Stumptown Releases ‘Red Gesha’ Grand Cru Products at Elegant Price Points

There was an ever-so-slightly uncomfortable moment at this past April’s Re:Co Symposium event in Atlanta when, in a session on the subject of cold brew, Good Beer Hunting‘s Michael Kiser showed an image of a packaged cold brew product from Stumptown Coffee Roasters and said this was the first time he felt, from a consumer perspective, he was “getting punked” by cold brew packaging and marketing.

The product itself was the limited-release Grand Cru Gesha Cold Brew, a single-origin cold brew of Gesha-variety coffee from Finca El Puente in Honduras that was ornately and elegantly labeled in 750ml, wine-like bottles that retailed for $28 apiece. The discomfort, if perceived at all, could have come from the fact that Stumptown cold brew director Diane Aylsworth had just concluded her own Symposium talk during the same session — one that was equally compelling and raised important questions among industry peers regarding cold brew quality, standards, and marketing veracity.

While they might not be counting on Kiser’s dime, Stumptown has yet again released a product in the limited-availability Grand Cru line. The company today announced the release of a “Red” Gesha from the Colombian farm of Mauricio Shattah, made available in roasted whole bean form for $74 per 12-ounce bag, or in cold brewed form for $8 per 10.5-ounce bottle. It is, notably, the first time a coffee in Stumptown’s Grand Cru line has been made available in two forms.

Here’s more from Stumptown’s announcement this morning:

During a recent two-month coffee buying trip in Colombia, the Stumptown team uncovered this small batch from coffee producer Mauricio Shattah. The unique characteristics of this Red Gesha result from years of Shattah’s meticulous cultivation and careful processing. It’s one of highest scoring coffees that Stumptown has cupped this year.

“We’ve been fanatics for the fabled Gesha variety for ages, so we are always on the lookout for this rare gem,” notes Stumptown’s Director of Coffee, Andrew Daday.  “Mauricio Shattah’s Red Gesha marks the pinnacle of his crops and of our Colombian offerings this year.”

A coffee receives Stumptown’s coveted Grand Cru designation if it stands out on the tasting table, bursting with rare and extraordinary sparks of flavor. The Gesha coffee variety is renowned for its unusual cup character.