We are so excited to announce that we are finally opening our cafe in the heart of J-town here in Kentucky. The team at Quills Coffee has been working on this one for years. In 2018 some friends approached us about renting their newly acquired building at the corner of Taylorsville Road and Watterson Trail. We knew the old bank building would make a perfect home for a cafe. The historic downtown walkability, the architectural detail, and natural lighting are all elements we look for in creating a new space for you to enjoy our coffee.
The pandemic caused significant challenges. Covid restrictions, supply chain issues, and labor shortages, created unique hurdles and significant delays. But our team has been positive and incredibly resilient. Everyone has worked hard to deliver a beautiful new cafe. Although a few touch-ups are still needed, we will be opening our doors this Thursday, June 23rd from 12-6. Over the coming weeks we will add the final polishes and celebrate with a Grand Opening sometime in July. Keep an eye on our social media for more updates.
Again, we are excited about this new location and another opportunity to create a coffee community in J-town. We hope to see you soon.
Cheers,
Nathan Quillo
Quills Coffee in J-Town
10501 Watterson Trail
Hours
6A-6P Weekdays
7A-7P Weekends
Photo Assets:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1biRECPnjGleTUbvYG8imMOryFQybW_xl?usp=sharing
We taste: Cantaloupe, cherry, juicy
We taste: Tangerine, apple strudel, cola
We are so excited to announce we will be hosting one of the U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminaries for Brewer's Cup and Barista Cup at our 802 E Main Street campus in NuLu, Sept. 28 - Sept. 30 weekend!
What does that mean, exactly?
It means we are one of 8 Preliminary Events in the US that will provide an opportunity for brewers to compete with minimal fees or accessibility to equipment - and the top placers get an automatic spot in the US Qualifying event later in the year! We are excited to make it a huge coffee block party in addition to the competition events, and more information on all of that will come very soon!
What can you do in the meantime? Well, share this with your friends who may be interested in attending/competing! We are also still contacting and placing sponsors for the event - so if you would like to partner with us to make this an incredible time for coffee enthusiasts in the region, please send us an email!
2017 PRELIMINARIES ]]>We are so excited to announce we will be hosting one of the U.S. CoffeeChamps Preliminaries for Brewer's Cup and Barista Cup at our 802 E Main Street campus in NuLu, Sept. 28 - Sept. 30 weekend!
What does that mean, exactly?
It means we are one of 8 Preliminary Events in the US that will provide an opportunity for brewers to compete with minimal fees or accessibility to equipment - and the top placers get an automatic spot in the US Qualifying event later in the year! We are excited to make it a huge coffee block party in addition to the competition events, and more information on all of that will come very soon!
What can you do in the meantime? Well, share this with your friends who may be interested in attending/competing! We are also still contacting and placing sponsors for the event - so if you would like to partner with us to make this an incredible time for coffee enthusiasts in the region, please send us an email!
2017 PRELIMINARIES ]]>We’re excited to bring you another rare single-farm lot from the Kayon Mountain Coffee Farm in Ethiopia. This estate is owned by multiple families that have grown up in coffee, soaking in its rich history in Ethiopian tradition. They started their own farm in 2012, after years of selling to auction via the more standard routes. They have their own washing stations and dry mills, allowing them to operate independently and export their own coffee. This coffee is grown at 1900-2200 MASL, and is composed of several heirloom varieties. While last year we brought you a washed coffee from Kayon Mountain, this year we went with the naturally processed option, which will be a more fruit-forward expression.
We taste: Pineapple, strawberry shortbread and cocoa.
Buy Kayon Mountain NowMexico is an origin that faces an uphill battle, and one that we especially like to champion for its continued growth and potential in spite of the odds against it. This particular coffee represents the great work of the CESMACH co-op in highlighting and supporting the large number of women producers in their area of Chiapas. Many of these women are running their farms and families single-handedly, and doing phenomenal work with the coffees. This program pays a premium for coffees coming through the women in the program, and highlights the great work they’re doing so that they can continue into the future. This wonderful naturally processed coffee continues Quills’ tradition of featuring these heavy, deeply fruited coffees from Mexico.
We taste: Banana, dark chocolate, blueberry, floral.
Buy El Cipresal NowWatch this great video from our partners at Cafe Imports about the CESMACH co-op.
]]>We’re excited to bring you another rare single-farm lot from the Kayon Mountain Coffee Farm in Ethiopia. This estate is owned by multiple families that have grown up in coffee, soaking in its rich history in Ethiopian tradition. They started their own farm in 2012, after years of selling to auction via the more standard routes. They have their own washing stations and dry mills, allowing them to operate independently and export their own coffee. This coffee is grown at 1900-2200 MASL, and is composed of several heirloom varieties. While last year we brought you a washed coffee from Kayon Mountain, this year we went with the naturally processed option, which will be a more fruit-forward expression.
We taste: Pineapple, strawberry shortbread and cocoa.
Buy Kayon Mountain NowMexico is an origin that faces an uphill battle, and one that we especially like to champion for its continued growth and potential in spite of the odds against it. This particular coffee represents the great work of the CESMACH co-op in highlighting and supporting the large number of women producers in their area of Chiapas. Many of these women are running their farms and families single-handedly, and doing phenomenal work with the coffees. This program pays a premium for coffees coming through the women in the program, and highlights the great work they’re doing so that they can continue into the future. This wonderful naturally processed coffee continues Quills’ tradition of featuring these heavy, deeply fruited coffees from Mexico.
We taste: Banana, dark chocolate, blueberry, floral.
Buy El Cipresal NowWatch this great video from our partners at Cafe Imports about the CESMACH co-op.
]]>Have you had a chance to swing by the new cafe in NuLu? Have you had a chance to try the new food menu? YES! FOOD MENU! In addition to an assortment of baked goods from Wiltshire Pantry we are making in house mochi waffles and buttered yeast buns, perfect for a breakfast or lunch bite.
- Pork Belly or Lemongrass Curry (Vegetarian) yeast buns.
-Mint Chocolate (GF, Vegetarian) moffle with mint whipped cream and maple syrup.
-Spicy Peach (GF, Vegetarian) moffle with grilled peaches and cayenne whipped cream.
-Mushroom (GF, Vegan) savory moffle with grilled mushrooms and mushroom gravy.
Kitchen is open Wednesday-Sunday, Open to 2pm. We'd love to see you!
]]>Have you had a chance to swing by the new cafe in NuLu? Have you had a chance to try the new food menu? YES! FOOD MENU! In addition to an assortment of baked goods from Wiltshire Pantry we are making in house mochi waffles and buttered yeast buns, perfect for a breakfast or lunch bite.
- Pork Belly or Lemongrass Curry (Vegetarian) yeast buns.
-Mint Chocolate (GF, Vegetarian) moffle with mint whipped cream and maple syrup.
-Spicy Peach (GF, Vegetarian) moffle with grilled peaches and cayenne whipped cream.
-Mushroom (GF, Vegan) savory moffle with grilled mushrooms and mushroom gravy.
Kitchen is open Wednesday-Sunday, Open to 2pm. We'd love to see you!
]]>Laurie White's animal portraits bring a warmth and joy to the UofL Cafe that cannot help but bring a smile to your face. Laurie received her B.F.A in painting and B.A. in graphic design from Western Kentucky University. After graduation, she returned to her native Louisville, KY, where she currently works as a freelance portrait artist, fine artist, and illustrator. Her pieces explore the figure through both acrylic and digital painting. On display in our cafe are a variety of dog and cat breeds. You can find more of her work at upcoming Flea Off Market venues, her Etsy store (LaurieMKWhite), or her website (www.lauriemwhite.com). She also does custom portraits of the special furry friend in your life.
We are excited to celebrate Alex O'Nan's anniversary with the railroad this month by showing a series of his photographs from his journies. Here is what Alex has to say about "Exhibit A."
This collection of photographs is a documentation of my career as a railroad conductor to date. Over the last 15 years, I have tried to photograph a different side of trains, one that is not just loud or intrusive on your commute, but one that shows the fascinating beauty of these giant things you rarely think about that move everything all the time.
Early on in my railroad career, an engineer on the brink of retirement advised me to always keep a camera with me because things change so quickly. I followed his advice, and found the changes do come quickly, not just to the railroad itself but also to the world around it. One thing that attracted me to the railroad in the first place was the oddity of a giant string of steel powering through quiet, undisturbed landscapes and crowded cities alike, and while the work may seem monotonous to some, I am continually compelled to capture these strong and steady machines against the ever-changing landscapes.
Fiber art by the lovely Leaves & Linen are brightening up our New Albany Cafe. Leaves & Linen grew from the love of art in it’s many mediums shared between two women who met one another at the beginning of their college careers - Katey Lacroix, an artist from Georgia turned Louisvillian, and Ashley Donahue, a Louisville native and Quills barista. It all began one winter when Ashley stumbled across a vintage macrame book her grandmother had kept tucked away in her closet for nearly 50 years. She immediately fell in love with the intricate, beautiful patterns the pieces held. Together, Ashley and Katey decided to combine both vintage and modern elements of this forgotten craft by creating their own pieces. Eventually, the two decided to open up their own online shop and today their work can be found in many shops in the Louisville area including Mahonia Studio, Mabel & Moss, True North. They are always trying to learn and grow with their craft, incorporating new things into their pieces in an effort to create truly unique works of art with modern twists.
All art will be up through May. For more information on purchasing or displaying artwork, you can email our art coordinator, Joanna Miller, at info@quillscoffee.com. You can also talk to your lovely baristas, who can help you purchase the pieces you see on display.
]]>Laurie White's animal portraits bring a warmth and joy to the UofL Cafe that cannot help but bring a smile to your face. Laurie received her B.F.A in painting and B.A. in graphic design from Western Kentucky University. After graduation, she returned to her native Louisville, KY, where she currently works as a freelance portrait artist, fine artist, and illustrator. Her pieces explore the figure through both acrylic and digital painting. On display in our cafe are a variety of dog and cat breeds. You can find more of her work at upcoming Flea Off Market venues, her Etsy store (LaurieMKWhite), or her website (www.lauriemwhite.com). She also does custom portraits of the special furry friend in your life.
We are excited to celebrate Alex O'Nan's anniversary with the railroad this month by showing a series of his photographs from his journies. Here is what Alex has to say about "Exhibit A."
This collection of photographs is a documentation of my career as a railroad conductor to date. Over the last 15 years, I have tried to photograph a different side of trains, one that is not just loud or intrusive on your commute, but one that shows the fascinating beauty of these giant things you rarely think about that move everything all the time.
Early on in my railroad career, an engineer on the brink of retirement advised me to always keep a camera with me because things change so quickly. I followed his advice, and found the changes do come quickly, not just to the railroad itself but also to the world around it. One thing that attracted me to the railroad in the first place was the oddity of a giant string of steel powering through quiet, undisturbed landscapes and crowded cities alike, and while the work may seem monotonous to some, I am continually compelled to capture these strong and steady machines against the ever-changing landscapes.
Fiber art by the lovely Leaves & Linen are brightening up our New Albany Cafe. Leaves & Linen grew from the love of art in it’s many mediums shared between two women who met one another at the beginning of their college careers - Katey Lacroix, an artist from Georgia turned Louisvillian, and Ashley Donahue, a Louisville native and Quills barista. It all began one winter when Ashley stumbled across a vintage macrame book her grandmother had kept tucked away in her closet for nearly 50 years. She immediately fell in love with the intricate, beautiful patterns the pieces held. Together, Ashley and Katey decided to combine both vintage and modern elements of this forgotten craft by creating their own pieces. Eventually, the two decided to open up their own online shop and today their work can be found in many shops in the Louisville area including Mahonia Studio, Mabel & Moss, True North. They are always trying to learn and grow with their craft, incorporating new things into their pieces in an effort to create truly unique works of art with modern twists.
All art will be up through May. For more information on purchasing or displaying artwork, you can email our art coordinator, Joanna Miller, at info@quillscoffee.com. You can also talk to your lovely baristas, who can help you purchase the pieces you see on display.
]]>The news is out! We're so excited to be a part of La Marzocco Cafe's Year 2 residency program. The Seattle cafe opened doors in 2016, each month welcoming a new roaster with their own menu, bar flow, and selection of coffees. There will be an outstanding lineup of roasters in this year, and we will be seeing you all there from November 7th to December 4th! Find out more information at the link below.
La Marzocco Cafe Year 2 Residency]]>
The news is out! We're so excited to be a part of La Marzocco Cafe's Year 2 residency program. The Seattle cafe opened doors in 2016, each month welcoming a new roaster with their own menu, bar flow, and selection of coffees. There will be an outstanding lineup of roasters in this year, and we will be seeing you all there from November 7th to December 4th! Find out more information at the link below.
La Marzocco Cafe Year 2 Residency]]>
2017 marks the 10th Anniversary for us at Quills, and in addition to opening our new roastery/cafe/office/training lab space in NuLu there will be a lot of excitement in the company through the year. We have two competitors who recently placed at the CoffeeChamps regional event in Knoxville, landing them spots to compete for the US Barista Cup and US Brewers Cup Championships during the SCA event in Seattle this April.
To keep up with all the excitement and new news through the year and every year, sign up for our Quills Cast.
]]>2017 marks the 10th Anniversary for us at Quills, and in addition to opening our new roastery/cafe/office/training lab space in NuLu there will be a lot of excitement in the company through the year. We have two competitors who recently placed at the CoffeeChamps regional event in Knoxville, landing them spots to compete for the US Barista Cup and US Brewers Cup Championships during the SCA event in Seattle this April.
To keep up with all the excitement and new news through the year and every year, sign up for our Quills Cast.
]]>
This weekend more than 600 cafes are joining in raising funds for the American Civil Liberties Union, the non-partisan liberty defenders. Coffee publication, Sprudge, earlier this week launched with matching sponsorships for the first 26 coffee companies that joined in this effort, and now coffee companies like us have joined in to help match for hundreds more. At Quills, we believe in Quality for All, and as such this Saturday and Sunday we will be donating a portion of our sales in all four of our cafes in Louisville, New Albany, and Indianapolis, to the cause.
See the following post from Sprudge for more information about the fundraiser, and why coffee shops like us are participating.
This weekend more than 600 cafes are joining in raising funds for the American Civil Liberties Union, the non-partisan liberty defenders. Coffee publication, Sprudge, earlier this week launched with matching sponsorships for the first 26 coffee companies that joined in this effort, and now coffee companies like us have joined in to help match for hundreds more. At Quills, we believe in Quality for All, and as such this Saturday and Sunday we will be donating a portion of our sales in all four of our cafes in Louisville, New Albany, and Indianapolis, to the cause.
See the following post from Sprudge for more information about the fundraiser, and why coffee shops like us are participating.
Join us Saturday, Nov. 19th from 6-8pm at our Baxter Location, 930 Baxter Ave Louisville, KY 40204, for the show opening and book release for "Falls."
These prints are by Louisville photographers Emil Handke, Tim Robertson and Michael Winters. The photographs were made during the summer of 2016 at Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana.
There will be a limited, 50 copy run of “Falls” available for sale at the event for $20.
]]>
Join us Saturday, Nov. 19th from 6-8pm at our Baxter Location, 930 Baxter Ave Louisville, KY 40204, for the show opening and book release for "Falls."
These prints are by Louisville photographers Emil Handke, Tim Robertson and Michael Winters. The photographs were made during the summer of 2016 at Falls of the Ohio State Park in Clarksville, Indiana.
There will be a limited, 50 copy run of “Falls” available for sale at the event for $20.
]]>
As much as we love Kayon Mountain around these parts, it is always great to find a nice counterpoint. This more traditionally-sourced Ethiopian coffee is no less interesting in its own right. Beriti, a washing station in the Woreda district of Tore, Yirgacheffe, is known for consistently turning out coffees that shine with the classic Yirgacheffe cup profile: clean, floral, bright and delicate. This coffee hits all those marks, with well-balanced notes of stone fruit, citrus, and delicate floral characteristics. We find that the Beriti seems to pop with a bit more juiciness and tea characteristics, tasting bergamot, nectarine and sweet graham cracker. You'll also find this beauty as our November Single-Origin Espresso offering in our cafes. Click here to buy now.
For the second year in a row, we bring you coffee from La Angostura. This coffee represents another great result of our importer’s “Community Coffee” programs, in which they work with small coops in local communities to raise standards for coffee and standard of living for the community. These programs pay higher premiums in general, and these premiums go back into building community infrastructure. It’s a great program that benefits the communities where this coffee is grown, and benefits those who drink it by guaranteeing higher quality in the cup, ultimately resulting in quality improvements year over year. We taste: Chocolate, nougat, walnut and green apple. Click here to buy now.
]]>
As much as we love Kayon Mountain around these parts, it is always great to find a nice counterpoint. This more traditionally-sourced Ethiopian coffee is no less interesting in its own right. Beriti, a washing station in the Woreda district of Tore, Yirgacheffe, is known for consistently turning out coffees that shine with the classic Yirgacheffe cup profile: clean, floral, bright and delicate. This coffee hits all those marks, with well-balanced notes of stone fruit, citrus, and delicate floral characteristics. We find that the Beriti seems to pop with a bit more juiciness and tea characteristics, tasting bergamot, nectarine and sweet graham cracker. You'll also find this beauty as our November Single-Origin Espresso offering in our cafes. Click here to buy now.
For the second year in a row, we bring you coffee from La Angostura. This coffee represents another great result of our importer’s “Community Coffee” programs, in which they work with small coops in local communities to raise standards for coffee and standard of living for the community. These programs pay higher premiums in general, and these premiums go back into building community infrastructure. It’s a great program that benefits the communities where this coffee is grown, and benefits those who drink it by guaranteeing higher quality in the cup, ultimately resulting in quality improvements year over year. We taste: Chocolate, nougat, walnut and green apple. Click here to buy now.
]]>
We were thrilled to read a few weeks ago that our Indianapolis cafe was featured in an article by Cosmopolitan: The Best Coffee in Every State in 2016. We are incredibly proud of our team in the way they represent Quills, and Indiana coffee. If you've yet to visit, now is a great time while we have our delicious Fall seasonal drink menu. Indianapolis Quills Family photos by Tiernae Salley.
]]>We were thrilled to read a few weeks ago that our Indianapolis cafe was featured in an article by Cosmopolitan: The Best Coffee in Every State in 2016. We are incredibly proud of our team in the way they represent Quills, and Indiana coffee. If you've yet to visit, now is a great time while we have our delicious Fall seasonal drink menu. Indianapolis Quills Family photos by Tiernae Salley.
]]>Huehuetenango isn't the only regional player in delicious specialty coffee from Guatemala. Neighboring Atitlan, with its rich volcanic soil, plentiful rainfall and good elevation, is also known for producing sweet coffees with a sparkling acidity.
That is why our new San Pedro La Laguna is so exciting for us at Quills, as it represents a region of Guatemala we have not sourced from before now. On top of that, it makes for a great counterpoint to the Waykan already on our menu, showing significant differences between the regions of the same country.
The San Pedro is a sweet and clean coffee, and we taste notes of milk chocolate, cherry, lemon, with a toffee finish. It is available by the cup now in our cafes, as well as on shelves and online in 12oz bags.
]]>
Huehuetenango isn't the only regional player in delicious specialty coffee from Guatemala. Neighboring Atitlan, with its rich volcanic soil, plentiful rainfall and good elevation, is also known for producing sweet coffees with a sparkling acidity.
That is why our new San Pedro La Laguna is so exciting for us at Quills, as it represents a region of Guatemala we have not sourced from before now. On top of that, it makes for a great counterpoint to the Waykan already on our menu, showing significant differences between the regions of the same country.
The San Pedro is a sweet and clean coffee, and we taste notes of milk chocolate, cherry, lemon, with a toffee finish. It is available by the cup now in our cafes, as well as on shelves and online in 12oz bags.
]]>
“What happens when someone allows you to look at them intently?” This is the question photographer Ron Morris asks in his series, Portraits. Taken from 1969 to 1982, the images show a range of individuals who have allowed Morris a close look at their lives. The black and white photos exhibit simple compositions, but the faces and bodies on display articulate something more complex.
Ron Morris studied photography at the University of Louisville and the Massachusetts College of Art where he earned his MFA. He has exhibited in New England and New York and has taught at Boston area colleges. For the past twenty-five years, Mr. Morris has taught photography and art at a high school outside of Boston. He retired this past year and returned to his hometown in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mr. Morris’ work is in several art collections and he worked for three years at a nationally recognized residential photography workshop, Apeiron, in upstate New York. He participated in an NEA funded photography project documenting Long Island. His work appeared also in “Local Light: Photographs Made in Kentucky”, Gnomen Press, Lexington, Kentucky and in Camera Magazine, July 1974, “Young Photographers”. The New York Times interviewed Mr. Morris about the Long Island Project and the Boston Globe and the New York Times have reviewed his work.
His photographs have been exhibited at the Addison Gallery of American Art, Hofstra University, MIT, the Portland Art Museum, Newton Art Center, Vision Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, the New England School of Photography, the Memphis Academy of Art, the Hudson River Museum, Northeastern University and Texas A&M University.
For more information on purchasing or displaying artwork, we can direct you to our art coordinator, Joanna Miller, at info@quillscoffee.com. You can also talk to your lovely Baristas, who can help you purchase the pieces you see on display.
Morris’ Portraits will be on display at our Baxter location through November. For more information and work by Morris, visit his website: http://ronmorrisphotographs.weebly.com/
]]>
“What happens when someone allows you to look at them intently?” This is the question photographer Ron Morris asks in his series, Portraits. Taken from 1969 to 1982, the images show a range of individuals who have allowed Morris a close look at their lives. The black and white photos exhibit simple compositions, but the faces and bodies on display articulate something more complex.
Ron Morris studied photography at the University of Louisville and the Massachusetts College of Art where he earned his MFA. He has exhibited in New England and New York and has taught at Boston area colleges. For the past twenty-five years, Mr. Morris has taught photography and art at a high school outside of Boston. He retired this past year and returned to his hometown in Louisville, Kentucky.
Mr. Morris’ work is in several art collections and he worked for three years at a nationally recognized residential photography workshop, Apeiron, in upstate New York. He participated in an NEA funded photography project documenting Long Island. His work appeared also in “Local Light: Photographs Made in Kentucky”, Gnomen Press, Lexington, Kentucky and in Camera Magazine, July 1974, “Young Photographers”. The New York Times interviewed Mr. Morris about the Long Island Project and the Boston Globe and the New York Times have reviewed his work.
His photographs have been exhibited at the Addison Gallery of American Art, Hofstra University, MIT, the Portland Art Museum, Newton Art Center, Vision Gallery, Rhode Island School of Design, the New England School of Photography, the Memphis Academy of Art, the Hudson River Museum, Northeastern University and Texas A&M University.
For more information on purchasing or displaying artwork, we can direct you to our art coordinator, Joanna Miller, at info@quillscoffee.com. You can also talk to your lovely Baristas, who can help you purchase the pieces you see on display.
Morris’ Portraits will be on display at our Baxter location through November. For more information and work by Morris, visit his website: http://ronmorrisphotographs.weebly.com/
]]>
As the seasons change we begin to say goodbye to summer and cold coffee season. We are a bit sad to see the Kayon Mountain leave our espresso hoppers, but that shouldn't overshadow our excitement to have the El Salvador El Rosario follow it up as our featured coffee for September!
We’re thrilled to begin a new relationship with the Menendez family of El Salvador. Miguel Menendez Sr. and his sons Miguel and Guillermo are carrying forward a coffee farming tradition for the 4th generation now. After nearly leaving coffee behind back in the 1990s, this family has gained a reputation among the elite producers in El Salvador since then. Regular top competitors in the El Salvador Cup of Excellence, the Menendez family puts out wonderful coffees from their various farms each year.
This particular coffee comes from Finca El Rosario, a beautiful farm nestled on a plateau along the high-wind corridors of the Apaneca-Illamatepec mountain range. These winds bring a constant cooling effect to the farm, and freshness to the climate, all coupled with a soil rich in volcanic mineral content, making the area ideal for producing specialty coffee. The farm is also “Rainforest Certified,” reflecting the Menendez’ attention to the wildlife, environment, and the local economy.
This is Nacho, the farm manager.
The Menendez family owns numerous farms, along with their own dry mill, and they control exporting as well, meaning they see the coffee all the way through until it gets to us from its origin. They approach their operation with thought toward sustainability, health of the whole ecosystem around the farm and the success of their community. Their pickers are known to garner higher wages than many in the area, and the Menendez family pours money back into youth programs and education. They’re able to do all this because of their attention detail and the quality of the coffees they produce year-in and year-out. We hope coffees from their farms will become a regular staple in our lineup.
So what about the cup? The El Rosario is going to be comforting and satisfying for most of you, especially if you've been wanting to try one of our Single-Origin offerings brewed by the cup. Rich honey, sweet almonds and tart peach in a really well-balanced experience. It will also be our featured Single-Origin espresso offering this month. If you are interested in a bag for home, swing by any of our shops or visit our store here. We also have a fantastic video of the Menendez Family if you'd like to take a few minutes and learn some more (which you definitely should do).
]]>
As the seasons change we begin to say goodbye to summer and cold coffee season. We are a bit sad to see the Kayon Mountain leave our espresso hoppers, but that shouldn't overshadow our excitement to have the El Salvador El Rosario follow it up as our featured coffee for September!
We’re thrilled to begin a new relationship with the Menendez family of El Salvador. Miguel Menendez Sr. and his sons Miguel and Guillermo are carrying forward a coffee farming tradition for the 4th generation now. After nearly leaving coffee behind back in the 1990s, this family has gained a reputation among the elite producers in El Salvador since then. Regular top competitors in the El Salvador Cup of Excellence, the Menendez family puts out wonderful coffees from their various farms each year.
This particular coffee comes from Finca El Rosario, a beautiful farm nestled on a plateau along the high-wind corridors of the Apaneca-Illamatepec mountain range. These winds bring a constant cooling effect to the farm, and freshness to the climate, all coupled with a soil rich in volcanic mineral content, making the area ideal for producing specialty coffee. The farm is also “Rainforest Certified,” reflecting the Menendez’ attention to the wildlife, environment, and the local economy.
This is Nacho, the farm manager.
The Menendez family owns numerous farms, along with their own dry mill, and they control exporting as well, meaning they see the coffee all the way through until it gets to us from its origin. They approach their operation with thought toward sustainability, health of the whole ecosystem around the farm and the success of their community. Their pickers are known to garner higher wages than many in the area, and the Menendez family pours money back into youth programs and education. They’re able to do all this because of their attention detail and the quality of the coffees they produce year-in and year-out. We hope coffees from their farms will become a regular staple in our lineup.
So what about the cup? The El Rosario is going to be comforting and satisfying for most of you, especially if you've been wanting to try one of our Single-Origin offerings brewed by the cup. Rich honey, sweet almonds and tart peach in a really well-balanced experience. It will also be our featured Single-Origin espresso offering this month. If you are interested in a bag for home, swing by any of our shops or visit our store here. We also have a fantastic video of the Menendez Family if you'd like to take a few minutes and learn some more (which you definitely should do).
]]>
When Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees begin to land in the States, all of us around these parts get pretty excited. Hopefully you got the chance to try (or at least read about) our Kayon Mountain from Ethiopia, but now we are pleased to bring you our latest coffee: Kibugu from the Embu region of Kenya.
Much of the reason for Kenyan coffee quality has to do with practices at the farm and washing station level. The soil is rich from historic volcanic activity on Mount Kenya, farmers are well-educated at best practices for cultivation and harvest, and community washing stations play a huge role in putting a final note on quality through their meticulous washing, fermentation and drying practices. Thus, even when you get a blended lot from many small farms that's been sorted for screen size, you end up with a 90+ coffee with huge, mind-blowing acidity.
So, what about this particular coffee? This year’s choice, coming from the Kibugu Farmer’s Cooperative Society, is as delicious as any we have tried in recent years. Grown in the ideal soils of Mount Kenya and processed with meticulous care, the coffee is bold, bright and exploding with lively flavors, just like a great Kenyan coffee should be. The Gikirima washing station, where this coffee was processed, is working with small farmers in the region to increase transparency, improve agricultural practices, and increase annual coffee production. This coffee has so much to offer after just a few trail runs with it: Grapefruit, melon, and hibiscus with a juicy blackberry body, not to mention hints of licorice and blood orange. In short, it's bumpin.
]]>
When Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees begin to land in the States, all of us around these parts get pretty excited. Hopefully you got the chance to try (or at least read about) our Kayon Mountain from Ethiopia, but now we are pleased to bring you our latest coffee: Kibugu from the Embu region of Kenya.
Much of the reason for Kenyan coffee quality has to do with practices at the farm and washing station level. The soil is rich from historic volcanic activity on Mount Kenya, farmers are well-educated at best practices for cultivation and harvest, and community washing stations play a huge role in putting a final note on quality through their meticulous washing, fermentation and drying practices. Thus, even when you get a blended lot from many small farms that's been sorted for screen size, you end up with a 90+ coffee with huge, mind-blowing acidity.
So, what about this particular coffee? This year’s choice, coming from the Kibugu Farmer’s Cooperative Society, is as delicious as any we have tried in recent years. Grown in the ideal soils of Mount Kenya and processed with meticulous care, the coffee is bold, bright and exploding with lively flavors, just like a great Kenyan coffee should be. The Gikirima washing station, where this coffee was processed, is working with small farmers in the region to increase transparency, improve agricultural practices, and increase annual coffee production. This coffee has so much to offer after just a few trail runs with it: Grapefruit, melon, and hibiscus with a juicy blackberry body, not to mention hints of licorice and blood orange. In short, it's bumpin.
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Ethiopian coffee has a special place in our hearts at Quills, and for good reason. Coffea Arabica is indigenous to Ethiopia and the country is still home to over 95% of the coffee's genetic diversity. These heirloom varieties produce a flavor profile like no other. The best examples have a distinctive floral aroma with complex citrus acidity. Our baristas and customers alike look forward to Ethiopian coffee season year round, and we're pleased to release our latest offering.
Kayon Mountain is an estate farm owned by Ato Esmael and his family. Located in the Guji zone of Ethiopia, this estate utilizes many biodynamic farming practices, including organic fertilizer and crop diversity. Their attention to detail is evident in the consistency and quality of this lot. We taste orange cream with a lavender bouquet and soft black tea-like tannins. It's a complex, dynamic cup of coffee that is as intellectually stimulating as it is enjoyable. We're also pleased to be serving Kayon Mountain on single origin espresso this month.
When brewing at home, don't be surprised if your brew times are a little longer than other coffees. But don't be concerned: you're going to want to extract as much of this beautiful coffee as possible!
]]>
Ethiopian coffee has a special place in our hearts at Quills, and for good reason. Coffea Arabica is indigenous to Ethiopia and the country is still home to over 95% of the coffee's genetic diversity. These heirloom varieties produce a flavor profile like no other. The best examples have a distinctive floral aroma with complex citrus acidity. Our baristas and customers alike look forward to Ethiopian coffee season year round, and we're pleased to release our latest offering.
Kayon Mountain is an estate farm owned by Ato Esmael and his family. Located in the Guji zone of Ethiopia, this estate utilizes many biodynamic farming practices, including organic fertilizer and crop diversity. Their attention to detail is evident in the consistency and quality of this lot. We taste orange cream with a lavender bouquet and soft black tea-like tannins. It's a complex, dynamic cup of coffee that is as intellectually stimulating as it is enjoyable. We're also pleased to be serving Kayon Mountain on single origin espresso this month.
When brewing at home, don't be surprised if your brew times are a little longer than other coffees. But don't be concerned: you're going to want to extract as much of this beautiful coffee as possible!
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Designed by Bailey Hunt
It's been brutality hot in Kentuckiana this month. Thankfully, we have iced coffee. Cold brew is one of our biggest summer sellers, though few people realize how easy it is to make at home. Lucky for you, a couple of our baristas put together an illustrated guide to making cold brew at home. So pick up a bag of our fresh, seasonal coffee and get brewing!
]]>Designed by Bailey Hunt
It's been brutality hot in Kentuckiana this month. Thankfully, we have iced coffee. Cold brew is one of our biggest summer sellers, though few people realize how easy it is to make at home. Lucky for you, a couple of our baristas put together an illustrated guide to making cold brew at home. So pick up a bag of our fresh, seasonal coffee and get brewing!
]]>Quills is excited to announce we will be opening our new roastery and company headquarters on East Main Street in Louisville. This flagship store will be housed in a turn-of-the-century firehouse, first built in 1897, along with a barn that sits immediately behind the firehouse. The space will feature a new café and barista training lab in addition to housing our company offices and coffee roasting facility. The coffee roasting facility will quadruple our current production capacity along with streamlining our production with more efficient bagging equipment.
It's hard to believe it's been five years since we started roasting coffee. Over that time we've been happy to see our weekly production steadily increase as we've opened new cafés, seen existing cafés grow, and built wholesale relationships with coffee shops around the nation. As our volume has reached a certain scale we've been able to source better and better coffees, become more involved at a origin level, and participate in some national competitions. Meanwhile our New Albany roasting facility has been bursting at the seams. Furthermore, the distance between our production facility and our offices above our Baxter Ave. café have led to numerous inefficiencies. We recognized we needed a space where we could increase our roasting capacity and house all of our administative staff in one place.
More importantly, we wanted to have a space where our production facility was accessible to a larger number of people. We envision people grabbing a cup of coffee at the café and then grabbing a seat on the patio, which will connect the café to the roastery. Taking a cue from Kentucky's Bourbon Trail, we plan on offering roastery tours with a curated coffee tasting at the end.
We're also excited to join the vibrant culinary community in Nulu. So many of our future neighbors are leaders in their respective fields. With world-class breweries, distilleries, and bakeries just blocks away, we're excited to bring coffee roasting to NuLu.
]]>Quills is excited to announce we will be opening our new roastery and company headquarters on East Main Street in Louisville. This flagship store will be housed in a turn-of-the-century firehouse, first built in 1897, along with a barn that sits immediately behind the firehouse. The space will feature a new café and barista training lab in addition to housing our company offices and coffee roasting facility. The coffee roasting facility will quadruple our current production capacity along with streamlining our production with more efficient bagging equipment.
It's hard to believe it's been five years since we started roasting coffee. Over that time we've been happy to see our weekly production steadily increase as we've opened new cafés, seen existing cafés grow, and built wholesale relationships with coffee shops around the nation. As our volume has reached a certain scale we've been able to source better and better coffees, become more involved at a origin level, and participate in some national competitions. Meanwhile our New Albany roasting facility has been bursting at the seams. Furthermore, the distance between our production facility and our offices above our Baxter Ave. café have led to numerous inefficiencies. We recognized we needed a space where we could increase our roasting capacity and house all of our administative staff in one place.
More importantly, we wanted to have a space where our production facility was accessible to a larger number of people. We envision people grabbing a cup of coffee at the café and then grabbing a seat on the patio, which will connect the café to the roastery. Taking a cue from Kentucky's Bourbon Trail, we plan on offering roastery tours with a curated coffee tasting at the end.
We're also excited to join the vibrant culinary community in Nulu. So many of our future neighbors are leaders in their respective fields. With world-class breweries, distilleries, and bakeries just blocks away, we're excited to bring coffee roasting to NuLu.
]]>We're excited to welcome two fresh crop coffees to our line up.
It's no secret that we buy a lot of Colombian coffees here at Quills, and this beautiful offering from the Urquina brothers is a great example why. The Urquina brothers farm in the Acevedo region of Huila on adjacent parcels of land named La Lomita and La Calera. Like most producers in the region, they grow Caturra, Castillo, and Colombia varieties. Although their farm is at a relatively low 1300 MASL, we encounter rich tropical fruit flavors in their coffee, well complimented by a deep sweetness and a big body. It has the complexity that coffee nerds love while remaining approachable and immensely drinkable. The similarities and difference between La Lomita and our other Colombia, Los Naranjos, make for a fun side-by-side tasting. Both coffees are available on our webstore.
When it comes to sweet, complex coffees, if there's one country in the Americas that could give Colombia a run for its money it's Guatemala. We're pleased to share a coffee with you from our favorite region in Guatemala: Huehuetenango. This lot is composed of some of the best coffee from numerous small producers across the region. Although it's not traceable to a farm level like some of our other coffees, the Guatemala, Waykan is a sweet, complex coffee that can compete with the best microlots. We started our single origin espresso program with a coffee from Huehuetenango last year, and we're pleased to feature our Guatemala, Waykan as our single origin espresso for the second half of June into early July. Expect flavors of crisp apple, pastry, and nuts.
]]>We're excited to welcome two fresh crop coffees to our line up.
It's no secret that we buy a lot of Colombian coffees here at Quills, and this beautiful offering from the Urquina brothers is a great example why. The Urquina brothers farm in the Acevedo region of Huila on adjacent parcels of land named La Lomita and La Calera. Like most producers in the region, they grow Caturra, Castillo, and Colombia varieties. Although their farm is at a relatively low 1300 MASL, we encounter rich tropical fruit flavors in their coffee, well complimented by a deep sweetness and a big body. It has the complexity that coffee nerds love while remaining approachable and immensely drinkable. The similarities and difference between La Lomita and our other Colombia, Los Naranjos, make for a fun side-by-side tasting. Both coffees are available on our webstore.
When it comes to sweet, complex coffees, if there's one country in the Americas that could give Colombia a run for its money it's Guatemala. We're pleased to share a coffee with you from our favorite region in Guatemala: Huehuetenango. This lot is composed of some of the best coffee from numerous small producers across the region. Although it's not traceable to a farm level like some of our other coffees, the Guatemala, Waykan is a sweet, complex coffee that can compete with the best microlots. We started our single origin espresso program with a coffee from Huehuetenango last year, and we're pleased to feature our Guatemala, Waykan as our single origin espresso for the second half of June into early July. Expect flavors of crisp apple, pastry, and nuts.
]]>It's hard to find a more natural pairing than coffee and chocolate. The similarities between the two are striking. Both are the seed of a fruit that only grows in tropical climates. Both are harvested, fermented, and roasted before taking the shape we're most familiar with. They're also delicious.
At Quills, we work hard to source and roast the best coffee possible so that you enjoy your morning cup all the much more. We value transparency, traceability, and quality. As such, it only makes sense to buy chocolate from companies that share our convictions. After blind tasting samples from a dozen different chocolatiers, we landed on three bean-to-bar brands to serve in our cafés: Ritual from Park City, Utah, Parlimant from Redlands, California, and Omnom from Reykjavik, Iceland.
Admittedly, we're not chocolate experts, so we digitally sat down with Matt Caputo of A-Priori Distribution to ask him some questions about craft chocolate.
This is an important and somewhat nebulous terminology that is often abused. My definition is fairly straight forward. To be bean-to-bar the chocolate bar must be produced from raw cacao beans all the way through each production step at a factory owned by the brand in question. This does not mean chocolate like Idilio Origins or Original Beans, which is not produced by them is not absolutely special and worth supporting. Having Felchlin produce it for them with really special beans is smart and makes for high quality. Just not bean to bar. How is it different from the mass produced chocolate we all grew up eating? Bean-to-bar should not necessarily be equated to good. There are more bean-to-bar chocolate makers producing terrible product than there are making great chocolate. Sure most of the elite brands are bean-to-bar, but not all. Bean-to-bar should simply indicate you are talking to the artist in the flesh. Doesn't mean you will like their art. Unfortunately, there are so many brands that lie or at the very least stretch the truth about their bean-to-bar status. So many.
Bean-to-bar should not necessarily be equated to good. There are more bean-to-bar chocolate makers producing terrible product than there are making great chocolate. Sure most of the elite brands are bean-to-bar, but not all. Bean-to-bar should simply indicate you are talking to the artist in the flesh. Doesn't mean you will like their art. Unfortunately, there are so many brands that lie or at the very least stretch the truth about their bean to bar status. So many.
What I think you are trying to get at with what makes bean to bar chocolate better than big chocolate we all grew up with is this. It should be about highlighting cacao beans of excellent provenance. Big producers do not. They use very poor beans and then use techniques (dark roast aka burned) and ingredients (too much extra cocoa butter and loads of vanilla) to create a flavor, rather than coaxing the flavor intrinsic to the beans out.
Just like wine is about honoring very special grapes grown in very special areas, so is chocolate with cacao beans. Most large chocolate producers make what I like to refer to as "vanilla flavored candy." Despite meeting certain technicalities of being called dark chocolate, I think it should be illegal to call it the same as what most bean-to-bar chocolate makers are doing.
Certainly a huge array of flavors. Just as many as you can from coffee, wine or cheese. In fact, chocolate shares a lot in common with terroir and production elements of all three of these fermented foods. All of the base flavors (sweet, savory, bitter, salty, acid) and a huge array of aromas (everything from chestnut tree blossom to horse blanket). In order to know what to expect, you need to know who made the chocolate as all chocolate makers have a "style" which is often the easiest thing to blind taste test and identify. You would also need to know the origin of the beans. Beans from the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar are always expected to exhibit tangy (acid) flavors and notes of citrus, red berries, etc. Beans like those from Camino Verde farm in Ecuador lack all acidity, are more earthy and savory with notes of fresh bread, brewers yeast, and cinnamon graham cracker. So what to expect is very broad, but certainly a journey through craftsmanship and terroir.
Absolutely. My primary recommendation is do not pair a coffee made with specialty beans and roasted responsibly with "vanilla flavored candy." Likewise, do not pair chocolate made with excellent cacao with coffee exhibiting symptoms of having been roasted on the surface of the sun. Beyond this, I do have some experience, but need to conduct more research! I will say since the two are such a natural fit the results of using my rule of thumb regarding matching the quality of the two have always been really enjoyable.
]]>It's hard to find a more natural pairing than coffee and chocolate. The similarities between the two are striking. Both are the seed of a fruit that only grows in tropical climates. Both are harvested, fermented, and roasted before taking the shape we're most familiar with. They're also delicious.
At Quills, we work hard to source and roast the best coffee possible so that you enjoy your morning cup all the much more. We value transparency, traceability, and quality. As such, it only makes sense to buy chocolate from companies that share our convictions. After blind tasting samples from a dozen different chocolatiers, we landed on three bean-to-bar brands to serve in our cafés: Ritual from Park City, Utah, Parlimant from Redlands, California, and Omnom from Reykjavik, Iceland.
Admittedly, we're not chocolate experts, so we digitally sat down with Matt Caputo of A-Priori Distribution to ask him some questions about craft chocolate.
This is an important and somewhat nebulous terminology that is often abused. My definition is fairly straight forward. To be bean-to-bar the chocolate bar must be produced from raw cacao beans all the way through each production step at a factory owned by the brand in question. This does not mean chocolate like Idilio Origins or Original Beans, which is not produced by them is not absolutely special and worth supporting. Having Felchlin produce it for them with really special beans is smart and makes for high quality. Just not bean to bar. How is it different from the mass produced chocolate we all grew up eating? Bean-to-bar should not necessarily be equated to good. There are more bean-to-bar chocolate makers producing terrible product than there are making great chocolate. Sure most of the elite brands are bean-to-bar, but not all. Bean-to-bar should simply indicate you are talking to the artist in the flesh. Doesn't mean you will like their art. Unfortunately, there are so many brands that lie or at the very least stretch the truth about their bean-to-bar status. So many.
Bean-to-bar should not necessarily be equated to good. There are more bean-to-bar chocolate makers producing terrible product than there are making great chocolate. Sure most of the elite brands are bean-to-bar, but not all. Bean-to-bar should simply indicate you are talking to the artist in the flesh. Doesn't mean you will like their art. Unfortunately, there are so many brands that lie or at the very least stretch the truth about their bean to bar status. So many.
What I think you are trying to get at with what makes bean to bar chocolate better than big chocolate we all grew up with is this. It should be about highlighting cacao beans of excellent provenance. Big producers do not. They use very poor beans and then use techniques (dark roast aka burned) and ingredients (too much extra cocoa butter and loads of vanilla) to create a flavor, rather than coaxing the flavor intrinsic to the beans out.
Just like wine is about honoring very special grapes grown in very special areas, so is chocolate with cacao beans. Most large chocolate producers make what I like to refer to as "vanilla flavored candy." Despite meeting certain technicalities of being called dark chocolate, I think it should be illegal to call it the same as what most bean-to-bar chocolate makers are doing.
Certainly a huge array of flavors. Just as many as you can from coffee, wine or cheese. In fact, chocolate shares a lot in common with terroir and production elements of all three of these fermented foods. All of the base flavors (sweet, savory, bitter, salty, acid) and a huge array of aromas (everything from chestnut tree blossom to horse blanket). In order to know what to expect, you need to know who made the chocolate as all chocolate makers have a "style" which is often the easiest thing to blind taste test and identify. You would also need to know the origin of the beans. Beans from the Sambirano Valley of Madagascar are always expected to exhibit tangy (acid) flavors and notes of citrus, red berries, etc. Beans like those from Camino Verde farm in Ecuador lack all acidity, are more earthy and savory with notes of fresh bread, brewers yeast, and cinnamon graham cracker. So what to expect is very broad, but certainly a journey through craftsmanship and terroir.
Absolutely. My primary recommendation is do not pair a coffee made with specialty beans and roasted responsibly with "vanilla flavored candy." Likewise, do not pair chocolate made with excellent cacao with coffee exhibiting symptoms of having been roasted on the surface of the sun. Beyond this, I do have some experience, but need to conduct more research! I will say since the two are such a natural fit the results of using my rule of thumb regarding matching the quality of the two have always been really enjoyable.
]]>We're excited to welcome a new coffee to our lineup. Our latest coffee comes to us from Co-op RAOS in the San Miguel region of Honduras. This collective of 250 small producers is producing coffee that far surpasses most of what we've tried from the region. A crucial stage for preserving coffee quality comes during processing when the fruit of the cherry is removed from the seed. Any number of processing errors can lead to unpleasant cup characteristics but thanks to a central wet and dry mill, Co-op Raos is producing coffee that is sweet and clean without any hint of defects.
In the cup we encounter milk chocolate, toasted pecan, light hints of citrus and a full body. This balanced coffee pairs well with breakfast or dessert and is a great option for fans of lower acid coffees.
]]>We're excited to welcome a new coffee to our lineup. Our latest coffee comes to us from Co-op RAOS in the San Miguel region of Honduras. This collective of 250 small producers is producing coffee that far surpasses most of what we've tried from the region. A crucial stage for preserving coffee quality comes during processing when the fruit of the cherry is removed from the seed. Any number of processing errors can lead to unpleasant cup characteristics but thanks to a central wet and dry mill, Co-op Raos is producing coffee that is sweet and clean without any hint of defects.
In the cup we encounter milk chocolate, toasted pecan, light hints of citrus and a full body. This balanced coffee pairs well with breakfast or dessert and is a great option for fans of lower acid coffees.
]]>Spring is in full bloom in Kentuckiana, and we're excited to introduce a fresh coffee to our line up, one which will be familiar to long time Quills drinkers. The Los Naranjos cooperative in the Huila region of Colombia is known for growing some of the best coffees in the world. The cooperative is made up of 97 small producers, with an average farm size of 1.5 hectares. The cooperative is known for their meticulous commitment to quality, as demonstrate by their sweet, juicy coffees.
This lot is made up of Caturra and Colombia varieties, grown between 1600 and 1900 MASL. In the cup we encounter juicy pear, caramel, and sweet plantain. It's a sweet, immensely drinkable cup of coffee we're sure you'll love. We'll be offering Los Naranjos on batch brew, single origin espresso, and of course our pour-over menu for the rest of April and May. Whole bean is available in our cafés and webstore.
]]>Spring is in full bloom in Kentuckiana, and we're excited to introduce a fresh coffee to our line up, one which will be familiar to long time Quills drinkers. The Los Naranjos cooperative in the Huila region of Colombia is known for growing some of the best coffees in the world. The cooperative is made up of 97 small producers, with an average farm size of 1.5 hectares. The cooperative is known for their meticulous commitment to quality, as demonstrate by their sweet, juicy coffees.
This lot is made up of Caturra and Colombia varieties, grown between 1600 and 1900 MASL. In the cup we encounter juicy pear, caramel, and sweet plantain. It's a sweet, immensely drinkable cup of coffee we're sure you'll love. We'll be offering Los Naranjos on batch brew, single origin espresso, and of course our pour-over menu for the rest of April and May. Whole bean is available in our cafés and webstore.
]]>We're excited to be leaving for the annual meeting of the Specialty Coffee Association of America in Atlanta this week. In addition to be the largest coffee trade show in the world, it's a great opportunity to connect with old friends and make some new ones. We will be competing in the Roasters Choice competition and brewing our coffee at the Prima Coffee booth (#1728). If you're going to be at SCAA we would love to connect. Feel free to reach out to us on Twitter or email us at mbutterworth at quillscoffee.com
]]>We're excited to be leaving for the annual meeting of the Specialty Coffee Association of America in Atlanta this week. In addition to be the largest coffee trade show in the world, it's a great opportunity to connect with old friends and make some new ones. We will be competing in the Roasters Choice competition and brewing our coffee at the Prima Coffee booth (#1728). If you're going to be at SCAA we would love to connect. Feel free to reach out to us on Twitter or email us at mbutterworth at quillscoffee.com
]]>Last September we traveled 3,300 miles to Northern Peru to bring you the best coffees from the region. After sampling 40 different microlots, two coffees stood out from the pack. One of those coffees was from Finca El Laurel, the farm of Wilson Olivera. After tasting Wilson's coffee on the cupping table, we knew we had to meet the man who produced it.
Situated at 1850 MASL, El Laurel is a difficult journey from the nearest city, Jaen. But the high elevation, cool evenings, and ample rainfall at El Laurel produce a complex coffee with an acidity rarely seen in Peruvian coffee. But it's not just the perfect climate that accounts for Wilson's fantastic quality. Wilson exclusively grows caturra and typica varieties, two coffee varieties known for their superior cup characteristics. Rather than the strip-picking common in the region, Wilson and his farmhands go over each lot on the farm four times, only picking the ripest cherries each time. Although it's more labor intensive, the result is a tastier cup of coffee.
Coffee cherries at El Laurel, at varying degrees of ripeness.
We just receive our shipment of Wilson's coffee. We were pleased to discover it didn't diminish in quality in transit. In the cup we encounter a rich butterscotch and honeyed sweetness, balanced by a crisp peach acidity. It's already become a barista favorite, and we're confident you'll love it too.
We're extremely grateful for the hospitality that Wilson showed us when we visited his farm. We hope we can pay it forward by brewing a cup for you in one of our cafés.
]]>Last September we traveled 3,300 miles to Northern Peru to bring you the best coffees from the region. After sampling 40 different microlots, two coffees stood out from the pack. One of those coffees was from Finca El Laurel, the farm of Wilson Olivera. After tasting Wilson's coffee on the cupping table, we knew we had to meet the man who produced it.
Situated at 1850 MASL, El Laurel is a difficult journey from the nearest city, Jaen. But the high elevation, cool evenings, and ample rainfall at El Laurel produce a complex coffee with an acidity rarely seen in Peruvian coffee. But it's not just the perfect climate that accounts for Wilson's fantastic quality. Wilson exclusively grows caturra and typica varieties, two coffee varieties known for their superior cup characteristics. Rather than the strip-picking common in the region, Wilson and his farmhands go over each lot on the farm four times, only picking the ripest cherries each time. Although it's more labor intensive, the result is a tastier cup of coffee.
Coffee cherries at El Laurel, at varying degrees of ripeness.
We just receive our shipment of Wilson's coffee. We were pleased to discover it didn't diminish in quality in transit. In the cup we encounter a rich butterscotch and honeyed sweetness, balanced by a crisp peach acidity. It's already become a barista favorite, and we're confident you'll love it too.
We're extremely grateful for the hospitality that Wilson showed us when we visited his farm. We hope we can pay it forward by brewing a cup for you in one of our cafés.
]]>It’s been three years since we last had to talk about prices with you. We’re happy it’s been that long, because we want our coffee to be affordable. We love coffee, and we want as many people as possible to enjoy it.
The truth is though, the world of coffee continues to change and grow. Over the last three years demand for specialty coffee has risen at an astounding rate. More and more people all over Louisville, Indianapolis, and beyond continue to discover this rich world of exciting tastes and delightful experiences.
But it’s changing in challenging ways as well. Changes in global weather patterns threaten the future of specialty coffee in many countries. Although demand is up, production is down as many farmers choose to plant other crops that are less susceptible to disease. In the States, barista salaries have not kept up with the ever-growing costs of living or the increased demand for skilled employees.
At Quills, we’re excited to be right in the thick of these trends, even the challenging ones. We believe specialty coffee can thrive right here in our communities. We believe we can continue to make choices in our purchases of coffee that will make the future more stable for coffee producers everywhere. We believe we can keep pace not only with federal and local minimum wage increases, but pay our staff a living wage in accord with the time and effort they put into making every day special for you, our customers. And we believe we can only get better at sourcing, roasting, brewing and serving delicious coffee. It’s because we believe these things, that we’re confident in raising our prices accordingly. Most of our drink prices will be increasing by only $0.10-0.25 - some more, some less. We know it may mean an adjustment, but we are confident you will see the value.
We're committed to constantly improving the quality of our coffee sourcing and production because quite simply, we want to serve you the best cup of coffee you've ever had. We believe good coffee is worth it, and we also think you agree.
Yours in the pursuit of great coffee,
Quills
It’s been three years since we last had to talk about prices with you. We’re happy it’s been that long, because we want our coffee to be affordable. We love coffee, and we want as many people as possible to enjoy it.
The truth is though, the world of coffee continues to change and grow. Over the last three years demand for specialty coffee has risen at an astounding rate. More and more people all over Louisville, Indianapolis, and beyond continue to discover this rich world of exciting tastes and delightful experiences.
But it’s changing in challenging ways as well. Changes in global weather patterns threaten the future of specialty coffee in many countries. Although demand is up, production is down as many farmers choose to plant other crops that are less susceptible to disease. In the States, barista salaries have not kept up with the ever-growing costs of living or the increased demand for skilled employees.
At Quills, we’re excited to be right in the thick of these trends, even the challenging ones. We believe specialty coffee can thrive right here in our communities. We believe we can continue to make choices in our purchases of coffee that will make the future more stable for coffee producers everywhere. We believe we can keep pace not only with federal and local minimum wage increases, but pay our staff a living wage in accord with the time and effort they put into making every day special for you, our customers. And we believe we can only get better at sourcing, roasting, brewing and serving delicious coffee. It’s because we believe these things, that we’re confident in raising our prices accordingly. Most of our drink prices will be increasing by only $0.10-0.25 - some more, some less. We know it may mean an adjustment, but we are confident you will see the value.
We're committed to constantly improving the quality of our coffee sourcing and production because quite simply, we want to serve you the best cup of coffee you've ever had. We believe good coffee is worth it, and we also think you agree.
Yours in the pursuit of great coffee,
Quills
We have two fresh crop coffees hitting shelves this week, neither of which need any introduction for long time Quills drinkers. This is the second straight year we've bought coffee from both Papua New Guinea, Kunjin and Congo, Sopacdi, and we're pleased to find they're tasting better than ever.
With over 800 languages spoken in this Island nation, Papua New Guinea remains one of the most remote and least explored countries on earth. Coffee production began in the 1920s. Today the large majority of coffee production comes from small "coffee gardens" tended by subsistence farmers. This coffee comes to us from the Kunjin Mill in the Waghi Valley of the Western Highlands. Farmers deliver their coffee cherries to this mill to be processed. Each lot is sampled and better lots, such as our selection, are separated according to quality. Thanks to new processing equipment, coffees from Kunjin are tasting cleaner than ever, with lots of cane sugar, caramel, and lemony flavors.
The political situation in the Republic of Congo, unfortunately, remains tense. In spite of political instability, the 5,600 farmers of the Sopacdi cooperative are improving their livelihood by growing high quality, organic coffee. The potential for specialty coffee in the Lake Kivu region has yet to be fully realized, but this wonderfully complex coffee offers us a glimpse of what the future might hold. We taste oranges, dates, and tropical fruits with rich, floral aromatics in this coffee.
We think this coffee is a wonderful example of how specialty coffee not only offers a better product for our customers, but has the potential to make a positive impact on every step of the supply chain. These words from the Sopacdi cooperative sum it up well:
We have lived through civil war and in great poverty for many years, but since forming our cooperative Sopacdi, despite our challenges, we also feel full of hope. For the first time we have good buyers for our coffee, who buy from us directly. Our homes are basic, without electricity, running water and other amenities. But our families are back together and we are re-building our communities.
]]>We have two fresh crop coffees hitting shelves this week, neither of which need any introduction for long time Quills drinkers. This is the second straight year we've bought coffee from both Papua New Guinea, Kunjin and Congo, Sopacdi, and we're pleased to find they're tasting better than ever.
With over 800 languages spoken in this Island nation, Papua New Guinea remains one of the most remote and least explored countries on earth. Coffee production began in the 1920s. Today the large majority of coffee production comes from small "coffee gardens" tended by subsistence farmers. This coffee comes to us from the Kunjin Mill in the Waghi Valley of the Western Highlands. Farmers deliver their coffee cherries to this mill to be processed. Each lot is sampled and better lots, such as our selection, are separated according to quality. Thanks to new processing equipment, coffees from Kunjin are tasting cleaner than ever, with lots of cane sugar, caramel, and lemony flavors.
The political situation in the Republic of Congo, unfortunately, remains tense. In spite of political instability, the 5,600 farmers of the Sopacdi cooperative are improving their livelihood by growing high quality, organic coffee. The potential for specialty coffee in the Lake Kivu region has yet to be fully realized, but this wonderfully complex coffee offers us a glimpse of what the future might hold. We taste oranges, dates, and tropical fruits with rich, floral aromatics in this coffee.
We think this coffee is a wonderful example of how specialty coffee not only offers a better product for our customers, but has the potential to make a positive impact on every step of the supply chain. These words from the Sopacdi cooperative sum it up well:
We have lived through civil war and in great poverty for many years, but since forming our cooperative Sopacdi, despite our challenges, we also feel full of hope. For the first time we have good buyers for our coffee, who buy from us directly. Our homes are basic, without electricity, running water and other amenities. But our families are back together and we are re-building our communities.
]]>Coffee, like any other fruit, is a seasonal product. Within a year of harvesting, we see a considerable drop in quality. Bright, fruity notes give way to dry, woody ones as the green coffee begins to lose organic material. Thankfully, there are enough different coffee producing countries around the world there is always something tasting fresh and vibrant. The winter months tend to be a little less exciting for coffee enthusiasts, but there are a few notable exceptions. One of those is Burundi.
Our Burundi, Matongo comes to us from the Bwayi Washing Station and our partners at Cafe Imports. Like many East African countries, most farmers in Burundi don't have the infrastructure to process the coffee themselves, so groups of small farmers organize into cooperatives, usually centered around a washing station. The farmers who grew this coffee received a premium for the exceptional quality, which has a impact on every step of the supply chain.
In the cup we taste honey crisp apples and grapefruit with floral aromatics. This coffee also has an herbaceous quality common to Burundian coffees. It's a dynamic, complex cup of coffee that is bound to be a favorite of any fan of East African coffees. Burundi, Matongo is available in our webstore and all of our cafés.
]]>Coffee, like any other fruit, is a seasonal product. Within a year of harvesting, we see a considerable drop in quality. Bright, fruity notes give way to dry, woody ones as the green coffee begins to lose organic material. Thankfully, there are enough different coffee producing countries around the world there is always something tasting fresh and vibrant. The winter months tend to be a little less exciting for coffee enthusiasts, but there are a few notable exceptions. One of those is Burundi.
Our Burundi, Matongo comes to us from the Bwayi Washing Station and our partners at Cafe Imports. Like many East African countries, most farmers in Burundi don't have the infrastructure to process the coffee themselves, so groups of small farmers organize into cooperatives, usually centered around a washing station. The farmers who grew this coffee received a premium for the exceptional quality, which has a impact on every step of the supply chain.
In the cup we taste honey crisp apples and grapefruit with floral aromatics. This coffee also has an herbaceous quality common to Burundian coffees. It's a dynamic, complex cup of coffee that is bound to be a favorite of any fan of East African coffees. Burundi, Matongo is available in our webstore and all of our cafés.
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