The Burundi Kibingo is this fortnight's coffee release. Ava from Padre HQ shares their recipes for espresso and filter below for this incredible Burundian bean!
Naturally processed African coffees have long been a favourite of mine with their rich, complex profiles. When I’m looking to relax and sip on a filter brew, or I see one on the menu at a café, they are easily my go-to option.
Natural fermentation usually relies on the native microflora; yeasts that occur naturally on the plants and in the soils where the cherries are grown. As more research goes into the study of fermentation, we are seeing lots that are inoculated with specific strains of yeasts that can help further express its unique characteristics.
This lot is from the Kibingo washing station in the Kayanza region of Burundi is a wonderful example of this development in processing with the use of a strain of yeast that offers more control over the fermentation whilst improving the brightness and fruitiness of the lot. Cherries are brought to the station by families from local farms, placed in airtight containers with this yeast and left to ferment for 36 hours after which they are sun dried for 2-3 weeks.
This strain (known as Saccharomyces Cerevisiae) is sourced from French company Lalcafe offering improved consistency and efficiency during what’s called the demucilagination; the breakdown of the soft middle layer inside of the cherry during fermentation. What this means is less time needs to be spent during fermentation, the likelihood of spoilage is reduced, and the final rinsing stage to extract the seeds is easier.
As a result this lot has been an exceptional one to work with. The raw, green coffee itself presents with bright, citrus aroma (which is delightful during roasting) and the final cup once brewed presents rich tropical fruits (think papaya, and passionfruit, and plum) with lovely cacao undertones and a bright, lavender floral finish.
RECIPE
PREPARATIONS
Switch on the kettle and boil the filtered water to 95 degrees Celsius.
As the water boils, dose out 15g of coffee and run it through the grinder at a coarse setting. The coffee grounds should resemble very coarse sand.
Tip the coffee into the plunger and place it on the scale. Tare the scale so it reads zero, and you’re ready to brew!
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
00:00 - 00:30
Once the water is boiled, pour 250g of water ensuring that the coffee is completely saturated and no dry clumps remain.
You can use a bamboo stirrer to agitate any dry coffee.
With the plunger lid off, allow the coffee to brew for 4 minutes.
00:30 - 04:00
At the 4 minute mark, place the lid on and gently plunge down.
Allow the coffee to brew for a further 4 minutes. This additional time also gives the coffee sediment a chance to settle.
04:00 - 08:00
At 8 minutes, pour your brew into your favourite mug and enjoy!
If you’d like to brew more at a time simply double, triple, or quadruple the recipe as required!
DOMESTIC ESPRESSO RECIPE
On the Slayer LP we use 22g of coffee and aim for a yield of 36g, however your machine and set up will determine what dose (and therefore, yield) you should aim for. Some domestic machines have 20-22g baskets, however some will only be able to hold 16-18g. Use the ratio to adjust the espresso recipe.
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We pay our respect to Elders past, present and future, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.