COLUMBUS, Ohio, U.S. — Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea has launched Project Coffee, a new line of limited release coffees packaged in a distinctive white ceramic container. The initial Project Coffee offering includes 100-gram bags of Colombian Café 1959 Mokka and Ethiopian Heirloom coffees priced at $28.
“These are coffees that are considered rare, even to the most seasoned coffee lover,” said Founder and President Greg Ubert. “They’re the kind of coffees that coffee lovers might want to check off their bucket list.”
The Crimson Cup coffee buying team travels more than 45,000 miles annually to cup and source coffees around the world. Project Coffee offerings represent the rarest and finest of their discoveries.
“You might not ever see these coffees on the shelf again, whether it’s due to the rarity of the variety or the scarcity of production,” said Education and Sustainability Director Brandon Bir. “Much like vintage wines, these coffees are meant for connoisseurs.”
Rare Bourbon mutant Mokka trees with very small seeds yield Café 1959 Colombia Mokka. Produced by La Sedelia Estate & Café 1959 in the Armenia region of Colombia, the coffee grows at elevations of 7,050 feet. After an American roast, this cherry-dried coffee displays tasting notes of cherry pastry, champagne and rosé wine. To bring out optimal flavors, Crimson Cup recommends brewing this coffee with a Hario v60 using 25 grams of fine-ground coffee to 375 grams of filtered water at 200 degrees.
Heirloom variety coffee trees grown at an altitude of 5,000 to 6,200 feet in Ethiopia’s Limmu Kossa District produce Crimson Cup’s Ethiopian Heirloom coffee. Dry processed on raised beds and lightly roasted, the coffee has a syrupy body and tasting notes of bright fruit and sweet berries. Crimson Cup recommends using a Hario v60 brewing system with 25 grams of coffee to 400 grams of filtered water at 202 degrees to bring out optimal flavors in this organic coffee.
Crimson Cup sourced Colombian Café 1959 Mokka and Ethiopian Heirloom coffees through its Friend2Farmer direct trade program. Through Friend2Farmer, the roaster pays an above-market premium for the coffee to fund agricultural and community improvements.
“Personal relationships form the foundation of our Friend2Farmer program,” Ubert said. “By traveling to meet with coffee farmers, we discover exceptional coffees while obtaining a better understanding of growing conditions and community needs.”
