Stories in a Cup: Capiz Coffee Roasters Shares The Stories of Local Coffee Farmers With Each Soothing Cup of Hand Crafted Native Coffee

Each coffee bean weaves its own flavorful story, retold in a freshly brewed cup. One man's dream slowly transforms the usual narrative of coffee down south while sharing the colorful stories of local coffee farmers...   

Capiz Coffee Roasters redirects the spotlight to local coffee farmers with its wide variety of single origin coffee offerings masterfully roasted at their very own farm. Sammy Sotelo, the founder of Capiz Coffee Roasters, knows his coffee and he's also on a mission. By building relationships with the local farming community based on fair trade, Capiz Coffee Roasters cultivates positivity while preserving the stories of local coffee farmers with each bag of artisan beans. Ready for a cup of positivity? Then, read on...

Adding Capiz to the Local Coffee Map

Widely known for its seafood, Capiz is also one of the country's largest coffee producers supplying major commercial brands. Purchased in bulk at the lowest cost over the years, local coffee farmers have in a sense long lost touch with the bean. Sammy Sotelo plans to change all that, starting with buying the finest hand-picked beans direct from local coffee farmers at a premium. Bringing pride back to local farmers reconnects everyone in the chain to the bean, preserving all the stories with each harvest, each bag, each cup and each sip. But it doesn't end there. A portion of the proceeds from every bag sold goes to a special Farmers Fund to help the local coffee farming community in Capiz.

But Capiz Coffee Roasters not only buys from local coffee farmers, they grow it on their lush and expansive farm affectionately known as Auntie Tina's Farm in Pontevedra named after the late wife of Sammy Sotelo (if you get a chance to visit the farm, be sure to hit a few golf balls on their very own Hillside Driving Range capped by a soothing cup of coffee. Visit their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/auntietinasfarmcapiz/ for more information). The meticulous process of roasting and brewing begins with farming, and Capiz Coffee Roasters remains committed to optimum farming practices for the very best yield for their prized bags of single origin small batch Robusta coffee beans.  

Quality over quantity. Passion over commercialization. 

Sammy Sotelo's own personal journey is equally inspiring. His successful stints abroad in the competitive corporate world along with running his own café reflected a passion for coffee eventually leading him back to Capiz. At the farm, Capiz Coffee Roasters takes you back to the traditional coffee experience, lovingly handcrafted in small batches infused with culture. 

Each harvest is hand-picked and intricately selected by Capiz Coffee Roasters from both local farmers and their very own farms for the finest coffee experience in Capiz. Produced in small batches, it's a conscious decision consistent with the value proposition set by Sammy Sotelo for Capiz Coffee Roasters. This meaningful differentiation sets it apart from the usual commercial options. Handcrafted quality coffee made with traditional methods of processing coffee using hand-built machinery while highlighting the creativity of the local community with a sincere appreciation of coffee farmers and their families, this complex weave brings a distinctive character to the local brand. Capiz Coffee Roasters brings back authenticity to the experience and laying the groundwork for a revitalized coffee culture in Capiz.

Positivity in a Cup

There's nothing more intensely personal like a cup of coffee and how you enjoy it. All-natural, organic and proudly local, each bag of artisan coffee by Capiz Coffee Roasters warms the palate and body with its bold, rounded and earthy flavors followed by subtle citrus notes. A refreshing sip sets the tone for the rest of your day, and there's just no better way to start it than with coffee handcrafted to perfection from bean to cup. With each sip comes the countless stories of local farmers who nurtured each bean that began in the fields to the tedious selection, washing, processing and roasting by Capiz Coffee Roasters. The process behind a satisfying cup of coffee is a long and often difficult one, but it all comes together after that first sip.

The local Robusta beans deliver sharp and upfront yet comforting notes, mellowed by delicate layers of nutty chocolate hints and a gentle sweetness that linger on the palate...

...intensifying even more with each succeeding sip. The Philippines is one of the few countries in the world that produces all four coffee varieties, namely Arabica, Liberica (locally known as Barako), Excelsa and the ubiquitous Robusta which is the predominant coffee variety accounting for nearly 90% of local coffee production. It's the strong, full-bodied flavor of Robusta that defines the coffee of Capiz, packed in every bag of Capiz Coffee Roasters.

Traditional. Native. Coffee.

The Capiz Coffee Roasters Signature Coffee not only gets its flavors from the beans but from the equally delicate roasting process to bring out the natural richness. The process follows old school traditions with absolutely no additives for real flavors. Organic and all-natural, it's the way coffee should be. And you'll agree after that first cup. 

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee is the first in a long chain of sensory highlights that links and ties the coffee experience in a seamless weave, followed by the deep, rich and earthy notes of the masterfully roasted local Robusta. The stories of the farmer and the roaster are intertwined with each soothing sip. It's also the flavors of a blossoming coffee community down south, showcasing the richness of its coffee heritage.

There's a whole lot of local pride with each artisan batch from Capiz Coffee Roasters, and understandably so. Each small batch is a celebration of the coffee farmer's bountiful harvest and the coffee roaster's craft culminating in a freshly brewed cup. While commercial, high volume coffee production remains an integral component in the local agrarian economy of Capiz, the emergence of small batch and sustainable coffee farming injects soul and a whole lot of good vibes in a community's emerging coffee culture. And it's efforts like this from Capiz Coffee Roasters that will soon place Capiz prominently on the country's coffee map. 

The Flavors of Christmas in a Cup

Creativity is part of the trailblazing DNA of Capiz Coffee Roasters. Blessed with an abundance of local produce, Capiz Coffee Roasters injects an element of fun with its novel creations. Take their specialty Tablea Blend infused with local fermented cacao for a unique coffee experience. The bold notes of local coffee are balanced by the equally rich and nutty notes of chocolate giving it a festive character. There is a rounded smoothness in the finish of the Tablea Blend, almost like a taste of Christmas. Each sip triggers nostalgic childhood memories, taking you back to simpler times.  

In addition to the Tablea Blend, Capiz Coffee Roasters constantly pushes the envelope with even more creative expressions like their Vodka Raspberry Coffee, Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey Coffee and Jack Daniels Whiskey Coffee as well as their limited edition Township Release series featuring select local single origin coffee. Like an elegant tapestry, each creation unveils its own unique colors to a vibrant local coffee community championed by Capiz Coffee Roasters.

For coffee purists and adventurous palates, Capiz Coffee Roasters offers a wide selection of artisan product offerings reflecting a rich diversity of creative expressions. And it all begins at the vast coffee farms of Capiz nurtured by local farmers, hand-picked and roasted by Capiz Coffee Roasters in a continuing and evolving story.  

Out of the Blue, Into Your Cup

But coffee isn't all that grows at Auntie Tina's Farm. Sammy recalled his amazement at the flourishing wild patches of Butterfly Pea around the property. Known for its many health benefits including its antioxidant qualities, the distinctive blue tint of Butterfly Pea is popularly used for tea. Not surprisingly, Capiz Coffee Roasters also produces small batch Butterfly Pea Tea to its growing inventory of artisan products. 

Described by Sammy Sotelo as "the new blue water," Butterfly Pea Tea offers a refreshing alternative with its own fragrant and unique flavors. The gentle whisper of natural sweetness and mild floral notes drapes the palate with a lingering richness for a satisfying afternoon tea experience at home.  

The same attention to detail applied in their line of specialty coffee is given to their Butterfly Pea Tea, naturally sundried and packed in airtight pouches without any preservatives or additives. A fresh squeeze of lemon or local calamansi is recommended to enhance the mild and delicate notes of the tea. The infusion of citrus also adds a fascinating and entertaining element to the experience as the Butterfly Pea Tea is transformed from its deep blue tint to a bright and vibrant purple.  

Harvested fresh from the farm, the flavors are as real as it gets. It's this farm fresh appeal that gives Capiz Coffee Roasters its unique point of differentiation setting it apart from the commercially available options in the market. 

As the quarantine experience continues to change and transform our daily routine with dining at home, the rise of the food delivery culture and increased online usage emerging as new consumer habits defining a challenging year, the pause from our usual hectic pace also allows us to reflect and appreciate what really matters. Like a good cup of coffee. Or a soothing cup of Butterfly Pea Tea. 

Capiz Coffee Roasters presents a new chapter in the flourishing coffee culture of Capiz, underscoring a return to all-natural basics with sustainable farming practices and fair trade. For Sammy Sotelo, it's about starting right and going straight to the source for that bean-to-cup experience long missed in the age of processed and instant food. Smaller batches instead of commercial quantities, traditional methods instead of artificial or processed production, natural and sustainable farming practices and fair trade for the benefit of local coffee farmers, it's stories like this that make each cup of coffee more satisfying. 

Two hundred years ago, the Philippines was the fourth largest coffee producing region in the world. Today, global contribution has significantly dropped to a level far below its former preeminent position on the world stage. But the country's coffee culture is experiencing a renaissance with a growing appreciation for local coffee with an emphasis leaning toward small batch, artisan and handcrafted offerings. And Capiz Coffee Roasters is right there at the leading edge of the proudly local movement, taking it one cup at a time straight from the coffee farmers of Capiz. 

Like life's pause button, take the time to enjoy and rediscover local coffee in this new normal and take your palate on a flavorful journey down south with the artisan offerings of Capiz Coffee Roasters. Savor the richness of countless stories from passionate local coffee farmers and master roasters with each cup, and embark on your own personal journey with some of the country's finest coffee beans...   

For more on Capiz Coffee Roasters, visit their website at http://capizcoffeeroasters.online/ for orders and inquiries and their FB Page at https://www.facebook.com/capizcoffeeroasters/ and IG Feed at @capizcoffeeroasters for more updates.

Dude for Food is now on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, check out these social media accounts for regular updates on good eats. Better yet, click "Like" and "Follow" and enjoy the ride...just look for the FB and IG widgets on the right sidebar.