Journal — September 2024

Hi everyone! I guess autumn is upon us. Here in North Carolina, we’re in full denial that it’s still humid and in the mid 80s for at least a few more weeks. Everyone is sweating through their sweaters and ordering their first few pumpkin spiced things, and I’m once again amazed at how time flies.

Last time we worked with Assembly was March of 2020. Pulling up our old email threads, I was getting daily updates about early lockdown measures in London, and how they got special permission for one person to go in and get our order shipped. I couldn’t believe it was so long ago, but somehow it was. So when this month’s original roaster asked last minute to be pushed back a few months, and I wasn’t sure who to bring on in their place, I knew Assembly would have us covered. And they’ve done it again. Each of these offerings is delicious in its own right, and I’m really excited to hear your thoughts on them.

But first a little more about Assembly. They started in 2015 in Brixton, South London, after the team of an older, established roaster (Volcano Coffee Works) brought together the UK’s leading independent specialty coffee shops and restaurants to share their experiences and define the ways in which a roastery could most effectively fulfill its role in the specialty coffee value chain.

They wanted Assembly to be the answer to each of the pain points that they heard about, and have tried to constantly get better and better. B-Corp and Carbon Neutral certified, they are continuing to raise the bar, both in the coffees they source and the way they support the people that serve and enjoy those coffees.

This month’s lineup is a great reflection of that. Timor-Leste isn’t an origin commonly featured, but the coffees Assembly has sourced from them always wow (we also featured one in 2020 that our subscribers loved). Coffee production is also helping Timor-Leste move toward a greener future, with coffee production making up 90% of all non-fossil fuel exports from 2013 to 2019. The start of fall always gets me excited for fresh Guatemalan coffees with caramel apple notes, but La Esperanza fits even better for this transitional season with as much summery juiciness as cozy fall base notes. And both Ethiopians are such lovely examples of their terroir and processing. As always, I hope these coffees surprise and delight you. Enjoy!