Cravens Blog
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!
