We have some exciting new arrivals to share with you.  None of these will be new to our existing customers, but all of them are coffees many of you have been waiting on (including me).

First, Guatemala Huehuetenango OFT is finally back in season and we are fully stocked!  Sweet and chocolatey as ever with that famous Huehue body and balance.  I can hear some of you applauding it's arrival from here.  ;-)

Secondly, Ethiopia Queen City Harrar has returned.  This is the first harvest of the year and it's just as I remembered it.  We added this one last year and it was a big hit here at the warehouse as well as with our customers.  It's sweet, wild, fruity, and one of our more unique offerrings.

And last but certainly not least, Costa Rica Monte Crisol is back.  This is classic Costa Rican flavor, with an unexpected creamyness not typical of Costa Rican coffees.  This was a new addition last year and was very popular and we are glad to have it back this year.

I'm always surprised when people think that we are a large company.  I guess it has something to do with the fact that we are an online business, but it still surprises me.  In fact, it's just me and Heather most of the time.  We also have two people that help us out on busier days.  Their names are Molly and Martha-Margaret.

I think our being a small business is an advantage most of the time.  It makes it easier to give things a more personal touch which is something I think most of our customers genuinely appreciate.  But, it does make taking a vacation a little more difficult.

Heather and I have 3 kids.  Two in elementary school and one just entering middle school (shiver).  Their spring break begins this week and we are going to take them to the beach for a few days.  Specifically, we will be gone Monday April 1 - Thursday April 4.  That's next week.

During that week, the store will remain open and orders will continue to go out.  However, Molly and Martha will be running the store on their own and so things may run a little slower than usual since we are running with a skeleton crew next week.  

Under normal circumstances, we try to get orders out the door by the next day, and usually it goes out the same day.  Honestly, that's pretty amazing when you consider that companies with more resources than ours take a couple of days to get orders packaged and out the door.

So, next week you might have to factor in an extra day in your shipping estimate but rest assured your coffee is on its way.

Heather and I will still answer the phone and emails, assuming we can hear the ringing over the sound of the surf and our children giggling!

Also, welcome Molly and Martha to the crew!  They are doing a fantastic job helping us feed your coffee habit.

I have 2 new coffees to announce.  One is new to the store, we have never offerred it here before.  Another is a new crop.

First, we have a fresh picking of Ethiopia Yirgacheffe in and the freshness shows.  The YFCU from last year is now gone and we have replaced it with this excellent crop.  In my opinion, this is what Yirgacheffe should taste like.  Fresh, bright, and clean - perfect for spring and summer.  Good news!  The price on this one went down considerably!

Second, I have something completely new to the store: Honduras Cafe Organico Marcala (COMSA).  The area of Marcala is famous for producing excellent coffee, and the COMSA coop has been doing it for a long, long time.  This one is rusticly sweet, earthy and herbal with a milky smooth body and caramel finish that I can't get enough of.

Happy Roasting!

Good news!  The winter doldrums are over.  Fresh crops of coffee have started to come in and we have several to offer.

First we have Panama Boquete SHB.  It's both dry and sweet, like a good white wine.  With subtle notes of caramel and balance that you would expect from a good Panama bean.

We also have the season's first run from Mexico Chiapas.  Chiapas is on the border of Guatemala and shares many of its sweet and milk chocolate flavors, but with a lighter body and a more citric acidity to it.

Brazil Mogiana is back.  It's been quite a long time since we have sold this one.  This is in some ways a classic Brazilian coffee, but it is sweeter than what you might expect from a Brazilian.  Give it a try!

We are also adding another Colombian coffee.  It's Colombia Sierra Nevada Organic Fair Trade and it's delicious. Think dark chocolate (but not bitter), bright finish, great balance.  We've had requests to get this one back and after trying it this season we decided that you guys are right about this one!

One of my favorites is back in season.  Uganda Bugisu AA Double Picked is back and it's as earthy, rich, and heavy bodied as you would expect.  I love how this bean responds to different roast levels as well.

And finally, we have added Sumatra Royal Select Water Decaf to our selection of decaf coffees.  Who says you can't get rich, complex flavors in a decaf?

We have some new coffees to fill your roasters in February.  Here's the rundown:

Our Organic Java Taman Dadar RFA coffee is a unique offerring from Java.  Most coffee from Java is produced by government controlled farms according to government controlled processing methods.  This is not from a government estate and is wet-hulled/semi wet processed which gives a more wild and fruity character.  This Taman Dadar blends beautifully with Yemen Mocca Sanani for a classic "Mocha Java" blend.  Try it!

We have also stocked Organic Guatemala Ceylan RFA SMBC coffee from the Atitlan region.  That's a lot of acronymns.  (I even left one out because I coudn't stomach another one.)  Despite the collection of letters after its name, this is a nicely unpretensious coffee that is like the relaxed, hippy cousin of Huehuetenango.  This is that time of year when we can't get the Huehue for a little while and take the opportunity to venture out farther into the hills of Guatemala for something interesting.  Finca Ceylan has fit the bill.

There is still a few pounds of the Huehuetenango left in stock, so get it while you can.  When it's gone, it's gone until around April.

Monte Crisol is gone for now, so we are taking the opportunity to get another coffee from the famous Tarrazu region of Costa Rica.  This is our new Costa Rica Tarrazu Fruta de Oro (the name alone makes me want to try it!).  It has excellent body, excellent aroma, and high fine acidity that is memorable.  The volcanic soil of Tarrazu imparts a mile spice and sweetness that I find really enjoyable.

Happy Roasting!