barako

In colloquial Tagalog, amongst locals of the town where these robust, full-flavoured beans made their name, ‘barako’ is slang for macho - and produces a strong, bold brew.

I feel like so much more can be said of this bean. The humble barako, one of four varietals of coffee grown in the Philippines, has been nominated to the Slow Food Foundation’s “Ark of Taste”, found devoted fans in the heart of Budapest, spurred the creation of a Coffee Academy attended by grade 11 and 12 students in the city of Lipa, Batangas, and importantly, is making headway onto the radar of conscious consumers in the Philippines and elsewhere for ensuring the famed 'big bean’ stays alive.

Information via Barako: The Big Bean by Chit Juan and Alejandro Mojica, a short but informative book on the history, characteristics and evolution of the barako coffee bean.