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I’m a great fan of Merlo’s Bean of the Month program as it provides an opportunity to taste high quality coffees from smallhold farmers around the world. It’s a great way of becoming acquainted with all the different flavour profiles in coffee. What a fun way of learning more about one of our favourite subjects.
Queensland-based Merlo has grown to become one of Australia’s leading independently owned roasters, with 16 of its own cafes as well as supplying 1,000+ cafes and restaurants around the country. It also sells online to customers throughout Australia and overseas.
In some exciting news, Merlo’s Bean of the Month is now being offered in all its Torrefazione stores as a paper-filtered coffee. Dean Merlo says that, apart from cupping, this is really the next best way to taste coffee, as the simple preparation and paper filter allows the flavour characteristics of the bean to shine.
Coffee to brew at home
Merlo uses the stylish but simple Hario V60 brewing device, which you can see a video of here. It is also selling its filter roasted Bean of the Month coffee for people to take home and use in a Chemex, Aeropress or V60 brewing device.
“We understand that most of our customers prefer their coffee with milk or sugar, but by using a special paper filter in the V60, it removes all the oil and bitterness from the cup – making a soft, clean and naturally sweet cup of coffee that is smooth enough for even the most committed cappuccino drinker,” Merlo says.
Last month Merlo got into the Olympic Spirit by highlighting Brazilian coffee for its Bean of the Month, with the spotlight on the Dolce Cerrado bean grown by the legendary Andrade family from the High Cerrado Estate of Minas Gerais.
This month it is highlighting Iriga beans from Meru County in Kenya. Grown at 1,200m above sea level and naturally dried on raised beds in the sun, the beans feature a caramel chocolate flavour, a delicate fruit aroma and a great rich body. It is available at all Merlo-owned stores across Brisbane, Melbourne and online, at $11.25 for 200g up to $41.50 for 1kg.
In October, the Bean of the Month will be the lovely sweet and nutty Costa Rica San Pablo Carrizal, from the internationally renowned Tarrazu region. In November, it will be the El Salvador La Montanita, a strong fruit-forward coffee produced by 28 small-scale farmers who de-pulp, wash and dry their own cherries. These are definitely ones to watch out for.
You might also enjoy our post, A Colombian Cup of Excellence.
