Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aricha Adorsi Washed

Fragrance and aroma of lemon blossom, lavender and panela. Notes of black tea and lemon with a floral and candied-lemon aftertaste and brown sugar sweetness. Bright citric acidity with a medium body and tea-like mouthfeel.

Dense coffees can handle a lot of heat application, and that heat helps build the momentum needed to push through the endothermic reactions of the Maillard and caramelization phases. With so much energy required later in the roast, it can be tempting to hit a dense coffee hard from the very start. However, it is also important that there is enough heat penetration through the coffee seed during drying. If heat doesn’t reach the center of the seed, the interior will be underdeveloped, leaving a cup with astringency and a lack of sweetness, even when the roast data looks right. Starting the roast with a minimal heat application allows heat to move evenly through the seed, while quickly increasing heat application after turnaround builds the energy needed heading into Maillard. This approach provides both adequate heat penetration and enough momentum to develop complex volatiles during Maillard, then carry that energy through caramelization for sweetness and body. The key with dense coffees is to think of the beginning of the roast as preparing the seed and the middle of the roast as driving it forward. Strong heat application heading into Maillard can bring out bright, complex acidity and a clear expression of fruit. The challenge with washed coffees is balancing that acidity with enough sugar development. Extending time spent in caramelization builds sweetness and body, softening sharp acids into rounder fruit notes, while too much time there can mute the acidity that makes washed coffees shine. How you approach caramelization will have a significant impact on your final cup. A short time spent in caramelization will preserve complex acidity and florals, while leading to a thinner, more tea-like body. Stretching out time spent in caramelization will reduce acids, but allow for more sugar and melanoidin (contributes to body) development. Washed coffees also tend to have a more predictable and audible first crack than naturals or alternatively processed coffees, but it’s worth paying attention to how the coffee behaves after it. Some washed coffees will gently reduce their rate of rise on their own and do best with steady, consistent heat, while others will stall out if heat is pulled back too much and need some continued push to make it through development. In post crack development, a short time (85-100 seconds) will lead to a bright coffee with fresh fruit character and floral notes, with an Agtron color reading of between 90-85. This would commonly be considered a "light roast." Extending the post crack development (100-150 seconds +) will bring out more notes of chocolate, cooked fruits, nuts, and spice, with an Agtron near the 80-70 mark. This would lead to a roast that is commonly considered a "medium roast".