#2 Champion Coffee Costa Rica

A Signature Coffee Journey

This coffee has been a cornerstone of my signature beverages in both the Danish Barista Championship and the World Barista Championship. It embodies a journey of innovation, collaboration, and discovery, which began during my visit to Volcan Azul in Costa Rica in January. Together with Alejo Castro, I worked on an experiment that we initiated in 2018, aiming to unlock untapped potential in the coffee fermentation process.

The Experiment: Unlocking the Potential of Mucilage

The project focused on mucilage, the sticky layer left on the coffee bean after depulping. Traditionally discarded, mucilage is rich in natural sugars and flavor compounds, prompting us to explore its potential to enhance the coffee’s profile.

When we embarked on this experiment in 2018, the results were uncertain. Today, I am thrilled with the outcome: a coffee that features a rich body, a silky texture, and a velvety mouthfeel, alongside the delicate traits of Gesha—peach, bergamot, and jasmine—shining brightly and transparently in the cup. Most importantly, the process preserves the unique characteristics of each variety with remarkable clarity.

The Process: An Innovative Blend of Two Varieties

This experiment brings together the best of two renowned varieties, Caturra and Gesha, through an innovative fermentation process:

• Caturra:

  • Known for its chocolatey richness and pleasant mouthfeel.
  • Picked at a Brix level of 24% to ensure optimal sugar content.
  • Undergoes a 24-hour water soak, initiating a natural fermentation process.

• Gesha:

  • Celebrated for its bright acidity and rare floral and citrus notes, including jasmine and bergamot.
  • Picked at a Brix level of 22–25%.
  • Fresh mucilage from same-day harvested Gesha cherries is added to the Caturra fermentation tank for an additional 24 hours, enriching the process with Gesha's distinct traits.

The Result: A Cup Like No Other

This meticulous process creates a cup that blends the smooth, chocolatey notes of Caturra with the bright acidity and delicate florals of Gesha, delivering:

• A rich body,
• Velvety mouthfeel,
• And layers of complex flavors, including peach, bergamot, and jasmine.

The result is a coffee that harmoniously balances tradition and innovation.

A Journey of Discovery

This coffee represents the culmination of years of experimentation and refinement. It showcases how fermentation techniques and varietal blending can unlock new dimensions in coffee, offering endless opportunities to explore and push the boundaries of flavor.

This is not just a coffee—it's a testament to what can be achieved through curiosity, dedication, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.

As a general rule you should dial in your espresso using a scale. The first three shots is normally indicating your espresso flow and the appearance of how well your espresso flow/brew.

Your first indicator should be the first drop appearing after activating starting the water flow (pump/bottom).

I recommend the first drop to appear approx. at 8-10 sec. In that way your espressoshot will brew as long a 26-31 sec. if it appears before 6 sec. I will recommend you should grind finer and vise versa if the first drop appears too late/after 11 sec or more.
This extraction will give you a more ristrettoét espresso and more intens.

Bryggeguide:

Fremhæv syrlighed med Hario og December Dripper

Denne kaffe er ideel til brygning med enten Hario V60 eller December Dripper, da begge metoder fremhæver kaffens naturlige syrlighed.

Bryggeforhold og den samlede mængde afhænger af faktorer som hældeteknik, kaffemængde og bryggetid. Jeg vil selvfølgelig opfordre dig til at eksperimentere med forskellige hældeteknikker for at finde den perfekte balance, der passer til både dig og kaffen.

Trin-for-trin bryggeinstruktioner

Trin 1: Præinfusion
Præinfusion er det første trin, hvor du væder kaffebønnerne, så de kan absorbere vand. Denne proces begynder at frigive kaffens smage og aromaer.

• Brug kun nok vand til at mætte kaffebønnerne i filteret.
• Tip: Mængden af vand til præinfusion afhænger af, hvor meget kaffe du bruger. Mindre kaffe = mindre vand til præinfusion.

Tænk på præinfusion som en måde at “aktivere” kaffen på—målet er en jævn og fuld mætning.

Trin 2: Blooming
Blooming er den fase, hvor kaffepartiklerne udvider sig, mens gasser (som CO₂) frigives. Dette forbereder kaffen til en ordentlig ekstraktion, og smage og aromaer begynder at udvikle sig.

• Retningslinje:
  • Mindre kaffe → Kortere bloomingtid.
  • Mere kaffe → Længere bloomingtid.
• Eksempler:
  • 33 g kaffe → 30 sekunders bloomingtid.
  • 60 g kaffe → 50-60 sekunders bloomingtid.

Denne fase er afgørende for at opnå en balanceret kop, da den skaber fundamentet for bryggeprocessen.

Trin 3: Opbygning af brygget
Dette trin handler om at kontrollere bryggetiden og sikre, at kaffen interagerer jævnt med vandet.

• Vigtige tips:
  • Undgå at lade kaffen tørre ud i filteret mellem hældningerne—det kan føre til ujævn ekstraktion.
  • På den anden side, undgå at hælde så meget vand, at du skaber en “svømmepøl” oven på kaffelaget.

Målet er at opretholde et jævnt og stabilt flow af vand gennem kaffebønnerne, så kontakttiden bliver ensartet for en balanceret ekstraktion.

Nyttigt tip: Kaffen skal “løbe igennem” jævnt—hverken for hurtigt eller for langsomt. Balancen her er nøglen til at få de bedste smagsnuancer frem.

Eksperimentér og find inspiration

Hver kaffe er unik, og det samme gælder din bryggeoplevelse. Prøv at eksperimentere med følgende for at forfine dit bryg:

• Justér hældehastighed og mønster (cirkulært, spiral eller centreret hældning).
• Leg med forskellige kværningsgrader for at se, hvordan det påvirker flowet og ekstraktionen.

For yderligere vejledning kan du kigge på detaljerede bryggeguider til din valgte bryggemetode på min youtube kanal og med Decemberdripper