Sunday, June 26, 2011

New Feature Coffee

Today we will be introducing a new feature coffee from 'La Esperanza', a farm near Trujillo in Colombia. Perhaps the most notable thing about this coffee is the fact that it has been harvested from trees of the Geisha varietal.

The Geisha varietal of coffee tree originated in Ethiopia but was made famous in Panama at 'Hacienda La Esmeralda', in the mid 2000s when individual lots started auctioning for record prices due to the high quality of the harvest. Geisha is one of the few varietals that is generally considered to have unique flavour characteristics which are attributable to the varietal itself. Since the success of Geisha in Panama, many farmers across Central and South America have begun experimenting with the varietal on their farms. Owners of 'La Esperanza', brothers Rigoberto and Luis Eduardo Herrera decided to trial Geisha on their Colombian farm after it's success at another farm belonging to them in Panama (which happens to border the 'Hacienda La Esmeralda' farm). Having just spent some time serving the Esmeralda Geisha from Panama in various forms at our stores, it will be interesting to see the results of how this varietal performs in a different origin.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

'Introduction to Cupping' Sessions


Cupping is a process used by growers, buyers and roasters to sample and grade coffees. Small samples of different coffees are roasted and brewed to very specific and controlled specifications and then tasted side by side for comparison and evaluation. Cupping is a great way to look at the different and complex flavours that coffee can exhibit, and learn more about the differences between coffees from different regions in the world.

We are offering the opportunity to participate in a cupping session where we will offer an introduction to the cupping process as well as an opportunity to cup a variety of coffees for yourself. These sessions take place every Friday at 12.30pm.

The events are free of charge, though each session will be limited to 6 places. Send an email with your name to info@meccacq.com to secure your spot. If you have any queries call us on 9252 7668, If you would like to be kept up to date on other events please register your interest here.