Mr LGB Winter BIS

Mr LGB Seasonal Specialty Blend : Your favourite Milk Drink Companion
In this Winter BIS version, half and half :
Burundi Gitega Mahonda Lot4
and Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Chelbessa grade 1

For the second winter LGB we go for African beautiest, with Burundi Mahonda and a classic Yirgacheffe.
In Burundi we encountered a small delay in delivery because of political troubles, but quality and freshness is still guaranteed. And the 'potato disease' which gave a lot of troublesome defects a couple of years ago, seems to be almost gone. 
The Mahonda is as clean as it gets. 

After a couple seasonal blends without Ethiopia we go back to our fav origin. 

It's been a tough year to get our hands on a clean cup Yirg this year, but finally we managed to find this fantastic Grade 1 – extra special sorting – lot from the CHELBESSA Washing Station. Expect subtle acidity, with a touch of Earl Grey and yellow fruit.

Try to keep your shots restricted; this way your caps and flats will come out better.

And also for filter brews this particular combo gives magic in your cup. Good luck.

TOP 5 Espresso and Filter Coffees of 2015

Here we go with our annual best Caffenation Coffees.

Of course these are my personal picks.
Maybe some roast profiles were not to your liking, or it was just not your favourite coffee; i fully understand.

2015 was the year of (relatively) weak Ethiopians.
We struggled to find great El Salvador lots as well. And so was also Panama a bit off the radar.

And again no Brazils that were clean and special enough to be mentioned here. Certainly not for filter.
On filter i like above all 'clean cups'. Coffee's without any disturbing flavors.
I like some extra zesty notes and fruitiness. And a long clean after taste. I suppose you understand.

(you can click on the names to go to the links for some extra info)

1) Kenya Thika Kiriaini AA
2) Kenya Nyeri Ruiruiru AA
3) Kenya Nyeri Kii AB (lot 2)
4) Ethiopia Sidamo Sasaba Natural (summer lot)
5) Kenya Kirinyaga Gakuyuni AB (autumn lot)


For Espresso i talk just clean shots, not milk based coffee's.
With our new roaster -and cooling tray!!-we were more in control of the roasts and so we could keep acidity of those punchy Kenyans low. The balance in general was better. And the flavors lasted longer.
Our idea is that the most coffees only peak 3 weeks after roast.

1) Kenya Thika Kiriaini AA
2) Ethiopia Sidamo Hunkute
3) Kenya Nyeri Karinga AB
4) Indonesia Sulawesi Tana Toraja
5) Burundi Kayanza Gakenke lot8

Right now we are still rolling with these last 2 coffee's.

New crop Rwanda - oh boy - is on its way over.

And soon we expect fresh Colombia and Papua New Guinea wonders.

So stay tuned!

TOP 10 CD 2015

A yearly coverage of Caffenation's best tunes, albums, music!!
 For the Antwerp department it is getting bit by bit more difficult for me to filter the most funky notes and keep track of what plays most in the player.
But Amsterdam is still rocking and rolling and Bert did provide me his most remarkable 5 musical highlights of last year. Yes people, this is espresso bar music. Enjoy

CAFFENATION AMSTERDAM :
 1. Coxsone’s music: the first recordings of sir Coxcone the downbeat 1960-63 2015 Souljazzrecords LISTEN HERE
2. Condor Gruppe (BE Antwerp!!) Latituds del cavall 2014
ON YOU TUBE
3. Black devil disco club (reissue uit 1978) 2015
MORE INFO IN THIS LINK
4. Patrick Cowley Muscle up 2015
5. Ata Kak Obaa Sima 2015 Awesome tapes from Africa

CAFFENATION ANTWERP :
1. The Mattson 2 : Feeling Hands
CLIP ON YOU TUBE
2. Rod Stewart : Every picture Tells a story
TO HAVE AN IMPRESSION : CLICK HERE
3. John Mayal with Eric Clapton : Bluesbreakers
4. The Tallest Man On Earth : Dark Bird is home
5. La Priest : Inji (with Oino)
SONG OF THE YEAR CLIP 

Hope i have been inspiring you this way, to lighten up the bar with something EXTRA.