Why is the pour-over Tempestanza Estate natural-processed Elephant Bean coffee grounds coarser? - Pour-over Elephant Bean grind size recommendation

Introduction

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This time we recommend Elephant Bean coffee from Nicaragua - Francisco.

Coffee Information

Origin: Nicaragua

Region: Francisco

Estate: Finca La Tormenta

Grade: SHB

Coffee Variety: Maragogype

Growing Altitude: 1350-1500m

Processing Method: Natural

Finca La Tormenta Story

The main varieties in Nicaragua are Arabica, among which: Caturra, Bourbon, Pacamara, and Maragogype all have excellent quality. The processing method is mostly washed, with some natural or semi-natural.

Nicaragua is mainly divided into four major regions: Segovias, Matagalpa/Jinotega, Boaco, and Pacific Coast. The cultivation height is highest in the Segovias region at around 1,500-2,000 meters, producing the highest grade SHG (Strictly High Grown) coffee.

Finca La Tormenta is located at the national border with an area of only 7 hectares. Managed by Francisco La Tormenta, Finca La Tormenta is located in the border area between Nicaragua and Honduras, about 20 minutes' drive from Ocotal.

At Finca La Tormenta, besides discovering different coffee varieties, it is also a self-contained natural ecosystem composed of diverse trees, wildlife, and local birds. Finca La Tormenta also won fifth place in the 2011 Nicaragua Cup of Excellence.

With this understanding, it's not difficult to understand why the estate is named "La Tormenta," which means storm, tempest, and also turmoil. Through such naming, the estate owner constantly reminds himself not to forget his original mission. Perhaps it is this firm belief that enabled him to achieve the excellent result of fifth place in the 2011 COE (Cup of Excellence).

Maragogype Coffee Variety Introduction

Maragogype elephant beans are three times the size of regular Arabica beans and are the largest coffee beans in the world.

Coffee Flavor Profile: Strawberry, berry jam sweetness, nutty aroma, gentle and full aroma, nutty aftertaste, slightly sweet and sour, with a smooth mouthfeel and excellent overall balance.

The Maragogype variety is a mutant strain derived from Typica. Maragogype planted at 700-800 meters altitude has ordinary taste without special characteristics, and is disliked by some connoisseurs. However, Matagalpa Maragogype planted above 1000 meters is completely different.

When planted above 1000 meters, it has a gentle and charming aroma, mild and stable taste, balanced sourness, bitterness, and sweetness. Especially its rich fruit aroma and smooth texture are very close to elegant Blue Mountain coffee beans, with sweetness in acidity, full body, becoming very charming.

Matagalpa giant Maragogype has a taste similar to Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee beans, but the price is only about 2/3 of Jamaican Blue Mountain, making the C/P value very high. It is also the only Maragogype that has been selected for the Cup of Excellence (COE) award in recent years, so some coffee shops sell it as Blue Mountain coffee beans.

In fact, the annual quantity of Matagalpa giant Maragogype is not large. Currently only Mexico, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, and Brazil have small-scale cultivation, with limited trade volume.

Natural Process Introduction

The natural process is the oldest and most original processing method for coffee beans. The processing method involves pouring harvested coffee fruits into large water tanks, where mature and full fruits will sink to the bottom, while underdeveloped or overripe fruits will float on the surface. After removing these floating beans, healthy coffee fruits are placed on patios for direct sunlight drying, reducing moisture from 60% to 12%-15%. Finally, a hulling machine removes the hard outer skin and pulp, completing the entire processing process for the green beans.

(↑ Selecting coffee fruits) (↑ Outdoor sun drying)

The natural processing method can enhance berry and tropical fruit flavors, with mild fruit acidity, but traditional natural processing sometimes produces negative flavors, such as earthy, over-fermented tastes, etc.

Today, the natural processing method is becoming popular again, even becoming one of the important processing methods for competition-grade coffee beans. This change comes from using improved African raised beds. The raised beds can avoid ground moisture, animal feces, and earthy flavors, while also allowing fruits to be in a good air convection environment, making drying more uniform. Farmers regularly turn the beans to allow gentle absorption of the pulp's sweetness, making the flavor increasingly full.

Roasting Suggestions/Analysis

The variety of this coffee is giant bean [Maragogype] with relatively large particles but medium density. New season beans themselves have higher moisture content. During the roasting process, heat absorption is slower, and the Maillard reaction process is faster. Improper roasting can easily result in undercooked interior with burnt exterior, as well as loose and hollow flavors after roasting. The yellowing point is around 5 minutes. For the first roast, you can try a slightly higher bean drop temperature, such as 200°C bean entry temperature, with relatively higher heat settings, then gradually reduce heat during roasting as needed: after beans enter the yellowing point, reduce heat to prolong dehydration time, allowing giant beans to fully dehydrate; from completion of dehydration to before first crack, appropriately maintain medium or slightly increased heat to accelerate Maillard reaction time and ensure pressure before first crack; before first crack signs appear, appropriately reduce heat to avoid bean surface scorching. With this operating method, the coffee's dehydration time is relatively extended, with temperature increase rate of 6-8 degrees every thirty seconds, but it can still maintain normal entry into first crack between 8.5 to 9.5 minutes, preserving more floral and fruit aromas, maintaining clean and bright acidity. It is generally recommended to drop beans between dense first crack and end of first crack, around medium roast.

However, roasting Maragogype giant elephant beans requires some skill! Because this coffee bean is about three times the size of regular Arabica beans, mastering heat penetration requires some skill. If the fire is too high, the surface color might look ready for dropping, but the interior may not be fully cooked, causing astringency when drunk. It might also be roasted too long causing over-roasting, losing the Blue Mountain flavor. This mastery really requires some skill.

Cupping Flavor Description

Natural processed Maragogype variety emits starfruit juice-like aroma, plum's sweet and sour taste, citrus sweetness, rum-flavored raisins, with smooth malt milk flavor in the middle and later stages showing tropical fruit notes, freely expressive with distinct and varied personality, overall tight structure, and excellent flavor extension.

Dry Aroma: Pineapple, wine aroma, nuts

Wet Aroma: Passion fruit, pineapple, red guava, orange, caramel, roasted nuts

Taste: Overall natural processing sensation is obvious, with rich fruit flavors

Brewing Analysis

Today we introduce FrontStreet Coffee's commonly used hand-brewing method for Maragogype elephant bean coffee: V60 three-stage pouring method.

Segmented extraction, dividing all brewing water into three stages of injection.

1. Suitable for light roast, medium-light roast, and medium roast coffee beans
2. Using V60 dripper
3. Increasing bloom time or number of water breaks can enhance the richness of coffee taste

The three-stage pouring segmented extraction method has the advantage of being more layered than single-pour, clearly distinguishing the front, middle, and back flavor stages of the coffee. The method involves increasing water amount after each bloom, usually pouring when the coffee liquid is about to drop to the powder layer surface, using small, medium, and large water flows for three-stage extraction.

Disadvantage: Higher requirements for water flow rate and volume.

FrontStreet Coffee's Maragogype Elephant Bean Coffee Hand-brewing Parameter Suggestions

Using V60 dripper for brewing can enhance the layered flavor of hand-brewed coffee, making it richer and cleaner; fully expressing the rich fruit aroma and gentle, full nutty fragrance of the Maragogype elephant bean variety.

15g powder, water temperature 89-90°C, grind BG 5R (Chinese standard 20 mesh sieve pass rate 64%), water-to-powder ratio close to 1:15

Method: 30g water bloom, bloom time 30s. The hot water in the pour-over kettle should be poured clockwise in circles centered on the middle of the V60 dripper. Start timing when brewing begins, pour water to 30g, then stop pouring and wait 30 seconds for the first pour.

For the first pour, circle like before but can slow down slightly, speeding up a bit when reaching the outer circle, stop water at around 1:15 seconds. When the liquid level drops by 1/3, pour again. For the second pour, concentrate on central pouring, avoiding water flow hitting the connection between coffee powder and filter paper to prevent channeling effect. End extraction around 2:05 seconds, the tail section can be omitted (the longer the time, the more astringency and rough texture will increase).

Segments: 30-125-230g

Important Notice :

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FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473