THE PRODUCER

El Indio is a coffee which doesn’t just stand out for its rich and juicy flavour, it's the ongoing product of a coffee growers association in Planadas, Colombia. The association, ASOPEP, are committed to the production of high quality coffees, and to the minimisation of environmental damage which can be caused by coffee farming. Almost all of the association's members are certified organic, with 175 farming families in the Tolima region contributing their efforts.

In addition to coffee production, ASOPEP runs programs and workshops aimed at upskilling the young people in their community. One of keen interest is learning how to ‘cup’ coffee, allowing the producers to assess the flavours and qualities of the coffees they grow through standardised tasting practices. The efforts of ASOPEP, along with our suppliers at Cofinet, allow us access to a consistent and great tasting coffee all year round.

 THE CUP

El Indio is a cup which overflows with intense and juicy flavours. The smooth dark chocolate undertones of this coffee are beautifully paired with a rich winey body. We think of red and purple fruits when drinking this coffee, ranging from sweet red grapes, apples and raspberries, to tangy orange, blackberry and plum flavours. This coffee pairs well with milk alongside being well suited for black and filter coffees, and will be enjoyed most by those who enjoy boozy and fruity flavours.

We recommend adjusting your recipe for this coffee based on how intense and how winey you want your cup to be. For both espresso and filter brews, you may consider lowering your dose if the flavours are too intense. We also recommend using coarser coffee grounds to reduce your extraction time, which will help balance the winey characteristics of this coffee.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-29 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 2:45 - 3:00
Total Water Weight | 300g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

West Haraaz is named after the region it was grown in, west of Sana’s city in Yemen. In this vast growing region, the size of the coffee farms vary, however there’s a pattern of traditional farming practices regardless of a farm’s size. Coffee is hand picked, chemical fertilisers aren’t used, and multi-generational smallholder farmers sell their dried cherries to co-ops for export. The cherries are sent to Manakhah for sorting, grading, hulling and QC.

The trees grown in this region require input from water wells, or from water bought externally in order to survive. Typically, most parts of Yemen only get 1-2 months of rain per year, resulting in lower fruit yields and higher production costs. The Yemeni coffee growing communities also face geo-political challenges, a lack of governmental support to grow coffee, currency issues, and logistical issues, outside of combating rugged growing conditions. Our friends at Saify Burhani Coffee Traders find this community particularly commendable for their resilience, and we’re excited to share the outcome of their efforts with you!

 THE CUP

West Haraaz has several unique characteristics, likely related to its growing region. Its rich dark cacao body, nutmeg and cardamom spiciness, and soft rosewater and red liquorice finish reminded us of black spiced tea, or a chai latte when paired with milk. Not too sweet, but still warm and complex, this coffee is a lovely change of pace for milky lattes and for black brews.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-30 seconds
Yield | 40g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 2:45 - 3:00
Total Water Weight | 300g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 10.5EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Benti Neka, named after the village from which this coffee is produced, is grown in the high altitudes of West Guji. Surrounded by shade trees and wildlife, the coffee trees are primed by the low growing temperatures and high rainfall to produce small but dense coffee cherries, which are packed with flavour.

Like in many Ethiopian coffee growing communities, the producers contribute their harvested cherry to the dry mill closest to them. At the Benti Neka dry mill, anaerobic fermentation is practiced using airtight plastic barrels. Over 4-5 days, the coffee is fermented and degassed, and is then dried on raised drying beds with the fruit left on. This typically takes 20-30 days, after which it goes through a final round of processing for export.

Benti Neka, named after the village where this coffee is produced, is grown in the high altitudes of West Guji. Surrounded by shade trees and wildlife, the coffee trees are primed by the low growing temperatures and high rainfall to produce small but dense coffee cherries. Like in many Ethiopian coffee growing communities, the producers contribute their harvested cherry to the dry mill closest to them. At the Benti Neka dry mill, anaerobic fermentation is practiced using airtight plastic barrels. Over 4-5 days, the coffee is fermented and degassed, and is then dried on raised drying beds with the fruit left on. This typically takes 20-30 days, after which it goes through a final round of processing for export.

 THE CUP

Benti Neka is a sweet and juicy coffee, displaying classic Ethiopian varietal characteristics which have been enhanced by specialised fermentation. In the cup you’ll get plenty of ripe red fruit flavours, lightly spiced undertones, fresh fruit acidity and a sweet, jammy body. This coffee is easy to work with, and suits black and white beverages alike. For espresso, we recommend using a slightly coarser grind setting to reduce your extraction time. This helps to balance the winey finish with the fresh fruit flavours. Similarly for filter, we recommend using a slightly coarser grind setting to allow for a faster extraction, achieving the same result.

Benti Neka is a sweet and juicy coffee, displaying classic Ethiopian varietal characteristics which have been enhanced by specialised fermentation. In the cup you’ll get plenty of ripe red fruit flavours, lightly spiced undertones, fresh fruit acidity and a sweet, jammy body. This coffee is easy to work with, and suits black and white beverages alike. We recommend using a slightly coarser grind setting to allow for a faster extraction to achieve a balance between a winey finish and the fresh fruit flavours.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-29 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 2:45 - 3:00
Total Water Weight | 300g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Vinhal Lot 33, produced by Rafael Vinhal at the Vinhal family farm, is one of several special process Vinhal microlots. Vinhal farm prioritises operating sustainably from an environmental, social and legislative perspective, alongside their passion for high quality coffee. They have certifications from the Rainforest Alliance, 4C, and Certifica Minas, which amounts to the farm complying with over 100 evaluation criteria ensuring good practices are used throughout the entire production chain.

Outside of their high sustainability standards, Vinhal farm is more commonly known for its pioneering contributions to Brazil’s specialty coffee processing methods. Rafael’s microlots are renowned for challenging the misconception that Brazilian coffees are limited to tasting like chocolate and nuts. This particular coffee underwent two separate fermentation stages and a thermal shock stage, all on top of the standard washing, depulping and drying stages of processing.

 THE CUP

Vinhal Lot 33, also nicknamed ‘Honey Propolis’, is a smooth and creamy coffee which is perfectly suited for milk based beverages, espressos, and filter coffees. As its nickname suggests, this coffee has a creamy chocolate texture, with gentle red-fruit flavours and a subtle honey and jasmine finish.

For both filter and espresso brews, our preference was for a slightly restricted yield with the same extraction time as our standard brewing recipe. This achieved a slightly richer fruit sweetness, and more butteriness in the mouthfeel. You may find that you can achieve this without changing your grind setting, as this coffee is slightly more soluble as a result of its unique processing method.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-30 seconds
Yield | 40g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 17g
Time | 3:00 - 3:15
Total Water Weight | 240g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.7L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Grown in the Sumatran northern region Aceh, this coffee was produced by Iwannitosa Putra. Iwannitosa is the owner of Putra Gayo, which is both a mill and a coffee farm spanning 250 hectares. Amongst the 275,000 coffee trees are several different types of fruit trees, which provide the farm with shade in addition to an abundance of bananas, oranges, avocados and more.

This lot is a washed process coffee, which is uncommonly produced in Sumatra. The coffee was fermented for 10-12 hours after picking, after which it was dried for roughly 10 days. Iwannitosa specializes in the production of washed and natural process coffees, which make his coffees stand out amongst traditional wet-hulled coffees. Alternative processing to wet-hulling is difficult to accomplish in Sumatra due to the regular rain and humidity, which interferes with the drying process and puts the beans at risk of developing mold defects. Iwannitosa combats this by drying his coffee on sheltered raised beds.

 THE CUP

Sweet, citrusy and delicious, Iwannitosa is a delight to drink. We prefer to drink this coffee black or as a filter brew, as it tends to be less intense through milk. That being said, Iwannitosa is sweet and creamy as a piccolo, or with a dash of milk. We love this coffee for its jammy berry body, its light citrus flavours, and for its subtle floral finish.

When brewing this coffee, the main point of difference will be focusing on maximising the intensity while also balancing the citrus acidity. We recommend using a slightly higher dose in your espresso, as doing this will increase the amount of coffee solubles you can extract. We also recommend slightly restricting your end yield to balance the acidity, which can be applied to filter brews as well as to your espresso.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 22g
Time | 27-30 seconds
Yield | 43g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 3:00 - 3:15
Total Water Weight | 280g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 10.5EK
Total Water Weight | 1.7L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

If you follow our single origin offerings, you may recall the name Ruiz. Produced by the same farmer, Diofanor Ruiz, this coffee is a different expression of the same coffee from his farm in La Divisa, Colombia. This microlot was selected to undergo its fermentation in an anaerobic environment, hence the name ‘Ruiz Anaerobic’. The cherries were hand-picked, and fermented for 40 hours without oxygen to change its flavour profile. Once fermented, the coffee was sundried to a low moisture percentage for export.

This microlot is just one of many produced on the family farm. Don Diofanor was heavily involved in his family’s coffee farm from a young age, and established his own farm in 2005 after becoming a certified coffee farmer in 2003. He pivoted away from traditional farming methods to focus on quality and agroforestry, and has sold his coffees to our suppliers at Cofinet since 2017.

 THE CUP

Ruiz Anaerobic is a great coffee for those wanting to try more fruit-forward coffees. This coffee has a smooth cocoa body which pairs fantastically with milk, with plenty of red-fruit sweetness adding complexity to the cup. As a black and filter brew, this coffee exhibits tangy grapefruit and pineapple acidity, ripe berry sweetness, and subtle apple and apricot flavours.

This coffee, while having similar solubility to other extended ferment coffees, is less full-bodied than other comparable coffees. For espresso, we recommend using your baseline brew ratio, but with a higher dose to increase the coffee’s presence in milk. For filter, we recommend using a slightly lower water temperature to highlight more fruit characteristics in the cup.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 22g
Time | 26-30 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 2:45-3:00
Total Water Weight | 300g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Diofanor Ruiz is named after the farm owner who produced this coffee. Coming from a traditional coffee-farming family, Diofanor is a highly experienced farming professional working from his farm, La Divisa, in Quindio Colombia. Together with his wife and son, who is currently studying agroforestry engineering, the goal at La Divisa is to produce high quality coffees which differ from those produced by traditional farming methods.

Diofanor’s farm is packed with tree diversity. Alongside the coffee trees, he has planted a range of fruit trees and local natives to provide shade and increase agroforestry in the region. The added biodiversity, along with the sun protection, help increase the farm’s resiliency. Coffee trees are climate sensitive, and face risks from many different pests and diseases which severely target the coffee trees and their fruit. The varietal of this microlot, Castillo, has a higher resistance to coffee leaf rust, and is more productive than other varietals grown in the area.

 THE CUP

Diofanor Ruiz is a coffee so full of flavour, you’d be hard pressed to get a cup which isn’t intensely rich with stone and red fruit flavour, bright with sweet orange acidity, or winey with a grape juice body. This makes it enjoyable for all beverages, from milky coffees to pour overs.

Arguably, the challenge when brewing this coffee is balancing the cup’s intensity to an enjoyable level. For espresso, we recommend using a slightly higher yield, and a slightly faster extraction time. This can be achieved by using a coarser grind size, and will enhance sweetness without adding a sour finish. For pour overs, we recommend the same changes, as well as using a lower brew temperature and limiting your number of pours.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-30 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 3:45
Total Water Weight | 340g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 105g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Coming from the Pegasing district of Takengon, Sumatra, is Asman Lot 64. We’ve once again been impressed by the coffee coming from Asman Gayo Mill in Aceh, which is owned and operated by Cup of Excellence winner Asman Arianto. Several small coffee producers in the Pantan Musara villages sell their coffee cherries to the mill, at which Asman oversees the processing of the coffee for export.

This particular lot has under gone ‘washed processing’, during which the fruit is stripped from the coffee beans before being dried. This method of processing is relatively uncommon for Sumatra, as the consistent humidity and cloud cover makes it difficult for the coffee to dry. Asman’s efforts to process coffee which differs from the traditional methods of wet-hulling speaks into his passion for his product, and his dedication to producing a high quality product which stands out from the rest.

 THE CUP

Similar to its predecessors from the same mill, Asman 64 is packed to the brim with full-bodied flavour. Despite being a washed process coffee, the familiar flavours of ripe blackberries, dried tropical fruits and juicy grape-like beverages carry across in this cup, though with a clean ‘tea-like’ mouthfeel. While the flavours compliment milk, we prefer Asman 64 as espresso or as a filter brew for this reason.

The key for this coffee is achieving juiciness in the cup, which is most easily achieved by using a slightly higher water temperature. If you’re unable to adjust your water temperature, we would recommend using a finer grind setting, and reducing your dose. This will allow the coffee to be further extracted, and will balance out herbal flavours. This applies for espresso and pour overs.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-30 seconds
Yield | 43g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 3:00
Total Water Weight | 290g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 10EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Santa Isabel Estate, named after the farm from which this coffee comes from, is a fifth-generation family run farm. Located in the town of San Cristobal Verapex, the farm extends 300 hectares - 88 hectares of which are dedicated to a cedar, pine, mahogany and macadamia forest reserve. The Valdés family are deeply dedicated to protecting the natural resources of their environment, with their reserve acting as a habitat for local animals and wildlife to promote biodiversity, and a protective measure for preserving the farm’s natural water resources. Additionally, native inga trees are planted amongst the coffee trees for shade, to enrich the soil and to provide foliage and ground cover.

Today, Luis Valdés Sr owns the farm, which is managed by his son, Luis ‘Wicho’ Valdés. Together they’ve employed and trained over 40 permanent workers and several hundred seasonal workers for the harvest period. Wicho’s high standards and fair payments see many returning workers, who uphold the farm’s reputation for sustainable farming practices and exceptional coffee quality thanks to Wicho’s training. Not only do they produce the coffee, the Valdés family also process the cherries themselves in their wet mill, allowing their production standards to carry through the rest of the production process. Our supplier for this coffee, Melbourne Coffee Merchants, then meticulously imports and stores the coffee for us at b3.

 THE CUP

Santa Isabel Estate is a coffee rich with delicate floral characteristics and a soft sweetness. We would recommend this coffee to people who prefer drinking their coffee black, though those who don’t like a strong white coffee would also enjoy this coffee’s chocolate-orange flavour when paired with milk.

Our advice when brewing this coffee is that it may need a little extra heat to balance out its herbal tea flavours. We found for espresso that our standard brew recipe worked well with a slightly longer extraction time. Likewise for filter brews, using a slightly hotter water temperature helped draw out extra sweetness from this coffee without compromising the delicate notes.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-29 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 3:00
Total Water Weight | 280g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 10EK
Total Water Weight | 1.7L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Those who follow our single origin offerings would recognise the name ‘Asman’ as the name of the mill in Sumatra run by Asman Arianto. We’re thrilled to be offering yet another of his coffees, produced by the smallholder producers living in the Pantan Musara villages. This particular lot has undergone natural processing, which contributes to the coffee’s rich fruit-forward flavour profile.

Asman united with the other coffee producers in the Aceh region to build a cooperative; the Riband Gayo Musara Cooperative. Selling coffee as a part of the collective gives the farmers access to training resources to grow their coffee cultivation and processing skills. In addition, the larger quantities processed by the mill have higher visibility to potential buyers, allowing everyone to benefit from the premiums added to their high-quality lots.

THE CUP

Asman Lot 22768 has a bold and juicy bean profile. Packed full with bright fruit acidity, rich candy-like sweetness, and a rich dark chocolate finish, this coffee is perfect for anyone who likes punchy and strikingly unique cups of coffee. We recommend tailoring your brew recipe to the amount of winey characteristics you like in your cup.

Our espresso and filter recipes call for the same amount of coffee as a standard brewing recipe, with a higher yield and a shorter extraction time. The easiest way to achieve this is by grinding your coffee a little bit coarser than you usually would. For us, this highlights more acidity and sweet red fruit flavours while balancing out the winey finish. If drinking this coffee with milk, you may choose to grind your coffee finer to accentuate the syrupy finish and add definition to the cup.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 23-27 seconds
Yield | 48g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 2:15
Total Water Weight | 320g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 110g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Chelchele is the collective product produced by many small-scale farmers in Gedeb, just south of Yirgacheffe. Many families in the region have small plots of land which measure less than 5 hectares. While each individual farm may not produce enough coffee to be able to sell for export, the producers come together at the Chelbesa wet mill to process all of their coffee as one crop. While the spread of contributing farms means that there is no single variety, many of Ethiopia’s JARC varieties are very similar to each other, particularly when all grown in the same region.

At Chelbesa, the cherries are fermented for up to 3 days in concrete tanks before being sorted and graded to remove any defects. The beans are then dried on raised beds, rotated regularly to ensure that all the coffee is evenly dried. For this washed coffee, this process typically takes 8-12 days. Once dried to its optimal moisture content, the beans are ready to be sold.

THE CUP

Chelchele is a coffee which is soft and citrusy, perfect for those who enjoy drinking black and filter coffees. With a syrupy body, sweet mandarin flavours, and delicate jasmine overtones, this coffee resembles orange cake with white chocolate. The key for this coffee is balancing the acidity and the body.

For espresso, we recommend using a standard brew ratio to maintain the structure of the body, and adjusting your grind setting to enhance sweetness and acidity. If you prefer a less bright cup, we would recommend using a finer grind setting, and vice versa if you prefer a lighter cup. For filter brews, we recommend increasing the yield slightly for a more tea-like body, but using a coarser than normal grind setting to keep a similar extraction time.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 27-31 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 3:15
Total Water Weight | 320g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 110g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

The Swiss Water decaffeination Process (SWP) uses water to gently remove 99.9% of the caffeine from green beans while maintaining the bean's distinctive origin and flavour characteristics. The SWP was originally discovered in the 1930s in Switzerland and is now patented and utilised by the Swiss Water Decaffeination Coffee Inc. in British Columbia, Canada (SWDC). The process ensures that 99.9% of the caffeine is eliminated, while leaving the best of the bean behind. They call it 'amazing coffee without caffeine'.

The SWP utilises water saturated with soluble coffee solids, referred to as Green Coffee Extract (GCE), to remove the caffeine from green beans without eliminating any of the soluble coffee components that make up origin characteristics and aromas. When the green beans are placed into the GCE, the soluble coffee components of the green beans are maintained at equilibrium with the coffee solids in the GCE resulting in a net extractive process whereby only the caffeine is removed. This leaves the coffee's unique flavour profile intact. The GCE is then moved through a carbon filtration system to remove the captured caffeine molecules, maintaining the concentration level of soluble coffee components, the green beans are then submerged once more. This process continues until the green beans are 99.9% caffeine free.

THE CUP

 This tasty decaf has many pleasant flavours to offer. A medium-light texture delivers balanced sweetness and acidity. Notes of berries, cocoa, and candied pineapple accompany the sweetness and finishes with a subtle but lingering chocolatey and nutty aftertaste.

 This exceptional decaf coffee stands proud amongst our other caffeinated espresso offerings, great to enjoy with milk or as a black beverage.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-34 seconds
Yield | 45g

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Bitoya is a collaboration between several farmers in the Guji Zone of the Oromia region. Around 500 families living in the Layo Teraga village grow their coffee in their farms throughout Uraga district. Coffee grown in Uraga is distinctly small, dense and flavoursome, in part due to the microclimate. The soaring altitudes in the region slow the development of the coffee cherries, creating flavour complexity and compacted sweetness. When combined with careful picking practices, fertile soils and excellent rainfall, the coffee trees thrive and produce exceptional coffee.

Once picked, Bitoya was processed at the Oboleyan washing stations. ‘Oboleyan’ in the Oromia language means ‘brothers’, representing Anteneh Edema and his family following in their father’s footsteps to produce excellent quality coffee. Meticulous sorting practices, grading and sun drying are par for the course, but the additional care and attention to detail takes the harvested coffee to the next level.

THE CUP

Bitoya is a staple coffee that can be enjoyed by everyone, and is enjoyable as a filter brew, as an espresso and as a milky beverage. Its subtle orange acidity is complimented by sticky honey and orange sweetness, and a rich chocolate finish. We recommend adjusting your yield based on your coffee order.

For espresso, a 1:1 ratio or a slightly more restricted yield will highlight more negroni and chocolate, which perfectly pairs with milk. Stretching your yield out will soften the intensity and highlight more citrus acidity and brown sugar sweetness. Similarly for filter, you can tweak your grind setting to allow for a higher yield at the same extraction time, which will highlight orange stone fruit flavours, whereas the contrary will highlight more jaffa and honey flavours.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-29 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 2:0
Total Water Weight | 320g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 115g
EK Grind Size | 11EK

Total Water Weight | 1.8LE

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Guacamaya is the farm owned and operated by second-generation farmer Nery Pablo López. Based in the hills surrounding the town of Ajul, the farm is named after a macaw bird local to the region. Nery inherited the farm from his father, Lauriano Pablo, after being involved with coffee production since his childhood. He’s since expanded the farm to just over 4 hectares, where he has diversified his crops to include beans, avocados, lemons, oranges, peaches and maize in addition to coffee. His coffee is also shade grown, with Chalum and Gravilea trees contributing to an optimal growing environment.

Majority of the coffee production is conducted by Nery and his family, who then sell their coffee to the El Sendero Cooperative. Led by Pablo Gaspar, the co-op was founded in a bid to provide the local producing community with better financial services, yearly training and a rich sense of community. The co-op members each contribute a small amount into the business’s funding, which are then used to better improve their coffee. In turn, the coffee fetches a better price from exporters who are focused on traceability and financial stability for the producers, such as our supplier for this coffee - Melbourne Coffee Merchants. The collaboration and relationships between the involved parties not only provide everyone with a fruitful and sustainable future in coffee production, their pooled knowledge and education ensure an excellent cup at the end.

THE CUP

Guacamaya is a bright and sweet coffee, with a creamy brown sugar body and green apple acidity. We best enjoyed this coffee black due to its bright acidity, however a longer extraction also pairs well with milk for a light milk chocolate and honey flavoured cup. We recommend tailoring your brew recipe to the beverage type you’d rather consume.

For both espresso and for filter, this coffee benefitted from a hotter water temperature, or a longer extraction time. Adjusting these factors helps balance out the different flavours to favour an apple-like sweetness and a silky body. You can also opt to reduce your total yield amount if you want to intensify the flavours for a milk coffee.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 27-30 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 3:00
Total Water Weight | 300

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 120g
EK Grind Size | 10.5EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Finca Loma Pacha, based in the Chalatenango region of El Savlador, is owned and operated by Ulises Lemus. Ulises’ method for his natural processed coffees involves sorting his harvested cherries by ripeness, then drying the ripest cherries on a raised bed for 14-18 days. This processing method is also used on Ulises neighbouring small farm, Finca San Francisco, on which he also grows Pacas varieties.

Ulises works closely with our supplier’s El Salvador staff member, Beto Reyes, to improve his soil management, cherry growing capacity and processing consistency. Living and working full time in El Salvador, Reyes works with many smallholders in the region to produce outstanding microlots and estate coffees. His expertise in agronomy and sensory assessment have directly assisted many farmers in the area, with most farms being only 3.5-10.5 hectares.

THE CUP

Ulises Lemus is best suited to our black coffee drinkers. Its complex acidity, paired with its moreish tea-like body, work together to create a tangy, sweet and juicy cup. While it can be consumed with milk, we find that it tends to get lost in the cup.

For espresso, we found that a heavier extraction draws out more brown sugar and stewed cherry flavours, while quick extractions highlight more of a grapefruit acidity and candied sweetness. Depending on what your preference is, we recommend adjusting your grind setting to get a longer or shorter extraction time. Similarly for filter coffee, you can tweak your brew temperature to highlight more acidity with lower brew temperatures, or more sweetness and body with higher temperatures.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 27-30 seconds
Yield | 48g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 15g
Time | 2:45
Total Water Weight | 240g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 100g
EK Grind Size | 10EK
Total Water Weight | 1.7L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Those who have followed our single origin offerings for a while would recognise the name ‘Asman’ from our previous offerings, and we’ve been impressed once again by those contributing to Asman Gayo Mill. 95% of coffee producers in the Aceh region are smallholders, which makes it difficult for individuals to sell their lots on their own. However, when several members of the Pantan Musara villages process their coffees collectively, they are able to produce larger quantities to sell to the market.

Unlike our previous Asman offering, this coffee has undergone a washed processing method, which is the most common way to process coffee in Sumatra. By taking the cherry from the beans soon after they’ve been picked, the mill is able to dry the coffee at a much faster rate. Sumatra’s climate sees heavy rainfall for most of the year, and the additional moisture puts the beans at risk of developing mould. Luckily for us, the quick and careful turnaround of beans from Asman Gayo Mill not only prevents this from happening, but preserves the high quality standards which this community is known to produce.

THE CUP

Asman Arianto has many of the flavour qualities sought after in Sumatran coffee, including rich cooked fruit, syrupy cola sweetness and a wine-y mouthfeel. However, the cup itself is very clean, and does a great job of balancing the desired flavours without making the cup’s mouthfeel heavy or mucky.

We’ve found that our standard brewing recipes and techniques worked well for this coffee, however you can tweak your brew to favour the syrupy mouthfeel or to favour the mild fruit acidity. We recommend changing your coffee dose for a v60 to make this flavour adjustment, using more coffee for a heavier cup. We would recommend changing your extraction time by adjusting your grind size for a similar flavour adjustment, making your coffee coarser to favour acidity, and finer to favour winey sweetness

Espresso recipe

Dose | 200g
Time | 27-30 seconds
Yield | 48g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 15g
Time | 2:45
Total Water Weight | 240g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 100g
EK Grind Size | 10EK
Total Water Weight | 1.7L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Husband and wife team, Oscar and Francisca Chacón, are the duo responsible for this wonderful coffee. Grown in Central Valley, the coffee is processed in their mill, Las Lajas. The Chacón family also own 8 of the surrounding Costa Rican farms, contributing 30 hectares of coffee production to the mill. If you’ve been following our single origin selection for a while, you’ll recognise Las Lajas as the name we gave another coffee we featured from the same operation.

 The specialty coffee movement in Costa Rica has produced some astonishing coffees, and Las Lajas continues to commit to high quality. Producing some of the world’s best natural and honey processed coffees, the farm is a prime example of the resilience coffee farmers demonstrate in order to adapt to constant changes in climate and politics. They have, in the last few years, invested back into their quality control spaces, and have purchased their own roaster.

THE CUP

Cumbres De Poas is full bodied, smooth and sweet, a perfect combination for all cups of coffee. With milk you’ll get notes of sweet dark chocolate, while black presents a more toffee-like sweetness and clean fruit flavours. The boldness of this coffee comes with its processing method. Like our previous coffees which used similar fermentation practices, we would recommend dialling back your extraction variables a little bit for this bean.

As both espresso and filter, this coffee can be overwhelming if over extracted, and it doesn’t take as much effort to pull out its flavour. If brewing a v60, consider lowering your brew temperature and limiting the amount of agitation you apply with pouring, swirling and stirring. For espresso, consider lowering your coffee dose for a less intense cup.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 26-28 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 15g
Time | 2:45
Total Water Weight | 250g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 100g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Nestled in Huila, Colombia is Finca Buena Vista, a farm owned and operated by Jorge Enrique Solarte. Jorge began producing coffee in 2010, trialling different coffee varieties and developing his approach to land maintenance and production. He now successfully grows Caturra, Pink Bourbon and Colombia varieties on the two hectares he runs.

Jorge processes his coffee using the washed method. While this method of processing isn’t uncommon for Colombian coffee, each producer varies their production method to best suit the characteristics of the coffee produced on their specific farm. On Finca Buena Vista, Jorge uses a traditional coffee cherry pulper, ferments his coffee in water tanks for 72-80 hours, washes his beans, and then uses parabolic dryers to dry his coffee on raised beds. The investment in the quick turnaround of his coffee prevents it from developing undesirable flavours from drying in a humid environment, and creates a delicate, sweet and nuanced cup at the end.

THE CUP

Jorge Solarte is packed with many delicate flavours to find, ranging from dried mango, sweet chocolate, to jammy fruit and jasmine tea. We love being able to explore all the different qualities this coffee has to offer through brewing, though we preferred this coffee without milk.

For a more tea-like experience, we would recommend using a v60 and a higher water yield to highlight crisp fruit acidity and a mellow mouthfeel. Lowering your yield will intensify the dried yellow fruit flavours. As espresso, we intensified the chocolate sweetness by increasing our dose and extraction time. For a more fruit-forward espresso, we would recommend using a coarser grind setting to highlight more mellow acidity in the cup.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-29 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 15g
Time | 2:45
Total Water Weight | 250g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 100g
EK Grind Size | 10EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Nestled in Huila, Colombia is Finca Buena Vista, a farm owned and operated by Jorge Enrique Solarte. Jorge began producing coffee in 2010, trialling different coffee varieties and developing his approach to land maintenance and production. He now successfully grows Caturra, Pink Bourbon and Colombia varieties on the two hectares he runs.

Jorge processes his coffee using the washed method. While this method of processing isn’t uncommon for Colombian coffee, each producer varies their production method to best suit the characteristics of the coffee produced on their specific farm. On Finca Buena Vista, Jorge uses a traditional coffee cherry pulper, ferments his coffee in water tanks for 72-80 hours, washes his beans, and then uses parabolic dryers to dry his coffee on raised beds. The investment in the quick turnaround of his coffee prevents it from developing undesirable flavours from drying in a humid environment, and creates a delicate, sweet and nuanced cup at the end.

THE CUP

Jorge Solarte is packed with many delicate flavours to find, ranging from dried mango, sweet chocolate, to jammy fruit and jasmine tea. We love being able to explore all the different qualities this coffee has to offer through brewing, though we preferred this coffee without milk.

For a more tea-like experience, we would recommend using a v60 and a higher water yield to highlight crisp fruit acidity and a mellow mouthfeel. Lowering your yield will intensify the dried yellow fruit flavours. As espresso, we intensified the chocolate sweetness by increasing our dose and extraction time. For a more fruit-forward espresso, we would recommend using a coarser grind setting to highlight more mellow acidity in the cup.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 26-29 seconds
Yield | 45g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 15g
Time | 2:45
Total Water Weight | 250g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 100g
EK Grind Size | 10EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide

THE PRODUCER

Los Madrigal, named after the micromill at which this coffee was processed, is the coffee harvested across Diego Armando Madrigal Ureña’s farms. Diego and his brother inherited the farms from their grandfather at ages 11 and 13, and continue to operate the 25 hectares and the Micromill in Tarrazú, Costa Rica. Passionate about reforestation and environmentally sustainable growing practices, the duo plan to renew their existing coffee trees, and plant new varieties as new opportunities present themselves.

This coffee was produced using natural processing, which involved drying the coffee cherries on raised African drying beds. The high elevation of Tarrazú, in conjunction with carefully monitored harvesting practices, have allowed this coffee to showcase the bright, crisp fruit flavours this coffee has to offer. Cafe Imports, our green bean supplier for this coffee, aims to work with the same micromills annually for the purpose of establishing long lasting business partnerships, and for building on the quality from previous harvests.

THE CUP

Los Madrigal emphasises all of the best qualities which Costa Rican coffees have to offer. This particular coffee features bright and juicy fruit acidity, a bold and winey mouthfeel, and a smooth cacao body. We particularly enjoy how versatile this coffee is, presenting itself well as a filter coffee, as an espresso, and in a milk-based beverage.

For milk-based beverages, we would recommend reducing the yield to intensify your espresso and balance out the brightness of the acidity. Using a higher yield will highlight more orange flavours and add complexity to your espresso’s milk chocolate undertones. For v60s, we would recommend using low agitation during your brew, as this coffee extracts easily. If you want to change the balance between your acidity and body, we’d recommend adjusting your brew temperature to achieve this instead. Use hotter brewing water to get a higher extraction, and cooler brewing water for higher acidity.

Espresso recipe

Dose | 21g
Time | 27-30 seconds
Yield | 48g

Filter Recipe

Dose | 20g
Time | 2:30-2:45
Total Water Weight | 320g

Batch Brew Recipe

Dose | 115g
EK Grind Size | 11EK
Total Water Weight | 1.8L

b3 Recipe Guide