Coffee racemosa Natural - Colette Tracy - South Africa

Name: Coffea Racemosa Natural Region: Elephant Coast, South Africa Farm: Hluhluwe Process: Natural  Species: Coffea racemosa Altitude: 120 MASL Notes: lingonberry, cinnamon, toasted pistachio, eucalyptus

This coffee roasts on Fridays only (orders must be in by Thursday 12pm)

Recommended Brew Ratios:

Origami Air S

Brew Ratio: 1:14.2

14 grams in, 200 ml water. Grind Size: ~950 microns Water Temperatures: 91 C (196 F) Filter: Sibarist Fast Cone Filter 4 x 50g pulses (incorporate the next pulse once most of the water drains) Time: 2 minutes 25 seconds

More:

This species made it to our menu out of the Coffea Species and Rare Arabica Presentation and Tasting that Leon has been hosting over the last two years. Read more about it here! 

Native to Mozambique and South Africa, Coffea racemosa grows at low altitudes in hot temperatures and long dry seasons and thus has some climate resistance. It has strong pest and disease resistance, namely against coffee leaf miners and nematodes, with a short ripening period and is naturally low in caffeine.

Very little is grown commercially, about 11,000 trees worldwide, Coffea racemosa has small seeds, low yields, and is difficult to process and roast.

Hybrid - Aramosa - tests in Brazil offer sweeter and smoother flavor while retaining Racemosa’s resilience.

Common flavor notes: jasmine, cinnamon, chocolate, vanilla, blackcurrant) are definitely positive flavor attributes, while others are more unusual or undesirable (e.g., camphor, eucalyptus, savoury, medicinal).

Traits:

Producer - Colette Tracy Farm - Elephant Coast Farm Place - Hluhluwe, South Africa Temperature - High (21.7 - 28.3 C - 71 - 82.5 F) Altitude 0 -500 meters above sea level (0 - 1,640 feet) - these within 20 km of sea and 150 masl Rainfall - 650 mm per year (25.6 inches) Dry Season - Significant dry season over winter 6 months - very little precipitation Caffeine Conent - .75g/100g - compare to Arabica 1.6g/100g - Robusta 2.3g/100g Fruit Maturation - 8-12 weeks Disease Tolerance - Coffee Leaf Miner and Coffee Leaf Rust

One of the most fascinating aspects of Racemosa is its incredibly fast fruit maturation, which is believed to play an important role in its flavour profile. The entire process—from flowering, which lasts only three days, to unripe cherry and finally ripe cherry—takes just 8–12 weeks.

Racemosa has also demonstrated proven tolerance to leaf miner and, importantly, resistance to leaf rust.

One of the greatest challenges with Racemosa is that harvest, processing, and drying take place during December, the hottest and wettest month of the year. These conditions make drying the coffee—particularly for natural processing or the carbonic maceration methods —extremely difficult.

Adding to these challenges is the tiny size of the beans, which are approximately one-quarter the size of Arabica beans. Their small size allows them to slip through gaps in nearly every piece of machinery used throughout production, from pulpers and hullers to roasters.

This coffee is rare and hard to come by. The price is reflective of the yield and the hard work it takes to produce. If you are still curious, read more here. 

options come in 15 grams, 50 grams or 100 grams

The Coffea racemosa varietal is a rare and distinct species, and this specific lot from producer Colette Tracy in the Elephant Coast region of South Africa offers a unique look at its potential. Roasted by Little Waves Coffee Roasters, this coffee undergoes a natural process, a technique where the fruit remains intact during drying to influence the final cup profile. Generally, natural-processed coffees are known for their heavier body and pronounced fruit characteristics, though the specific expression of this rare varietal yields notes of lingonberry, cinnamon, toasted pistachio, and eucalyptus. Because flavor perception is highly subjective, exploring these nuances alongside a flavor wheel can help drinkers better identify the complex interplay between the species' inherent traits and the post-harvest handling. This offering represents a fascinating intersection of specialized cultivation and careful roasting, highlighting the diversity found within the South African coffee landscape.