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Beans: Reko, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Shop: Giraffe Coffee Roasters, The Netherlands
Reko: Background information
This review is about the Reko coffee of Giraffe Coffee Roasters in The Netherlands. The Reko coffee is grown near Kochere, Yirgacheffe. Yirgacheffe is the area in Ethiopia which is famous for its coffee, and so I am super excited to review this coffee. The Reko is a grade 2 coffee and comes from the Heirloom varietal. It has been processed using the washed method. Grown at an altitude between 1900 and 2250m (the exact altitude is unknown to me) which is normal for coffee from Yirgacheffe. The name Reko comes from the washing station that processed the coffee.
Now, I have done a little research about the Reko washing station and it might be fun to know that the station works with 850 farmers in the surrounding area. The washed process is done with water from the nearby river. The fermentation period of the Reko lasted between 36 and 48 hours. The drying process was done on raised African beds over a period of up to 12 days. Alright, time to open the package!
Reko: Opening the package
The roasting date of the Reko is the 28th of August and I opened the package a couple of days later. The scent coming from the package was strong and I could notice a sweetness to the scent. The beans were equally roasted and colour differences were hardly there at all, also the size of the bean was consistent. Yay!
I took a bean and started chewing on it to see if the bean would yield some of it’s secrets early on, and it did! When biting down on the bean I got some tea aroma and hints of fruity sweetness. I am getting psyched up about this bean already. After grinding the coffee I take a spoon and start taking in the scents again. Things that come to mind are a soft fruity sweetness, hints of licorice and in the background a bit of nutmeg.
Reko: The Tasting
I carefully measured 18 grams of coffee and finished brewing in 29 seconds. As the brewing came to an end, I noticed the nice marbled crema on the espresso. Bringing the cup to my nose and inhaling I could easily pick out a lemony scent. The freshness of the scent was overwhelming! As soon as I take the sip I notice my mouth getting stimulated all over: sour, bitter and eventually sweet…it is all there and all in balance. I slurp some oxygen in and let the coffee go round in my mouth. The mouthfeel is creamy and acidity is medium/low in this coffee. I start to discover aroma’s of peach and apricot fruitiness, Jasmin tea and honey. The aftertaste lingers for a long time and keeps putting a sweetness on your tongue which faintly reminds me of licorice. What a great complex coffee!
But it felt as if I could do better, as if there was more to this coffee. I decided to brew another shot but with 16 grams this time.
Reko: A second tasting
I scooped 16 grams of coffee in the portafilter and brewed for 24 seconds. The lemony scent was there again, you can’t miss it. I took a sip and slurped some oxygen in my mouth to activate the aroma’s in the coffee. I let the coffee go round inside my mouth and chewed a little as well. The fresh aroma’s of ripe apricot, peach and even tutti-frutti came out even better than before. The mouthfeel and acidity remained the same. Funny how the aroma’s can be clearer when you use two grams of coffee less than before.
Reko: pour-over review
I would like to start off with the fact that I have just recently started brewing with the Hario V60. Since I love pour-over coffee’s that a brewed with Yirgacheffe coffee, I wanted to include my own V60 brew in this review. Do not treat this as an expert-review.
For the pour-over I used 17 grams of coffee and 250 ml of water, starting at 92 degrees.
The blooming was done with 35 ml for 30 seconds and after that I poured in 120 ml. With the third pour I used up the remaining water.
What a clarity in the coffee! The scent of the pour-over is consists out of flowers, honey and citrus fruits. Acidity is Bright and the aroma’s are subtle when I take a sip. Even though the aroma’s are subtle, I still recognize the apricot and peach. When I let the Reko cool off a little more, I notice the honey aroma appears more and more and the floral aroma’s fade to the background. I could drink this all day long.
Reko: The Verdict
Giraffe Coffee Roasters’ Reko is a great coffee. The aroma’s and scents are complex and tend to overwhelm your senses at times, which is a good thing in this case. If you like fruity and floral coffee, I would certainly recommend the Reko coffee. I do not say this often, but with the Reko ‘Less is more’. Instead of brewing with 18 grams, try 16 grams instead. The aroma’s will be more delicate yet more apparent as well. I would also recommend this coffee as a pour-over variant. The subtle tones, bright acidity and fruitiness is just amazing. I do not know if Giraffe Coffee roasters ships abroad, but you could always check out their website!