Click here to see the pdf of the article.

Please join us at Duross & Langel for a coffee tasting event on Saturday, November 7th, from 12p – 4p.

Duross & Langel
117 S. 13th St.
Philadelphia, PA  19107
(215) 592-7627

This outstanding organic coffee starts with a sweet, fruity, floral smell combined with some dustiness.  The cup is balanced with a slight tilt toward the acidic, which fades fast.  The flavors are big with loads of dark, dark chocolate and bright cherries mixed with a fruit flavor that comes from the tropics – perhaps mango.  There are also subtle, delicate floral tones that sneak in.  The mouth feel is thick and viscous and provides a nice juiciness.  The finish is super clean with slight fruits, dark chocolate, and slight caramel and dulce-de-leche notes.  A superb Indonesian.

This unique organic peaberry from Café Cascada starts with an elegant combination of aromas of fruit and nuts.  Once in the cup, the flavors include cocoa, a mix of tart and sweet cherries, nut meat, malt, and subtle hints of spice and herbs.  The mouthfeel has a light and airy texture and is perfectly balanced, reminding one of chiffon.  Although not overtly acidic, a welcome brightness emerges as it cools.  The finish is long with cocoa and tart cherry tones. This is a superb, very well balanced coffee.

Importer comments:  Sweet chocolate, black cherry, sugar cane, dried stone fruit, syrupy mouth feel, clean, syrah wine, pecans, malt.

We are thrilled to be highlighted in the Fall 2009 issue of Philadelphia Magazine Wedding.

El Salvador Finca Malacara
2008 Cup of Excellence #5
Roberto Dumont Alvarez (Chantuc, S.A. de C.V.)
Malacara Lote “B”

The first sniff of these beans say “nuts and toffee.”  Once brewed, there is a floral, sweet, tropical fruit aroma that continues into the cup.  The complexity of flavors flawlessly moves from one note to another, with the most prominent being strawberry.  This progresses to an orange citrusy acidity combined with pineapple and passion fruit.  There is a brightness that is present throughout which is nicely balanced with a creamy mouthfeel.  Most striking is the flavor transformation from hot to cold.  The cup cools into rounder tones including caramel and milk chocolate. Very distinct toffee/caramelized sugar finish. This is an exceptional coffee.

Top Jury Descriptions: citrus aroma (9), very clean and sweet (15), floral (12), tropical fruit (11), strawberry (10), sugar cane (7), peach (7), berry (7), chocolate (6), caramel (5), creamy (10), delicate (8), complex (12)
.
Overview from Cup of Excellence
The history of this farm goes back to the beginning of last century with the Álvarez Prunera family’s great-grandfather.  On its 49 hectares today, the average age of coffee trees is 40 years, with densities of 3,500 trees per hectare and yielding some 25 quintals per hectare.

For third year in a row Malacara “B” achieved an award in the COE event. In the COE event in 2006 it placed 13th, in 2007 it ranked 20th and now in 2008 it has jumped to 5th place. With these awards won in a row, Malacara “B” shows the high quality of coffee that the estate produces.

The Alvarez family association, Chantuc S.A., helps support a school and a health center within the farm that was originally donated by the first Malacara’s owners. This farm is planted with 95% Bourbon and 5% Pacas on a sandy-loam soil.  Harvesting usually takes place between January and March, while flowering goes from April through May. The shade canopy is mainly made up of Ingas and mountain trees such as cedar, walnut, gravileo and avocado, among others.

There are two stories regarding the origin of the name of this farm: one says that “Malacara” was named after one local chief who lived in the area and who was known as the “Cacique Malacara”. The other talks about the relation between the farm appearance when Rafael Álvarez (grandfather of Francisco Arturo) bought it, and the face expression that his friends made when they saw the farm for the first time. The story told that it was so chaotic that everyone gave no hope on the farm and everybody made an “ugly face” or “Mala-Cara” because they imagined how difficult would be to establish a coffee farm there.

This superb Indonesian seems to evoke the rainforest. The fragrance begins with clean, semi-sweet and rather earthy notes. In the cup, the body is big with a smooth, syrupy mouthfeel.  The flavors start with a vegetal, earthy woodiness combined with a touch of fruit. The lack of acidity plus a hint of sweetness makes for a very smooth finish. The final reward is unmistakable chocolate.  In fact, as this cools, it is one of the most distinctly chocolate tasting coffees we’ve encountered.

We are proud to announce that Peregrine Coffee was featured in the May/June issue of Brides Magazine for our Bepsoke Coffee service, where we work with the bride and groom and the baker to pair coffee with the flavors of the wedding cake.

Peregrine Coffee is proud to support the Lansdowne Friends School 2009 fund raising event through an auction donation.

Peregrine Coffee is happy to support Friends Select School 2009 Fund Raising Auction.

Peregrine Coffee is very happy to support Stratford Friends School 2009 fund raising through an auction donation.

We are very happy to announce that Cafe DiLuna will be selling Peregrine Coffee by the cup.  Cafe DiLuna is a wonderful, new coffee shop on the 2nd Street Restaurant Row in Harrisburg, PA.  Please stop by and have a cup!

Cafe DiLuna
402 N. 2nd Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717-701-9868

The sweet smells from the cup evoke honey and peaches, and some of that is reflected in the cup as soft floral tones.  The dominant flavors that come through are dark and smoky chocolate notes combined with the more traditional nuttiness. The mouthfeel is smooth with no discernable acidity at all.  The finish starts off with a slight peppery edge in the throat, switching to a dark and earthy, long lasting aftertaste of quintessential coffee.  A very drinkable, not-too-complex decaf.

Peregrine Coffee is absolutely thrilled to offer our first Farm Direct bean.  After a few conversations with Roger Rittenhouse at Moki’s Farm in Hawaii, we will be bringing in small lots of this superb micro-lot coffee, direct from the farm.

Where:

Walnut Bridge Coffee House
2319 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19103
215-496-9003

When:

Sunday, March 8th, 10am – 11:00am

Coffee:

Kenya Amukui Estate
Indian Monsooned Malabar Coelho’s Gold
Brazil Cerrado

While our March/April 09 article on Philadelphia focused on its thriving beer and cocktail scene, the city is also gaining recognition for its coffee and tea culture. “Philly’s coffee scene really blossomed only a few years ago,” says Bill Walsh, author of the blog Purecoffee.com. “The first coffeehouses in the area that really did something noteworthy were actually outside of the Philadelphia city center: Chestnut Hill Coffee Company west of the city, and a Southern Jersey roaster and coffeehouse right over the bridge called Crescent Moon Coffee & Tea.” Chestnut Hill and Crescent Moon both opened in 2005, but since then, they’ve gotten more company as the city’s coffee culture has continued to grow. Meanwhile, a growing number of tea shops have exposed Philadelphians to the joys of oolong and Earl Grey. Whatever your preference, here are some places worth checking out for a cuppa:

Beauty Shop Café 2001 Fitzwater St.; 215-546-1002

This coffee shop, located in what used to be a hair salon, serves Chestnut Hill beans and, at less than two years old, has garnered an impressive amount of praise from locals.

Brew Ha Ha 212 S. 12th St.; 215-893-5680
Already well-loved in its home state of Delaware, this coffee chain recently made its first foray into Pennsylvania with this Philly outpost.

Chestnut Hill Coffee Company 8620 Germantown Ave.; 215-242-8600
Despite its off-the-beaten-path location, this is the place locals take out-of-town guests to impress them with Philly’s coffee savvy.

Crescent Moon Coffee & Tea 141 Bridgeton Pike, Mullica Hill, New Jersey; 856-223-1237
This South Jersey roastery prides itself on its relationships with coffee farmers.

House of Tea 720 S. 4th St., 215-923-8327
The walls of this narrow space are lined with cubbies filled with jars of tea, holding everything from Prince of Wales to aged pu-erh.

La Colombe Torrefaction 130 S. 19th St.; 215-563-0860
Some Philadelphians grumble that this roastery has rested too heavily on its laurels, but this local institution’s coffee still has plenty of fans and is served in some of the city’s finest restaurants.

One Shot Coffee 1040 N. 2nd St., Ste. 601; 215-627-1620.
For many Northern Liberties residents, One Shot is a home away from home, thanks to its cozy vibe, free lending library, surprisingly delicious bagel sandwiches and vegan doughnuts—and excellent coffee and espresso.

Peregrine Coffee 215-240-4474
While not a coffee shop, this well-respected roastery will custom-roast and blend its beans and deliver them to your door.

Premium Steap 111 S. 18th St., Rittenhouse Square; 215-568-2920
With more than 140 loose-leaf teas on offer, as well as a dozen chai drinks and a tea bar serving both hot and iced teas, Premium Steap is a city favorite.

The Random Tea Room & Curiosity Shop 713 N. 4th St.; 267-639-2442
This tiny and eclectic Northern Liberties tea room is often used as a holding pen for people waiting to have brunch at the delicious Honey’s next door. But it’s worth visiting as its own destination for the custom tea blends and kitschy atmosphere.

Ray’s Café & Teahouse 141 N. 9th St.; 215-922-5122
This Chinese restaurant serves a wide selection of teas and pastries—and, incongruously enough, probably has the biggest collection of vacuum coffee pots in the city.

Remedy Tea Bar 1628 Sansom St.; 215-557-6688
Sisters Kristen and Courtney Kammerer opened this hip tea spot in 2005. Along with regular hot and iced tea, the menu includes elaborate concoctions like the Cool Green, made with green tea, ice, skim milk and vanilla.

Spruce Street Espresso 1101 Spruce St.; 215-609-4469
Small and friendly, but deadly serious about its espresso, Spruce Street has been gaining fans for its expertly pulled espressos, made with Counter Culture beans.

T Bar 117 S. 12th St.; 215-625-3936
Owned by sisters, Susan Chu and Julia Rugg, this tea shop offers not only 70 kinds of tea—including bubble tea—but also tea-based beauty and health products.