Coffee Description
This bourbon varietal has tasting notes of apricot, caramel, cinnamon and shortbread. We are thrilled with this new crop from the Congo, it is better than ever! During these long, lingering cold months of Winter, it is a true treat to sip this spicy, rich and vibrant coffee.
Roast Level from the Roaster
Refers to the roast level in comparison with other coffees from the roaster
Medium
Variety
Bourbon
Process
Washed
Elevation
1480-1500 masl
Region
Lake Kivu
About Mighty Peace Coffee of DR Congo
Grown in the African Great Lakes Region of Congo by farmer, Chiza Moise, this coffee is one that we feel proud to showcase. Chiza Moise inherited a field from his father and has leveraged that to stabilize the financial situation for his family in the Congo. Resources from coffee sales have contributed to the construction of Ciza’s house and allowed him to pay for another field in which he cultivates other products such as beans, cassava, and corn. As of today, Chiza Moise is earning interest on his coffee field and it has become a source of pride.
This coffee comes to us via Mighty Peace Coffee, a women and minority owned, radically transparent company that nurtures Congolese cooperatives and helps coffee farmers in the Congo support and promote themselves. Which is especially important in this moment, as the Congo recently faced a tragic volcanic eruption that deeply affected all farm workers and residents.
With over 11,600 members, the Solidarité Pour La Promotion des Actions Café et le Développement Intégral Cooperative is more of a movement than just a coffee. In the 10 years that the coop has been growing specialty coffee, the sales have helped the members improve their living conditions, providing schooling, housing, and jobs. As an SCA sustainability award winner, the members behind this coffee are moving fast towards transforming their community.
Lake Kivu, DR Congo
Equiano Coffee
We are a family-owned and operated roaster in Eugene, Oregon. We pride ourselves in sourcing and roasting some of the most delicious specialty grade coffees from Viet Nam, DR Congo, Cameroon, Brazil, and beyond.
Our Story:
In the 90s, you could find Okon and Gloria hanging out at Theo's Coffee House in downtown Eugene. Okon would sit inside and play chess, enjoying the rich smell of old books and freshly brewed coffee and the buzzing of conversations. The energy and culture of that coffee house ignited a passion in Okon for the way that coffee can connect people. After seeing an article in a magazine about Ethiopian coffee rituals, he realized that coffee was a part of his culture as well. He purchased a 1.5 quart copper pot and began roasting 10 ounce batches of coffee in his apartment.
"I think the real reason I started roasting coffee was to impress Gloria," Okon chuckles as he recalls seeing her sitting outside of Theo's and being mesmerized by her beauty. Gloria spent many years working as a barista at various coffee kiosks and at Perugino while pursuing her love for art and painting.
In between roasting 10 ounce batches of coffee in his apartment and owning Equiano, Okon took a deep dive into the world of specialty coffee. On a trip to Colombia he learned how much time and effort and care goes into growing specialty coffee. Each different farm, country and region grew beans that expressed different flavor profiles, aromas and textures. His goal as a roaster was to best articulate these flavors. Selling specialty coffee is not just a hobby for him, he is invested in the farmers and purveyors that he purchases from and fascinated by the process of expressing each bean to its utmost deliciousness.
"Gloria has taught me so much about being a barista, she's the one who makes this all work. I can nerd out on the specifics of the roast, but Gloria is behind the scenes, she curates the art, the atmosphere, the energy of the space," Okon says. They work as a team to bring not only the most delicious coffee to your lips, but to create a space that is warm, welcoming and inspiring. We may all be consumed by our phones and our daily tasks, but if we can smell and taste something so delicious that it brings us fully into the present moment, allows us to connect to our senses and to each other, than the love behind the coffee can be felt.
Bio written by Gracie Schatz.
