Mirror Ball House Espresso

All good things must come to an end… unless you’re talking about our Mirrorball House Espresso blend. We’re not sure how Chris does it, but the consistency of this blend is pretty amazing. Now spinning at 110 bpm with everything dialled down to 7, this disco track is about getting the party started. Expect a light, easy-drinking coffee, with an open and medium body that gives you time to enjoy the flavour. We noticed an immediate orange marmalade followed by a white grape acidity. Leading into raspberry & blackcurrant with a squash-like tartness, we thought it was akin to a light open red wine, think Beaujolais. With strong dark chocolate finishing up, we were pleasantly surprised by the tannins on the finish. This is one of those 8-minute disco tracks you find yourself putting on repeat because you simply haven’t had enough. Light, clear & easy-drinking - setting the vibe for the day.

It’s always a joy for us when we get the opportunity to buy coffee from under-represented groups within the coffee industry. So it’s a pleasure to say half of our coffee is from Cafeina, a collective in Tres Pontas, Brazil, made up of over 1,000 women farmers whose mission is coffee for gender equity. Brazil supplies around one-third of the world’s coffee supply, yet only 13% of coffee farms in Brazil are owned by women. So, in 2021, Cafeina was founded to create more visibility for women in the coffee industry and is still at the heart of creating positive change for women in coffee in Brazil, hence their mission, coffee for gender equity. Each member owns a small coffee farm and together, they make up 21% of the members of the second-largest coffee cooperative in Brazil, Cocatrel Cooperative. By consistently educating each other through bi-monthly meetings, they’re able to improve their coffee knowledge and increase their reach in the coffee-growing community whilst promoting their own involvement in the process. We love everything Cafeina is doing, and their coffee is a testament to their work and dedication to coffee.

The other half comes from one of our favourites… Uganda. You know we f******g love our Ugandan coffees. The serious juice, but the drinkable nature is what keeps bringing us back to coffee from this country and just like our Wanale, this coffee comes from The Coffee Yard:

At the foothills of Mount Elgon in Eastern Uganda lies The Coffee Yard, a large coffee drying centre established by Norman Mukuru. A coffee guru with decades of experience and expertise, Norman works with lead farmers from the surrounding communities of Mt. Elgon to produce high-quality washed & naturals with a diverse range of cup profiles. Grown at elevations between 1,400 and 2,300 metres above sea level, the source of the coffee comes from several areas of Mt. Elgon: Mbale, Kapchorwa, Sironko, and Bulambuli.

As this coffee is washed, the lead farmers are responsible for pulping, fermenting and drying the beans, leaving them in parchment form. The Coffee Yard then purchases the coffee at this stage, typically at moisture levels of 13-15%, where each lot is first evaluated through defect and sensory analysis. Only those that have passed this rigorous inspection and match the desired profiles are selected to undergo final drying, categorisation and cupping process to ensure consistency and quality before milling and final sorting.

Established in 2018, The Coffee Yard works closely with lead farmers in the region and surrounding areas. These lead farmers are highly trusted, business-minded individuals within their communities who shoulder the majority of responsibility for purchasing parchment locally, helping maintain quality control right at the source. Working with over 3,500 smallholder farmers, The Coffee Yard is a women-led, impact-driven company with sustainability at its heart. Norman and his team have trained this network of farmers to meet various internationally recognised standards, including Rainforest Alliance certification.