All About Our House Blend, Maypole!

By now you have all heard of our *award winning* house blend, Maypole. We have had our espresso blend since the early days and it is our best seller by far!

But what IS the Maypole and what makes it so great?!

The Maypole, lovingly named after 'Maypole Lane' the road on which our roastery is located, is a 40% Mexican and 60% Colombian mix. We medium roast it to make sure we get all the beautiful flavours from it. Owner Luke wanted to create a consistent, versatile yet delicious espresso blend that people would enjoy no matter how they drink their coffee. With or without milk, it packs a hazelnut punch, with a creamy milk chocolatey mouthfeel and a fruity fig finish.

Why Mexican and Colombian?

We LOVE Colombian coffees. You may notice we often have a wide range of Colombian single origins in our shops and website. The Colombian component, La Joyeria, is from the region of Antioquia, farmed by Pedro and his family around 1,700m above sea level. La Joyeria is considered 'the jewel' of the Santa Barbara Estate! The farm employs 60 permanent staff who are paid around 30% higher than the minimum wage; half of these also receive free housing for themselves and their families on the estate. As well as all of this, the estate runs an extensive scholarship and financial aid scheme for workers children, as well as helping long-term employees to acquire their own piece of land upon retirement; how amazing! It is a really special coffee and one we have been buying since the very beginnings of Garage.

The Mexican component is from a farm called Guadulope Zaju, in Chiapas, on Mexico's famous 'Ruta De Cafe' (Route of Coffee)! The farm is owned and run by Eduardo 'Teddy' Esteve and his family since they purchased it in 2004. All of their coffee is 100% shade grown.

This is in part to protect the vulnerable coffee plants from the strong winds that the region often receives, as well as offering protection from pests. Zaju's yields are unusually high for a Mexican farm; around double the average for Chiapas! Coffee farming in Mexico has not always been viable; in fact the farm was briefly shut in 2003 due to rock bottom coffee prices, but Teddy was dedicated to making the farm a success again.

Luke decided on beans from Mexico and Colombia as something new to the market. Commonly espresso blends are Brazilian based; Luke was keen on showcasing a different origin as a delicious espresso offering.

So by purchasing Maypole, you are not only supporting our small business but also supporting the livelihoods of the farming communities we buy from!

How should I drink the Maypole?

The recommended use for the Maypole is espresso for those nutty chocolatey notes! However lots of our customers use it in a cafetiere and a mokka pot with proven success! It is super fruity when enjoyed on its own, and when paired with milk is more mellow and creamy, mmm!

If you love the Maypole but want to try something even fruiter, have a try of La Joyeria. La Joyeria, one half of Maypole, is just as delicious as a single origin as in the Maypole. Alone, La Joyeria is super juicy with a more red fruit and dark chocolate notes. It makes a stunning filter!

Never miss that sweet taste of the Maypole with a coffee subscription, delivered to your door as frequently as you wish. No contracts, no hidden costs; just all round outstanding coffee.