Hits: 13
Beans: Brew2cup, Kurume, Heirloom, Kochere, Yirgacheffe, Ethiopia
Shop: Brew2cup, webshop, Arnhem, The Netherlands.
Brew2cup – Ethiopia Reko: Background information.
I want to tell you something about the Ethiopia Reko that starts with a tall and skinny mountain near Kochere, Yirgacheffe. Due to the shape of the mountain, the local people found it hard to conquer it and thus gave it the name Reko. Reko, translated from the Afaan Oromo language, means ‘Challenge’. Some years ago Mareshu Sima founded a washing station in the are, named for this mountain: Reko.
The Ethiopia Reko that I’m reviewing today comes from said washing station. The coffee was grown at an altitude between 1850 and 2100 meters above sea level and has undergone a washed process. 850 farmers have brought their cherries to the washing station where the coffee was fermented between 36-48 hours and then dried for 10-12 days. The roasting was done by Brew2cup themselves.
Brew2cup – Ethiopia Reko: Opening the Package.
Brew 2 Cup has a nice package; the logo depicts the name written inside a cup with a blue sticker below. On the sticker you will find the name of the coffee, roasting type and roasting date. The package has a ziplock and degassing valve to keep the coffee fresh. When you turn the package around, you will encounter another sticker with a lot of information for you to read. Country, region, altitude,process, varietal and tasting notes. The best thing is a little background information on the coffee that really makes you connect with what you’re drinking.
When opening the package you will get a soft sweet aroma of soft blueberry and an overall sweetness. The beans are equally roasted with hardly any defects inside. The bean is mildly crispy and really presents you the blueberry flavour while chewing. It tastes great!
Ethiopia Reko: The tasting.
This coffee has been omni roasted. This means the coffee is suitable for both filter and espresso. I have reviewed this coffee on the Hario V60 and Rocket Giotto Evo R. When grinding the coffee you can really smell the fruity aspect of the Reko. There is also a hint of red fruit and grain on the nose when smelling the ground coffee.
Espresso tasting:
I start brewing the espresso with the coffee and see how the light marbled coffee flows out of the portafilter. When swirling the coffee round, you can detect a hint of sweet red fruit, blueberry and a soft lavender note that is mingled in between. When you take a sip, you will notice how the coffee feels a little sour to on the tongue. It reminds me of sweet and sour gooseberry. As you swirl the coffee round, the flavour of blueberry pops up as well and you will notice how the tannins start working the side of your mouth. There is a dryness underneath your tongue and on your gums, that feels pleasant while drinking the espresso. When you swallow the coffee, breathe back through your nose via a closed mouth to find a well balanced mix of berries and a floral note as well as a sour finish. Eventually you will get a grapefruit bitter on the aftertaste which will affect your gums in a pleasant way.
The mouthfeel can best best be described as creamy, smooth with a citric acidity. For a Cappuccino I would choose a different coffee since the sour aspect does interfere a little with the frothed milk. This is, however, a personal taste.
Filter tasting:
When I brew this coffee on the Hario V60 I get a delicate aroma of melon, soft berries and a light lavender when the brew is hot. The lavender disappears quite quickly again. There is also a hint of bergamot on the nose, which is nice.
When you take the first sip of the coffee you will find a green galia melon flavour on the coffee, together with a hint of bergamot. Savour this moment because you will notice a change in flavours as your slurp oxygen inside. The melon is gently pushed away by blueberry, which is even better with the bergamot. When you swirl the coffee round in your mouth a swallow, notice how the gooseberry flavour kicks in and starts giving off a astringent mouthfeel on the sides of your mouth. You can feel how your mouth is now pulling more saliva, making the coffee sweeter with each sip.
The aftertaste lingers for a while, but overly long.
Ethiopia Reko: The verdict.
The roasters from Brew2cup did a great job roasting this Reko. I love how the coffee has so many changes in main flavours: melon, blue berry, gooseberry and all the while carried by a hint of bergamot.
This omni-roasted coffee will do great as an espresso as well as a filter coffee. I do prefer the espresso since the coffee gives off a nice smooth flavour sensation and a balanced experience overall. The filter feels fresh and fruity when you drink it, and is especially great as a summer’s day coffee.
(click here for my previous brew2cup review!)