What makes Ghost Rider a Natvia Golden Bean Winner?
Proud Mary likes to keep things real; if a coffee tastes good, then why would you want to blend it? Often simple really is better. Ghost Rider has now been awarded the gold in the Natvia Golden Bean Milk Based category two years running, and it is a testament to the quality of the coffee in this blend that makes it stand out in the crowd.
Head Roaster Marichi Clarke says the beauty of this blend is really in its origins, its simple design and the gutsy move of developing a blend made 100% with fruit driven full natural process coffees. Pairing high altitude full natural process yellow bourbon Brazil with sweet Ethiopian Yirgacheffe naturals gives the blend a complexity you don’t often find in a house blend.
When Proud Mary develops a blend, the conversation will always turn to music. The idea is analysisng how a blend harmonises in the mouth and tweaking it until that harmony is just right. They are looking for bass notes, mid tones (the alto or tenor) and the high notes (the soprano) to make up the whole triad chord. Ghost Rider, although made up of only two coffees, has an amazing ability of filling these three roles and producing a great balance. The notes of stone fruit and brown sugar of the Brazil complements the sweet acidity and berry components of the Ethiopian, which in turn supports the Brazil.
Quality coffee is, of course, the key. Owner Nolan Hirte, who sources all the beans for Proud Mary, has established lasting relationships with the farmers who contribute to Ghost Rider. When informed of the win last year, Brazilian farmer Jose Wagner was proud to know that the hard work he is putting in is really paying off.
It used to be a crazy idea to blend two full natural coffees together: a blend like that would not sell. But with the quality of coffee now reaching Australian shores and the techniques improving in natural coffee production, this is now not only possible but also able to hold its own in the competitive wholesale market. Proud Mary wholesales its coffee out to customers across Australia, with the Ghost Rider blend by far the most popular product in its portfolio.
