Our Casa Espresso Blend has won a silver medal at the Great British Food Awards 2023 and has been previously awarded a UK Great Taste Award and buckets of praise from coffee lovers everywhere.
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: Pocas De Caldas
El Salvador: Las Mercedes
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 made up of mixed varietals, 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).
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 fruity 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. As we say in Cumbria: “Champion”.
More info: Casa - Espresso Blend
Component 1 - BRAZIL: Pocas De Caldas
Country: Brazil
Producer: Leandro S. D. Santos
Region: Caparao, Espirito Santo
Elevation: 1100 MASL
Variety: Catucai
Process: Washed
Tasting notes: Chocolate, caramel and apple
We've sourced a washed Brazil for a clean and smooth, yet punchy brew. Working with Leandro, this Catucai varietal has a typically distinctive caramel flavour, paired with notes of apple and a chocolatey body. It was a challenge sourcing a bean that lives up to the deliciousness of our previous Brazil farmed by Elio Uliana, however after a careful process involving the cupping of a multitude of Brazilian offerings, we landed on the delicious Pocos De Caldas - named after the local city.
A relatively new and young producer, Leandro manages just a hectare of land in Muniz Freire. The unique microclimate of the region means his coffee ripens later than most, often not fully maturing until November. This delayed harvest initially prevented him from entering many quality competitions, but in 2022, he was invited to participate in a local competition and secured second place with his Catucaí 2SL variety.
Leandro processes all his coffee as fully washed, using a 12-hour wet fermentation to enhance fruit flavours and complexity while avoiding any pulpy or over-fermented notes.
Component 2 - EL SALVADOR - Las Mercedes
Farm: Finca Las Mercedes
Varietal(s): Bourbon, Pacamara, Pacas and Marsellesa
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1350 - 1700 MASL
Region: San Salvador, Volcan
Tasting Notes: Chocolate, red apple and caramel
We have been on the hunt for an El Salvador that can stand up to our beloved Santa Leticia. After many cuppings, sampling an abundance of offerings, we decided on the delicious El Salvador Las Mercedes. 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 Las Mercedes offering does not disappoint! This coffee brings chocolate notes with a caramelly 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!
