It’s finally feeling like spring! Let’s toast the sunshine with a mug of Black & Tan…
BLACK & TAN - ORGANIC/FAIR TRADE: The black & tan has been a longtime pub favorite, consisting of a dark beer poured over a lighter, brighter one to create a delicate balance of flavors. Our version embodies the same spirit, combining rich, full-bodied, dark roasted coffee with a sweet, clean, light roast in a blend that looks almost as good as sit tastes – and you don’t need a funny bent spoon to enjoy it! Available during May at a special discounted price of $7.45 per pound in 5lb bags.
SEASONAL & FEATURED COFFEES - available at the peak of quality and freshness, for a limited time!
Featured Farm Peru Chirinos - Organic/Fair Trade (available through May 31, $7.95 per pound in 5lb bags): The coffees we’ve selected from Chirinos cooperative this year came from La Lima and Balcones, two groups farming at the highest elevations and producing the highest quality coffees. Harvested from mostly Typica-variety trees (with small amounts of Caturra, Pache, Catimor and Bourbon) at elevations upward of 1,600 meters, this certified organic coffee is a delicious example of successful efforts in cooperative farming. This is a layered, yet drinkable, coffee with delicate floral and berry aromas and sweet, balanced acidity. Enjoy!
George’s Burly Blend (available through June 30, $9.10 per pound in 5lb bags): Attention, fans of strong, dark brews - here’s a treat for you straight from our roasting department. This blend was created in 2001 in the depths of the old roastery on Prospect Ave., and has developed a cult following over the years. George’s Burly Blend is rich and complex despite its simple formula, with a medium-roasted coffee from Brazil as a base and a few sprinkles of “secret” dark-roast to add a robust dimension. With a full body and rich, sweet flavor, this is a brew that will challenge your taste buds, or possibly just satisfy them.
Featured Farm Sumatra Bintang Bener - Organic/Fair Trade (available through July 31, $8.50 per pound in 5lb bags): Sumatra Bintang Bener is grown 1,350 meters above sea level in Aceh, the northernmost province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The 72 farmer-members of the Gayo-Linge Co-op in the Bintang Bener village that contributed to this lot are producing some of the best coffee we’ve had from the region. Sumatra Bintang Bener features complex notes of tropical fruit, while sweet flavors of caramelized sugar round out the cup.
Featured Iced Coffee is Spring Iced Coffee: Spring is upon us! To honor the season, we’ve created the perfect companion with the return of Spring Iced Coffee, an Alterra wholesale exclusive. Made up of sweet, tart, yet balanced Guatemala Hunapú and full-bodied, juicy Colombia Paso Fino, this refreshing combination of coffees is a lovely way to celebrate warm days and lilacs in bloom. Enjoy!
ALTERRA TRAVELS TO GUATEMALA
Recently, our director of coffee, George Bregar, and coffee quality manager, Nathan Hoida, travelled to Guatemala to meet with Luis Pedro Zelaya, owner of Beneficio Bella Vista. During their trip, they cupped a variety of lots from one of our favorite farms, Hunapú. Over the years in our relationship with Bella Vista, the attention to detail has grown and the quality of the coffee has increased as a result.
This year, the impact of all that care is even more evident. As George and Nathan cupped through a number of amazing coffees that will eventually make up our lot of Hunapú, there were a few coffees in particular that jumped out from the rest. They immediately asked if these coffees were grown by Jose Isabel Hernandez Martinez (or Chabelo as he is commonly referred), the producer from Guatemala whose coffee made up our super-delicious Mountain of Flowers Reserve Lot from 2011. Yes was the answer! So get ready for some (more) delicious coffee coming our way soon!
ALTERRA ON THE SQUARE OPENS APRIL 5 IN MADISON!
Alterra is excited to announce the opening of our newest cafe, located in the historic Tenney Plaza building on Madison’s Capitol Square. With the introduction of Alterra on the Square, we will also be joining the ranks of Wisconsin craft brewers with the launch of two custom-brewed beers. One Tun IPA and Cortado Imperial Stout were developed in-house by Alterra’s director of coffee, George Bregar, and head roaster, Shawn Bigelow, both avid home brewers. The beers will be available by the pint and coming soon by the growler, and will be available to the public starting this Friday in Madison. Alterra on the Square is located at 25 S. Pinckney St. Stop by and say hello to cafe manager, Margaret, and the rest of the Madison crew!
APRIL COFFEE SPECIALS
SUMATRA HIGHLANDS - ORGANIC/FAIR TRADE: In the cup, our Sumatra Highlands is characterized by its low acidity, medium-to-heavy body, and earthy undertones. It is produced by Gayo Linge Organic Coffee, a Fair Trade certified cooperative from the northern tip of the Indonesian island of Sumatra. The small scale farmers that make up GLOC are dedicated to producing some of the very best Sumatran coffees. Available during April at a special discounted price of $8.00 per pound in 5lb bags.
CO-OPTIVA - ORGANIC/FAIR TRADE: Co-optiva is a celebration of the small-scale farmers who are committed to growing high quality coffees. We’ve combined organic, single-origins produced by Fair Trade certified cooperatives to highlight the coffees sourced through some of our long-standing relationships. With flavors reminiscent of chocolate and molasses, Co-optiva is a full-bodied coffee with medium acidity, suitable for sipping all day, every day. Available during April at a special discounted price of $7.65 per pound in 5lb bags.
SEASONAL & FEATURED COFFEES - available at the peak of quality and freshness, for a limited time!
George’s Burly Blend (available through June 30, $9.10 per pound in 5lb bags): Attention, fans of strong, dark brews - here’s a treat for you straight from our roasting department. This blend was created in 2001 in the depths of the old roastery on Prospect Ave., and has developed a cult following over the years. George’s Burly Blend is rich and complex despite its simple formula, with a medium-roasted coffee from Brazil as a base and a few sprinkles of “secret” dark-roast to add a robust dimension. With a full body and rich, sweet flavor, this is a brew that will challenge your taste buds, or possibly just satisfy them.
Featured Farm Peru Chirinos - Organic/Fair Trade (available through May 31, $7.95 per pound in 5lb bags): The coffees we’ve selected from Chirinos cooperative this year came from La Lima and Balcones, two groups farming at the highest elevations and producing the highest quality coffees. Harvested from mostly Typica-variety trees (with small amounts of Caturra, Pache, Catimor and Bourbon) at elevations upward of 1,600 meters, this certified organic coffee is a delicious example of successful efforts in cooperative farming. This is a layered, yet drinkable, coffee with delicate floral and berry aromas and sweet, balanced acidity. Enjoy!
Brazil Fazenda São Domingos - Flavio’s Reserve (available through April 30, $10.50 per pound): Flavio Batista Faria, one of the farm managers at Fazenda São Domingos, is responsible for reserving the top-quality, naturally-processed coffees from the farm and blending them into larger lots depending on the overall quality of the harvest. We are fortunate to have a relationship with the Fazenda that allows us to be able to taste all of these lots before they are blended, and select our favorites to offer as single lots.
Flavio’s Reserve features a full, sweet, satisfying mouthfeel, subtle notes of cocoa, dried fruit, and pipe tobacco, and is a wonderful expression of the unique flavors that come from this region and this style of processing. Enjoy!
Featured Iced Coffee is Spring Iced Coffee: Spring is upon us! To honor the season, we’ve created the perfect companion with the return of Spring Iced Coffee, an Alterra wholesale exclusive. Made up of sweet, tart, yet balanced Guatemala Hunapú and full-bodied, juicy Colombia Paso Fino, this refreshing combination of coffees is a lovely way to celebrate warm days and lilacs in bloom. Enjoy!
To view the Alterra guide to iced coffee brewing, click here!
BEST OF LUCK TO EVERYONE AT SCAA BOSTON!
Best of luck and safe travels to those of you heading to Boston for the Specialty Coffee Association of America Expo! We’d also like to give a special shout-out to the following Alterrans who will be judging, competing and participating at SCAA events. We’re thrilled to have so many Milwaukeeans representing and showing their commitment to the craft of specialty coffee!
George Bregar (director of coffee) - judge, U.S. Aeropress Championship
Mickey Comerford (Humboldt cafe manager) - competitor, USBC
Christine Goepfert (Humboldt cafe barista) - judge, USBC
Nathan Hoida (coffee quality manager) - competitor, U.S. Aeropress Championship
Cody Kinart (barista trainer) - emcee, USBC & Brewers Cup
Scott Lucey (barista training manager) - competitor, USBC
Wolfgang Schaeffer (Humboldt cafe barista) - competitor, USBC
Josh Wismans (Prospect cafe barista) - organizer & judge, U.S. Aeropress Championship; judge, USBC
THANKS FOR READING & HAPPY SPRING!
MARCH COFFEE SPECIALS
Del Sol: Sometimes we need a little help waking up, and that’s where Del Sol comes in. The combination of light and medium-roasted coffees creates a dynamic cup with the sweet, pronounced acidity to pry open our eyes, and just enough full, smooth body to prop us up. Whether enjoyed with breakfast or while running out the door, you can always count on Del Sol to start your day with a little shine. Available through 3/31 at a special discounted price of $7.70 per pound in 5lb bags.
Guatemala Hunapú: Volcán de Agua, one of three volcanoes near the colonial city of Antigua, was originally named Hunapú (place of the flowers) until a destructive eruption in 1541. Many locals still refer to the volcano as Hunapú, and Beneficio Bella Vista decided to use that name for this very special coffee. Naming a coffee after an epic force of nature carries with it a lot of pressure, but the farmers that harvest the perfectly ripe, 100% Bourbon variety cherries have produced something worthy of such an impressive title. Grown at elevations from 1,500 to 1,800 meters above sea level and dried on patios under the Antigua sun, this full-bodied coffee delivers near-perfect, sweet-tart acidity that cuts through flavors of blood-orange, black cherry and Mayan cocoa. Enjoy! Available through 3/31 at a special discounted price of $8 per pound in 5lb bags.
SEASONAL & FEATURED COFFEES - available at the peak of quality and freshness, for a limited time!
Featured Farm Peru Chirinos - Organic/Fair Trade (available through June 1, $7.95 per pound - The Chirinos cooperative of Northern Peru was founded in 1968 with just 36 farmer-members. Since then, it has grown to roughly 280 members from several communities in the Cajamarca region. The coffees we’ve selected from Chirinos this year came from La Lima and Balcones, two groups farming at the highest elevations and producing the highest quality coffees. Harvested from mostly Typica-variety trees (with small amounts of Caturra, Pache, Catimor and Bourbon) at elevations upward of 1,600 meters, this certified organic coffee is a delicious example of successful efforts in cooperative farming. This is a layered, yet drinkable, coffee with delicate floral and berry aromas and sweet, balanced acidity. Enjoy!
Delta Mud (available through April 1, $7.95 per pound): As the name suggests, this blend of Guatemala and a very dark-roasted Brazil Fazenda São Domingos yields an extremely rich, deep cup of coffee.
Brazil Fazenda São Domingos - Flavio’s Reserve (available through May 1, $10.50 per pound): Flavio Batista Faria, one of the farm managers at Fazenda São Domingos, is responsible for reserving the top-quality, naturally-processed coffees from the farm and blending them into larger lots depending on the overall quality of the harvest. We are fortunate to have a relationship with the Fazenda that allows us to be able to taste all of these lots before they are blended, and select our favorites to offer as single lots. The coffees from the final stage of ripeness (over-ripe, raisiny pods) were pre-dried on raised Kenyan-style beds - an uncommon practice in Brazil - and transferred to storage to rest until they were ready for final drying, milling, sorting and export.
Flavio’s Reserve features a full, sweet, satisfying mouthfeel, subtle notes of cocoa, dried fruit, and pipe tobacco, and is a wonderful expression of the unique flavors that come from this region and this style of processing. Enjoy!
Featured Iced Coffee is Spring Iced Coffee: Spring is upon us! To honor the season, we’ve created the perfect companion with the return of Spring Iced Coffee, an Alterra wholesale exclusive. Made up of sweet, tart, yet balanced Guatemala Hunapú and full-bodied, juicy Colombia Paso Fino, this refreshing combination of coffees is a lovely way to celebrate warm days and lilacs in bloom. Enjoy!
Featured Decaf Coffee is Decaf Water Process Peru Chirinos - Organic/Fair Trade: Featuring flavors of pipe tobacco, dried cherry and cocoa… you won’t even notice the lack of caffeine! Drink (all day long) with confidence. Enjoy!
Seasonal coffees available at the peak of quality and freshness, for a limited time!
Sulawesi Toarco Jaya AA (available through Mar. 1, $10.95 per pound): This Toraja is harvested from Mount Sesean in North-central Sulawesi. Flavors of herbs, clove, and banana combine with mild, sweet acidity and lasting, syrupy mouthfeel finishing with a touch of roastiness.
Delta Mud (available through April 1, $7.95 per pound): As the name suggests, this blend of Guatemala and a very dark-roasted Brazil Fazenda São Domingos yields an extremely rich, deep cup of coffee.
Brazil Fazenda São Domingos - Flavio’s Reserve (available through May 1, $10.50 per pound): Flavio Batista Faria, one of the farm managers at Fazenda São Domingos, is responsible for reserving the top-quality, naturally-processed coffees from the farm and blending them into larger lots depending on the overall quality of the harvest. We are fortunate to have a relationship with the Fazenda that allows us to be able to taste all of these lots before they are blended, and select our favorites to offer as single lots. The coffees from the final stage of ripeness (over-ripe, raisiny pods) were pre-dried on raised Kenyan-style beds - an uncommon practice in Brazil - and transferred to storage to rest until they were ready for final drying, milling, sorting and export. Flavio’s Reserve features a full, sweet, satisfying mouthfeel, subtle notes of cocoa, dried fruit, and pipe tobacco, and is a wonderful expression of the unique flavors that come from this region and this style of processing. Enjoy!
This entry was posted on
February 01 2013 in the category.
Feb. 1 - 28: Costa Rica Campeón - To create our Alterra-exclusive Campeón, we dug deep into the Dota Valley of Costa Rica. These coffees exhibit pinpoint acidity, supportive body and a subtle fruitiness that is a result of harvesting only ripe coffee cherries. A true champion, this is a coffee that lives up to its name. Available 2/1 - 2/28 at a special discounted price of $7.45 per pound in 5lb bags.
Feb. 1 - 15: Love Supreme 2013 - Cupid must have emptied his quiver in our roastery this year because there has been some serious funny-business among several of our coffees lately, resulting in the return of this beloved blend. A platonic (we think) combination of El Salvador Miralvalle, Guatemala Hunapú and Brazil Fazenda Santo Antonio reveals flavors of rich, dark chocolate and blackberry jam on a big, comfortable bed of velvety body. XOXO! Available 2/1 - 2/15 at a special discounted price of $8.45 per pound in 5lb bags.
Feb. 15 - March 31: Del Sol - Sometimes we need a little help waking up, and that’s where Del Sol comes in. The combination of light and medium-roasted coffees creates a dynamic cup with the sweet, pronounced acidity to pry open our eyes, and just enough full, smooth body to prop us up. Available 2/15 - 3/31 at a special discounted price of $7.70 per pound in 5lb bags.
We are excited to announce that we are unveiling a new 1lb-package design and some big changes to our regular offerings list, with a shift to a more fresh, seasonal approach to our coffees. Read on for more info on these important changes, including details on coffees that will no longer be available as of December 1 and info on new coffees and blends.
Click here for a preview of our new packaging and coffee list!
NEW 1LB BAGS!
The custom-designed packaging is easier to open, more convenient to display, and has improved barrier protection for fresher coffee! We hope you love the new design as much as we do and look forward to expanding our new-and-improved packaging to all 1lb bags beginning December 3rd. Alterra’s new matte black tin tie bags will be rolled out to our wholesale customers with December’s coffee specials, Snow Day and Starry Night - OFT.
-
Custom design & construction
-
Traditional tin tie bag
-
Easy peel open (no scissors)
-
Flat-bottom base (sits perfectly)
-
8” shelf friendly height
-
Improved barrier protection
FEWER YEAR-ROUND OFFERINGS - A FRESH APPROACH
Along with the new packaging come some significant changes to our offerings list. Alterra is making a shift to fewer year-round offerings so that we can expand our featured and seasonal coffees. The goal is to offer a wide range of coffees from multiple origins, but at the same time promote some coffees seasonally so that our customers can enjoy them when they are at their absolute best.
Some coffees that were previously featured year-round will instead be available for several months at a time, beginning with our first seasonal specials Mexico Kulaktik - OFT and Sulawesi Toarco. Mexico Kulaktik is a great example of a coffee that at its peak is an excellent offering, but is difficult to source at a consistent quality. It will be available for the next few months as a seasonal feature, but will be removed from our year-round list.
-
Reduction in "year-round" offerings
-
Focus on seasonality & peak flavor
-
Expanded seasonal offerings
ELIMINATED COFFEES & BLEND NAME CHANGES
As we move forward, expect to see a smaller list of trusty, year-round favorites and an ever-expanding list of seasonal specials, which will include both single-origins and blends.
We'll be eliminating redundant flavor profiles and making way to refresh some of our signature coffees. If we’ve eliminated one of your year-round favorites, we will recommend other coffees or blends with similar flavor profiles and work with you to help you find a new favorite.
We’re also updating some of our blends with creative new names that are more distinctive. A great example of this is Breakfast Blend…soon that blend will be called Del Sol. Same outstanding coffee, but with a name that makes it stand out from the crowd!
DECEMBER 1 NAME CHANGES & ELIMINATIONS
We’ll be removing or renaming the following coffees as of December 1. Don't worry - most of the coffees being removed from the year-round list will make appearances seasonally! Recommendations for coffees with similar flavor profiles are included below, but please feel free to contact our Sales Support staff or your Sales Representative for more info or additional suggestions.
-
Breakfast Blend is now Del Sol
-
Alterra's Favorite - OFT is now Co-Optiva - OFT
-
French Roast - OFT is now Velo French Roast - OFT
-
Colombia El Castillo is now Colombia Paso Fino
-
Punch in the Face is now Maximilian
-
George’s Burly Blend will be offered seasonally. (replace year-round with Maximilian)
-
Peru Chirinos - OFT will be offered seasonally. (replace year-round with Nicaragua Don Zeledon - OFT)
-
Kenya AA Nyeri will be offered seasonally. (replace year-round with Ethiopia Yirgacheffe)
-
Mexico Kulaktik - OFT will be available for the next few months as a seasonal special but will be removed from our year-round offerings.
-
Campesino Blend - OFT will be removed. (replace with Co-optiva - OFT)
-
Decaf Breakfast Blend will be removed. (replace with Decaf Colombia Paso Fino)
-
Click here for a full list of coffee changes.
Click here for the list of year-round offerings as of December 2012.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or feedback. We're confident this new approach will make for better sales and - most importantly - better tasting coffee!
This entry was posted on
November 07 2012 in the
News category.
