The Harvest
HARVEST IS THE PINNACLE OF A FARMING YEAR. WE'VE CARED FOR AND TENDED TO OUR TREES ALL YEAR, NAVIGATING THE INEVITABLE CHALLENGES EACH SEASON BRINGS. THIS YEAR, WE FACED OUR...
HARVEST 2024 HAS CONCLUDED, MARKING OUR FINEST SEASON YET—THOUGH NOT WITHOUT ITS FAIR SHARE OF CHALLENGES. THE QUALITY AND UNIFORMITY IN THE FIELD HAVE BEEN OUTSTANDING, AND WE’RE STARTING TO SEE THE BENEFITS OF AN INVIGORATED AGRONOMY PROGRAM. WHILE SOME AREAS REMAIN UNDER REMEDIATION, AND WE MADE THE DECISION TO PRUNE CERTAIN SECTIONS (LEAVING THEM FRUITLESS THIS SEASON—A STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME), THIS IS ALL PART OF OUR LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING HEALTHY, PRODUCTIVE TREES FOR YEARS TO COME.
THE OUTCOMES IN THE FIELD WERE SECURED AT OUR PROCESSING PLANT, WHERE WE IMPLEMENTED CHERRY COLOUR SORTING TECHNOLOGY. AFTER A FEW INITIAL TEETHING AND CALIBRATION CHALLENGES, THE SYSTEM NOW WORKS FLAWLESSLY. IT DELIVERS RESULTS ON PAR WITH HAND-PICKING, WITH UNDERRIPE AND OVERRIPE CHERRIES MAKING UP LESS THAN 3% OF A BATCH—A REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT. THIS ROBUST BASELINE HAS ALLOWED US TO ENHANCE QUALITY CONTROL THROUGHOUT OUR PROCESSES.
WE MADE SIGNIFICANT REFINEMENTS TO OUR WASHED PROCESS, WITH TIGHTER QUALITY CHECKS AND EXTENDED DRYING TIMES. THESE IMPROVEMENTS HAVE ELEVATED OUR CORE OFFERING, RESULTING IN COFFEE THAT IS CONSISTENT, CLEAN, AND REFLECTIVE OF THE CARE WE PUT INTO EVERY STAGE OF PRODUCTION.
THIS YEAR MARKED THE DEBUT OF OUR LARGE FERMENTATION TANK AND A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN NATURAL DRYING CAPACITY, PAVING THE WAY FOR US TO LAUNCH A SCALED SMALL LOT PROGRAM. FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE’RE DELIGHTED TO OFFER HONEY AND NATURAL PROCESS COFFEES, EXPANDING THE RANGE OF FLAVOURS THAT OUR FARM CAN EXPRESS.
THESE PROCESSES UNLOCK A WIDE SPECTRUM OF TASTE PROFILES, ALL FROM A SINGLE FARM AND A SINGLE VARIETAL. WITH PRECISE FERMENTATION TECHNIQUES—INCLUDING ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION, MOSTO FERMENTATION, AND EXTENDED DRYING TRIALS—WE'VE PRODUCED SPECIALTY COFFEES RANGING FROM 82 TO 87 POINTS. EXPECT EVERYTHING FROM VIBRANT FRUIT-FORWARD NOTES TO DEEPER, MORE STRUCTURED FLAVOURS.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
- HONEY PROCESS: BALANCED SWEETNESS WITH HINTS OF RED FRUIT AND CARAMEL.
- NATURAL PROCESS: RICH BODY WITH TROPICAL FRUIT NOTES AND SUBTLE ACIDITY.
- ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION: A BOLD, STRUCTURED COFFEE WITH COMPLEX UNDERTONES.
- MOSTO FERMENTATION: A DISTINCT PROCESS THAT REUSES FERMENTED LIQUID FROM THE COFFEE CHERRIES TO ENHANCE FLAVOUR DEVELOPMENT. THIS APPROACH IMPARTS EXTRA BODY AND A SLIGHTLY FERMENTED SWEETNESS, CREATING A CUP WITH DEPTH AND CHARACTER.
AFTER 10 YEARS AS A GROWER, HARVEST 2024 HAS BEEN A GOOD YEAR— ONE THAT REFLECTS NOT JUST OUR EFFORTS BUT THE CONTINUED EVOLUTION OF AUSTRALIAN COFFEE.
CUT TO IT, YOU SAY — FIRST UP, BATCH 35. THIS LOT IS THE PRODUCT OF AN ANAEROBIC DOUBLE FERMENTATION WITH MOSTO AND YEAST. HARVESTED IN MID-AUGUST AND FERMENTED OVER 8 DAYS BEFORE BEING SUN-DRIED, THIS COFFEE DELIVERS A BEAUTIFULLY BALANCED CUP WITH NOTES OF CARAMEL, MAPLE, ROSE PETALS, PEACH, DARK CHOCOLATE, AND A BRIGHT LIME ACIDITY. AVAILABLE NEXT WEEK—STAY TUNED FOR THE EMAIL!
WE CAN’T WAIT FOR YOU TO EXPERIENCE THIS SEASON’S COFFEE. OUR STAPLES—ESPRESSO NO. 1 AND FILTER NO. 1 — WILL TRANSITION SEAMLESSLY INTO THIS SEASON’S STOCK, AND WE’LL BE INTRODUCING SOMETHING FRESH AND VIBRANT EVERY MONTH.
HERE’S TO A GOOD YEAR AND MANY MORE AHEAD.
HARVEST IS THE PINNACLE OF A FARMING YEAR. WE'VE CARED FOR AND TENDED TO OUR TREES ALL YEAR, NAVIGATING THE INEVITABLE CHALLENGES EACH SEASON BRINGS. THIS YEAR, WE FACED OUR...
THE ANNUAL COFFEE CROP CYCLE IN THE TROPICS OF AUSTRALIA STARTS WITH DRY STRESS IN OCTOBER TO PROMOTE SIMULTANEOUS FLOWERING, CRUCIAL FOR EVEN FRUIT DEVELOPMENT. FOLLOWING THIS, THE CYCLE INCLUDES...
THIS BLOG CONTINUES OUR SERIES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE A DETAILED LOOK INTO THE COFFEE CULTIVATION PROCESS IN AUSTRALIA, AND ALL ITS ASPECTS. ON THIS OCASSION WE FOCUS ON THE DETAILED STEPS...