Lazy Coffee Brewing Series | How to Brew Sidamo Guji in a Clever Dripper? And Make It Delicious?

Lazy Coffee Brewing Series | How to Brew Sidamo Guji with Clever Dripper and Make It Delicious?

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[Guji Natural Process]

This micro-lot from the Mountain Spring Processing Plant begins natural processing only when the red cherry sugar content reaches above 21 degrees, resulting in exceptionally high sweetness. Combined with 21 days of low-temperature fermentation (typical natural processing takes only about ten days), this ensures even sun-drying and ventilation while precisely controlling fermentation degree. The beans are dried on African raised beds with limited fruit layer thickness and continuous 24-hour scheduled turning. During the first two days of sun-drying, the red cherries' moisture is maintained to allow adequate fermentation of their fruit sugars. Meanwhile, the high-altitude location allows the processing plant's nighttime temperature to drop to around 12 degrees Celsius, preventing over-fermentation odors from excessive heat. When temperatures are higher at noon, timely shading prevents the red cherries from sun damage.

[Grind Size Selection]

Because Guji has high sweetness with fruit fermentation notes and wine-like aromas, extended brewing times can extract bitter flavors, so attention to grind size is crucial. For light roasts, we use a medium-fine grind.

The coarseness of coffee grinding directly affects extraction time and extraction rate. Finer coffee grounds create denser powder layers with more coffee particles in contact with hot water, increasing extraction resistance, extending extraction time, and raising extraction rates, but this easily leads to over-extraction.

Conversely, coarser coffee grounds create larger gaps in the powder layer with fewer coffee particles in contact with hot water, reducing extraction resistance, making it harder to extend extraction time, and lowering extraction rates, easily leading to under-extraction. Therefore, finer coffee grounds extend extraction time and increase extraction rates, while coarser grounds shorten extraction time and decrease extraction rates.

FrontStreet Coffee Barista's Clever Dripper Brewing:

Principle: The key design lies in the piston valve at the bottom of the filter cup. After pouring hot water into the filter cup, water pressure automatically seals the piston valve to stop water flow, allowing coffee grounds to fully steep in the water. When steeping is complete, place the filter cup on a mug; the base receives pressure that opens the piston valve, and coffee gradually flows into the cup. This combines the advantages of both French press and pour-over filter cups—it provides the complete immersion environment of a French press while retaining coffee oils for full, rounded flavors, and also incorporates the filtering function of pour-over cups to completely remove coffee grounds and avoid interfering with mouthfeel.

The Clever Dripper combines the advantages of French press and pour-over methods—it's simple, convenient, and easy to use. It extracts through immersion and doesn't require much technique. If you're having difficulty mastering stable water flow and can't accept the fine sediment from French press, the Clever Dripper is an easy-to-operate choice that also maintains flavor quality. There's a piston at the bottom that normally remains in a lowered position (supported by four legs that keep it suspended). When water is poured, pressure seals it shut, and the piston firmly blocks water flow. When placed on a container, the bottom piston is pushed up, allowing coffee to flow out.

FrontStreet Coffee Barista Tells You How to Prepare:

1. Fold the filter paper, place it in the Clever Dripper, and wet it with hot water to remove any paper taste;

2. Use 15-16g of coffee grounds, grind size BG 5R (64% pass-through on Chinese standard #20 sieve), water temperature 90°C, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15;

FrontStreet Coffee Technique:

30g water for bloom, 30 seconds, then pour with large water flow to 225g, place on sharing pot around 1:30, wait for complete drip-through, which takes about 20 seconds, approximately finishing at 2:05 seconds.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Notes:

Balanced flavor with nuts, almonds, grapefruit peel, subtle berry-like acidity. After cooling slightly, the berry acidity intensifies, accompanied by fruity fermentation aromas, with sweet spices in the aftertaste. Overall clean.

The water-to-coffee ratio remains between 1:13-1:18, with water temperature and bloom time adjusted according to the beans. Grind size remains medium, similar to sugar granules. Use filter paper specifically designed for Clever Drippers, preferably Melitta brand.

FrontStreet Coffee Cupping Notes:

Aromatic with distinct cantaloupe fragrance and strawberry jam. Entry offers jackfruit-like gentle acidity, mid-palate reveals strawberry berry flavors with some sucrose sweetness, creating rich layers. Aromas of green tea, strawberry, jasmine, lime, and sucrose. Light and clean mouthfeel with soft, fresh acidity.

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473