How to Brew Nicaraguan Orchid Estate Maracatura Coffee by Hand Grinding

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style).

Nicaragua Coffee - Orquidea Estate

This washed Maracaturra from Nicaragua possesses high hardness and large bean size. During cupping, we were surprised to discover it carries a Yakult flavor! This is due to its lactic fermentation acidity, which simultaneously brings grape and brown sugar flavors, with an Earl Grey tea texture and uplifting sweetness in the aftertaste.

Orquidea Estate Information and Story

Orquidea Estate maintains excellent ecological preservation, harmoniously integrating with the local natural environment. This farm is 80% mountainous terrain. The farm owner, Algel, combines coffee cultivation with his ecotourism company in Matagalpa, planning sufficient space for camping and hiking - which was the original concept. However, the specialty coffee grown here has also been gaining increasing attention.

Algel came to Nicaragua earlier for water conservancy project work. Like many others, he fell in love with Nicaragua and settled here. He now operates an ecotourism company in Matagalpa and lives with his wife on the tranquil hills of Alajuela. Initially, cultivating coffee on these four hectares was just a hobby for him. It wasn't until this year that the coffee began to yield good harvests. Fortunately, when we cupped this coffee, we were deeply attracted by its excellent flavor.

Maracaturra Coffee Variety Introduction

What's special about Maracaturra?

Like Maragogype, Maracaturra coffee beans have a large size. Mauricio told me it inherits the excellent flavor and high yield of Caturra. Its short stature boasts abundant leaves, which serve to block strong winds - very useful for estates that frequently experience strong winds.

Unfortunately, this variety is very susceptible to leaf rust disease and therefore requires high-level care. Its flavor features tropical fruits and bright acidity. It placed 5th in the 2015 Cup of Excellence, and Mauricio believes its future harvests will surpass Pacamara.

Washed Process Introduction

Following the shortcomings of traditional natural processing, the washed method emerged. First, harvested cherries are passed through a depulper to separate most of the fruit pulp from the coffee beans. Then they are guided to a clean water tank and soaked in water for fermentation to completely remove the remaining pulp layer. After fermentation is complete, they are dried either by sun-drying or using mechanical methods to reduce moisture content to 12%. Since the washed method removes the pulp beforehand, there's no need to worry about mold or insect pest problems during the drying process, unlike with natural processing.

(↑ Depulper removing pulp) (↑ Soaking in water for fermentation) (↑ Spreading flat for drying)

Natural process coffees offer rich and full flavors with very distinct and diverse layers, while washed process coffees have a very clean and refreshing taste with distinct fruit acidity. Different processing methods give coffee beans unique aromas.

Flavor Description

Features lactic fermentation acidity, simultaneously bringing grape and brown sugar flavors, with an Earl Grey tea texture and uplifting sweetness in the aftertaste.

Roasting Recommendations/Analysis

Recommended brewing equipment: Pour-over, French press, Siphon

Brewing Analysis

Today we introduce FrontStreet Coffee's commonly used method for pour-over Nicaragua coffee: V60 three-stage pouring method

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

Suitable for light roast, medium-light roast, and medium roast coffee beans

Using V60 dripper

Increasing bloom time or the number of pour interruptions can enhance the richness of coffee taste.

Three-Stage Pouring Segmented Extraction Method

Advantages: More layered than single continuous pour, can clearly distinguish the front, middle, and back-end flavors of the coffee. The method involves increasing water volume after each bloom, typically 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.

Disadvantages: Has relatively high requirements for water flow rate and volume.

FrontStreet Coffee's Nicaragua Coffee Pour-over Parameter Recommendations

Using a V60 dripper for brewing can enhance the layering of pour-over flavors, making it taste richer and cleaner; perfectly expressing the rich floral and fruit aromas of Nicaragua coffee with its soft fruity acidity.

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

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

During the first pour, draw circles like before, but the speed can be slightly slower, accelerating a bit when reaching the outer circle. Stop pouring around 1:15 seconds. When the liquid level drops by 1/3, pour again. For the second pour, concentrate on central pouring, avoiding the area where coffee powder meets the filter paper to prevent channeling effects. End extraction around 2:05 seconds. The tail end can be discarded (the longer the time, the more astringency and rough texture will increase).

Segments: 30-125-230g

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473