2026-08-10 to 2026-08-16

Week of 2026-08-10

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Summary

seylance2897

On Aug. 10 in #origins-and-producers, rated W05 and W02 highest among the coffees under discussion and noted that W05 had reached $2,245/kg. He called them some of the best Ethiopian coffees he had ever tasted, while emphasizing that the willingness to pay dramatically more for a 93-point coffee over an already exceptional 92-point coffee is highly personal.
Said he was nearly certain the lots in question were 74158, though not 100% sure. Of the experimental lots, he thought X05 was very good; despite being an extended-fermentation washed lot whose fruit became slightly sticky, it retained an unusually high level of complexity and articulation without fermentation dominating.
Described certain coffees as effectively defying normal stylistic molds, citing the discussed coffee and Albino Ibias's first harvest as examples. More generally, he avoids over-describing coffees before people taste them because he wants drinkers to form their own impressions; he also said he has never tasted two harvests from the same farm that tasted the same.
Clarified SEY's Alo/Tamiru sourcing: they had several Alo dark-room lots forward-contracted at about $120/kg, mostly washed, plus one dark-room hybrid-washed lot. Tamiru's higher-quality lots primarily come from one site in Alo Village, and there was no normal retail website - buyers would need to purchase directly from Tamiru or possibly find an Asian importer.
Framed ultra-high-end Ethiopian buying as an unresolved market problem in the U.S.: SEY can find many 92-93-point coffees, but the incremental half-point or point is extremely difficult to produce and increasingly expensive. He said much of their work involves discovering producers or regions early, then moving on to develop new areas as the broader buying market arrives and prices rise.
On Aug. 14, stressed the importance of harvest-to-roastery logistics. Harvest timing varies with elevation, rain, and climate; in Ethiopia most coffee is harvested in November-December, with the highest elevations extending into January. His rough expectation was about two months off harvest for Colombia, while five months for Burundi could still be considered very good.
Said moving coffee faster is a significant part of his job because fresher is better and reduces the risk of coffee "dying." He was actively planning a Peru trip as harvest began and joked that they first had to find the "95-point Peru."
Described the Peru work as still exploratory and overwhelmingly SL9 in the area where he was working. He was highly impressed by first-year quality but said processing consistency was "all over the place"; he saw that variability as part of the appeal of genuinely artisanal production and expected modest processing tweaks to make the coffees cleaner in subsequent harvests.
On Aug. 15, agreed that zero-fermentation Alo lots can be remarkably complex, but argued fermentation is a meaningful part of the classic Kenyan profile. He noted that Kenya had been exceptionally hot during the prior harvest, that fermentation temperatures rose, and that SEY had roughly 10 experiments planned with Gerald for the coming harvest to investigate the effects.
Also cautioned against identifying farms from names alone because names such as El Porvenir are extremely common. A Colombian peaberry separation struck him as unusual; for a Junin coffee associated with Brian Mayta and a prior CoE placement, he thought Gesha was more likely than SL9 because, to his knowledge, relatively little SL9 is grown there.

lancehedrick

On Aug. 10 in #what-are-you-brewing, ranked the Chiroso under discussion as very good - possibly top five, though perhaps sixth after comparing it with an unusually strong field of roughly 18 Chirosos he had tasted that year.
His Chiroso standouts were Berrio's second harvest, both William Ortiz lots, and both Duber lots. By Aug. 12 he reiterated that Ortiz, Duber, and Berrio were his top tier, while Arley was excellent but probably outside his top five.
In #cupping, agreed that one Chiroso roast had been darker than ideal and observed that, within limits, roasting Chiroso darker can push its profile in a more savory direction.
In a discussion of another Duber batch, said he personally did not find the herbality someone else had reported, making clear that his experience differed rather than treating the note as objectively absent.
Said his group was behind on tasting because a coffee shipment to Portugal was rejected by customs: they sent more than 3 kg despite a 2 kg personal-consumption limit, so it was turned back. He explicitly framed this as their own mistake rather than simply blaming customs.
On Aug. 13, clarified a sales-channel distinction: the party being discussed was a distributor, not a reseller or retailer. He described it as not technically direct, though "direct in a roundabout way."
For water, he said that for Lunga he uses SEY house / Lotus UL; another brief water comment indicated the coffee or roast being discussed was on the lighter side, though the surrounding context is limited.
Repeatedly hosted informal #Brew-Along sessions throughout the week, including brews with Jose, and invited community members visiting Porto to reach out so they could meet at SO.

opp4004

Distinguished Mejo Pacamara from SL9 by expected profile: Mejo as juicy stone fruit, honeysuckle-like florals, citrus, syrupy texture, and bright lemon acidity; SL9 as much harder to categorize, with complex florals, slightly underripe tropical fruit, dragon-fruit-like flavors, and herbal notes resembling oolong or tulsi.
Argued that roasting is effectively an experiment every batch, whether or not a roaster labels it that way, because green coffee continually changes. He rejected the simplistic idea that great roasters merely discover one excellent profile and repeat it; in practice, they constantly modify roasting in response to how each coffee behaves.
Spent substantial time on SL9 variation and lineage, cautiously hypothesizing from Dr. Shao's research that different farms may hold different generations or expressions of SL9. He used Lucio Luque, Edid Medina, and Y-3 to illustrate the range: some Gesha-like, some intensely fruity, with Y-3 tasting almost like a "zero-fermentation Gesha."
Explained that Ethiopian/Jimma "zero fermentation" is more accurately "almost zero fermentation." Because eco-pulping can leave some mucilage on parchment unless it is subsequently washed away, he considers the practical result close to a white-honey process, with somewhat more intensity than the phrase "zero fermentation" suggests.
Was enthusiastic but explicitly cautious about Peru. He described Amaybamba as a large valley with potentially substantial terroir variation, expected more Peruvian regions to become visible in exports, and said his theories were changing rapidly as new information arrived. The one deliberately strong claim he was willing to make was that Peru was, to him, a more exciting origin than Panama.
Reported extensive brewing notes across older and current coffees. A 2023 SEY Duromina gave black tea, mandarin, honeysuckle, bergamot, and some umami; an older Genezard had lost complexity but retained vivid lemon, passion fruit, mangosteen-like florality, black-honey-like character, and ripe dragon fruit; Octavio Rueda End of Season through the A4Z produced hibiscus, rosehip, lemon, dried strawberry, and cactus-fruit-like notes.
Praised the A4Z grinder, including the ability to open it to roughly 130-135 for a lighter presentation. For another brewer's difficult cup he suggested dropping water temperature substantially; he also described a friend's low-dose, long-bloom, untamped slow-press technique. He admitted he routinely ignores recommended resting periods, so he did not consider himself reliable on optimal rest.
His first tasting of the subscriber-exclusive coffee later discussed as Kamavindi Gesha was highly unusual: underripe starfruit, very fresh pu'er, white currant, berries, and intense botanical notes like banana or fig leaves, with jasmine and bergamot emerging as it cooled. He thought the quality was extremely high but the flavor was not to his taste, and strongly suspected the wild profile was related to a first harvest, while acknowledging the details had not been disclosed.
On Aug. 13-15, praised Umoco Burundi for an older-style Burundi/Rwanda profile of dried hawthorn, peach, white tea, and oily texture; showed particular excitement for Chelbesa's Siti site; and rated one newly brewed coffee as unexpectedly excellent and almost like a top-quality Chiroso, with jasmine, lemongrass, sharp peach acidity, sour-jelly intensity, white tea, and a spreading floral finish. He was using the Orb with a 14 g dose and also named the Oxo Rapid Brewer.
Explored aggressive fermentation experiments critically rather than rejecting them categorically. A Kenyan Chepsangor Hills "River Fermentation Natural" - 24 hours of initial drying, then six days sealed and submerged around 19C until pH 3.6 before natural drying - had very high fermentation intensity, rose, mulberry, red grape, orange, and mangosteen, but also murkiness/astringency reminiscent of heavily processed Brazilian coffees. He felt African "cold" processes he had tried were less clean than comparable Central/South American examples, while Peru's Miraflores washed and honey lots impressed him greatly.
On Aug. 14, found the newer Albino dramatically different from the first harvest: initially woody/oak/Mocha-like, then ripe apricot, starfruit, dragon fruit, mango, and strong florals. Blind, he said he might have guessed a high-quality Honduran or Nicaraguan Red Catuai rather than Peruvian SL9, reinforcing the week's broader point that variety labels alone were poor predictors of these coffees.

dougssg

On Aug. 10 in #current-menu, emphasized the value of the sixth subscription box, hoping it still exceeded subscriber expectations on both quality and price. He clarified that the included Pepe Sidra was the Pepe Sidra Wave, previously only purchasable at PLAY, and believed it was subscription-exclusive.
Said SEY had just cupped incredible new lots and repeatedly highlighted how unusually strong the season was. By Aug. 11 he was calling the Ethiopia season "INSANE", noting that one coffee remained impressive even when tasted on the same table as Alo auction lots.
Compared Kenyan lots Kambarare and Nginda in unusually explicit preference-vs-quality terms: he considered Kambarare objectively the better coffee, but it was too "sticky"/fermentation-forward for his own sensitivity. For serving someone else he would choose Kambarare; for drinking every day for two weeks, he would choose the cleaner Nginda.
Called that Kenyan coffee a massive, memorable coffee and said it further cemented Gerald as one of his favorite producers. He hoped Gerald would become much better known globally and mentioned that SEY had two more Gerald lots coming.
Summarized his origin-level view as Peru being origin of the year for multiple reasons, while the absolute quality of Ethiopia that season was unparalleled. He also said Alo hybrid washed had blown him away and that Basha was his current favorite among released coffees.
On honey processing, pushed back against any assumption that honey inherently means funky or dirty: white honeys can be extremely clean, and white honey retains the least mucilage among honey-process categories.
Compared Basha and Harmufo rather than picking a universal winner: Basha was bigger, fruitier, and more unusual; Harmufo was cleaner, prettier, and his preference as a daily driver. He repeatedly warned when Harmufo inventory was nearly gone and later announced that Fellow had released some extra remaining stock.
Clarified subscription logistics on Aug. 12: the set remained six coffees; joining at that point would not yield the Kama Gesha but would yield Pepe Sidra; and SEY would not reduce bag size based on the coffee being supplied, so a two-pound configuration would remain two pounds.
Expressed a personal love for Burundi despite acknowledging it is not universally popular. His view was that Burundi's quality ceiling is not enormous, but the profile itself can be exceptionally appealing.
On Aug. 15, said the Fellow drop had required an enormous amount of work and thanked people for their patience, suggesting the release was operationally much more demanding than it may have appeared from the outside.

naomi (car7iern)

Very few messages from Naomi were captured this week, so there is not enough material for 6-10 distinct substantive topics.
On Aug. 10, briefly wondered what was going to happen with a particular box being discussed, but the captured text does not establish which box or the eventual outcome.
On Aug. 14, experimented with turning Basha into coffee jello for another person. She jokingly reported that he "loved it" and immediately corrected that he did not.
She planned further Basha-jello trials, potentially adding sugar at the recipient's request, and joked about offering espresso in "liquid or jello form." She stressed that it was only for fun for now, but said she would report back if the experiments produced something genuinely worth tasting.

Cross-thread takeaways

Peru and Ethiopia dominated the origin discussion, but for different reasons. Doug called Peru the origin of the year while saying Ethiopia's quality was unparalleled; seylance2897 saw Peru as an exciting early-stage development project with inconsistent artisanal processing; opp4004 was even more bullish on Peru's potential but repeatedly warned that his SL9 and terroir theories remained provisional.
SL9 resisted simple varietal stereotypes throughout the week. seylance2897 said his Peru work area was essentially all SL9, while opp4004 described enormous expression differences among Edid Medina, Lucio Luque, Y-3, and Albino. Albino in particular reinforced the point: opp4004 thought the newer harvest could blind as Central American Red Catuai rather than a stereotypical Peruvian SL9.
Fermentation intensity was a recurring fault line rather than a simple quality hierarchy. Doug preferred cleaner Nginda for repeated drinking despite regarding the stickier Kambarare as objectively better; seylance2897 praised rare coffees that maintain articulation despite strong fermentation; opp4004 enjoyed some extreme processing but criticized murkiness and astringency in the Kenyan River Fermentation Natural.
Kenyan fermentation was treated as both identity and experimental variable. seylance2897 argued fermentation is a meaningful part of Kenyan flavor and described forthcoming controlled experiments with Gerald after a very hot harvest. Doug's strong praise for Gerald's lots - and his sensitivity to their fermentation character - gave a consumer-side counterpart to that producer/process work.
"Zero fermentation" emerged as a misleading shorthand. opp4004 argued that eco-pulped coffees often retain enough mucilage to behave more like a white honey and preferred "almost zero fermentation"; seylance2897 agreed that zero-fermentation Alo lots can still become surprisingly complex; Doug separately emphasized that white honeys can be exceptionally clean.
Roasting and freshness were both presented as moving targets. Lance found darker Chiroso roasting could emphasize savory character; opp4004 argued every roast is inherently an experiment because green coffee changes; seylance2897 focused further upstream on shortening harvest-to-roastery transit because freshness improves quality and reduces the chance of coffees fading.
Subscriber-exclusive coffees encouraged experimentation rather than consensus. The Kama Gesha/first-harvest discussion produced a high-quality-but-polarizing botanical profile for opp4004, while Albino generated another radically atypical expression. Doug framed the subscription around maintaining high value even when the coffees were unusual, and opp4004 explicitly saw exposure to strange coffees as part of what a serious subscription should provide.

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2026-08-10 to 2026-08-16

seylance2897

2026-08-10

7:48 PM #origins-and-producers: WO5 and W02 were my high scores. W05 is now at $2,245/KG
7:50 PM #origins-and-producers: only took 10 years 😂

But, yeah globally it does finally seem to be shifting
7:51 PM #origins-and-producers: soooo hard to compare coffees now from 2024
7:52 PM #origins-and-producers: I'd say that these are definitely some of the best Ethiopian coffees I've ever tasted... but how much money someone wants to pay for an insane 93pt coffee instead of an insane 92pt coffee... is pretty personal ha
7:55 PM #origins-and-producers: i'm nearly certain they are all 74158 but i'm not 100%
8:03 PM #origins-and-producers: the X05 i thought was very good for the expirimental lots... but it was just an extended fermentation washed lot
8:03 PM #origins-and-producers: but the fruit did go slightly sticky
8:04 PM #origins-and-producers: ha yes, but that coffee was also so cool it exists in a different place for me... some coffees just defy molds... that was one, Albino Ibias's 1st harvest was another one
8:05 PM #origins-and-producers: its so so rare to get that level of complexity and articulation with that level of fermentation...normally the fermentation dominates
8:08 PM #origins-and-producers: Ha I try to not give out too much information to allow people to have their own experiences, then I'm more than happy to talk about mine. I can say that I've never tasted 2 harvests from the same farm that taste the same
8:08 PM #origins-and-producers: we have a number of alo dark room lots this year
8:08 PM #origins-and-producers: they were 120/kg
8:08 PM #origins-and-producers: but these were forward contracted for us
8:10 PM #origins-and-producers: all washed
8:11 PM #origins-and-producers: no theres no website to buy from. You have to buy directly from tamiru. Maybe there are some importers in Asia that you can buy from... but as of now, i don't believe any importer is selling coffees from Tamiru
8:11 PM #origins-and-producers: sorry we do have 1 hybrid washed lot as well
8:11 PM #origins-and-producers: its also darkroom
8:12 PM #origins-and-producers: hahaha ohhh so sorry. He has one main site that all his higher quality lots come from. That site is in Alo Village
8:13 PM #origins-and-producers: wat Janesh said
8:23 PM #origins-and-producers: haha who is cooway coffee? they stole my coffees
8:28 PM #origins-and-producers: its honstly challening to know how many of these we can buy and at what prices... this market hasn't really been explored in the US and i also know alot of the asian roasters use them for marketing, they don't sell them for what they 'should' cost
8:28 PM #origins-and-producers: Haha I'm happy to buy them, if there is a big enogh market for them
8:29 PM #origins-and-producers: ha yup
8:30 PM #origins-and-producers: thats also the issue with Ethiopia - i have many 92 maybe 93 pt coffees from Ethiopia this year... how much is it worth to get another half point, maybe full point
8:30 PM #origins-and-producers: but its also true that that half to full point is exceptionally hard to produce
8:31 PM #origins-and-producers: yes, but those will also continue to get more expensive know that the larger buying market knows about them
8:32 PM #origins-and-producers: its good for Albino!
8:33 PM #origins-and-producers: alot of the work we do is finding new coffees/ producers then as buyers flock there we move on to develop new areas...
8:33 PM #origins-and-producers: haha ohhh nic

2026-08-12

11:21 PM #cupping: nope! everything is roasted in the exact same batch size, 52lbs green.

2026-08-14

12:59 AM #origins-and-producers: definitely not.. I'm starting to give producers thermometers but haven't gotten any to Urrao yet
1:31 AM #origins-and-producers: this is relatively accurate for harvest. not roasting landed /roasting. but harvest also lasts a couple months based on elevation and climate
1:32 AM #origins-and-producers: Ethiopia last harvest high high elevation is in Jan, but. most of what is harvested is nov- dec. But, this also varys due to climate, rains, etc.
2:52 AM #origins-and-producers: all depends on logistics and how good they are and it varies wildly country to country. for example my expectation for colombia is 2 months off harvest. my expectation for bruundi is i'm very happy happy with 5 months
2:52 AM #origins-and-producers: but, not a small part of my job is trying to move coffee and figure out how to move coffee faster and faster each year
2:53 AM #origins-and-producers: fresher is better and also significantly lowers risk of coffee dying
2:54 AM #origins-and-producers: 100%
3:08 AM #origins-and-producers: for sure! shipping will be insanely expensive ha
3:14 AM #origins-and-producers: haha gotta find the 95pt peru first
3:19 AM #origins-and-producers: planning my peru trip as we speak actually
3:19 AM #origins-and-producers: harvest has started
3:20 AM #origins-and-producers: hah of course
3:20 AM #origins-and-producers: hoepfully any of them are any good
3:25 AM #origins-and-producers: where I'm working its al sl9
3:43 AM #origins-and-producers: Yeah! As this was really the very first year of exploring so many of these places and producers... personally I was beyond impressed with the quality... but admittedly and expectedly the processing was all over the place, which honestly led to some really fun and dynamic experiences... but, I'm super excited to taste a lot of these coffees again with some minor tweaks here and there to see if things can clean up a bit.. this year in Peru was literally the definition of artisanal coffee production, in a very cool way

2026-08-15

6:34 PM #origins-and-producers: I agree with Christopher on this one. I do think it quite interesting to see how complex the zero fermetnation ALO lots can get. But, I do personally feel like it is a very meaningful part of Kenyan profiles
6:37 PM #origins-and-producers: i don't believe I've ever tasted her coffee.... but, it gets challening cause there are literally a million El Porvenir farms in huila ha
6:38 PM #origins-and-producers: its very rare to get a peaberry separation in Colombia though.. so thats interesting
6:40 PM #origins-and-producers: yeah it was very, very hot in Kenya during last years harvest. We know that that fermentation got warm. We have around 10 differnet experiments regarding this with Gerald this coming harvest. Very excited what we learn
7:16 PM #origins-and-producers: its a small farm it produces between 10 and 20, 70kg bags of green a year
7:17 PM #origins-and-producers: its highly dependent on the year and yields

2026-08-16

3:42 AM #origins-and-producers: there are many farms with similar names. I'd need a producer name
3:44 AM #origins-and-producers: if its brian Mayta who placed in the COE than its most likely Gesha, as far as i know there isn't much sl9 in Junin

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lancehedrick

2026-08-10

2:40 PM #what-are-you-brewing: <@952039663680512030> free for a brew?
3:54 PM #what-are-you-brewing: It was good. Might make top 5. But hard to say
Berrio second harvest goes so hard it isnt even funny.
Both william ortiz and both duber. All unreal. So, might be 6th tbh
3:55 PM #what-are-you-brewing: But that is still high. Have had like 18 chirosos this year tbh
4:03 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Oh I was referring to the chiroso but totally hava
4:11 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Niceeeeeeee
5:00 PM #Brew-Along: quick brew
5:02 PM #Brew-Along: [attachment only]
5:40 PM #Brew-Along: quick brew

2026-08-12

2:21 PM #Brew-Along: brew with me
3:12 PM #Brew-Along: brew with me
4:17 PM #cupping: Tbh agreed. It was darker than ideal. And I found the darker you go with chiroso, to an extent, the more it can turn more savory forward
4:18 PM #water: Tbh lunga I use sey house/ lotus UL
4:21 PM #origins-and-producers: arley was good but probs not top 5. Ortiz, duber, and berrio are tops.
4:22 PM #origins-and-producers: Which duber
4:22 PM #origins-and-producers: Oh wow. I did not get herbality in the batches I had, personally.
4:26 PM #origins-and-producers: Fair enouggh! Arley was great
4:31 PM #origins-and-producers: Have not tried.
4:31 PM #origins-and-producers: Way behind because customs screwed us up
4:31 PM #origins-and-producers: Lol
4:32 PM #origins-and-producers: Well, we screwed ourselves. There is a 2kg limit for portugal on personal consumption. We sent over 3.
4:32 PM #origins-and-producers: Got rejected and turned back
5:52 PM #origins-and-producers: I think?

2026-08-13

7:24 PM #current-menu: Distributor.
7:24 PM #current-menu: Not a reseller. But also not technically direct.
7:24 PM #current-menu: But direct, in a roundabout way I guess? Just a typical distributor. Not retailer.
7:25 PM #water: On the lighter side of roasting yeah
7:54 PM #Brew-Along: brew time
7:57 PM #Brew-Along: [attachment only]
7:59 PM #Brew-Along: [email protected]
8:25 PM #Brew-Along: brew time
8:25 PM #Brew-Along: Brew with José!
8:26 PM #Brew-Along: [attachment only]
8:58 PM #Brew-Along: when people from here come to porto, lemme know and we can meet up at SO!
9:38 PM #Brew-Along: Brew with José!

2026-08-16

7:47 PM #Brew-Along: evening brew with me
8:48 PM #Brew-Along: evening brew with me

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opp4004

2026-08-10

2:03 AM #origins-and-producers: That’s an interesting question. With Mejo, I think of it as a “delicious Pacamara.” I’d expect things like juicy stone-fruit character, honeysuckle-like florals, citrus, a syrupy texture, and bright lemon acidity.

With SL9, I expect something much harder to pin down — complex florals, slightly underripe tropical fruit, dragon fruit-like flavors, and herbal notes reminiscent of oolong or tulsi. It’s a pretty complex profile.
2:24 AM #filter-focused: That’s a really interesting way of putting it. Roasting “experiments” happen every time, even if the roaster doesn’t announce them. That’s because the green coffee keeps getting better or worse... 😂

There’s this fantasy some people have: “The coffee tastes this amazing, so they must have an incredible roasting profile, and they probably roast everything pretty much the same way based on that profile” But in reality, the roaster is probably tearing their hair out every time, going, “Why the hell does this damn coffee roast like this?” and changing the roast again and again.

So you called it an experiment? Those roasting experiments happen every time, whether they’re announced or not.
2:30 AM #filter-focused: Oh, I guess that conversation is already over. Sorry 😅
2:50 AM #filter-focused: Nooooooooo
2:57 AM #filter-focused: Go!
4:00 AM #what-are-you-brewing: If it’s the hybrid washed coffee I’m thinking of, that thing is going to be f amazing
4:05 AM #what-are-you-brewing: If it’s the Alo hybrid washed process I’m thinking of, it’s the one they used at Doora... I think they dried the cherries together with the parchment, or something like that
4:06 AM #what-are-you-brewing: So it’s definitely a washed coffee, but the result ended up being kind of like a honey process, with mucilage still left on the outside
4:21 AM #origins-and-producers: Nothing has really been confirmed yet, but based on Dr. Shao’s research, I think there are probably different generations of SL9 on different farms, with a amount of variation between them.

That would explain why some coffees have a very Gesha-like appeal, like Lucio Luque, while others have an incredibly strong fruit character, like Edid Medina. I don’t know how to put it exactly, but I find it incredibly thrilling to be riding along with the whole story of SL9 as it unfolds 🥴
4:25 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m not entirely sure, but on M-cultivo, EPW04 is the only one listed with a different processing method. I think this might be Alo’s current hybrid washed
4:29 AM #origins-and-producers: Yeah, I agree. I actually think Edid Medina was the best example this year for illustrating what makes the “special” SL9 so interesting. Last year, there were some SL9 that would’ve been much easier to use as examples, but SEY didn’t bring them in this year...
4:32 AM #origins-and-producers: I think Y-3 was the best SL9 this year, but it tasted almost like a “zero-fermentation Gesha” So regardless of how much I personally liked it, it didn’t really fit what I’d call a “fruity SL9" which is why I left it out haha
4:34 AM #origins-and-producers: It should be pretty easy to find. Most coffees from the Jimma region are based on zero fermentation
4:34 AM #origins-and-producers: In Europe, I think Nano Challa was probably the most famous one
4:35 AM #origins-and-producers: Shhhhhh 😂 It would be more accurate to say “almost zero fermentation”...
4:36 AM #origins-and-producers: Apparently Amaybamba is actually huge. I heard it’s a massive valley... so there’s probably quite a bit of terroir variation even within Amaybamba itself.
4:38 AM #origins-and-producers: I heard that next year they’ll be exporting coffees not just from Cusco, but also from another region whose name I can’t remember. Amaybamba is kind of like Gedeb in Ethiopia — it’s a large area that spans multiple smaller regions — so apparently coffees from those other areas will be exported as well.
4:39 AM #origins-and-producers: So I’m really excited to see what the Peru coffees next year are going to be like
4:56 AM #origins-and-producers: I’m very cautious about talking about Peru. A lot of the theories I have — “I think it might be this” or “maybe it’s that” — can get overturned by new results just a few weeks or months later.

The one thing I can say with confidence, though, is that Peru is a more exciting coffee origin than Panama 😎
5:05 AM #origins-and-producers: Oh, it’s actually the opposite. It’s incredibly dynamic
5:06 AM #origins-and-producers: “Almost zero fermentation” is closer to a white honey process, so... it has a bit more intensity
5:07 AM #origins-and-producers: I’ll rank the SL9s once I’ve tried 2nd Albino
5:07 AM #origins-and-producers: My friend said it’s a completely different coffee from the first Albino
5:11 AM #origins-and-producers: I think they use a Stronghold S7X or something? I don’t trust anything except the S9 (S9X) though...
5:28 AM #origins-and-producers: The thing is, when use an eco-pulper, which is essential for zero-fermentation processing, there’s still going to be at least a little mucilage left on the parchment unless specifically wash it off with water afterward. So in practice, it ends up being pretty close to a white honey process
5:57 AM #what-are-you-brewing: 2023 vintage Duromina, from Sey
Attachments:
- IMG_1659.jpg (image/jpeg 2160x2880)
6:11 AM #what-are-you-brewing: And taste... I’m getting black tea, mandarin, honeysuckle, bergamot, and a bit of umami
3:01 PM #origins-and-producers: [attachment only]
Attachments:
- image.png (image/webp 1175x797)
3:02 PM #origins-and-producers: 😱
3:12 PM #origins-and-producers: Was the 2024 COE Basha something like $400 per lb
3:24 PM #what-are-you-brewing: I especially liked the final harvest lot
3:24 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Berrio
3:25 PM #what-are-you-brewing: With Alo Bombe, if we were to assume it was a Colombian coffee, I’d say it tasted like it should’ve been about twice as expensive lol
3:28 PM #what-are-you-brewing: 💪
3:28 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Drop the water temperature quite a bit
3:33 PM #what-are-you-brewing: My friend uses a low-dose technique, instead, he lets it bloom for about a minute, then doesn’t tamp and slowly presses it down with a slow push. If it goes past two minutes, he presses it down quickly, almost like making soup
3:34 PM #what-are-you-brewing: In my case, I use the A4Z. If I want to drink it a little lighter, I just open it up all the way around 130–135, but since you’re not using the A4Z, I don’t really have much to say lol
3:52 PM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m a terrible consumer who doesn’t really follow recommended resting times, so I probably won’t be much help...

2026-08-11

1:35 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Now that I’m feeling better physically and have gotten somewhat used to the A4Z, I’ll start reporting what I’ve been drinking again. This is Octavio Rueda’s End of Season.

It really makes me feel that the A4Z is an excellent grinder, while at the same time reminding me just how incredible Octavio Rueda’s coffee is. I’m getting this huge hibiscus aroma, with notes of rosehip and lemon, fruity flavors like dried strawberry, and something reminiscent of cactus fruit
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1:50 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I probably wasn’t on Seycord back then
1:51 AM #what-are-you-brewing: My notes : Jasmine Tea, Lemongrass, Melon, Peach, Lactic, Berries, Mango
2:35 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Wow, I guess I really haven’t been here for that long lol. If the package arrives early today, I should try the Albino as soon as possible and make sure to record my notes this time
2:51 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Since the package with my Albino is going to be late, I guess I’ll have to dig out some Genezard and drink that instead lol
3:02 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Just keep it somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight… somewhere a little dry, maybe?
5:55 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m drinking a Genezard that was roasted on April 14th. Don’t ask me why I still have this coffee left… I just have way too many coffees to get through lol.

A lot of the complexity has faded, but it’s still really good. I’m getting this very bright, lemony fruitiness, along with an intense tropical fruit character—especially something reminiscent of passion fruit. There’s also a complex floral quality that reminds me of mangosteen and the kind of florality you might find in a black honey coffee, as well as something like a ripe dragon fruit
10:57 AM #current-menu: My hands are shaking like crazy right now...
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10:59 AM #current-menu: What would I drink tomorrow morning? Kamavindi? Albino?
12:33 PM #current-menu: Yeah, it’s exclusive to 6bag (long-term) subscribers
1:36 PM #current-menu: I’ll probably have a review up early tomorrow morning… so basically during your evening
3:54 PM #current-menu: Instagram, my archive blog, and here. I always make sure to post here too—especially when it comes to Sey
3:57 PM #current-menu: I prefer talking about coffee here more than on IG, so I tend to get a bit deeper into things here. I mostly talk about it in the “What-are-you-brewing” channel

2026-08-12

12:29 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Me. I think they’re pretty similar, although Alo is a bit fruitier
12:40 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Haha
12:40 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m getting it ready
12:40 AM #what-are-you-brewing: [attachment only]
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12:47 AM #what-are-you-brewing: This one… tastes kind of weird lololol
12:48 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Haha, I’m sure there are definitely people who would rather get Pepe’s Sidra instead 😂
12:51 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I know the secret behind this coffee, but I’m waiting for Lance to reveal it
12:52 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’ll keep quiet until Lance says it 🥸
12:53 AM #what-are-you-brewing: My secret agent told me
12:57 AM #what-are-you-brewing: The flavor is like… slightly underripe starfruit and really fresh pu’er, with a bit of white currant and berries, and something that’s just incredibly botanical. I’ve had a coffee that tasted really similar to this before: an SL28 from Finca Ruru in China
12:58 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It’s incredibly wild. If we’re talking purely in terms of flavor, maybe getting Pepe’s Sidra would actually be more of a blessing
1:00 AM #what-are-you-brewing: So if this is probably from the first harvest, the flavor makes sense to me. Gesha from its first harvest tends to taste like this
1:00 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It has that raw, kind of wild flavor
1:01 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I think as the years go by, this botanical character will probably turn into more of a currant note, while the tea-like quality will develop into something more like the oolong character you only really find in high-quality Kenyan coffees. There’s also a very subtle hint of jasmine and bergamot. I guess we’ll have to wait until next year or the year after to find out
1:02 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Unfortunately, no. But my friends have had it quite a few times
1:03 AM #what-are-you-brewing: as it cools down, I can definitely pick up the jasmine and bergamot on the finish. It’s a really interesting coffee
1:04 AM #what-are-you-brewing: No, I actually think the quality itself is extremely high. It’s just not really to my taste this year
1:06 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Well, I’m not sure lol. I suspect it might be an issue with the first harvest (I strongly suspect this), but the details haven’t really been disclosed, so I don’t know for sure either. According to my friends who have had the Kamavindi Gesha before, they described it as “just a classic Panama” and this definitely isn’t that lineage in terms of flavor
1:07 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Among the coffees I’ve had, it’s just incredibly similar to a “pure SL28”—the kind of single-variety SL28 from other continents. Nicaragua, Costa Rica, China, places like that
1:08 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Ah, no lol. With Gesha, coffee from the first time the tree produces fruit usually tastes like this. I’ve been lucky enough to try several Geshas harvested from their very first fruiting, and this tasted quite similar to those
1:09 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Who knows lol. I’m sure Lance will explain the details
1:10 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It’s a very botanical kind of character that reminds me of a huge tree leaf
1:11 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Like banana leaves or fig leaves, something along those lines… It’s not a negative character at all
1:12 AM #what-are-you-brewing: To me it’s just one of those interesting coffees. If it’s subscriber-exclusive, I guess you have to be willing to get coffees like this too
1:13 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Ah… it wouldn’t be fun if I told you everything lol
1:30 AM #what-are-you-brewing: There’s really nothing quite as valuable an experience as tasting Gesha from its very first harvest. I genuinely mean that
1:34 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Exactly. It really makes me happy to feel like I’m there for the very first step of such a huge journey
5:48 AM #cupping: Berrio’s coffee processing is labeled the same way as “Cochadas” but the fermentation process can vary depending on the temperature… and even within the same harvest, the flavor can change somewhat depending on how the milling was done
2:43 PM #Brew-Along: I think it’s because people on Seycord are just too used to drinking really good coffee lol. The moment the quality drops even a little, they’re already complaining
3:10 PM #Brew-Along: Yeah. Subscribe, get the addons too, and then go bankrupt 💸

2026-08-13

12:48 AM #current-menu: Ha everyone thinks I work in coffee…
1:49 AM #what-are-you-brewing: This is probably my favorite Burundi coffee I’ve had this year. People were talking about Burundi so much in the channel next that I couldn’t resist brewing lol.

Burundi can taste like many different things, but Umoco had a profile that you hardly ever see these days. This was the kind of flavor profile I used to get from the Burundi/Rwanda coffees that Intelligentsia often used, so I was really happy to find it at SEY too. As for the flavors… Dried hawthorn berries, peach, a tea-like quality reminiscent of white tea, and an oily texture. I really hope we get to drink this coffee again next year
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2:34 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m looking forward to this one, though. The roast from SEY this time had a smell that reminded me of old-school Nordic roasting. I had to open all of them because I needed to split with my friend
2:36 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Lol i’m split everything equally
2:38 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’ve always had the experience that whenever Chelbesa has a new site, the quality has been incredible. So when Siti arrived, I was actually happier than when the Kama gesha came in (seriously)
2:40 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Danche, Kubi, now Siti 🔥
2:49 AM #what-are-you-brewing: This subscription was really something special, if I had to put it into words. It definitely gave me a lot to think about. One of the first things that crossed my mind was whether Team Sey had been getting a lot of messages about duplicate coffees 🫩
2:51 AM #what-are-you-brewing: And secondly… maybe it felt like they were showing us, “We can do this too” I imagine it’s pretty exhausting for the roasters, but as a subscriber, the more subscriber-exclusive coffees that come, the more fun it is. I do worry a little, though lol. Like, “Are you guys roasting too much coffee?”
3:35 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I have a mountain of coffees I need to review, but this subscription keeps tempting me…
3:35 AM #what-are-you-brewing: 🫩
3:36 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I think Albino might be one that gets people talking this time. I haven’t tried it myself yet, but that’s what a friend who has tried it told me
3:37 AM #what-are-you-brewing: But I haven’t tried it myself yet, so I’m going to keep my mouth shut for now… or I might try it today and then talk about it lol
3:37 AM #what-are-you-brewing: The idea is that there might be a noticeable difference in quality between the first harvest and what it’s like now. But that can vary from person to person, so I’m keeping quiet for now
3:47 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I think Seycord is going to be really interesting for a while. I’m really curious to hear what everyone thinks about this subscription—not just Albino, but the whole thing
3:48 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Especially Yabitu and Kamwangi
3:48 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Kamwangi, I really love from Kenya. Last year, I bought 2 lb of them from another roaster
5:11 AM #current-menu: discord exclusive 🫠
6:57 AM #what-are-you-brewing: The coffee I’m drinking right now is from Chepsangor Hills in Nandi Hills, Kenya. The process is called “River Fermentation Natural,” and it’s quite complicated. According to Doan, the green coffee buyer and roastery, the process is roughly as follows: the coffee is left for 24 hours to remove surface moisture, then sealed in GrainPro bags and submerged in a river for six days for anaerobic fermentation. The water temperature is kept at 19°C until the pH reaches 3.6, after which it’s moved to African drying beds and dried as a natural. So basically, it’s a coffee processed with the goal of maintaining a cold temperature while encouraging anaerobic fermentation. In other words, it has a pretty high fermentation character. If I had to rate the fermentation intensity on a five-point scale, I’d give it around a 4.5. I actually quite enjoy coffees like this, but I don’t think you guys are going to like it very much…

The flavor is pretty wild as well. It starts with this tangled combination of rose, mulberry, and red grape, followed by an acidity reminiscent of orange and a subtle tropical-fruit note that reminds me of mangosteen. That said, it also develops in a way that reminds me of those heavily processed coffees from Brazil, and… well, I’m not sure how I feel about that. Usually, when I drink heavily processed coffees from Brazil, they can have a somewhat astringent, murky quality, and this coffee has that too. Put positively, it’s almost like chewing on flower petals lol.
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7:01 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Recently, well, I haven’t posted reviews of them here, but I’ve tried three different kinds of “Cold Natural”: Tamiru’s Cold Room, Cold Fermentation, and Mulugeta Muntasha’s Cold Underwater.

Compared to the ones from Central and South America, I don’t think they’ve managed to achieve quite as clean a result. It does seem like Africa and the “Cold” approach might not be the best match… Peru, on the other hand, was really good.
7:05 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Yeah, Miraflores was really good. The Natural didn’t really impress me that much, but the Washed and Honey were pretty remarkable. The Washed reminded me of Lost Origin, while the Honey—oh, the Honey was insanely good. It was even better than Takesi at its peak
12:55 PM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m a secret agent 😶‍🌫️
3:02 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Hahaha, I’ll try it soon and let you know..
3:15 PM #what-are-you-brewing: [attachment only]
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2026-08-14

1:26 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Albino time
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1:40 AM #what-are-you-brewing: 🤔
1:47 AM #what-are-you-brewing: My recipe is designed to amplify the flavors and aromas, so I should probably say in advance that it may not calibrate with everyone’s palate.

First of all, it’s woody. If we’re talking about Ethiopia, it has a woody quality similar to what I’d describe as a “Mocha” aroma. Some people might even perceive it as something like oak. That’s a pretty major difference from the first time I had Albino. Once that initial woody–oak–Mocha-like impression fades, though, it starts to feel much more like an SL9. Ripe apricot, starfruit, tropical fruit—ripe dragon fruit and mango—and some rather intense florals. But since this is a different coffee from the first Albino… I’m not really sure lol. In fact, it might make more sense to call this an Ethiopian coffee rather than a SL9.

Personally, if I had cupped it blind, I probably would have guessed it was a high-quality Red Catuai from Honduras or Nicaragua rather than a Peru SL9.
1:48 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It’ll probably get better once it degasses a bit more, right? I’m a bad child who doesn’t listen to the roaster’s “drink it after this date” recommendations lmao
9:16 AM #what-are-you-brewing: iphone 16 pro 😂

2026-08-15

2:06 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Lol, what should I try today? Anything you’re curious about?
2:50 AM #what-are-you-brewing: [attachment only]
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2:55 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Haha… I’m the kind of person who drinks coffee without letting it rest. It was roasted on August 4th
2:57 AM #what-are-you-brewing: And the taste… it’s incredibly intense. This might sound ridiculous, but it feels like I’m drinking an exceptionally high-quality Chiroso
3:02 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It starts with this combination of jasmine and lemongrass, with a really sharp acidity intertwined with peach. The tasting notes say “peach rings,” but to me there’s more of a tart, punchy quality that reminds me of sour jelly.

It also has that white-tea-like character that I really love, and as it cools, a subtle floral note gradually spreads through the finish. It’s a really beautiful coffee
3:06 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Definitely better than I expected
3:23 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I always use the orb. I’m still tweaking the recipe right now (it’s a 14g dose, which Lance H hates lol), so I’ll share it once I’ve refined it a bit more
3:26 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Oxo Rapid Brewer
3:38 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Same here lol. My friend got Chiroso instead of Siti, so we decided to exchange 40g each
5:13 AM #what-are-you-brewing: August 4th or 5
5:23 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Yeah

2026-08-16

3:57 AM #origins-and-producers: I think that one is probably gesha. If I remember correctly, it was a gesha that placed in a previous CoE
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5:53 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I honestly have no idea how to describe this coffee. Among all the coffees I’ve had, I think the coffee from Gesha, Finca Gesha in Mexico (Silvia Carolina Herrera Hernandez) was probably the hardest one to figure out, but this one has surpassed it. It’s incredibly difficult to take notes on.

The coffee is very botanical overall. There are some fruity notes reminiscent of lychee, this strangely artificial pink-floral aroma that I can’t quite identify, lemongrass, and flavors like dried strawberry and peach. As it cools, the botanical flavors become a little more restrained, which helps calm the coffee down. But, how should I put this… it feels like something from a smoothie shop where they’re developing a new menu item and just blended a bunch of random things together lol.

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dougssg

2026-08-10

1:00 AM #current-menu: Hopefully we still came through above what you’d expect as the 6th box in the sub, both in terms of quality and price value.
1:33 AM #current-menu: Also- that’s not just a Pepe Sidra, that’s the Pepe Sidra Wave previously only available to purchase at PLAY.
1:51 AM #current-menu: I believe it’s a sub exclusive.
2:05 AM #current-menu: Can’t call it but Neighborhood ordered it.
2:15 AM #current-menu: We got in some incredible new lots. Cupped them Friday.
2:15 AM #current-menu: Really has!
2:20 AM #current-menu: No idea
2:23 AM #current-menu: Alo auction is tomorrow.
2:31 AM #current-menu: I just messaged Sanford for you to see if he wants to grab more!
2:38 AM #current-menu: They are getting more in this week!
2:41 AM #current-menu: Should be there by midweek I think
2:42 AM #current-menu: Is that the zero lot?
2:43 AM #current-menu: Yea was truly special
2:43 AM #current-menu: Need to hear more about the process
2:45 AM #current-menu: Definitely down
3:13 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Def one of my favorite Kenyans so far. Maybe my favorite?
3:26 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Kambarare is I think our best Kenyan, Nginda is my favorite.
3:30 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Kambarare is just too sticky and I’m too sensitive to it for me to prefer to the cleaner Kenyan.
3:31 AM #what-are-you-brewing: But objectively it’s a better coffee. Like if I wanted to brew a cup of either for someone else I’d definitely go Kambarare. If I wanted to drink one of them every day for two weeks I’d go Nginda
3:40 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I think if someone is less sensitive to that level of fermentation, they’d have no problems drinking it every day
3:41 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Yea <@522586445131677719> has an unopened box gonna brew some tomorrow
3:52 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Either way it’s an absolutely massive incredible coffee I will remember for a long time and further cements Gerald as one of my favorite producers.
3:53 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I hope to hear his name mentioned globally more
3:53 AM #what-are-you-brewing: https://www.instagram.com/gerald.njagi.71?igsh=Z2V1Zmhyd2M0dW5u
3:53 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It’s insane he only has 94 followers
3:54 AM #what-are-you-brewing: And he’s following so many people who aren’t following him back
3:58 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Honestly I can’t even say because every week something new is so good. Basha is my current favorite of ones that have been released.
3:59 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Alo hybrid washed blew me away.
4:00 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Peru is the origin of the year for a variety of reasons but the quality in Ethiopia this year is unparalleled.
4:05 AM #what-are-you-brewing: We have two more Gerald lots
1:37 PM #origins-and-producers: White honeys can be incredibly clean. A white is the least processed, keeps the least amount of mucilage on.
6:26 PM #current-menu: Fellow only.

2026-08-11

12:48 AM #current-menu: Ah you didn’t have to do that. Thanks!!
2:29 AM #what-are-you-brewing: There was no SEYcord back then or the Albino hype train woulda broken the internet.
6:09 PM #current-menu: Fellow drop is live!
6:17 PM #current-menu: Yes fellow only
6:20 PM #current-menu: I mean I keep saying it so not to be a broken record but this Ethiopia season is INSANE.
6:20 PM #current-menu: I will say we had it on the same table as Alo auction lots, and we still thought it was a really impressive coffee
6:26 PM #current-menu: Yikes
6:27 PM #current-menu: Do I have to pick?
6:31 PM #current-menu: They’re so different. Basha is bigger and more fruited, a more unique profile. Harmufo I’d prefer for a daily driver, cleaner and prettier.
6:51 PM #current-menu: Unfortunately no.
6:59 PM #current-menu: No harmufo honey I don’t think.

2026-08-12

12:19 AM #current-menu: Harmufo will sell out any minute for anyone on the fence
3:53 AM #current-menu: Something fun for sure!
3:53 AM #current-menu: Stay tuned
6:50 PM #what-are-you-brewing: <@952039663680512030> and <@189881407399657472> have similar icons and names that start with J so I can confuse who wrote what if I quickly scan.
9:35 PM #current-menu: Yes it’s the same 6. No if you do it now you won’t get Kama Gesha😂
9:36 PM #current-menu: You would get Pepe Sidra!
10:24 PM #current-menu: We don’t lower the size of the bag no matter what we give!
10:25 PM #current-menu: So you’d be good with 2lbs
10:25 PM #current-menu: That’s a legend move.

2026-08-13

12:11 AM #current-menu: I loooove Burundi coffees haha
12:11 AM #current-menu: Not everyone’s favorite
1:08 AM #current-menu: Quality ceiling isn’t massive but the profile is so good
1:40 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Zero is super good
3:10 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Great way to do it.

2026-08-14

7:13 PM #current-menu: Hey if anyone missed out on Harmufo Fellow just put up some extra we had left.
7:13 PM #current-menu: I’m not sure if the text went out because I didn’t get it but it’s started selling.
9:04 PM #what-are-you-brewing: No I did not
9:12 PM #what-are-you-brewing: I think <@1504523316864749676> hates me for having made it

2026-08-15

11:28 PM #current-menu: Fellow drop was an insane amount of work. Thanks for your patience everyone.

2026-08-16

5:00 AM #current-menu: Thanks all we appreciate it!
8:48 PM #Brew-Along: ILL TWKE OVER
8:48 PM #Brew-Along: I’m at the gym lol
8:48 PM #Brew-Along: So won’t be that helpful for coffee

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naomi (car7iern)

2026-08-10

3:46 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I was wondering what was going to happen with that box lol

2026-08-14

3:15 AM #current-menu: No 🥲🥲🥲
8:31 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Made <@908458585728630836> Basha jello. He loved it
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8:31 PM #what-are-you-brewing: (No he didnt)
9:15 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Me today buying gelatin at 6am before my open shift to make you a little treat and this is the reaction. No gratitude smh
9:15 PM #what-are-you-brewing: There will be more trials. Perhaps with sugar (per <@908458585728630836> request)
9:31 PM #what-are-you-brewing: "Would you like your espresso in liquid or jello form"
9:32 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Never say never...but rn just for fun. If we make anything worth tasting I'll let yall know lol

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-------------------

GPT-5.6 Thinking Summary

seylance2897

On Aug. 10 in #origins-and-producers, rated W05 and W02 highest among the coffees under discussion and noted that W05 had reached $2,245/kg. He called them some of the best Ethiopian coffees he had ever tasted, while emphasizing that the willingness to pay dramatically more for a 93-point coffee over an already exceptional 92-point coffee is highly personal.
Said he was nearly certain the lots in question were 74158, though not 100% sure. Of the experimental lots, he thought X05 was very good; despite being an extended-fermentation washed lot whose fruit became slightly sticky, it retained an unusually high level of complexity and articulation without fermentation dominating.
Described certain coffees as effectively defying normal stylistic molds, citing the discussed coffee and Albino Ibias's first harvest as examples. More generally, he avoids over-describing coffees before people taste them because he wants drinkers to form their own impressions; he also said he has never tasted two harvests from the same farm that tasted the same.
Clarified SEY's Alo/Tamiru sourcing: they had several Alo dark-room lots forward-contracted at about $120/kg, mostly washed, plus one dark-room hybrid-washed lot. Tamiru's higher-quality lots primarily come from one site in Alo Village, and there was no normal retail website - buyers would need to purchase directly from Tamiru or possibly find an Asian importer.
Framed ultra-high-end Ethiopian buying as an unresolved market problem in the U.S.: SEY can find many 92-93-point coffees, but the incremental half-point or point is extremely difficult to produce and increasingly expensive. He said much of their work involves discovering producers or regions early, then moving on to develop new areas as the broader buying market arrives and prices rise.
On Aug. 14, stressed the importance of harvest-to-roastery logistics. Harvest timing varies with elevation, rain, and climate; in Ethiopia most coffee is harvested in November-December, with the highest elevations extending into January. His rough expectation was about two months off harvest for Colombia, while five months for Burundi could still be considered very good.
Said moving coffee faster is a significant part of his job because fresher is better and reduces the risk of coffee "dying." He was actively planning a Peru trip as harvest began and joked that they first had to find the "95-point Peru."
Described the Peru work as still exploratory and overwhelmingly SL9 in the area where he was working. He was highly impressed by first-year quality but said processing consistency was "all over the place"; he saw that variability as part of the appeal of genuinely artisanal production and expected modest processing tweaks to make the coffees cleaner in subsequent harvests.
On Aug. 15, agreed that zero-fermentation Alo lots can be remarkably complex, but argued fermentation is a meaningful part of the classic Kenyan profile. He noted that Kenya had been exceptionally hot during the prior harvest, that fermentation temperatures rose, and that SEY had roughly 10 experiments planned with Gerald for the coming harvest to investigate the effects.
Also cautioned against identifying farms from names alone because names such as El Porvenir are extremely common. A Colombian peaberry separation struck him as unusual; for a Junin coffee associated with Brian Mayta and a prior CoE placement, he thought Gesha was more likely than SL9 because, to his knowledge, relatively little SL9 is grown there.

lancehedrick

On Aug. 10 in #what-are-you-brewing, ranked the Chiroso under discussion as very good - possibly top five, though perhaps sixth after comparing it with an unusually strong field of roughly 18 Chirosos he had tasted that year.
His Chiroso standouts were Berrio's second harvest, both William Ortiz lots, and both Duber lots. By Aug. 12 he reiterated that Ortiz, Duber, and Berrio were his top tier, while Arley was excellent but probably outside his top five.
In #cupping, agreed that one Chiroso roast had been darker than ideal and observed that, within limits, roasting Chiroso darker can push its profile in a more savory direction.
In a discussion of another Duber batch, said he personally did not find the herbality someone else had reported, making clear that his experience differed rather than treating the note as objectively absent.
Said his group was behind on tasting because a coffee shipment to Portugal was rejected by customs: they sent more than 3 kg despite a 2 kg personal-consumption limit, so it was turned back. He explicitly framed this as their own mistake rather than simply blaming customs.
On Aug. 13, clarified a sales-channel distinction: the party being discussed was a distributor, not a reseller or retailer. He described it as not technically direct, though "direct in a roundabout way."
For water, he said that for Lunga he uses SEY house / Lotus UL; another brief water comment indicated the coffee or roast being discussed was on the lighter side, though the surrounding context is limited.
Repeatedly hosted informal #Brew-Along sessions throughout the week, including brews with Jose, and invited community members visiting Porto to reach out so they could meet at SO.

opp4004

Distinguished Mejo Pacamara from SL9 by expected profile: Mejo as juicy stone fruit, honeysuckle-like florals, citrus, syrupy texture, and bright lemon acidity; SL9 as much harder to categorize, with complex florals, slightly underripe tropical fruit, dragon-fruit-like flavors, and herbal notes resembling oolong or tulsi.
Argued that roasting is effectively an experiment every batch, whether or not a roaster labels it that way, because green coffee continually changes. He rejected the simplistic idea that great roasters merely discover one excellent profile and repeat it; in practice, they constantly modify roasting in response to how each coffee behaves.
Spent substantial time on SL9 variation and lineage, cautiously hypothesizing from Dr. Shao's research that different farms may hold different generations or expressions of SL9. He used Lucio Luque, Edid Medina, and Y-3 to illustrate the range: some Gesha-like, some intensely fruity, with Y-3 tasting almost like a "zero-fermentation Gesha."
Explained that Ethiopian/Jimma "zero fermentation" is more accurately "almost zero fermentation." Because eco-pulping can leave some mucilage on parchment unless it is subsequently washed away, he considers the practical result close to a white-honey process, with somewhat more intensity than the phrase "zero fermentation" suggests.
Was enthusiastic but explicitly cautious about Peru. He described Amaybamba as a large valley with potentially substantial terroir variation, expected more Peruvian regions to become visible in exports, and said his theories were changing rapidly as new information arrived. The one deliberately strong claim he was willing to make was that Peru was, to him, a more exciting origin than Panama.
Reported extensive brewing notes across older and current coffees. A 2023 SEY Duromina gave black tea, mandarin, honeysuckle, bergamot, and some umami; an older Genezard had lost complexity but retained vivid lemon, passion fruit, mangosteen-like florality, black-honey-like character, and ripe dragon fruit; Octavio Rueda End of Season through the A4Z produced hibiscus, rosehip, lemon, dried strawberry, and cactus-fruit-like notes.
Praised the A4Z grinder, including the ability to open it to roughly 130-135 for a lighter presentation. For another brewer's difficult cup he suggested dropping water temperature substantially; he also described a friend's low-dose, long-bloom, untamped slow-press technique. He admitted he routinely ignores recommended resting periods, so he did not consider himself reliable on optimal rest.
His first tasting of the subscriber-exclusive coffee later discussed as Kamavindi Gesha was highly unusual: underripe starfruit, very fresh pu'er, white currant, berries, and intense botanical notes like banana or fig leaves, with jasmine and bergamot emerging as it cooled. He thought the quality was extremely high but the flavor was not to his taste, and strongly suspected the wild profile was related to a first harvest, while acknowledging the details had not been disclosed.
On Aug. 13-15, praised Umoco Burundi for an older-style Burundi/Rwanda profile of dried hawthorn, peach, white tea, and oily texture; showed particular excitement for Chelbesa's Siti site; and rated one newly brewed coffee as unexpectedly excellent and almost like a top-quality Chiroso, with jasmine, lemongrass, sharp peach acidity, sour-jelly intensity, white tea, and a spreading floral finish. He was using the Orb with a 14 g dose and also named the Oxo Rapid Brewer.
Explored aggressive fermentation experiments critically rather than rejecting them categorically. A Kenyan Chepsangor Hills "River Fermentation Natural" - 24 hours of initial drying, then six days sealed and submerged around 19C until pH 3.6 before natural drying - had very high fermentation intensity, rose, mulberry, red grape, orange, and mangosteen, but also murkiness/astringency reminiscent of heavily processed Brazilian coffees. He felt African "cold" processes he had tried were less clean than comparable Central/South American examples, while Peru's Miraflores washed and honey lots impressed him greatly.
On Aug. 14, found the newer Albino dramatically different from the first harvest: initially woody/oak/Mocha-like, then ripe apricot, starfruit, dragon fruit, mango, and strong florals. Blind, he said he might have guessed a high-quality Honduran or Nicaraguan Red Catuai rather than Peruvian SL9, reinforcing the week's broader point that variety labels alone were poor predictors of these coffees.

dougssg

On Aug. 10 in #current-menu, emphasized the value of the sixth subscription box, hoping it still exceeded subscriber expectations on both quality and price. He clarified that the included Pepe Sidra was the Pepe Sidra Wave, previously only purchasable at PLAY, and believed it was subscription-exclusive.
Said SEY had just cupped incredible new lots and repeatedly highlighted how unusually strong the season was. By Aug. 11 he was calling the Ethiopia season "INSANE", noting that one coffee remained impressive even when tasted on the same table as Alo auction lots.
Compared Kenyan lots Kambarare and Nginda in unusually explicit preference-vs-quality terms: he considered Kambarare objectively the better coffee, but it was too "sticky"/fermentation-forward for his own sensitivity. For serving someone else he would choose Kambarare; for drinking every day for two weeks, he would choose the cleaner Nginda.
Called that Kenyan coffee a massive, memorable coffee and said it further cemented Gerald as one of his favorite producers. He hoped Gerald would become much better known globally and mentioned that SEY had two more Gerald lots coming.
Summarized his origin-level view as Peru being origin of the year for multiple reasons, while the absolute quality of Ethiopia that season was unparalleled. He also said Alo hybrid washed had blown him away and that Basha was his current favorite among released coffees.
On honey processing, pushed back against any assumption that honey inherently means funky or dirty: white honeys can be extremely clean, and white honey retains the least mucilage among honey-process categories.
Compared Basha and Harmufo rather than picking a universal winner: Basha was bigger, fruitier, and more unusual; Harmufo was cleaner, prettier, and his preference as a daily driver. He repeatedly warned when Harmufo inventory was nearly gone and later announced that Fellow had released some extra remaining stock.
Clarified subscription logistics on Aug. 12: the set remained six coffees; joining at that point would not yield the Kama Gesha but would yield Pepe Sidra; and SEY would not reduce bag size based on the coffee being supplied, so a two-pound configuration would remain two pounds.
Expressed a personal love for Burundi despite acknowledging it is not universally popular. His view was that Burundi's quality ceiling is not enormous, but the profile itself can be exceptionally appealing.
On Aug. 15, said the Fellow drop had required an enormous amount of work and thanked people for their patience, suggesting the release was operationally much more demanding than it may have appeared from the outside.

naomi (car7iern)

Very few messages from Naomi were captured this week, so there is not enough material for 6-10 distinct substantive topics.
On Aug. 10, briefly wondered what was going to happen with a particular box being discussed, but the captured text does not establish which box or the eventual outcome.
On Aug. 14, experimented with turning Basha into coffee jello for another person. She jokingly reported that he "loved it" and immediately corrected that he did not.
She planned further Basha-jello trials, potentially adding sugar at the recipient's request, and joked about offering espresso in "liquid or jello form." She stressed that it was only for fun for now, but said she would report back if the experiments produced something genuinely worth tasting.

Cross-thread takeaways

Peru and Ethiopia dominated the origin discussion, but for different reasons. Doug called Peru the origin of the year while saying Ethiopia's quality was unparalleled; seylance2897 saw Peru as an exciting early-stage development project with inconsistent artisanal processing; opp4004 was even more bullish on Peru's potential but repeatedly warned that his SL9 and terroir theories remained provisional.
SL9 resisted simple varietal stereotypes throughout the week. seylance2897 said his Peru work area was essentially all SL9, while opp4004 described enormous expression differences among Edid Medina, Lucio Luque, Y-3, and Albino. Albino in particular reinforced the point: opp4004 thought the newer harvest could blind as Central American Red Catuai rather than a stereotypical Peruvian SL9.
Fermentation intensity was a recurring fault line rather than a simple quality hierarchy. Doug preferred cleaner Nginda for repeated drinking despite regarding the stickier Kambarare as objectively better; seylance2897 praised rare coffees that maintain articulation despite strong fermentation; opp4004 enjoyed some extreme processing but criticized murkiness and astringency in the Kenyan River Fermentation Natural.
Kenyan fermentation was treated as both identity and experimental variable. seylance2897 argued fermentation is a meaningful part of Kenyan flavor and described forthcoming controlled experiments with Gerald after a very hot harvest. Doug's strong praise for Gerald's lots - and his sensitivity to their fermentation character - gave a consumer-side counterpart to that producer/process work.
"Zero fermentation" emerged as a misleading shorthand. opp4004 argued that eco-pulped coffees often retain enough mucilage to behave more like a white honey and preferred "almost zero fermentation"; seylance2897 agreed that zero-fermentation Alo lots can still become surprisingly complex; Doug separately emphasized that white honeys can be exceptionally clean.
Roasting and freshness were both presented as moving targets. Lance found darker Chiroso roasting could emphasize savory character; opp4004 argued every roast is inherently an experiment because green coffee changes; seylance2897 focused further upstream on shortening harvest-to-roastery transit because freshness improves quality and reduces the chance of coffees fading.
Subscriber-exclusive coffees encouraged experimentation rather than consensus. The Kama Gesha/first-harvest discussion produced a high-quality-but-polarizing botanical profile for opp4004, while Albino generated another radically atypical expression. Doug framed the subscription around maintaining high value even when the coffees were unusual, and opp4004 explicitly saw exposure to strange coffees as part of what a serious subscription should provide.

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