Malawi Mzuzu AA Fair Trade

Our first coffee from Malawi, these huge AA beans come from the Mzuzu co-op with notes of peach, lemon and orange. A sweet coffee with a light to medium body.

Arrival Date: February 23rd, 2016

Acidity & Brightness: Medium acidity, slightly crisp

Balance & Finish: Sweet and Smooth Clean Finish

Body & Texture: Light to Medium Body

Flavors: Peach, Lemon and Orange

Grade: Very Hard

Processing: Washed, hand picked sun dried

Certifications: Fair Trade, Shade Grown

Variety: Gesha, Nyika

Roasting: We like this coffee right at Medium (Full City), or as soon as you hear the beginning of the second crack. There should be little to no oil on the beans. You can definitely go lighter for more citrus twang and peach sweetness, or go a bit darker (Full City+, just a bit of oil) for a touch more body.

Recommendation: This coffee is extremely balanced, smooth and refreshing. Perfect if you prefer a lighter morning cup or for an afternoon refresher.

Our Review: Another new coffee from Africa, these huge AA beans hail from the northern region of the small, land locked country of Malawi (pronounced like "Maui" with an "L" in the middle). The Mzuzu cooperative provides support for 3,000 small farmers, where the average farmer only cultivates about 1/2 hectacre of land. By themselves, these farmers would have a very difficult time reaching a big audience for their amazing coffee, but working together, they can pool their resources and get these delicious beans all the way to us. The Mzuzu co-op also supports its members by negotiating for Fair Trade standards as well as supporting community improvement projects such as building hospitals. 

 This is the first coffee we've ever had from Malawi, so we weren't quite sure what to expect. When we cupped it, we immediately noticed a fragrance of sweet, dry wood and a hint of peach. Once we got to drinking it, the cup was very sweet and peach forward with hints of orange and lemon. It's extremely smooth and very balanced with just a hint of citrus twang and a light to medium body. Wrap it all up with a clean, refreshing finish and you've got yourself a very enjoyable coffee! We were so happy with this coffee and we're sure you will be too!