Red Cat Espresso - Medium Roast (SP)
This Red Caturra variety comes to us from one of the most storied coffee growing regions in the world, Huila, Colombia. We've roasted this espresso roast to showcase the sweet chocolate notes and slightly mute the acids while still keeping them present in the background.
The first generation of the Ortega family were pioneers of coffee production in the village of San Agustin. Three generations later, Esnaider Ortega-Gomez, and his grandfather Don Olgar Ortega-Bolaños, are community leaders and responsible for this espresso/medium roast that will become your daily driver.
This medium espresso roast, is also great for people who like medium filter or pour over.
ORIGIN + VARIETY: SINGLE PRODUCER - Colombia / Red Caturra
TASTING NOTES: brownie crust + raspberries +walnuts
ROAST: Medium
PRODUCER: Esnaider Ortega, Familia Ortega Gomez
FARM: Villa Maria
REGION: Sevilla, San Agustin, Huila
ALTITUDE: 1750 masl
PROCESS: Fully Washed
SIZE: Available in 125g, 227g, 340g, 908g and 5lb bags
GRIND: Whole Bean, Filter, French Press, Espresso/Moka Pot
More on process:
As Esnaider has often joked, "our coffee lives a better life than us.” The cherries come in bursting red and ripe and are left to ferment for 12-24 hours before being floated to remove any potential underripe or insect damaged beans. After that, the coffee is immediately depulped and fermented once again for an additional 12-24 hours, before being turned out onto shaded raised beds where the coffee is dried for an average of 25-30 days.
As the temperature is quite cool, the coffees must be turned 10+ times a day, meaning that the family is constantly tending to it. In addition to their meticulous focus on processing, Esnaider and Olgar have been pursuing different fermentation regimes that are also steeped in their history. They’ve built oak tanks that resemble those used by Esnaider’s grandfather prior to the advent of concrete and other building materials and believe these tanks can add a different element to the coffee via the introduction of unique microbes present in the oak. They also ferment in clay jars, another formerly common material in the production of coffee, in pursuit of unique flavour profiles.
Brewing Tips:
- ESPRESSO: We recommend a transitional 1:2 ratio if pulling as a shot . And this espresso really shines as an Americano.
- POUR OVER: We have been brewing this one on the slightly cooler side, with a 45 second bloom, 2-3 pours and a grind that let's us do it in under 3 minutes. A 1:16 ratio is a good starting point.
- FRENCH PRESS: We recommend the James Hoffman method for this roast: 16.67:1 ratio // medium grind (not too coarse) // add water, do not stir, brew for 4 minutes // after 4 mins break crust gently, scoop everything that floats // let sit for another 5-8 minutes // don't press all the way, only use it as a filter at the surface of the brew
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