Don Oscar - Espresso from Colombia

Don Oscar - Coffee Info

How we prepare the coffee

9 Bar: Maro Code: OIVHKGD

Flow Profile: Maro Code: EGBKYGL

A super exciting natural from Oscar Daza's farm in Santander, where you discover new aromas with almost every sip. The coffee benefits from sufficient degassing (wait at least three weeks, ideally four). With the vibration pump profile, the coffee needs a bit more space (larger drink ratio) than with the flow profile. The coffee shows extreme puck resistance - it blocks at first, then flows very slowly and then quickly, but consistently. The reward for precise work is a cup with balanced structure and extremely complex aromas that invites you to pause and reflect.

The standard 9 bar profile (vibration pump) impresses us with a drink ratio of 1:2.2-1:2.3, where we aim for 20 g in and 44 g out in 26-27 seconds. Here you can play more with the drink ratio than with extraction time - the coffee should not be brewed for more than 30 seconds with this profile. This recipe scores with notes of hibiscus, rhubarb, ripe stone fruits, even a hint of violet, and has a vibrant, well-integrated acidity structure. Maro Code: OIVHKGD

With the flow profile, we approach 30 seconds (29-30 seconds) and prefer a shorter drink ratio of 1:2. In stage 1, we choose a flow rate of 4 ml/sec and aim for faster pre-wetting of the puck (first drops by 9 sec at the latest), otherwise the coffee loses its harmonic structure. We brew stage 2 at 8.5 bar - we generally feel that 8.5 bar gives us more balanced cups than the standard 9 bar. Here we're rewarded with clear flavors, fresh and complex acidity of passion fruit and red currants, and a very silky body. Maro Code: EGBKYGL

Why does the coffee taste the way it does?

The farm sits at an elevation of 1800 meters, where the Castillo variety is grown. The cherries are hand-picked and then stored for 15 hours. This is followed by a 20-hour anaerobic fermentation to enhance the coffee's character.

Afterwards, the coffee is brought to a pre-drying platform for 18 hours, where the dehydration phase begins. It is then taken to mechanical dryers (silos or guardiolas), where it is carefully dried until it reaches an optimal moisture content between 10.8% and 11.5%.

Why did we buy this coffee?

The enormous variety of flavors, which are not overwhelming but in optimal balance with the acidity, sweetness, and body, blew some of us away. "The best purple coffee we've ever had," as Philipp put it. Oscar Daza's reputation as a highly respected person in the Santander region certainly plays a role. Also because he was the first to finance his own organic certification, which is normally covered by the association. His entrepreneurial spirit drove him to find his own customers and remain free in his decisions.

We purchased this coffee from Ángel Barrera of Belco, who has strongly shaped the company and opened an export company in Colombia a few years ago for the business. This allows them to stay closer to the coffee's origin and do even more with and for producers.

Belco has set itself the goal of shipping around 90% of all green coffees by sailing freighter by 2030. This coffee also arrived in Le Havre powered by pure wind, where it was then transported further by land.

How we roast this coffee

As a 20 kg batch on our 30 kg roaster. In 11:40 minutes, we roast the coffee through and develop it for 11% after the first crack. Already halfway through the roasting time, we gradually reduce the energy before completely cutting the gas after 50 seconds in the development time. With this roast, we emphasize the many flavors and the vibrant, but not exaggerated, acidity of passion fruit and red currant.

Shipping also possible via coffee letter

All our coffees can be ordered in the form of a coffee letter. It is treated like a regular letter and lands in your mailbox. This reduces the postage for 250g of coffee from 7 to 2.5 francs. At checkout, you can choose between coffee letter, A-Mail, and B-Mail options.