Redemption Roasters - Werka
Roastery: Redemption Roasters
Varietal: Heirloom
Origin: Sidamo, Ethiopia
Process: Fully Washed & Dried On Raised Beds
Altitude: 1,500 - 2,000 metres
Brew Method: V60
Brew Ratio: 1:16.7
Redemption Roasters are a coffee roaster based within Aylesbury prison who aim to equip prisoners with skills within the coffee industry to reduce the number of reoffenders. They state:
“We already know that prisoners are 50% more likely to reoffend if they leave prison without skills and a job.”
They train the inmates in roasting and competition level Barista skills to allow them to achieve more once their sentence is served. I believe coffee is a very powerful commodity that brings together a huge community, all the way from cherry to cup. For one more element to be socially conscious is an incredible thing, but not only that. This coffee is exceptional, roasted perfectly to highlight the potential of this bean.
This particular Ethiopian Heirloom is full of stone fruits and jasmine notes. On the nose it is juicy and floral chamomile and black teas entice you. In the mouth it is tea-like but thicker, verging on a marshmallowy finish that coats the back of your mouth. This finish is accompanied by blackberries and peaches and a light lemon acidity, the darker milk chocolate and roasted nut flavours linger longer on the tongue. This is a fully washed coffee which means it isn’t acid-forward in the presentation of the cup, focusing the drinker on the juicier notes that sit upon the chocolate and nutty backbone.
Due to the weather I cold brewed this coffee at a 1:10 ratio for 12 hours, which I then filtered through paper to ensure a clean cup. The longer brew really enhances the juicy stone fruits and lemon acidity that compliments the tea mouthfeel that makes for a delicate and balanced cold brew that is delicious in the sun over ice.
Most Ethiopian coffees are trade through Ethiopia Commodity Exchange Programme (ECX) which limits the traceability of the imported green coffee. Coffee producers bring their cherries to a wet mill where the coffee is graded and processed. Werka is the wet mill where this coffee was processed and part of the grading is to identify the region, in this case, the coffee was grown in the West Arsi zone of Sidamo, at 1500-2000m above sea level.
I couldn’t recommend this coffee more, not only for it’s luscious juicy and floral tea notes, but for the good the roastery is doing for society and the inmates of Aylesbury prison.
