How to brew Ríos de Oro

This is washed Castillo from Caldas. It runs citrus up front and dark chocolate in the finish, which means it rewards a clean brew and turns bitter if you overextract it. Start here and adjust to your taste.

The ratio

Start at 1 gram of coffee for every 16 grams of water. For a large mug that is about 22 grams of coffee to 350 grams of water. Use less water for a heavier cup, more for a lighter one.

Grind size

  • Pour over: medium fine, about the texture of table salt.
  • Drip machine: medium.
  • French press: coarse, about the texture of raw sugar.
  • Espresso: fine.

If you bought whole bean, grind it right before you brew. Grinding exposes far more surface area to air, so the aromatics start fading within minutes.

Water

Use filtered water between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit. Taking the kettle off the boil and waiting 30 seconds gets you close. Water at a full boil overextracts the grounds and pulls the harsh compounds out along with the good ones.

Pour over, step by step

  1. Rinse the paper filter with hot water, then pour that water out.
  2. Add 22 grams of ground coffee and shake the bed level.
  3. Pour 50 grams of water and wait 30 seconds. The grounds will rise and bloom.
  4. Pour the rest in slow circles, stopping around 350 grams.
  5. Aim for a total brew time between 2:30 and 3:30.

French press

Coarse grind, same 1 to 16 ratio, 4 minutes, then press slowly. Pour it all out as soon as you press, or it keeps extracting in the carafe and turns harsh.

Storing it

Keep the bag sealed and out of direct light. Use it within 3 to 4 weeks of opening for the best flavor.

If it does not taste right

  • Bitter or drying: grind coarser, or let the water cool a few more seconds.
  • Sour or thin: grind finer, or brew a little longer.
  • Flat and dull: try filtered water. Hard tap water mutes the citrus.