May 2013 Wormhole Guest Roaster: Madcap Coffee

We’re proud to have Madcap Coffee on the Guest Roaster Shelf here at Wormhole in Chicago this month and we will be carrying newly released Madcap Coffees during the last part of May 2013.

Wormhole guest roaster guru, Canaan Vallejos, lays out the specifics. “We’re carrying these Madcap coffees: Sulawesi Toarco, Colombia Didier Reinoso, Colombia Luis Reinoso, El Salvador La Calera dry process, El Salvador La Calera washed,” says Vallejos. “We are featuring their Rwanda Mutovu as a single origin espresso, and the El Salvador La Calera dry process for this final week.”

Ryan and Trevor of Madcap CoffeeMadcap Coffees @ Wormhole: May 2013

First up, Madcap’s “El Porvenir,” the first of seven offerings composing Madcap’s Varietal Series. The other six offerings will be released throughout the month of June. All seven are the product of a single farm in El Salvador. We talked to Andrew Grassmick, Madcap’s director of sales and relationships, and he expects these varietals to be available to the public at the roaster’s online shop while supplies last, so if you try this first-of-the-series offering here at Wormhole and like them, get them while you can–they’re going fast!

From yet another single farm, the “La Calera” is interesting in that it was the result of an accident that turned out, well, great. “It’s kind of a cool story,” says Grassmick. “Alejandro is the owner of the farm and his mill broke down one day, so he did a dry process with the coffee he was processing, and it turned out great, though not normally what he does. We don’t like to put too many detailed tasting notes on a coffee because everyone’s palate is somewhat different, but it’s got some blueberry and nice honeysuckle notes. It’s unique, I think, because of the dried process,” he finishes, noting that Madcap also offers a washed version of the same beans AND that the dry processed beans won’t be around for long.

This is the second year Madcap brought in the “La Calera,” whereas they’ve carried the “El Porvenir” going on four years now. “’El Porvenir’ are the ones we do our Varietal Series with,” says Grassmick. “It’s cool to have someone on the farm level that’s really dedicated to doing that.”

Boots On The Ground; Hands In The Beans

On that note, of dedication, Ryan Knapp is a co-owner of Madcap, the head roaster and the green coffee buyer, though as at most if not all successful roasteries, it’s a team effort. Knapp is responsible for putting boots on the ground in coffee regions around the world and does: El Salvador, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Colombia, Honduras, Ethiopia, Mexico, and more.

Knapp just returned from a trip to Mexico attending the Cup of Excellence (what is Cup of Excellence?) there, a competition where coffee farmers submit their coffees to be cupped and judged by a panel. The winning coffees are very prized and highly valued. We’d be interested to talk to Knapp after the competition to get his thoughts coming out of an even chock full of real deal coffee farmers. We’ll let you know when that happens!

Great Success At U.S. Barista Championship For Madcap Coffee!

Company founder and co-owner, Trevor Corlett, and fellow Madcapper, Colin Whitcomb, are making waves on the national barista scene, recently both making it to finals of the United States Barista Championship with Corlett placing third overall in an extremely competitive field.

In an interesting aside, Corlett and Whitcomb made their epic runs each using a varietal from one of two brothers’ farms in Colombia, the “Luis Reinoso” and the “Didier Reinoso.” As of press time for this blog post, you can still buy them online at MadcapCoffee.com. You can also read an intense write-up about the competition by Whitcomb on Madcap’s blog.

Otherwise, says Grassmick, Madcap Coffee’s cafe and roastery in downtown Grand Rapids are doing fine, enjoying Grand Rapids. Blocks away from the awesomeness that is Founder’s Brewery, we can see why, and plan on paying our coffee brethren there a visit soon! Wormhole Field Trip, Ho!

p.s. You can read up on our bloggage RE: Madcap Coffee last time they honored us by letting us sling their beans.