Introduction by Chris Kornman

Ethiopia is coffee’s Mecca. The Arabica species traces its origin to the western edges of the country. Ethiopia is the rare producing nation whose internal consumption equals its export volume. In Ethiopia, coffee is not just a product, not a mere cash crop, not even a simple breakfast beverage – it is a way of life.

And so, we thought it fitting to craft a ready-to-roast espresso blend built entirely on Ethiopian coffees, to release on the heals of our recent classic style espresso, the 78 Espresso Blend. We’re proud to have reached the culmination of months of work, ready to offer a quintessential espresso-tribute to all that we love about coffee and its incredible homeland.

800ras

Ras Enjori, the Berry King, melds the thrilling, complex flavor profiles found throughout Ethiopia into a balanced melting pot. Ripe blackberry and blueberry notes from immaculate dry-processed coffees meet the candy sweetness, bright citrus, and nuanced floral flavors intrinsic in washed coffees grown in regions like Sidama and Yirgacheffe. Ethiopia’s indigenous heirloom cultivars, its ideal terroir, and its unparalleled history give its coffees a mystique, a je ne sais quoi, that set them apart, a category unto themselves.

To build the blend, we buried our noses in coffee grounds and cupped through innumerable options, looking for components that stood out. Each piece of the puzzle needed to contribute the right amount of a particular flavor, be it berry or floral, citrus or chocolate, vanilla or almond. And most importantly, when blended, the result needed to be greater than the sum of its parts. The espresso named King of the Berries would need to live up to its name.

After roasting and cupping, blending and extraction, and going back to the drawing board more than once, we landed on a harmonious confluence of the most admirable, archetypal Ethiopian flavors. We created a custom bag, poured 100 lbs into a GrainPro liner, and made it ready for you to roast and serve. It’s spectacular as espresso, delightful as drip, and cuddles up like a kitten to warmed milk in a cappuccino or latte. It’s resilient and versatile, and we’re really excited for you to try it.

Check out some ideas for roasting from Jen Apodaca below. Her roast curve below can help get you off the ground if you’re looking for a starting point, but the blend is flexible, and (just like with the 78 Espresso blend) we’ve got a crack team keeping close watch to make sure it stays consistent and true to profile as the seasons change. We pulled this espresso a number of different ways and loved them all. Enjoy Enjori!

Roast Analysis by Jen Apodaca

Roasting the Ras Enjori Espresso was a nice change of pace in my normal day to day. My first roast was a bit wonky, because of my lack of reference for the larger batch size. On my second roast, I knew that I needed to increase the energy and I was able to pull of a much smoother curve. Since my first roast ColorTracked at a 64.4, I decided to push my second roast a bit darker (67.7) to see how it would perform. Both medium and dark roasts performed well with ample sugar development without masking the unmistakable Ethiopian character of this espresso.