How we choose a lot without romanticizing it

When a new sample arrives, the first thing we do is quiet our expectations. It does not matter if the producer has a twenty-year relationship or if the lot comes recommended by someone we trust: the cup decides.

Second cup

We cup at different ratios, repeat the grind, and note what changes between one extraction and the next. If the coffee does not hold up on the second cup, it does not enter the catalog.

Our minimum protocol includes:

• Different extraction ratios
• Repeated grind with the same sample
• Cross-checked notes between evaluators

Choosing also means rejecting. And rejecting without a clear explanation would be irresponsible.

That is why we return specific feedback: where we lose sweetness, where astringency appears, which lots deserve another attempt.