Sweet Bloom is another new to me roaster that I will definitely be trying again after this first bag of Santa Maria from San Jose, Costa Rica.  This washed Catuai and Caturra varietal with listed aromatics of dark chocolate and grape, malic acidity, and sugar cane sweetness is also described as having flavors of “mission fig, mixed berries, and toffee.”

And this coffee really lives up to that.  It is syrupy sweet and very tasty with a pleasant acidity and body.  Brewed, the coffee really highlights the fig syrup sweetness, with a hint of juicy berries in the finish and body and silky but still full mouthfeel.  My favorite cups in the Ceramic V60 were:

• 1:16 ratio using 200*F water
• 3:1 water to dried grounds stirred bloom for 30 seconds
• 3:15 total brew time for a 20 gram dose. 

The coffee was so good and sweet, that I tried pushing the extraction more and more, but did find it lost clarity and balance at higher ratios and longer brew times.  The coffee becomes more transparent as it cools, and I really liked the fig jam/syrup sweetness.

The coffee is a bit on the demanding side for espresso, but for those that like more third-wave lighter roasted single origins, it was worth it.  The acidity is not necessarily an issue, and I found it be quite pleasant, but it was demanding of a good grinder and sound prep skills.  As espresso, the coffee had increased berry sweetness, with a subtle lingering toffee sweetness in the finish.  It was quite tasty, but also easy to over extract, like brewed.  I found the best shots at:

• 18.3 grams in an 18 gram VST basket
• 26 second pulls at 200*F
• 36 – 38 grams beverage yield.

I did not try this coffee with milk, because it was just too good, but I suspect it would hold up okay in small milk drinks. 

Priced very reasonably at $15.75 for a 12 ounce bag with free shipping over $50 here.