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.

Coffee Does Not Equal Caffeine

Mar. 27, 2012
Enjoyed the blog with the above title I saw yesterday on Direct Trade Coffee Club's site: click here.
The author, Josh Leffingwell, explores a couple different coffee phenomena related to the fact that coffee is NOT equal to caffeine.  First, quantities. When connoisseurs are enjoying a top quality beverage, they're typically not drinking tons of it.  He notices that the customers at the high-end cafe, Madcap, in Grand Rapids, MI, are not consuming giant 2 liter cups of coffee, and it's not because the caffeine levels in Madcap's espresso is unusually high. The small quantities the customers are drinking indicates their emphasis on having "a taste" of something delicious and rare, as opposed to something so addicting (like the caramel bear lattes served at the place down the street), that bigger is always better.

Then Josh hits on a second reason "coffee does not equal caffeine". He states, "generally coffee lovers are in it for more than just the buzz. It is a FLAVOR and an EXPERIENCE." That's it -- the magic place where quality regular coffee and quality decaf coffee have the same goals and the same purpose for existence -- "flavor and experience". Any coffee - caff or decaff -- that calls itself "specialty" should offer both. 

Finding places to buy this kind of great tasting decaf coffee is gradually getting easier.  Madcap is one cafe that does a great job with decaf. For those who can't hop right over to Grand Rapids, try ordering here. Or if you're a commercial roaster, look for great green decaf beans at www.ArtisanCoffeeImports.com.