Drink of the Week: Little Waves Coffee Roasters Huaynapata

As a dedicated daily coffee drinker, I’m always on the lookout for intriguing new beans. Little Waves Coffee Roasters in Durham, North Carolina, has been on my radar since Roast magazine named them micro-roaster of the year in 2022. The Latina-led, women-forward company emphasizes inclusivity, cultural connection, and sustainability. This extends to the coffee beans they source, prioritizing long-term relationships with farms and co-ops that create greater community impact.

A new release for Little Waves, the Huaynapata is a Peruvian coffee from the Yanatile Valley in Cusco. Sourced by production group Valle Inca, which works with more than 260 producers ensuring fair wages and offering education to farmers to improve crop quality, the Huaynapata is a blend of Caturra, Typica, and Bourbon varieties grown between 1,600-2,000 meters. Little Waves roasts the beans to medium, and the resulting coffee is bright with flavors of tart apple and complementary notes of cinnamon, with a tea-like earthiness. Typically I drink my coffee with milk, but with a lighter, more acidic coffee like this, I prefer it black with a dollop of honey to emphasize the natural, fruity sweetness. $20.25/12 oz., littlewaves.coffee