Every month, we choose a new Coffee of the Month based on what we think you’ll like! And this month we rallied behind a full-bodied, caramel, smooth, nutty, light roast we thought was perfect for February. Naturally, we named it Baby Brewth!
The beans in this blend traveled all the way from Costa Rica and India. We put together a Costa Rican Arabica (for the flavor) and Indian Cherry Robusta (for the extra caffeine) and boom—Baby Brewth was born.
(Fun fact: All C&K blends have a mix of Robusta and Arabica beans to maximize the flavor and caffeine content. Robusta beans have almost double the caffeine content of Arabica beans, but Arabica brings home the flavor.)
Regardless of the bean, if you’re buying it from us, it was sourced from a socially and environmentally-responsible farm. This month, the beans came directly from Hacienda La Amistad (Costa Rica) and Wayanad Social Service Society in the Western Ghats Mountains of India.
Aside from being highly ethical and highly caffeinated, Baby Brewth is full of mango, citrus, nuts, cherry and caramel flavors that come directly from the treatment of the coffee fruit from start to finish.
Those factors include:
1. The environment in which the coffee plant grows. For example, nutrient-rich soil produces a more flavorful coffee.
2. Cultivation. For example, irrigation, fertilizer regimens, and the types of pesticides used on the farm will affect the health of the plant and development of flavors.
3. The ripeness of the coffee cherry when it’s harvested. Ripe coffee will be sweeter, cleaner, and smoother if properly grown, harvested, roasted, and brewed.
4. The way in which the coffee fruit is processed. And there are 3 main processing techniques: wet/washed, semi-washed/honey, and natural/dried-in-the-fruit. To create a cherry flavor, we bet these beans were naturally processed, which occurs when the coffee fruit is harvested and the fully-intact fruit is put out to dry. This results in a more fruity flavor and aroma.
5. Finally, the roasting process. It can bring out, change, or hide the flavor of the coffee. Dark roasts hide the fruit flavors but bring out a chocolate and caramel flavor. Light roasts bring out the natural fruit flavors of the bean.
So, in this case, the strong, full-bodied, nutty, cherry caramel flavor came from a high-quality coffee grown in high-nutrient soil, picked when ripe, naturally processed, and roasted light. Just the way we like it (for February).
And if you haven’t signed up for our Coffee of the Month subscription yet, now’s the time! Get a hold of February’s Baby Brewth by clicking here.