KaffeBox February 18 Box – La Cabra – La Alsacia

Part 1 for KaffeBox February 18 Box, in this post I’ll only write about the Colombian coffee La Alsacia from the coffee roastery La Cabra. In yesterday’s post, you’ve been able to read about the coffee and also what I expect from the coffee. In this part, I’ll share my recipe for an awesome pour-over and Espro travel press as usual.

At my cupping of La Cabra – La Alsacia, I found that it reminded very much of cocoa. I know that La Cabra had noted chocolate, which is correct, but I would probably say that it reminds me more of cacao nibs than chocolate. When the coffee was cooled down during my cupping, it became very acidic, it is quite common for specialty coffee to get acidic so after getting a bit cooled down, so it wasn’t a surprise right away. But just before it was cooled down was the best moment to drink it. As usual, I would also like to know how good this coffee would be with dark chocolate, I always use chocolate with sea salt because it’s quite natural and captures the flavors better with salt to sweet, acidic and bitterness. It felt like combining dark chocolate and milk chocolate when I drank this coffee together with a piece of chocolate, nice!

When I do a cupping I do the following:

1) Grind 11 g coffee in a medium-coarse grind, I’ll remember the coffee’s fragrances now when it is dry to compare with the let grounds later.
2) Pour 180 g of water with a temperature of 93 degrees Celsius.
3) Let it sit for 4 minutes.
4) Stir 3 times and try to find as many scents.
5) Remove all foam that’s formed on the top, as shown in the picture below.
6) Wait for 6 minutes so the coffee cools down and to let the coffee grounds fall down to the bottom, then I’ll take my first slurp with a deep spoon. The idea is that you will spray the coffee inside your mouth. That way you will be able to easily recognize the tones contained in the coffee.
7) Wait for 6 minutes and do the same procedure, the reason behind step 7 is that it’s the most optimal time for tasting coffee. If the coffee is still good after 12-15 minutes, then it is a high-quality coffee!

Cupping notes:
Cacao nibs with an acidic finish.

Information and recipe for the coffee:

Origin: Colombia
Variety:  Caturra
Farm: Juan Pablo Villota
Region: Hacienda San Alberto
Process: Washed
Altitude: 1 650 – 1 650 meters above sea level.

Pour Over:

17g coffee (grind setting on 20A Baratza Sette 270, medium)
225g of filtered water
40g bloom 30 seconds
92 degrees Celsius

1) 40g bloom for 30 seconds, stir with a bamboo stirrer to get all coffee moistened.
2) 225g water in a circular flow (this includes 40g water blooming). This including 30 second blooming, your timing should be on 1 minute and 55 seconds.

Espro Travel Press:

19g coffee (grind setting on 26B Baratza Sette 270)
284g of filtered water
94 degrees Celsius

1) After pouring both the coffee and the water, stir the coffee 10 times. I suggest you use a bamboo stirrer. Avoid sharp objects.
2) Screw the press and let steep for 4 minutes
3) Press slowly, if the press gets stuck, just lift the press and try again. It is normal.
4) Serve or seal the lid.

Review: To sum up, this is a coffee for everyday use, it would definitely have been better as “natural”, but the process “washed” is, unfortunately, the norm now with regard to specialty coffee. The box the coffee comes in is a pretty and stylish in white color, the bag within is of high quality, unlike the predecessor Talor & Jørgen.

It’s a good coffee, a coffee that, according to me, suits an Espro more than a pour over like the Hario V60. It often becomes so when it is washed. Natural or Honey had created a much more rich character, but of course, there is no harm to the coffee roaster or those who like Washed. Good!

The chocolate I ate was dark chocolate with sea salt.

Rating: 6.0/10

The rating is only based on taste and quality and is not based on price.

If you want to buy your very own KaffeBox and go trough my recipes and reflections, be sure to order it so you can be ready for next month’s KaffeBox. Click here to order from their website. Use “kaffenytt” as voucher code, you’ll get 20% off your first purchase and I won’t get anything, this is only something I requested so I can give something to you readers!

Do you want to read all of the reviews on KaffeBox monthly boxes? Click here!