Coffee Sourcing - El Salvador 2017

Coffee Sourcing - El Salvador 2017

When sourcing coffee, DMC is fortunate enough to have relationships with some of the best coffee producers in the world. Having multiple farming partners brings varying styles of coffees, from cultivars to processing. Finca San Jeronimo Miramar in Guatemala is our partner that takes a more progressive approach, it's Federico Pacas in El Salvador that brings the classic Central American coffee that we love.

The Pacas family is known throughout the coffee industry as royalty, with genetics, processing techniques that are second to none. Federico Pacas owns Cafe Tuxpal, a mill that processes his farms Santa Petrona, San Jose, Vista Hermosa in addition to other neighboring farms. DMC will feature several of his family's Pacas cultivars again for 2017, Pacas Joven, Pacas Viejo, etc.  

The relationship with Federico Pacas is the oldest farming partnership for DMC, allowing a wealth of knowledge and coffees to grace our cups. Like any long relationship, the learning process and information shared helps both Federico & DMC to evolve and grow. It's always a pleasure to visit with Federico at his farms, but it's even more special when we get him to visit us in Chicago. (That only happens during the warm months though :)

Pacas Joven    

Nuevo Pacas Joven en Finca San Jose Sonsonate! (New Pacas Joven plants) 
These little guys look so great in the newly rehabilitated Finca San Jose. Federico Pacas replanted his namesake cultivar in place of the classic Salvadoran Red Bourbon. Times they are a changing!

Cafe Tuxpal 2017

Every year Cafe Tuxpal continues to upgrade and innovate their processing method at the mill. New developments with how they wash coffees have been incredible to witness. Photo Aaron Campos

Pacas & Diaz

Federico Pacas & Jesse Diaz, two men leading a coffee revolution! 

El Salvador 2017

Driving home from the fields, enjoy other beautiful sunset in El Salvador! 

January 20, 2017 — Kyle Hodges

Brown Acid Espresso Blend (Limited Blend July 2015)

 

"To get back to the warning that I received. You may take it with however many grains of salt that you wish. That the brown acid that is circulating around us isn't too good. It is suggested that you stay away from that. Of course it's your own trip. So be my guest, but please be advised that there is a warning on that one, ok?" Woodstock 1969 

When the famous words were echoed from the microphone to the crowd at Woodstock, the legend of Brown Acid was born. While the folklore of this drug and many others during this time of enchantment, it was hard to pin-down if the acid was actually good or bad. According to one very experienced attendee, the acid was so pure, people mistakenly took more than one hit. A fair number of these people where novices, inadvertently labeling their experience as a "bad trip", instead of just a very intense one. The resemblance between Brown Acid then and our version now shares a similar characteristic when it comes to purity.  

Released once, four years ago, Brown Acid is our answer to the common approach to third wave espresso: bright, clean and vibrant, blending similar cultivars, from the same country, but three different farms.

These three farms share similar care in farming and a beautiful mill where they process and dry. The largest factor in their differences are their degrees of fermentation: washed, semi washed and natural. Each coffee was strategically placed in this blend to bring out the best in each bean. 

We begin with sparkling washed beans from Santa Elena, an established farm in El Salvador, which commonly places in the Cup of Excellence, among other awards. With its particular style of processing, the semi washed bourbon from Las Nubes, contributes body and sweetness. Santa Josefita, on the conservative side of dry-processing, is a natural processed that brings juicy fruit and acidity to the blend. 

Country: El Salvador
Farm: Santa Elena
Cultivar: Mixed (Bourbon, Catuai, Pacamara)
Process: Washed (Low Fermentation)
 
Country: El Salvador
Farm: Las Nubes
Cultivar: Bourbon
Process: Semi Washed (Moderate Fermentation)
 
Country: El Salvador
Farm: Santa Josefita
Cultivar: Bourbon
Process: Natural
 
Notes: Pear, Green Apple, Lime
Net Wt. 12oz

Pick-up orders can be grabbed at the location/times below. 
The Mothership
738 N Western Ave  
Mon-Fri 6am-6pm, Sat 7am-3pm, Sun 8am-3pm

Trouble In Mind Records
For Brown Acid, we tapped the Chicago record label Trouble In Mind, purveyors of psychedelic pop and garage rock. Run by a husband & wife duo, Bil & Lisa Roe, two industry veterans who's releases have brought US, Australian and European bands to the music scene.(Rob Sheffield of Rolling Stone lists Ultimate Painting's "Woken By Noises" is one of his favorite's of 2015) Having great success with new releases, the label has also recently began reissuing classic albums. The most current, Del Shannon, was a labor of love for the label and proves that Bill & Lisa will be around for a long time!

We will be releasing two different mixes for this collaboration, a cassette version and a CD version. The cassette will be a shorter mix, highlighting the labels releases - the CD will feature a longer, psychedelic path of music, featuring some from the same artists.
July 13, 2015 — Jesse Diaz

Open Windows (Limited Blend)

Open Windows 

Last year this time was devastating to our community. Coffee lost a friend. Chicago lost a brother. The insight and innovation that Jim Karr taught us still holds strong today and his friendship, compassion and presence are missed. To commemorate Jim's life and his inspiration to all of us, we are releasing a coffee with our brethren in his honor. Open Windows is a collaboration between DMC, Metropolis Coffee & Quasar Coffee. Special thanks for the brilliant bag and text, written below, from Timothy Breen.  

"Jim Karr had a desire to engage with people. He set out manifesting this action through boundless friendships and through tireless work in the coffee community. He made no designation between the two. In creating Steam Volt there were regular discussions about the responsibility of business, and how great collaborative efforts must be driven by the hard-fought personal convictions. After all of the noise settles down the good ideas come in through the open windows. Jim was that open window for a lot of us, a sounding board and encouraging voice amidst a complicated work/life scenario. His memory will always be a guiding force. Seems appropriate then, with this bag of coffee in his honor, to let some light in and see what can be seen."  
 
Coffees
From Metropolis:
Country: Colombia
Coop: Grupo Asociativo Cafe Andino Especial
Region: Huila 
Cultivar: Caturra
Process: Washed (low fermentation)
 
From Dark Matter:
Country: El Salvador
Farm: Vista Hermosa
Region: Santa Ana
Cultivar: Pacas "Joven"
Process: Pulped Natural (moderate fermentation)
 
Notes: Brown Sugar, Toffee, Baked Goods 
12oz 
The music mixtape was constructed by Konstantine Jace and features a rare collection of old Blues, Jazz and Pop Standards, all from 78 rpm shellac records. A fitting soundtrack for Jim's superb taste