As we enter summertime here in Texas, we’ve got a lot to be excited about. I could list all the fun Austin activities that pair best with Lone Stars and frozen margs, but this isn’t that kind of blog. In the coffee world, summer means lots of new arrivals, especially from Central America and East Africa, and we have some killer new microlots lined up for the next few months from Mexico, Guatemala, and Ethiopia. This month, however, our featured coffees include our best lot yet from a go-to partner in Colombia and a classic Little City blend honoring the espresso-fueled bike messengers who were fixtures at our original shop on Congress Ave.
Featured Microlot: Colombia Los Jazmines, Huila Mágico 4th Place
For the past three harvests, we’ve purchased coffees from Finca Los Jazmines, Jose Lizardo Alba’s ten-hectare farm in Palestina, Huila. Always stunning, Lizardo’s pink bourbon is sweet, delicate, and floral with big citric acidity and tropical fruit notes. Not only is our newest lot all of those things, it’s also a bonafide competition winner.
Facilitated by our import partners, The Coffee Quest, The Huila Mágico competition was developed during the initial stages of the global pandemic in 2020 in an effort to help offset some of the financial hardships and uncertainty facing the industry by recognizing the best growers in Huila and rewarding them with high prices for their efforts in quality. Only coffees scoring 86 points or above are eligible for the competition and those coffees are judged by local and international cuppers in Colombia, Europe, and the US. The Top 10 lots are determined and the growers are paid significant premiums for their coffees based on ranking. You can read more about the Huila Magico competition over on The Coffee Quest’s blog.
Roaster’s Choice: Messenger Espresso Blend
Among the politicians, students, artists, and slackers who frequented Little City’s original cafe on Congress Avenue, there was one group of folks who could be found sipping espresso between gigs on any given day during the 90s and early 2000s. More than just a job, being a bike messenger was a way of life for a certain subset of Gen X’ers, with its own culture, style, and even politics, and Little City was their unofficial home base in Austin. Though the business and culture have surely changed, one could argue that this era of commercial cycling helped pave the way for today’s gig economy and on-demand delivery apps.
So, in tribute to these pioneers, we created the Messenger Espresso Blend. Our current blend combines pulped-natural Brazilian, natural Ethiopian, and washed Colombian coffees to create a balanced shot that is full-bodied, sweet, juicy, and bright. And no worries if you don’t have an espresso machine. In our opinion, the brewed version of this coffee is also fantastic and highlights its complexity just as effectively as its pressure-extracted counterpart.
Stay tuned to our blog and socials for brewing tips and recipes, and be the first to hear about new coffees and exclusive offers by joining our mailing list. You can also receive our featured coffees each month automatically and at a discounted price by signing up for our Microlot and Roaster’s Choice subscriptions.
