Gimme Coffee Bolivia D’Montana
I was recently the lucky recipient, via a friend, of a pound of Gimme Coffee’s Bolivia d’Montana, a recent addition to their lineup. Coming into this coffee I knew next to nothing about the Bolivian coffee industry and the coffees that they produced. Now, having done some research while working my way through this pound of coffee, I know a bit more about the industry and their coffees, but still not a whole lot.
Bolivia, located in central-western South America, has a long history of coffee production, yet for much of this history the coffee was considered inferior to that of other countries’, and suitable only for blending purposes. During the last several years this picture has been slowly changing, and today the country’s coffee is gaining a place in specialty coffee industry.
Much of Bolivia’s coffee production is organized into regional cooperatives. This coffee comes from the CENAPROC Cooperative led by Pedro Patana, and located in the city of Caranavi in the La Paz region. The coffee is grown at altitudes between 4000-6000 feet, amazingly high compared to many of the world’s other specialty-coffee growing areas. In fact, the cooperative’s coffee farms are all surrounded by the Yungas Cloud Forest, a forested area typified by nearly constant low-level cloud cover that keeps the forest area cooler and more damp than lower-level forests.
The coffee is 100% Typica variety, a fact often cited as one of the strengths that could enable Bolivia to succeed in the specialty market, and the beans are all cleaned using the wet processing method. The cooperative’s coffee is certified both organic and fair trade, and Gimme indicates that they employ bird-friendly growing practices.
The coffee’s nose has scents of oak, red peppers, green herbs, freshly crushed mint, with a note of cinnamon spicing things up. The palate has flavors of walnuts along with glimmers of red fruits, and orange peel. The coffee has a very soft acidity and a creamy texture giving it a nicely rounded presence in the cup. The finish is comprised of slowly fading creamy milk chocolate.
All in all, a nice springtime cup of coffee. Nicely balanced and a very enjoyable cup of coffee to work your way through. The d’Montana was especially enjoyable this past weekend, when we were struck by summertime temperatures. We enjoyed a cup or two while sitting on the back porch in the early morning, appreciating the cool temperatures while they lasted.
This raises an interesting question: are there certain coffees that are more appropriate for warmer weather? Are there “summer coffees” and “winter coffees”?
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