Journal — May 2024

G’day Mates! Caleb here. I can’t believe May has almost come and gone. I’m still savoring the last few brews of Father Coffee’s Bombe, and am very excited to share this month’s lineup with you. I try to mix things up each month—of course together we’re exploring coffees roasted all over the world, but I also try to vary the origins we feature. This month, though, our lineup pretty solidly mirrors our feature from Father Coffee. That has a lot to do with what is fresh and in season, and what has made it’s way to good roasters in the global south. But it has even more to do with how stunning these coffees from Melbourne taste. I had to break my own rule to feature another coffee from Ethiopia, when—almost immediately after announcing that Bombe might be my favorite African coffee of the year—I tasted the ones Craig sent us from down under in the coffee Mecca of Melbourne, Australia.

Criteria Coffee is the brain child of Craig Simon, a multi-award-winning barista and coffee roaster who has worked in almost every link of the coffee chain. As one of Australia’s leading coffee knowledge experts Craig has represented country on the WBC stage 2012, 2014, 2018, achieving Australia’s first Q-Grade Instructor qualification in 2015 (one of 42 positions held world wide). Craig’s interest in coffee goes far beyond the final cup. From farming and roasting, to brewing and service. After near to 15 years in the coffee industry, Craig founded Criteria Coffee in 2018 to assist others in their pursuit of coffee excellence. We tried to bring them on in 2020, but shipping restrictions during the pandemic made that impossible. So at long last, enjoy Criteria.

Jabanto Washed and Tamirat Dereje Carbonic Maceration Natural are both fantastic examples of the dimensions of possible flavors that Ethiopia is capable of producing. We’ll be sharing Jabanto Washed on filter at our cafe. I love it so much. As one of the earliest members of Jabanto farmers group, Tsegaye Tekebo is a model farmer who is recognized by the regional and federal government for his dedication and hard work in coffee farming. He is also a resource center for other coffee farmers in Biloya and the neighboring villages and has taken it upon himself to supply improved coffee seedlings, represent Jabanto, and also support other farmers on coffee post-harvest handling practices. Muburi AA is from the Muburi Coffee Factory, part of the Rwama Coffee farmers Society. They consist of 1,200 active farming members from the Gituga, Kiangoro, Muburi and Kagukuma Villages. This coffee’s rich red fruit characteristics and syrupy mouth feel stands out. You’ll love it. The Sanctuario Project hails from Costa Rica’s revered Tres Rios region. Under the nurturing guidance of agronomic engineer Nelsyn Hernandez, this 105-hectare estate has been transformed from neglect to excellence, each step of post-harvest processing meticulously crafted. Enjoy these beautiful coffees from Melbourne!