COLUMBUS, Ohio U.S. – Columbus coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea has released a gift pack containing the three coffees that took top honors in Roast magazine’s 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year competition.
Each gift pack includes samples of award-winning Ethiopian Jimma Agaro, Wayfarer Blend and Ethiopian Natural Sidamo Ardi coffees.
“These Ethiopian and Guatemalan beans make a perfect gift for any coffee aficionado,” said Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert.
“Lightly roasted to bring out their distinct origin flavors, these coffees are best when savored using single-cup brewing methods such as the Hario v60 or Chemex.” He noted that two of the three coffees have also earned outstanding ratings from Kenneth Davids and the Coffee Review.
Gift packs containing four-ounce samples of each coffee can be purchased for $22 on the company’s website and at the Crimson Cup Coffee Houses at 4541 N. High Street in Clintonville and 2468 Northwest Boulevard in Upper Arlington.
Coffee buyers Dave Eldridge and Brandon Bir travel the globe to discover these and other sustainably sourced coffees. Each week, the coffees are roasted in small batches under the supervision of Roast Master Dave Rochus and shipped the following day.
Fully washed Ethiopian Jimma Agaro earned an outstanding 95/100 Coffee Review rating, including a blind assessment of, “Lyric, delicately rich, levitating. Juicy, floral-toned acidity; smooth, supple mouthfeel. Crisp cacao and nut, musky lily, cleanly lush fruit (strawberry guava, tangerine) in aroma and cup. Surprisingly deep, resonantly flavor-saturated finish.”
The complete October 2015 review is available on the Coffee Review website.
Produced by the Biftu Gudina Cooperative, Ethiopian Jimma Agaro includes heirloom and native varietals growing at elevations of 5,900 to 7,000 feet in the Jimma Zone of Ethiopia’s Oromia State.
“Established in 2012, the Coop and its 150 members use all the right tools to produce this fully washed coffee,” Bir said. “They use an eco-pulper, full-immersion soak and raised-bed drying to create a super complex, sweet and juicy cup.”
Wayfarer Blend earned an outstanding 92/100 Coffee Review rating, including a blind assessment of, “Rich, round, brisk. Hazelnut, roasted cacao nib, lemon grass, sweet honeysuckle in aroma and cup.
Gently and softly tart acidity; smooth, satiny mouthfeel. Hazelnut and cacao carry into a gently dry, resonant finish.” The complete September 2015 review is available on the Coffee Review website.
Wayfarer, which means traveler, is blended from a rotating selection of current-crop coffees. The blend currently has Heirloom and Bourbon varietals cultivated at elevations of 1,700 to 2,000 meters.
Lightly roasted, Wayfarer Blend melds the syrupy, rich and smooth notes of tree nuts and chocolate with bright accents of exotic fruits. In 2014, Wayfarer Blend was a semifinalist in the competition for America’s Best Espresso at Coffee Fest New York.
Ethiopian Natural Sidamo Ardi grows at elevations of 1,800 to 1,900 meters near the town of Kilenso Moconissa in the Sidamo province of southern Ethiopia. Heirloom-varietal beans are picked and sorted by hand and then dried on a raised bed in the sun before the dried coffee cherries and hulls are removed to reveal the coffee beans.
“Natural processing and light roasting yield a coffee with lemony acidity,” Eldridge said. “Notes of wild strawberry, plum and dark cherry are very pronounced in the cup, which is exceptionally smooth with a juicy, sweet lingering finish.”
