Our Casa Espresso Blend has been awarded a UK Great Taste Award in September 2020.
This is what the judging panel said about our coffee: "There are some wonderfully pronounced toasted peanut flavours in here, evocative of Pad Thai. Smooth, well balanced and gentle milk chocolate flavours run into the finish. Clean and pleasant."
Brazil: Espirito Santo
El Salvador: Santa Leticia
We've worked hard to perfect our iconic blue label Casa. Given that speciality coffee is all about seasonal harvests, we can confidently reproduce our taste profile with Brazilian and Central American Arabica beans.
We use for the base the incredible Catuai Arabica coffee varietal from the Espirito Santo region. This Brazilian bean has an amazing caramel sweetness with milk chocolate and apple notes, yet the punch needed to cut through milky espresso-machine based drinks. So, its the ideal base for our Casa Espresso blend. It's also ideal as a stand alone single origin, for those of you who like extra body in the cup.
As its bezzy mate, we've chosen the typical chocolatey flavours of an El Salvador Arabica. It's a Bourbon varietal, a favourite of ours and a delight to roast. Honestly, we're spoiling y'all with this unbelievable house blend. (Don't take our word for it though … just look at what you're saying on the REVIEWS).
SCA Score - Brazil 86+ / El Salvador 91+
So what's our objective? We want...
- A coffee that's got boldness through an espresso machine as an unadulterated espresso, yet has the body and punch to compliment all milky drinks
- A blend of 100% single-origin Arabica beans that tastes amazing, without any hint of the astringency you'll find with Robusta coffee
- To remain committed to using farms whose produce is fully traceable. With this provenance, we can rely on an excellent crop from each harvest. And in this way, we can reproduce a consistent roast profile and keep you smiling
- A taste profile that has good balance, a full-mouthfeel, with nutty and chocolate notes and a refreshing berry finish
Brew Method: Made to measure for an espresso machine. If you have a home espresso machine, then our "blue label" is an essential companion. It's also absolutely cracking to use with a stove top - see our range of Bialetti - a great way to start the morning that keeps to a tight budget. And because we roast fresh at least once a week, you'll get the very best of this amazing 100% Arabica blend. As we say in Cumbria: “Champion”.
More info: Casa - Espresso Blend
Component 1 - BRAZIL: Espirito Santo
Country: Brazil
Producer: Jacinto Hoffman
Region: Larania de Terra, Afonso Cláudio, Espirito Santo
Elevation: 800-900 MASL
Variety: Red and Yellow Catuai
Process: Washed
Tasting notes: Chocolate, apple and caramel
We've sourced a fully washed Brazil for a clean and smooth, yet punchy brew. Working with Jacinto, this Catuai varietal has a typically distinctive milk chocolate flavour, paired with notes of apple, plum and caramel. It was a challenge sourcing a bean that lives up to the deliciousness of our previous Danilo Dones, however after a careful process involving the cupping of a multitude of Brazilian offerings, we are proud to present to you Jacinto Hoffman's Espirito Santo!
This Brazilian coffee is a perfect choice espresso-based drinking, being full-bodied and balanced. It's also fabulous for a stove top or pour-over, maintaining a complex versatility. It's a delight for us to roast as one of the very best single origin Brazils you'll find.
Component 2 - EL SALVADOR - Santa Leticia
Farm: Finca Santa Leticia
Varietal(s): 100% Red Bourbon
Processing: Washed
Altitude: 1300 MASL
Owner: Ricardo Valdivieso and family
Region: Apaneca, Ahuachapan
Country: El Salvador
Cup Profile: Chocolate, miso, spice
We have been on the hunt for an El Salvador that can stand up to our beloved El Borbollon. After many cuppings, sampling an abundance of offerings, we decided on the delicious El Salvador Santa Leticia. We've waited so long for this incredible coffee, so we've reserved enough stock for a year. It's a key component of our Casa Espresso Blend as well as an incredible stand alone single estate coffee.
Central American coffees are among our favourites when it comes to single origins and this El Salvador Santa Leticia offering does not disappoint! This red bourbon varietal brings chocolate notes with a warm spicey aftertaste, it makes a delightful pour-over. It has a bright "acidity" (liveliness in the cup), excellent balance and smooth mouthfeel.
Altogether, a coffee that deserves your attention - so stand up and salute it.. a stunner!
Ricardo Valdivieso, his wife Patricia and their daughters grow this delightful coffee on their farm Finca Santa Leticia in the Apaneca, Ahuachapan region near the border of Guatemala. This region is mountainous with areas of high altitude, which lends itself to high quality coffee production. Ricardo and his family have not just left a mark on El Salvador's coffee landscape but also on the countries' politics. The family have recently discovered 3 monoliths on the farm which they have incorporated into their logo.
Processing
The workers on the farm take great care to only select red cherries at the optimum ripeness. The cherries are then pulped and the cherry mucilage is removed. The washed bourbon coffee beans are dried on a 9 acre patio for 20 days and are regularly raked and turned. They then rest in a repository for 45 days before they are ready to ship.
The farm's dedication to their craft and production of high quality coffee beans has recently earnt them success in the El Salvador Cup of Excellence, a highly prestigious competition.
El Salvador's Coffee History
Coffee was initially brought to El Salvador from the Caribbean as a garden crop in the 18th century. Coffee did not start being exported until 1856 due to the production of the indigo plant, which was much easier to cultivate and was more profitable. Once the development of synthetic indigo began, the government soon began to encourage the growth of coffee, leading to its exponential growth. El Salvador now focusses on the growth of mostly premium coffee.
