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Beans: Caturra, Natural, Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic.
Shop: Lilo Coffee Roasters, Osaka, Japan.
lilo Coffee Roasters: Don Alfredo Diaz – Background information.
Lilo coffee roasters’ Alfredo Diaz is a single origin coffee from the Jarabacoa district in the Dominican Republic. The Don Alfredo farm is well known in the world of coffee since this is a farm that is working to preserve the 100% Caturra and 100% Typica variety. These two varieties are very susceptible to diseases and so it is hard to work with them. Grown at an altitude of 1480 meters and having undergone a natural process, this coffee is famous for its quality, aroma and flavours.
Lilo coffee roasters: Alfredo Diaz- opening the package.
The Alfredo Diaz comes in a beige package that has a degassing valve and a ziplock. The Beautiful Lilo Coffee Roasters wax seal gives the package a chique appearance. I open up the package and without a moments thought I know what I am smelling: strawberry with a capitol S. A sweet and fragrant scent of strawberries can be smelled throughout the room and it instantly takes me to a warm summer day. The scent of chocolate is noticeable as well, albeit a little softer. The roast inside is nice and even and no defects are present at all. Tasting a bean is almost as beautiful as smelling it; strawberry and chocolate are right there. Lets grind and find out if the scent is an omen to the taste.
Lilo Coffee Roasters – Alfredo Diaz: The tasting.
I have brewed this coffee on the Aeropress, Hario V60 and Siphon. This review will be about the Hario V60 brew, on a 20 grams/280 gr water recipe with water at a temperature of 88 degrees Celsius. The blooming was done with 40grams of water for 35 seconds and a three pour method.
The brew smelled just like when I open the package; a sweet strawberry jam-like scent wafts upwards while the first pour cracks the crust. This scent was immediately followed and accompanied by a dark chocolate aroma. During the brewing the scent becomes less apparent but it is lingering nonetheless. While taking a sip of the brew there were a few things that caught my attention. The strawberry flavour is not as heavy as the aroma was during the brewing. The balance between the strawberry and the chocolate is good and both flavours do not interfere with each other. The other thing is the wine aspect of this coffee that appears out of nowhere and complements the brew. It makes this coffee multilayered and you will taste something different during the tasting of this coffee. The aftertaste is a mix of dark chocolate and red wine, the mouthfeel still felt easy and a bit silky.
There were a few notes I wanted to share with you that I noticed while brewing this coffee on the Aeropress and Siphon. On the Siphon the aftertaste was not just a firm dark chocolate but it was accompanied with a popcorn flavour. On the Aeropress the brew had more of a dark chocolate aroma that pushed back the strawberry.
Lilo Coffee Roasters – Alfredo Diaz: The Verdict.
I do not visit Osaka that much but one thing I know for sure: I will always grab a coffee at Lilo Coffee roasters when I do. With this Don Alfredo Diaz coffee, Keita Nakamura once again has proven his worth as a roaster. The flavours are distinct yet so very well balanced. The strawberry notes are super, the dark chocolate is great and the finishing touch of the wine aspect just makes this coffee a complete experience. On all brewing methods that I used, this coffee came out great. If you are near Lilo Coffee Roasters, go inside and buy a package of this little piece of strawberry and chocolate heaven.