BIRD FRIENDLY BOX MAY 2022

BIRD FRIENDLY BOX…

… showcases three roasters from Fort Bragg, CA, Crofton, MD and Pittsburgh, PA. Each of the coffees selected for this month’s box has met the Smithsonian’s rigorous “Bird Friendly Coffee” standards requiring 100% organic certified beans, no use of pesticides and stringent conservation practices that support forested lands for birds and other wildlife.

Image: Smithsonian Bird Friendly Coffee Certification

• THANKSGIVING COFFEE | Fort Bragg, CA

  From the Roaster:
  In 1984, The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) hosted its first conference, entitled “Coffee, Human Rights, and Third World Economies.” Paul, President of SCAA at the time, visited Nicaragua the following year for the first time. When he witnessed the poor living conditions of the coffee farmers first hand it radically changed his view of coffee and how it should be produced and traded. The trip ignited Thanksgiving Coffee’s mission to become a force for good, committed to improving the lives of our coffee farming family. The company motto was born on Paul’s flight back from Nicaragua on April 17th, 1985 — Not Just A Cup, But A Just Cup. Thanksgiving Coffee became a conscious company, focused on global, environmental, economic, and social justice. The company’s Fair Trade practices and philanthropic partnerships have enabled coffee cooperatives to build schools, improve roads, and provide healthcare for workers in their communities.

• FEATURED ROAST: Organic Songbird Nicaraguan

  From the Roaster:
  Each package sold benefits the American Birding Association's programs in Central America. By drinking shade-grown and bird friendly certified coffee every morning, you are supporting these coffee farmers, the efforts of the ABA, and the countless birds they are protecting through community outreach and conservation. Learn more. Since 1998 we have raised $212,012.30 and counting…

  Sweet without sugar, mellow without cream, it is a great breakfast coffee. This coffee is roasted to a light milk chocolate color where its bright and complex flavors explode into life. "Balanced, crisply sweet-tart. Lemongrass, cardamom, cocoa powder, rhododendron-like flowers, fresh-cut cedar in aroma and cup. The structure fuses sweet, tart and savory tendencies, enlivened by a quietly juicy acidity. Buoyant, satiny mouthfeel. The crisp finish is richly sweet, with notes of lemongrass and vanilla-like florals carrying into the long." The New Nicaragua "Perhaps the only coffee presenting a classic Nicaragua profile among all of the nine highest scorers is Thanksgiving Coffee’s Organic Shade-Grown Nicaragua (92), a blend of the respected Maracaturra, Caturra and Catuai varieties meticulously processed by the traditional wet method. It is also the only coffee we review that is certified Bird-Friendly by the Smithsonian Institution, hands-down the most uncompromising and rigorous of environmentally focused certifications. The idealism and passion that drove the growing and farm management that produced this coffee clearly went into its processing as well: It is an impressively pure coffee. Of all nine coffees we reviewed this month, it most clearly represents the classic Nicaragua cup of tradition, with its inherent balance, quietly juicy acidity and buoyant, satiny mouthfeel."

• TASTING NOTES & ORIGIN

  TASTING NOTES
  Lemongrass, cardamom, cocoa powder

  ORIGIN
  Nicaragua

• REDSTART ROASTERS | Pittsburgh, PA

  From the Roaster:
  Redstart Roasters was originally formed in 2017 as the intersection of a considerable coffee habit and an affinity for birds. In the short time since, it has grown substantially in operation and scope, and is increasingly poised to make major inroads to its two goals — sourcing and roasting the highest quality coffees and bringing awareness to the importance of sustainable growing practices with regard to bird habitats.

  Our coffee mission begins with a great deal of research into hundreds of farms and their offerings to ensure they not only meet reasonable sustainability standards but also produce a quality cup of coffee. From there, we roast dozens of samples of each and every type of bean to dial in an ideal flavor profile before it is added to our rotating offering schedule.

  Our conservation mission began simply as only sourcing coffees having earned the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center’s Bird-Friendly coffee certification. However, it quickly became apparent that this certification, while very much in line with our mission, was not without its flaws. We now also source from growers that pass our own vetting process that accounts for ecological diversity and the often arduous certification process until such a time that the certification evolves to meet their needs.

  Based in the East End of Pittsburgh, Redstart Roasters remains dedicated to expanding our local coffee culture and extending the reach of our global impact on conserving this crucial habitats.

• FEATURED ROAST: Ethiopia Beloya

  From the Roaster:
  The Kochere district is one of the woredas (districts) in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. Kochere is a diverse woreda which is made up primarily by three ethnic groups, the Gedeo, the Oromo, and the Amhara, in order of population. The coffees produced in this area are consistently some of the most beautiful coffees grown in the world thanks to the unique combination of the local environment, coffee genetics, and processing methods.

• TASTING NOTES & ORIGIN

  TASTING NOTES
  Jasmine, melon, honey.

  ORIGIN
  Ethiopia

• CHESAPEAKE BAY ROASTING COMPANY | Crofton, MD

  From the Roaster:
  We roast coffee we're proud of. We start off by selecting only the highest quality, specialty-grade coffees from the top growing regions around the globe. Our Roastmaster has taken his years of knowledge and respect for perfection and translated it into our selection of signature blends and single-origin coffees. Careful roasting evokes the charm of each coffee and cultivates its flavor nuances.

  We roast daily and constantly monitor and fine-tune to create a flawless profile every time. Time and temperature are critical and it can come down to seconds; too dark, the character can be lost and too light it will be underdeveloped muting the coffee's potential. Being part craftsman and part artist, our roasting team is passionate about coffee to the point absurdity, always experimenting and tinkering.

• FEATURED ROAST: Bird Friendly Guatemala

  From the Roaster:
  In 2017 we decided to take our mission of environmental stewardship one step further and became Bird Friendly® Certified. The Bird Friendly® certification was developed by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Using Smithsonian conservation science, the Bird Friendly gold standard does more than other eco-friendly seals to protect habitat. Bird Friendly coffees come from farms using a combination of foliage cover, tree height and biodiversity to provide quality habitat for birds and other wildlife. Instead of clearing rainforests to grow coffee in the sun, Bird Friendly farms grow coffee underneath the shade trees that provide habitat for birds, including migratory species, whose impressive journeys can take them from the backyards of the U.S. and Canada all the way to coffee farms in Latin America.

  As part of our certification we pay additional fees, "premiums", for these coffees. The premiums are paid to producer groups and help to strengthen the financial security of coffee workers and farms. They also help with farm sustainability projects & community development.

• TASTING NOTES & ORIGIN

  TASTING NOTES
  Smooth body & soft acidity. Notes of mild orange and dark chocolate.

  ORIGIN
  Guatemala