Congo (DRC) Kivu – Amani Coffee – Coopade Coop-CA

Description

We have been trying to track down a winning Congo for months now. A challenging place to get awesome beans from even though very rich in agriculture and a perfect spot for coffee.

We have found connections to a bunch of really feel good coffee operations that have spun out of charities or from folks who had other work in the Congo and gave it up to help and work directly with rural groups of farmers. Good stuff and operations you want to support but many of them carrying middle of the road to poor coffee for very high prices.

We found some good middle ground recently with Amani Coffee out of Chicago. The two folks who started it were both in other big business industries on the ground in the Congo and formed a partnership to work with Coopade Co-op upon seeing the conditions of the rural farmers. Folks they had come to love and wanted to help.

A good cup of coffee that one can also feel good about!

Tasting Notes:
Good body and a fairly clean cup. Semi-sweet spicy cocoa tones with some a bit of brightness at the lighter roast points. Lighter roasts are a bit front loaded with floral acidity with a cool soft fruit tone but gets a bit of underdeveloped tastes as well (a little grassy earthy instead of chocolaty). Medium roasts start bringing  a more developed and balanced cup to the table.  It will retain a bit of the acidity upfront, a cup African coffee fans should appreciate. As one nears 2nd crack, the acidity virtually disappears and one is left with a nice exotic spice and chocolate profile with some hints of a smoky factor.

Roasting Notes:
We think this cup is about the bolder more chocolaty factor and is best a fuller roast levels, closer to 2nd crack than first to as dark as you want to go. A little setup time doesn’t hurt, 24-48 hours gets rid of any sharp edges to the taste.

“Amani Coffee Company is more than a business. We believe in building a company with a cause. We view coffee as a vehicle through which peace and societal change can spread. With Amani, every purchase is made more meaningful by creating a community of support for those in need through the Congo Restoration Effort, a non-profit organization.

Amani is the Swahili word meaning “peace.” We chose this name because it embodies our core value.  By working directly with coffee farmers, we aid Congolese families to live a more peaceful and prosperous life.”