Peru El Oso Organic, How it changed my mind

Having tried dozens of coffees from all over the world I consider myself a well-educated coffee drinker. However I was taken by surprise when I tried this delicate and well balanced brew. 

At first glance I didn’t expect anything spectacular.  The bean is rather small and being a medium roast has no glossy appearance from the natural oils that are released from the roasting process.  I usually drink my coffee in a cafetiere so I ground it course and used about 1 tablespoon (15 grams) per cup.  I immediately noticed its aroma, soft and slightly citrusy yet somehow chocolatey with a hint of caramel at the same time.  After a few short minutes I was hooked. 

Coffee from this region is often fermented in wooden tanks built from the trunks of fallen trees.  This helps the coffee to disperse the heat evenly during the fermentation process. 

I also feel good about drinking an Organic variety such as this Peruvian coffee.  It is also fair trade so I know the farmers are paid fairly for a quality product.  When it’s roasted in small batches of 5 kilos to 10 kilos such as the coffeebuzz people do and sent out the same day, it is unlike any stale store bought coffee will ever be. 

Put simply, it is money well spent for an excellent cup of coffee!