Some time ago I purchased some Panama Elida natural process coffee from Klatch in California. When I first tried it, I was amazed at the fruity blueberry flavors. Over time, I’ve pretty much switched to drinking exclusively natural process coffees. I’ve never again found the amazing blueberry notes that I had experienced in the Klatch, but have had many excellent coffees with fruity notes.
About a year ago, I purchased some ASD (Anaerobic Slow Dry) natural process coffee from Ethiopia. I’ve since found a number of other ASD coffees (from Third Wave, Dragonfly, Red Rooster and Big Shoulders) that have a remarkable range of flavors that I find make my morning coffee more enjoyable. Here’s a link to the Klatch page describing this process:
I tried this coffee (thanks, Doug) and can confirm, it didn’t have subtle blueberry notes, it tasted like actual blueberries. It blew my mind in a good way.
Do all coffees that use this process have blueberry notes? I’ve come across blueberry notes in coffee twice, which I loved. Don’t remember where they were from though.
This strong blueberry note is going to haunt you and you are going to chase it to the ends of the earth. The same plots from different years can be wildly different. Ethiopia Misty Valley is usually reliable, as is Ethiopia Refisa, but uh… well - even the same green beans from the same roaster can end up having wildly different blueberry strength from roast batch to roast batch. If you thought Burgundy was frustrating - welcome to coffee. At least it won’t bankrupt you.
I’ve gotten some wonderful natural and anaerobic coffees from Speckled Ax in Portland, Maine. I haven’t noticed blueberry specifically, but I have found some pretty unusual and really nice aromas. Their naturals might not be as fruity as you like, based on what you’re describing and what they go for in naturals. They do put out a lot of great single origin coffees, though. Most of my favorites tend to be from Ethiopia. At one point I was able to compare a natural and a honey from the same source. Really cool.
I’ve been chasing the dragon since my first encounter. I’ve probably purchased natural process Panama Elida on 10 occasions from 5 different roasters over 5 years. None have ever gotten close. I’ll be here again next Tuesday.
While my post discussed fruity notes, I find that the ASD process imparts a lot of very unique, savory flavors in coffee. Most of my favorites also come from Ethiopia too. That being said, I’m really enjoying this bag from Third Wave:
Have you tried any local roasters? It looks like Big Shoulders has an Ethiopian. They are in the Loop, so if it’s of any interest, I will grab you a bag when you need a reload.
I purchased a few bags from them this summer, including an Ethiopian Wush Wush and a Super Wush. There’s a Big Shoulders right down the street from me, but unfortunately they don’t offer their more expensive coffees for sale at their cafes. I had to order online but I was able to pick it up at the location down the street. Thanks for the kind offer.
I am a big fan of natural-process Ethiopian coffee so I had to check this out. It had been many years since I had had anything from Klatch. The Panama Elida Natural Catuai was the best coffee I’ve had so far this year. No overt fresh blueberry aromas which I have experienced occasionally, but tons of the dried-fruit slightly-oxidized natural process complexity that I love. Very intense and full bodied. They call this a ‘medium light’ roast that is a slightly darker roast than my benchmark natural coffee (Coava Kilenso espresso roast, currently sold-out). A very complete cup of coffee.
That said, a bag of Ethiopia Uraga Guju Natural from them that I opened this morning is downright weird with an overpowering, sickly-sweet fake-fruit aroma. If it was blueberry or blackberry I’d be all over it but I may not finish this.
Similar to Coava they are selling 310 gram bags which I find annoying vs 12oz, since my coffee maker somehow seems to like 3oz portions the best, and I weigh out 3oz portions without thinking then end up short on my last pot.
Doug, I had a very similar epiphany moment with natural process coffee many years ago. A local roaster had an Ethiopian Harrar and I was just astonished at the fresh blueberry notes, like blueberry and dark chocolate actually, which probably speaks to a touch too much roast. I’ve never again found such a vibrant blueberry, which makes me wonder if it was really that strong or just the impact of first trying something like that. I will often select a natural process coffee when I see one on offer, and particularly like them in the summer. I will have to look for some ASD beans, as I don’t think I’ve ever seen any locally.
Eh, tried it and gave up. Wasn’t worth the time for me. The results were very good, even very, very good, but seemed to lack that last little bit that a top roaster can get. Cost savings were great, if you don’t consider the cost of a Behmor used maybe 25 times, but the time investment is what killed it for me.
Elida Estate is a great grower. Some years the blueberry is more like dark cherry. The natural pretty much always has the chocolate notes. I’ve bought Elida natural from Verve and Dragonfly, ASD, and an Ethiopian Guji carbonic natural from Dragonfly.
I ordered the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Worka Anaerobic Natural Gr1 from Klatch, should be here later this week. I’d never heard of this process and am looking forward to trying it. Hopefully I can find some from local roasters. I’m enjoying this thread, thanks.
i think i spend roughly 17 min a week roasting (i use the gene cafe). if you’re dialed in on it then it requires less time.
i would never buy a behmore jake just because my wife and i don’t consume that much quantity to justify it, price aside.