Another benefit of this deeper coffee and the hunt for a perfect bean is that we have found a use for less than perfect beans. Beans that due to cosmetic factors such as size, might not make the cut, but that flavour-wise have no imperfections. We call these beans the farmers tail. If you will allow an analogy, think of it as using the whole spring onion, instead of just the greens, where every part adds its unique character. These beans need a bit more time and consideration, but when given the love they deserve, have tons to offer. 

Darkness is a small screen coffee, meaning that the bean size is 14/15 instead of the usual 16+, and is usually sold as lower quality coffee internally in Brazil and not exported. By buying this coffee and paying a better premium we are able to give our farmers a better and more stable income, as inevitably not all coffee makes the cut for high-grade specialty coffee. Together with our partners in Brazil, we have invested in a new color sorting machine for the dry mill, allowing us to remove defects with more accuracy and therefore make better use of the defect-free smaller beans.