Companion Coffee 004.

This month our Companion Coffee duo celebrates natural processing, with two very different, but exceptionally processed offerings. Based in the harbour city of Rotterdam, our guest this month is Manhattan Coffee Roasters. Established by long standing coffee professionals, and multiple competition winning duo Esther Maasdam and Ben Morrow, their motivation is the belief that coffee should always be something special. This mantra keeps them moving forward in their approach to roasting and sourcing exceptional coffees, focusing on unique lots and close relationships with producers. 

Introducing Worka Wuri.

Our selection from Manhattan Coffee Roasters, Worka Wuri, is the result of experimentation and collaboration initiated by the BNT trading company. The BNT have established themselves as an innovator, and largest producer and exporter of coffee in Ethiopia. They approached Ben Wu, Taiwanese World Barista Champion 2016, and the Worka Wuri washing station to develop a new take on the anaerobic natural process resulting in this bright, complex and delicate coffee. 

The process is careful and executed with high attention to detail. Employees at the washing station visually inspect each cherry and only accept fully ripe cherry for the anaerobic fermentation. They are sealed in GrainPro bags and starved of new oxygen where the cherry will ferment for 18 to 24 hours. After fermentation, cherry is carefully removed and laid in thin layers on raised beds to dry in direct sunlight. Workers turn the cherry frequently to ensure even drying for two to three weeks before the processed is finished. 

The Companion.

We’ve paired Worka Wuri with a super funky natural Colombian coffee - La Cinta. Produced by farmer Nolberto Olaya, we were instantly impressed by the quality of work that went into the coffee’s natural processing which is notoriously difficult in Colombia due to unpredictable weather conditions. Nolberto has been growing organic coffees for many years now, and is committed to the biodiversity of his land. He stresses the importance of using onsite material and compostables to create blended organic matter that acts as fertiliser, quality booster and immunity shield for his coffee crop.    

Origin: Ethiopia
Process: Anaerobic Natural
Variety: Dega, Heirloom, Kadhumi, Wolisho
Tasting Notes: Blueberry | Lemon meringue | Complex florality