Autumn Coffee Madness

One day you wake up and the whole world has gone pumpkin pie spice latte.  You think, how can the Christmas decorations be up at Lowe’s when it’s not even Halloween? Vitamin D deficiency triggers fat storage, leaves begin to change color, and people drive an hour plus to pick their own apples. Squirrels frantically hide nuts in as many locations as they can find, and the parade of flannel and fall sweaters coincide with a barrage of spooky movies and  costume trends.

Meanwhile, in the center of the Pacific Ocean, the Hawaiian archipelago wonders what the fuss is about. No squirrels, no sweaters, plenty of vitamin D and although the kids like to trick or treat, the parents sit at picnic tables in garages in shorts and slippahs, surrounded by lush green and not an apple tree in sight. 

Zoom in on the Big Island of Hawaii, and drill down to the west coast, where you will find the Kona Coffee Belt, a 35 mile long, 1-2 mile wide, 500-to-3200-foot elevation Terroir of one of the world most beloved coffees.

Saying “Kona Coffee” is like saying “Napa Wine” or “Champagne”.  It does not speak of a taste, but of a region that is perfectly suited for growing coffee.  Happy, healthy trees fed by the volcanic substrate lean toward sweet, bright, complex.

However, if you were to visit 30 farms in the Kona Coffee belt, you would absolutely discover 30 different tasting cups of coffee.  “Kona coffee” is not a taste, it is a region, and in that region exists wide variation in tree varieties, fermentation methods, elevation, physical infrastructure, roasting profiles and company vision.  Not all Kona Coffee is created equal.

If you are a regular follower of this blog, you know that Greenwell Farms is both a farm and a mill.  We grow estate coffee on our land and we buy coffee fruit from hundreds of small 1-5 acre properties in the coffee belt.  As we are a vertically integrated operation, we have seed to cup control of all of the variables and spend a great deal of daily effort to make sure each part of the process is done consistently at the highest level.

That said, even within our own line of coffees, there is wide variation, and we hope the consumer is able to “discover” coffees that appeal to them.  From light roast to French roast, from single tree micro-lots to classic mixed farm origin coffees, Swiss Water decaf to seasonal flavored coffees, our goal is something for everyone.

In that light, if you are looking for a cool autumn coffee drink, but want something above and beyond the standard pumpkin pie spiced latte, we have a couple of interesting recipes for you.

My daily cup doesn’t change seasonally, but if we have guests or want to change things up on a Sunday afternoon, these drinks can be a delight.

The Maple Spice Latte

1. Brew a double shot of espresso with Greenwell Farms Autumn Spice Coffee
2. Stir in 2 tablespoons of real maple syrup (adjust + - to taste)
3. Add a small dash of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamon, black pepper, and clove
4. Warm and froth ½ cup of whole milk 
5. Pour the liquid milk into the coffee and stir well.
6. Spoon the milk foam on top and top with a dash of cinnamon.

Note: If you don’t have an espresso maker, you can make this with any method, but you’ll want to make the coffee strong.

The Salted Caramel Flavor Explosion

1. Brew a double shot of Greenwell Farms Salted Caramel Coffee
2. Warm and froth a ½ cup of sweet cream.
3. Add the liquid part of the cream to the coffee and stir
4. Spoon the foam on top.
5. Add a touch of whipped cream.
6. Drizzle with caramel sauce
7. Sprinkle a dash of course sea salt on top.
   

Note: If you don’t have an espresso maker, you can make this with any method, but you’ll want to make the coffee strong.

Let me know how they come out and if you have a unique Autumn Coffee recipe, please share it in the comments.

About the Author:  Matt Carter is the Tour & Retail Operations Manager for Greenwell Farms, a retired teacher, part-time musician, and Author of the book: Everything you Should Know About: Coffee.