2018-01-31 — El Salvador Alpina Pacamara

Roast Date: 31 Jan 2018
Roast Level: FC
Duration: 10m47s
First Crack @ 7m41s
Rating: ★★★☆☆
1.2lb → 1.012lb; 16% Weight Loss

Sweet Maria’s

This Pacamara lot from Alpina has such an interesting herbal sweetness in the cup. City and City+ roasts have flavors of sweet basil and celery soda, and an delightful green floral accent note. The fragrance and aroma smell complex, floral tea and sweet herbaceous notes permeate from the coffee, and the impressions I get are reminiscent of Maracaturra coffees, the large bean hybrid of Maragoype and Caturra that is popular in Nicaragua. This coffee excels as a pour over brew, with well articulated flavor notes discernible in the cup. Acidity is brilliant in light roasts, like tangy citrus, a vibrance that holds up as the coffee cools. The level of sweetness is moderate, and transparent like simple syrup sugar, lending sweetness without the added molasses flavors that come with sugar in the raw.

Roast Notes

Nothing especially unusual. Beautiful day. Cooled with bowls then cookie sheet. Preheated bowl.

Cupping

Acidity: Atypical (of my roasts) bite at the front; maybe the citrus notes in the SM tasting notes.

Sweetness: Very subtle sweetness, almost completely overwhelmed by flavor and acidity.

Mouthfeel: Astringent.

Flavor: Having trouble putting my finger on it. Maybe the celery mentioned above? Could be some other green plant?

Finish: Definitely tasting the celery soda on the finish.

Balance: Solid coffee, but not my favorite roast of this coffee.