Working with our monsooning partner (Aspinwall), Josuma has developed a version of Monsooned Malabar that is superior to what every other importer offers. The Super Grade bean is uniquely suited for espresso, where the concentrated brew magnifies any bean shortcomings but also rewards consistency and uniformity. “Salted caramel in a cup,” is how espresso legend David Schomer describes the bean he served to rave reviews at a recent SCA Expo.
The Super Grade formulation solves the problem common to standard grade Monsooned Malabar. In the lower AA and A grades, up to 40% of beans are *PARTIALLY* monsooned. These beans cause funky, fermenty flavors that many (unsurprisingly) find off-putting. If these are removed- leaving only the *FULLY* monsooned beans, then Malabar delivers just the desirable attributes: high body, low acidity, and a sugary sweet flavor (in espresso) or a mellow, pleasant, earthy flavor (in drip).
While the Super Grade typically merits a premium price (reflecting both the higher triple-A grade along with the losses on the beans removed), roasters say the bean shows its worth when used for espresso (“the perfect benchmark shot”).
Whether used as the primary component in a blend or as a single origin espresso, roasters find that Super Grade Monsooned Malabar produces thick, syrupy shots (“elixir of the gods”) with plentiful crema. Low acidity also keeps the espresso from becoming overwhelmingly bright or sour.
To learn more about how to use Super Grade Monsooned Malabar:
- Read “Improving the Crema and Mouthfeel of Your Espresso Blend“
- IG Guide: The Ideal Bean for Espresso
- IG Guide: Espresso Tasting Notes
- Visit the Espresso Blending section of this website.
HOW TO BUY: Fill out our Inquiry Form, and we’ll follow up w/ next steps. Please also review our Purchasing Green Coffee FAQs to learn how we handle green coffee transactions.
WAREHOUSING NOTE: We currently warehouse Super Grade Monsooned Malabar at The Annex which also stores coffees from other best-in-class coffee importers. Smaller roasters (and those not on the West Coast) will find that doing a “Consolidated Shipment” (i.e. combining purchases from multiple importers into a single shipment) is often the most cost-effective way to source higher quality coffees.