Opening their doors in 2013 Lincoln Coffee House have been in the speciality coffee game for some time now. Serving coffee out of two locations in Reading they focus on the quality of their product as well as a personal and friendly touch with their service. 

With the awareness of speciality coffee in Reading steadily growing, the owners  Jas & Simmi’s sheer determination and patience lead to the business beginning to improve and Lincoln Coffee House soon became a well-known speciality coffee destination in Reading.

The family business evolved in 2019 when the Jas & Simmi’s son, Yurtesh decided to explore the world of roasting coffee. They pride themselves on having direct trade routes where possible with responsible, ethical, and sustainable coffee with the aim of expanding and giving back to the people who matter the most – the farmers! Their mission is to have complete transparency from farm to cup!

The Guatemala, La Bolsa is a coffee that was produced in the Huehuetenango region. A mystical place that is steeped in tradition and culture the countryside scattered with ancient ruins nestled amongst coffee and cacao farms. Renardo Ovalle is the proud owner of this farm, he is the third generation in his family to produce coffee. Renardo is supported by his wife Jacqueline, who is a Q grader. Jacqueline uses her Q grading to help Renardo distinguish certain characteristics and defines profiles of the coffee they produce.

The Ovalle family has instilled a humanist approach by getting involved in many social projects. A care facility for the workers’ children was created, they provide balanced meals and even pay a higher wage than most of the other farms in the country. The human dimension is still a priority concern for the producer. Today, the Ovalle family is one of the most recognised Guatemalan families in the world of speciality coffee. Their coffees have Cup of Excellence awards and are well-positioned among the world’s most renowned roasts.

Guatemalan coffees are highly regarded in the speciality coffee world because of the range of different flavours that can be found. The taste profiles can span all the way from light floral or citrus tones all the way through to deeper full-bodied chocolatier note. La Bolsa is stereotypically Guatemalan, the complex notes are pleasantly unified by the syrupy body.

To start, the coffees fermented flavours rush out of the bag, the ground coffee then releases more juicy notes that give you more of an idea of what is to come once brewed. 

The initial sensations that I experienced while taking my first few sips of the coffee was sweetness, a typically natural processed profile of apricot and peach, acidity comes next as the coffee falls to the side of your palate with a flash of aniseed layered into the profile. The coffee builds and turns into a more milk chocolate finish that unifies the whole drinking experience. 

The coffee starts with a light and fruity nature but reaches room temperature with a more buttery mouthfeel and adds another layer to the already complex cup. 

A fine example of a coffee from Huehuetenango and a coffee that you will enjoy right to the last drop. Aeropress worked incredibly well with this coffee - The complexities were highlighted the most along with the depth in body.