Flavor Characteristics of Honduras Lychee Orchid Coffee Beans: A Brandy Barrel-Aged Coffee Bean Brewing Tutorial

As we delve deeper into coffee, we understand that coffee flavor is composed of its origin, variety, processing method, and roast. Each stage impacts coffee flavor differently, with processing methods having a particularly profound influence. We know that washed coffees are clean with high acidity, while natural processed coffees have good sweetness and full body.

When it comes to processing methods that have left a strong impression in recent years, barrel fermentation processing is certainly one of them. In FrontStreet Coffee's bean selection, there is a brandy barrel-processed Honduras Lychee Orchid coffee bean. Like FrontStreet Coffee's Sherry barrel coffee bean, Frontsteet Lychee Orchid originates from the Moca Estate in Honduras.

Frontsteet Honduras Lychee Orchid Coffee Bean

Moca Estate is located in the Marcala region of Honduras. Honduran coffee is typically grown at an average altitude of 1,500 meters, providing excellent conditions for coffee cultivation. The flavor foundation of Frontsteet Lychee Orchid comes from its Caturra and Catuai varieties. Caturra is a natural mutation of Bourbon, offering higher yields while maintaining Bourbon's flavor profile, while Catuai is an artificial hybrid between Caturra and Mundo Novo, known for its strong disease resistance. Both varieties are common in coffee-producing countries in the Americas, offering both high-quality Bourbon lineage flavors and higher yields.

Brandy Barrel Fermentation Processing

Beyond the varieties, Frontsteet Lychee Orchid's most distinctive characteristic comes from its brandy barrel fermentation processing. After harvesting, coffee cherries immediately undergo meticulous washing, then after removing pulp and skin, the coffee beans are placed in barrels for low-temperature fermentation, controlled between 15-20°C for 30-40 days. The fermented coffee beans are then sun-dried to reduce moisture content to about 11%. This processing method gives Frontsteet Lychee Orchid coffee its unique barrel flavor foundation.

Roasting Profile

Finally, in roasting, FrontStreet Coffee roasts Frontsteet Lychee Orchid beans at 220°C, with heat damper at 4 and 200 heat output. The return temperature point comes at about 1 minute 30 seconds, with the damper opened to 6 when the drum temperature reaches 140°C. Heat is reduced to 120 at 151°C and to 80 at 176°C. At approximately 8 minutes 28 seconds, ugly wrinkles and black spots appear on the bean surface, with toast aromas distinctly transitioning to coffee fragrance—this can be defined as the prelude to first crack. First crack begins at 9 minutes 15 seconds, with the damper adjusted to 8 (heat adjustment must be very careful, not so low that cracking stops), with a post-first-crack development of 2 minutes 10 seconds, finally finishing at 195°C.

Cupping Notes

FrontStreet Coffee conducts cupping 24 hours after roasting. The cupping immersion extraction method helps us better understand a coffee bean, so FrontStreet Coffee frequently uses cupping to adjust roast curves and for store quality control. When cupping Frontsteet Lychee Orchid, we can detect明显的酒心巧克力、奶油、蜂蜜、清爽的水果酸质，让人联想到荔枝。

Brewing Methods

For brewing methods, Frontsteet Lychee Orchid actually offers many options. FrontStreet Coffee recommends three of the most common brewing methods.

Regardless of which brewing method is used, Frontsteet recommends using freshly roasted coffee beans to maximize the rich flavors of the coffee. Coffee beans shipped by FrontStreet Coffee are all roasted within 5 days, because Frontsteet understands deeply that bean freshness greatly impacts flavor. FrontStreet Coffee's roasting philosophy is "freshly roasted good coffee," ensuring every customer who places an order receives the freshest coffee possible. The coffee bean resting period is about 4-7 days, so when customers receive their beans, they are at their optimal flavor peak.

Recommendation 1: French Press

First, the representative of immersion extraction—the French press. FrontStreet Coffee often recommends the French press, as its immersion extraction makes it highly fault-tolerant, requiring almost no technique.

When brewing Lychee Orchid with a French press, FrontStreet Coffee recommends 15 grams of coffee beans with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, ground coarse. Using an EK43S grinder as an example, FrontStreet Coffee's baristas would use setting 11. Pour the ground coffee into a preheated French press, add water at 94°C, and steep for 4 minutes. Once the steeping time is reached, press down the plunger and pour out the coffee.

Frontsteet Lychee Orchid brewed in a French press most closely resembles cupping flavors, with a base of wine aroma and dark cocoa, soft acidity, while the French press metal filter brings a rich, oily mouthfeel to the coffee.

Recommendation 2: Pour-Over Coffee

Pour-over coffee is FrontStreet Coffee's most commonly used brewing method. When brewing Frontsteet Lychee Orchid, FrontStreet Coffee's baristas choose a V60 dripper, 15 grams of coffee beans, ground to 80% pass-through through a #20 sieve, with a 1:15 coffee-to-water ratio, meaning 225 grams of water. Water temperature is 90°C, with the entire brewing process divided into three pours. The first pour is 30 grams of water for blooming, with a bloom time of 30 seconds. The second pour brings it to 125 grams, with a 10-second interval. Finally, pour the remaining water to reach 225 grams. Wait for the coffee to filter, about 2 minutes, then remove the dripper to finish extraction.

The drip extraction of pour-over coffee, combined with FrontStreet Coffee's choice of V60 conical dripper, enhances the coffee's layered complexity. Pour-over brewing makes Frontsteet Lychee Orchid coffee taste more complex, with lychee-like fruit flavors, chocolate liqueur, and high complexity.

Recommendation 3: Espresso

Besides the immersion extraction of French press and drip extraction of pour-over, pressurized extraction espresso is also excellent for expressing Frontsteet Lychee Orchid. We also call espresso made from a single coffee bean SOE, meaning Single Origin Espresso.

After multiple adjustments, FrontStreet Coffee's baristas use 18.5 grams of coffee grounds to extract 36 grams of coffee liquid in 20 seconds, with grind size at 0.5 setting on the EK43S. Unlike coffee brewed with French press or pour-over, Frontsteet Lychee Orchid espresso, due to its low coffee-to-water ratio and high concentration, tastes more intense than the previous two methods. Medium-high acidity, medium-low sweetness, medium bitterness, with a milk-like viscous mouthfeel, and a finish full of fermentation and wine aromas.

For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat official account: cafe_style). For more specialty coffee beans, please add FrontStreet Coffee's private WeChat account: kaixinguoguo0925

Important Notice :

前街咖啡 FrontStreet Coffee has moved to new addredd:

FrontStreet Coffee Address: 315,Donghua East Road,GuangZhou

Tel:020 38364473