I just received a shipment of coffee from Sweet Maria’s for January.
Guatemala Chimaltenango San Martin Jilotepeque
This is a wet processed and patio dried bean with the classic flavor profile you would expect from the Antigua area of Guatemala, darker roasting in the Full City+ to Vienna range I find a bittersweet Nutella and cacao. This is an easy drinking coffee for every morning. Although I prefer drip, these roasts are also suitable for espresso, and the strength of these beans stands up to milk drinks like lattes.
The beans are purchased Farm-to-Gate, coming from several small fincas around San Martin Jilotepeque (1800-1900 meters) and so the batch is a mix of cultivars including Bourbon, Bourboncito, Caturra, Catuai, Typica, and Catimor. Together these beans are processed in Antigua. I purchased this batch from a fair-trade distributor.
Ethiopia Gera Genji Challa
I was excited to get a batch of this. These beans are also wet processed and are sun-dried on raised beds. I am roasting these lighter than the Guatemalan beans. The Nano Challa Cooperative (1900-2000 meters) is non-governmental, designed to aid farmers in the area and employs business advisors and agronomists to help members prosper.
This coffee is more lively and fruity that the Guatemalan beans. Citrus aroma and honey. I think that I can even roast these darker than recommended and still retain the complexity. You decide, and tell me what you think.