Ethiopia Duet

ROASTING IN OCTOBER

Favorites for blends, finally together. To create this limited release dark roast, we’ve taken two Ethiopian coffees—both of which feature in some of our coffee blends—and we put them together to create one amazing cup. While it is single origin, two different processing methods create complimentary tasting notes. And we love the way they play together. Experience the rich complexity, and maybe stock up on Ethiopia Duet before it’s gone at the end of the month (we think it could be your new favorite).

DOUBLE UP

Two coffee processing methods, together in one bag. In this delicious coffee, a portion of each pound undergoes the washed method, where the ripe coffee cherry is squeezed from its skin, leaving the fruit-covered, gooey seed to ferment for a day before it’s washed and put out to dry. The rest takes on natural processing (the oldest method), during which the coffee cherry is dried whole, like a grape is dried into a raisin, before a hulling machine removes the skin and pulp from the bean. The final product? A symphony of flavors and aromatics. A mix of punchy fruit and ripe berries (hello, natural process) mingle with perfumy florals and oolong tea (and hello, washed).

TASTE MAKERS

You might be wondering, have I tried these Ethiopian beans before? If you consider yourself a Peetnik, there’s a good chance you have. The heavenly, aromatic citrus of Ethiopian Super Natural (a single origin fan favorite that returns every winter) guest stars in full bodied Big Bang—our most loved medium roast—and Decaf Big Bang, both smooth with a balanced richness. As for the washed beans, those appear in two of our perennial coffees: bright and floral Ethiopian Fancy and subtly sweet Luminosa Breakfast Blend. If you haven’t tried these yet—and bright, juicy flavors are your jam—then maybe these should be part of your next haul.

NOTES FROM THE PEET’S ROASTERY

When the beans first arrived at The Roastery, we took stock of their initial appearance and aroma. The washed beans were an alluring shade of green with a dry-yet-sweet aroma—complex right off the bat. The natural processed beans, however, were slightly more slender and, like farm fresh eggs, came in soft shades of green, yellow, and brown. These were a bit fruitier on the nose.

In roasting, both progressed rapidly and responded well, coming to the desired color quite consistently. We were impressed: the first crack was quietly audible after a series of increasing pops—a good cue to cut back on heat. We listened when the beans told us to build the roast slowly and steadily; when we reached second crack, it was inaudible. In the end, the blend finished so consistently that auditory cues were unnecessary.

The roast brought forth new aromatics: hints of tea floated up, with dried fruit present in the background. Because of how well behaved this Ethiopian “blend” was and how consistently it finished, we roasted very few batches—we didn’t need the time for trial and error that some coffees require (not that we’d complain about taking the time—we L-O-V-E letting our attention to detail run wild and coaxing out the very best roast profile possible). And though the roast time was fast, it was still regular and finished to a nice chestnut brown color with some beans more reddish or a bit darker than others. 

After roasting, this was a particularly fun cupping. We were able to evaluate four profiles with six tasters, blind and randomized. Near unanimously, we found the third profile, the one you’ll try at home, to strike a lovely balance between this blend’s two processing methods. We found it to be very juicy and full, with notes of mandarin orange, stone fruit, dark chocolate, and a tea-like finish—all while retaining good roast character. As it cooled, it only became softer and sweeter.

-John Nicolini and Michael Madden, Roasters; Jamie Smith, R&D



PEET’S LIMITED RELEASE COFFEES

You might think that a monthly coffee subscription sounds amazing in and of itself, but Peet’s coffee-of-the-month takes it a step further than most. Good things come in small packages, and we only get these coffees in small batches, which is why you can only find them at peets.com and only for a month at a time. They’re special. And while you don’t have to be a Small Batch Coffee subscriber to experience these amazing coffees, their fleeting nature means they can sell out—fast. So subscribing guarantees you get to taste each one of these incredibly special lots.