Fratello Coffee is introducing a new Costa Rican to our clients this February.  We have done a lot of research to find this coffee and are very pleased with our results.  After narrowing down from 30 original varities submitted from Costa Rica, we had decided to put the top 12 into a final round of cupping.

We got to share this experience with Zane Kelsall from Bumpy’s Cafe (www.bumpyscafe.com), and got to share with him a Cup of Excellence approach to cupping and selecting coffee.  From the top 12 coffees, 6 were chosen and re-cupped to find our number 1 selection.  After many hours of cupping, Fratello has chose to work with the Coopedota cooperative.

We gave this coffee a Cupping Score of 88.6 and found that this fully washed, high altitude coffee gave an extremely clean taste, with a creamy and toffee like body.  What really stood out for me with the lingering bright and sparkling orange acidity.   Will can also pick up a slight spicey (nutmeg) note in the aromas.

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What does it take to be a “3rd Wave” cafe?  Read this post and find out what some of the best in Seattle are doing. 

On December 6th, a group from Fratello Coffee and Slayer Espresso met in Seattle for 1 day.  In this 10 hour day we visited, reviewed and tasted a lot of amazing products.  When originally planning this trip to we had 2 goals.  The main purpose of this trip was to visit the Slayer Espresso’s studio to witness their break through in brewing technology and to experience their ability to develop new characteristics in its espresso brewing techniques.  It is too new for me to talk about this, so I won’t……    

Our second purpose was to educate ourselves with a few of the great Seattle “3^rd Wave café’s” and to bring this knowledge back to Calgary to help our café’s in elevating their skills in offering excellence to their customers.  With the knowledge of new competition coming to our back yard we felt that this was the best way to help prepare our clients for what the new standard of running a café will be, and what it will take to compete on these new levels.  We know that many people don’t have the time to fly to Seattle/Vancouver them selves, so we decided to bring Seattle to them.  My next plan is to do the same thing for Vancouver.  

14 cafes were chosen, all different and all excellent in what they are doing.  This tour consisted of Chris and Jason Prefontaine, Eric Perkunder, Trent Breitkreutzt and my self.  I decided to document this trip, but please keep in mind that I am not a journalist, I am a professional coffee cupper and roaster, who simply loves coffee.  The views below are my opinion only!! 

Below are some notes and observations I made while visiting these great cafes.  I hope that this will be helpful in setting a new direction for those cafes that are looking to improve with what they are currently doing everyday.  

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Fratello Coffee has found a new source for its Guatemalan coffee and is pleased to announce that it is certified by Rainforest Alliance.  We have chose to work with the Nueva Granada estate and will have this amazing coffee starting in December of this year. 

Guatemalan Nueva Granada – Single Estate - Rainforest Alliance Certified Cupping Score – 87.6 – Nutty & chocolate orange aromas prepare you for the dark chocolate and creamy/silky mouth feel with lingering and zesty orange acidity.  

Nueva Granada Estate Coffee
During the harvest, Nueva Granada selects only the ripest cherries, and when the beans are in parchment form, again grades the coffees and stores them in burlap bags in a special, dry, wood-line storeroom. Once an order comes from Fratello Coffee Co., the parchment covering is removed and Nueva Granada’s blue-green beans are carefully selected and prepared for shipment.

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Russ & I had the pleasure of taking some of our staff down to Brazil last month on an educational buying trip. We met farmers committed to more then just quality coffee, but also who were committed to making a difference in the environment and to the lives of people who worked for them on their farms.

We look forward to bringing to Calgary some of these special coffees and the stories of the families who put so much heart into producing them. I want to give a special thanks to Schieder and the good people of Tristao Trading for hosting our Fratello family while in Brazil. It was a fantastic trip!

My brother and I just got back from a green coffee buying trip to Brazil. While we were there we had the pleasure of enjoying a coffee at an amazing cafe in Sao Paolo! We met the owner, totally hard core & “3rd Wave” in his approach. He is not able to import coffees from outside Brazil, so he has learned to source & brew amazing single estate brazilian espressos. If ever you find yourself in Sao Paolo… you will want to check this crazy place out! Cheers.

This is the most excited I’ve been while waiting to receive a new shipment of coffee, and now, its finally here.   The Yemen Mokha Sana’ani is the most unique tasting coffee we’ve offered our clients, or, that I have tasted myself.

I remember the first sip at the cupping table with Joel and John and all three of us at the same time put down our spoons and stared at each other in disbelief.   We started laughing and then began to describe the flavor we just had.   This coffee starts out rich and earthy, kind of like a Sumatran, but then moves into a bright fruity flavor and sweet acidity like an Ethiopian or Kenyan.  What really got us was the lingering blueberry finish!! You have to try this coffee to truly appreciate this flavor. This is not your “normal” coffee, but is sure to please the person looking for something unique.  (Read the rest of this post)

David Parker, Calgary Herald Published: Tuesday, June 26, 2007It doesn’t seem that long ago to me that a cup of coffee was something poured as an expected followup to any restaurant meal. Then came the coffee shops and over the last few years people in this city have followed the trend in lining up for a cappuccino, mocha, espresso, frappucino or any number of gourmet blends.Now, according to Chris Prefontaine, director of business development and one of the three brother owners of Fratello Coffee Co., we are entering a third wave.Following behind the remarkable movement in Seattle and Vancouver towards serving unique, specialty coffees from high-quality, auctioned green beans that are served by a knowledgeable and well-trained passionate staff, coffee drinking is reaching new heights here.Russ Prefontaine, left, Chris Prefontaine and Jason Prefontaine of Fratello Coffee Co. The company buys top-qualify coffee from 31 countries. Leah Hennel, Calgary HeraldHe should know — the family has been in the business here since parents Cam and Barb Prefontaine began supplying offices with coffee from their home garage in Varsity Acres in 1974.  (Read the rest of this post)

No Darrek - I am NOT talking about you.

What a hard job!! Poor Russ.