Many of you have already tasted a few of these (and we thank you for your support), but for those that have not, we think that this is the perfect way to experience specialty coffees from all over the world… with a very unique coffee offering for Christmas Day!
Each day, from the 16th to the 25th of December, scan the QR code on the bag corresponding to the day and read all about the coffee that you will be brewing up! Snap some pics and give us your feedback on the coffee. Be sure to tag us and use #bbcrcountdown to share on social channels. We would love to hear what you think!
Included in the box is the Hario V60 and appropriate filters, along with a selection of coffee pre-ground to our recommended fineness for brewing your coffee at home with the v60 brewer.
The video below will take you through all the steps to brew the perfect filter coffee; but if you are ever stuck, please feel free to reach out to us for assistance. We are happy to help!
Remember this is an exploration of coffees of different styles and origins; you don’t have to like them all. If anything, the countdown will help you refine your coffee selection. Think of it as a fun coffee tasting experience mixed with an advent calendar.
Enjoy and stay curious!
Be sure to watch our Hario v60 instructional video, outlining the steps and offering some tips for your brew:
No.10 (DEC 25th) = Costa Rica, Las Lajas Black Honey
Christmas Day is here! Merry Christmas to one and all!! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for allowing us be a part of it, we are genuinely thankful for it <3
-No.10 TASTING NOTES-
raspberries and blueberries
sweet, buttery biscuits
As the grand finale to our countdown, we’ve chosen a coveted Black Honey coffee from Costa Rica. This particular lot is from the Las Lajas Organic Farm, a family owned farm that has been proudly operating for 80 years and 3 generations.
Las Lajas is located at 1,300 to 1,500m in the foothills of the Poás volcano, in prime specialty coffee country in the Sabanilla de Alajuela region of Costa Rica’s Central Valley. This lush, fertile area is characterized by heavy and regular rainfall of around 3,000mm for 150 days of the year. The farm produces 100% Arabica coffee, Caturra and Catuaí varietals, which is grown in the shade of native trees. Organic composts are produced on site using vermiculture (worm composting), and the production process is entirely free of chemicals and agro-toxins.
Only fully ripe and good quality coffee cherries are are selectively handpicked and then processed according to the Black Honey method at the Chacón Solano family’s Las Lajas’ state-of-the-art micromill, where the cherries are pulped using an ecological ‘dry’ pulper, saving thousands of litres of water in the process. That’s a win!
The Chacón Solano family are pioneers when it comes to honey processing. ‘Honey processing’ is a form of pulped natural process that is common across Costa Rica. Different designations of white, yellow, red and black honey are commonly used among Central and South American farmers and refer to differences in the amount of mucilage left on the bean after pulping; how the beans are dried (i.e. direct sunlight or shaded conditions); and the length of time and conditions under which the beans are dried.
Black Honey is the most complex and laborious honey processed bean. 100% of the mucilage, and part of the cherry itself, is kept intact while the beans are dried on screens under a plastic tarp for approximately 15 days. Black honey coffee requires constant attention and movement, which includes raking the beans multiple times an hour until they have matured by reaching the desired moisture percentage.
Nope, there’s no actual honey on these beans, despite their name. Mucilage is extremely sweet and sticky, like honey. The prolonged fruit fermentation of this intensive and rare black honey process enhances the final sugar content in the beans. The results of this really shine when the coffee is roasted; the sugars make the coffee sweeter and more aromatic, with other notes that would not be evident in the cup otherwise. The black honey process results in a truly awesome cup of coffee.
Farm: Las Lajas Organic Farm
Varietal: Caturra Catucaí
Processing: Honey Process and dried on screens
Altitude: 1,300 to 1,500 metres above sea level
Owner: Chacón Solano Family
Town/City: Los Angeles, Sabanilla de Alajuela
Region: Central Valley
The rarity and limited availability of this bean are among the main reasons we selected this single origin as the limited edition mystery coffee for our Countdown to Christmas for 2021. Thank you for counting down with us. We wish you all the best for the holiday season and we look forward to offering you many new and exciting specialty coffee offerings in the year to come.
No.9 (DEC 24th) = BBCR Blend
Friends! We are almost there, whoop! Tomorrow is Christmas and we are so thrilled that we can be there with you (through the magic of coffee). We want to extend our warmest wishes to one and all. Be kind to one another. Today, tomorrow and every other day of the year. Spread the love and be sure to accept it when it comes your way. <3
-No.9 TASTING NOTES-
well balanced with a smooth finish
chocolate
berries
Brown Bag Coffee Roaster’s signature blend showcases who we are and what we want to put toward our customer base. If you want to know what kind of coffee we produce, BBCR Blend is a great place to start. Balanced from start to finish you can expect subtle notes of chocolate covered berries.
Using Brazil, Colombia and Ethiopia we are able to get the best of all three single origin coffees. The reason we blend is to bring out brand new flavour combinations where they wouldn’t normally be present in those coffees alone. This way we can create something truly unique!
As a medium roast, our house blend sits at 19 on the Roast Vision Scale and 76 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine, etc) and Espresso.
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/brown-bag-blend
No.8 (DEC 23rd) = India
OK, today we want you to use the craziest kind of cup/vessel you have. We’re talking wine glasses, mason jars, cereal bowls, ANYTHING! Get creative and be sure to send us a pic on social media, we’d love to see how strange you can make this already crazy coffee!
-No.8 TASTING NOTES-
malt sweetness
mushrooms
earthy
A historical accident brought the Monsoon Malabar into popularity back at the turn of the 19th century. While shipping to Europe, green coffee from the Malabar coast of India was exposed to the harsh storms, humidity and the salted winds of the monsoon season which changed the characteristics of the coffee.
During their long 6 month journey around the Cape of Good Hope, the green beans ripened from their fresh green, to a larger, pale yellow bean with a strange smell. When the transportation methods changed over time, these beans lost their characteristics. The result was that coffee farms in India had to emulate the 6th month sea journey that made this coffee so popular.
As the coffee cherries reach maturity and are harvested, the cherries are sun-dried until the flesh easily comes off by hand. Once dried, the beans are stored in warehouses with open walls where the gale winds of the monsoon season (June - September), saturate the beans with their moisture and the sea salt from the nearby ocean. It is at this time where the green bean transforms and is shipped off to their destinations.
As coffee connoisseurs you are all probably aware that some coffees must "rest" more than others, before the optimal flavours manifest to make the greatest cup.
Monsoon Malabar especially fits this bill as many agree that a 10-day resting period is ideal to bring out Monsoon Malabar’s distinctive flavour characteristics. Some even report that it takes up to two weeks for all the characteristics to truly come out. Once rested, the roasted beans will have a strong, full-bodied, malty sweet, smoky, and earthy delivery.
As a medium roast, our India single origin sits at 19 on the Roast Vision Scale and 76 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine, etc) and Espresso.
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/india-monsooned-malabar
No.7 (DEC 22nd) = Decaf
How fun is this?! Trying different coffees from all over the world along with people all over Canada... Now that is something worth celebrating. Man, we love our jobs and we love you!
Now, I know what you are thinking, DECAF?! But this is about exploring coffee and learning new things. Bear with us… Our head roaster is particularly proud of this one ;)
-No.7 TASTING NOTES-
malt sweetness
cherries
Any coffee can be decaffeinated and there are two main decaffeination processes: natural and chemical. At BBCR we chose a natural (Swiss Water Processed) decaffeinated Colombia. We found that Colombia had the body and amazing flavour notes that people wanted and chose Swiss Water for the obvious reason. ;)
Swiss Water Process works by bathing green beans in temperature controlled water for a period of time and then being exposed to carbon filters that actually attract the caffeine molecules out of the body of the green, leaving the water and filters full of pure caffeine and the beans 99.9% free of caffeine. (Source: https://www.swisswater.com/)
This allows for way more flavours to remain in the bean when roasting and brewing making it the obvious choice for those who want coffee without the aftereffects.
As a medium dark roast, our decaf Colombia sits at 14 on the Roast Vision Scale and 61 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine, etc) and Espresso.
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/colombian-decaf
No.6 (DEC 21st) = Brazil
Only five more sleeps ‘til Christmas and that sexy sneaky coffee! Who are we kidding, ALL our coffees are sexy.
-No.6 TASTING NOTES-
hazelnuts
milk chocolate
As the world’s third largest coffee producing country, Brazil has the perfect landscape for coffee farming and processing. With vast and rich lands and lush vegetation, coffees can mature with all the necessary nutrients and farmers needed to tend to a great harvest. Although conditions are perfect for coffee farming, finding the perfect coffee amongst all the others can be tricky. Luckily, we nailed it with this one.
Our roasted Brazil boasts some crazy milk chocolate and hazelnut flavours that reminds us of a delicious chocolate spread with a bold body and great finish.
As a medium roast, our Brazil single origin sits at 21 on the Roast Vision Scale and 82 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine, etc) and Espresso.
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/brazilian-single-origin
No.5 (DEC 20th) = Ethiopia
HALFWAY THERE! You could call this the Wednesday of this Countdown Coffee Collection. Humpday baby!
-No.5 TASTING NOTES-
citrus
sweet blossoms
black tea
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and this is our take on a traditional medium roasted Ethiopian coffee. With an amazing bouquet of citrus blossoms, it has a surprisingly round body with amazing caramel notes that finish in a dry mouthfeel that leaves you wanting more.
The reason the coffee promotes these citrus and florals is primarily because of the terroir and dry climate. The cherries ripen faster due to higher temperatures and as a result promotes beautiful acidity in the cup (not to be confused with bitterness).
As a medium roast, our Ethiopia single origin sits at 19 on the Roast Vision Scale and 76 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine).
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/ethiopian-yirgacheffe-single-origin
No.4 (DEC 19th) = Colombia
Admit it, you peeked into this one already, haven’t you!? So naughty…
-No.4 TASTING NOTES-
milk chocolate
sweet
caramel
nougat
Colombia accounts for one of the largest coffee producing countries in the world and rightly so. These coffees continue to impress us and our customers! This particular coffee is bold and has an amazingly sweet flavour overall. Top that with some fruity notes and you have yourself a nougat bar straight off the shelf.
This is such a versatile coffee that we have it in all three of our blends. Because Colombia has been in the coffee game for such a long time, the processing methods and market sellers are super efficient and clever, making them easy enough to come by and sell to our customers.
As a medium roast, our Colombia single origin sits at 18 on the Roast Vision Scale and 73 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine, etc) and Espresso.
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/colombian-single-origin
No.3 (DEC 18th) = Guatemala
Three days in and feeling HYPED! It’s almost Christmas and that MysteryX bag is looking tastier by the day… DON’T PEEK!
-No.3 TASTING NOTES-
juicy body
nuts
toffee
A fan favourite and a must try, this Guatemala has a full, juicy body that is complemented by sweet notes of assorted toffee covered nuts - a real treat! Part of the reason for all this complex sweetness is due to the tropical climate accompanied by towering mountains and volcanoes that create a natural pathway for numerous bodies of water and riverways, aiding in the high humidity and forest biomes.
Coffee shrubs and trees are grown on these volcanic slopes and they simply love it. The moisture-laden fog brings in all sorts of water-soluble nutrients that feed and enrich the soil and leaves, helping the berries ripen at a gradual pace to encourage the sweetness mentioned above.
As a medium roast, our Guatemala single origin sits at 16 on the Roast Vision Scale and 67 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine).
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/guatemala-single-origin
No.2 (DEC 17th) = Peru
Day two, baby! And what a great day for coffee! #alldayeveryday
-No.2 TASTING NOTES-
peanut
hazelnut
juicy body
Our Peru is a constant crowd pleaser with immediate notes of assorted nuts and a beautifully balanced body with sweet, juicy notes on the back end. Peru is famous for these kinds of coffees thanks to their high peaked mountains and sea breeze climates, bringing nutrients from nearby countries and provinces via the ocean winds.
The washed process that it undergoes adds to the cleanliness in the cup that you can expect from the BBCR Peruvian coffee.
As a medium roast, our Peru single origin sits at 18 on the Roast Vision Scale and 73 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine).
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/peru-single-origin
No.1 (DEC 16th) = Dark Roast Blend
The first coffee!! A cult classic and a great way to kick off the journey to our mystery coffee.
-No.1 TASTING NOTES-
smooth, rich and full bodied
subtle notes of nut and dark chocolate
smoky finish
The Dark Roast Blend consists of Sumatra and Colombia. These two beans handle darker roasts really well and provide amazing flavours. You won't find any offensive bitterness and charcoal tastes here - only smooth richness accompanied with amazing notes of nut, dark chocolate accompanied by a full, smoky body.
As a dark roast, this blend sits at 10 on the Roast Vision Scale and 49 on the Agtron Gourmet Colour Scale laid out by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA).
Other Brewing Methods: Immersion (French Press, Aeropress, Clever Dripper), Drip (Hario, Chemex, Kalita, Filter Machine) and Espresso.
To purchase MORE of this coffee: https://bbcr.ca/en/collections/coffee/products/dark-roast