Papua New Guinea

Roast:  Light-Medium

Tasting Notes: Milk Chocolate, Dried Papaya, Brown Sugar

The Grind & The Origin In the Eastern Highlands of Papua New Guinea, coffee isn't just a crop; it’s part of a "garden." Unlike the vast plantations found elsewhere, these beans are grown on small, "garden-like" plots where families practice sustenance farming among the rainforest's edge. This selection comes from the Keto Tapasi Progress Association, a remarkable group of 375 smallholders from 18 different communities. Despite vast differences in language and heritage, these producers have collaborated since 2008 to build a collective engine of growth, investing their Fair Trade and Organic premiums into depulpers, warehouses, and transportation to ensure their "garden" coffee reaches the world stage.

The Profile: Tropical, Silky, & Sweet We’ve roasted this lot to a Light-Medium level to highlight the "unique vibes" that Papua New Guinea is known for. The high-altitude cloud forests and cool valley temperatures allow the cherries to ripen slowly under heavy shade, resulting in a cup with incredible balance. You’ll first notice a smooth, comforting base of Milk Chocolate, which quickly gives way to the exotic, jammy sweetness of Dried Papaya. It finishes with the deep, caramelized richness of Brown Sugar. It is a nuanced, complex cup that offers something new with every sip—the perfect fuel for a morning of creative problem-solving.

Technical Specifications

• Roast Level: Light-Medium

• Tasting Notes: Milk Chocolate, Dried Papaya, Brown Sugar

• Region: Chuave District, Eastern Highlands

• Association: Keto Tapasi Progress Association (Fair Trade & Organic Certified)

• Altitude: 1,600 – 1,800 meters above sea level (MASL)

• Process: Washed (On-farm depulping; sun-dried in Goroka)

• Variety: Arusha, Bourbon, Typica

Why We Choose This Coffee At Grinding Gears, we are drawn to stories of intentionality and collaboration. The Keto Tapasi group is a masterclass in how different people can come together to build something scalable and impactful. By choosing this coffee, you are supporting an organization that uses its premiums to build infrastructure for its 375 members. This isn't just a unique flavor profile; it’s a representation of what happens when a community "grinds" together toward a common goal. It’s rare, it’s vibrant, and it’s one of the most interesting coffees in our lineup.