Equal Exchange Organic and Fairtrade Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Coffee Review

We like:

The Fairtrade and organic certifications; Equal Exchange's commitment to fair trade and sustainability as a company

We don't like:

Not much -- but it'd be nice if the coffee co-operative had shares in Equal Exchange

SmartPlanet judgement:

We normally like full-bodied coffees and this one is far from that. It's delicate, but still very tasty. We like the fact we know exactly which Ethiopian co-operative has produced the beans and we're very impressed with Equal Exchange's work in bringing organic and Fairtrade products to consumers in the UK.

James Hoffman, 2007 Barista of the Year, impressed us by guessing this coffee was a Yirgacheffe at our blind coffee tasting. In addition, he described it as light-bodied, having a good acidity and being lemony on the nose. We just thought it was a really pleasant coffee that we could easily drink black. If anything, it was too light-bodied. And contrary to the other coffees we've tasted, this one actually improved as it got colder, which, according to Hoffman, is a sign of quality. Continue reading...