Naturally processed coffees, whereby the seed has dried within the fruit husk of the coffee cherry, have long been a mainstay of espresso blends. These bold coffees are favoured for their accentuated sweetness, full round bodies and restrained acidity; all of which are the direct result of the surrounding fruits flesh imparting natural sugars into the coffee. For this seasons blend we have both honoured and departed from this tradition by pairing two naturally processed coffees, rather than one, to form the base of this espresso.

Burundi is typically known for its exceptional Red Bourbon varietal although less well known for naturally processed coffee. From the Nemba washing station in Kayanza we’ve sourced a unique natural lot that demonstrates just how good a well processed natural can be. Ultimately, this is an experimental lot from our exporting partners, Greenco who produced a very limited amount of this coffee. Deep, sweet and heavy it holds all the classic attributes of a top shelf Red Bourbon coffee whilst having its own unique character bought about by its processing. Paired with the Presente do Sol from Brazil, which is a classic natural with long sweet praline notes that has been meticulously sorted and dried on raised beds for 21 days. The two lots work together to provide a rich, complex, satisfying weight to this espresso.

These naturals have been carefully selected to sit alongside e a fully washed lot from Tolima, Colombia. Coffee from Tolima is notable for its defined acidity and complex fruit notes. Through careful and considered profiling by our roastery team we’ve managed to strike a balance which highlights the fruit notes in this espresso whilst keeping the acidity minimal.

Brewing Guide

When producing this espresso we’ve been starting with a dose of 19g, brewed 30 seconds with a yield of around of 33 – 36g in the cup. We find this to be the ‘sweet spot’ in creating a balance between the bitter 80% dark chocolate, red apple acidity and the sweet notes of raisin. As always, this is a rough guide so please explore the potential for other recipes on your coffee machine.

With milk this coffee sweetness come to the forefront. We have found clear notes of caramel, praline and malt to make for a satisfying flat white or cappuccino.