Category: Joffrey’s travels

Try Something New: Cupping Notes vs. Flavored Coffee

When it comes to a cup of coffee, flavors often extend past the coffee itself. However, some of these flavors may not be detectable by the average coffee drinker. This marks the distinction between tasting or “cupping” notes and flavored coffee.

 

At Joffrey’s, our roastmasters “cup” our coffees daily to ensure quality and uniformity across all of our offerings. Cupping is the process in use by coffee producers and buyers around the world to check the quality of the coffee, and also distinguish the tastes and differences between various beans and countries of origin.

Join Chris and Miguel for a cupping session!

 

Cupping sessions allow our roastmasters to identify various “notes” within a coffee – such as hints of chocolate, citrus, fruit or nuts. Much like how wine and beer’s tasting notes are based on where the grapes are grown and how the beer is brewed – the same goes for coffee. Coffee’s flavor notes depend on the type of bean, where it is grown and how it is roasted.

However, while these are flavors, for most coffee drinkers it is not a flavor you will experience in the average cup of coffee and should not be confused with flavored coffees. Tasting notes are subtle and don’t often take away from the classic coffee taste, but add to it (such as the nutty flavor and chocolate undertones of our Victoria & Albert’s). On the other side, flavored coffees are beans coated in flavor oils after roasting to give the coffee a flavor that is not already present (such as our Jamaican Me Crazy® flavored coffee).

Looking to try some of our coffees with unique tasting notes? We’ve gathered some of our favorites below, featuring some of our Fair Trade Certified coffees to celebrate Fair Trade Awareness Day!

 

Looking to learn more about cupping and flavor notes? Drop your questions to us on social media!

Love at First Coffee: Q+A Interview with Joffrey’s Roastmaster, Chris DeMezzo

 

Q: Tell us about the first time you drank coffee.

A: “It was a year after I’d been working at Joffrey’s. I was roasting by the seat of my pants – scared to death and hoping I wouldn’t burn the place down. I would drink a bottle of coke every morning and all the sales people would tease me. Don’t ask me why I remember this, but one morning I had just taken a roast out and I said, you know what, I’ve been doing this for a while and I never stopped to try or taste what I was doing all day, every day. It was time to try it! So, the coffee I had just roasted was Mocha Java, I went over to the barrel, took a handful and ground it, brewed it and poured it into an old ceramic cup. I remember taking a sip and I did what I call a “Joffrey’s Roll Back,” which is when someone tries our coffee and their eyes roll back in their head because they’re amazed it’s so delicious. I was really, really surprised that it tasted so good. Of course, I drank it black. And at that moment I caught the spark and it’s never left me.”

“Being a thorough bread Italian and being one of five children, I grew up on my mother’s apron strings. I was always in the kitchen cooking with her. She would explain all the flavors she was cooking with so I had a pretty decent palate for tasting things. After I tried coffee I was inspired to experiment with the different flavors of all coffees. Let me try this Panama, let me try this Ethiopia; I began to taste everything. I started to experiment with different roasting profiles – some a little lighter, some a little darker, mixing some together. It was an epiphany that I could effect change. Instead of settling for what any coffee gave me, I knew I could bring out the flavors I wanted. I realized that roasting coffee was not a one roast fits all proposition.”

 

Q: When did you realize, you wanted to be a Roast Master?

A: “Fate. I came down to Florida, after working for Reynolds Aluminum in New Jersey manufacturing beer and soda cans. I did that for 10 years and the plant was closing because of a labor dispute. At that time, I had the option to relocate to another branch of our company, either in Tampa or Virginia. I had a sister that was living in Tampa at the time and liked what I had seen while on vacation. So, I sold my house in NJ with my wife Linda and we moved to Tampa. When I got down here, the job I was supposed to work at fell through.”

“My sister introduced me to Joffrey’s because she was doing part-time accounting work here. And my first reply was I don’t know a damn thing about coffee… I ended up talking to the owner and he agreed to hire me to for 8 bucks an hour. The next day I showed up and that was the first day of my coffee experience. They brought me in the back of this little room, pointed to a bag of green coffee and said this is what it looks like before you roast it. Then we popped open the top of a coffee barrel and saw what the beans looked like after being roasted. We walked over to the old-pre-world-war 2 Probat roaster. They showed me how to turn it on and then they said have a great day, we’re going to lunch. That was it.”

 

Q: What do you love most about traveling the world to source the best beans?

A: “Seeing beautiful places and meeting new people. It’s a mix of emotions because amongst so much beauty there’s also a lot of hardships. There’s a lot of poverty along with primitive living and working conditions. You have to tell yourself that you’re looking at it from your eyes, not theirs. For them, that’s a way of life. One of the most rewarding things is going back to places I’ve visited before and seeing how coffee roasters, in general, have begun to contribute to improving the living conditions of the people we owe our living to. You have no idea how hard these people work and the amount of labor that goes into producing and growing great coffee. If you did, you would appreciate it so much more.”

 

Q: What’s the best part about your job?

A: “The fact that Miguel (my roasting partner at Joffrey’s) and I can see people’s reactions when they drink our coffee, is the most humbling, rewarding part of our job. We travel to origin and see our coffee being grown and nurtured by people who truly care about the product. If the farmers aren’t growing great coffee, we wouldn’t be able to roast great coffee. It makes the days of standing in 120 degrees for 8-10 hours roasting delicious coffees for our deserving customers, well worth the effort.”

 

Q: How do you know when coffee beans are perfectly roasted?

A: “The appearance will tell you. Every bean goes through 4 phases when they’re roasting. The first phase is when the temperature reaches 212 degrees and moisture dissipates, making the color of the bean fade. Phase 2 happens about two or three minutes later when the beans hit around 270. That’s when the beans change from green to yellow because the chlorophyll disappears. Phase 3 is what I consider most critical. At 320 degrees, the sugar breaks down. Sugars break down one of two ways, they melt and caramelize to remain sweet or they burn and become bitter and astringent. If you’ve ever had a cup of coffee that made the hair on the back of your neck stand up, or if you’re the unlucky recipient of the last cup of coffee after its been sitting on a burner for hours… then you know what I’m talking about. A lot of roasters roast coffee to be extra dark and have “more body.” They want that taste. As a rule, Joffrey’s doesn’t roast coffee past the point of what I’d call a French roast. The darkest we’ll go is between a chestnut brown or indigo color. I like my Kenya’s to taste like Kenya’s and my Sumatra to taste like Sumatra. The final stage is when the beans have heated to the epicenter, pores expand and then you get what’s called a crack. The first crack is slower; the second crack is rapid. When you hear a crackle in the beans and that means the c02 is being released. It sounds like a big bowl of rice krispies.”

 

Q: If coffee didn’t exist in the world, I would __________. (fill in the blank)

A: “Being as coffee is the second most consumed beverage after tea (and water), I think I’d be pretty heart broken. Bored. Unsatisfied. I can’t imagine life without coffee!”

 

Q: How often do you drink coffee and how do you take it?

A: “I start every day with a French Press of coffee, using beans we’ve roasted in the past 48 hours. I drink it black because I like the taste of coffee. And I drink it up until noon usually. I used to drink a lot more coffee than I do now, but I’m drinking probably 4-5 cups every day now. Then I’ll sneak in an espresso in the afternoon. There’s so many different nuances to each type of coffee. Even though I might drink a Kenya today, tomorrow I’ll drink it again and probably taste something different than I did the day before. This is the greatest job in the world because there’s always something else around the corner. I can’t wait to see what flavor I’m going to discover next.

 

Q: What inspires you when you’re inventing new specialty drinks?

A: “The unwavering commitment that I can, and we as a company, can always make something better. If it was good today, it’ll be better tomorrow. I’m strictly a black coffee drinker, but I love seeing the expression on people’s faces when I make them their first real specialty beverage, like someone who’s never had a good espresso and is amazed that they could drink it without sugar and enjoy it. It’s like YEAH BABY, that’s what this is all about.”

 

Q: If you could compare your love to coffee with something else, who or what would it be?

A: “God, my wife and my family are up in the top of my love list. The other thing that I LOVE is cooking. I’ll cook anything Italian.”

 

 

Celebrate Fall with Joffrey’s National Pumpkin Day Giveaway!

There’s no better symbol of Fall than the majestic, sought after pumpkin! How did the pumpkin go from minding its own business to being the star of Halloween? Believe it or not, the Halloween pumpkin tradition actually started in Ireland, where the Irish would carve faces into turnips and put candles or burning coals in them to ward off evil spirits at night. When Irish immigrated to the U.S. hundreds of years ago, they wanted to keep up with the tradition. They discovered that the bright orange fruits in their new home country were much easier to carve than turnips…and some of them probably realized that pumpkins were a lot prettier too! (Sorry, turnips.) The Irish soon forgot about the turnips and started carving pumpkins instead. That’s how the modern-day Halloween Jack O Lantern was born!

Not only do pumpkins have an interesting history, they add so much fun and flavor to our lives. We use them to bake, decorate, carve, and most importantly, add their delicious flavors to our favorite fall drinks. (Who can resist a drink flavor that begins with “Pumpkin Spiced”?)  Since pumpkins spice up our lives in so many ways, don’t you think they deserve to be celebrated on more than just one day a year (Halloween)? We do too. That’s why we’re so excited to celebrate National Pumpkin Day on October 26th! To celebrate this glorious fruit, we’re giving away one bag of Pumpkin Crème Brûlée coffee and one bag of Pumpkin Pie Pu’Erh tea.

To win these fun fall coffees, enter the contest on Facebook or Twitter…and while you’re waiting for us to announce the winners, try to avoid passing the turnips in the produce section next time you’re at the grocery store. They’re not fans of pumpkin-lovers…

INSTRUCTIONS AND CONTEST RULES 

Here’s how to enter on Facebook:

  1. Visit our Facebook page here.
  2. Find the Giveaway post.
  3. Like the post and tag a friend in the comment section.
  4. Cross your fingers for the win!

Here’s how to enter on Twitter:

  1. Visit our Twitter page here.
  2. Find the Giveaway post.
  3. Retweet it!
  4. Wait until October 28th when we announce the winner.

The winner will be announced on October 28th, 2016. Good luck!

*Please note one entry per person will be considered

 

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Social Media Giveaway

OFFICIAL RULES 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

Participation constitutes Entrant’s (as hereinafter defined) full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules. Joffrey’s social media giveaways and contests are intended for legal residents of the contiguous United States of America (USA) and shall only be construed and evaluated according to U.S. federal law and Florida state law. Do not enter this giveaway if you are not located in the USA at the time of entry. The giveaway begins at 12:00 a.m., Eastern Time (“ET”) on Wednesday, October 26 2016 and ends at 11:59 p.m., ET on Thursday, October 27 (“Giveaway Period”). The Sponsor’s computer is the official time-keeping device for the Giveaway

SPONSOR/ADMINISTRATOR: The Giveaway is sponsored by Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co., Inc., 3803 Corporex Park Dr., Ste #400, Tampa, FL 33619.

ELIGIBILITY: Entrants must be legal residents of the contiguous United States, including residents of the District of Columbia, who have reached the age of majority in their state of residence at the time of entry (“Entrant”). Employees, officers and representatives of Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Co. and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, agents, advertising and promotion agencies and members of the immediate family (mother, father, sons, daughters and spouse, regardless of where they reside) and household members of each, whether or not related, are not eligible to participate in the Giveaway. Void in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and where prohibited/restricted by law.

HOW TO ENTER: During the Giveaway Period eligible participants are invited to enter the Giveaway by visiting Joffrey’s Twitter and following the instructions to enter the Giveaway. Each Entrant will be required to follow our Instagram account and tag a friend on the Giveaway post. By doing so, the Entrant will receive one (1) Giveaway entry. During the Giveaway Period, there will be a limit of one (1) entry per person. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any person that submits more than maximum allowed entries.

All required criteria must be completed to enter and be eligible to win. Incomplete entries will be disqualified. The use of automated entry devices is prohibited and no mechanically reproduced entries are allowed; all such entries are void. Released Parties (as hereinafter defined) are not responsible for late, incomplete, incorrect, delayed, garbled, undelivered, or misdirected entries.

DRAWING AND NOTIFICATION: The Prize (as hereinafter defined) drawing will be conducted at random. The Prize drawing will be conducted on Thursday, October 27, 2016. Odds of winning the Prize will depend on the total number of eligible entries received throughout the Giveaway Period. The potential Prize Winner will be notified via Instagram.

PRIZE & PRIZE CONDITIONS: There will be one Prize Winner. The Prize Winner, will receive one bag of Pumpkin Crème Brûlée coffee and one bag of Pumpkin Pie Pu’Erh tea. No substitution or transfer of Prize will be permitted except by Sponsor, who reserves the right at its sole discretion to substitute the Prize (or Prize component) with another prize of equal or greater value in the event that any of aforementioned Prize components are not available.

The potential Prize Winner will be notified and must respond within seven (7) days of the date of notice or attempted notice is sent in order to claim his/her prize. If a prize or prize notification is returned as unclaimed or undeliverable to the potential Prize Winner, if a potential Prize Winner cannot be reached within seven (7) business days from the first notification attempt or if a potential Prize Winner is not in compliance with these Official Rules, then such person shall be disqualified and, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, an alternate Prize Winner may be selected.

GENERAL: By accepting the Prize, where permitted by law, recipient grants to the Sponsor, its parent, subsidiaries and related companies, and those acting pursuant to the authority of Sponsor, the right to print, publish, broadcast and use worldwide IN ALL MEDIA without limitation at any time the recipient’s full name, portrait, picture, voice, likeness and/or biographical information for advertising, trade and promotional purposes without further payment or additional consideration, and without review, approval or notification. IN NO EVENT WILL SPONSOR, AND HEIR RESPECTIVE PARENTS, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION AGENCIES, DEALERS, DISTRIBUTORS, SUPPLIERS, PRIZE PROVIDERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES) ARISING OUT OF PARTICIPATION IN THIS GIVEAWAY OR THE ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE, OR MISUSE OF, OR ANY HARM RESULTING FROM THE ACCEPTANCE, POSSESSION, USE OR MISUSE OF THE PRIZE. By participating, entrants release and agree to hold harmless the Released Parties from any and all liability for any injuries, death or losses or damages to persons or property AS WELL AS CLAIMS/ACTIONS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION, AND/OR INVASION OF PRIVACY that may arise from participating in this Giveaway or its related activities or the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of, or any harm resulting from the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the Prize. Prize Winner acknowledges that the Released Parties have neither made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to the Prize.

INTERNET LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: If for any reason this Giveaway is not capable of running as planned due to infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Giveaway, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Giveaway in whole or in part, at any time, without notice and award the prizes using all non-suspect eligible entries received. No responsibility is assumed for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries, or for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or telephone lines, computer on-line systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems, human error or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant’s or any other person’s computer relating to or resulting from participation in the Giveaway or downloading any materials in the Giveaway. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE GIVEAWAY IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner based on an e-mail address, the winning entry will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at time of entry. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet access provider, on-line service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational, institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address.

DISPUTES: All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules or the rights and obligations of Entrants’ and Sponsor in connection with the Giveaway shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other state’s or jurisdiction’s laws.  By participating in the Giveaway, Entrant agrees that: (i) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Giveaway, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (ii) any judicial proceeding shall take place in a federal or state court within the State of Florida; (iii) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this Giveaway, but in no event will attorney fees be awarded or recoverable; (iv) under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and Entrant hereby waives all rights to seek, punitive, incidental, exemplary, consequential, special damages, lost profits, other damages, and/or any rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased; and (v) Entrant’s remedies are limited to a claim for money damages (if any) and he/she waives any right to seek injunctive or equitable relief. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. If any provision of the Official Rules is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, the other provisions will remain in effect and will be construed as if the invalid or unenforceable provision were not contained herein.

WINNERS LIST REQUEST:  To confirm the name, city, and state of residence of the Prize Winner, please send an e-mail to joffreysfans@joffreys.com within seven (7) days of winner notification.

SPONSOR: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co., Inc., 3803 Corporex Park Dr., Ste #400, Tampa, FL 33619.

What Gives Organic Origin Coffees Their Taste? It's The Attitude of the Latitude & The Flavor of the Land

A trained roastmaster can taste a coffee and tell you what region of the world it comes from, without even looking at the label. Impressed? We are, because a great roastmaster isn’t easy to find…but somehow, we were lucky enough to have found Chris DeMezzo. He has been sourcing and roasting the best coffees for Joffrey’s from all corners of the earth for over 30 years. Our very own Roastmatser Chris shared with us why coffees from different regions of the world taste different, and what flavor experience you will have drinking each of Joffrey’s Organic Origin Coffees.

What is Organic Origin Coffee?

Organic Origin Coffee is organic coffee that comes from a certain area of the world, and the beans have unique flavor commonly found in that region. These coffees are organic, which means that the beans are produced without artificial flavors, or artificial pesticides, and non-organic fertilizers. (Read more about USDA organic standards here.) Also, on top of being organic, many of the coffees below are certified fair trade.

All About the Beans

So, the flavor of our Organic Origin coffee comes from the beans, but where do the beans get their flavor? They get it from the nutrients and minerals in the soil and in the other plants that grow around them. Roastmaster Chris explained in detail what coffees from different parts of the world taste like.

Central and South American Coffees

Coffees from this region are usually medium bodied, and a bit tangy. When you sip the coffee, you can taste hints of citrus and milk chocolate (if the coffee is from Central America), or dark chocolate (if it’s from South America). Both regions grow beans that make beautiful medium bodied coffees (a few examples are coffees like Joffrey’s Brazil Cerrado, Colombia, Costa Rica, or Guatemala). What’s great about coffees from these regions is that they play nicely with coffee flavors, which is why Roastmaster Chris likes to use these beans to make Joffrey’s flavored coffees.  Make no mistake though, these beans make delicious coffees on their own. Stay tuned! We’ll describe some of the Central and South American Joffrey’s Organic Origin coffees below.

Southeast Asian Coffees

Coffees from Southeast Asia have quite the personality! If you’ve ever had Joffrey’s Sumatra coffee, you know what we’re talking about. These earthy, heavy bodied, savory gems have notes of dark chocolate and citrus, and a certain smoothness that will put a smile on your face.

African Coffees

In Africa, the coffees are as diverse as the people! Roastmaster Chris says it best, “In Africa, you can find anything and everything! Coffee started in Africa, so every species of coffee grows there. The weather and landscapes are so diverse, and can make many different types of beans.” (If you’re a Joffrey’s coffee drinker, just think of the diversity in our African coffees, like Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Kenya AA, and Tanzanian Peaberry. The one characteristic many African coffees have in common is that they’re slightly tangy and astringent, like a dry red wine.

Hawaii

Hawaii is the only U.S. state that produces large amounts of commercial coffee, and boy is it good! Hawaiian coffee a medium bodied drink known for its fruit notes and signature buttery, silky, smoothness.

Unique as a Finger Print

Coffees from the same regions can have a lot in common, but, like wines, no two coffees are exactly alike. Joffrey’s Roastmaster has handpicked his favorite organic coffees from all regions of the world, and appreciates them for their unique characteristics. Let’s see which ones he picked.

sumatra-permata-gayo

Organic Sumatra Permata Gayo  

This coffee, from a cooperative of small coffee producers, is what Roastmaster Chris calls “an earthy, heavy bodied coffee, with hints of sweetness.” The flavor packs a punch, with notes of dark chocolate and vanilla bean. Chris roasts the beans medium/dark, which fits perfectly with their flavor. Organic Sumatra Swiss Water Decaf is the decaffeinated version of Organic Sumatra Permata Gayo, and Swiss water refers to the process used to decaffeinate the coffee.

guatemala-cafe-femenino

Organic Guatemala, Café Femenino

This fully-washed sun dried coffee has a clean snap, and a tangy tartness to it. When you drink this, you’ll taste hints of chocolate and walnut, and you’ll notice a clean smooth finish.

colombia-cusarca

Organic Colombia Cosuraca

This sun dried coffee also has a tanginess to it, with noticeable notes of citrus, apple, coco, and a nice floral aroma.  Roastmaster Chris roasts it medium/dark, and this coffee falls right between medium and light flavored.

costa-rica-la-amistad

Costa Rica La Amistad

This fully washed, sun dried coffee will deliver a clean, super tangy taste with notes of cedar, hazelnuts, caramel, and dark chocolate (clean-tangy). Tea drinkers will also notice a hint of black tea taste.

peru-cajamarca

Organic Peru Cajamarca

Cajamarca is another beautifully tangy coffee with notes of citrus, dark chocolate, and maple syrup. The flavor is rich and the aroma is beautiful. It’s roasted medium to maintain the citrus flavor.

A Little Something for Everyone

Many of these coffees are similar to one another in terms of certain flavor characteristics, but not all. Each coffee has its own distinct personality, and each coffee drinker has different preferences. Roastmaster Chris says it best. “Choosing a favorite coffee is a personal decision because everyone’s tastes are different.” So, which coffee should you buy first? Grab one of each, try them out, and find your perfect coffee match!

 

 

5 Last Minute Father’s Day Gifts

Scrambling to find the perfect Father’s Day gift? Fear not! Our last minute gift guide promises to ease your shopping woes.

Father’s Day is the prime time to tell your dad how much you love him, feed him breakfast in bed and shower him in “thank you’s” for being born (after all, without him you wouldn’t be here!). Whether you’re spending the day together making unforgettable memories or celebrating from afar, these gifts will undoubtedly bring a smile to his face.

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1. Dollar Shave Club Membership + Joffrey’s Doughnut Blend

Wake up and smell the coffee! The male appreciation for a new set of razor blades is evergreen. What better investment than the $1 shave club? When paired with a bag of our Doughnut Blend, it’s the gift that keeps on giving, one sip and shave at a time.

Get it now: the coffee and the gift.

 

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 2. Wake Me Up Soap + European Espresso

We all know getting up in the mornings can be a serious task – especially on Mondays. Amp up your dad’s morning routine with a bar of Wake Me Up soap paired with our European Espresso. This soap is packed with Eucalyptus, an essential oil with a charming aroma, known to boost your senses… In tandem with our espresso, your dad will be ready to rule the world.

Get it now: the coffee and the gift.

 

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 3. Pancake Maker + Breakfast Blend Coffee

Take breakfast to a whole new level with this custom pancake printer and a cup of Joffrey’s Breakfast Blend. Here’s a game changer: you can upload a picture of you and your dad to be printed into a pancake. A match made in heaven, wouldn’t you say?

Get it now: the coffee and the gift.

 

FISH

 4. Fish Flask + Captain’s Blend Coffee

Fishing is a popular activity among dads, and if your dad isn’t into the reel deal, using your fish flask to spike your coffee is a close second. Our Captain’s blend has a finish that lingers like a slow sunset after a day on the water. Take it a step further and present these buzzworthy recipes with your gift.

Get it now: the coffee and the gift.

 

 

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5. Cigar + Cuban Blend Coffee

Nothing says “I love you” like the gift of relaxation. Give your dad something he can enjoy and reflect on – a savory experience. An evening spent with a cigar in one hand and Cuban Blend coffee in the other is an evening well-spent.

Get it now: the coffee and the gift.

Roastmaster Travel Log - Colombia S. America Jan 2015

Colombia S. America – January 12-16, 2015

What makes Joffrey’s special is our attention to the actual bean. Yes, the bean. We have personal relationships with coffee farms around the globe to find the most outstanding beans. We live by the soil to cup experience. This past week our roastmasters headed to Colombia, South American in search of Single Origin coffee beans. They visited coffee farms that sell our prized “Micro Lot” coffees (which means rare and extraordinary) and are in search of some exceptional coffees to roast especially for you this year.

Why Columbia?:
For a long time coffee from Colombia was tightly regulated by the government (FNC) and the roasters didn’t get a say in the lot they could order, meaning most of the coffee was a mix of beans from several different farms. The last couple of years the government has loosened their grip and allowed farmers to sell their prized “Micro Lot” coffees direct to roasters who seek new and exceptional coffee beans. We are always looking to discover new and different coffees from areas such as this. Colombia has experienced a rebirth after several years of bad luck with weather and insect issues but they recovered nicely and have been said to be producing an even better quality of coffee than ever before; so we went to see and taste for ourselves.
DAY 1-2: Chris De Mezzo and apprentice Miguel have arrived in Colombia, South America and have travelled to the state of Valle del Cauca, known as the Armenia region.

“We went immediately to a sampling session in Cafe La Esperanza’s cupping and quality control lab in Caicedonia, located in the state of Valle del Cauca. We were pleased to be introduced to some “Micro Lot” coffees that the producer partners of La Esperanza have been experimenting with. We cupped some Honey Processed and Natural Processed coffees while we were there. While these processes are quite common in Central America they are relatively new to Colombia. For years Colombia has processed almost all of their coffee using the traditional washed method. These alternate ways of processing the beans produces a more intense level of fruit flavors.

Cupping and Training apprentice Miguel.

Cupping the coffees to determine if these beans produce the taste and aroma we want.

Cupping the coffees to determine if these beans produce the taste and aroma we want.

I have been cupping coffee for 28 years now and I am always eager to try something new and exciting, and share this information with the people who matter the most; the producers (farmers) themselves. Because we are roasters, not growers, we know what taste profiles our customers prefer. By working with our producer partners directly, our open and honest feedback helps them grow better coffee, thus resulting in a better roasted coffee by Joffrey’s. All in all, everyone wins!
One of the most rewarding aspects of my job as roastmaster, besides trying all these new coffees, is watching my assistant Miguel’s expertise broaden each time we experiment with coffee together. Any good visionary has a partner who embodies the same passion as himself; Miguel represents Joffrey’s in this way. Great things lie ahead for Joffreys.

Bringing our coffee back to the processers at Café La Esperenza

Bringing our coffee back to the processers
at Café La Esperenza

 

Meet Joffrey’s New Baby:

Roastmasters Chris and Miguel planting a coffee tree for future Origin coffee

Roastmasters Chris and Miguel planting a coffee tree for future Origin coffee

Planting the Joffrey's coffee tree in Colombia

Planting the Joffrey’s coffee tree in Colombia

We have planted a tree in Joffrey’s honor with the hope that one day it will contribute to an exclusive single origin coffee from Colombia. It may take a few years, but we are patient and we plan to come back to this beautiful farm and check up on our baby each year! We are hoping this tree produces the same great coffee as its grandparents, who were known for their pleasant floral fragrance, delicious Lemon/Citrus highlights and medium to mild acidity with a great clean finish. If it sounds enticing in writing, I assure you, it is even better in your cup.”
Day 3-5: Sourcing the beans: We traveled from State of Valle Del Cacua to the state of Risaralda and the town of Pereira; both known for exceptional coffees. This morning we were guests of the Colombian National Coffee Federation (FNC) local headquarters and producer support center. There we cupped several coffees from all over the state with some of the senior cuppers from the federation.

We like sampling the coffees with the experts who do so daily so we can share ideas and observations and become better cuppers. We try these pre-ship samples as it helps us become better roasters and allows us to give the producers some idea of what we like and don’t like about certain coffees and processes. We will visit a few more farms before we head back to Caicedonia, then it’s an early morning visit to the dry mill (where the parchment is removed and the beans are sorted according to size and density). nowtime It’s important to visit all the stages of bean production. We then flew back to Bogota to visit the state of Medellin for more new experiences and some great new coffee discoveries.

Old School on the farm.

Old School on the farm.

With a countryside as beautiful as this and coffee this exceptional we will have a wonderful single origin coffee to offer some time later this year.

Sourcing the Exceptional Coffee Bean - Roastmaster travels to Colombia

Sourcing extraordinary Coffee Beans – Joffrey’s Roastmasters Travels to Colombia S. America

What makes Joffrey’s special is our attention to the actual bean.  Yes, the bean.  We have personal relationships with coffee farms around the globe to find the most outstanding beans.  We live by the soil to cup experience.   Right now, our roastmasters are headed to Colombia, South American in search of Single Origin coffee beans. They are visiting coffee farms that sell our prized “Micro Lot” coffees (which means rare and extraordinary) and will be little known areas in search of some exceptional coffees to roast especially for you this year.  Stay tuned for more about their trip and the beans they will discover.

Why Columbia?:
For a long time coffee from Colombia was tightly regulated by the government (FNC) and the roasters didn’t get a say in the lot they could order, meaning most of the coffee was a mix of beans from several different farms.  The last couple of years the government has loosened their grip and allowed farmers to sell their prized “Micro Lot” coffees direct to roasters who seek new and exceptional coffee beans.  We are always looking to discover new and different coffees from areas such as this.  Colombia has experienced a rebirth after several years of bad luck with weather and insect issue but they are back and have been said to be producing an even better quality of coffee than ever before; so we’re going to see and taste for ourselves.

Why Visit Now?  It’s a great time of year as the farms are in production and we should get a good look at what is coming for the rest of this year. We bring our mini-roaster so we can roast and do a cupping right there on the farm.

What is a micro lot and why is it special?
Sometimes a farmer will try something different, either experimenting with a new variety of tree, or a new processing method.  What makes the micro lots so special is that they are kept separate from all the other coffees produced on the farm, so if the project the farmer is working on is successful, that coffee is segregated from the rest of the coffee throughout the whole milling process.   Just like a scientific experiment that uses a control group to replicate or improve results.

Micro lots are usually very small amounts of coffee in comparison to the volume the farm usually produces.  They can range in size from only one bag up to about 25 bags.   So when you hear about our special releases, order it right away, because it won’t be available for long.

Cupping in Cafe La Esperanza quality lab & warehouse.

Cupping in Cafe La Esperanza quality lab & warehouse.

 

day 1 new process honey

Chris DeMezzo, Head Roast master, Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co.

Contact info:  Marilyn@joffreys.com