I just ordered a coffee that is new to me and fairly new to the Counter Culture Coffee offerings. It’s called Finca Mauritania. It’s a coffee from a farm in El Salvador run by Aida Batlle and it’s fabulous.
I had a long-running obsession with every single Ethiopian coffee that I had from Counter Culture, but this new one most definitely changed my mind. I am now more enthusiastic than before about trying even more coffees. It’s sad to say but I have not had every single coffee that they offer and I feel as though I have a lot of tasting to do; which is not a bad thing at all.
I am starting to feel so small when it comes to what I know. I had mentioned the Esmeralda coffee in a previous post and I just won’t feel like a true connoisseur if I don’t partake! Don’t even get me started on Kopi Luwak though. I am entirely curious even though I know exactly where it’s been and while that does make me nervous, I am aware that the beans have been roasted and will be exposed to very hot water. I need to taste the coffee that originates from civet poo!
I did trail off there for a bit, but I really do want to make my attempt at a review of this new coffee, Finca Mauritania.
Upon first smelling it, I was instantly intrigued and found the aroma significantly reminiscent of the Ethiopian Misty Valley that I hold so dear. Once I opened the bag, I realized that the roasts were extremely similar as well. The beans are a medium-brown color and remain a bit tender to the bite. If you’ve never bitten into a coffee bean, you should! There was a brief time when chocolate covered espresso bans were all the rage and if you’ve ever had those then you know that they can be very crunchy. This is due to the roast that is used for espresso. It’s roasted a bit longer to give it a darker, richer quality and therefore the beans tend to be a bit more brittle. This is not a bad thing what so ever.
So now onto tasting the actual coffee… I always french press my first cup of any new coffee I order to get a feel for it’s true qualities. I like to see the coffee grounds swell and the water gradually darken. I waited about 4 minutes and then I could wait no longer so I picked up a nice hot 40z mug and poured. The color was amber and not the least bit cloudy. The aroma was that of a fresh baked chocolate cake and I simply could not keep from getting lost in the moment. Of course I eventually tasted it after courting the cup for a bit and it was spectacular. So rich and smooth without a hint of bitterness. Just plain flavor!
I’ve been brewing this coffee numerous times a day and hopefully none of my customers are sick of it yet because I will be ordering this for a while to come.
If you’re close… come around for a cupping! If not, go buy some! And if you’d like, come and buy some here at the store. I’ve made it the featured coffee of the month.
