Special Brew: Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee

Perhaps it was the cold wind blowing over our coffee cups at the marathon, but the warm beaches of Hawaii and their wonderful coffees are yet another feature of today’s Special Brew. 100% Pure Ka’u coffee is outside of the Kona belt on the same big Island of Hawaii. Though it does not bear the coveted title of Kona, great coffee it remains as is proven by the regions track record of earning Coffee of the Year awards from the SCAA. While touring a small farmers market in Hilo on the east side of the island, an amazing young lady touted her whole bean coffee for intrigued tourists. 100% Ka’u was the proud declaration on the label and having just come from Kona, it was time to give something else a try.

Hawaiian Hula Hands Coffee was the name on the serving glass and a dark roast was poured into my cup. Sipping it as I strolled through seemingly endless rows of shell art and makeshift massage stands, I was pleasantly surprised and impressed. After finishing my sample cup I returned to the stand to find the coffee gone and the little stand closing for the day. The folding chair was the only thing keeping her from heading home with rainy weather drifting in from the slopes of Mauna Loa. After assisting her, a bag of her precious beans and coffee talk were exchanged. They were an excellent edition to my travels in Hawaii and a happy reminder of warmer places.

I encourage you to try this coffee, which earned an 81.708 at the 2010 SCAA Cup of the Year competition, if in your travels you stumble upon it being offered at a little table at the farmers market in Hilo.

 

The Kone

For those of you who enjoy manual brewing, a new invention is causing waves within the coffee community. It’s called the Kone. Though it initially costs you a freshly minted $50 bill, your coffee and your environment will thank you. Toss the paper filters and embrace the Kone.

The Kone is a unique invention, meant to dangle comfortably from the rim of a Chemex brewer. Poked with tiny holes throughout, the filter differs immensely from its paper cousins by allowing the brewed coffee to cascade along the signs of the glass container rather than through the conical bottom. This, according to inventor Keith Gehrke, gives the coffee enthusiast more control over the brewing process and results in a unique brewing experience. Over a year in the making, the Kone

If you’re a Chemex fan, we recommend giving this method a whirl. Not only can you forgo cleansing paper filters and ensuring tight folds, but you get a nice sleek stainless steel appliance that keeps one more item from hitting the landfills in your area.

 

Special Brew: Coffee of Kona

Each Monday, we’ll be featuring a different coffee, be it a region or an estate, aimed at opening a wide world of tastes and flavors to your palate. The tastes and aromas of coffee change from region to region and even farm to farm much like wine or tobacco. With so many flavors to choose from, we know you will find something new to discover. Today’s coffee hails for The Big Island of Hawaii.

After arriving in the small and open air airport out on the outskirts of Kona, it is immediately evident that an entirely different world awaits. After traveling through the lava fields and desolate landscape that accompanies them, civilization begins to sprout. Coastal mansions, malls, and resorts all appear on the horizon, but the coffee lover will simply pass it by and drive towards the small town of Captain Cook. Soon the concrete jungle will give way to a lush green mountainside where cozy B&Bs replace the tourist laden resorts and shop owners proudly close up early claiming that one simply needs to recharge from time to time. Here is where serenity and coffee come together to slow down your life and satisfy your soul.

After making the harrowing journey to the Aloha Guest house (SUV required), our party was treated to a wonderful Kona Peaberry and stunning views of a coffee laden mountain slowly descending into the crystal clear waters of the Pacific. The hills overlooking the Pacific are covered with Arabica, basking in the tropical sun. Many of these plants are maintained by small farmers who harvest and sell their cherries to coffee mills or co-ops and, as one explained, it is not as labor intensive as one might think. By mid afternoon, the sunny paradise depicted in travel photos takes a dark turn as the rain pours down. Before long, the clouds give way and the moist volcanic soil is the only proof of the past shower. Mother nature provides the big island with all the resources it needs to grow coffee nearly unattended.

The coffee, like many of the wonders of the island, is treasured. Kona Coffee is a protected entity that farmers and government officials alike fight hard to maintain. Only coffee grown in the Kona valley may claim the title of Kona, even if grown on the same western strip of land. The final product must prominently display “100% Kona Coffee” on any label applied to a bag of coffee. Finally, the coffee must pass a grading test and fall into one of six grades; Prime, Select, Number 1, Fancy, Extra Fancy, or Peaberry. What about that Kona blend? It may contain 100% Kona Coffee, but due to a high price and rarity of the higher grades, only 10% of the beans may be from Kona. Though other islands in Hawaii are producing amazing coffee, only the big island carries the distinction of being Kona.

Despite its wonders and sought after tastes, Kona is hard to come by. A small growing area, infestation and drought, tight regulations, wholesale taxes, and high demand keep the bean pricey and increasingly rare. You can expect to pay a the equivalent of a dinner for two to enjoy one pound of Extra Fancy. Despite these factors, the Kona industry is basking in the glory of what could be a very prosperous season.

 

Gorgeous Macchiato Art

Macchiato is Italian for “marked” and is a popular espresso drink in cafes across the world. Why such a name? This drink is heavy on the espresso side and contains a trace amount of milk that “marks” the drink. Legend has it that the marking was a barista inspired creation meant to give waiters a visual aid to help them differentiate between a shot of espresso and espresso with milk. A dollop of foam is added as the marking or, in the case of these images, a simple design that reflects the growing trend of producing latte art.

Want to learn how to make one yourself? Ryan Morris at Flying Saucer in beautiful Santa Monica, CA has a great video for the barista in you.
 

[Via Shot Zombies]

 

Announcing Red Barn’s Mobile Coffee Break

Food trucks are all the rage these days and Red Barn has been hard at work fine tuning a new experience in coffee. Enter Minuteman Espresso, a mobile coffee business that has joined with Red Barn Coffee Roasters to bring you the “Coffee Break.” You can expect a full line of lattes, coffee, and baked goods that any Red Barn Cafe offers and unique menu options created just for the vehicle. Follow the progress of our mobile cafe on facebook via Minuteman Espresso (@mmespresso) and facebook! We will be launching special promotions for launch day and hope you’ll enjoy a Red Eye or Milky Way Latte with us this April.

Learn more by reading the digital press release.

 

Special Brew: Moka Harrar

Each Monday, we’ll be featuring a different coffee, be it a region or an estate, aimed at opening a wide world of tastes and flavors to your palate. The tastes and aromas of coffee change from region to region and even farm to farm much like wine or tobacco. With so many flavors to choose from, we know you will find something new to discover. Today’s coffee is Ethiopia Moka Harrar.

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and a land stepped in history and cultural diversity. East of Addis Ababa lies the Ethiopian province of Harrar. A trade hub for centuries, the city of Harrar Jugol is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural heritage and numerous mosques dating back to the 11th Century. Adding to its repertoire is its unusually delicious dry-processed coffee. In a world where dry-coffee is often shunned, these beans stand out.

A visitor to a coffee farm in Harrar will find many small farms dotted across the hills. Like many coffee producing countries, smaller farmers produce the cherry gathered by co-ops or larger institutions to be processed and sold around the world. Upon closer inspection, the Arabica plants may still be bearing their fruit, though it may appear quite dry. Dry-processing is the norm here and farmers may elect to let the cherry dry on the trees in the warm Ethiopian sun. The best cherries are picked and laid out in the sun, whole, unlike many other coffee producing regions which will extract the bean and prepare it for drying. It was not until the early 1970s that the first wet processing plants arrived and yet dry-processing remains the norm.

Due to this unique method, the Moka Harrar coffees exhibit a “wild” touch with floral aromas, mocha taste, and even a hint of fermentation that has led some to describe it was wine-like. It

 

The online team, introducing Andrew

As a part of our mission to bring you the best coffee around, we have been undergoing a number of changes to Red Barn’s digital presence. Included in our upgrades is this blog, which will feature coffee news, tips and recipes, and articles on roasting and enjoying coffee by the numerous members of our team. To start, we’re going to introduce Andrew, one of the faces you will see helping you on twitter, facebook, and yelp. He also has quite the blogging history and will be a frequent poster here.

Hi everyone! I’m Andrew, a relatively new employee at Red Barn. I am a coffee enthusiast, entrepreneur, and writer with a passion for good causes. After stumbling around the coffee scene in New England, my connection as a veteran led me to Red Barn Coffee Roasters where I met Mark, Lisa, and the rest of the team.

I graduated from the University of Central Florida with a degree in history (focusing on the fall of the Roman Republic of all things) and was commissioned as an officer in the US Army. I spent four years on active duty where I had my first sip of rather awful Army coffee. Not a great way to begin my introduction to the coffee world, but I was determined to learn more and enjoy the beverage I have come to love.

I hope to see some of you at the Natick Market or in one of our cafes and would be happy to talk all things coffee. Thanks for the opportunity to connect with you all and have a great day!

 

A fresh coat of paint

As you may have noticed, the Red Barn team has been working hard to develop a new user experience for everyone who enjoys our coffee. We are proud to announce our new Red Barn website. This website was a collaboration between Celect.org, the team behind our new direct trade coffee MadreMonte, and the entire Red Barn Staff. What are some of the features you can now enjoy?

1. Discount Codes – Since coffee, sugar, gas, and just about everything else is expensive these days, we have implemented a discount code system to keep a few extra dollars in your pocket.
2. Improved purchasing features – Pictures of our coffees and a refined interface get you the product you love fast
3. Integrated Shipping – UPS now calculates your shipping price exactly so there is no guess work. Tracking details and order confirmations keep you in the loop.
4. Customer Newsletters and Specials – If you desire, we can keep you up to date with blogs, offerings, and coffee tastings around the area
5. The new blog – We plan to offer you news articles, coffee notes, industry happenings, and details about the greater coffee community. Be sure to update your favorite reader program!