The technology behind
Just add filtered water to enjoy one of our picks of the season. These Steeped bags are a simple and elegant way to present a selection of the coffees we find most exciting, removing many brewing variables, and allowing quality and character to shine. Individual doses are ground and sealed in nitrogen-flushed packages, maintaining the clear aromatic character of freshly ground coffee, for over a year after roasting.
Sudan Rume
This is the seventh year we have purchased Sudan Rume grown on Cafe Granja La Esperanza’s Las Margaritas farm. Always stunning us with its strong varietal characteristics, we once again look forward to the distinctive Sudan Rume aromatic character. The Sudan Rume varietal has been lauded for its cup quality in recent years, partly down to competition success, but it hasn’t always been so.
La Granja Esperanza, Colombia
The Sudan Rume varietal originates from modern day South Sudan, in what is now the Boma National Park.
The park lies just across the border from Ethiopia, inside the small area where Arabica coffee still grows completely wild. Sudan Rume, or RS-510 as it is officially designated, is indeed an heirloom or ‘wild’ varietal, mainly used as a stock of high quality genes for new hybrid varietals. There are very few commercial plantations of pure Sudan Rume due to its low yields and susceptibility to disease, but Granja have planted a 4.8 hectare plot on Las Margaritas, and it has consistently produced outstanding results.
Café Granja La Esperanza
The team at Granja apply their trademark level of attention to all stages of the production, from tree to dry mill, with a special focus on careful fermentation and drying. The carefully hand-picked cherries are sent directly to mechanical driers for 48 hours to remove much of the moisture from the cherries, resulting in minimal fermentation. The cherries are then dried slowly and evenly on raised beds over approximately 4 weeks, until they reach a moisture content of around 11%. This is followed by a resting of around three months in climate controlled warehouses, allowing moisture content to stabilise and flavours to increase in intensity. During our visits we have witnessed the Granja team in action, and are always very impressed by the systems, control and cleanliness. Sudan Rume develops its trademark ‘savoury’ profile early in the process, with lemongrass and ginger aromas emanating from fermentation tanks and mechanical driers. In this natural lot, the Sudan Rume is showcasing all of its traditional characteristics, with the distinctive aromas of ginger and lemongrass followed by a rich experience of peach and tropical fruits in the cup, driven by the careful fermentation.
