The fall season has finally arrived in DC, and I'm ready to welcome back a few of my favorite things. At the top of that list is an escape from the stifling August heat and the insistent, buzzing chorus of mosquitoes. Secondly, the simple pleasure of a cool breeze and a steaming, swirling cup of coffee in my hands.
With that being said, it's the perfect moment to announce Compass Coffee's autumn lineup to welcome home the season. Our limited-edition fall coffees feature the return of our beloved Autumn Blend and two brand-new single-origin coffees from Nicaragua and Indonesia. As the head roaster at Compass Coffee, I'm here to give you the scoop on this year's seasonal roasts!
Autumn Blend
For many of us, the Autumn Blend is a taste of nostalgia, and a familiar comfort that signals the start of the season. Maintaining that flavor profile is a creative challenge that the roasting team and I embark on every year. Our customers expect the same flavor each fall, but actually, the beans we get change all the time because of weather and climate.
An intensive crafting process
You may not know, but the process of developing the Autumn Blend is something that happens annually. Why not use the same beans?" you may ask. Even if we use beans from the same coffee farms, in the same regions, the crops change in flavor. Changes in the rainfall, temperatures, and conditions just when the coffee cherries are about to ripen are all factors that influence the taste.
To maintain that familiar flavor profile, the team and I have to craft a new blend of coffees from different origins to replicate the taste everyone loves.
Tasting 17 coffees in 3 months
In fact, the roasting and tasting team choose from no less than 17 different coffees from all over the world to build the blend each year! It's all about matching the flavors and finding that perfect combination to keep the taste consistent. Coffee has three times as many volatile aromatic compounds as wine. It means that coffee offers a far more expansive and intricate palette of flavors to work with.
This year's blend is a tribute to that cozy, full-bodied coffee that feels like a warm embrace on a chilly day. It took three months of sample roasting and coffee cupping to get it just right! To guide the process, I actually like to use the artwork from the Autumn Blend tin as my inspiration, aiming for a flavor that evokes a medium-dark, heavy, and exquisite, velvety-smooth feel while it's raining outside.
Full body with notes of warm spices
The result is a blend with notes of warm spices such as cinnamon and cardamom, built on a foundation of three distinct origins:
- Colombia: Sourced from the high-altitude Cauca region, these beans provide a smooth, full-bodied richness.
- Mexico: From a small family farm in Chiapas, these beans add warm, earthy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Kenya: This origin adds a final touch of bright, peppery complexity.
A journey in two single-origin coffees
While our Autumn Blend is about the essence of fall year after year, our two new single-origin coffees bring you limited-availability roasts from a few of our favorite farms. Single-origin coffees are the preferred choice among Compass Coffee roasters, including myself, who drinks 5-7 cups of them black every day! For me, the work that the coffee farmers put in is incredible and we want to celebrate that by showcasing their coffee's unique flavor without masking it.
Nicaragua: Rich and smooth
Our first single-origin comes from a "Super High Grown" (SHG) farm in Nicaragua, where the high elevation is the secret to its exceptional flavor. Coffee grown at these altitudes matures more slowly, allowing the bean to develop a denser, harder core with a higher concentration of natural sugars. The result is a coffee with an incredible natural sweetness and a beautifully smooth character.
But the elevation isn't the only reason for the coffee's complex taste. Our Nicaragua coffee is also grown under the shade of a natural forest canopy, a practice that plays a crucial role in developing its flavor. The shade-grown method slows down the maturation of the coffee cherry, allowing more time for the bean to absorb the sugars and flavors from its surroundings. It’s what gives this coffee its natural sweetness and makes it so special.
The shade-grown method is also a cornerstone of sustainable coffee farming. Not only does it enhance the coffee's quality, but it also helps the environment by creating a natural habitat for a wide variety of birds and wildlife. Since farmers don't need to use chemical fertilizers or herbicides, it's a win-win for both the coffee and the ecosystem. You can really taste the difference that careful cultivation and an appreciation for nature make.
- Tasting Notes: You'll find a beautiful combination of molasses and roasted almonds, all wrapped in a wonderfully smooth body.
- Roast: A dark roast to create a warm, satisfying cup that's as comforting as your favorite fall sweater.
- Recommended Brew: I suggest using a French press to capture all the natural oils that give the Nicaragua Matagalpa coffee its amazing body and density.
Indonesia: Silky and fruity
Our second single-origin hails from tiny, 1-2-hectare farms in West Java, Indonesia. My current personal favorite for its beautifully sweet taste with a hint of pear, is our Indonesian coffee, which uses natural processed beans.
Natural processing, or "dry processing," is the oldest and most traditional method of preparing coffee. It's a key reason our new single-origin from Indonesia has such a unique, fruity flavor profile. Instead of removing the cherry's fruit and skin before drying the bean, the entire coffee cherry is laid out to dry in the sun.
As the cherry dries, the coffee bean inside absorbs the sugars and flavors from the surrounding fruit, infusing it with a unique sweetness and complexity. This is what gives the Indonesian coffee its distinctive notes of concord grape and coffee cherry.
I'm a big fan of this method. Natural processing is a little more risky and takes a lot of care, but when it's done right, you get these incredible, funky, and vibrant fruit notes that you can't get any other way. It truly lets the terroir of the coffee come through.
- Tasting Notes: Prepare for a burst of fruity and funky flavors, including notes of concord grape and a unique coffee cherry sweetness (similar to cherry and pear). It’s a lighter roast with a silky finish.
- Roast: A light and delicate roast to create a beautiful contrast to the darker, heavier flavors of the season.
- Recommended Brew: Indonesian Java coffee shines in a French press or as an iced pour-over using a Chemex.
The art of roasting
At Compass Coffee, roasting is far more than just heating beans. In 15th century Ottoman Empire, roasters just used a pan over an open fire. But today, roasting is a modern art form that requires precision. We carefully track every variable, from airflow and drum speed to temperature, to ensure each coffee reaches its full potential."
The roasting process is a delicate balance of science and artistry, and it’s how we deliver every batch to the highest standards of craft quality, so that you enjoy your favorite flavors cup after cup. The roasting team and I track the temperature and moisture levels of the beans as they go through two key changes:
- The "First Crack": Around 390°F (200°C), the beans make a distinct popping sound as the water inside them turns to steam. At this moment, we pull our lighter roasts, like the Indonesia Java single-origin, to preserve its delicate, fruity notes. The result is a bright, vibrant cup of coffee that offers a delightful alternative to the more decadent, deeper flavors of fall.
- The "Second Crack": If the roast continues, a second, softer series of cracks will occur around 435°F (224°C). At this stage, our darker roasts, like the Nicaraguan Matagalpa single-origin and the Autumn Blend, are ready. Here, the beans possess a deeper flavor, a heavier body, and a smooth, comforting finish that’s perfect for a frosty fall day.
Every bag is a direct result of Compass Coffee's strong relationships with farmers around the world and our roasters’ dedication to their craft. For me, when I roast, I'm thinking about the decades of work the farmers have put into cultivating these beans. It's my responsibility to roast with the same level of care and thought to bring out the very best of their flavor.
With that passion, we want to make sure every bag of our autumnal coffees is a sensational experience.
Try our fall coffees!
Whether you're curling up with the familiar taste of the Autumn Blend or embarking on a flavor adventure with our new single-origins, we hope this lineup brings a little bit of autumn magic to your daily routine.
Discover the Autumn Blend, Nicaragua Matagalpa single-origin, and Indonesia Java single-origin for a limited time only in our cafés and online!
