Papua New Guinea – Teleo Coffee

Teleo Coffee is a based in my hometown of Kirkwood, Missouri. I really enjoyed getting their coffee at a local farmer’s market throughout this past summer and they now have a café in Kirkwood opening this summer that I can’t wait to check out. Teleo’s mission is to strive “to be a coffee shop that goes towards something greater. [They] seek to love [their] neighbors by empowering and supporting the people and places of St. Louis through creating a space for people to feel known and loved, and intentionally choosing products that go directly back into supporting the St. Louis community.”¹ They accomplish this mission in a variety of ways. For one, they use beans roasted by Switch Coffee Collective, a roaster who has a very like-minded mission. They also have big plans for their café and how it might be used in the community.

I recently got to try their three coffee offerings and really enjoyed this light-roasted coffee from Papua New Guinea. The coffee began with a nutty, chocolatey fragrance that led into a citrus burst as I began to bloom the coffee. In the flavor I tasted notes of chocolate, walnuts, nutmeg and cinnamon with a citrus undertone throughout. The mouthfeel was smooth with a rich, full body and a chocolaty sweetness. The acidity, which was fairly muted throughout the sip became most pronounced in the lingering finish. This coffee was extremely balanced and approachable. While it was roasted light, it had many characteristics of a darker roasted coffee and is one that I think would appeal to wide range of coffee lovers.

The Bottom Line

Sometimes coffee is about more than just how it tastes. While Teleo has great tasting coffee, they also have much more: a mission I can get behind. I love their mission, what they are trying to do with their coffee and coffee shop and can’t wait to continue to support them in the coming months and years.