Knitting at Palenque
This knitting group had a great time dropping stitches at Palenque Coffee House this weekend! Have a group meeting for business or fun? Reserve your time; call 920-896-0311.
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Asia and the Pacific: an Overview
For our purposes, “Asia and the Pacific” generally refer to India and Southeast Asia and then the Pacific islands, excluding Indonesia. Yes, the continent of Asia is the world’s largest – technically, Mocha coffee from Yemen could be considered an Asian coffee – but as far as coffee regions go, it’s best that we stick to south and southeast Asia. Large coffee producers like Vietnam are found in southeast Asia, and the influence of coffee splits out further east until you reach the United States: Hawaii in particular. The major producers of coffee in Asia are Vietnam, India, and Cambodia – Vietnam is renowned for its focus on Robusta coffee and produces about a third of the world’s largest producer of coffee, Brazil. It’s a distant second from Brazil, but it is still second place, which means that it is highly likely that even the most casual of coffee drinkers have drank coffee grown in this particular region of the world. Southeast Asian Robusta coffee production is of particular importance here, and it’s worth spending some time to further shed light on the subject. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ most recent data, Vietnam alone produces some 1.18 million of metric tons of green coffee, which is coffee in its natural, pre-roasted form. Approximately one-fifth of the world’s coffee produced is Robusta coffee, with most of that coming from the Robusta-friendly soils of Vietnam. In fact, it was fairly recent that Vietnam passed countries like India, Brazil, and Indonesia to become the world’s largest producer of Robusta coffee. Since many types of Robusta coffees are sold in American supermarkets – and, indeed, supermarkets around the globe – it is very likely that you have consumed coffee that originated in Asia and the Pacific before. For the most part, southeast Asia and India focus on Robusta coffee, with India producing coffees of both types. Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam all tend to focus on producing Robusta...
Read More »Other Indonesian Single Origin Coffees
Because Indonesia is so large and diverse, it can be difficult to classify and categorize all of its coffees; doing so would simply require that you invent a new category for each region and each coffee type! With that in mind, we’ll break off from our usual trend of categorizing the coffees by region and instead fill you in on some of the other single origin coffees of note available from Indonesia: Kopi Luwak: World renowned for the processing method – the beans are fed to an animal known as a civet and then retrieved from its feces – Kopi Luwak is not only one of the world’s most sought-after beans, but actually one of its most expensive. Many people believe that the enzymes of the civet work on the beans and take out much of its acidity. Additionally, Kopi Luwak will often only require a light roast for the flavors to fully come through. Bean description: If you can get past the idea of having your beans processed through a civet’s digestive track, you’re in for a real treat. Kopi Luwak’s subtle flavors come through as bright with little to no bitterness thanks to the civet treatment. Timor: Actually not technically an Arabica or a Robusta coffee, Timor is a hybrid between the two that was cultivated because of its resiliency to leaf rust – a problem that Arabica coffee growers often have to deal with. It comes from the island of Timor, so there is no confusion about the single origin nature of this coffee. Bean description: Hearty, strong, and certainly a hybrid of Arabica and Robusta, this is a good “transition” bean for anyone who’s been drinking Robusta their whole life. Bergendal: Technically a variety rather than a single origin coffee, Bergendal is a type of Arabica that is grown in Indonesia. Like Timor, it became known for its ability to fight off leaf rust, surviving an outbreak in the late 19th century that destroyed a lot of coffee crops and threatened Indonesia’s status on the world’s coffee stage. Another variety of Indonesian Arabica is...
Read More »Papua, New Guinea Coffees
Though Papua, New Guinea is a large portion of Indonesia, it is not necessarily known for its unique coffee cultivation – many of the beans cultivated here are also available from other sources. The Arabica varieties grown in Papua have many of the hallmarks of traditional Indonesian blends (low to medium acidity, a body that is not too assertive, but a richness and earthiness that many people enjoy). Most New Guinea coffees are wet processed. Arusha: Actually truly known as “Papua New Guinea Arusha,” as there are other Arusha coffees available in the world, this cultivation on the world’s second largest island. It is not necessarily the most popular Arusha cultivation in the world, but it is worth mentioning here. Bean description: The bean contains the rich and full-bodied flavors characteristic of Arabica coffee, with its individual distinctions coming from its roots in the either French Mission or Typica varieties. Arona: Another coffee from Papua New Guinea, Arona’s smoothness makes it one of the more easy-to-drink coffees in the region. It does have the low/medium acidity of most Indonesian coffees, it might not be as earthy or aromatic as Sumatra or Sulawesi coffee but it is certainly an enjoyable drink. Bean description: Low to medium acidity, a toned-down body, but smooth and even an enjoyable fruitiness mark the Arona from Papua New Guinea. Sigri: Considered by many to be the trademark coffee of Papua New Guinea, the Sigri coffee available from this island is extremely well-balanced in acid and body and is capable of producing flavors that rival the fruitiness of beans from across the world – or at least, around Indonesia (such as Sulawesi coffee). It’s considered to be both a classic type of coffee and considering its exotic location, a favorite amongst those who want to try new coffees from around the world. Bean description: Fruity and mild in flavor and aroma, the Sigri is a very enjoyable cup of coffee that doesn’t have the assertiveness of other coffees in the region. For many people, this makes for a great morning cup without the earthiness of some of the other beans from the...
Read More »Regions and Coffees of Note for Single Origin Coffees in Indonesia: Java
At one point in history, the word “Java” was synonymous with coffee, the way the region of Mocha, Yemen once was. Today, Java’s place in the coffee world might be smaller, but there’s no doubt that its presence as a prime region of coffee growing is not a thing of the past. In fact, many of the world’s most popular blends include coffee from Java, including the ever-famous Mocha Java, which combines two of history’s greatest names in coffee. Java is also a unique name in the single-origin coffee world because it can be used both as a single-origin coffee in and of itself (Java, after all, is a region; coffee from a single region can easily be considered single-origin) as well as play host to a number of estates that produce Java Arabica coffees. For single-origin purists who enjoy single-estate coffees, Java is prime real estate indeed, including coffees from names such as: Djampit Blawan Pancoer Kayumas Bean description: Much of the coffee produced in Java carries a few common themes: it is wet processed, mostly cultivated on the east of the Ijen volcano system, and the beans offer produce a strong aftertaste that frequently reminds many coffee drinkers of...
Read More »Palenque Coffee Beans
Now you can bring the delicious taste of Palenque Coffee home when you pick up a bag of Palenque Coffee Beans, available from our barista.
Palenque Uses the Clover Coffee Brewer
One machine aims to bring the glamour back to drip coffee: the Clover coffee brewer. It was developed in 2005 by the Seattle-based Coffee Equipment Company. As opposed to a batch brew that yields enough cups to get a business through the morning rush, the Clover brews one cup of coffee at a time. With a Clover, the barista and the customer can customize the way the coffee tastes by tinkering with the water temperature and the brewing time.
The result is not the kind of coffee you add milk or sugar to, and it sure doesn't begin with anything instant. This coffee maker has become a way to highlight coffee beans from around the world, beans that may cost almost a hundred dollars a pound. The Clover has coffee drinkers reaching into a wine lover's vocabulary for words like earthy, citrusy and spicy.
Depending on where you live, finding a Clover coffee maker might have been as difficult as finding its four-leafed namesake, but you don't have to look far if you live in Ripon, Wisconsin. Here at Palenque Coffee House, we are proud to offer you this unique treat!
