Category: Coffee Corner

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Parang Blend

The story behind the third edition of Roastel Parang Blend.

Go straight to the product page

Nearing the end of the year, we usually attend back to back weekend markets where we get to meet and chat face to face with our dear customers. We found that folks were interested in a bold coffee, a blend that had a little extra kick for the hectic season, and flavourful to enjoy with the traditional, seasonal goodies like black cake, butter cookies, pastelles and more.

Parang Blend, South of France

We also realised that many people were travelling abroad or visiting for Christmas and wanted something special, something local to take with them. So we set out to create a unique blend using regional coffee and coffee grown in Trinidad. The local coffee brings more caffeine with a deep profile and the regional coffees add a bit of smoothness and spice. It turns out that this coffee is perfect to keep a parandero going and we named it “Parang Blend”!

Throughout 2018, customers asked for the Parang Blend but we insisted that it remained seasonal. Behind the scenes though, we wanted to create something special for the latest release and entered into two exciting collaborations.


Long time friend and parandero Krisy D

We approached long time friend and parandero, Kris (Krisy D) to “put the parang in the Parang Blend”. Kris and Hanson, friends for nearly 30 years, adapted Kris’s 2014 hit “Whole Year Paranging”. With a chorus, half of a verse, and Shalimar drafted for melody, we knocked on the door of friend and producer, Javed of Studio360. He provided much needed guidance and quickly pulled it all together. Music video here.


Story collector and coffee painter, Neala Luna

Soon after the musical adventure began, we had a conversation with story collector, Neala Luna. We received two of her pieces, painted with coffee, earlier in the year and like those, the Parang Blend packaging also had to be a keeper. From a simple idea, this aspect of the project evolved into a label that could be re-purposed into an ornament, bookmark, keepsake and the list can very well go on.

So this is the Parang Blend, 2018. We’re still rolling out deliveries to our retail partners and it’s also available right here on the website and at the events we attend (well…until December 2018 of course!)

Find Parang Blend:
Product link
Upcoming Events
Roastel Stockists

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Mocha Cold Brew Latte (from concentrate)

Our cold brew concentrate makes it easy to indulge in this low acidity latte.

Makes one 8 oz cup

What you will need:

  • 2 oz Roastel cold brew concentrate
  • 1-2 Tbsp simple syrup  or honey (optional)
  • 5 oz milk of your choice
  • A milk frother, french press or whisk
  • Grated dark chocolate/cocoa nibs

Directions:

Begin by frothing the milk in a measuring cup. If you’re using a hand-held frother or a whisk, agitate the milk until it has a velvety texture and has increased in volume by about an once. You can also froth the milk in a french press by aggressively pumping the milk until the velvety texture is created. Swirl and gently tap the measuring cup/french press on a kitchen towel to get rid of any big bubbles in the milk.

In an 8 oz glass, pour in the cold brew concentrate. Add simple syrup if desired.

Slowly pour in the frothed milk, first from a height of about six inches, gradually lowering the pouring cup/french press to create the thick foamy top.

Drizzle the grated chocolate/cocoa nibs and serve with a spoon.

* We usually use a drinking chocolate bar which already has spices such as cinnamon, but you can easily add spices of your own for a twist on the recipe!

Don’t forget to tag #roastel when you try this yourself!
The concentrate is available here for purchase.

 

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Classic Italian Espresso Blend – The Story

My first encounter with fresh roasted coffee was at my first job in the food and beverage industry in London, England. There was a brand new, fully automatic coffee machine and beans were delivered fresh, every three weeks. The aroma was remarkable and the drinks were so rich in flavour.

Italian Cafe. Original photo by Hanson Harribans.

 

I’ve been fortunate to experience the beautiful espresso culture in Italy, and it was only natural that espresso would feature in the Roastel lineup. This was also fueled by most café and dining experiences in Trinidad, where there is top priority on the food, but a mediocre espresso is served (to put it mildly). Aside from a lack of equipment, untrained staff and general laziness toward coffee, the main culprit is stale beans and the use of pods, even with well-known brands of Italian origin. The Roastel espresso would have to pack a punch while maintaining a moderate amount of sweetness.

 

Roastel Classic Italian espresso shot, beautifully extracted with ease on a Breville Barista Express

 

It’s a bit of a roaster’s secret that some Robusta beans are used in espresso blends. That was an immediate win for Roastel, as we strive to promote our local, Trinidadian coffee as much as possible and we don’t subscribe to the narrow-minded notion that Robusta has no place in specialty coffee. These beans not only increase the caffeine content of the espresso shot, but they also help to create fantastic crema with an emulsification of oils to help deliver the multi-layered, creamy taste of a successful espresso blend.

Classic Italian (Espresso Blend) in foil-lined, zip seal bag with degassing valve.

 

We imagine that cafés and restaurants will slowly adapt as the local coffee culture grows toward quality, but in the mean time, the coffee drinkers who have experienced proper espresso have fiercely latched on to our Classic Italian blend. It’s also regularly served as a pour-over coffee at events that we attend. Although designed for mokapot (stove top) and espresso machine use, this blend shines with every brew method we’ve tried.

– Hanson Harribans (Roastel Roaster)

View/purchase the Classic Italian Blend here

 

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The guide to delicious French Press coffee

The French Press – simplicity, sophistication and a beautiful cup of coffee.

Using a French press to prepare fresh roasted coffee may differ somewhat from the directions that came with your French press. We’ve found the following method produces excellent French pressed coffee.

Brewing characteristics: Sturdy body, full flavour, but fine grounds could end up in your cup.

Preferred grind: Coarse on a conical burr grinder (Flat burr & blade grinders will produce more fine grounds, but can definitely be used.) A coarser grind means reduced surface area for extraction and as a result, the French press method uses more coffee than others.

Preferred roast: Light medium to medium-dark (Dark roasted beans tend to be very brittle and produce more fines.)
Here’s a selection of our recommended French press coffees.

General Ratio for optimal flavour:

2.5 grams of coffee to 1 oz of water.

This ratio allows for peak flavour development, but based on your preference, you can adjust accordingly. 

* If the numbers above confuse you, as it does with us sometimes, we have a tip:

TIP:  for an 8 oz cup of coffee:
BEANS: Use 2 tablespoons
GROUND: Use 3 tablespoons

 

STEP ONE

Coarsely ground coffee

Bring filtered water (enough for your cup plus a little more) to a boil. Now is a good time to grind your coffee if you’re starting with whole beans. A coarse grind is preferred so that fewer fine particles escape the filter mesh.

 

STEP TWO

Fresh roasted coffee “blooms”

With your ground coffee in the press, pour the water to just cover the ground coffee.
Fresh roasted coffee will still be degassing and you’ll notice the coffee start to “bloom”. We don’t want these gases to affect the taste of the coffee, so let it sit just a bit.

 

STEP THREE

Give the mixture a few stirs with a wooden spoon or palette stick and add the rest of water.
Metal spoons GREATLY increase the chances of cracking the glass and we want you to be happy!

Rest plunger on top (Don’t plunge yet). Let the mixture steep for 4 minutes. No shortcuts. 4 minutes.

 

STEP FOUR

Plunge all the way. Although it’s pretty in the press, immediately pour the coffee into your cup or a carafe. Letting the coffee stay in the press will result in over-extraction and a generally undesirable taste. At this point, the coffee is not piping hot as with other brew methods, so if you like it hot, waste no time. If it’s fresh roasted, we’ve found temperature to be quite forgiving and we can take our time and enjoy.

 

CLEANUP

Cleaning a French press may seem daunting, but it’s really straightforward. Remove and wash the mesh and all the components of the plunger. Add some water to the carafe and swirl a bit to help get all the coffee grounds out. Carefully wash and avoid knocking the glass carafe on anything. Dry and store safely until it’s coffee time again!

Shop coffees here
Purchase French presses and other coffee gear here.

 

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Roastel’s Harmony Blend

Taking Trinidad & Tobago coffee into a new realm.

harmony 3At the 5 June, 2016 Trinidad UpMarket event held at The Woodbrook Youth Facility, Roastel Coffee’s “Harmony” blend was introduced. The local artisan/craft markets always offer a great opportunity to get immediate feedback on new and developing products.

We honestly did not know what the response would be to this variegated coffee with a wild taste profile.

By midday, Harmony was sold out. The response was overwhelming, we imagine due to the unique look of the coffee and the strong presence of local T&T coffee beans. This is clearly evident of a renewed “buy local” trend.

Roasting our own coffee has created opportunities to develop roasts and blends previously unheard of in Trinidad and Tobago coffee culture. We have achieved tremendous range with this flavour profile by delicately contrasting a lightly roasted Peruvian bean with a dark roasted Rio Claro Robusta. With the aim of using as much local content as we can, we’re moving full steam ahead in our journey to provide fresh, premium coffee and to create a new wave, coffee culture in our lovely T&T.

Hanson Harribans
Coffee Roaster
Roastel Coffee

 

Cupping Notes: 

Dark roasted Trinidadian Robusta meets a very light Peruvian roast, creating a wide taste spectrum, from a crisp mouth feel to a rich roasted finish.

Blend: Harmony
Origin: Peru & Rio Claro, TT
Altitude: 3,000+ ft & 30 ft
Other: Shade Grown
Species: Arabica & Robusta
Roast: City & Vienna
Organic: Peru
Fair Trade: Yes
Farmers: APROCASSI – Cooperativa de Servicios Multiples & Harribans family.

Harmony Shopping Link