Timor-Leste Laclo Natural

News

16. November 20232 Minutes

Timor-Leste Laclo Natural – some wild gourmet fix 

This extraordinary coffee stems from the forests of Laclo village in the northern hills of the Ermera district of Timor-Leste. It is processed at the Raimutin Community Wet Mill, which was established by the non-profit coffee trading organization Raw Material in 2018 and has since acted as a hub to reach out to resident farmers and provide them with a viable option in the specialty market.

Coffee trees in East-Timor grow wild - scattered in the forest and almost entirely left on their own devices with limited intervention and attention by the farmers. There is only very limited agronomic attention taking place and the wild grown coffee is therefore by naturally organic. Until it comes to harvesting the farmers merely visit their crop and more likely gather coffee than actually grow it.

The coffee consists of the Typica and Hybrid de Timor Variation.

Last mentioned is a rare interspecific cross between coffee arabica and coffee canephora aka robusta identified on the island in 1917. This spontaneous natural hybrid obtained fame due to its outstanding resistance to coffee rust and vigour and was soon cultivated in other coffee regions around the world. Cross breeding led to the popular Hybrids like Catimor, Ruiru or Sarchimore.

Despite the close relationship to the canephora species, the Hybrid de Timor coffee is acclaimed for fine stonefruit notes in its taste profile with a low acidity. At the same time this variation with its resilient character is in focus of important research which deals with climate change and its effects on coffee cultivation. The economic situation of Timor–Leste calls for an urgent fix and coffee is an important player for the island and its population of which 25% are relying almost solely on coffee. While the countries former No.1 petroleum industry sieges, the agricultural sector and foremost the coffee export as the most valuable crop for the country is being revitalized and improved. Due to poor infrastructure the production costs are on a high level and the improvement of processing and education of the farmers a crucial step towards a prospering coffee economy on Timor-Leste.

In the cup it develops sweet nectar and floral notes accompanied by a soothing taste of baked plum on a creamy like mouthfeel with a medium body.


Queer Aid Uganda x passenger coffee

News

1. August 2023By Daniel Lang1 Minute

We are happy to finally were able to conclude our donation into the emergency fund for the LGBTIQ+ community in Uganda. Thank you for drinking our Uganda Filter coffee and help to collect 742 euros.

Read more about it here


Morning again, Mexico, here we go!

News

5. July 2023By Daniel Lang3 Minutes

Region: Oaxaca – Sierra Sur – San Pedro
Producer: Union San Pedro, small holder farmers cooperative
Variety: Mundo Novo and Pluma Hidalgo
Altitude: 1.450 – 1.900 m
Processing: washed

This Mexican coffee comes from the Sierra Sur region near the Pacific Ocean in the state of Oaxaca and is sourced by us through the social trade organisation RAW Material from the Union San Pedro cooperative. The cooperative represents about 200 small farmers from the region around San Pedro de Alto and is an impressive, exemplary undertaking for an initiative that emerged from a collectivist, indigenous network.

Salomon Garcia is a leading figure of the collective and promotes the model of the "edible forest", which is to be implemented by the farmers of the collective with the intention of achieving higher yields. The smallholders involved here rely entirely on a natural form of agriculture, which must be applied by all means possible and make use of all the possibilities of a rich, healthy forest. In parallel to the endemic plants of the forests, useful plants are carefully grown in pilot projects that can enrich the forest as well as the farmers' yield. Cocoa, cardamom, vanilla and various fruit trees can be found in a colorful variety in the farmers' plots, alongside coffee plants.

The cooperative operates a network of greenhouses for the cultivation of high-quality seedlings of different varieties, as well as facilities for the production of organic fertilizer. These key facilities are able to increase the yield of each smallholder farmer in a self-responsible way using natural resources and imparted know-how.The latter is an essential asset provided by Raw Material and locally by the RedBeetleCoffeeLab in order to make coffee cultivation more cost-efficient and profitable by increasing quality and quantity and to help overcome the high hurdles for entering the specialty market and to give a perspective to the farmers in Oaxaca.

By introducing our RAWS blend we aim to establish a sustained, stable outlet for some of the coffees traded by Raw Material Coffee. We continuously present the ingredients in their single origin guise. 

So here is our first round of Mexico. 

An elegant, quiet, complex coffee with fabulous sweetness and tales of flavour from the enchanted forest. 


Was ist PASSENGER's blend2?

News

21. June 2023By Daniel Lang1 Minutes

What is passenger coffee's blend2?

blend2 is by no means a second choice, in fact for many passengers it is the ultimate. Blend2 is simply the 2nd espresso blend we have created. A tribute to our roots in New Zealand coffee culture. This 3 bean espresso blend is based on Colombian coffee that offers a honey-sweet and floral note. A Mexican and a Kenyan coffee join in to bring out their delicate, juicy orange and blackcurrant flavours. The result is a juicy-sweet coffee, yet strong and roasted entirely in the passenger manner.

blend2 is perfectly suited for all brewing methods.

Where can I find blend2?

There are some excellent addresses in Berlin that always carry blend2 in their grinds. Allan’s Breakfast Club, freiraum Café & Hostel and Rocket & Basil are not only worth a visit for a coffee, but also offer spectacular food and drinks. You can find the beans in our café in Kreuzberg and the roastery in Alt-Treptow, as well as in our Online Shop.

Is blend2 suitable in combination with milk or a milk alternative? blend2 is strong with an intense flavor that also comes through in a milk-based drink.

blend2 is an all-rounder, just like the passenger blend, whether mocha pot, aeropress, filter or even cold brew - the coffee convinces with its balance and intensity. Mokkakanne, Aeropress, Filter or even Cold Brew – the coffee impresses with its balance and intensity.


Here is the first round of Burundi!

News

1. June 2023By Daniel Lang1 Minutes

This vibrant coffee is an offspring of passenger’s RAWS blend and stems out of the IZUBA washing station situated in the northern part of Burundi. At the washing station/wet-mill the region's coffees are collected and cherries are processed into washed or natural coffees. The operations at Izuba are run by Raw Material nd beyond the production of coffee aim to fund multiple community initiatives; distributing agricultural inputs (baby trees with "seedlings", fertilizer, training, etc.) providing health insurance for staff and producers, and working to refine processing and lot separation to increase the value of the coffee.

passenger coffee supports the maximum impact approach of Raw Material Coffee and aims to build a stable market for these coffees by the release of their new RAWS espresso blend earlier this year. Highlighting each element of the blend throughout the year and the years to come is supporting this project.

Here is the first round of Burundi!

This naturally processed coffee from Mugoyi stirs up some sweet tumult in the cup. It is lively and playful, reaches high fruity flavours with grace, and lands perfectly smooth and balanced on the milk-chocolaty ground.

We recommend preparation as filter coffee or with an AeroPress.