Fruit Punch - 5th Edition
Fruit Punch is a series of seasonal blends released annually, all designed to honour the finest qualities of fresh green beans. We select new coffees each year, roasted and blended to showcase the best that high grown, quality arabicas have to offer – vibrant acidity and fresh fruit flavours. A real Fruit Punch.
This year, we wanted to try something a little different. After the zesty notes of the double Ethiopian release, the tropical fruit of our triple Colombian blend, and last year's (very) prominent grape notes, we've created a Fruit Punch blend that brings pink and red to mind.
The inspiration first came when we tasted Julio Abel Arévalo's coffee. Unlike most Peruvian beans, this one had a very clear sweetness, one that reminds you of fruity lollies. Traditionally, coffees hailing from Peru are thought to taste quite chocolaty and nutty, with a creamy mouthfeel and a mild acidity. This one had none of the above, but a definite fruit profile. Paired with another surprisingly fruity component from the COOPARM cooperative in the Amazonas region of Peru, we had our base.
To bring more acidity to this blend, we opted for a coffee from Colombia, highly-grown on Leonid Ramirez's farm, which brought out juicy tart notes, to round up and blend that will remind you of eating freshly-picked strawberries, plums and rhubarb.
Components:
1. Farmer: Julio Abel Arévalo
Origin: Perené, Peru
Variety/Cultivar: Pache, Bourbón, Caturra, Typica
MAS: 1,450
Process: Natural
2. Cooperative: COOPARM
Origin: Amazonas, Peru
Variety/Cultivar: Mixed varieties
MAS: 1,200 - 1,800
Process: Natural
3. Farmer: Leonid Ramirez
Origin: Quindio, Colombia
Variety/Cultivar: Castillo
MAS: 1,900 - 2,200
Process: Washed Anaerobic
Espresso Tasting Notes:
Fresh strawberries, Rhubarb, Plum
With milk:
Dates, Almonds, Caramel
Recommended Use:
Espresso
Artwork by HARRIS KEENAN
Each edition of Fruit Punch comes with a custom packaging sleeve, and this year we enlisted up-and-coming multi-disciplinary artist Harris Keenan. Auckland-based, Harris shares a history with Atomic, having been a regular of our Kingsland cafe for a few years now.
His ever-colourful style, which he has spread across a variety mediums (from murals to street signs, album covers, light art installations and textile) caught our eyes around the city and at festivals. His illustration for Fruit Punch combines his characteristic visual references, weaving together scenes and adding neon-lighting. Read our interview with Harris here.