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Dose: 20g
Ratio: 1:17
Grind: Slightly Finer than Neutral
Brew Time: 2:50
TDS: 1.37%
Extraction: 20.2%
Sensory Description:
Well-dialed cups of Pijao have an abundance of fruit juice and dark chocolate notes. On the front, you’ll experience a lively brightness similar to dark cherries and grilled pineapple. The sweetness is similar to dark fruit notes like purple plums and blackberries. An artisan dark chocolate note gives this coffee a nice balance to the abundant fruit notes. This coffee has quite a bit of syrupy texture which reminded me of luxardo cherries.
Dial Notes:
For Pijao, I found that small adjustments to grind size had relatively significant impacts on the final cup. For this reason, I would pay special attention to the exact grind size you set to. If your first few cups are close but not quite perfect, you’re likely only a very small adjustment away, and those small adjustments are definitely worth making to let this coffee shine.
Under-extracted cups of Pijao tasted very much of fresh red and dark fruits like cherry, blackberry, raspberry, etc. However, the sweetness and body were a little lacking and the coffee had a very quick finish that reminded me a little of underripe fruit. You should be looking for a syrupy texture and a long dark chocolate aftertaste. In this instance, I would grind slightly finer for the next cup.
Over-extracted brews were still quite fruity, but missing out on the essential lively characteristic of this coffee’s acidity. The fruit notes were more like fruit syrup rather than fruit juice - meaning they lacked some vibrancy and were a little less complex, yet still sweet. These cups also featured the dark chocolate note more prominently and lingered a little like cocoa powder on the aftertaste. For the next cup, I would grind slightly coarser.
Well-dialed cups of Aril highlight the unique fermentation and processing combination of this Panamanian gesha. With an extended Carbonic Maceration combined with a washed finish, you’ll find this coffee to be exceptionally bright and lively compared to more delicate expressions of gesha. The result is a flavor profile of ripe tropical fruit like pineapple and mango, with some strawberry-like sweetness. You should expect a crisp, clear expression of fruit flavor rather than a syrupy or heavy-bodied one. The brightness and clarity in the cup also allows the floral and slightly citric notes to shine all the way through to the aftertaste.
Los Bellotos Bernardina are defined by their rich sweetness and creamy texture. There’s also a unique and pleasant contrast between the upfront flavor profile and the finish. At the front, you’ll notice more fruit-forward notes of concord grape, kiwi, and green apple – sweetness and malic acidity pairing well together. Towards the end and into the aftertaste, the flavors transition to more caramel, cola, and hazelnut-like notes.
