Diedrich IR-5 Analysis roasted by Doris Garrido, words by Chris Kornman
These high-density Ethiopian beans, even if unconventionally processed as a white honey, are some of Doris’ favorites to roast. The only thing holding her back from placing a brick on the accelerator was the small batch size, just about 1/3 of the machine’s capacity at four pounds, a little less than our usual analysis roast.
She began with a very responsible looking 400F charge temperature and didn’t hit the gas until about 30 seconds into roasting, starting at 70% and then ramping up briefly to 100% burner power as she approached color change, logged at 4:25 and a slightly lower temperature than average, just shy of 300F.
From there, she dropped the burner power to minimum (30%) and held steady with an open airflow, letting the coffee coast through Maillard (2:24 in duration), reaching the beginning of first crack at a brisk 6:49 and a slightly low 378.4F. The coffee’s rate of rise slowed from 20F to 10F in the space of the 1:37 development time, achieving a wide differential between whole bean ColorTrack (65.93) and ground (55.6) a little on the lighter side but not extraordinary by any means.
The cup was bright and expressive. Doris and I both noted hibiscus notes, candy-like sweetness, and bright acidity. I thought (despite the color of this honey) about reddish fruits, from pomegranates to chocolate-covered cherries. This is a refined and exciting twist on the classic “washed Yirgacheffe” style profile, with plenty of lush florals and delicious clean fruit notes for the lovers of this style that want the volume turned up a little and the wavelength shifted ever so slightly in the direction of rose and violet.
The coffee shouldn’t offer any trouble, particularly for roasters accustomed to classic washed southern Ethiopian coffees. Just keep an eye on the slightly lower temperatures for the onset of color change and first crack.
