Hey there coffee people!

We wanted to take some time to spotlight one of our new coffee offerings. It's an absolute stunner that has the entire Hook team drinking more than we can handle!

Say hello to Rum Baby Rum.

This coffee is one of our favorites to date, and it was produced by some awesome people.

We named this coffee as soon as it hit our palates. During the cupping process, we immediately noticed its sweet aroma and taste of raisin rum ice cream. These flavors and aromas paired together in a potent and intriguing way - leaving us in a stupor. It's something we never before encountered in an Ethiopian coffee.

The mellow aroma also pairs beautifully with its subtle, silky. It's easy to drink, and unlike many Ethiopian naturals that have a slight medicinal flavor, Rum Baby Rum is ultra-balanced and savory.

Yeah, we are kind of in love. The joys of roasting a coffee like this are difficult to explain in words.

We are proud of every coffee we roast. We wouldn't sell them if we weren't! But every once in a while, we get those "special coffees" that blow us away. This is one of them, and every Hook drinker would be remiss not to give this coffee a shot!

We wanted to do a write up over the origin of Rum Baby Rum. Growing region is a pertinent aspect of the flavor and composition of any given coffee. Plant varietal, soil, altitude, and farming processes all play a vital role in the coffee life cycle. Understanding how a coffee is grown and processed will help us understand why it tastes and smells the way it does.

The Coffee - Origins

[Mr. Faysel A. Yonis produced this coffee, and he's an incredible human being for doing so.]

Rum Baby Rum comes from the land of coffee gold - Ethiopia.

Ethiopia rests snugly in the world's Bean Belt (area around the world's equator that is ideal for growing coffee. Roughly between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer).

Coffee is one of Ethiopia's primary exports. The country's ministry of trade reported that almost 180,000 tons of coffee were exported in 2015-2016 alone (apprx. 11 months)! This is unheard of. The country is a coffee powerhouse.

Saying that Ethiopia is a powerhouse is almost an understatement. Ethiopia is the true birthplace of coffee! Coffee was reportedly discovered by an Ethiopian sheep herder pre-1000 AD. Ever since then, the country has been known for its fertile soils and ideal growing altitudes.

Rum Baby Rum was grown and produced in the Guji region right outside of Shakiso. This region is known for its incredible diversity. Resting only 100km from Yirgacheffe, Guji is a prime location for coffee growth. Many private processing mills are in this region, as opportunities are ample.

A myriad of flavors and aromas are exhibited from these coffees:

- Lemon meringue

- Passionfruit

- Sweet perfume aromatics

- Rosé

- Molasses

- Savory depth and sweet citrus...

All of these flavors can be found in the exceptional coffees of the region. Guji is truly the place to be when it comes to coffee.

The Coffee - Natural Process

Rum Baby Rum is a natural process coffee.

So what does this mean exactly?

When coffee cherries are harvested, the skin and mucilage must be stripped off the seeds (which we know as the "bean"). The removal of mucilage happens by being naturally dried or washed. After this, the coffee must be dried by a natural, washed process, or honey process.

For Rum Baby Rum, the coffee was picked and then dried. The coffee was then laid out in the sun for 15-18 days.

These processes impart many noticeable characteristics upon the coffee:

Natural - brings out natural acidity in coffee. It's a simple method where coffee is picked and dried.

Washed - a clean and controlled way to process a coffee. Coffee is briefly fermented in water and mucilage is washed off. Offers a balanced acidity.

Honey process - can bring out the sweet notes (less acidic) in a coffee. Coffee is dried with the mucilage intact. It's a wonderful way to preserve the fullness of coffee flavor.

Looking into coffee regions is an insightful way to approach your coffee. There is so much to be learned from the incredible farmers we are fortunate enough to work with!

Give Rum Baby Rum a try and let us know what you think!

Happy Brewing!

The Hook Coffee Team