Fresh Roast: Puerto Rican Hacienda las Nubes
Last fall, I had so much green coffee at home, I thought I’d never make my way through it. But, a funny thing about consumables… they do get consumed! And, a few weeks ago, I excitedly realized that my green coffee bean supply was starting to dwindle. It was time for a new order, to restock on some of my favorites and to try a few new origins.One of my most exciting purchases was a bean from Puerto Rico via Burman Coffee Traders. Burman is still one of my favorite places to order beans in the state. The beans are great, there’s a good selection of Fair-Trade options, the packaging is minimal and the beans are shipped quickly. And, this order was no different.
The beans I purchased were Hacienda las Nubes, lot 90 which arrived to Burman on 12/06. These are no ordinary green beans and the price clearly reflects the quality… $15.99 per lb rather than the standard $5.00 per pound for most of their beans. The Burman site recommended roasting to the second crack to bring out the full flavor, which I did.
Hacienda las Nubes, meaning Farm of the Clouds, is grown in very small batches and triple sorted, by hand, to ensure only the best beans are sold. The flavor reflects this amazing care in growing… it is complex with strong spice notes of clove and cinnamon and the fruitiness of cherry. When I did a small cupping, I almost thought I was sniffing some smooth tropical rum. There’s so much going on with this coffee, it’s a shame to drowned it in milk. A macchiato is a much preferred choice… just a touch of milk to enhance rather than smother the crema.
