Honeybear Reserve
Where Nicaragua meets Ethiopia
Honey Bear Reserve (known as Osito here in the roastery) draws its name form our all-natural “honey” curing process.
Nicaraguan coffee terroir meets the nearly ancient Ethiopian coffee curing techniques at 12° North.
Early on, we chose to partner with producers that we consider Nicaraguan organic coffee producer pioneers. Like Twin Engine Coffee, they dream of their hard work being realized in pure form in your cup. We make that a reality.
In 2014, before organic “honeyed” coffees were available from Central America, we took a few risks & starting working on this Reserve coffee with the Castillo family. In the years since, we have been humbled by the outpouring of love & appreciation for this coffee. The work that goes into it is well worth it. Each new harvest year, we are proud to bring you the Honey Bear Reserve.
To be clear, there is no honey added to Honey Bear (nor anything else, for that matter).
Just below the ripened skin, a thick layer of coffee fruit pulp surrounds two coffee seeds.
We remove the outer skin from the just picked fruits. Instead of sending the coffee seeds to spring water fermentation, we leave the fruit pulp on the seeds. The seeds go to the drying patios where they are spread in the sun for up to 30 days, depending on the weather. The coffee fruit slowly melts in the sun as the seeds are hand-turned. This ‘honey’ curing infuses a light natural sweetness from fruit and amazingly imparts texture & body that is hard to achieve otherwise. Over the days, the outer ‘parchment’ layer on the dried coffee seeds becomes a mahogany, honey color.
At each step from farm to roast, the ‘honeyed’ coffee requires extra work & meticulous attention. All of this comes through in the rich taste & aroma of the coffee.
It is fantastic.
At The Source: Crafted Where The Coffee Grows
We wish that we could take you to each of the highest coffee mountains to see the beauty of this work. Perhaps one day.
In the meantime, we connect you as authentically as we can with our signature packaging. Drawn in original art, you will find each coffee’s unique triple-shade canopy mountain eco-system (flora and fauna) detailed amidst vibrant colors.
These beautiful color combinations are taken directly from Nicaragua’s landscape of colonial architecture & bright tropical plants and birds set against natural earth. At night, don’t be surprised to befriend a mountain porcupine lumbering under the coffee plants.
We want you to be proud to have our coffees in your kitchen. Our bags are the highest quality three-ply, made for us. The best for protecting your coffees against sunlight & oxygen, just make sure to roll down tightly after each use. Our boxes are recycled paper. Remove them to start your spring seeds!
Brewing Recommendations
Twin Engine Coffee’s work is to consistently provide pure, clean, specialty coffees. We focus on quality at the source so that you can focus on enjoying them.
Pure, Delicious, and Easy to Enjoy.
Contrary to popular marketing, we don’t recommend the latest & greatest equipment to enjoy a great cup.
We DO recommend:
1. Use enough coffee to water. For perc (drip) or press coffee, start with 1.5 – 2 TB per 6 ounces of water.
2. Use clean, fresh water for brewing.
3. Clean brewing equipment periodically with vinegar or de-scaler to eliminate mineral deposits that make even the best coffee taste bad.
4. Light and oxygen are the main factors affecting roasted coffee ‘freshness’. Avoid them by rolling down the bag tightly after each use.
Powerful, Achievable, & Sustainable.
What are you waiting for?
Try out Honeybear Reserve for yourself!
