Doña Margarita, Espresso from Nicaragua

Doña Margarita - Coffee Info

How we brew this coffee

The complexity of this coffee leaves plenty of room for experimentation during extraction. However, the standard 9-bar profile is absolutely convincing and performs at least as well as, if not better than, a flow profile.

The standard 9-bar profile at a brew ratio of 1:2.1 and 28 seconds produces a cup with real power and vibrant acidity. The loud and lively acidity is perfectly balanced by the sweetness. A slightly longer extraction dampens the acidity more, shifting the flavor profile from red currants, passion fruit, and subtle floral notes towards fruity chocolate, magnolia, and tropical fruits. This cup emphasizes a heavy, dense body. For a vibration pump, the extraction time increases by 2–3 seconds.

This time, we didn't quite reach our ideal taste with the flow profile, which will be a relief for those without the possibility of adjustable pressure and flow profiles. While we do get an incredibly elegant cup, we are missing a little of the punch and, consequently, the characteristic nature of this coffee. We start with a slightly longer pre-infusion of 9 seconds at a regulated flow of 4ml/sec. We then continue brewing at 8.5 bar. We stop the extraction at 26–28 seconds.

Why does the coffee taste the way it does?

The cherries are filled into barrels and stored for two weeks. This intensive yet extremely controlled fermentation enhances the lush fruit notes. Afterwards, the cherries are dried on breathable raised beds in thin layers. This slows down the fermentation, allowing the coffee to retain its clear notes. This flavor profile is not standard, but rather the result of painstaking, detail-oriented work by people who are always looking for new ways to make coffee even better.

Why did we source this coffee?

We share a long friendship and partnership with Claudia from Bridazul. Together, we have experimented, innovated, changed, improved, and achieved a great deal. This coffee is infused with heart, passion, and tireless trial and improvement. It is a testament to modern coffee farming and perfectly reflects how coffee quality can be brought to the highest level through precise work from harvest to processing to drying. These wild aromas and lively acids, supported by sweetness and a creamy body, stand far apart from the average coffee quality from the region, and even from the rest of the world.

How do we roast this coffee?

We roast the coffee in 20kg batches on our 30kg Giesen roaster. With a total roast time of 11:50 and a development time of 1:30 minutes, we bring the coffee quickly to the first crack and develop it slightly longer than usual. This intensifies the balance between sweetness and acidity. Since these are beans from different farms and we strive for uniform roasting of all beans, this roast is one of the few that we roast with increasing airflow. This allows us to distribute the hot air evenly and roast the beans more uniformly.