Papua New Guinea Peaberry
I know that we’re officially in a drought, and we need rain, but I’m sure enjoying the sunshine today. It’s nice to walk around outside as a break from my desk. Becky and I share an office, and I don’t think that it could be done if we weren’t such good friends. Our office is affectionately known as The Cave, and it’s an apt description–or at least it would be if we didn’t have such bright shining personalities to light it up. We like to think so anyway.
Sharing a Small Office
This February week brings us a coffee from Papua New Guinea. This is a country with which I’m fairly familiar, since my mother teaches school there. It’s a mountainous place, the eastern half of the island of New Guinea. The indigenous people speak over 850 different languages, because the extreme topography leads to isolation. There is still a lot of trouble with the infrastructure, and getting coffee to a plant/mill can be a problem.
This Papua New Guinea is a peaberry bean. A peaberry occurs when only one bean grows inside the coffee cherry, leading to a rounder, smaller bean. They tend to be higher in caffeine, so many people order them for that reason. Whether you’re looking for a more caffeinated beverage or not, you should try this coffee. It is light roasted with a bright beginning and an earthy finish.
The Kimel estate where this bean originates is actually a co-op of sorts. There’s a great article about it in this Australian coffee magazine, here. According to the article, Kimel estate is “100% tribal, clan and village-owned and 100% of all profits are returned to the traditional landowners. It provides permanent employment for them and their families and houses the vegetable patch for the majority of the 500 permanent workers.” This may not be a certified fair-trade coffee, but the values espoused by this co-op falls along those lines.
Papua New Guinea is known for tribal and village altercations, so it is significant that these small farmers are able to process coffee together, and farm in a sustainable manner. These farms are located in the western highlands, in verdant green mountains like the ones pictured above (stolen from my mother’s Facebook page–thanks mom!). Come in and try this coffee this week. You can buy a pound in our store or online here, and if you live locally use the code sustainable manner* to try a free cup. I’ll be thinking of my mother as I drink this week. Love you Mom.
–Holly Fike
*Code good for one free 12 ounce cup of Papua New Guinea Peaberry. Code expires on 2.27.14. Limit one free cup per customer please. Valid only at Carolines Coffee Roasters, 128 S. Auburn Street, Grass Valley, CA. Code/Offer has no cash value.