Equiano Coffee

All About African Coffee

Sat, 10 Apr 2021 19:54:00 GMT

South American coffee tends to get all the love from mainstream coffee establishments. And trust us, we love South American coffee , too. But experts and connoisseurs also know that African coffee beans make for excellent, rich roasts.

Equiano Coffee works hard to bring only the best to you. Whether you are in our Eugene, OR, tasting room or ordering online , we make sure you can enjoy a delicious cup of coffee.

Coffee’s Roots Are In Africa

Legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder named Kaldi first stumbled upon coffee beans about a millennium ago. According to the story, his goats at some mysterious berries and then wouldn’t sleep that night.

Kaldi shared this new fruit with a local monk who made a drink with the berries. He was able to stay awake and alert through the long nightly prayers, and soon news (and the drink) spread throughout the monastery.

Eventually, coffee made its way around the globe, and it currently holds the title of the third-most-consumed beverage in the world. Only water and tea are more popular, but let’s be honest. No one texts a friend to ask if they want to go grab a water and catch up. Coffee is a significant part of our society’s daily life.

African Coffee Is a Treasure

Africa produces about 12% of the world’s coffee supply, with much of it coming from East Africa. This incredible region has the perfect climate and soil conditions to produce luxurious, rich flavors.

The volcanic soil, combined with high altitudes and closeness to the equator, creates a unique growing environment. These conditions allow African coffee farmers to produce some of the most outstanding specialty beans anywhere.

And with such a long history of coffee cultivation, countries like Ethiopia and Kenya have highly-skilled farmers and workers. Coffee experts routinely choose African coffee as the best in the world.

Ethiopia

This country is the biggest producer in Africa and is responsible for 3% of the global coffee supply . The coffee plantations and forests power one of Ethiopia’s most significant industries, accounting for almost 30% of its exports . And from growers to exporters, coffee employs about 15 million people in the country.

The Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee is one of the most highly-rated beans worldwide. As with most Ethiopian coffee, Yirgacheffe is a wet-washed bean . It generally produces a bright acidity with floral notes, and sometimes, there is a hint of toasted coconut or chocolate in the flavor. Others may have citrus and fruity tastes. Yirgacheffe coffee is a popular choice for iced coffee drinks.

Kenya

To the south of Ethiopia is another big coffee producer, Kenya. Although it has a shorter history with this fruit, Kenya has developed an excellent coffee industry. It also utilizes a unique auction system for selling much of its coffee, bringing high prices for the best beans.

Kenyan coffees tend to be full-bodied and aromatic. Notes of blackberry, citrus, and black currant give a deep, rich flavor to these popular beans. Experts frequently compare Kenyan coffee to robust red wines.

African coffee relies on its own grading system, with “AA” being the biggest and most dense beans. Kenyan beans routinely gain AA ratings and are among the most delicious roasts available.

Tanzania

Moving south again, we come to Tanzania. This country’s coffee farms on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro produce its famous peaberry beans. Peaberry refers to a pod with just one seed instead of two. Tanzania peaberry coffee is very popular in the United States. The country’s beans also make appearances in many high-quality espresso blends .

Rwanda

Although Rwanda has only been producing coffee for a few decades, it has done so with excellence. The vast majority of coffee the country produces is specialty-grade. The high elevation creates dense beans, and excellent roasters know how to pull the perfect flavor from these without over-roasting.

Cameroon

East Africa isn’t the only coffee-producing region on the continent. Over on the western coast, Cameroon is also a player in this industry. Whereas the other African countries focus primarily on Arabica beans, Cameroon produces a high volume of Robusta plants. These beans are ideal in blends.

Cameroon also boasts its unique Boyo coffee from the northwestern region of the country. This smaller-scale production creates full-bodied coffee that is a treat to enjoy.

What’s Your Favorite?

No matter what coffee region you prefer, Equiano has you covered . From Asia to South America to Africa, we have something to please every palate. We work carefully to develop relationships with excellent farmers who produce the highest-quality beans possible.

Our team would love to see you in the tasting room, but if you can’t make it in, online ordering is a breeze. We ship throughout the nation, so you never have to go without your cup of Equiano.

5 Reasons Your Coffee Is Bitter and How To Fix It

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 04:47:00 GMT

Among non-coffee enthusiasts, a common complaint is that coffee is bitter. Sadly, this opinion generally happens because they’ve had coffee that wasn’t brewed correctly. Because the truth is, while coffee can have some bitter notes, your brewed cup shouldn’t be overwhelmingly bitter.

At Equiano Coffee , we love roasting and brewing perfect cups of coffee for you. Grab your next bag today, online or in the tasting room.

Your Coffee Is Bitter? Let’s Fix That For You

We may be biased, but we think coffee is the most fabulous beverage available. The tremendous variety of flavors that exist in the beans is fascinating.

Everything from notes of spices to chocolate to fruit can be waiting in an excellent bag of coffee beans. Typically, the varietal and growing region will have the biggest impact on the taste of your coffee.

With all of these delicious flavors and aromas, bitterness should not take center stage in your cup of coffee. Yet, “Why is my coffee bitter?” is an extremely common question. In fact, it’s probably the question that led you to this article.

Five big culprits are often responsible for bitter-tasting coffee. Here are the offenders and suggestions for fixing the problem.

1. Steeping Too Long

We get it. Life is busy and hectic, and you probably always feel like you’re racing the clock to get things done. So it’s easy to forget about the coffee sitting in your French press on the counter.

Steeping the coffee grounds longer than the optimal time will over-extract the flavors, bringing out the bitterness. To solve this problem, it’s important to know how long each brewing method requires.

The following guidelines should help address the problem if your coffee is bitter:

2. The Wrong Grind

If adjusting the time doesn’t work, or if your drip coffee is bitter, the size of your grounds may be the problem. Each coffee brewing method has an ideal size for grinding your beans , and if you over grind, you are likely to get bitter coffee.

A general rule of thumb is that the longer the water contacts the grounds, the more coarse of a grind you need. So, cold brew requires a very coarse grind, while you need a fine grind for espresso. For your drip coffee maker, aim for grinding to about the size of sea salt.

3. Your Water’s Too Hot

A common mistake for those who use a French press or pour-over system is to use boiling water. It’s an easy habit to fall into as you make your coffee. You hear the kettle whistling and start to pour.

Water boils at 212°F, but that is too hot for brewing an excellent cup of coffee. Ideally, you should use water that is 195 – 205°F because excessive heat quickly extracts the bitter flavors in your grounds.

It’s best to let the boiling water sit for 30-40 seconds so that the temperature drops a bit before pouring. Or, to be more precise, you can use a variable temperature electric kettle to avoid reaching a full boil.

4. Your Equipment Needs Attention

Making coffee is kind of a messy job. And all the parts of your brewing equipment need occasional cleaning to work well.

Old residue is one of the biggest contributors to bitter-tasting coffee. So be sure to keep your coffee maker nice and clean to enjoy the most delicious brew possible. White vinegar is one of your best friends for this job.

5. Bad Beans

Let’s be honest. You can’t make inferior coffee beans taste great. Poor-quality roasts almost always have a bitter flavor before you ever make a cup of coffee with them. When the beans are low-grade, companies have to over-roast to try to hide imperfections. This almost guarantees that you will have bitter coffee to drink.

Buying gourmet coffee beans is the first crucial step to making sure you have a delicious brew. High-quality beans will carry flavorful notes of vanilla, caramel, chocolate, or citrus for you to enjoy.

Once you have your favorite coffee beans , pay attention to your brewing ratio. Many people use too many grounds for their water, leading to bitter coffee. Aim for about 1 – 1.5 tablespoons of grounds for 6 oz. of water in your drip coffeemaker. Other brewing methods will need a little more, up to 2 tablespoons.

A Perfect Cup Every Time

Equiano offers only the highest-quality beans possible for our customers. You can shop with confidence and brew a delicious cup every time with our gourmet coffee choices .

Or, if you’re in town, stop into our Eugene, Oregon, tasting room . We love seeing new and old friends here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

A Guide to South American Coffee

Fri, 12 Feb 2021 23:36:00 GMT

The world really loves its South American coffee. As the leading coffee producing continent, South America is responsible for most of the coffee consumed globally. With the ideal growing climate and proximity to the massive United States market, Latin American coffee growers continue to dominate.

Equiano Coffee roasts high-quality beans from South America and around the world right here in Eugene, OR. Our commitment to the farmers and our customers allows us to create delicious roasts for you to enjoy. Shop online or join us in the tasting room if you’re in town.

The Perfect Growing Conditions

The hot and humid climate in Central and South America is ideal for growing coffee. And since many Latin American countries are also mountainous, Arabica beans grow well. This excellent coffee plant requires higher altitudes than its more adaptable Robusta counterpart, so the mountains are just right. Many countries, such as Brazil, have the topography to grow both.

An Eager Market

Ironically, even though South America exports more coffee than any other region, its residents don’t consume a great deal of coffee. With the exception of Brazil, coffee isn’t that popular in Latin America.

However, with the United States so close, South American coffee has a ready-made market that can’t get enough of the drink. Americans indulge in about 400 million cups of coffee daily , giving the US the title of the world’s top coffee consumer.

But Americans aren’t the only ones who can’t get enough Latin American coffee. Globally, coffee is the second-most-consumed beverage, just after water. And much of that comes from Brazil and other South American countries.

A Look at South American Coffee

Any coffee lover is sure to enjoy the smooth, mellow taste of Latin American coffee. Here are some of the highlights from the continent.

Brazil

Without a doubt, Brazil is the heavy-hitter when it comes to South American coffee production and exports. This nation grows about a third of the world’s coffee beans. Many espresso blends rely on Brazilian coffee for its smooth flavor and feel.

Coffee beans from Brazil tend to have low acidity, adding to their popularity. They generally have taste notes of chocolate, spices, and nuts, but varietals from the highest elevations have citrus notes, as well.

Colombia

Beans from Colombia are generally medium-bodied and smooth. Colombian coffee is a popular morning brew for many people. The sweet citrusy flavors and chocolatey aroma make for the perfect wake-up call.

Colombian coffees are prevalent in supermarkets, but avoid these options since it is likely they have been sitting for weeks or months. Buying directly from a local roaster is the best way to ensure you get high-quality, fresh beans.

Peru

Peru has begun to carve out a niche for itself in the specialty coffee market. In particular, Peruvian coffee has become an excellent option for consumers looking for organic and fair-trade beans.

The high altitude beans have a medium body and bright acidity. Sweet floral notes make for a delicious cup of coffee.

Venezuela

This country at the northern end of South America produces coffee mostly for its own consumption. But since they account for about 1% of the world’s coffee supply, you might be able to find some Venezuelan coffee from a roaster.

Before it became a major petroleum producer, Venezuela rivaled Colombia for coffee production. But the beans went to the back burner of Venezuela’s economy once oil was on the scene.

Most Venezuelan beans are of the Maracaibos variety, named after the port through which they travel. They tend to offer a sweet flavor with balanced acidity.

Guatemala

Yes, Guatemala is actually Central American, not South American. But the coffee from Guatemala deserves mention here. With rich notes of cocoa and citrus, Guatemalan coffee is a treat.

In particular, the Antigua region of Guatemala produces beans with a smooth velvety feel. The climate and volcanic soil create a high-quality coffee bean.

Taste for Yourself

If you’d like to try a variety of South American coffee options, Equiano Coffee has you covered. Whether you shop online or visit our tasting room, you will find plenty of delicious roasts from Central and South America.

By working with excellent, reputable farmers, we can offer you the highest quality specialty coffee in town. Stop in for a taste or order from the comfort of your home . Either way, you’ll be enjoying an incredible cup in no time.

How Do You Choose an Ethical Coffee Brand?

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 23:41:00 GMT

Social media gives today’s consumers tremendous information about their favorite products. And increasingly, buyers want to know that the brands they support are behaving fairly and ethically in the marketplace. Non-essential luxury items, in particular, come under scrutiny. Ethical coffee brands know this and work hard to demonstrate their fair practices.

At Equiano Coffee , we cultivate relationships with coffee growers around the world. We learn their growing methods and visit their farms to understand their operations. It’s an honor to be part of an ethical coffee chain in this way. We invite you to visit the tasting room to learn more or shop online for your favorite beans.

What Is Ethical Coffee?

As is the case with many things in the food and beverage industry, there isn’t a consensus on what makes a coffee brand “ethical.” It is not a legally-designated label, and it doesn’t have a set of consistent standards behind it.

Instead, the idea of ethical coffee is evolving as consumers learn more about the coffee growing and distribution process. But here are three things to consider if you’re looking to purchase from a coffee brand that you feel good supporting.

1. Ethical Treatment of Farmers

To find an ethical coffee company, you need to examine its relationship with the growers. Historically, luxury items tend to come from underdeveloped nations and go to market in developed countries.

This arrangement inherently creates a massive disparity between those who produce the goods and those who consume them. And typically, a so-called “middle man” reaps the benefit. They can buy coffee for very little money from an impoverished farmer and sell it for an enormous markup, keeping the profit.

Ethical coffee brands work directly with farmers wherever possible. They build relationships with the growers and pay a fair price for their product. These businesses take the time to learn about the growing operation and conditions on the coffee farm.

The industry term for buying from the grower is “direct trade,” and on the surface, it would seem that this label gives consumers valuable information. In reality, direct trade coffee brands have no legal or certified backing for that phrase. Any coffee company can claim to be a direct trade product, whether they support the farmer or not.

The hardworking growers and farmers are producing a highly-prized commodity and deserve to have appropriate compensation. Fortunately, social media helps coffee roasters and distributors to provide transparency in how they work with farmers. This fact helps consumers make more careful buying decisions.

Of course, it’s unlikely that a coffee roaster can get to know every single farmer they buy from in the industry. Being an ethical brand doesn’t have to demand that level of knowledge. But buyers and roasters should be trying to support fair wages and working conditions in their business dealings.

2. Ethical Treatment of the Land

Modern agricultural practices around the world have come under attack in recent years. Pesticide use, soil depletion, and modified seeds are a few of the significant issues consumers are questioning.

Although environmental labels are plentiful, they may or may not mean anything. For coffee growers, however, there are a few certifications and designations that may carry weight.

It requires that the coffee be organically grown and carries clear guidelines regarding canopy height and percentage of shade cover. Achieving this certification is a pass/fail option. A farm cannot receive the designation without fully meeting every requirement.

3. Ethical Giving

A final facet of an ethical coffee brand is how it uses its profit. Consumers are increasingly interested in how companies use their money, and establishing a give-back program is valuable.

Many companies choose to reinvest some of their profits in programs that support farmers and their workers. Or they give back to organizations in their own communities by supporting causes and individuals they care about.

Some coffee shops use their space to highlight local artists and musicians. Other companies support schools or nonprofits as part of their giving back efforts. Again, social media is a goldmine for consumers who want to know what a business is doing for good in the world, big or small.

It’s an Honor to Bring You Great Coffee

Equiano Coffee is proud of its role in the Eugene, OR, community. We work hard to find excellent coffee from trusted farmers so that we are part of an ethical coffee supply chain.

You can order your single varietal beans online, or we’d be thrilled to see you in our tasting room. We will brew you the perfect cup and share the love.

A Look at the Life of a Coffee Farmer

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 19:18:00 GMT

The world population consumes more than 400 billion cups of coffee each year. So it’s clear that coffee producers have to meet an enormous demand. How does a coffee farmer live and work? What does a typical day look like for the people who grow this amazing resource? Let’s take a look.

Equiano Coffee is proud to work with excellent coffee farmers around the globe. By cultivating relationships with them, we are able to bring high-end specialty coffee to you. Shop online or stop in at our Eugene, OR, tasting room to try one of our delicious roasts.

Year-Round Work for the Coffee Farmer

Coffee growers work tirelessly to make sure their crops remain healthy enough to go to market. Although the harvest season may be only a few months, there are tasks to do all year long. There isn’t much downtime for these producers.

Preparation and Planting

The coffee farmer must spend a great deal of time on soil preparation for the seedbeds. Soil conditions are a critical component to having healthy, marketable beans. Sometimes farmers must make amendments to the soil and substrate to make it suitable for planting.

When getting the seedbeds ready, farmers pay attention to temperature and moisture. They try to plant during the dry season so that there is less risk of the plants getting sick. Depending on the location, this planting window will vary. For example, in Guatemala, it is generally around March or April that the coffee farmer plants the seeds. Altitude, along with moisture and temperature, will dictate the proper planting season.

The workers place organic material over the seeds to protect them as they germinate. After about six weeks, they remove this material and make sure there is sufficient shade for the soon-to-emerge seedlings.

To the Nursery

Once the growers see a pair of leaves, the cotyledon leaves, they know it’s time to move the seedlings to the coffee nursery. They must be cautious and vigilant with the plants in the nursery.

Appropriate shade and water are crucial. And the workers must make sure to avoid contaminants in the nursery, as well. Non-organic farms may apply fertilizer during this time, but organic coffee farmers will use different methods to keep the plants healthy.

Time to Plant

After several months in the nursery, it is time for the farmers to plant their crops in the ground. Often, this ends up being during a rainy season. While the coffee plants were in the nursery, the workers were preparing the holes for planting. Again, they work within a specific window of time to make sure the holes are ready without being so early that they erode.

The coffee farmer must pay attention to how much shade is available from other trees. They also have to consider altitude and terrain when planting.

Workers select the healthiest plants for transplanting, carefully checking the root system and leaves. They make sure to water the soil before moving the plants to their new homes.

Management and Waiting

As the plants grow, the coffee farmer must test the soil periodically to determine if fertilizer is necessary. Some farms use chemical fertilizers, while organic operations use different methods.

During the growing period, about three or four years, farmers watch for signs of disease or infestation. They also prune the trees as necessary to encourage more production.

And, of course, the workers are dealing with earlier crops on the farm, too. The rotation of plants means there is always more work to do.

Harvest and Processing Time

Harvesting the coffee cherries is usually the busiest time for farmers because it often coincides with planting time. They have to get the fruit off the plants, either by hand or by machine.

After the harvest, workers dry and process the fruit as it ferments. Many farms around the globe use the wet-washed method for processing their beans, while others use the dry method. This step in coffee production is very time-sensitive, as the farmers work to get the optimal flavor to develop.

Don’t Forget the Business Side

A coffee farmer has plenty to think about to keep their plants healthy and robust. But they also have to spend time running the business. Marketing and distribution demand a significant amount of their time throughout the production cycle. They work hard to get their product to the global market.

The Equiano Partnership

At Equiano Coffee, it’s an honor to partner with excellent coffee growers around the world. From Africa to South America to SE Asia, high-quality farmers provide us with the gourmet coffee you deserve.

Order your beans today , or visit us in the tasting room . We’d love to pour you a cup!

What Is Wet-Washed Coffee?

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 22:48:00 GMT

When you select specialty coffee at your favorite roastery, you probably seek out beans from a favorite region or in a particular roast. But you also might see a note on the packaging indicating that it’s a wet-washed coffee. This piece of information refers to how the farmers process their beans, and many connoisseurs believe it makes a better cup of coffee.

At Equiano Coffee , we know that the first step in creating a fantastic brew is to work with excellent farmers. We build relationships with the growers so that we understand their methods and processes. This knowledge helps us deliver high-quality beans for your coffee-drinking pleasure.

Why Are Beans Processed?

In modern health circles, processed foods and drinks are the bad guys. The word “processed” denotes that something is less healthy than it should be. But when it comes to coffee, beans must be processed to become usable.

Coffee beans are actually from the fruit of the coffee plant. Typically, each fruit, which looks similar to a cherry, has two seeds inside. These seeds are what we think of as coffee beans. Sometimes, the cherry has one large seed, and this is called a peaberry.

As they are when first harvested from the fruit, the beans are not ready for consumption. The beans have a layer of mucilage and a thin skin surrounding them. The mucilage contains much of the bean’s aroma and flavor.

The process of separating the beans from the cherry without compromising quality is a crucial and challenging step. Growers generally use either a wet-washed or natural method to do this.

Natural vs. Wet-Washed Coffee Processing

The oldest method of processing coffee beans is the natural, or dry, option. To process beans this way, farmers leave the fruit intact to dry in the sun on raised beds or patios. After sufficient drying, workers separate the beans from the cherry.

Many farmers do not have consistent or adequate water access, so they use the natural process for their fruit. When successful, dry processing gives a fruit-forward flavor to the beans. However, it can also go poorly and create a bad-tasting bean.

On the other hand, wet-washed coffee involves separating the beans and mucilage from the pulp of the fruit first. Workers submerge the liberated beans in water to ferment for a few days. After fermentation, they wash the coffee beans to remove the remaining mucilage.

Water processing is the newer method of the two, but it has quickly become the preferred option. It is difficult and time-consuming and requires a lot of water. But the resulting taste and aroma make the work worth the effort.

How Does Processing Impact the Flavor?

When it comes to the flavor of coffee beans, there are many factors at play. Everything from the soil conditions to the growing altitude influences the taste of the beans. So it makes sense that the style of processing would also play a role.

Wet-washed coffee lovers often state that the resulting brew has a “clean” taste. Because the processing happens outside of the cherry skin, the bean’s intrinsic flavor is at the forefront.

Connoisseurs believe water processing allows the most authentic flavors of the coffee beans to come through. The terroir of the fruit is evident in the wet-washed coffee’s tasting notes. Water-processed beans also tend to offer more consistency in the final roast.

Natural processing frequently creates a sweeter and more robust cup of coffee. However, it also carries the risk of the beans getting moldy before they dry all the way through. Although this method is simpler, it is less consistent in its results.

Deciding whether one process is better than another simply comes down to preference. If you prefer a creamier and more robust flavor in your coffee, choose a dry-processed bean. But if you enjoy a bright and lively acidic taste, then wet-washed is the way to go.

Your budget can also come into play when choosing one process over the other. Generally, water-processed beans cost more than dry-processed.

Equiano Offers Plenty of Variety

No matter what type of coffee you enjoy, Equiano Coffee has something for you. Our single varietals come from farms around the world, providing a wide range of tasting notes. And the majority of our options are wet-washed coffee beans. Shop online or stop in and see us at our tasting room in Eugene, OR , for a perfect cup of coffee.

The 5 Best Holiday Gifts for Coffee Lovers

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 22:48:00 GMT

The stores are filled with all things holiday, reminding us that it’s time to start shopping. If you’re eager to find the best holiday gifts for everyone on your list, we’re here to help.

This holiday season, gift-giving may look different than it has in previous years. Between social distancing and widespread financial changes for families, many people are choosing to simplify their shopping.

For coffee lovers, the answer is simple. Equiano Coffee offers high-quality beans from its roastery in Eugene, OR. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or someone else, Equiano has you covered.

Best Holiday Gifts for the Coffee Lovers in Your Life

Few things go together better than coffee and the holidays. The proliferation of pumpkin spice lattes and peppermint mochas proves this point every year.

Wrapping your hands around a hot cup of coffee on a cold morning is one of life’s beautiful small pleasures. And the holiday season brings out the festive nature of coffee as some people enjoy adding adult libations into the mix.

No matter how you enjoy your coffee, the warmth and good cheer of a great cup make the season feel special. This is why coffee and all of its accouterments make excellent gifts.

Even if you have picky people on your holiday shopping list, there is a good chance they love coffee. We can say that with confidence since about 150 million Americans are daily coffee drinkers.

And perhaps the biggest reason coffee makes the best holiday gifts is that you can give impressively without breaking the bank. You can deliver high-quality cheer and joy within your budget.

Without further ado, here are our top five picks for the best holiday gifts for coffee fans.

1. Excellent Coffee

Where can you go wrong with this gift? A pound or two of specialty coffee is a luxurious option for anyone on your list. Look for roasters that offer small-batch coffee to get the best products. You can find coffee to suit every taste, including options for decaf drinkers . And to make a gift extra special, consider including a trip to a local tasting room to make the coffee experience complete.

2. Pour-Over Coffee Maker

If you have a coffee aficionado on your list, they may be ready to enjoy a pour-over coffee maker. These tools give the coffee maker total control as they pour the hot water over the grounds. Although they work similarly to drip coffee makers, pour-overs produce a better cup of coffee.

One of the most popular brands on the market is the Chemex . It has a loyal following of pour-over fans. And if someone on your list already has a Chemex, there are plenty of accessories you can purchase for them instead.

3. A Perfect Coffee Mug

An excellent coffee cup is a simple and cost-effective gift. From teachers to doctors to bus drivers to busy parents, everyone on your list will love a good mug.

And the choices are endless. You can opt for classy and practical stainless steel tumblers. Or browse your local stores for funny, quirky, or irreverent mugs that will bring a laugh. To take this gift up a notch, consider filling the cup with mints or gum to help ward off the dreaded coffee breath.

4. Great Coffee Swag

Coffee lovers do not hide how much they love coffee. Help them broadcast their message with t-shirts, hoodies, slippers, or neckties. With a quick online search, you can track down just the right look for all the coffee lovers on your shopping list this holiday season.

5. Must-Have Coffee Gadgets

Some of the best holiday gifts for anyone are fun gadgets. And coffee lovers are no exception. From collapsible metal straws to personalized coffee scoops to smart mugs , there are a lot of fun options to enjoy.

Enjoy Your Holiday Gift-Giving with Equiano

The best holiday gifts are the ones that are just right for the recipient. Size and cost are never the important factors because the adage is true: it’s the thought that counts.

If you’re ready to knock off some holiday shopping, head over to the Equiano Coffee online shop and stock up. You’ll find high-end roasts from around the globe. And if you decide to grab some for yourself while you’re there, you’ll get no judgment from us. Cheers!

What’s the Deal With Flavored Coffee?

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 23:55:00 GMT

As fall approaches, and even in the middle of a global pandemic, a nation’s thoughts turn to pumpkin spice lattes. This now-iconic autumn drink has lovers and haters, but it certainly seems that we can count on its arrival each year now. For many coffee purists, however, they bemoan any existence of flavored coffee.

If you enjoy flavored coffee options, it’s good to understand what they are and how they may impact the quality of your favorite hot beverage.

At Equiano Coffee , we work with the source to ensure we are getting the highest quality beans possible. We have partnerships with incredible farmers around the globe so that we can create delicious roasts for you.

What Gives Flavored Coffee Its Flavor?

There are a few ways that you can end up with a coffee that has other flavors added.

When you get a flavored coffee, such as the ever-present pumpkin spice latte, the coffee shop is probably using the first method. They add syrups or creamers to the espresso after brewing. Often, these flavorings contain added sugars and fats, as well.

If you find flavored beans in the store, however, you’re looking at the last option. Choices like “toasted marshmallow” coffee beans are unlikely to use natural flavors. Instead, manufacturers spray flavored synthetic oils over the beans and allow them to absorb the flavors.

Unfortunately, most of the time, these flavored coffee beans are of inferior quality, and adding artificial flavors certainly doesn’t make them better. The chemicals needed to infuse flavors into the coffee beans give many consumers pause.

And to add insult to injury, supermarket offerings of flavored coffee could be months old, or more. Ideally, you should use coffee beans within 3-14 days of roasting. So adding synthetic flavors is a way that mass-market roasters can try to use up old beans.

Is There a Better Way?

If you enjoy drinking flavored coffee, consider adding in your own spices and flavors at home. This option allows you to control the quality of the beans you choose as your starting point. Always use the highest quality possible.

You can grind spices and nuts to add directly into the coffee grounds before brewing. Just keep in mind that a little goes a long way. So it’s best to start with a small amount as you experiment with ratios.

Pay attention to the notes in your coffee beans so that you can choose spices or nuts that will blend well with the flavor and aroma. For example, a bean with chocolate tasting notes could pair nicely with ground hazelnuts.

Similarly, many coffee lovers enjoy making their own flavored syrups for use in lattes at home. They can control the intensity of the flavor and the quality of ingredients. Making syrups is relatively easy, and they can be fun gifts, too. The holidays are right around the corner!

No Matter What, Get the Best Beans

You cannot brew an excellent cup of coffee without excellent beans . So whether you want to add flavors or savor it black, start with the highest quality you can get.

Different roasts and methods of preparation will offer various tasting profiles. Once you choose your coffee beans, you can experiment with flavor pairings. Some of the things that people enjoy adding to their coffee include:

If you don’t want to flavor your coffee, you can consider flavorful food pairings instead. For example, fresh berries and stone fruits taste fabulous with coffees from Tanzania or Haiti. Costa Rican and South American coffees tend to be great partners with chocolate and pastries.

Back to the Pumpkin Spice Latte

So, now that you have some information on flavored coffee, let’s return to the pumpkin spice latte debate. If you vehemently oppose the PSL, you are not alone. From memes to John Oliver’s show, plenty of ridicule abounds for this fall beverage.

But if you love it, then here is a recipe you can try at home.

Enjoy Fall with Equiano Coffee

No matter how you like to drink your cup of java, Equiano Coffee has you covered. We offer gourmet beans from farms around the globe. We take our role as roaster seriously and work to build close relationships with coffee farmers in Africa, Asia, and South America.

If you’re near Eugene, OR, join us in the tasting room to try some different options. And if you aren’t nearby, you can shop online to have all this goodness delivered to your home or office.

Award-Winning Coffee Honors from Coffee Review

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 00:29:00 GMT

When you’re a coffee roaster, your biggest goal is to create something delicious for your customers. You want to honor the fruit and the farmer as you roast and craft a luxurious cup of joe. But when your product becomes an award-winning coffee? That’s an incredible honor.

Equiano Coffee is thrilled to announce that our popular Wush Wush Ginbo Keffa Ethiopia roast received a 95-point medallion award from Coffee Review . It’s such an honor to have this recognition.

This exciting news brought a rush of orders, and we sold out quickly. Wush Wush will be back in stock on August 27th, and orders will resume shipping. In the meantime, try out another variety or stop into our tasting room in Eugene, OR.

How Does Coffee Review Rank Different Beans?

For more than two decades, Coffee Review has been doing blind tastings of various coffee beans worldwide. When the cuppers taste and review the offerings, they know nothing about the farmers, importers, or roasters. They do not have information on race, gender, or any other identifying trait.

However, in the wake of this year’s extraordinary Black Lives Matter movement, Coffee Review offered a unique opportunity. Drawing on their desire to learn and do more, they created a tasting report specifically for coffee from Black-owned coffee companies .

This unprecedented tasting drew 44 offerings from 19 businesses, and the top 14 beans made it into the tasting report. And Equiano’s Wush Wush from Ethiopia was a top-scoring entry. It received an impressive 95 points out of a possible 100.

With professional tasters at each cupping that Coffee Review does, the rankings and tasting reports are reliable and carefully-crafted. And for this particular report, sensory expert Alicia Adams joined in as a co-cupper.

What Goes Into a Coffee Cupping?

Also called a cupping, a coffee tasting involves some specific steps. Many amateur enthusiasts enjoy hosting cuppings for fun and training.

But for high-quality tasting reports, roasters rely on Q Graders. These individuals are professional cuppers who earned a license from the Coffee Quality Institute . The qualifications stem from the Specialty Coffee Association protocols and serve to bring uniformity to the job.

Would you like to create a coffee cupping for yourself or fellow aficionados? Here are some tips from the pros:

Take time to make notes of each coffee as you smell and taste it. The more often you try this, the easier it gets to differentiate each coffee’s distinct notes and texture. Professional Q Graders may even be able to detect a bean’s country of origin.

Proud to Serve Award-Winning Coffee

Equiano Coffee was proud to submit the rare Wush Wush roast from Ethiopia for the Coffee Review tasting report. This bean undergoes a highly unusual anaerobic process. The beans are deprived of oxygen during fermentation, and this method gives rise to intense fruit notes. The cuppers praised its dessert-like quality and gave it near-perfect scores in every category.

Although we sold out of Wush Wush quickly once the review became public, it will be available again as of August 27th. We are thrilled to offer this decadent coffee to the world. Come see us in the tasting room or place an order through our shop. Cheers!

How Much Caffeine Is in My Coffee? A Guide to Different Roasts

Wed, 20 May 2020 00:05:00 GMT

As delicious and satisfying as coffee is, most people reach for that cup of coffee because they want a caffeine fix. And when it comes to caffeination, all coffees are not created equal. If you are trying to watch your intake, you might wonder, “How much caffeine is in my coffee?” And the answer might surprise you.

At Equiano Coffee , we take our brewing seriously. We roast each batch to bring out the best flavor and aroma from our gourmet beans. So no matter which coffee you purchase from us, you will be getting the highest quality possible. To keep yourself caffeinated, check out our shop today.

First, What Is Caffeine?

Caffeine is a stimulant that occurs naturally in some plants. Although its association is mostly with coffee, caffeine is also in tea and cacao plants. It travels through the gut into the bloodstream and then to the liver, where it breaks down further. But its main impact is on the brain.

Caffeine works on the nervous system to help suppress feelings of tiredness. Specifically, it interferes with the brain’s receptors for adenosine, a neurotransmitter.

Adenosine naturally accumulates in the body as the day goes on. When it connects to the receptors in the brain, it acts as a depressant and leads to feelings of sleepiness.

Caffeine gets in the way of this process. It connects to the same receptors but doesn’t activate them the way adenosine does. So, caffeine isn’t really giving you a burst of energy. It’s blocking the thing that makes you feel tired.

Regardless of how caffeine works, most of the world is happy with its benefits. Roughly 80% of people around the world have at least one caffeinated beverage each day. Since brewed tea first made its appearance about 2700 BC, it’s no wonder that caffeine is so prevalent. It’s had a long time to percolate, so to speak.

How Much Caffeine Is In My Coffee? It Depends

Many coffee drinkers are confident that the caffeine in dark roast beans is higher than in other roasts. We’re about to burst that bubble.

Spoiler alert! The level of roast has no significant impact on caffeine amounts.

There are a couple of ways to break down the caffeine content, but the first involves the coffee plant itself.

Robusta Plant

Robusta coffee plants are easier to grow, and their beans have twice the caffeine of Arabica beans. These facts might make you think that they must be the best type of coffee bean.

However, if they come from a farm with excellent growing conditions, Robusta beans can make for a delicious cup of coffee. And since they are less expensive to produce, Robusta beans help roasters create coffee at a lower price-point. This option means more people can enjoy gourmet coffee.

Arabica Plant

Of the two coffee plants, Arabica has a better reputation. These beans tend to have a smoother, more fully-developed flavor. However, they also have only half the caffeine of their counterpart.

Even with the lower caffeine levels, Arabica beans make up a significant portion of the world’s coffee market.

Preparation Method Matters

Knowing the type of coffee plant helps you answer the question, “How much caffeine is in my coffee?” But the other crucial piece of the puzzle is the brewing method .

Different types of preparation rely on varying grinds and temperatures. Both of these factors impact the caffeine extraction for your cup of coffee. In short, the finer the grind, the greater the extraction. Similarly, the hotter the water, the more caffeine it pulls.

Here is how different brewing methods stack up for your caffeinating needs. We list them from lowest to highest caffeine content for a typical serving size. Actual caffeine amounts will vary within each method based on time of brewing and water temperature.

French Press

The plunger or French Press style of coffee maker is extremely popular all around the world. Although it is an immersion method of brewing, it extracts the lowest caffeine levels. This is due primarily to the coarse grind a French press requires. About 80mg per serving.

Drip Coffee

The automatic coffee makers that many of us grew up seeing on our kitchen counters are adequate caffeine extractors. They rely on a medium-coarse grind, so that puts them in the average range right off the bat.

In addition, automatic brewers do not get the water as hot as needed for other methods. Even a slight reduction in water temperature leads to a reduced caffeine extraction.

Single-cup machines, such as Keurig, fall into this category, as well. So, yes, drip coffee will give you some caffeine. But it is certainly not the top dog. About 100mg per serving.

AeroPress and Pour-Over

The pour-over technique pulls out high levels of caffeine. The high temperature of the water combines with the slow pour to allow more of the stimulant into your cup of java. About 145mg per serving.

What About Espresso and Cold Brew?

Although plenty of coffee drinkers swear that espresso is much higher in caffeine, the facts say otherwise. When you look at typical serving sizes, espresso is the loser in this contest.

A standard one-ounce shot of espresso has about 45mg of caffeine. A traditional eight-ounce cup of drip coffee, however, has around 100mg.

Now, if you chose to drink several shots of espresso, you’d surpass that cup of drip-brewed joe. But under normal circumstances, espresso offers you less caffeine. However, aficionados know that there is much more to a fabulous cup of espresso than just the caffeine content.

Cold brew presents a bit of a puzzle. Because it does not use hot water, it immediately falls behind in caffeine extraction. However, it also has time on its hand. It typically has 24-48 hours to work its magic before consumption.

In its concentrated form, cold brew ranks a little higher than drip coffee. But, a cold brew serving is rarely concentrated. Generally, people add milk or water to dilute it, making the drink lower in caffeine.

Start With the Best Beans

No matter how you brew it, your coffee should begin with the best beans possible. At Equiano Coffee, we work hard to provide you with an excellent product. We take time to learn about the farmers we buy from, and we trust their growing methods.

We have total confidence in the coffee we offer at Equiano, and it’s an honor to be your roaster. Reach out today to shop for your next bag of coffee .

4 Tips to Make the Perfect Cup of Home-Brewed Coffee

Fri, 17 Apr 2020 21:43:00 GMT

Since most of us now have a lot of time at home for the foreseeable future, more people than ever are making their own cup of coffee at home. There is a seemingly endless variety of grinders, coffee makers, and filters on the market. So you might wonder how to brew coffee at home so that it tastes just the way you like it.

Although the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room is temporarily closed to adhere to social distancing guidelines, we are still here for your coffee needs. We are happily roasting and shipping beans and ground coffee to our customers, contact us on our Facebook page or through our website and let us know how we can serve you.

The Perfect Way to Brew Coffee at Home

Until recent years, most Americans relied on something like a Mr. Coffee to make their Coffee at home. But now, it is common for homes to have espresso machines, pour-over brewers, and French press options, too.

With so many choices on hand, you may not know where to start. So let’s take a look at four tips to make the perfect cup of home-brewed coffee.

1. It begins with the beans.

You will never enjoy a great cup of coffee at home if you start with inferior beans. So the first step in prepping your delicious beverage is making sure you have gourmet beans . Single-varietal beans from a small-batch roaster like Equiano can be a great starting point.

2. Check your equipment.

If you want to brew a top-notch cup of coffee at home, then you need to make sure your equipment is clean. Your grinders, filters, and carafes can hold onto old grounds or oils that will make your coffee taste rancid after a while. After each use, clean all of your coffee-making equipment so that it is ready for the next round.

3. Get the proper grind.

Most coffee lovers over-grind when they brew coffee at home. To get a consistent and correct grind each time, invest in a burr grinder. This style of grinder works the best to grind the beans uniformly.

Different brewing methods require various-sized grounds. In general, processes with long contact times between the water and grounds require a coarse grind. So it follows that methods with short contact times demand a fine grind.

A simplified breakdown looks like this:

When you order ground coffee from Equiano Coffee, let us know what brewing method you use. We will grind your beans to the correct specifications for your perfect cup.

4. Get the water right.

Water is an integral part of your coffee brewing success. Most purists choose to use filtered water when making their coffee. But if you have tap water that tastes and smells good, you can use that.

There are many supposedly perfect grounds-to-water ratios circulating among coffee enthusiasts. But really this part will come down to your preferences and tastes. We recommend starting with two tablespoons of coffee grounds for six ounces of water and then adjust as needed.

The last piece of the water puzzle is temperature. Again, there are different camps of thought in this area. The Specialty Coffee Association suggests a water temperature of 195-207 degrees Fahrenheit, but some prefer to go hotter or colder.

Plenty to Enjoy at Home

Even during this challenging COVID-19 crisis, you can enjoy excellent Equiano Coffee and other local products at home. With creative plans and solutions, many businesses are banding together to get their products to you. Elegant Elephant Baking Co . has put together a “Rooted in Community” option, and Equiano is proud to be part of this movement.

And if you are out getting essentials at one of the local markets in the Eugene area, you can pick up your quarantine supply of Equiano. Red Barn Natural Grocery , Kiva Grocery , and Market of Choice on Franklin all carry the Equiano brand. And we’ve collaborated with local CSA, Moondog’s Farm , so you can get your coffee fix from them, as well.

We Are Here for Our Community

Amid such trying times, Equiano is so proud to be part of this community. It’s an honor to bring joy through coffee to our friends, near and far. Reach out today to try a bag for yourself.

Single Origin vs. Varietal Coffee: Myth vs. Truth

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 03:42:00 GMT

Consumers around the globe are examining and questioning where their food comes from and how it is grown. So it makes sense that the same scrutiny would extend to our beverages. And since Americans love their coffee, it’s no wonder they have questions about the types of coffee beans that make up their beloved lattes.

Lately, a new buzz word has begun to percolate among industry experts and coffee enthusiasts. Single origin appears to be the latest darling in all things coffee-related. But what is single-origin coffee, and does it matter? Is single origin the same as a varietal? Does it mean the beans are fair-trade or organic? Without the right knowledge, consumers can end up overpaying for something that is simply a marketing ploy.

At Equiano Coffee , we take these phrases and vocabulary seriously. We have spent years learning the industry and cultivating relationships with the farmers. We love the opportunity to share what we know. Stop in and see up at our tasting room in Eugene, OR, to enjoy a cup of coffee with us.

What Is Single Origin Coffee?

This description has come to carry a lot of meanings. Some of them are accurate, and some are very much not. But it isn’t actually complicated. In the broadest sense, single origin coffees refer to any coffee that comes from one region of the world.

For example, if you purchase a bag of beans labeled “Colombian,” then those beans all came from the country of Colombia in South America. They are single origin. So a blend of beans from multiple farms in one country can have the label “single origin.”

Some roasters or marketers refine the term more by referring to one area of a country. Or they can go further by limiting a coffee to a single farm or estate. But this isn’t always the case, so you cannot assume that’s what a roaster means when they package beans under this term.

Myths vs. Truths About Single Origin Options

There is a great deal of inaccurate information about coffee roasting terminology, and single origin is no different. Here are some myths and realities about the phrase.

Myth #1: Single Origin Means You Get Excellent Coffee

Does single origin indicate that the coffee is better quality than a blend with beans from all over? No. At least, you can’t rely on that meaning. In fact, this is one of the great myths circulating in the coffee drinking population. As the new “it child,” single origin has become synonymous with “high quality.”

The truth is, however, that it may or may not be excellent coffee. A roaster could have inferior quality beans from a giant corporate farm and do a terrible job of roasting. But if all the beans come from one country, the roaster can say that their product is, indeed, single origin.

On the flip side, a roaster could offer a varietal or blend from one farm that has fair trade practices and uses sustainable farming. They could expertly roast the beans to pull an incredible flavor and aroma from the fruit. You would have an amazing, high-quality cup of coffee that is also single origin.

Myth #2: Single Origin Cannot Be a Blend

This idea is also false. A single origin coffee product could be genuinely singular in its beginnings. It could use only one type of bean from one plot on a specific farm. Or, it could be a blend of different types of coffee beans from one region. Either way, the growing conditions, the farmer’s expertise, and the roaster’s skill are the critical pieces in determining how good or bad your brewed cup tastes.

Myth #3: Single Origin Is the Same Thing As a Varietal

Ok. This myth is a big one to clear up among coffee lovers. Often when people talk about single origin coffees, what they really mean is the varietal. These two terms are very different but have become intermingled in the jargon.

“Single origin” only refers to a location. One country. One region. One farm. Even one micro-lot on a farm or co-op. Any of those circumstances count as being single origin.

“Varietal,” on the other hand, is a botanical term. The varietal of a coffee indicates the type of plant it is. Coffee plants grow in the so-called “Bean Belt” that extends out a bit on either side of the equator. Different plants flourish in different geographical regions, and each type of coffee bean has its own properties and flavor profiles.

If you combine these concepts, you can enjoy a single origin varietal from one farm. This experience is what the team at Equiano Coffee is proud to offer. For those who want to have an excellent coffee experience, learning about varietals is more important than worrying about single-origin.

Get to Know the Different Types of Coffee Beans

So, where do you start if you want to learn about the various coffee beans that are available? Right here is the perfect place!

For starters, the most widely-used types of coffee fall into two categories: arabica and robusta . Let’s take a look at these first.

Arabica

This type makes up the majority of coffee beans consumed around the globe. Some estimates place it as high as 75% of the world’s coffee production.

Arabica plants grow to be between eight and fifteen feet tall. They have oval leaves that are dark green and produce rounded coffee cherries that usually have two flat seeds inside. These are the coffee beans. If only one seed is present, growers call that a peaberry.

Arabica bushes grow at higher altitudes than do their robusta cousins. The hilly growing area makes it nearly impossible to harvest with machines. Harvesting by hand makes these beans more expensive for roasters to purchase. These beans are the more highly-prized type of coffee due to their smoother flavor and lower acidity.

Robusta

These beans come from large plants that can grow up to 33 feet tall. They produce coffee beans that have a round shape compared to the almond shape of arabica beans. They can thrive in lower altitudes and with less water.

Since they are easier to grow and harvest, they have a lower price point for the roasters who buy them. Robusta beans have less concentrated amounts of sugar than arabica beans and almost twice the caffeine.

They tend to get a bad reputation as being inferior, and they frequently pop up in supermarket blends. But when expert roasters use high-quality varietals , these beans make an excellent cup of coffee or a shot of espresso.

Varietal Coffee

We are not going to attempt to list and describe every coffee varietal here. There are simply too many. But we can highlight some of the most flavorful options on the market so that you have accurate information when you are looking to try a new type of coffee.

Bourban - This interestingly-named variety stems from a stolen tree that the Dutch purloined from Yemen. Seeds from this coffee plant ended up on the island of Bourbon off the coast of Africa, and its descendants are with us today. Bourbon varietals have a complex and sweet flavor profile.
Catuai – The name of this Central and South-American varietal comes from a phrase that means “very good.” So you can trust that this is going to produce a tasty cup of coffee at the hands of an expert roaster. You can find both red and yellow varieties of this coffee. The Equiano Yellow Catuai from Brazil is our featured coffee of the month for March. Stop in to try a cup!
Gesha – Experts think that the gesha plant originated in Ethiopia and then made its way to Latin America. Sometimes called “geisha,” this coffee bean comes from Panama today. It is an award-winning, highly-prized varietal with a record-setting price of $1209 per pound from one producer. Gesha is a picky plant that requires precise microclimates to thrive. The result is a floral tone to the coffee, with flavors of mango and bergamot.
Caturra – This Brazilian offshoot of the Bourbon varietal is smaller and higher-producing than its parent plant. Farmers love this coffee bean since it can produce a lot of fruit in a small space. The coffee has bright acidity and notes of chocolate and dried fruit.

What Sets Equiano Apart?

Equiano Coffe’s roastmaster, Okon Udosenata, is passionate about providing excellent coffee that has goodness at its source. He works to develop relationships with farmers throughout the Bean Belt so that he knows just where his beans originate. He visits the farms whenever possible to understand the growing conditions and harvesting processes.

The Equiano tasting room in Eugene, OR, is a neighborhood spot where you can linger over a freshly brewed cup of gourmet coffee. In addition to the delicious brews available, the tasting room highlights local artists, as well. The Udosenata’s know how important community is and makes sure Equiano walks the walk. We invite you to stop in any time to join your neighbors and your friendly local roaster for a cup of joe.

How to Find Quality Gourmet Coffee Beans

Wed, 05 Feb 2020 00:40:00 GMT

If you take a quick look around your neighborhood or your city’s downtown area, you will surely see how pervasive the coffee culture is in the United States. It’s unlikely that you can go more than one city block without finding a coffee shop or two. The coffee industry in America is worth an astounding amount of money. As of 2018, it had a value of nearly $90 million . And a significant amount of that comes from the sale of gourmet coffee beans and specialty coffee.

Whether consumers are at home or away from home, they love their coffee. And here in the Pacific Northwest, the coffee love-fest is even more pronounced. One large chain, in particular, has almost 800n stores in this region. Americans dig these beans and all the concoctions they can create.

Equiano Coffee is proud to be part of this caffeinated world with our excellent, high-quality specialty coffee offerings. We travel the globe to curate the most fabulous beans available so that we can roast delicious coffee for your enjoyment.

Gourmet? Specialty? What Does It All Mean?

We love our coffee beverages here in the United States. But most consumers haven’t had an opportunity to learn much about the process and supply chain that is involved. And it’s really fascinating!

Since the beans don’t grow here in the US, most people don’t know a lot about how the delicious brew makes its way to their coffee cups. As you wonder where to buy gourmet coffee beans or are looking for a new favorite coffee shop, it can be worth learning a bit about the coffee world.

The Gorgeous Coffee Plant

Coffee grows only in tropical parts of the world, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Coffee aficionados lovingly refer to this section as the Bean Belt.

The plant is an evergreen shrub with white flowers. Without fruit, it looks very much like the many citrus plants in the tropics. The flowers eventually make room for the beans, or coffee cherries. The cherry usually contains two flat seeds, and these are the coffee beans. Harvesters pick the coffee cherries at perfect ripeness for processing.

The two primary types of coffee plants are Robusta and Arabica. The Arabica beans are the most highly-valued and have a smoother taste. They make up the vast majority of the global coffee supply. Robusta beans have more caffeine and are easier to grow, but most coffee experts say they are the inferior choice of the two plants.

What Is Specialty Coffee?

Local and national coffee shops may use the term “specialty coffee” haphazardly. But in actuality, the phrase has a specific meaning. Coffee beans go through a grading process, called cupping, to receive a score out of 100. Arabica beans that receive a score of at least 80 officially fall into the specialty category, by Specialty Coffee Association guidelines.

The designation carries through the entire chain of command, so to speak. Experts look at all of the following as they consider whether the final result earns the label of specialty coffee:

So although many shops may claim they serve specialty coffee, it isn’t always an accurate statement.

Gourmet Coffee Beans

As particular as specialty coffee is, gourmet is the exact opposite. It has no official criteria at all. In most instances, the term “gourmet coffee” is just marketing. But there are definitely things you can look for as a coffee consumer when you’re deciding where to buy gourmet coffee beans or specialty coffee.

Single Origin vs. Blend

Higher-quality coffees usually originate from one farm and utilize Arabica beans. Blends, on the other hand, use a variety of beans from many sources. And they may often include the lesser-quality Robusta beans.

Date of Roasting

When choosing gourmet coffee beans, be sure the date of roasting is on the package. Coffee without this indication is likely to be old and stale.

Preparation

A self-proclaimed gourmet coffee shop should have experienced baristas with an appreciation of the bean and the brewing process. They will pay attention to the coarseness of the grind, the temperature of the water, and the timing as they brew your coffee.

So, How Do You Find Quality Gourmet Coffee Beans?

If you are ready to take your coffee expertise to the next level, seek out gourmet or specialty coffee options to enjoy. Get to know some local coffee roasters in your area or search online for reputable roasters who use ethical, high-quality processes.

A knowledgeable roaster will be able to explain where the beans came from and how recently the roasting occurred. When possible, look for single-origin choices from one farm or estate. If you enjoy blends, look for those that are sustainably farmed and expertly-roasted.

Finca Villa at Equiano Coffee

If you are ready for an incredible gourmet coffee experience, check out the featured bean at Equiano Coffee . The Finca Villa hails from Colombia and features Caturra and Castillo varietals. Consumers enjoy the taste notes of Concord grapes, amaretto, and chocolate. These varietals enjoy life together throughout their growing, harvesting, and processing, and they offer a stellar coffee experience.

At Equiano , we take our role in the coffee chain very seriously. We work hard to cultivate relationships with the farmers so that we can learn about how they care for their soil, their plants, and their beans. We seek to build sustainable practices that keep peace with the earth and allow the coffee plants to flourish. When we are choosing estates to buy from, we travel to the farm to see their processes firsthand. At Equiano, we explore the world to bring you excellent coffee.

As we move into the heart of winter, waiting for spring, the delicious Finca Villa will warm your heart and soul. Drop into our Eugene, OR, tasting room to try it out for yourself.

From the Heart of Colombia: Equiano’s “Finca Villa” Colombian Coffee

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 01:08:00 GMT

Corazón de Colombia

Fall is officially here in the great Pacific Northwest, and that means it’s time to start trading in our favorite iced cold brew for a hot cup of coffee to warm our mornings. Equiano Coffee brings us another outstanding single-origin Colombian coffee to delight our taste buds.

“Finca Villa,” named after the farm on which it grows, is part of the Asotbilbao cooperative located in Planadas Tolima. The Department of Tolima, located in the center-West of Colombia, is the heart of coffee production in this country famous for its high-quality coffees.

Farm To Roaster

Okon Udosenata, Roastmaster at Equiano Coffee in Eugene, Oregon, personally hand-selected the Finca Villa from among a long list of excellent coffee offerings from small farms in Colombia. The Finca Villa is made up of two distinct coffee varietals, the Castillo varietal , and the Caturra varietal . Each varietal delicious in its own right, the combination of the two grown, harvested and processed together marry to create a well-balanced and exceptionally flavorful coffee.

Fans of Equiano’s coffees may remember last year’s harvest of the Finca Villa that was offered by the roaster a year ago. Nature loves variety and variation, and this year’s crop is especially intense and flavor-packed.

The baristas at Equiano Coffee’s tasting room in Eugene’s hip Whiteaker commercial district have even had to carefully adjust the “dose,” or amount, of coffee grounds they use to brew shots of espresso to compensate for the Finca Villa’s intensity. Scaling back the dosage of coffee grounds by just three grams was all that was needed to bring out the perfect balance of flavor characteristics in this unique Colombian.

After listening to Udosenata’s description of the Finca Villa, I just had to taste it for myself and made my way down to the tasting room, where I waited with understandable anticipation for the little shop to open. I wasn’t disappointed.

I ordered a shot of the Finca Villa espresso from the barista behind the counter, who promptly served up the tiny cup accompanied by a small glass of carbonated water to help cleanse the palate for my impending taste experience.

True to the roastmaster’s claims, the shot of Finca Villa was indeed intensely flavorful, well-balanced, and even smooth as it managed to avoid the acidic characteristics that are so often prevalent in more intense espressos.

There aren’t many coffees that I can enjoy as a straight shot of espresso, but the Finca Villa was a smooth, delicious exception to my usual espresso experience. The coffee experience is subjective to a great degree, and for me, it’s even romantic. To my delight, sipping from my tiny demitasse cup suddenly reminded me of Christmas! Christmas?

Maybe it was a subtle hint of a “piney” aroma that I detected. Or perhaps it was an aroma of roasted nuts that I was picking up. Whatever characteristics came together to trigger thoughts and feelings of the “Christmas” season for me, the important thing to a coffee lover such as myself was the enjoyment of the experience; unique, delicious, and comforting.

Finca Villa

As Roastmaster of Equiano Coffee, Okon Udosenata has the tasty job of cupping and choosing the coffees that will be roasted and offered to fellow coffee lovers and fans of Equiano everywhere. “Cupping” is industry jargon for the scientific approach that specialty coffee buyers take when tasting and scoring coffee samples based on characteristics like coffee bean quality and various flavor standards.

Udosenata has visited Colombia and personally worked on coffee farms and co-ops in the country famous for coffee production. Working alongside the farmers and other industry professionals there was the first step in building valuable relationships with small independent coffee producers and gave him insights and understandings of Colombian coffees that many coffee roasters here in the States don’t have.

Equiano Coffee’s Roastmaster and co-owner Okon Udosenata working on a small coffee farm in Colombia.

Udosenata tends to favor coffees from the Tolima and the Huila regions of Colombia and has roasted and sold both of the single varietal beans that make up the intensely flavorful Finca Villa, the Caturra varietal and the Castillo varietal. And while he tends to offer single varietal coffees by themselves to highlight their uniquely individual flavor profiles, the combination of the two in the Finca Villa was so outstanding that he just had to share it!

Have you ever wondered what makes one coffee different in flavor and body from the next, or why coffees from differing countries or growing regions can vary so greatly in characteristics like bean size, aroma, and flavor? The short answer is that the differences are largely affected by environmental factors.

These environmental factors are usually both naturally occurring factors and man-made factors. Some of the naturally occurring elements that can make a coffee unique to where it’s grown include:

Some of the man-made factors that can help to make a particular coffee unique to its country of origin or growing region can include:

Farmer Jairo Lopez grows his 4,500 coffee trees on 16 hectares of land at an elevation of 1,800 Meters above sea level. The co-operative’s website describes the processing method used to harvest and prepare the green coffee for shipment to prospective roasters, “At this farm the pickers make a manual collection, selecting only the mature beans, afterward the coffee is left in cherries 36 hours for a dry fermentation for and after that they move the coffee to a drying beds for 28 days depending on the weather.”

More Coffee Please!

The bottom line for the Finca Villa, as with any coffee, is the overall flavor and experience of the coffee drinker. According to Okon, Equiano’s Roasmater, the Finca Villa touts “the mouthfeel of red wine and flavor notes of dried cherry and baker’s chocolate.

Some of the additional tasting notes given by the coffee growers include; “cherry, creamy body, delicate clean, floral, fruity, grapes, malic acidity, red fruits.”

The Finca Villa, Colombia pairs well with great music and warm ambiance.

So stop reading all about it and get down to the tasting room and taste this fantastic Colombian coffee for yourself! From the espresso machine, the Finca Villa is wonderful as a straight shot of espresso, as an Americano coffee or in a Cappuccino or chocolate latte. If a traditional cup of coffee is more to your taste, your friendly barista will be happy to brew a single cup of the Finca Villa by hand pour-over style.

And as always, you can buy this coffee in bulk in either pre-ground or whole-bean form. Now you can take it home or to the office to brew up at your leisure.

The Equiano Coffee tasting room is located at 300 Blair Blvd in Eugene’s Whiteaker commercial district. Hours of operation for the tasting room are listed on the company website at equianocoffee.com and their Facebook page here . Cheers!

Organic Estate Coffee: Equiano’s Carmo De Minas, Brazil

Thu, 30 May 2019 01:18:00 GMT

Equiano’s new organic estate coffee, Carmo De Minas, “Yellow Catuai” variety from Brazil is now available at the Tasting Room!

In this blog you’ll discover:

Fall In Love

If you’re like me, a fan of Equiano Coffee’s organic Brazilian coffees, then your mouth is probably watering too! But for those of you that haven’t been introduced to Roastmaster Okon Udosenata’s most beloved coffee offering yet, here’s your chance to learn a little bit about a coffee that’s worth writing home about.

Okay, so you’re probably more likely to take some of these coffee beans home with you or even send a bag to the folks back home than you are to write home about them. And for good reason.

Even though I’ve been a professional in the specialty coffee industry for decades, this uniquely delicious coffee is the first espresso coffee I’d ever fallen in love with. And yes, I even wrote about it!

Follow the link here to read my short blog about the previous crop of organic Brazilian coffee that Roastmaster Okon sourced from the Carmo De Minas region of Brazil.

An unusually enjoyable flavor experience is what this organic Brazil is all about. And locals all around the Eugene and Springfield metropolitan are are catching on. That’s why notable local eateries and wineries like Pastini Italian restaurant and King Estate have chosen this exceptional Brazil from Equiano as the coffee of choice to serve to their guests! It’s even a popular seller in the whole bean coffee section of two of Eugene’s Market of Choice locations.

This Brazil has a lot to offer us, coffee lovers, as becomes apparent by its versatility and the subtle flavor characteristics brought forth from different brewing methods. Whether brewed as espresso, house coffee, or cold brew, your sure to be delighted by the Black Tea , Dried Fruit , and Peanut Brittle found throughout this medium-light roast coffee.

Estate Coffee

have you ever wondered about a coffee? I mean, really wondered how it came to be and made its way to your cup? Well, every coffee has a story, usually steeped in a rich history, often involving family dynamics (drama), world travel, testing & grading for quality and careful handling along the international coffee chain from farmer and processor to roaster and barista.

The story of this Yellow Catuai varietal of coffee begins in one of the most highly regarded growing regions of the world’s largest coffee-producing country, the Carmo De Minas Municipality of Brazil.

The “Sitio Grato Sao Pedro” farm was left to Claudio Carneiro Pinto and his five siblings in 1960 as an inheritance from their father. As coffee prices dwindled over the decades there was much debate among Claudio and his brothers as to how to save their family business. With their reluctance to follow their brother Claudio’s lead in turning to a new, organic model of farming in order to increase the quality and value of their crop, they all decided to split the 60 Hectare property evenly among themselves.

Eventually, Claudio’s gamble paid off and he was able to purchase all of his brothers parcels from them, raising all of the farm’s coffee production to his quality, organic growing standards.

Enjoying Your Organic Brazil

I encourage you, my fellow coffee lover, to make a trip down to the Equiano Coffee tasting room in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood to experience this delicious coffee for yourself.

If you’re like me, you probably have a brewing setup and routine for making enjoying at home, just the way you like it. The tasting room is open every day of the week for your convenience and the Equiano barista on duty will be happy to bag up some of these precious beans for you to take home or to the office to brew.

No coffee grinder at home? No problem! Get your choice Equiano coffee ground for you to your specifications or take it in whole bean form to grind up fresh. While the tasting room usually has 12oz bags of their featured coffees already to go on their shelves, you can also request your as little as 1/4 Lb to test out or a full pound if your household drinks as much coffee as we do at home. You can even get 3, 5 or 10Lbs to take to the office if it’s available (Though it helps to call ahead).

Enjoy Equiano’s organic Brazil as a single cup pour-over, as an espresso, in a “Flight” of 3 coffees side-by-side or as cold brew over ice while the supply lasts!

And while you’re at the tasting room you can explore the black tea, dried fruit, peanut brittle, and other flavor notes of this Yellow Catuai as a straight shot of espresso accompanied by a shot of sparkling water to cleanse the palate or masterfully mixed in a silky smooth latte or Cappuccino.

If the organic Brazil isn’t the featured house coffee of the day when you visit, you can always request that the barista behind the counter brew up a fresh single cup for you “pour over” style. Feeling really adventurous? Choose the Brazil and two other Equiano coffees to taste side-by-side in a coffee “Flight”!

You can also check equianocoffee.com to see if this particular Carmo De Minas Brazil is available for order online.

So enjoy your Carmo De Minas organic Brazil and leave us a comment below to let us know how you brewed up this Yellow Catuai and how you enjoyed this exceptional coffee. The Equiano Tasting Room is located at 300 Blair Blvd in Eugene, Oregon . Cheers!

Equiano Coffee Company’s New “Gesha” Varietal Coffee from Colombia

Fri, 17 May 2019 02:41:00 GMT

Eugene, Oregon’s Equiano Coffee Company is proud to introduce their latest and arguably most exotic coffee offering this year, their exquisite new Gesha varietal from Colombia!

Genetic Diversity

Gesha, or “Geisha” as it is sometimes spelled, is an exotic specialty grade variety of coffee with a rich, albeit debatable history. The consensus among some industry professionals as to the coffee’s proper spelling relates to where a specific genetic variant of this variety comes from.

“The coffee roaster I currently work for sources their ‘Gesha’ from Colombia, but the plant itself traces back to Africa: It’s still considered ‘Gesha’ because of where the plant originated from,” said Alexandria Dancy. -Daily Coffee News

Originally from the Gesha Mountain region of Ethiopia, this varietal eventually made its way to Costa Rica where it adapted to the region and eventually producing flavor characteristics distinct from its Ethiopian predecessor.

“ They found that morphological differences of Ge sha plan ts are not driven solely by genetic variables, but rather a combination of genetic variations and phenotypic plasticity (related to how plants cope with variations in environment), and discovered a wide range of genetic variation existing within the cultivar. -Daily Coffee News

So what does this all mean? Simply put, the Colombian “Gesha” that traces its roots to Ethiopia is going to produce different flavor characteristics than the “Geisha” from growing regions such as Panama and Costa Rica.

Award-Winning Flavor

“Wh ile th e history of the variety itself is long and somewhat contested, Geisha’s big splash in the coffee world came relatively recently, in Panama, when a family farm called Hacienda La Esmeralda more or less blew away the competition at the 2004 Best of Panama competition with a variety called Geisha — a coffee so lusciously floral and sweet that it is unforgettable and unmistakable.” -Daily Coffee News

Gesha coffees can often be some of the most expensive raw, green coffee beans for roasters to purchase, due to the coffee’s intensely delicious and award-winning flavor profiles. Luckily for fans of Equiano Coffee, Okon Udosenata, the company’s co-owner, and Roastmaster has never shy-ed away from sourcing the best tasting small farm coffees on the market.

Not one to be willing to compromise quality for the sake of a coffees price, Udosenata was quick to snatch up some of this smooth, chocolaty, and mildly fruity coffee grown in Chinchina, Caldas, also known as “Colombia’s coffee heart”.

Carefully roasted to a light golden-brown, Udosenata has a knack for being able to bring out the very best of flavors in single varietal coffees through the roasting process. Both, his placings at regional & national roasting competitions as well as his loyal following of coffee lovers at Equiano Coffee attest to this fact.

Expounding on his new Gesha offering, available at the Equiano Tasting Room, Udosenata says, “I’m really enjoying it, it has notes of Starfruit, Chocolate and mild citrus.”

Additional flavor characteristics are given by professional coffee cuppers (tasters) that have scrutinized this Colombian grown Gesha include Cherry, Floral, Fruity, Moderate Citric Acidity, Red Fruits, a Creamy Body, and a Prolonged Residual on the Tongue.

This Gesha received high scores in the areas of “Taste”, “Aroma”, “Body”, and”Acidity” (Don’t worry, we’re referring more to “acidity” as a flavor characteristic of the coffee’s sweetness rather than to its physical “acidity” that tends to hurt some people’s tummy).

The Equiano Coffee Experience

So if you’re looking for a coffee enjoyment experience that’s anything but the ordinary, The Equiano Coffee tasting room is an excellent place to start. In addition to the Colombian Gesha, the tasting room always offers a wide range of small far, single varietal coffees to choose from. From Colombia and Brazil to Viet Nam and beyond, Equiano has something special for every coffee lover.

Check out what people are saying about the Equiano Tasting Room on Google Maps.

“Great beans. Simple menu with no wrong choices. Lovely folks. Solid music. Total must visit if you like your coffee in traditional styles.” -Michael H., Google Maps Local Guide

“New to town. Happened upon Equiano. Barista was a sweetheart of a man, coffee and cookie were very tasty and you knew you were drinking coffee. Love that! You have our support and we will be back.” -Donna C.

“I stopped into the coffee shop for the first time today and was so utterly impressed by every aspect of my visit! The staff greeted me in a warm manner, there were several awesome coffees to choose from (I went with the Guatemalan), and the treat selection was fantastic… not to mention that the atmosphere is so calming and lovely! There are several spots to sit inside, but this shop also shares outdoor patio space with Vanilla Jill’s, which resides next door. I ordered a latte with their homemade cashew milk, and it was legit! Not too sweet, well balanced, and altogether delicious. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. It’s definitely my new favorite spot in Eugene.” -Brian W. DPT, CHT, CLT

When visiting the Tasting Room , you can enjoy the new Colombian Gesha as an espresso, Americano coffee, Cappuccino or Latte. You may find it brewed up as the shop’s “house coffee” at any given time but can always order a single cup to enjoy brewed up pour-over style by your friendly Barista. And if your timing is just right you might be lucky enough to find the Gesha available as Cold Brew.

And if you’re feeling adventurous, you can choose the Gesha as one of three coffees to taste side-by-side in your own “flight” of Equiano coffees. The contrast when tasting three coffees, each with differing and unique flavor characteristics, is a great way to help your palate to begin recognizing the different nuanced flavors that you can find in high-quality single varietal coffees!

The Gesha will be featured at Equiano’s tasting room throughout the month of March. Another great way to experience this special coffee is to visit on any Sunday morning this month when the tasting room hosts pastry pop-up events by local chefs and artisan bakers. Both, Humphrey Patisserie and Dominican Delights will be selling their fine pastries at Equiano’s Sunday morning events this month. Pastry pop-ups start at 10am until the pastries sell out.

And if you’re not in Eugene, Oregon, you can still enjoy many of Equiano’s excellent, small farm, single varietal coffees by ordering online from their website at equianocoffee.com ! Stop by the tasting room today and experience the La Suiza, Gesha, Colombian for yourself. Cheers!

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Where to Find the Best Coffee In Eugene: Market of Choice, Willamette St.

Fri, 17 May 2019 02:37:00 GMT

There are a few different places in Eugene, Oregon that I can go shopping for some of my favorite locally roasted coffee beans to take home to brew and enjoy. In the Whiteaker neighborhood, I can go to the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room and find a selection of beans from my favorite local roaster to take home. If I’m right downtown, The Kiva carries a couple as well. But if I’m in South Eugene, I can find one of the city’s best whole-bean coffee selections at Market of Choice on Willamette Street.

Reputation for Quality

Since 2000, Market of choice has been offering “ natural, organic, conventional and local products” sourced from some 3000 farmers, ranchers and food producers across Oregon. With a focus on selection and service, Market of Choice stores span the state, adding value to each city’s local economy.

Market of Choice remains a favorite shopping destination for locals, even as far-reaching national competitors like Whole Foods begin to creep into the marketplace. A wide selection of quality local food and beverage brands is just one of the reasons that loyal shoppers keep coming back.

And when it comes to top-shelf, locally roasted specialty coffee, they carry the best.

Local Coffee Roasters

Some of Eugene’s favorite coffees are roasted by “Okon Udosenata” of Equiano Coffee Company, a local, family-owned and operated coffee concern specializing in sourcing and roasting “Specialty Grade” small farm, single varietal coffees from coffee-growing regions around the world.

If you’re a coffee-loving patron of MOC’s Willamette St. store, you may have seen Udosenata or one of his Equiano Coffee Baristas sampling their uniquely delicious coffees in the store at some point. Udosenata is a wealth of knowledge and can tell you a lot about the subtle flavor characteristics of each of his coffees as well as about the growing regions and farmers that he has developed personal relationships with.

Market of Choice’s Willamette Street store offers three of Equiano’s single varietal coffees, including the very popular organic, single varietal “ Yellow Catuai” from Carmo De Minas, Brazil .

Carmo De Minas, Brazil, “Yellow Catuai”

This organic coffee from the world’s largest coffee-producing region, Brazil, is Equiano Coffee’s most popular coffee. Served regularly as an espresso at the Equiano Tasting Room, this particular coffee has pronounced walnut and buttery flavor characteristics with a full body and a smooth mouthfeel that keeps customers coming back for more.

The Carmo De Minas, Brazil is a favorite of more than just Equiano Tasting Room customers, this fine coffee is also the coffee of choice for local restaurants and wineries, served at Pastini Italian restaurant and King Estate Winery, as well as being a steady seller at Market of Choice’s Willamette store in South Eugene .

Organic Bon Mua, Viet Nam

Maybe Equiano Coffee’s most unique and exotic offering is its “Typica” varietal coffee from the Bon Mua region of Viet Nam . This organic Arabica is a uniquely smokey-sweet coffee, with characteristics of Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Carob, Molasses & spice.

Oku Valley Cameroon

This delicious coffee from the African continent is produced with exceptional care and quality by a small farm cooperative called “ Wum Bee Coffee” in the Oku Valley of Cameroon . The Oku Valley of Cameroon is known for the exceptional coffees it produces, and in the hands of an expert roaster like Okon Udosenata of Equiano Coffee, it’s no wonder that this medium-roast, single-origin coffee is offered among the “local elite” coffees of MOC’s store shelves!

“Through the expert roasting of Equiano’s Okon Udosenata, these Java beans offer an amazing array of flavor characteristics from milk chocolate, cinnamon & amaretto -to- sweet fruity notes of guava, apricot and even brown sugar.”

More than Just Coffee

Market of Choice offers much more than just some of the best locally roasted coffees, they also offer up the makings for a uniquely wonderful coffee experience at home. Pairing your favorite brew with high-quality foods that accentuate and enhance your cup of coffee is what quality-of-life is all about.

Market of Choice provides many wonderful pairing options for these fine coffees, from a great selection of both, raw and roasted nuts to a wide range of fine chocolates from Oregon and around the world. And whether you tend to shop conventional or organic, MOC has a wonderful array of both fruits and artisan breads to choose from that you can enjoy alongside your coffee of choice.

So the next time you’re in South Eugene, stop by Market of Choice at 67 W 29th Ave, at Willamette Street and treat yourself to a coffee and food flavor adventure that you’re sure to enjoy.

Not in Eugene? No problem! You can also order these fine coffees online at www.equianocoffee.com and have them shipped directly to you. You can also find more food pairing suggestions for each of these Equiano coffees on their website.

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Equiano Coffee Company: Small Farm, Vietnamese, “Typica” Varietal Coffee

Fri, 17 May 2019 02:17:00 GMT

In this present age of specialty, third-wave coffees, I can find and purchase delicious whole bean coffees from a number of my favorite coffee roasters. I can get an excellent Ethiopia Yurgacheffe from a number of roasters. I can bring home an outstanding Guatemala Huehuetenango from a couple of different coffee shops and groceries in my hometown of Eugene, Oregon. But, every once in a while, something really special comes along in the coffee world that I haven’t seen offered before. Equiano Coffee Company’s small farm, Vietnamese “Typica” varietal is one of those coffees.

A uniquely smokey-sweet coffee, this Bon Mua Vietnamese Typica tastes of Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Carob, Molasses & spice. As an avid home roaster, I’ve had the good fortune to experiment with this small farm coffee over the past year, roasting to differing degrees and using both gas and wood fire heat and have never been disappointed. But, in the hands of a masterful roaster like Okon Udosenata of Equiano Coffee, this specialty grade Arabica Viet Nam coffee is truly something special to taste.

A staple of Equiano Coffee’s tasting room in Eugene, and their online store @ equianocoffee.com , you can stop into their little cafe in the Whiteaker neighborhood next door to Vanilla Jill’s and enjoy a single cup pour-over of these uniquely delicious beans, take them home in bulk to brew up yourself or order online.

The coffee pros at Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers give these additional cupping notes : Sweet, Full Bodied, Bright, Graham Cracker, Toasted Almonds, Lemon Peel, Bread, Snickers Bar.

Intrigued yet? Just wait ’til you taste the Coffee

Lan Marberry is the tiny powerhouse behind Bon Mua Oregon, the exclusive importer of this special coffee, headquartered in Salem, Oregon. Lan grew up on the small family farm in the highlands of Southwest Vietnam that still produces the coffee to this day. Lan and her Father who is still the principal farmer at their family’s operation in the Bon Mua region of Viet Nam often visit Equiano’s tasting room to hand-deliver their raw green coffee beans whenever he’s here in the States visiting his daughter.

Certified Organic Coffee

This Arabica coffee is certified organic by the village and hamlet where the farm is located. “My father went through a 3 to 4-month process to be proved and certified by the Chief of Justice Office District”, says Marberry.

This Typica varietal is one of the few in Vietnam grown exclusively at an elevation of 1550 meters (5,085 feet). Marberry’s family is careful and particular about selecting only the ripest berries, which contributes to the coffee’s full-bodied and nuanced flavor. “We’re very excited to be able to roast and offer this amazing coffee”, says Okon Udosenata, roastmaster at Equiano Coffee.

Vietnamese Coffee

Viet Nam has grown into the second-largest producer of coffee in the world, second only to Brazil. While Viet Nam is best known for it’s lower-grade “Robusta” coffees that many larger commercial coffee roasters tend to add to their coffee blends to offset the cost of more expensive Arabica beans, this Bon Mua Typica is an organic, specialty grade Arabica, full of pronounced flavor characteristics that one would expect from a small farm, single varietal coffee from Equiano.

Okon, Equiano Coffee’s roastmaster has found an optimum degree of roast to bring out the coffee’s unique flavor characteristics, leaving the roasted beans with a golden-brown sheen. And if you’re just starting out on your palate-development journey and still tend to enjoy a darker roast coffee that necessitates the addition of cream or other sweeteners to make up for the natural flavors being roasted out of it, you may get lucky and find some darker roasted Bon Mua, Viet Nam beans for sale on the tasting room shelves at any given time.

Bon Mua, Viet Nam: Available In-Person or Online

You can also taste this wonderful coffee next to two other Equiano Coffee offerings of your choice with a 3 coffee “Flight”, available at the tasting room. Your friendly Equiano Barista will help you choose three coffees from their bulk, whole bean shelves and steep-brew them side-by-side for you to slurp and taste “cupping” style like the coffee pros. A fun experience and a great way to begin to explore the world of flavors inherent in expertly roasted, specialty grade coffee varietals!

Anyone that has enjoyed a cup of this unique coffee knows it’s truly something worth shouting about! Click on the link here to get your hands on some of this wonderful offering from Vietnam or stop by the Equiano Tasting Room at 300 Blair Blvd. in Eugene, Oregon to experience this local favorite today.

[This article is an updated and revised version of our blog originally published October 4, 2017]

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Where to Find the Best Coffee in Eugene: The Kiva Grocery Store

Fri, 17 May 2019 02:05:00 GMT

If you’re a regular customer of The Kiva Grocery Store in downtown Eugene , then you may already know that the beloved local natural foods store sells some of Eugene’s best coffees from a number of local coffee roasters.

I first discovered The Kiva’s wonderful selection of locally roasted specialty coffees in their bulk, whole bean coffee section in 2009. The Kiva was the one place I could find my favorite coffee at the time, a wood-fire roasted Sumatran on a retail shelf that I could take home to grind and brew myself.

With such a great selection of varied coffees from some of the area’s favorite and most respected micro-roasters, I would eventually fall in love with an Ethiopian Harrar from another Eugene roaster that I would buy bulk from the Kiva’s shelves.

As I’ve continued my coffee journey over this past decade, tasting coffees and espresso from countless coffee roasters and coffee shops in the Eugene and Springfield area, my palate development journey has led me to a new favorite local coffee purveyor. Equiano Coffee Company. And guess where I can find some of Equiano’s finest coffees to take home. You got it, The Kiva !

As local, Eugene area foodies and health-conscious shoppers already know, the Kiva has a long-standing reputation for offering the highest quality natural foods that they source locally whenever possible. And if your experience of shopping at The Kiva is like mine, you’ll find the employees at the store to be knowledgeable about their products and helpful when It comes to answering questions about the different products they stock and where to locate what you’re looking for.

Conveniently located in the heart of downtown Eugene, next door to the Eugene Public Library’s main branch, and across the street from Lane Transit District’s downtown station, The Kiva offers free, on-site parking for their customers. And to my continued delight, I almost always find a parking space available whenever I visit the store!

With a penchant for selling only top quality merchandise, it’s no wonder that The Kiva carries some of the best-tasting coffees from my favorite coffee shop and roaster in Eugene, Equiano Coffee. And even if you’re already a fan of Equiano Coffee and drink their coffees regularly, The Kiva gives you a great reason to visit the store to buy your coffee.

From Finca La Paz, Colombia to Best Coffee in Eugene

The Kiva is the only place that you can find and purchase one of Equiano’s top Colombian coffee offerings, their “Finca La Paz”, single origin, Colombian. Finca La Paz is a reference to the small farm owned by Angela Escobar. Located in the town of Palestina on the slopes of Colombia’s central mountain range, Finca La Paz is one of the few coffee farms anywhere to be “ exclusively run by women .”

According to the Traviesa Coffee organization, women between the ages of 20 and 70 years old are employed on the farm and collectively perform close to 90% of all the work, growing and harvesting the coffee.

Equiano Coffee’s Finca La Paz is carefully roasted to bring out its dark chocolate, sweet cherry, and smokey finish flavor characteristics. This “Castillo” varietal Colombian coffee is a real treat for anyone that enjoys fine coffees.

Minas Gerais, Brazil

Another Kiva favorite is Equiano Coffee Company’s Minas Gerais, Brazilian coffee. According to the “Association of Brazilian Coffee Producing Regions,” this Minas Gerais is grown in a region of Brazil known for its uniquely excellent coffee growing conditions, making this region the largest producer of specialty coffee in the world by volume. “Its high altitude and average annual temperature facilitates the production of bodied coffees, such as acidic flavors, smoothly citrus and with fruity aromas,” according to the association’s website.

This fine Brazilian coffee, roasted to a golden-brown perfection by Equiano’s Roast Master, Okon Udoenata, boasts toasted walnut, brown sugar, and lemon zest flavor characteristics. This Brazil is a must-try for any of my fellow coffee adventurers searching for the best coffee in Eugene!

A Bonus for Coffee Lovers

With today’s ever-increasing prices for specialty coffee, many of us are buying our favorite whole bean coffees in smaller amounts when we go shopping for our morning brew. Well, The Kiva has a secret that I’m delighted to share with you. The Kiva just happens to offer their bulk Equiano coffees at the lowest retail price point available anywhere! A significant discount in fact. It’s definitely worth a trip down to the store to try one or both of these very special coffees.

The Kiva’s bulk coffees are available in whole bean and they even have a commercial grade coffee grinder right there in the coffee section if you need to grind it before bringing it home. If you’re not already a regular patron of The Kiva, I encourage you to make the trip downtown to explore their delightful selection of fine foods, wines, and coffees.

If you have further questions about either of these Equiano coffees or are looking for tips on brewing these coffees at home, you can stop by the Equiano Coffee tasting room in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood and any of their friendly Baristas will be happy to answer any of your home brewing questions or tell you more about either of these coffees available at The Kiva Grocery Store.

The Kiva Grocery Store also offers online ordering and home delivery for your convenience. You can visit their website at http://www.kivagrocery.com for more details.

What Is Specialty Coffee, Really? Pt.2

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 03:05:00 GMT

Welcome back and thank you for joining us again as we continue to explore the delicious world of Specialty Coffee and seek to gain a better understanding of what distinguishes some coffees as “specialty”.

So what is specialty coffee, really? Let’s start part 2 by laying a foundation for understanding the three main grades or groupings of coffee found throughout the world. For the purposes of this blog, we’ll try to keep it simple and straightforward by breaking coffees into the following 3 categories.

To simplify, and hopefully not to confuse, the matter more, the terms commodity coffee and commercial coffee can be used interchangeably. Since we have a limited time to discuss this topic here we’ll follow suit by using either or both of these terms as a comparison against our main topic of specialty coffee.

According to an article by the coffee brewing device manufacturer BUNN , commodity or commercial coffees “are blends typically made from beans coming from several plantations, sometimes from multiple countries. This tends to produce a more neutral flavor and decreases the chance for any one part of the blend to overwhelm the whole profile. These beans will be processed on a massive scale, and will likewise be roasted and ground on a massive scale. The ground coffee will be packaged and shipped out to stores with a “Best If Used By” date stamp that is typically several months away. And these coffees can be obtained very economically, at prices that can amount to as little as a nickel a cup when brewed at home.”

These commercial grade coffees are typically used in instant coffee brands, whole bean coffee bins at the grocery store, greasy spoon cafe’s & chain restaurants, convenience stores and served as a complimentary perk next to bottled water dispensers in doctors offices and other business waiting rooms. These noticeably lower grade coffees typically need milk, cream and additional sweeteners like sugar or flavored syrups to make them palatable for drinking.

Producers growing lower grade coffees tend to use higher-yielding, disease-resistant robusta coffees. Robusta coffees also cost less to produce and lack the favorable flavor characteristics of the higher quality Arabica coffees used in specialty. In fact, robusta coffees can taste downright nasty with flavor characteristics like burnt rubber. Robusta is often used as a filler in coffee blends to offset the expense of higher quality arabica beans.

When Good Coffee Goes Bad

Starbucks is a double-edged sword in the world of specialty coffee. Most small, locally owned coffee roasters that focus of coffee quality and flavor today, and indeed the Specialty Coffee Industry itself, owes much to this coffee giant as it has been at the forefront of the specialty movement for decades and has done much to create a consumer market for specialty.

Yes, Starbucks uses arabica coffees and even cups, scores and buys arabica coffees in lots from producers around the world just like your favorite neighborhood boutique roasters such as Equiano Coffee Company. Here’s where our understanding of the line between higher quality specialty coffees and lower quality commercial coffees gets blurred.

While Starbucks may source (buy) specialty arabica coffees, they ultimately tend to roast these coffees to death, taking the degree of roast so far that any inherently favorable flavor that might have been found in a particular bean or blend of beans is cooked out, leaving nothing more than their signature dark, burnt coffee flavor to fill your cup. And just like lower quality commercial coffees, necessitating the addition of cream and sweeteners to add life back into it to make it drinkable and enjoyable. This is a big reason that Starbucks is so popular with the milk and sugar set.

This approach that the coffee giant takes is by design. Not only has the burnt coffee flavor that they produce become a hallmark of the brand, recognizable to consumers everywhere but they also understand that they can make more money selling a giant cup of milk and sugar with some coffee in it that they can by selling a cup of delicious, high-quality coffee by itself.

Specialty Grade Coffee

The Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), holds very specific standards of quality for identifying specialty grade coffees. Let’s follow the SCA’s view of what constitutes specialty through the coffee supply chain to get a better understanding of what they consider specialty.

Coffee Production

Specialty coffee’s journey begins at the farm. Quality oriented, specialty roasters like Equiano purposely seek out small farm producers that are committed to growing and processing the most flavorful single-varietal coffees that their particular region can produce.

Extreme care is given to each coffee cherry tree and each cherry(bean) that grows on the farm. Unlike commercial grade coffee that employs the use of large combine-like machines to shake all the cherries off of a tree at one time, the specialty producing farmer takes care to pick only the ripe & ready cherries off of each tree as they become ready for harvest.

Wum Bee Coffee in Cameroon will hand pick cherries from their coffee trees up to four different times in order to harvest the cherries only at the point where each is at perfect ripeness! Time-consuming and expensive yes, but it’s care like this that allows roasters like Okon, at Equiano Coffee to roast and serve some of the best coffee in Eugene.

These committed farmers give the same painstaking care to each individual bean throughout the coffee’s processing. Washing, fermenting, drying, checking each bean for defects, polishing, drying and packaging the beans are just some of the steps tended to with meticulous care. You just don’t get anything close to this level of care from commodity grade, robusta coffee producers.

Cupping and Grading Coffee

A green coffee buyer “..assess a coffee’s score and determines whether it is specialty grade quality, make decisions on which coffees they will include in their offerings, and often develop tasting notes and descriptions for the coffee on its final packaging.”, according to the SCA. This process allows the specialty roaster to choose which farmers they want to do business with and what coffee they ultimately want to buy, roast and serve their clientele. It’s not uncommon for these small coffee farmers to visit Okon at Equiano coffee when in the States.

Among the things that coffee buyers look for when cupping (tasting) a coffee, in order to grade its quality, include the brewed coffee’s Aroma, Body, Flavor, Sweetness, Acidity, and Aftertaste. According to Okon, roastmaster at Equiano Coffee, “acidity” is maybe the most essential factor distinguishing the best of specialty grade coffees from other, lower quality specialty or commercial coffees.

Roasting

Coffee roasting is a learned technical skill with many aspects coming into play for the person roasting. Both science and art come into play when roasting specialty coffee, as do other important aspects like experience, timing, personal taste, quality of beans being roasted and type of roasting equipment being used.

An article on specialty coffee from the SCA’s website says, “Coffee roasting is an art that requires a high degree of knowledge and experience to produce specialty level roast profiles.” If end results are a reflection of the knowledge and skill of the coffee roaster then Okon is ahead of the pack. Not only does he have a loyal and growing following at Equiano Coffee but at his first nation roasting competition in 2015 he placed 6th in the nation among professional coffee roasters.

Just last year Okon made a splash in Portland, Oregon at the regional level of competition when he was awarded second place in “peoples choice” for his roast at the Cascadian Roaster’s Competition !

Okon tells a story of an experience he had when sharing one of his most prized and flavorful coffees. Being excited to have a more expensive and sought-after “Geisha” varietal coffee in his possession that he had just aquired and roasted up, he had the opportunity to send some to a handful of local Specialty Coffee Industry professionals that were having a get-together.

A bright coffee, full of juicy, sweet grapefruit characteristics, he just knew the group would be delighted to taste such an exotic and unique cup. Surprisingly, the group wasn’t used to tasting single varietals with the brighter, acidic & citrusy qualities that are sought after by so many third wave microrasters today.

Just like many of us coffee loving consumers, these industry professionals had not yet explored the range of bright fruity flavors inherent in many higher grade, single varietal beans. This just goes to show that all of us, consumers and professionals alike, are all in different places along our individual palate-development journey. So take your time, try new coffees, and above all, enjoy the process of tasting all that the world of specialty coffee has to offer.

Finding And Enjoying Specialty Coffee

The Equiano Coffee tasting room in Eugene, Oregon offers a wide range of choices for the curious coffee lover. While Okon leans towards medium to medium-light roasts of single varietal coffee beans for their pronounced citrusy, fruity and chocolaty flavor characteristics, he understands that we’re in different places along our coffee journeys and all have different tastes. And with that in mind, he also makes darker roasts and even blends of coffees available at the tasting room in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood.

You can also taste his Whiteaker Heist blend at The Glass House in Eugene and Rooster Hand Crafted Coffee on Mowhawk Blvd. in Springfield, Oregon. Maybe his most popular blend, the African ambrosia, also known as Akeem’s Blend is available on the Equiano website.

Wanna really have fun tasting some uniquely delicious coffees? Coffee “Flights” are available every day at the tasting room . You’re friendly Equiano Barista will help you to choose 3 different single varietal coffees from the tasting room shelves and brew them up for you side-by-side to taste “cupping” style just like the pros!

There’s even talk around the tasting room of a “palate development program” where you can come in and taste a range of coffees over time, from the more traditional darker roasted coffees and blends through the more bright, fruity, single varietal coffees that have come to mark the higher grade specialty beans of coffee’s Third Wave .

In part 3 of “What Is Specialty Coffee, Really?” we’ll dive into the “how” of tasting coffee and some fun exercises that you and your friends can do to help develop your coffee tasting palate and a vocabulary for articulating all the new sensory delights your sure to discover and enjoy along the way.

Check out Equiano Coffee Company on Facebook to keep up with all the fun and educational events like Okon’s Coffee Talk & Tastings which are always free to take part in!

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The Best Espresso in Eugene Deserves the Best Espresso Machine!

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 01:55:00 GMT

The Best Espresso in Eugene Deserves the Best Espresso Machine!

Doesn’t the best espresso selection in Eugene deserve the best espresso brewing equipment? Yes! There are many rules, principles, techniques, steps, and strategies that all play into “pulling” (brewing) a great shot of espresso. It’s both a discipline and an art that requires study, consistency, flexibility, and experience to achieve. Not to mention the proper, professional equipment.

As a matter of fact, proper espresso extraction is so demanding that unless you patronize one of maybe three or four coffee roasters or espresso houses in Eugene, you likely haven’t had the opportunity to experience a truly excellent shot of espresso! A bold claim, I know. But with 28 years experience in the Specialty Coffee Industry, having worked as a professional Barista in 30 different retail coffee and espresso businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest, I know what I’m talking about.

I highly recommend visiting the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood if you haven’t done so yet. Equiano Coffee specializes in sourcing (buying) and roasting the finest small farm, single varietal coffees from around the world. And the tasting room always offers a choice of two different single varietal espressos for you to choose from!

The Art of Espresso

The goal of your barista, when using an espresso machine, is to extract the flavor oils from the coffee beans in a short amount of time. Extracting these flavor oils in such a way that leaves all of the oils intact and producing the espresso coffee’s optimum flavor is where art, science, experience, and quality of equipment all come into play.

Common Problems With Espresso Makers

Temperature

If your Barista is using old or otherwise sub-par equipment that doesn’t hold the espresso machine’s internal water to the proper temperature, you won’t get an excellent shot of quality espresso. Too low a temperature won’t be able to extract all of the flavor oils from the ground coffee. Too high a temperature and it will cook and scald those precious oils.

Dosage

If you’ve had an espresso at Equiano Coffee’s tasting room you’ve probably noticed your Barista meticulously weighing each dosage of coffee grounds for your shot of espresso. This is the only way to ensure that your shot of espresso is properly extracted every time!

Just a gram or two shy of the proper dosage will result in an over-extracted and weaker shot that leans to the sour side. A gram or three over the proper dosage will result in an under-extracted shot with unpleasant bitter characteristics.

Pressure

The name “espresso” itself relates to the pressure, pressing or forcing out of the flavor oils from the ground coffee. In order to force those delicious oils out in the proper amount of time requires an espresso machine that can perform this action at 9 atmospheres of pressure. Simply put, your espresso needs to be extracted with a pressure 9 times that of the naturally occurring pressure present in the earth’s atmosphere!

Timing as it Relates to Degree of Grind

Finally, we come to the critical element that Baristas have the toughest time being consistent with. No, a Barista can’t simply set an espresso machine to extract an espresso shot for one specific number of seconds and then forget about it. That’s because timing an espresso shot is a matter of ratio. Simply put, the degree of grind (the particle size of the coffee grounds) as it relates to the coffee dosage (amount of ground coffee used) will determine the optimum extraction time. Whew!

So how does a Barista keep track of all of this and stay consistent shot-after-shot? They don’t. That’s the sad truth of most Baristas, espresso bars, and espresso drive-throughs that we patronize. Most baristas at these venues are concerned with the speed of pulling shots, not quality espresso. Unless of course, you’re a well trained, passionate, and professional super-Barista with a decade or more of experience.

This is the reason that not just anyone can get a job as Barista at Equiano Coffee’s tasting room, and why your Equiano Baristas take care to weigh each dosage of espresso grounds, and why the tasting room is stocked with the best equipment, from their digital scale and espresso bean grinders to their brand new, state-of-the-art espresso machine!

The Synesso MVP Hydra: The Best Espresso Machine

For 2019, Equiano Coffee has taken espresso extraction into the modern age with their brand new, top-of-the-line, and cutting-edge MVP Hydra espresso machine by Synesso ! Not to remotely be confused with Starbucks’ short-lived attempt to take control out of their Barista’s hands with those fully-automatic machines that they tried out for a while. No, quite the opposite. Equiano’s MVP Hydra actually gives your Barista unprecedented control over every aspect, and every step of the extraction process.

The tasting room’s new espresso machine is a beautiful addition to the Whiteaker neighborhood’s cozy little boutique-style specialty coffee cafe with clean lines and an aesthetic that will blow your socks off when you see it. This espresso machine just screams quality.

I had the very good fortune of using this machine when I worked behind the Barista counter at a hip little espresso bar inside Amazon headquarters in downtown Seattle before stepping up to Barista at Equiano Coffee last year. As a passionate, professional Barista who loves delighting coffee and espresso lovers with top-quality drinks, having the opportunity to man the helm of the MVP Hydra was a fun learning experience and a real treat!

This computer programmable espresso machine gives the operator (Barista) control of so many nuanced variables that I can’t take the time to go over them here. Suffice it to say, the Hydra comes with a programmable computer interface kind of like a handheld tablet connected by wires directly to the machine.

Through this control panel, the Barista can calibrate and program each step of the machine’s operation for each different espresso that she happens to be offering at the tasting room on any given day. Each type of coffee bean at each different degree of roast demands its own unique brewing parameters to coax all of the optimum flavors out of it. This is where the Hydra really shines and can outperform any other machine at any other espresso bar, cafe, or coffee shop in Eugene!

The Results Are Delicious!

When you pair the best equipment with top-quality ingredients like Eugene’s finest roasted coffees , locally raised dairy, homemade organic Cashew milk, and hand-made chocolate ganache, the outcome is Eugene’s best coffee!

Stop into Equiano Coffee’s tasting room today for an espresso and sparkling water, a Cashew milk cappuccino, or chocolate latte. It’s definitely worth the trip to the “Whit”! The tasting room is located at 300 Blair Blvd., next door to Vanilla Jill’s Scoops & Soups.

Planadas Organic Coffee, Tolima, Colombia

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 01:45:00 GMT

Introducing: Equiano Coffee Company’s latest small farm, single-origin, Colombian coffee, our organic “Planadas, Tolima Colombia”! Sure to be one of the best Colombian coffees one can find in Eugene, this fruity-sweet and smooth coffee is carefully roasted to a medium-light, golden brown.

This supple mix of Caturra, Typica, and Castillo varietal coffee beans produces a smooth, clean and creamy body with a citrus-honey characteristic that leaves a sweet residual on the tongue. Grown in the town of Planadas, in the West-Central Colombian Department of Tolima, this organic coffee is available online at equianocoffee.com and at the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room in Eugene, Oregon.

If anyone in your household leans toward less caffeine or even drinks decaffeinated coffee on a regular basis, then you may already be familiar with Equiano’s uniquely sweet and delicious Organic, sugar cane processed Planadas decaf. Because of the effect that its sugarcane decaffeination process has on the bean, I can say with confidence that it is the best tasting decaf coffee that you can find in Eugene.

We Love Tolima

Known in the specialty coffee industry as a “ biodiversity paradise ,” the Tolima Department is one of our favorite coffee growing regions in Colombia. You can visit our website to check out our variety of coffees from Tolima and our other favorite Colombian coffees.

This region provides its small farm coffee growers with a rare combination of climatic conditions that lends itself to the growing a flourishing variety of flavorful specialty-grade Arabica coffees. With its proximity to the equator, elevation, temperature, and precipitation, combined with the region’s soil quality, Tolima is a prime geographical location for producing some of the world’s best coffees.

Cultivation and Care

When a coffee’s producers and its roaster take great pains to care for a coffee, the results can be spectacular! That’s what you’ll find with this Colombian from Equiano Coffee. Starting at the point of origin in Planadas, Tolima, a tight-knit and quality-oriented association called “ AGROCEM ” assists and guides local farmers to not only ensure fair trade for the farming families of its 35 members but also to ensure the highest quality in coffee production from growth through cultivation and processing of each coffee grown on its local farms.

Once Equiano Coffee’s roastmaster, Okon Udosenata, tastes coffee samples and chooses the finest and best-tasting coffees available from the region, he then undertakes to find the optimum degree of roast to bring out all of the best flavor characteristics inherent in the bean.

And this particular crop of organic Planadas has a lot to offer the organic coffee lover that gets their hands on these beans or a brewed cup. As a matter of fact, this Planadas has such a range of flavor characteristics to offer that Okon will sometimes make two different roasts available. Aside from his optimum medium roast offering, available online, and at the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room , you may be lucky enough to find the occasional bag of darker roasted Planadas available at the tasting room like I did recently.

The Best Organic Coffees in Eugene

If you haven’t had a chance to experience Okon’s coffees for yourself yet at Equiano, you’re missing out on what specialty grade coffee can be and the experience and enjoyment it can provide for those of us that enjoy great coffee. Here is what just a few of our fellow coffee lovers are saying after discovering Equiano Coffee .

“Just had the pleasure of trying their Yellow Bourbon Columbia, and it is out of this world! Can’t wait to stop in and check out their cafe. In a world of so many coffee choices, this really stands out!” – Alyssa B.

“Equiano turned me into a coffee drinker. I never knew coffee could be this good while being gentle on the tummy.” – Brad F.

“Smoothest coffee around. Also, I am normally a whole milk person, but their cashew milk is surprisingly delicious. My favorite Oregon coffee shop.” – Maria K.

I could tell you about all of Okon’s success against popular roasting companies from Portland and against some of the biggest roasting company names in specialty coffee across the nation at roasting competitions. I could even tell you that he is held in such regard in the specialty coffee industry that farmers and professionals from as far away as Brazil, Colombia and Viet Nam come to Equiano Coffee Company in Eugene, Oregon to visit him. But the best way to discover and enjoy Eugene’s best coffees is to visit the tasting room for yourself!

Equiano Coffee Company Tasting Room

Equiano’s beautiful boutique-style tasting room located at 300 Blair Boulevard , in the heart of Eugene’s “hip” Whiteaker neighborhood is a coffee lover’s oasis. Most of us fall in love with the place as soon as we walk through the doors and soak up the aesthetics and ambiance. But if that doesn’t get you, the coffee surely will.

On any given morning you may find Equiano owners Gloria or Okon or even super-Barista- Jamie working behind the counter pulling shots of espresso on their new, cutting-edge Synesso MVP Hydra espresso machine.

Your friendly Baristas at the tasting room always offer two different espressos for you to choose from as well as a brewed house coffee of the day. If you’re feeling adventurous and want to try one of the many other choices of roasted coffees on the shelf you can always order a single cup of any coffee, brewed to order pour-over style. They even offer “flights” of any three coffees you choose so that you can taste them side-by-side!

All of Equiano’s coffees are available to take home and brew, either ground or whole bean.

So stop in today and treat your taste buds to something special. With chocolates by Davey’s Chocolates and yummy pastries from Noisette Pastry Kitchen , there’s sure to be something for everyone to enjoy at Equiano. And if you’re not in Eugene, you can order many of their small farm, single varietal coffees, and blends via their website at www.equianocoffee.com . Cheers!

What Is Specialty Coffee, Really? Pt.3

Wed, 17 Apr 2019 01:00:00 GMT

Welcome back to the last installment of our 3 part blog series in which we explore the world of specialty coffee and how “specialty-grade coffee” differs from the more common “commodity” or “commercial” coffees that we find at most coffee shops, restaurants, and grocery stores.

In this, our final installment, we’re going to get into the fun stuff. First, we’ll recap the main points that we’ve explored in our quest to understand what differentiates specialty-grade coffees from the run-of-the-mill commercial coffees most of us are accustomed to drinking.

Next, we’ll look at some fun ways that we can begin to develop our palates and our vocabulary for articulating those nuanced aromas and flavors found in the best specialty coffees.

Finally, we’ll break down the simple process of tasting coffees so that we can really enjoy all that specialty-grade coffee has to offer.

Hitting Those Sweet Notes

Some of the key components of specialty-grade coffee that we’ve discussed in our two previous blogs include:

Your Coffee Journey

Coffee can, and should, add to the quality and enjoyment of our daily lives. Countless numbers of us start our day off with a cup or three of this remarkable brew. For many of us, coffee is a daily ritual that gives us time to assimilate to the world and the day ahead. Warm and satisfying, our morning cup of coffee can be a time of contemplation or even meditation.

From the coffee we choose to buy, to the way we prepare it, and even the way we drink it holds much meaning for us and can reflect the quality of our lives as a whole. Coffee is one of those few things that can melt barriers and transcend social and financial gaps among the coffee lovers who drink it. Whatever our life circumstances happen to be, we can usually find the time and the means to enjoy this small but meaningful pleasure.

Coffee can give us the opportunity to enjoy the best that life has to offer, if even in just a small way for a few fleeting moments. I always seek out the most delicious and fulfilling coffee experience that I can, wherever I may be on any given day. For me, the wide range of flavorful coffees to explore at the Equiano Coffee tasting room has given me the opportunity to grow in my knowledge, understanding, and enjoyment of my daily cup. Here’s an interesting little article from The Atlantic on how the five senses play into our coffee drinking experience.

Yes, my tastes have changed as I’ve had the opportunity to experience new types of coffees from many different growing regions around the world. The vast knowledge that Okon, Equiano’s roast master shares with me and the wonderful people I encounter at the tasting room is an important part of that experience.

From a rotating selection of espressos and drip-brewed house coffee to a wide range of choices for a single cup of pour-over brewed coffee to tasting flights of three coffees side-by-side, the tasting room offers unique and delicious options for coffee lovers of all tastes to enjoy some of the best coffees in Eugene.

If brewing your morning coffee in the comfort of home is your cup of tea (so to speak), you can even purchase a complete pour-over coffee brewing equipment set up so that you can duplicate the same quality of brew you receive at the tasting room!

Good Taste: Developing Your Palate

Developing your sensory acuity to the point that you can smell, taste, and really enjoy the many subtle and distinct flavors within a particular varietal of coffee takes both attention and practice. Think of your taste buds and smell receptors as muscles. Muscles have to be exercised regularly and properly in order to eventually build the strength and coordination to perform the desired tasks.

We’ll give you some fun and flavorful exercises you can do on your own or with friends to help you build those coffee-tasting muscles! Let’s start with food and drink tastings. Several years ago, I visited a number of groceries throughout Eugene and picked out 13 different varieties of apples and took them home as a tasting exercise. I sliced each apple and laid them out on a platter. Next, I listed their names in the same order with space to takes notes on each. I also had a bottle of carbonated water on hand to sip on between apples to help clear & reset my palate before tasting the next varietal. It turned out to be more fun and educational than I had expected. The different and varying flavors and textures of the apples were absolutely amazing!

One varietal of apple had the flavor and texture of Jicama. Another apple, a “Green Dragon” varietal, tasted like a caramel apple! I was blown away. I only made it through 9 of the 13 apple samples I had prepared because my palate burnt out from sensory overload. I had come to a point where my tongue tasted like one big electrified apple, making flavors indistinguishable.

Most of us are familiar with wine tastings, and if you remember the 90’s you might be familiar with cigar “smokes” where you get to try a hand-rolled cigar or two rolled from different tobaccos along with a well-paired, multi-course meal prepared by a Chef. More recently, I’ve delved into buying craft beer flights to taste characteristics of different types of beers from different brewers. I highly recommend any of these avenues to help you begin to explore the world of flavors available for you to discover and expand your tasting range.

Coffee Doesn’t Have To Be Complicated

You don’t have to make an event out of tastings. Chocolate is a great place to start your palate development journey. Chocolate is one of those foods that I taste individually over time. I’ve never sat down with a plate of different chocolates to taste them side-by-side. Instead, I’ll buy one type of chocolate and nibble on it over time, sometimes by itself and sometimes paired with a good cup of black coffee. Easy, simple, inexpensive.

By the way, chocolate mimics coffee in many respects, which makes it really useful in helping to develop your taste for coffee. Cocoa beans are grown on shrubs, on farms, and in the same types of climates where coffee is grown. Many coffee farmers will grow cocoa and bananas in between their coffee trees to provide shade for their coffee trees and to financially help supplement their coffee sales. You can sometimes find similar flavor profiles in both chocolates and coffees of a single varietal.

It can be helpful to have a “flavor wheel” in front of you to refer to when tasting foods and drinks. You can find chocolate , beer, wine, and coffee flavor wheels online.

Another indispensable resource for developing your coffee palate is World Coffee Research’s new Sensory Lexicon which you can download here for free ! WCR’s Sensory Lexicon lists over 100 different and distinct flavors found in various coffees around the world and gives exercises that you can do at home to train your palate to recognize each when you taste them, as well as give a common vocabulary which we can all use to communicate with each other about those flavor characteristics.

Coffee Tasting Like A Pro

Finally, let’s get to the coffee! Coffee tasting is a pretty simple and straightforward process. There are several components to tasting coffee.

Your sense of smell plays a big part in your ability to taste the flavors of both food and drinks. My sister wasn’t able to taste the foods she ate for many years due to polyps that formed inside her nostrils, cutting off her sense of smell.

Aroma

Aroma is a collaborative effort between your small receptors and taste buds. Aroma also gives us our “introduction” and first clues to what something is going to taste like before it ever touches our tongues. Specialty coffee professionals will always put their nose down close to the brew they’re about to taste and sniff in the aroma of the coffee before they slurp it up across their tongue. This is the first step in coffee tasting.

Acidity

As we’ve pinpointed before, the acidic or sweet quality in coffee is perhaps the key factor that professional coffee tasters look for in a high-quality, specialty-grade coffee. Here, we’re speaking of acidity as a flavor characteristic more than the chemical quality that can make your stomach hurt from some coffees. In terms of flavor, acidity can refer to bright, astringent, fruity, citrusy, green tea-like or winey characteristics.

Body

Body refers to the particular way the coffee “feels” in your mouth and is often referred to as the “mouthfeel.” Some coffees can feel light and clean on one end of the spectrum and feel more thick and creamy on the other end.

Flavor

Flavor is the general characteristic of a coffee’s flavor. For instance, at Equiano Coffee Company, our specialty, or aim, is to source, roast and serve coffees that fit within 3 of our favorite flavor profiles, Chocolatey, Fruity, and Sweet.

Some roast coffees are more earthy or have more pronounced cocoa profiles, while others may have a more nut-like flavor profile. Still, others may be sweeter and tangy on the tongue.

Finish

The “Finish” refers to the aftertaste or the residual feeling & lingering flavor left in the mouth and on the tongue after you swallow your coffee. This can be a telltale sign as to the overall quality of the coffee and can ultimately be the deciding factor as to whether a coffee is truly going to be enjoyable in the end. Those coffees that leave a wonderful aftertaste in my mouth can prolong that euphoria from a delicious and satisfying cup of coffee long after I’ve finished the cup and moved on with my day.

Check out this short article to learn a little more about the coffee tasting process. You can also revisit part 1 and part 2 of this blog series on specialty-grade coffee.

Come down to the Equiano Coffee tasting room and taste some of these flavorful and exotic single varietal coffees for yourself. Order a single cup pour-over of any of the coffees we have on the shelf or taste a flight of 3 coffees side-by-side. Or order one of our delicious small farm specialty coffees from our website , and we’ll ship it straight to your home. And don’t forget to enjoy your palate development journey through the world of delicious, specialty-grade coffees. Cheers!

What Is Specialty Coffee, Really? Pt.1

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 00:22:00 GMT

Ask your everyday coffee drinkers or Baristas the question, “What is specialty coffee?” and you’re likely to get a lot of different guesses, theories, and answers.

How do you define “specialty” coffee? Think for a moment about what distinguishes specialty coffee from the brown schwill that you get at a chain breakfast restaurant or that your Grandparents brewed up at their house back in the day.

For me, the idea of what specialty coffee is and how I might describe it to a fellow coffee lover has changed over the decades since I was introduced to it as a young, new Barista back in the early 90s. I would have described the popular, flavorful drinks with steamed milk and flavored syrup sweeteners that you could find at Starbucks or your local espresso cart as what specialty coffee meant to me.

As the years went by and I moved into commercial coffee roasting, my definition of specialty coffee came to include the quality of the Arabica beans we were buying, roasting and blending for coffee shops and espresso bars to brew and serve to their customers. The brand new wave of higher grade Arabica beans sweeping through the fledgling Specialty Coffee industry produced a flavor quality head and shoulders above that of the cheaper and lower grade “Robusta” coffee beans used by restaurants, convenience stores and instant coffee brands that had been the staple of the American coffee diet for decades.

Specialty Coffee’s Third Wave

By 2010 I began to embrace the flavors of the brewed coffees themselves, without the added sweetness of milk, cream, sugar or flavored syrups. And each time I found that magic combination of quality bean and masterful roasting I would fall in love with a particular coffee, the love affair sometimes lasting for years before I would discover a new favorite.

“Single Origin” as I would come to understand it at the time would mean, in my mind, the country a coffee was grown in. I could taste notable differences between my favorite coffees from varying countries of origin and different roasting companies. A sweet and smokey yet smooth Sumatran coffee roasted with wood fire or a chocolaty and hearty African coffee from Harrar roasted with a commercial hot air roaster.

I would take care to brew these coffees by hand each morning, one cup at a time, and really get into enjoying the whole experience. I had my French press, my single-cup pour-over brewer, my Aeropress and a brand new version of the “immersion” method of coffee brewing I had developed called “Shaker” coffee or the Shaker extraction method. This was about the time when the phrases “single Origin Coffee” and “third wave coffee” started to really make their way into industry vernacular. Now surely this is what specialty coffee is! Right?

Developing The Palate: An Individual Journey

As a true coffee lover, passionate about the business of coffee and the experiences of enjoying and sharing great coffee with others, I’ve been blessed and especially fortunate. My decades-long career as a coffee Barista was book-ended by working for two of my three all-time favorite coffee roasters in the world! And it wasn’t until coming to work for the roast master, Okon Udosenata, at Equiano Coffee Company a couple of years ago that all of my food tasting exercises, craft brew beer tastings, and coffee tastings, really began to blossom into what my understanding of “specialty coffee” is today.

Discussing coffee and all things related to it with Okon is always a learning experience for me. Not only does his tasting palate sensitivity and ability to articulate the subtle flavors far beyond my own development and ability but his understanding of the specialty coffee chain from farm to brewed cup is dizzying and fascinating.

That Okon is unusually skilled in the craft of commercial roasting is, by no means, lost on me. But I’ve come to believe that his true genius may lie in his ability to source some of the highest quality coffees in the world. And that’s a testament to both his unusually well-developed palate and his penchant for building relationships with quality-oriented, small farm coffee producers from different growing regions around the world.

Specialty Coffee Today

From General Term To Specific Standard

Since Erna Knutsen first coined the term “Specialty Coffee” in the mid-1970s, its definition and its usage have evolved along with the industry that bears its name. And even still today it’s difficult to define, even among industry professionals.

For Udosenata at Equiano Coffee Company in Eugene, Oregon, the term “specialty coffee” denotes a very specific set of measurable quality standards that, ultimately, determine a particular coffee’s unique flavor characteristics. Standards that even many of us in the specialty coffee industry still struggle to fully understand and embrace.

So what is specialty coffee? According to the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA),”…specialty can only occur when all of those involved in the coffee value chain work in harmony and maintain a keen focus on standards and excellence from start to finish”.

And Okon couldn’t agree more. As a matter of fact, he was eager to expound on that definition when we sat down to discuss the subject over a cup of coffee at the Equiano Coffee tasting room in Eugene.

The SCA holds specialty coffee to a very specific set of observable and measurable “standards”. The SCA, speaking specifically of the organization’s standard for specialty says, “ It is a quantifiable and qualifiable measure, based upon scientific testing, which set values and/or ranges of values for coffee.” The SCA currently has standards in place that they use to test and rate the quality of the water used for brewing coffee, the raw green beans that the roaster buys from a coffee producer or importer as well as for “cupping” (professional coffee tasting).

Starting at the beginning of the coffee chain, with the growers, during our conversation, Okon laments the confusion consumers have about the origin of the coffees they buy and brew. To say that your coffee is a “Colombian” or an “Ethiopian Harrar”, for example, would be a reference to the coffee’s continent and/or region of origin (where it was grown. That gives you very little, if any, useful information about the type, kind or quality of the coffee at hand.

Some coffee growing regions, like those found in Africa, grow several different varietals of coffee, harvesting and processing them together. This creates a blend of different coffee varietals. Each coffee varietal has its own unique flavor characteristics. For a coffee to truly be specialty grade, says Okon, “It needs to be a single varietal coffee”. This way you can have standards such as the Specialty Coffee Association does that allows a specific coffee to be tested for quality, for flavor profile and for possible defects in the flavor .

The Juicy Stuff

The Equiano Coffee tasting room in Eugene’s hip Whiteaker neighborhood is one of the best places to experience the many nuanced flavors inherent in top quality, specialty-grade, single varietal coffees. They always have two different varietals available to experience as espresso, including the very popular Fazenda Condado, Brazil , Yellow Catuai with its pronounced nutty flavor characteristic and buttery mouthfeel and at least one varietal brewed up as their house coffee of the day.

Equiano’s Baristas keep a supply of fresh cold brewed coffee on hand. These are the same varietals of coffee they use for espresso and house coffee and is a wonderful way to get more familiar with a particular coffee as each brewing method will highlight different characteristics of the same coffee.

And if you just can’t decide what coffee to enjoy on your visit or if you can’t quite decide what type of beans to take home to brew, the tasting room also offers coffee “Flights”. Your Barista can help you to choose 3 of the many varietals on hand at Equiano and brew them up for you to taste “cupping” style, just like the pros! Tasting single varietal coffees side by side in this fashion is a great way to help you begin to identify and distinguish between more subtle flavors in a good cup of coffee.

We’re Just Getting Started

Next, in part 2 of “What Is Specialty Coffee, Really?”, We’ll delve deeper into the coffee supply chain as well as look at what flavor qualities distinguish specialty grade coffee from the rest of the coffee out there, generally referred to as “specialty”. Curious now? Check out this blog on one of our favorite specialty grade coffees, our Bon Mua Viet Nam and our new Wum Bee Cameroon . And you can find most of Equiano’s coffees for sale here at equianocoffee.com .

Part 2 will also look at what types of flavor characteristics make specialty grade coffee unique and also we’ll dissect the four fundamental areas of coffee tasting that anybody can learn:

Equiano Coffee: Finca El Rancho, Caturra, Huila, Colombia

Wed, 10 Oct 2018 02:53:00 GMT

Equiano Coffee Company’s new “Caturra” varietal coffee from the “El Rancho” farm in Huila, Colombia is now available at the tasting room!

Come and Get it While you can!

In typical Equiano Coffee fashion, our roastmaster Okon Udosenata who handles all of the companies coffee sourcing (selecting & buying) managed to secure the lone bag of the “Caturra” varietal coffee grown by Mrs. Benilda Papamija on her farm, “Finca El Rancho” in the Huila Department of Colombia.

I had the pleasure of sampling this coffee with Okon at the Equiano Coffee tasting room in Eugene, Oregon yesterday and true to form Equiano has hit the mark again with what is surely another one of the best coffees in Eugene.

What a pleasure, that first wave of fruity sweetness with its full, creamy mouthfeel. This Caturra varietal is no light-bodied, watery coffee. The full-bodied, creamy & buttery mouthfeel of this small farm Colombian is a wonderful and welcome compliment to the cup’s delightfully sweet flavor characteristics.

Are those hints of dried fruit sugars, ripe figs and sweet cream that I’m tasting? Admittedly, my tasting vocabulary is probably a little more developed than my palate is. That’s just one of the reasons I enjoy tasting coffees with Okon at Equiano Coffee, he has one of the most wonderfully developed palates I’ve encountered in specialty coffee.

If you ever have the good fortune of running into Okon at the tasting room in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood, I encourage you to pick his brain about the coffees they’re currently offering. Okon’s a wellspring of coffee knowledge and knows the coffees he roasts intimately. You’re sure to learn something new to add to your coffee enjoyment experience.

Sweet Coffees From Colombia’s Huila Department

Most of the Colombian Coffees that Okon sources are from the Huila region located in the Southwest part of the country. Huila tends to produce high-grade Arabica coffees with sweeter flavor characteristics and is slowly developing a reputation for its higher quality small farm coffees.

Some of the additional tasting notes for this Caturra provided by its producers in Colombia include; Almonds, chocolate, hazelnuts, juicy body and prolonged residual flavors in the mouth. They also give this Caturra varietal bean high marks for being well balanced and for its notably full body.

Just One Bag of Coffee!

Okon has begun to rotate this wonderful new Colombian offering through the coffees available to take home whole bean or ground from the tasting room but the supply is limited. With just one large burlap bag of raw green beans to roast up for sale, I highly recommend visiting the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room at 300 Blair Blvd. in Eugene before this excellent coffee sells out.

And if you’d like to taste this new coffee before buying beans to take home, you can always ask your friendly Equiano Barista to brew some up via our single cup “pour over” brewing method or as one of 3 coffees in a single varietal coffee “flight” so that you can sample it side by side with two other Equiano coffees.

We would love to hear from you about what your experience and thoughts are on this Colombian selection either here in the comments section of this blog or on our Facebook page. We hope to see you soon. Cheers!

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Equiano Coffee: Wum Bee, Oku Valley, Cameroon, Java

Wed, 26 Sep 2018 03:03:00 GMT

It’s all about relationship for Okon Udosenata, roast master and co-owner at Equiano Coffee Company, a small family-owned business roasting and serving some of Eugene, Oregon’s best coffees. Equiano Coffee’s latest offering of the beloved “Java” coffee varietal from Cameroon exemplifies this value of choosing connection and relationship over price.

Equiano Coffee has sourced and roasted Cameroonian coffee in the past and customers lamented not being able to brew and enjoy this flavorful cup when Equiano’s supplies sold out. But Udosenata wasn’t willing to continue purchasing these beans from the behemoth coffee importer that had supplied his initial stock. And it was just by chance that Udosenata ran into an old friend on the street one day that happened to have a personal connection to a family from Portland, Oregon that worked with Cameroonian coffee farmers.

After an introduction and a sit down meeting over a cup of coffee at Equiano’s coffee tasting room, Udosenata found what he had been looking for, an opportunity to work directly with small farm producers in Cameroon.

U.S. To Cameroon: Making The Connection

Enter “ Wum Bee Coffee ”. Wum Bee co-owner Franklin Kwa, a former professional soccer player living in Portland, Oregon and his wife Mischelle would meet with their friend Kevin over a cup of coffee and discuss how they might facilitate a connection between the two cultures that they loved. The answer, it turns out, was right in their cup. It was the coffee itself and the connection between the farmers in Cameroon and the coffee lovers in here the U.S. that would inspire these three friends’ new adventure. Franklin and Mischelle Kwa moved their family to the small village of Wum in the Northwest region of Cameroon and with the help of friends and family began Wum Bee Coffee, a company dedicated to bridging the financial and relationship gaps between the small farmers & coffee co-ops in Cameroon with coffee roasters and consumers in America.

Not only does the Kwa family connect coffee producers from their home region in Cameroon with coffee roasters and buyers from the U.S., they are also steeped in helping local producers maintain a high standard of quality in the production of the Java varietal Arabica beans as well as initiating and helping to maintain a healthy & quality life for farming families through various community projects such as bringing water quality and educational resources to local coffee-producing villages.

Wum Bee, Oku Valley, Cameroon, Java

The famous Java varietal of Arabica grade coffee grown in the Oku Valley region of Cameroon is meticulously processed to ensure the utmost quality so that the resulting bean produces the absolute best in flavor characteristics. Once the coffee cherries are picked from the farm trees and transported to the local co-op processing facilities, pains are taken to pick through the pulped and washed beans a total of 4 times to ensure only the best product makes it into your cup. The beans are then separated into 5 different sizes from the uniquely tiny “peaberry” up to screen size #18 all of which boast their own subtly unique flavor characteristics.

Through the expert roasting of Equiano’s Okon Udosenata, these Java beans offer an amazing array of flavor characteristics from milk chocolate, cinnamon & amaretto -to- sweet fruity notes of guava, apricot and even brown sugar.

Available both online at www.equianocoffee.com and at Equiano’s tasting room in Eugene, Oregon, Udosenata will be rotating through the different size Cameroon Java beans over the coming months so that all of our fellow coffee lovers can have the opportunity to experience and enjoy the many subtle and delicious flavor characteristics of this amazing coffee. So whether you serve only the best specialty Arabica coffees to your business’ customers or simply enjoy brewing coffee for yourself at home, I encourage you to treat yourself to some of this uniquely delicious coffee.

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Finca El Danubio, Colombia, Pink Bourbon

Wed, 22 Aug 2018 03:11:00 GMT

It may be too presumptuous of me to say that Equiano Coffee’s new offering of Finca El Danubio, Pink Bourbon varietal coffee from Colombia is one of Eugene’s best coffees so I’ll just say “Wow”!

Small Farm Coffee

Equiano’s new Finca (farm) El Danubio, Pink Bourbon varietal coffee is sourced from one of our favorite coffee growing regions in Colombia.

Farmer, Jose Ortiz currently has 20,000 coffee trees growing on his estate in the Huila department of Southwest Colombia. Situated in the Andean region, Huila attracts many tourists that come for its beautiful landscapes, hot springs, and beautiful coffee mountains.

Huila’s coffees are characterized by sweet notes, good acidity, and intense fragrance, its cup profiles are derived from climatic and geographic factors of the region. El Huila coffee is one of the most recognized regional coffees in Colombia for its consistency in the cup throughout the year.

But don’t take my word for it, check out this short video snippet of Equiano Coffee’s own roastmaster, Okon Udosenata, as he describes some of the more prominent characteristics of this exotic coffee varietal….

Pink Bourbon

In typical Equiano Coffee fashion, this exotic estate coffee was carefully selected by the company’s Roastmaster, Okon Udosenata, and is not likely to be found anywhere else in Eugene. After test-roasting an initial batch of these beans and finding the optimum roast profile, Okon delivers yet another outstanding single-varietal coffee for coffee and espresso lovers to enjoy.

Okon’s sensitive tasting palate combined with his years of roasting experience and award-winning skills have culminated in the production of yet another uniquely delicious offering from Equiano Coffee Company. With characteristics of Strawberry and chocolate, this Pink Bourbon scored high in the categories of fragrance/aroma and balance when tasted by professional coffee cuppers.

Additional tasting notes for this Pink Bourbon include; citrus acidity, clean and consistent cup, creamy body, sweet & tropical fruits.

The Pink Bourbon is highly enjoyable as an espresso, a traditional brewed cup of coffee or as cold brew served over ice.

Where to Find Equiano’s Pink Bourbon

This exotic tasting estate coffee, one of our favorite Colombians here at Equiano is now available as an espresso or as a single cup pour-over at our tasting room in Eugene, Oregon and available in whole bean or ground to take home or to the office to brew yourself.

Not in Eugene, Oregon? No problem! This delicious Pink Bourbon (pronounced “bor-bone”) is also available through the Equiano Coffee website at equianocoffee.com ! Order yours now!

Come visit us at the tasting room and enjoy some of this wonderful coffee while it lasts! The Equiano Tasting Room is located at 300 Blair Blvd , in Eugene, Oregon. Come visit us today!

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Finca La Esmeralda, Colombia, Yellow Bourbon

Thu, 16 Aug 2018 03:21:00 GMT

They’re back! We’re very excited to have back two of our favorite Bourbon (pronounced “burr-bone”) coffee varietals from Colombia; our Finca El Danubio Pink Bourbon with its creamy body, floral, tropical fruit & honey characteristics and one of Equiano’s most popular small farm coffees, the Finca La Esmeralda, Colombia, Yellow Bourbon!

From the Nariño department of Southwest Colombia, this varietal of bean boasts a juicy body with flavor notes of berry and yellow fruit. Nariño has a diverse geography and varied climate according to the altitude. Nariño coffee is planted at high altitudes and its soils have a high content of organic matter that makes it possible to grow coffee at high altitudes that reach up to 2,300 meters above sea level. Its coffees are characterized by high acidity, sweet notes, and pronounced aroma.

Maybe it’s the soil that the coffee trees are grown in or the high elevation the farm sits at or maybe it’s the care that Finca La Esmeralda farmer, Libardo Piedrahita Santa, puts into the planting, nurturing, harvesting and processing that gives this particular bean its quality & uniquely delicious characteristics.

Finca La Esmeralda farmer Libardo Piedrahita Santa

I highly recommend enjoying a cup of this fruity, buttery Yellow Bourbon for yourself! If you’re in Eugene, Oregon you can swing by the Equiano tasting room at 300 Blair Blvd. in the Whiteaker neighborhood and ask your friendly Barista to brew a pour-over of the Colombia Yellow Bourbon for you! You can also take some home to brew up in whole bean form or ground to your specifications. Not near Eugene, Oregon? No problem, both our Colombia Pink Bourbon and our Yellow Bourbon are available for purchase on our website at equianocoffee.com .

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Just In! Equiano’s New Caturra Los Pinos, Antioquia, Colombia

Fri, 27 Jul 2018 21:16:00 GMT

New Amazing Colombian Varietal

new citrusy, buttery single varietal Colombian is a coffee lovers dream come true!

There always seems to be a new coffee treasure to delight the palate at the Equiano Coffee tasting room in Eugene, Oregon. With small farm, single varietal coffees continually circulating through the retail shelves from Equiano’s nearby roasting warehouse, there’s always something sure to please the serious coffee aficionado!

When Okon Udosenata, Roastmaster at Equiano Coffee told me about the new Colombian he had just roasted up, it was with such unabashed enthusiasm and excitement that I just had to go straight to the tasting room to try it for myself. The Barista behind the bar brewed a strong cup of the Colombian Caturra for me as a single cup pour-over. And wow, was it worth the wait!

Delightful Flavor Profile

It was a hearty, full-bodied cup and very smooth with no hint of bitterness anywhere to be found. I wasn’t quite prepared for the sweet, ripe grapefruit notes and the hints of baker’s chocolate. An incredible flavor combination and oh what a treat! My new favorite coffee for brewing at home with a pour-over cone or my Mr. Coffee style electric coffee maker, this Caturra varietal from Finca Los Pinos in the municipality of Urrao Antioquia, in the Northwestern region of Colombia is handpicked and painstakingly processed by farmer Jorge Antonio Arboleda. The excellent growing conditions of the region combined with the meticulous care given to the growing, picking and processing ensures that the roaster, the next link in the coffee chain from farm to cup has a top-quality product to work with.

A fellow coffee connoisseur commented on the butteriness of the coffee and after coming back the next day for a second cup I’d have to agree. The citrus sweetness and buttery characteristics make this delicious Colombian a true stand out among high quality, single varietals.

Don’t Miss it

From the care of the coffee farmer in Colombia and the masterful roasting of Equiano’s Udosenata to the Barista’s custom brewing, this is one of those special coffees you’ll be glad you didn’t miss out on! Stop by the tasting room at 300 Blair Blvd. in Eugene, Oregon for a custom pour-over or take some beans home to brew any day of the week. You can also visit Equiano’s website to shop around and send for any of a number of fine, small farm, single varietal coffees roasted by Udosenata here at equianocoffee.com

And if you get to try some of the Los Pinos, Colombia for yourself we’d love to hear about your experience on our facebook page . Cheers!

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Eugene’s Best Coffee: Equiano Coffee Company

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 04:04:00 GMT

Eugene, Oregon has a rich Specialty Coffee history. From the late “Coffee Corner”, the city’s first coffee house, to its first Starbucks store that cropped up in the 1990s on the corner of 18th & Pearl, and countless other espresso carts and coffee shops that have come and gone over the last three decades. Eugene is also home to more coffee micro-roasters (small coffee roasting companies) than you can count.

Equiano Coffee Tasting Room. 300 Blair Blvd. Eugene, Oregon.

Best Coffee? Ask SIRI

If you’re driving past Eugene, Oregon along the I-5 corridor in need of a good cup of joe and ask SIRI where to find Eugene’s best coffee, she’s likely to tell you “Equiano Coffee Company”. That’s exactly how one traveling coffee lover from California, on his way to Portland, Oregon reported that he found the Equiano Coffee tasting room in the heart of Eugene’s historic Blair Business District.

Okon Udosenata Roasts Organic Brazil At The Equiano Roasting Warehouse. Eugene, Oregon.

And SIRI’s not the only one talking about this unique local coffee roaster. Word has trickled back down from Portland, through the chain of specialty coffee professionals that Okon Udosenata, roastmaster at Equiano Coffee is all the buzz among the coffee roasting community in Oregon’s largest city! Certainly, this is due in no small part to Udosenata’s high placings in Portland’s last regional coffee roasting competition. You can read about the competition by clicking (here) .

Okon Udosenata Can Be Found Sampling His Coffees Around Eugene, Oregon .

Eugene’s Coffee Diversity

But Equiano Coffee Company isn’t alone anomaly in this cozy Northwest college town. The Eugene specialty coffee scene is exploding with small coffee roasters and some truly amazing coffees!

While Udosenata, who also owns Equiano Coffee along with his wife Gloria was originally inspired to begin roasting coffee after reading an article on the Ethiopian coffee ceremony in Fresh Cup Magazine , he has gleaned further inspiration for his roasting business from the city’s oldest coffee roaster, “Cafe Mam”(pronounced “Mom”).

Cafe Mam is not only one of Eugene’s first commercial roaster but was also a pioneer in the organic coffee and direct trade movements, blazing a trail for quality and fair pricing along the “coffee chain” which many in the industry now follow after.

“They’re an original, everybody tries to copy & capitalize on what they’ve been doing in the coffee supply chain all along. I was inspired to develop relationships with the small, independent farmers that grow the coffees we roast at Equiano” , says Okon Udosenata.

Cafe Mam, a more traditional style roaster with many dark-roasted blends of beans all sourced from a single coffee farming and production co-op in Chiapas, Mexico are well known throughout the Willamette Valley of Oregon and can be found in the whole bean coffee section of many local groceries and highly recommended if you enjoy a more traditional, dark roasted coffee or espresso.

Equiano Coffee Company Has Been Featured In Several Local Eugene Publications!

Finding great coffee at the other end of the roasting spectrum in Eugene is easy if you visit the fledgling micro-roaster in the historic 5th St. market district, “Tailored Coffee Roasters”. A “third wave” style roaster specializing in single-origin coffees is known for producing roasted coffees with unusually sharp, bright and acidic qualities popular among so many new roasters and coffee professionals. Tailored’s coffees are sure to delight the palates of the coffee aficionado that leans towards the winey, fruity coffees of Specialty’s “third wave”!

Okon Udosenata Sampling Some Of Eugene’s Best Coffees At Equiano’s Tasting Room.

And then there’s Udosenata at Equiano Coffee. A seasoned and accomplished coffee roaster, Udosenata’s true genius may lie in his ability to find and source some of the world’s most delicious single varietal beans. From Equiano’s ever-popular Organic Brazil to their fruity Colombians and chocolaty Guatemalan coffees to their uniquely delicious Organic Vietnamese with its Chinese five-spice characteristics to its earthy, chocolaty finish, Equiano’s coffees are a real treat for the coffee lover that stumbles upon this little gem of a purveyor.

Taste A “Flight” Of 3 Small Farm, Single Varietal Coffees At The Equiano Coffee Tasting Room.

Uniquely Eugene

Eugene, Oregon, known as “Track Town USA” is home to the University of Oregon and the Oregon Country Fair . And with such famous movies as Animal House and Shenandoah having been filmed here, Eugene has of late, become a popular city for craft beer breweries and specialty coffee roasters alike.

And in the heart of Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood, you’ll find some of the stand-outs like Ninkasi Brewing and Equiano Coffee Company’s coffee tasting room . And if you don’t believe all of my accolades about Equiano’s coffees just take a look at all of their reviews on “Yelp”!

“Great coffees from various world locations prepared with care and to perfection. I’m from Seattle on a visit and I would for sure visit here again. It was fun talking to the owner about his LP turn-table and new receiver and learning about the coffee farmers he buys from.” -James R., Olala, Wa.

Macchiato with in-store made organic Cashew milk.

“Bold flavored coffee delivered with precise customer service. I love having the option for store made cashew-milk. A lovely one of a kind coffee shop with a beautiful outdoor sitting area. Prepare to be wowed with flavor whether you are having a single shot or enjoying a flight of coffee. Cheers, to divinely roasted coffee!” -Iquo I., Eugene, OR.

You can recreate the flavors of Eugene’s best coffee at home.

Equiano sells pour-over brewing kits and whole bean coffees to take home!

The Equiano Coffee Experience

The more fine restaurants and retailers that carry Equiano coffees, the more people seek out the tiny tasting room for whole-bean coffees to take home and re-create the wonderful coffee experience they’ve enjoyed out on the town.

It’s not uncommon for guests of Pastini Italian restaurant or King Estate Winery to come through the tasting room looking for Equiano’s outstanding and ever-popular Organic Brazil which you can find for sale on the company’s website at equianocoffee.com . And the coffee tasting room at 300 Blair Blvd in Eugene has even more delicious small farm coffees to choose from than you can find on the website.

So go ahead, taste these amazing coffees for yourself and decide which single varietal bean is truly Eugene’s best coffee!

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Coffee Culture In The Whiteaker Neighborhood

Sat, 12 Aug 2017 03:52:00 GMT

Personal experiences, relationships, and passion…

The ingredients for dynamic, ever-evolving coffee culture.

Our guest artist and friends (pictured above) enjoying some single-origin cold brew coffees at the Equiano Coffee tasting room during the Whiteaker neighborhood’s “last Friday art walk”.

The seeds of Equiano Coffee’s employee and café culture are cultivated by the dynamic husband & wife duo of Okon and Gloria Udosenata, long-time residents and business owners in the neighborhood. “We wanted to create a space to showcase our finest small farm, single varietal coffees. Our aim is to make specialty coffee both exciting and approachable to the everyday coffee drinker.” -Okon Udosenata

The Best Pop-Up Shops In Lane County

Unique and fun events like this Marigold Pie Popup (above) and entertainment acts on the back patio under the Mimosa tree (below) are popular neighborhood attractions. from beautiful floral arrangements, fine pastries, and chocolates -to- outdoor garden & seating, there are always plenty of delightful discoveries to enjoy at the tasting room. Follow Equiano Coffee on Facebook to learn about upcoming events at the tasting room and on the patio under the Mimosa tree.

Shared Cour Yard

Vanilla Jill’s Soups & Scoops shares the back patio & stage with the tasting room which makes for some delicious ice cream & espresso collaborations. Bring a scoop of ice cream or milkshake over from Vanilla Jill’s and have your friendly Barista add a shot of espresso for an Affogato or espresso milkshake!

The tasting room isn’t just a family affair, this little coffee boutique is staffed with Gloria & Okon’s friends. And yes, their eldest son, 10-year-old Diego has been known to don an apron and is one heck of a gracious host to any & all visitors that wander in.

The Udosenata’s live in the neighborhood, literally two blocks from the tasting room and the whole family enjoys having friends over to enjoy good food, a beautiful garden and relaxing summer vibes. Below Okon is pictured with a few of his & Gloria’s Barista friends from the tasting room. “Culture is both rooted in and spurred on by meaningful relationship.. belonging, having the opportunity to contribute and feeling valued.”

Floral Decor

One of the things you won’t be able to help but to notice when visiting Equiano is the wonderful floral arrangements that adorn the counter and tables inside and out. And the beauty of the whole thing isn’t lost on the guests. I get to work the bar as Barista every now and again and I get to see new guests charmed and delighted by the sights & smells when they first walk through the doors and experience tasting room.

Iconic Vinals to Set the Tone

More than uniquely delicious coffees and more than just subway tiles and beautiful flowers. When regular guests of Equiano think about the brand, It would be hard to do so without thoughts of the fun & refreshing vinyl album collection and the smooth vibes that come from playing only vinyl and cassette tape musical treasures. You won’t hear any digital music at the tasting room.

As an occasional Barista/DJ at the tasting room over the past year, I can still find something special hiding in the record collection that I’ve never been exposed to before or at the very least I’m sure to find a forgotten favorite from the ’80s or ’90s that I can throw on the turntable to the delight of myself and our guests.

While there are many elements that inspire, shape and drive café culture and company culture, from the kinds and quality of the products offered and the aesthetics of the interior design -to- the people you hire and the neighborhood or area the business is located, all these myriad elements of the branding and culture puzzle all come down to the quality of personal experience and the depth of meaning we attach to it.

Tell Us About Your Visit

When was the last time you were truly delighted, maybe even moved by your experience with a business and its people? If you’ve been to visit us at the Equiano Coffee tasting room, we’d love to hear from you about your experience, whether you come back and share your thoughts in person, leave a review on Yelp or connect with us on our Facebook page, it’s “people” that is at the heart of Equiano’s culture.

Peak Flavor, Peak Performance: Coffee And The Athletic Edge

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 04:36:00 GMT

When fellow cyclist and roastmaster at Equiano Coffee, Okon Udosenata, asked if I would write an article on the effect that coffee has on athletic performance I jumped at the opportunity! You see, I’m both a semi-professional athlete (I get paid intermittently) and a career coffee Barista.

Personal Experience with Coffee Before a Ride

As an early morning exerciser, it’s not uncommon for me to enjoy a cup or two of my favorite brew before heading outdoors for a vigorous workout on the bicycle. Frequently I’ll notice the effects of my caffeinated cup when it begins to manifest itself in the form of “the jitters” and stomach irritation. But beyond these symptoms, I haven’t noticed a specific influence or impact on my ability to workout longer or recover from my workout quicker.

With just a little old fashioned digging via the Google button on the ole internet machine, I was able to find a myriad of studies and articles on the subject. What I found is well summed up by this quote from a 2014 article published in The Atlantic- “Caffeine has become the performance-enhancing drug of choice in competitive sports. Using it in precise ways, and not excessively, seems most effective.”

Athlete Testimonials on the Benefits of Caffeine Before Exercise

It was easy to immediately find plenty of first-hand examples to back this up. “Caffeine is critical, particularly if you want to perform and have any success at the top level.” -Sarah Piampiano (women’s second place, 2012 Ironman U.S. Championship). Four-time Olympic marathon runner Shalane Flanagan drinks 2-4 cups of coffee each morning before workouts and record-breaking professional cyclist Evelyn Stevens drinks 1-2 cups each morning. I reached out to Allan Luebke, a friend who’s dietary & exercise adventures I follow on Instagram [@ketoencounters]. Allan adheres to a strict ketogenic diet that lacks the carbohydrate fuel that would otherwise be used by his body during his religious daily workout routines. He says, “…black coffee right beforehand [working out] would probably be a nice boost.” And “I generally try to have coffee before I lift weights…”

Coffee Does Improve Physical Performance

According to the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee’s website, coffeeandhealth.org , “There is clear evidence that caffeine…. can improve physical performance.” And “The effect of caffeine on sports performance is most evident in endurance (aerobic) sports lasting more than five minutes e.g. running, cycling and rowing.” Studies have also shown that in endurance exercise, caffeine improves time trial performance and has shown a reduction in muscle pain.

More good news. For those of us athletes that love our coffee is that caffeine may modulate central fatigue, a type of fatigue caused by neurochemical changes in the brain associated with prolonged exercise, and therefore influence perceived exertion, perceived pain, and levels of vigor, all of which are likely to lead to improvements in performance.

So whether you’re a semi-serious athlete like myself, a competitive cyclist like my friend Okon at Equiano Coffee or a dedicated professional athlete, the subject of coffee and its caffeine content as it relates to physical performance is worth a simple web search. You are sure to find more articles, studies & opinions than you’ll ever need for your own enlightenment.

How Much Caffeine Should We Use

How much coffee you need to drink and when, in relationship to our physical performance, will be different for each of us. According to Dr. Rahim Kanjind at rahimkanjind.com , genetics plays a role in how each of us is affected by the caffeine in our favorite cup of coffee. Caffeine activates a nerve in the stomach causing it to dump its content into the intestines and from the intestines, it’s absorbed into the bloodstream. And that’s where our individual genetic makeup comes into play.

Fast Metabolizers vs. Slow Metabolizers

Your liver contains many different enzymes, each metabolizing different drugs. Your genetics determines how much of an enzyme is produced. Therefore, someone who produces less of an enzyme will metabolize a drug like the caffeine in coffee slower.

The liver of a “fast-metabolizer” will process the caffeine quicker and the effects of the caffeine on their body will be of a shorter duration. Conversely, the liver of a “slow-metabolizer” will de-activate caffeine at a slower rate which means that the caffeine remains in their brain for a longer period of time.

Logically, as a matter of course, we may want to experiment for ourselves to gauge how our morning cups affect our performance during workouts and competition and how long those effects tend to influence our performance, muscle pain & recovery time. We might conclude that a fast-metabolizer may enjoy a cup or two of coffee just prior to working out while a slow-metabolizer may enjoy their coffee an hour or two before working out in order to enjoy top performance. “Other factors that can speed up metabolism include; grilled meats, broccoli, cauliflower and being young & lean,” says Dr. Kanjind.

Drug of Choice in Competitive Sports

The best way I can sum up our look at coffee and athletic performance is to leave you with the quote that I started this article with, “Caffeine has become the performance-enhancing drug of choice in competitive sports. Using it in precise ways, and not excessively, seems most effective.”

From now on, I’ll be paying closer attention during my workouts and how my morning cup may be affecting my physical endurance, intensity, muscle pain and recovery time. In fact, Okon and I will both be noting our experiences with using coffee as a part of our daily workouts for the next several months and reporting back to you in part 2 of this article. We’ll also be talking with local medical professionals and athletes to bring you some more first-hand experiences with caffeine and athletic performance!

If you would like to explore more about peak flavor and peak performance for yourself, some of my favorite coffees are masterfully sourced and roasted by Okon himself at Equiano Coffee. You can find Equiano’s coffees at equianocoffee.com or at the Equiano Coffee Tasting Room, 300 Blair Blvd. if you live in Eugene.

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Equiano Coffee Company Brings Some of the World’s Best Coffees to Eugene

Tue, 06 Jun 2017 05:02:00 GMT

Introducing: Equiano Coffee Company

Eugene, Oregon has a new Specialty Coffee roaster & retailer, and it’s something special! Okon and Gloria Udosenata, along with their young boys, Diego and Nasia, have begun roasting small farm, single-varietal coffees from Colombia and other coffee-growing regions from around the world, under the business name “Equiano Coffee Company”.

Okon brings ten-plus years of experience in the specialty coffee industry to the company including both Barista and coffee roasting experience. Gloria, who shares her husband’s passion for all things coffee, also has experience working as a barista in Eugene.

“After leaving Global Delights in June of 2015 I wanted to focus on Specialty Coffee in the Northwest. In my home town of Eugene, Oregon the term Specialty Coffee is as ambiguous and grey as the weather. With Equiano Coffee Co. I will attempt to harness and clarify Specialty Coffee in Eugene, Oregon.”- Okon Udoseneta, January 2016

Dreams really do come true, just ask Okon and Gloria Udoseneta, husband & wife owners of Equiano Coffee Co. in Eugene, Oregon. And after two years in business Okon Udoseneta, roastmaster at Equiano Coffee is doing just what he set out to do, “Making Specialty Coffee approachable, and exciting.”

After shutting the doors of their first cafe venture, “ One Cup Cafe ” Okon’s passion and skills landed him a business partnership and Roast Master position with a small, local coffee company. Okon turned out to be more than just a quick study when it came to roasting specialty coffee. After cutting his teeth on a Diedrich commercial roaster he entered his first Roaster’s Guild U.S. Roasters Championship in 2015 taking 6th place in the nation his first time out.

Trip to Origin: Colombia

That very same year Okon was invited along on an origin trip to Colombia to visit & work on several small coffee farms, taste amazing Colombian coffees and cultivate relationships with farmers, processors & exporters. The relationships he began to forge on that trip along with the amazing coffees he discovered in Colombia helped to set Equiano Coffee on the road to the success that the Udoseneta family is already enjoying with their new venture!

Now Okon and Gloria enjoy visits from a number of the coffee farmers that they’ve developed buying relationships with. Some farmers come from as far as Brazil and Vietnam to visit the Udosenatas at their small boutique style coffee tasting room in Eugene.

Equiano Tasting Room

In the spring of 2017, Okon and Gloria opened Eugene, Oregon’s first coffee tasting room in the newly revitalized and hip “Whiteaker” neighborhood of Eugene, nestled in the midst of several of the Northwest’s fast-growing craft beer breweries.

“I wanted to create a special place where we could showcase our more rare & exotic coffees, those that are typically too high-end or expensive for our wholesale coffee house customers to carry” , says Okon.

Since its opening day, the Equiano Tasting Room has become a favorite destination for neighborhood coffee lovers and a popular coffee rest stop for interstate travelers along Oregon’s I-5 corridor, with Google Maps and “Siri” directing drivers to where they can find “the best coffee in Eugene”.

Rave reviews like this article from the Eugene Weekly have become common for the tiny yet stylish cafe as the following reviews from yelp.com attests to:

” This coffee is the best! Roasted by the owner to perfection. Me and my wife not only drink the coffee at their tasting room, but we also buy their whole beans to brew at home in our Espresso Machine. Additionally, if you prefer drip or French press they have a wonderful assortment of beans to choose from. Love this place! Keep it up!” -Alex F., Eugene, Oregon.

“Great coffees from various world locations prepared with care and to perfection. I’m from Seattle on a visit and I would for sure visit here again. It was fun talking to the owner about his LP turntable and new receiver and learning about the coffee farmers he buys from.” -James R., Olalla, Washington

More recently, Okon and Gloria have launched their new eCommerce website, making their coffees available worldwide. To taste Okon’s coffees for yourself, you can visit www.equianocoffee.com .

Uniquely Eugene

As the company continues to grow, a unique cafe culture has begun to emerge from the popular neighborhood cafe. The tasting room walls feature visual works from local artists on a rotating, monthly basis, and the weekly, Sunday morning pastry pop-ups featuring fare from local chefs and artisan bakers have become a regular draw for coffee and pastry loving crowds.

Anyone visiting the tasting room can enjoy a latte or cappuccino prepared with either local dairy or organic Cashew milk prepared in-house. Add some of Okon’s hand made chocolate ganache or raw coffee blossom honey to your favorite drink. And as always, espresso lovers have a choice between either of two single varietal espressos, each with its own unique flavor characteristics, and expertly prepared on the shops new, state-of-the-art “ Synesso MVP Hydra ” espresso machine.

For the coffee purist that wants to enjoy the many subtle and pronounced flavors found throughout Okon’s carefully sourced and masterfully roasted coffees, your friendly Equiano barista will be happy to hand brew your choice of coffee bean pour-over style or prepare a “flight” of any three coffees side-by-side for you to taste “cupping” style.

A Growing Following

Last year, King Estate Winey switched their winery restaurant’s coffee offering from the nationally recognized Intellegencia Coffee to Equiano’s organic Brazil. Also noteworthy is Pastini Italian restaurant’s choice to offer the same Brazil from Equiano to their restaurant guests. Pastini serves coffee from Stumptown Coffee Roasters at their Portland, Oregon locations.

Even Market of Choice, Oregon owned natural foods store chain sells a selection of several Equiano whole bean coffees at both, their Willamette Street and Franklin Blvd locations in Eugene.

The Equiano Tasting Room is located at 300 Blair Blvd, in Eugene, Oregon and is open seven days a week.

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