Decades of delicious blends from the Coffee Company Crew
Apolo Ohno, an Olympic medalist in speed skating, once talked about taking on the “impossible task of perfection that can only be done through experience and deciding that you will consistently remain committed to that path.” The crew at the Coffee Company has embraced their own version of Ohno’s challenge. In this case, it’s about world-class coffee blending, not an Olympic competition, but the results, I think, are equally inspiring. The Coffee Company crew has released our Holiday Blend coffee for over 20 straight years! Here’s the crew’s take on this year’s efforts:
For the 2024 vintage of our annual holiday blend, we started with beans from two of our longtime partners at Hacienda Miramonte (Costa Rica) and Daterra Farm (Brazil). … For a bit of extra richness and complexity, we rounded the blend out with some naturally processed beans from Uganda. We ended up with a blend that is rich and silky smooth with notes of dark chocolate and just a hint of fruit. … A comfort-and-joy kind of coffee for the time of year you need it most!
I like all three of the individual coffees on their own so it’s no surprise that the blend is terrific.
The Uganda – A natural process coffee, meaning it’s dried slowly in the sun to concentrate the sweetness and the flavor in a way that I love. The coffee cherries are collected as daily lots, handpicked, and then floated in vats of fresh water before being set out to dry on mesh racks housed in a greenhouse. Then they’re turned daily over an 18 to 20-day drying period. Less than 1% of coffee originating from the Rwenzoris is processed in this way, so it’s both rare and really, really good. It’s nicely chocolatey and terrifically tasty.
Brazilian Espresso Blend #1 – An amazing blend in itself, that comes from the Pascoal family and the quality committed crew at Daterra Farm in Brazil. Sustainably grown, carefully processed, with a big, well-rounded flavor. A classic in the ZCoB for nearly a quarter century now.
Costa Rica Honey Process from the Miramonte Estate – Started in 1917, the same year as the Russian Revolution, by Lucila Duval de Morales, who we now know as the matriarch of the Gurdian family. The farm is run today by her great-grandson Ricardo and his daughter Viviana, both of whom have been here to visit us in Ann Arbor many times. For the Holiday Blend, the Coffee Company crew used what’s called a “pulped-natural,” or, more catchily, miel or “honey-processed” coffee. After the harvest, some of the natural coffee fruit is left on the bean during the drying. The natural sugars in the pulp give the finished coffee a lovely hint of natural sweetness and increased complexity. (If you have this month’s print Zingerman’s News, I mistakenly wrote that the Holiday Blend used a different one of Miramonte’s coffees, the also excellent Hacienda Miramonte Natural. Apologies to all for the unintended inaccuracy!)
This year’s Holiday Blend strikes me as particularly beautiful in the cup. It seems especially excellent, big and round, smooth and chocolatey, delightful and deeply delicious. I’ve tried the Holiday Blend in a whole host of brew methods. All were wonderful. Here are some that stood out!
Espresso – Excellent. Big and round, smooth and sumptuous. Chocolatey and a top choice for any espresso lover.
Chemex – Super smooth. Well rounded in the mouth, gentle finish, almost no bitterness but a wealth of beauty.
Press Pot – A very nice way to go, it brings out the nuttiness with a bit bigger mouthfeel.
Siphon – Again, really smooth, clear, and compelling. Like listening to music on an exceptional sound system!
The 2024 Holiday Blend partners beautifully with … really almost anything. I have it in mind to try with the Bakehouse’s amaZing Chocolate Millet Muffins. Great gift for someone you love who loves coffee (or both of you– buy two bags for $39 at the Deli!). Or, just do as I’m doing and drink it daily yourself every morning for the next few months!
