Do you remember that last year we surprised you with the news that Jordan Dabov visited India in search of their best specialty coffees?! And do you remember how we managed to buy not one, but four winning lots from the Gems of Araku competition, including the winner ?! And how, when we launched the four coffees two months ago, the winner of the № 1 position was bought in just two days !? Don’t worry, you can still taste the remaining three – we have put them in a special box along with a gift. On May 15, the lucky ones among you, who bought the degustation box with Indian coffees, will enjoy an online cupping session with Jordan Dabov.
And for everyone else we have one more piece of great news! Also online, Jordan Dabov participates in the jury of the Gems of Araku 13th edition. And Dabov Specialty Coffee is already preparing for the auction of the best coffees. It will take place on May 27. Like most specialty coffee competitions worldwide, this year’s Gems of Araku has an online edition due to the pandemic with the new Coronavirus.
More than 900 coffee lots were submitted to Gems of Araku 2021. 300 of them with good flavor characteristics were reevaluated and from them, 40 truly wonderful Indian specialty coffees were selected. The local jury reduced this number to 20 remarkable coffees. Among them, there are wet, dry and honey processed coffees. Some of you may not remember what honey processed coffee is. So, let us remind you. This is coffee that is not washed after depulping. Instead, the bean dries along with the rest of the pulp on it. The name of the process is honey, because as a result, the coffee has a sweeter taste.
The coffees selected for Gems of Araku 2021 are produced by small farmers. All of them are from the tribal communities of the Araku Valley, Andhra Pradesh state, India. The average farm size there is 2.2 acres, and the number of the farmers is 11,500. They all grow Arabica coffees, of course. Regenerative agriculture, certificates for organic production and fair trade are typical for those coffees. The Naandi Foundation, which has been working with farmers in the region for 20 years now, has a huge contribution in transforming their abandoned lands into successful micro-farms.
Sherri Johns is the Head Judge of the 13th edition of the Indian specialty coffee competition. She is a former coordinator of the Alliance for Specialty Coffee. She has also been working closely with the Naandi Foundation and the Gems of Araku for several years. The jury also includes 14 judges from the USA, Canada, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Russia, Ukraine and again Bulgaria with our own Jordan Dabov! Among the judges is our friend and Project Origin partner Sasa Sestic.
Members of the international jury have received samples of the finalists coffees to roast in two batches. According to the instructions, the two cupping sessions must take place within 8 and 24 hours after the roasting. The judges have received instructions for the roast level, the water’s alkalinity, acidity and hardness, coffee / water ratio, water temperature, type of cup and extraction time. The instructions are very important. This way all coffees will enter the competition from the same starting point. Not only that, they will exhibit their flavor characteristics from the same starting point. The judges have even received a tasting spoon! We are looking forward to the final results and the auction for the best specialty coffees from Araku, India!
