News

We are humbled and honored to be teaming up with Hallingdal-born, Hemsedal-raised music artist Tonje on her upcoming album. We first met her during an interview with Hallingdølen, and as the conversation unfolded, she mentioned her passion for music—and that she once worked as a barista. That sparked the idea of creating her very own coffee.

This marks our first-ever music artist coffee, a special edition blend of fruits and chocolates crafted for Tonje. She’ll be offering it at her three concerts across Norway. It’s a cup designed to be enjoyed while listening to your favorite music. If you’re in Hemsedal, don’t miss her show on September 19th—tickets are selling fast!

On our end, we’ve been roasting more and more on our vintage Probat, which has expanded production fourfold. That means more time for packing, shipping, sample roasting, cupping, and building the business. A big thanks to Panda, who held things down while I took a family holiday in July. Now that he’s away, I’ve got the job description titled simply: EVERYTHING.

Next week, we’ll also wrap up our final collaboration with Salomon, serving fresh coffee at the Fýri Trail Running event. If you’re around, stop by for a cup and a chat.

Wishing you a wonderful fall—and if you’re looking for something delicious to sip on, don’t miss our washed Ethiopian. It’s one of my all-time favorites, perfect any time of day.

At the end of June, we packed our bags and headed to Switzerland for this year’s World of Coffee International Trade Show — the coffee world’s equivalent of the Olympics meets Disney World. This is the event where producers, exporters, importers, gear makers, roasters, world champion baristas, and coffee fanatics from around the globe come together for one shared passion: coffee.

It was my second year attending, Ole Kristian’s fourth, and Panda’s very first. We were beyond humbled (and a little starstruck) to be invited to brew with the legendary Origami Japan at their booth. We brought along our May Club Coffee — a sweet, vibrant Burundi honey process — which drew smiles and curious sips from passersby.

The days were a whirlwind: meeting new producers, drooling over the latest espresso and brew tech, and tasting some of the most expensive (and mind-blowing) coffees on the planet. One highlight? Cupping with Rachel Peterson of Hacienda La Esmeralda, home to the highest-scoring coffees ever recorded. Even better — we recorded our first live episode right there with her and the head buyer for Africa from our friends at Café Imports.

It was intense, it was inspiring, and honestly, there was almost too much to see, taste, and do. But we gave it everything we had — and left buzzing in more ways than one.

☀️ MRC June Coffee: A Colombian Gem from a World Champion

Dear MRC Members,

Will this summer be filled with sunshine or rain? We can’t say for sure—but either way, your cup is covered. This month, we’re thrilled to bring you another outstanding washed Colombian coffee, packed with the vibrant, clean, and juicy flavors we love.

Following up on our March feature from Elias Roa, June’s coffee comes from his son-in-law, Diego Campos—a name you might recognize as the 2021 World Barista Champion. Diego’s farm, Finca El Diamante, is located in the stunning highlands of La Plata, Huila, at 1,950 MASL. With a focus on quality and sustainability, the farm produces varieties like Castillo, Colombia, Bourbon Rosado, and Caturra.

Beyond just coffee, the farm also supports small-scale agriculture and livestock, creating a self-sustaining ecosystem. Diego’s passion for coffee started in 2008, and today, his expertise in cultivation, processing, and tasting has turned Finca El Diamante into a benchmark for excellence in Colombian coffee.

Farm Details:

• Producer: Diego Campos

• Country: Colombia

• Region: La Plata, Huila

• Process: Washed

• Variety: Colombia

• Altitude: 1,950 MASL

• Harvest: Main: Oct–Dec | Fly Crop: Jun–Aug

This is what Colombian coffee is all about—balanced, expressive, and a joy to drink. Enjoy it while the summer unfolds.

Cheers,
The MRC Team

March has come and gone, and so has the snow. One of the lowest snow seasons on record, however, the fresh coffee never underdelivers and helps ease the pain of non-existent powder days. We are ready for Easter and had a productive March with production days and events.

March brought some downtime to fly over to France to see some family and be inspired by the French/Swiss Alps landscapes, food, and culture.

We are humbled and honored to take part in the Norway SCA Coffee competition, roasting Ole Kristian Bøens comp coffee, which was from the most famous farm in the world, Hacienda la Esmeralda. We roasted this high-priced coffee with an auction lot price of $1200 US in the new Link sample roaster. Ole Kristian cruised easily through the semi-finals and into the finals and took home 3rd place. A well-deserved win!

We were also on the road to do a pop-up event at Solheisen for a group of Norway's biggest influencers. We served up 3 filter coffees using the Fellow Aiden, which folks enjoyed with Babs the Baker's sweet treats.

We also have a new Youtube episode out where we discuss all things coffee competitions. So if you are thinking or interested in taking part in a coffee competition, then we highly recommend checking it out and going for it!. We also walk you through last month's washed Rwanda and brewing it via the V60. We hope the brew tips are helping you become a better brewer each day.

Have a wonderful Easter, and please enjoy this month's natural from PNG:

How I Ended Up in Hemsedal
By Micke DJ

My love for skiing started at a young age. I was lucky—my uncle owned a ski resort in Sweden called Funäsberget. My friend Magnus and I would skip school and spend every vacation skiing and working at the resort. That same uncle also owned a nightclub in Marstrand, where I got my first paid DJ gig at just 13 years old.

After finishing my military service, I headed to St. Anton, Austria, and spent a season working at the legendary Krazy Kanguruh. The next step? Another season somewhere else in the world. My friends Magnus, Jonas, and I (a.k.a. Tre Kronor) made a dream list:

• Aspen / Vail
• Whistler
• Chamonix
• St. Anton
• Hemsedal

As fate would have it, Magnus had a friend working in Hemsedal, so in the 91/92 season, we found ourselves behind the bar at the old Stavkroa. When they found out I was a DJ, everything changed. Since the 92/93 season, I’ve been DJing full time.

Over the years, I think I’ve played at almost every venue in town—Old Stavkroa, Garasjen, Skogstad Hotel, Hemsedal Hotel, Fanitullen, Askeladden, Skistar, Skarsnuten, Lodgen, Skigaarden, Fyri, Tapas Club... the list goes on. In 1998, I became the resident DJ at Hemsedal Café and have been with that crew ever since—Caféen, Hemsen, Big Horn, Oxen, Rockebaren, Kjelleren, Kitchenbar... and now, back where it all started, as the resident DJ at Stavkroa.

34 years later, I’m still here. Still skiing. Still playing music. Still loving every minute.

See you on the slopes—or the dance floor.

/ Micke DJ

February was an incredibly busy month for us, with a record number of orders going out to our partners for sports holidays here in Norway. We also hit a new milestone, shipping more coffee than ever to our fans—including some of our latest Grand Cru Reserve lots. Our roasting and shipping times have gotten significantly faster, with one customer dropping by Alps HQ to tell us she ordered on Sunday and received her coffee by Tuesday morning. That kind of speed makes us proud, and we continue striving to offer the best customer service in Norway—so far, so good with a 5-star rating!

Elias Roa is a renowned coffee producer from Huila, Colombia, with farms in the subregions of Pital and Acevedo. As one of the founding members and former President of Asociación Primaveral in Acevedo, he has played a key role in shaping the region’s coffee culture.

Nestled in the heart of the Macizo Colombiano, the Acevedo region boasts breathtaking landscapes. It’s common to see large rain clouds rolling over the mountains, periodically covering the farms in mist.

Coffee is a true family endeavor for Elias. His wife, Bellanid, his daughter, Derlin, and his son-in-law, Diego Campos (Colombian Barista Champion), all contribute to the farm’s operations.

Elias manages two primary farms: Finca Tamana in Pital and Finca Recuerdo in Acevedo. Both are home to a diverse selection of heirloom varieties, including those with African lineage. His processing method involves a dry fermentation of 14-16 hours, followed by multiple washes with fresh water before the coffee is carefully dried on raised beds for optimal quality.

Taste Profile: Dried stone fruit, fresh berry flavors, dried bergamot and lavender with a soft smooth mouthfeel

Here are the farm notes:

Origin: Ethiopia

Washing Station: Arsosala

Altitude (MASL): 1800-1900 MASL

Process: Washed

Arsosala is a washing station founded in 2015 that currently serves about 1,200 smallholder producers in the Uraga woreda of Guji. Coffees are picked ripe and depulped the same day, then fermented overnight before being washed clean and dried on raised beds. It typically takes the coffee 8–15 days to dry under sun and 15–20 days to dry when there are cloudy skies.

Coffees in Ethiopia are typically grown on very small plots of land by farmers who also grow other crops. The majority of smallholders will deliver their coffee in cherry to a nearby washing station or central processing unit, where their coffee will be sorted, weighed, and paid for or given a receipt. Coffee is then processed, usually washed or natural, by the washing station and dried on raised beds.

Hello MRC members,

The coffee is brewed, and the ski equipment is ready to come out of the garage. However, Mother Nature is waiting to bless us with that first big dump of snow. It is quite late now, but I know it will come with a bang. Similar to the coffee we have chosen for this final coffee drop of 2024. The minute we cupped this coffee, I knew it was perfect to enjoy over the holidays. It has everything I love in coffee. Smooth and round, stone fruits, and a great aftertaste. So I really hope you enjoy it!

Here are the farm notes:

Country: Guatemala

Farm: Samuel Escalante - Finca La Vega

Region:Cuilco, Huehuetenango

Variety: Bourbon,

Catimor, Caturra, Maragogype, Pache,

Altitude: 2000 masl

Processing: Washed

Tasting notes:

Panela and dark chocolate with mild dried apple and cooked red grape flavors. Mellow winey acidity and candy-like sweetness.

We are humbled & honored to take 4th place out of 35 of some of the best roasters in Norway and the world. Here are the results:

This has been an annual cupping event in Drammen with coffee professionals and nonprofessionals. The best we have placed before was in 2019 with a 6th.

This months coffee is back to the birth place of coffee: Ethiopia.

Origin: Ethiopia

Washing Mundayo

Region: Oromia, West Arsi

Altitude (MASL): 1945

Process: natural

Harvest Season: Nov - Jan

Varieties: Heirloom

Flavour: Tons of cooked lime with

perfumey jasmine, perfumey bergamot,

and fresh apricot flavors.

Tangy malic acidity and syrupy sweetness.

The Mundayo Washing Station is located in the Oromia Region in the zone of West Arsi and serves about 750 smallholder producers in the area. The farmers deliver their cherry to the washing station, where it is floated to remove damaged and underripe cherries before being dried on raised beds for 21 days.

Coffees in Ethiopia are typically grown on very small plots of land by farmers who also grow other crops. The majority of smallholders will deliver their coffee in cherry to a nearby washing station or central processing unit, where their coffee will be sorted, weighed, and paid for or given a receipt. Coffee is then processed, usually washed or natural, by the washing station and dried on raised beds.

I think you will like this months micro-lot that just landed into the roastery and is a washed Guatemala.

Country: Guatemala

Region: Todos Santos Cuchumatanes, Huehuetenango

Farm: Wilmer Barrios

Process: Washed

Varieties :Bourbon, Catuai, Caturra, Pache, Maragogype, Catimor

Elevation: 2000 MASL

Harvest: September–April

Farmers story:

Wilmer Barrios owns Finca Ojo de Agua in Todos Santos Cuchumatanes, an area with many beautiful coffee farms in Huehuetenango. He primarily grows Caturra and Catuai varieties but also explores the creation of hybrids. Barrios works to maintain the coffee area already planted and the native forest of their environment. Coffee growing is his livelihood and he takes great care to produce quality coffee.