What Makes a Micro?
There are a lot of different terms and trends in the specialty coffee world! Here at Velo, we do our very best to keep up with the lingo, and that’s why we are going to explain to you today what a micro-lot coffee is!
The term “micro-lot” has become very trendy in ‘coffee-talk’, along with sustainability and quality. The short version is that micro-lot refers to small, exclusive, and traceable lots of coffee. Consumers are becoming very interested in details of where their coffee comes from: altitude, climate, processing methods, etc. The micro-lot label can really help coffee producers prove the traceability and uniqueness of their coffee!
Micro-lots can help producers ensure their coffees are carefully sorted and processed, leading to high quality! Micro-lots help producers differentiate between the different coffees more easily, and the lots that each batch of coffee comes from can be identified easier!
We have a few different micro-lot coffees here at Velo Coffee Roasters. The first two micro-lots come from India from the Ratnagiri Estate Micro-lot. This estate has been in operation for generations and has used that time to perfect this single origin coffee! This coffee has flavours of plum, jam, sultana, and green apple- yum! A bright and fruity way to start your day!
This coffee is relatively new to the Velo family, but quickly becoming a favourite for a sweet 'pick-me-up!' This India coffee is nutty, creamy, and well-balanced! It is definitely a sweet addition. These two India coffees are perfect examples of micro-lots because they come from the same farm, or estate, but come from different micro-lots within the estate.
Coming to us from Nicaragua is our Samaria Las Minas coffee! Samaria Las Minas is new to the Velo family! This coffee utilises an anaerobic honey process which increases the drying process and flavour development. The family who farms this coffee has been doing so since the beginning of the 20th century and they are delighted to share this micro-lot with flavours of milk chocolate, lemonade, spiced apple, and cherry pie – sweet like summer!
One of our new additions to our micro-lot coffees is from Ratnagiri Estate. It is India Honey Cavery! This is an excellent coffee that benefits from the biodynamic farming approach used by the producer, Ashok Patre. Ashok has spent many years travelling to other origin countries and taking the best from their practices and incorporating them into his own operation at Pearl Mountain. This coffee has a sweet toffee flavour balanced with bright citrus flavours. It has a medium body that is smooth and mellow.
Ethiopia Dumerso is another new micro-lot coffee that we have here at Velo! The village Dumerso is located in the Yirgacheffe region which has developed a reputation for the most sought after micro-lot coffees in the world! This region is known for clean water, high altitudes, fertile soil, abundant sunshine, and of course, local knowledge! This coffee has delicious flavours of cranberry and blueberry, with hints of lavender and floral notes!
Moving On with Micro-lots
Don’t let the name ‘micro’ fool you- these coffees come with BIG flavours! Micro-lot coffees are selected for high quality and unique flavour profiles. They make for easier traceability for producers and consumers who are interested! Each micro-lot is grown in limited quantities, picked, and processed entirely separate from the rest of the lots.
