Intelligentsia Coffee Silver Lake

Daniel Canales made history in 2004 as the first grower to win a Cup of Excellence competition with an organically grown coffee. We purchased some of that winning lot and have continued working with the Canales family ever since. Today, the Canales family's commitment to thoughtful farming and exceptional quality continues through Daniel's three sons, Milton, Norman, and Donal, who represent the third generation at the family's farm in Pueblo Nuevo, Estelí, where they have transformed former pastureland into a diverse coffee ecosystem. This year's washed Pacamara lot was produced by Norman Canales, whose careful stewardship carries forward a legacy six decades in the making. A variety known for its remarkably large beans and distinctive flavor, the Pacamara has become one of our favorite coffees from the Canales family.

This lot was grown by members of the Alaka Farmers Association and processed by our longtime partners, METAD, at their Hambela washing station in the West Guji Zone of Oromia. Led by the Adinew family, METAD consistently produces some of our favorite coffees from Ethiopia. Farmers delivered their daily harvest of ripe coffee cherries to the station, where they were meticulously sorted and dried on raised beds with the fruit fully intact. METAD’s expertise and attention to detail are especially evident in natural coffees like this one, where careful processing allows the heirloom varieties and terroir to shine, preserving the distinctive expression that makes Ethiopian coffee unlike any other.

This year's edition of Summer Solstice blends coffees from Colombia, Peru, and Ethiopia to evoke the berry and bright citrus flavors of the season. Flavor notes: blueberry, honey, & lime.

Our coffee team carefully selected top lots from Colombia, Costa Rica, and Ethiopia for this blend honoring the athletes participating in the 2026 Chicago Marathon. Intelligentsia is proud to be the official coffee of the event.

Sapsucker is a seasonal blend named for the bird whose pursuit of sugary-sweet tree sap reflects our own approach to crafting this coffee. This year's blend unites distinct lots from Colombia, Burundi, and Kenya into a lively espresso defined above all else by its sweetness. The result is vibrant yet balanced, layered with notes of bright tropical fruit, ripe stone fruit, and zesty citrus.