PODcast #67 : Espresso Pods News

Thanks to alert customer, Richard Kraus, we discovered that Lucaffe had quietly introduced a new pod, the Pulcinella. It's a highly caffeinated blend which Lucaffe' dubs an "Energy Drink". We expect this to be a very popular item.

Available in bags of 20 or cases of 150 pods.

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Our customers asked for it, and we responded. We are now importing whole-bean coffee from Caffe' del Doge and Covim Caffe'. First up is Caffe' del Doge's popular Doge Nero. From "The Doge"...

The Doge Nero blend was created by selecting a base of Arabica coffees from the Alta Mogiana region in Brazil and from Central American and Caribbean plantations and uniting them with washed Indian Robusta coffee, Kaapi Royal. All of the single origins are roasted together to achieve a uniform aroma. Once brewed this blend expresses a grand personality with an intense and persistent aroma and a refined chocolate aftertaste without any bitter tones.

It's a wonderful blend, with wide appeal. If you like the Rialto pod, but have wanted whole bean coffee, I think this is for you.

Available in half-kilogram bags.

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We also purchased inventory of a couple of Caffe' del Doge's famed Seasonal Coffees. First up is the premium, organic, single origin coffee, Caffe' del Doge Peru, grown on the El Guabo Estate in Cajamarca, Peru.

El Guabo Estate coffee is grown in the San Ignacio province in the Northern Peruvian Highlands. El Guabo is made up of four small communities that include 120 families. Each family cultivates an area of about three hectares, and every child attends school within the community. The coffee is collectively wet-processed and dry milled. The organic certification covers all the members. This is a typical arrangement for small-scale Peruvian coffee farming, which produces more organic coffee than any other nation in the Americas. This excellent coffee offers hints of fresh, sweet citrus with a touch of honey and is certified Organic UK4 by OCIA (Organic Crop Improvement Association) and IMO/Naturland.

Available in half-kilogram bags.

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This next one is a mouthful... "Caffe' del Doge Guatemala Huehuetenango SHB Xinabajul 100% Arabica Whole Bean Coffee" Say that fast ten times.

Let's break this down. Huehuetenango is a municipality in the highlands of western Guatemala.

SHB means "Super Hard Bean," and is roaster terminology for beans that are grown at high altitudes, exhibit high density, and have a relatively shallow crease between the bean lobes. The Huehuetenango district is known to produce the finest SHB coffees in Guatemala. Because the coffee is grown high in the mountains in very limited quantities, the price is necessarily high.

Xinabajul: As far as I can tell, Xinabajul is the old name for Huehuetenango, so that doesn't seem to add anything.

From Caffe' del Doge:

The region of Huehuetenango is situated in the north western area of Guatemala and bordered by Mexico. A wide range of coffee is grown in this area at the foot of the Cuchumatanes, the highest non-volcanic mountain range in Central America. The coffee is grown between 1500 and 1900 meters under the shade trees and is cultivated by farmers of Mayan ancestry, most of whom possess less than one hectare of land each. This coffee comes from Arabica plants of the Typica, Bourbon, and Caturra varietals.

Available in half-kilogram bags.

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From Covim Caffe' we have three offerings. First we have Covim Granbar — a blend of 50% Arabica (blend of Brasil Santos, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Santo Domingo) with 50% Robusta (blended from Southeast Asian and African countries). This is the same coffee as the popular Covim Granbar in espresso pods. If you love Covim Granbar pods, but want it in whole-bean, we've got you covered.

Granbar is an exclusive blend, carefully planned to offer the palate a mild flavor balance. With its agreeable full taste and pleasantly intense aroma, Granbar is a daily pleasure appreciated by all.

Available in one kilogram bags.

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Covim Giada (Jade) whole bean coffee is a more refined and aromatic coffee than the Granbar, and should be good not just for espressos but also drip coffee. Unfortunately, as press time, I have little more specific information I can relate. Hopefully I'll have more next month.

An excellent blend created for people who prefer coffee with a smooth and aromatic taste. It has an unmistakable flavor with many nuances and a velvety and persistent fragrance. The high percentage of Arabica coffee makes it refined and rich, thus appealing to the most demanding palates.

Available in one kilogram bags.

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Our finest offering from Covim, the Covim Rubino (Ruby) whole-bean coffee. As with Giada, at this time I have little hard information on this blend and I hesitate to misstate the facts. More on this coffee next issue.

A blend that combines the roundness of flavor and aromaticity an intense flavor and a distinctive creaminess.

Available in one kilogram bags.