How to Brew Dominican Coffee? What are the Flavor Characteristics of Eris Estate Washed Typica?

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How to Brew Dominican Coffee? Flavor Profile of Finca Alis Washed Beans? What Coffee Regions Does the Dominican Republic Have?

Upon seeing the evaluation of Dominican coffee beans by the "Godfather of Japanese Coffee," Mr. Taguchi, I was lost in thought for a long time. Due to the dazzling brilliance of Jamaica's "Blue Mountain Coffee," other coffee-producing countries in the same Caribbean region have been forgotten like scattered pearls. Among them, the Dominican Republic—which shares the same variety and terroir conditions as Blue Mountain Coffee, is cultivated at even higher altitudes, and has recently dedicated itself to organic farming methods—produces excellent coffee that has been overlooked by connoisseurs.

The Caribbean Paradise: Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is known as the "parishioned by Caribbean trade winds," a beautiful name derived from its location on the eastern side of Hispaniola Island (the second-largest island in the Caribbean Sea of Central America), while the western side of the same island is the Republic of Haiti. Situated directly in the path of Atlantic trade winds, although the entire country lies within the high-temperature, rainy "coffee belt" south of the Tropic of Cancer, it benefits from the moderation of these trade winds. From December to February each year, mountain temperatures can drop below freezing. Due to these temperature and humidity variations, the terroir and climate conditions are particularly favorable for the growth and maturation of high-altitude mountain coffee, naturally resulting in richer and more mellow coffee flavors.

Caribbean Coffee: Dominican Republic

In earlier years, coffee produced in the Dominican Republic was often sold under the name of its capital, "Santo Domingo." As the values of "specialty coffee" and "from seed to cup" have become increasingly popular, various regions and estates in the Dominican Republic have strengthened their cultivation and processing techniques, each showing their unique strengths. The government has also established the Coffee Committee (CODOCAFE) to manage and guide the coffee industry. Through multiple channels including agricultural improvements, organic certification, quality control, and coffee farmer cooperatives, the country promotes economic development and environmental protection. Moreover, after significantly improving the living conditions of coffee farmers, substantial policy support has been invested in natural resource conservation, creating a virtuous cycle in the coffee industry.

Island Coffee: Dominican Finca Alis Typica

Island-type coffees represent a relatively small proportion of global coffee production regions. Classic examples include Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee, Hawaii Kona, and even coffee produced in Taiwan—all belong to the category of island-type coffees. Today, I'd like to introduce you to a Caribbean coffee that I've included as a regular staple on my bean list: Dominican Finca Alis coffee beans.

The Dominican Republic is a pearl in the Caribbean, with beautiful scenery. In earlier times, sugarcane was the main crop. Today, coffee plantations are mainly located around the central mountain ranges of the island, and the beans produced are commonly referred to as "Santo Domingan" (this being the former name of the Dominican Republic).

There are six main washed high-altitude coffee production regions in the market: Cibao, Bani, Azua, Ocoa, Barahona, and Juncalito. Among these, the "Finca Alis" in the Juncalito region is planted in the cloud belt of the central valley, and the coffee produced there particularly demonstrates the uniqueness of Dominican specialty beans. Therefore, over the years, it has been primarily exported entirely to high-end single-origin coffee roasting markets in countries such as Germany and Japan.

Now, the bean supplier has specially imported it to Taiwan, allowing coffee enthusiasts to enjoy this coffee with its dense, upward-rising aroma, excellent, pleasant, and comfortable fruity acidity, and a clean, refreshing mouthfeel. The persistence of its aftertaste is particularly outstanding among numerous Caribbean coffee production regions, making it a remarkable high-altitude island coffee.

April and November are the seasons when Dominican coffee women diligently harvest the coffee. Using manual harvesting and natural washing methods, with low-temperature drying of coffee beans, this coffee possesses appealing floral nectar sweetness, excellent body thickness, and its high-quality fruit acidity doesn't overpower the overall profile. It's a very enjoyable and smooth coffee worth recommending!

Coffee Details

Origin: Dominican Republic

Region: Juncalito (Jun is pronounced "Hong" in Spanish)

Estate: Finca Alis

Altitude: Average approximately 1,500 meters

Grade: Grade AA

Variety: Typica

Processing: Natural sun drying after washed fermentation

Dry Aroma: Sweet spices, sugar aroma

Wet Aroma: Brown sugar sweetness

Characteristics: Impressive body performance, tea-like mouthfeel, persistent sweetness, excellent cleanliness and balance, long and refreshing aftertaste. Overall performance shows gentle acidity with clear sweetness. Dominican beans are large-sized, with high maturity and average moisture content. Good flavor balance, mild and smooth mouthfeel. Acidity is not as high as Panamanian coffee beans, but it has full body.

FrontStreet Coffee's Recommended Brewing Methods: Siphon, Pour-over

Grind Size: 4 (Japanese small Fuji R440)

KONO dripper, 17g coffee, water temperature 88°C, grind size 4, water-to-coffee ratio close to 1:14

30ml water for bloom, bloom time 30s

Segmentation: Pour water to 120ml then stop, slowly pour water to 238ml

That is: 30-120-238ml

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