Diedrich IR5 Analysis by Doris Garrido
We’re happy to present our offer from Timor-Leste: a truly unique hybrid, born from the natural cross-pollination of Arabica and Robusta plants. This coffee offers an intriguing proposition: a Robusta baby that is believed to contain less caffeine than its Robusta parent, yet slightly more than its Arabica counterpart. Intriguing right? Taste wise, the roast I did of this coffee ended up with delightful contrast: smooth, creamy and buttery notes (I believe inherited from the Arabica) beautifully balanced by the zesty, bold, and herbal (characteristic of the Robusta). It’s a fascinating combination that could very well please the most classic, traditional coffee enthusiast.
For this roast, I decided to step away from my usual approach and experiment with a soaking method. I charged the roaster at 421.4F and began with a minimal gas setting of 30% for just over two minutes. I then ramped up to 100% gas, maintaining it for approximately three and a half minutes before dropping back to 30%. This resulted in a drying phase lasting 5 minutes and 46 seconds which accounted for significant 60% of the total roast time. Giving the softer, lower-density beans, I opted for a gentle start. And considering the Timor hybrid’s flavor profile I aimed to extend the drying phase to mellow out the zestiness and the herbal notes. The yellowing stage was kept brief, lasting only 2 minutes and 17 seconds, which helped preserve the coffee’s juiciness. I then developed the coffee for 1 minute and 36 seconds, dropping it at 404F.
The outcome? This boasts a remarkably soft and buttery body, complemented by notes of vanilla icing, apricot, orange, and cranberry, finishing with pine and butterscotch aftertaste. It’s a truly enjoyable cup.
Brew Analysis by Alisha Rajan
This coffee from Timor-Leste’s Cafe Brisa Serena, apart from being a stellar display of brown buttery caramel goodness, tells a tale of grit and perseverance. Despite a difficult harvest year, CBS has delivered a coffee that extols the virtues of the Timor-hybrid cultivar. Supremely sweet with notes of molasses and delicate citrus, I enjoyed the versatility of this coffee.
I began the brew analysis with a moderate dose and EKG grind of 9 on the V60 as a baseline, which yielded an overall smoky brew with notes of dark chocolate and cedar. I wanted to see if I could extract some more fruity brightness, so I decided to coarsen the grind in the subsequent brews. With varying degrees of success, I was able to balance the smoky sweet notes with the brightness of grapefruit and delicate spices.
One of my favorite brews on the V60 came in at an 18.0g dose at an 11 EKG grind and an extraction time of 3:35. Toasty caramel and poached pear danced with a bold grapefruit and dainty Meyer lemon on the finish. I enjoyed the citrusy notes and tea-like consistency yet was curious about adding more body to the next brew.
My absolute favorite brew, again on the V60, came in at a 19.0g dose at an 11.5 EKG grind and an extraction time of 3:09. This one had accomplished the balance that I was after while maintaining a pleasantly syrupy body. The grapefruit on this one was present yet more mellow, mingling with syrupy molasses and deep caramel and poached pear on the finish.
Overall, I would recommend a conical brewer for a cleaner cup, as well as a moderate to high dose and coarser grind setting to preserve some of the more delicate citrus notes while maintaining the brown sugar/caramel notes. If you desire a more negroni-esque citrusy feel, you can dose a little less (around 18g). If you desire a fuller body, however, I found a higher dose such as 19-19.5g to be ideal. In either case, I hope you enjoy the versatility of this unique coffee.
Espresso Analysis by Marie de Courcy
It’s not shocking that this coffee from Timor-Leste, a hybrid plant, would lend to versatility in extraction. It can really play nice with longer extractions, producing caramel or candy-like sweetness, bright citrus and berry flavors, and pleasant florals on the finish. But you can also find a bit more traditional profile with a shorter extraction, with notes of dark chocolate, black tea, and wheatgrass. This coffee seems to like a higher dose but is flexible with its yield.
The first recipe has a dose of 19g, 45g yield, and a 27 second extraction time. I had played with a couple different extractions and found that there’s a lot of potential for a sweet and juicy shot with a higher yield. This shot had notes of lemonade, lilac, tootsie roll and sesame.
The second recipe leans into a more traditional profile, with a recipe of 19g, a 36g yield, and a 23 second extraction time. This extraction produced a fuller body with richer flavors. Notes of dark chocolate, Earl Grey, and blackberry came through, notably the floral notes seemed to be a bit spicier.
This coffee has potential for a wide variety of flavors, able to please any palate. A heavier dose seems to lend best, but feel free to play around with yield and extraction time to dig into the possibilities. For a more contemporary profile my recommendation is a dose of 19g, a 45g yield, with a 27 second extraction time. For a more traditional profile try a 19g dose, a 36g yield, and a 23 second extraction time. The possibilities are endless!
