1936 Espresso

About the Coffee

The Brazil half of this blend comes from Fazenda Serrado, a family-run farm operated by the Pereira family in Carmo de Minas, Minas Gerais. They grow Yellow Bourbon at 1,150 to 1,200 meters above sea level, a region in Brazil known for producing consistent, well-structured coffee. The farm uses a natural process, meaning the whole cherry is dried around the bean before milling, which draws out sweetness and body in the cup.

The Ethiopia component comes from the Guji Highlands, specifically the Hambela Wamena area, where roughly 3,900 smallholder farmers contribute their harvests. These farmers grow Ethiopian heirloom varieties at 2,200 meters, among the highest elevations in coffee growing. The beans are dried on raised beds, a natural process that allows for better airflow and more even drying compared to drying on the ground, which helps preserve clarity and fruit character.

Fernwood built 1936 as a medium-roast blend in the Northern Italian espresso style, meaning it sits between light and dark, structured enough to pull a consistent shot but sweet enough to work in milk. The name comes from the 1936 Barth roaster that was in the original Parsonage Café when Fernwood first started.

About Fernwood

Ben and Terra founded Fernwood in 2007 when they bought Parsonage Café in Victoria, BC. Both had backgrounds in restaurants, and when they started a family, they wanted to build something that fit the life they were moving toward. Inside the café was a 1936 Barth roaster that quickly became central to the business rather than incidental to it.

From the start, they focused on consistency over scale. One-pound bags, daily quality control, no shortcuts. That approach eventually earned them a Canadian Barista Championship win, which they saw as proof that accessible, everyday coffee and genuine quality don't have to work against each other.

"Fernwood is a roaster you'll see all over Reddit as being one of BC's best. I asked to try their coffee, and now I get what all the hype is about. I bought a few extra bags of Manos al Grano for my stash at home."

- Dean, Director of Coffee