My Friend’s Coffee
Los Angeles, CA, USA
La Minita is a pioneer of the specialty movement. It boasts a Rain Forest Alliance certification, and churns out reliably exceptional crops. It's not uncommon to spot La Minita as a "Reserve" offering at certain coffee behemoths. They'll charge you an arm and a leg for 8 oz, and the roast will smack disquietingly of Kingsford briquettes. This roast is delicate, i.e., light, and it neatly frames the coffee's best features. Experimental processing is all the rage these days, but this coffee reminds the drinker that a good washed process is a thing of beauty. The interplay between acidity and sweetness is sublime. The whole thing is as balanced as a Jenga tower (not the right comp considering Jenga's tendency to topple, but you get the idea). The mouthfeel is equally wonderful: thick but not muddy, rich but not overbearing, a goldilocks viscosity that recalls the syrupy feel of melted chocolate. Milk chocolate draws the cup's throughline; it's present across temperatures and brew styles. Behind it, comes orange, a delicate dash of citrus that livens the chocolate, creating its telltale balance. There's dried cherry in the mix, at once sweet and tart. And on the finish, a comforting snap of graham cracker. When you put it all together, you get a brew that just about anyone could love, from LA hipsters to their French Roast parents.
Cherry
Graham Cracker
Milk Chocolate
Orange
Type
Single Origin
Origin
Costa Rica
Roast
Light
Species
Arabica
Varieties
Caturra
Process
Washed
Altitude
1300-1800m
Farm
Hacienda La Minita