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  • namahage
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Great to see some growing interest with this thread again. It is still in my radar

    Leave a comment:


  • speleomike
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Hi all

    This sounds quite interesting.

    Yeeza said "Yeah it seems too cheap for a rare coffee. Rare, but not necessarily good/drinkable."
    However for a coffee that is rare to also be pricy requires a market. If the coffee is good but no one wants it then it can still be rare and cheap.

    Here is some more info on it.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kape_Barako
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffea_liberica

    The last reference above said "However, many growers and traders there pass off Excelsa as Baraco because supply of real Baraco, or Philippine Liberica, is very limited and a large part of it goes into making various coffee blends."
    So one must be careful in obtaining it.

    I think as CoffeeSnobs if an unusual bean becomes available we will try it and we can decide ourselves. Perhaps someone can get in a small sample for trial.

    Mike

    Leave a comment:


  • Thomjinx
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Hello all,

    I am new here, but I have traveled a lot in S.E.Asia including the Philippines and I am a huge fan of Barako coffee.
    200 years or so ago, the Philippines was one of the largest coffee growing and exporting countries.   But at some point there were other, more profitable crops that could be grown, so most Filipino farmers stopped growing coffee.  

    They still grow all four varieties of coffee there, but mostly Arabica and Barako.   The Batangas region is particularly know for Barako.

    Wrecker posted some good info.  

    There is a coffee company in the Phils, "Figaro Coffee Company" that has a campaign to save the Barako from going extinct.

    http://www.savethebarako.org/

    While it is often blended with Arabica, there are some 100% Barako coffees available there too.

    Figaros "Barako Gold" is 100% Barako

    Cafe de Lipas "Batangas Brew" is a popular Arabica/Barako blend.

    There are others, as well.

    Pure Barako is not for everyone, but if you like a coffee with attitude, you should give it a try.
    I love it myself.   It is a bit earthy in a (good) way, but it has a depth and complexity that I really enjoy.    Subtle it isnt, but this coffee has its fans, and I am one of them.

    In my opinion, the reason it is inexpensive is simply because so few people outside the Philippines have even heard of it.

    Until recently, I had been able to get it here in the US from a place in California called "The Filipino Coffee Company", but the folks running it closed down and moved back to the Philippines.

    There is a new company, who is not yet shipping, that will soon carry Barako coffee.  They are "The Barako Coffee Company"

    http://www.barakocoffee.com

    I hope they open soon.    Writing about it has gotten me jonesin for a nice hot cup of Barako.

    -Thomjinx

    Leave a comment:


  • namahage
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Formosan Tea (mods, take this away if not appropriate), is not replying my phone calls / emails

    Not sure if they are still trading.

    As they are the only aussie supplier I can find, guess I have to put this quest aside for now.

    Leave a comment:


  • namahage
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Nah...real macho coffee is made by triple pass brew with moka pot :P

    Leave a comment:


  • Thundergod
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Maybe you have to be macho to drink it.

    Leave a comment:


  • namahage
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    I am more concerned if it is not real Barako.

    If it is authentic Barako, I will gladly drink it even to find it tastes like battery fluid...

    But then I wouldnt imagine local Phillipino to dish up particularly large amount for macho coffee :

    Leave a comment:


  • yeeza
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Yeah it seems too cheap for a rare coffee. Rare, but not necessarily good/drinkable.

    Leave a comment:


  • TC
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Originally posted by rudy link=1215644345/0#9 date=1215650646
    Pricing is reasonable, 3.50 per 250 gr roasted.

    I am trying to get in touch with the guy to see if he does green.
    :-? At that price, I suspect that you will most likely get exactly what you paid for. At $14/kg roasted, I suspect that the best case scenario will be poor quality and barely drinkable....

    Leave a comment:


  • namahage
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Pricing is reasonable, 3.50 per 250 gr roasted.

    I am trying to get in touch with the guy to see if he does green.

    Leave a comment:


  • namahage
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Originally posted by Andy Freeman link=1215644345/0#4 date=1215648590
    It does sound interesting but out of all the long list of brokers that we use I have never seen it.

    I had wondered before why we dont see any coffee from the Philipines as their climate is right for it and their neighbours produce some great coffee.
    It may have something to do with certain plague that destroy many coffee plants. I wonder if thats why a lot more robusta is around nowadays, including crops from Philipines.

    There is a vendor in Australia, though I cant post the website.

    Leave a comment:


  • yeeza
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    I guess were not gonna see it on a BeanBay anytime soon huh? haha

    Leave a comment:


  • Wrecker
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Well, lets ponder it from this perspective:

    How much more "coffeesnob" could we get than to insist on including a "rare", "exotic" coffee that is on the "verge of extinction"!??

    Apparently, many in the Phillipines prefer it over Arabica so it would seem to be a very local and acquired taste.

    As coffee is in itself a wonderful accompaniment to conversation, I can clearly see serving some Barako as conversation in itself. Im sufficiently intrigued to join your hunt...

    Leave a comment:


  • namahage
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee

    Thanks Wrecker, this makes it all the more interesting.

    Strength and machismo, eh?

    Leave a comment:


  • andy
    replied
    Re: Barako Coffee


    It does sound interesting but out of all the long list of brokers that we use I have never seen it.

    I had wondered before why we dont see any coffee from the Philipines as their climate is right for it and their neighbours produce some great coffee.

    Leave a comment:

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