The best descriptor of this El Quemado is from Crema Coffee Roasters themselves:
If you’re not a fan of naturals, don’t expect to be off-put by El Quemado though! This isn’t your average “Blueberry NutriGrain Bar” natural coffee - this is a natural for the sophisticated palate and should please tastebuds all across the board.
This coffee was really quite astonishing in that regard. It has intensely sweet fruit flavors and an aroma of fresh fruit, but drinks with the acidity and transparency of a washed coffee. The sparkling acidity and complexity of flavors combined with the fullness of a naturally processed coffees but the cleanliness of a washed, make this really fun to drink. It has a whole lot of tropical fruit flavors and acidity and it just pops and sparkles on the palette.
Crema even goes as far as recommending this coffee be brewed via a drip/filter method for best results, and the Hario V60 did not disappoint with the following recipe:
- 23.4 grams medium ground coffee
- 66 gram agitated bloom using 203*F water from the Bonavita Variable Temperature Kettle for 35 seconds
- Steady pour to 300 grams, stir
- Finish pouring to 375 grams (1 : 16 ratio), swirl the brewer to release any grounds from the sides of the filter
- Final draw down around 3:00 to 3:15
The coffee really held up well when extractions were pushed longer as well, promoting a bit more sweetness and a bit less acidity. I prefer the tingling juiciness of the 3:00 brew time.
Great, easy to work with and delicious coffee
El Quemado was equally good as espresso, serving up bright shots with sparkling acidity. Roast levels were again developed enough that shots could be extended to reduce acidity and increase sweetness, which to me is a sign of a well developed and executed roast profile. I did not try this coffee with milk, because it was so damn good without it.
El Quemado is $20 for a 12 ounce bag with free shipping on orders over $29 with code FREE29, and 5% off orders over $49 with code YEAH2018.
