{"title":"Malawi","description":"\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eRoasting Guide\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"categoryextrafield\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMalawi is well-suited for a medium roast.  We often roast it like a Colombia -- just a solid medium roast a few snaps into the 2nd cracks.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eManual\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"categoryextrafield\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"content\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn up-and-coming name in African coffee -- the best estate is Mapanga, and it is best only because England owns it and oversees it and insists on doing what it takes to produce high-quality coffee.  Other estates -- including those at higher altitudes and longitudes, are studying Mapanga's model for quality and taking steps to better themselves.  The most commonly seen FTO co-op is the Women's Mzuzu co-op, and they are established and able to produce well-sorted high quality coffee.   At this time the coffee coming out of Malawi is all washed-process and does not have that intense fruity undertone that you would get from a sundried Ethiopian.  A good Malawi is most similar in taste to neighboring Rwanda.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"malawi-mapanga","title":"Malawi Mapanga","description":"\u003cp\u003eMalawi is just beginning to gain credibility in the specialty coffee market. There are a few up and coming Malawi coffee groups, but your best bet is from the Mapanga Estate. It is currently the model for all the other coffee growers in the country. Malawi is a landlocked, very small nation, with a very small coffee crop. It borders Tanzania in the north; but Mapanga Estate is in the south, almost over into Mozambique and Zimbabwe. You would expect that the northern Malawi coffee (Mzuzu for example) would be the better coffee, and someday maybe it will be, but one advantage of the south is the altitude. The coffee at Mapanga enjoys altitudes of 7000 feet and higher, whereas the coffee in the north grows at altitudes of 3,000-6,000 feet (still plenty high for growing great coffee...but 7,000-8,000 feet is extraordinary).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a WASHED process coffee, so it's less fruity, but has a fuller body than say, a natural Ethiopia. I would compare it most closely to a Rwanda. There is a gentle caramel sweetness to it, just the right initial zip of acidity that fades away, a pleasant juiciness in the taste, and a clean sweet finish. The beans are top grade, sorted by size and are a pretty bluish hue. The bag says AA, but apparently Malawi uses its own sizing system, because these would be considered an A in most countries. Nonetheless, they're pretty easy to roast.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoasting Tips:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bean cracks later, develops for longer, than you might expect. Don't be alarmed if color progression and cracks come at a higher temperature than you're used to. Even 45 seconds past the 1st cracks, there continues to be a raw green pepper taste in the bean, and mottled color. Once the beans are evenly browned, it needs a little more time, but it's getting close. On my roaster, 1st cracks ended at 393 degrees. The beans continued to taste raw all the way through 410 degrees. At 412 the aroma was mesmerizing, and the brew tasted pleasant and crisp. At 415 the mug was rich and sweet with complexity of caramel and cranberry cordial with floral notes. At 418 the cranberry started turning into red wine, and then the 2nd cracks started at 420 at which point it started losing complexity and turning flat. And then as almost French Roast at 438 it was sweet and very nice, no bitterness or ashy tastes, which is similar to a Burundi or Rwanda or other washed African coffee at that level. But basically, the sweet spot is when the roast is on the verge of, but not yet starting, the 2nd cracks. Full City, as the professionals would say. If you miss that off-ramp, the next one is at French.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival January 2025\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19630887207000,"sku":null,"price":7.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/IMG_20200223_200052.jpg?v=1738611879"},{"product_id":"malawi-mzuzu","title":"Malawi Mzuzu","description":"\u003cp\u003eMalawi is just beginning to gain credibility in the specialty coffee market. Mzuzu is a fair-trade certified women's co-op in the Northern part of the country across the border from Tanzania. The co-op operates with a platform of gender equality, community improvement, and health education. This year they are building a hospital with the help of coffee premiums.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMuch like nearby Tanzania, Malawi sorts their beans by size, which helps these large AA sized beans roast evenly. It's a washed coffee, and the beans look nice with almost no discoloration or defects to be found. The coffee shares many similarities to a Tanzania -- it is best at a light to medium roast. It's less fruity, but has good body and complexity. We are tasting some tartness like a green grape, with floral notes like rose, and some beef broth (in a good way). I would compare it most closely to a Tanzania. There is a gentle citrus lemongrass undertone to it, just the right initial zip of acidity that fades away, a pleasant juiciness in the taste. They are pretty easy to roast -- they won't blow you away, but it does have unique and pleasant flavor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eRoasting Tips:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bean cracks later, and develops for longer, than you might expect. Don't be alarmed if color progression and cracks come at a higher temperature than you're used to. I recommend speeding up and shortening the middle of the roast to bring out more acidity, which gives the coffee more character; but slow it down and don't skimp at the end while it is developing flavor. We roast it similarly to a Kenya -- a shade darker -- roughly 40 seconds past the end of the 1st cracks. Lots of heat in the middle of the roast. Err too light and it's more tart than sweet. Err too dark and it loses it's african character. This is not a particularly pleasant coffee at dark roasts but it does impress when prepared as espresso. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTanzania is one of our favorite coffees to blend with because it adds a sweetness and acidity to anything you pair it with. Not surprisingly, this Malawi also is a particularly nice coffee in blends, seemingly improving just about anything you stick it with (at 20% to 30% levels so as not to overpower the blend). However, it has disappointed us as espresso.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA wonderful cause to support, one of our favorite co-ops to buy from.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJune 2024 arrival.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":19630893891672,"sku":null,"price":5.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/612.jpg?v=1738611771"},{"product_id":"malawi-peaberry-sable-farm-1","title":"Malawi Peaberry Sable Farm","description":"\u003cdiv id=\"tabs-1\" class=\"tab-pane active\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMalawi is just beginning to gain credibility in the specialty coffee market.  There are a few up and coming Malawi coffee groups, but your best bet are the farms in the South.  Malawi is a landlocked, very small nation, with a very small coffee crop.  It borders Tanzania in the north; but northern Malawi lacks the altitude and infrastructure (ie, roads) that the Southern part of the country boasts.  The coffee grown on Sable Farm reaches altitudes of 5000 to 7000 feet and is then sorted very well and washed with clean water.  These are the large AA beans that were sorted out as the best beans in the crop. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a WASHED process coffee, so it's less fruity, but has a fuller body than say, a natural Ethiopia.    I would compare it most closely to a Tanzania.  There is plum, lime, green apple notes -- a pleasant juiciness in the taste, and a clean sweet finish. Hints of citrus.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause they are peaberries, they are a little bit harder to roast than most coffees.  Very dense, so they require a lot of heat, and if you don't have high air circulation, you risk burning the outside before roasting the inside of the bean. Peaberries do really well in air roasters and if you roast in a skillet or anywhere that you have to stir the beans manually, because they are roly-poly instead of flat sided. If you have a drum roaster, they do well if you can increase your drum speed or increase your exhaust fan during the roast.   \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAside from the density of the bean, they are very easy to roast! Anywhere from just out of first cracks to just into 2nd cracks all share a similar taste profile, and all taste great. The lighter side of the spectrum gets you more brightness, hints of plum and is a little bit tarter. The medium roasts are our favorite, a little bit shy of 2nd cracks -- some green apple, juicy lime, smoother, sweeter. And just inside 2nd cracks it is less sweet and less complex, but still fruity, still citrusy. I would liken it to a very nice Tanzania with a forgiving roasting curve.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI like this coffee quite a bit as a single-origin when it comes out right, but I also like to blend with it because it adds a sweetness to anything you pair it with and it's a good way to use up the roasts that are a little bit off.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival January 2018\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":20072196210776,"sku":null,"price":4.47,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}]},{"product_id":"malawi-mapanga-peaberry","title":"Malawi Mapanga Peaberry","description":"\u003cp\u003eMalawi is just beginning to gain credibility in the specialty coffee market. There are a few up and coming Malawi coffee groups, but your best bet is from the Mapanga Estate. It is currently the model for all the other coffee growers in the country. Malawi is a landlocked, very small nation, with a very small coffee crop. It borders Tanzania in the north; but Mapanga Estate is in the south, almost over into Mozambique and Zimbabwe. You would expect that the northern Malawi coffee (Mzuzu for example) would be the better coffee, and someday maybe it will be, but one advantage of the south is the altitude. The coffee at Mapanga enjoys altitudes of 7000 feet and higher, whereas the coffee in the north grows at altitudes of 3,000-6,000 feet (still plenty high for growing great coffee...but 7,000-8,000 feet is extraordinary).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a WASHED process coffee, so it's less fruity, but has a fuller body than say, a natural Ethiopia. There is a gentle caramel sweetness to it, and spice notes (cumin, curry) and just the right initial zip of acidity that fades away, a pleasant juiciness in the taste. The beans are top grade and are a pretty bluish hue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMy favorite roast is approaching 2nd cracks but not quite there (Full City as the professionals would say). It's a versatile coffee to roast though. Light roasts have almost too much of the spice notes, and dark roasts don't have enough complexity, so medium roasts are my favorite balance of flavors; but all roasts are drinkable. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUS Arrival January 2021\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"happymugcoffee","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":33720261738584,"sku":null,"price":3.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/products\/malawi.jpg?v=1738611460"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0045\/8548\/8472\/collections\/malawi.jpg?v=1647829812","url":"https:\/\/happymugcoffee.mom\/collections\/malawi.oembed","provider":"Happy Mug","version":"1.0","type":"link"}