How to Properly Brew Yirgacheffe - Introduction to Natural Process Yirgacheffe Coffee Characteristics

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FrontStreet Coffee - Introduction to Sun-Dried Yirgacheffe

Harvested coffee beans must immediately enter the processing stage, otherwise they will begin to ferment, causing the coffee beans to develop off-flavors. There are two processing methods: "natural processing" and "washed processing," each creating different flavor profiles. Natural processed beans have complete natural mellow flavors, gentle aromas, and more body; washed processing offers good mellow flavors, high aromatics, and lively acidity.

Natural Sun-Drying Method (Natural/Dried-in-the-Fruit):

After harvesting, the fruits begin the sun-drying process without any processing. This is the oldest existing processing method. The drying process typically takes about 4 weeks. The processing method must be extremely rigorous to ensure the coffee doesn't lose any of its flavor characteristics. The natural sun-drying method requires extremely dry local climate conditions. In some regions, people use drying machines to assist in the coffee fruit drying process (the hot air from dryers can accelerate the drying process and help people control the degree of drying).

FrontStreet Coffee - Pour-Over Characteristics and Tasting Notes for Sun-Dried Yirgacheffe

Sun-Dried Yirgacheffe: Recommended to use 15g of coffee grounds with 89°C water temperature, Fuji grinder setting 4, V60 dripper, water-to-coffee ratio 1:15. First pour 30g of water, let bloom for 30s. Second pour 104g of water, then continue pouring to 225g total. Avoid using the final tail section of the extraction. Total extraction time around 2:02s.

Sun-Dried Yirgacheffe: The natural processing adds complexity, with light fermented wine-like aromas and slightly more pronounced bitter notes. The mouthfeel is much richer, with honey-like sweetness, cocoa undertones with hints of spice, full body, and a persistent aftertaste.

Coffee Flavor Fundamentals You Should Understand

Aroma: Coffee aroma actually includes the dry fragrance of coffee beans, the aroma released after coffee preparation is complete, and more.

Bitterness: Generally, the deeper the coffee beans are roasted, the stronger the bitterness.

Acidity: In fact, the "acidity" in coffee is an important component that constitutes the entire flavor profile of a cup of coffee. It's different from the "acidity" of lemons—coffee acidity is relatively refreshing and crisp. Some people compare the level of coffee acidity to the stimulation of taste buds by pure water versus sparkling water.

Body: Also called "mouthfeel," this can be understood as the density perceived by the tongue when tasting a beverage. Here we can use the difference in mouthfeel between pure water and cream as an analogy—pure water has the lowest body while dense cream has the highest body.

Aftertaste: Like red wine, this refers to the residual flavor in the mouth after swallowing coffee. It can, to some extent, measure the quality of coffee beans; some coffees have persistent and clear aftertastes, while others have brief and模糊 aftertastes. The former indicates higher quality green beans.

Flavor: Coffee flavor is the combined result of aroma, bitterness, acidity, body, and other factors, referring to the overall impression a coffee leaves.

The quality of a finished cup of coffee is actually influenced by every process from green bean cultivation, harvesting and processing, roasting to grinding and extraction. The cup of coffee we drink can be said to contain the "life journey" of every single coffee bean in the cup.

In reality, different coffee bean varieties have varied flavors, and there's no absolutely "best" coffee bean—only coffee that suits your personal taste. To find the "good coffee" that's right for you, it's worth tasting different coffee beans to better discover your favorite variety.

Important Notice :

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