New Bolivia Green Decaf

Coffee drying tables in Bolivia

October 15, 2012
Just arrived! We're excited about two decaf Bolivia direct trade coffees we've received and cupped. They're sourced by the respected Invalsa Coffee group based in West Newberry, Mass. Nelson Valverde has strong connections in Bolivia and has built relationships with several cooperatives there. Over time, these relationships enable a level of trust and communication that results in great coffee arriving at his Boston area warehouse.

San Ignacio AA Organic: the decaf is from the San Ignacio cooperative. These beans come from the farms of Humberto, Isidro & Juan Carlos Mamani from Colonia San Ignacio in the Yungas region of Bolivia. For the past four years Invalsa has bought all of San Ignacio's coffee production at guaranteed minimum prices, based on quality, as part of a multi-year contract. We also pay for the cooperative's annual organic certification. We are very happy with our long term relationship with San Ignacio and we have already seen significant improvements in the quality of their coffee and the lives of the farmers. We are proud to be the main source and inspiration for both improvements.

Lucio Vilca, San Ignacio Coop President

This coffee is shade-grown in the higher altitudes of the Carrasco La Reserva County, Caranavi Province. It was depulped and washed using pure Andes mountain spring water, sun-dried on wooden table tops and hand sorted by "Palliris" (Aymara Indian women food graders).

Varietals: Tipica 90%, Caturra 10%
Harvest Year: 2011/12.
Storage: Packed in GrainPro bags at origin, re-packed in GrainPro after decaffeination.
Altitude: 4,000+ feet.
Certifications: Organic.
Screen: 16/17
Decaf process: Mountain Water Process, Veracruz, Mexico

Bolivia/Brazil Blend AAA: while Artisan Coffee Imports typically stays away from blends, this one cupped so well, we had to add it to the line-up. This is 2011/12-crop, 100% Arabica.
Varietals: Brazilian Bourbon from Grupo BSC in Sul Minas, Bolivian Typica from San Ignacio
Storage: Packed in GrainPro bags at origin, re-packed in GrainPro after decaffeination.
Altitude: 2,500+ feet.
Screen: 16
Decaf process: Mountain Water Process, Veracruz, Mexico
Cupping Notes: Remarkable, creamy body with citric acidity. Brown sugar and chocolate tones. Smooth mouthfeel. Balanced flavor. No apologies for decaf.

CoffeeReview Awards: The July 2010 issue of CoffeeReview.com, the world's leading coffee buying guide, ranked Invalsa as the best decaf coffee in North America; the only one with a score of 90 points. Obviously, these coffee beans are new crop, not the ones reviewed in 2010, but we like these even better.

Single Origin Decaf Cupping - 2nd Annual

April 15, 2012
Artisan Coffee Imports is getting ready for another innovative, never-done-before Single Origin Decaf Cupping at the industry's biggest trade show: the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) Event. It'll be in Portland, OR, Apr. 18 - 22, at the Oregon Convention Center.

Last year Artisan offered a cupping where coffees from 4 origins were decaffed using 4 different decaffeination processes. So for example, you could cup a Colombian decaffeinated with ethyl acetate, methylene chloride, CO2 and/or water. (see photo)

This year we're doing it different -- there will be coffees from 4 origins: Colombia, Sumatra, Ethiopia and Bolivia. Each one is a micro lot coffee with  transparency to the cooperative level, i.e. we know who grew this coffee and that it was treated with care throughout the supply chain. Each one will be presented as a decaf and as a regular coffee.

One table will be blind. This table is for those who think they can always pick-out the "weaker" taste of a decaf - and those who have the years of experience to identify different origins by taste and aroma (no labels needed). They can test themselves.

The other table will have the coffees labeled. This table is for the roasters who are serious about buying. When they put this decaf Sumatran or decaf Colombian in front of customers, will it convince? Does it have the flavors and notes that their customers expect of the coffee's origin?

The coffees to be presented are:

• Ethiopian Sidama ARDI - decaf and caffeinated
• Bolivia "Rico" (microlot) - decaf and caffeinated
• Colombia AA Los Idolos (Huila microlot) - decaf and caffeinated
• Sumatra Mandheling - decaf and caffeinated

For more information, go to www.ArtisanCoffeeImports.com.