Hello Explorers!
As we turn the page in October, we are looking forward to the first cool days of Autumn, and eventually Winter. After a long and hot Midwest summer, it is a welcome relief.
Here in the world of coffee, we are enjoying some of the coffees that come to us from the farther origins as they come into season. Many African coffees and Indonesians are just now really arriving in earnest here in the states, and it gives us some interesting and dynamic flavors to play with. And we work to prepare our plans for seasonal blends to take us through the next year. And THIS is a really fun part of the job!
The process of creating a new blend is one of experimenting, tasting, guessing, and basically just messing around with various coffees and flavor profiles till we hit on something that just says “Yes! This is it!” Everyone’s approach is a title bit different. I like to approach it like I am painting a picture.
As a taster, oftentimes my first impressions are not actually flavors. Instead, the first thing that will pop into my mind is COLOR!
View Coffee Tasting Wheel at Full Size Here.
I taste “red.” Then I have to think through, what kind of red? Is it a fruit, is it a bright red. Is it a deep red. Etc. It’s how my personal flavor memories are organized in my mind. It opens up a different way to think about tastes and experiences, and the ability to take a more artistic tach at the blending process.
This trait of the mind crossing two unrelated senses is called “SYNESTHESIA”. Many people may actually experience it, but don’t even recognize it is happening. We see a food of a certain color and our brain is programmed to expect a flavor in line with other foods we have had of that same color. Reds are often sweet. Yellow or Green can be sour. Browns are savory, etc..
As I taste coffee, it kind of works in reverse. I take a sip/slurp, and the first hit is color. Where does that take me? I follow the path, and eventually land on the spot.
In a recent roast of our newest lot of Sumatra Kerinci (YES, it’s back!), I experienced it like this, for a peek into the workings of Robin’s brain:
My first hit was Red. Bright red… Zingy, Zippy, TART. Red + Tart… first impression = Cranberry. There was also a spice tone. Brown. Warm Spices. Not Cinnamon… Clove! A Yellow as well. Sour. But Tropical. A rich yellow/ orange. Pineapple and orange.
What a symphony! (Now I’m mixing in sound too, just to be confusing!)
On the table we were looking to create our newest Winter Seasonal blend, and hitting this coffee inspired me. With Cranberry, Cloves, tropical fruits, etc, my mind was taken to Mulled Wines and seasonal drinks at holiday parties. So we sat about looking for other coffees to pair with this to bring in those notes. Deep Reds, Purples.. Rich low sweet fruit tones. No more sharp, bright, pokey notes. Big, fat, sweetness.
I came to a cup of Ethiopian natural. And man, here it was! Right on the edge of red/purple. A Merlot or Zinfandel. Bold fruit, body, and sturdy complex structure. Perfect for warming with spices and bright fruits.
We played with a couple iterations of percentages before we landed on the Final Cut, which I am excited to share with you. A SNEAK PEEK of the Winter Seasonal blend we will be releasing soon.
It is a fruit forward blend, bringing forward notes of Red Wine, Cranberry, Citrus and Clove. Perfect for a winter celebration, to share with friends and loved ones who have a little adventurous streak in coffee, or to brighten up those overcast winter days.
How do YOU experience tastes? Have your ever really thought about HOW you taste things or how your brain is processing the information? Do you taste in terms of color? Let us know!
Your Invitation to Explore
Every month, Explorers Club subscribers receive an exclusive box of small-lot coffees handpicked by our roasting team — often from relationships we’ve spent years building. Alongside each box, you’ll get the stories behind the beans: the farmers, the regions, the growing conditions, and the flavors that make each coffee unique.
If you’re curious to taste along with us and deepen your connection to the world of coffee, we’d love to have you on this journey.
Until next time, Cheers!
Robin Seitz, VP/GM Coffee Supply Chain and Private Partnerships