Coffee Seasonality

This week, I'm taking a few days at home, observing the seasonal shift outside my window while savouring a cup of Common Coffee’s Sweet from Colombia. It’s been a sublime rediscovery; I had almost forgotten how exceptional it is. I reached out to Jase, the roaster in Edinburgh, thanking him and his team for their hard work. His response hinted at the bitter-sweet reality: “It’s almost out, last few kgs, pal.” That fleeting nature, the constant change and rarity, is precisely what I find so captivating about the world of coffee.

I vividly recall our first coffee at the shop - Waykan from Guatemala. The unique taste is still fresh in my mind, as are the initial reactions from our early customers. That coffee laid the groundwork for our business, setting a standard we’ve strived to maintain. The gap left when that particular crop was no longer available was significant; it felt like losing a piece of our identity.

Then the new season rolls in, and huge boats dock with new crops and that has me thinking about the seasonal shifts here and in the lands where this coffee has come from, wondering whether their changes are as stark, harsh, or stunning as ours. It makes me reflect on the unique nature of each harvest. When the Waykan from Guatemala returned to our shop this week after a very long absence, the nostalgia hit hard. Of course, it wasn’t the same as before.

The concept of seasonality in coffee often goes unnoticed, leading to unrealistic expectations of year-round availability. Each harvest varies due to differing global climates and geopolitical conditions, making every batch distinct. Variables such as transport, storage, and roasting also play significant roles.  At Brewed, that's where I feel we step in. Our role is to navigate these changes, engaging deeply with the coffee from week to week, year to year. We aim to distil this complex information into something digestible, ensuring you get the essence without unnecessary complexity.

We're down to our last few bags of Common Coffee's Sweet. It's a must-try, versatile in every brew method, and currently, I'm enjoying it black. Observing the flavour transformation as it cools is an absolute treat. As we bid farewell to this particular batch, we're also gearing up for a fresh chapter with the upcoming Sweet variant. Eagerly anticipating the new tales and tastes it brings.

-

This coffee calender from Nordic Approach I’ve used over the years.

Deep dive into seasonality more here.