I had my first taste of Sweet Bloom Coffee over the summer with a really good Costa Rican coffee, so I knew I had to try more from them. This first one is a washed Heirloom varietal from Oromia, Ethiopia. I like that Sweet Bloom describes the coffee with separate descriptors for Aromatics: Lavender, Acidity: Vibrant, and Sweetness: Sugar Cane, and this coffee definitely lives up to those classifications. The lavender aromatics in particular are so strong that they come through in the flavor as well, especially when brewed.
The coffee had good body and sweetness for a washed African coffee and brewing was pretty straight forward:
A nice warm color with lots of Lavender aromatics
Finishing with a nice flat bed of grounds to promote even extraction.
- 1 : 16.5 ratio in the Hario V60 using 200*F water
- 3x Coffee weight agitated bloom for 35 seconds
- pour to about 225 - 250 grams for a 22 ish gram dose, stir
- finish pours and give it a swirl.
- Final draw down 3:15 - 3:30
The honey sweetness and lavender aromatics remained prominent as espresso, pulling shots at:
- 1:2 or 18 grams in to about 36 grams out
- 32 seconds using 200*F water
Overall, this coffee was a clean, bright, but not overly acidic, and sweetly balanced. It worked okay in smaller milk drinks, but really represents a balanced washed Ethiopian coffee best straight up. $17 for a 12 ounce bag, with free shipping on orders over $50 here.