check out our homespun video from last Sunday’s Eastern Washington Komen Race for the Cure. 90 gallons of coffee (!), inspiring stories and beautiful spirits. It was an honor to serve! Keep the spirit alive with a purchase of Survivor Blend thru the month of May!
Cravens Blog is proudly powered by WordPress. Entries (RSS)