Pu’er Coffee

 Every time I go to a coffee expo, it feels like I need to come away with something for it to feel worthwhile. For me, the biggest value of these events is that they offer a concentrated window into brands and products that are new, distinctive, and sometimes even pleasantly surprising. What I’m sharing this time is another discovery from late November last year at the Shanghai Coffee Expo—a startup roastery from Shanghai called Stellaria . I noticed their booth the moment I walked by. The packaging was fresh and clean, and you could sense the emotional value the brand wanted to convey through subtle design details. They have a rather romantic and idealistic interpretation of their brand story: “Named after ‘celestial radiance,’ and paired with the simple ‘-ia’ suffix to enhance memorability, Stellaria captures the essence of youth and cutting-edge technological design. In Chinese, it evokes the poetic image of stars drifting quietly across the night sky, symbolizing the rich a...

 Apart from the Red and Green Labels from Finca Esmeralda, there’s another well-known pair of labeled Geishas on my coffee menu: the Gold Label and Red Label from Ethiopia’s Geisha Village. I’ve previously shared Finca Esmeralda’s grading system and even done a side-by-side comparison of Geishas from two farms. But there hasn’t been much discussion about the Gold Label and Red Label from Geisha Village, which often leaves people lingering in front of my coffee board, wondering about the differences. Today, I’ll clarify exactly how these two of Geisha Village’s most popular offerings differ. Before diving in, it’s important to note that aside from Gold and Red Labels, Geisha Village also produces Auction, Green, and Chaka grades. Much like many assume, the grading system shares similarities with Finca Esmeralda’s. As I’ve explained before, these “labels” aren’t the original product names. Because the original names are often hard to pronounce, we’ve adopted a more conversational ...

 The coffee that greets our souls every morning, much like wine, carries the imprint of the terroir —the land and climate—from different corners of the world. From a single bean to the rich brew in your cup, every sip tells a story of its homeland. Today, let’s embark on a global taste journey and explore the distinct flavors of five classic coffee origins. 🌍 Ethiopia When we talk about coffee, where else can we begin but its birthplace? On the ancient plateaus of Ethiopia, coffee trees still grow in their most primitive and natural way . The region is home to tens of thousands of coffee varieties, many of which even botanists can't name. When you taste a cup of Yirgacheffe , the first thing that often awakens the palate is a bright, lively citrus acidity , accompanied by notes of jasmine and honey sweetness—a true symphony for the senses. Coffees from the Sidama region, on the other hand, are often fuller-bodied, featuring wild berry notes and a tea-like finish. The most captiv...

  ☕ Origin & Location Core Region: Yirgacheffe lies in the Sidama area of southwestern Ethiopia. Although Ethiopia underwent administrative restructuring in 2019—placing the town of Yirgacheffe under the Gedeo Zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region—the term “Yirgacheffe” still refers broadly to the highland coffee-growing belt surrounding the town and its neighboring districts. Geography: This region sits high on the Ethiopian Plateau, at elevations between 1,700 and 2,200 meters (5,600–7,200 ft) . Its remarkable combination of altitude, volcanic soil, abundant rainfall, mild temperatures, and lush shade trees creates the perfect conditions for world-class coffee. Representative Villages: Yirgacheffe’s core micro-regions include the town itself and surrounding areas such as Kochere and Gedeb (also known as Gotiti ). These micro-lots are celebrated for their exceptional cup quality, each expressing subtle differences in aroma and flavor. 🌸...