Ecuador RFA/Organic - 2014
Flavor Profile
Flavor Profile
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Origin: Ecuador
Type: Trinitario
Certifications: Rain Forest Alliance, Organic
Year: 2014
Flavor Notes:
Macadamia nuts. In a word, that's the flavor here. Nutty with a clean brightness to it, sort of like black caps (wild raspberry), but not in the way Madagascar is raspberry bright. It is also quite savory (Umami for those that know the term), and as odd as it sounds, there is a hint of dutch cocoa. That drier, softer flavor profile. There is an under lying maltiness and earthiness that ties it all together.
The result regardless is a bean that is nutty, not the least bit sour or musty and generally just a pleasure.
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This is a little bit of a departure from some of the Ecuador that I have tasted in the past, although not in a bad way by any means. I normally associate an earthiness to the Nacional cocoa from Ecuador, and if prepared or fermented improperly, the result can be beans that go sour, fermenty and musty. This is probably the main reason and flavors why I don‰ۡó»t often carry beans from Ecuador.
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I have found this bean accepts a wide roasting curve, but I think I like it best as a general medium roast. Too light, and the there is a touch more brightness than I care for, and too heavy, and it goes a touch bitter, but it doesn't seem to be a delicate bean either. The 'medium' roast is pretty forgiving, so don't fret over hitting a tight profile. Roast until you smell 'cocoa', 'watch' for some of the volatile acids to go away, and call it done.
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If ordering Brewing cocoa - it has been roasted and ground, with the husk, for the purposes of making a hot brewed chocolate drink, and is not suitable for making chocolate.
Brewing Cocoa
There has recently been a lot of buzz about various brewing chocolates. Choffy and Crio Bru are the two big ones that come to mind. I've received more inquires than I can count about what makes them so special, if my roasted cocoa beans will work and how one can make their own hot chocolate drink with minimum fuss.
Up until this point, I didn't have any really good answers. Now I do and am offering a selection of cocoa beans roasted and ground (with the husk) for the expressed purpose of making hot brewed chocolate.
Your tastes may vary but I recommend starting with the following proportions and times:
4 T/8 oz boiling water
Steep 5 minutes Press (assuming you are using a press pot - drip works ok too)
Enjoy straight, with milk (or cream) and/or sugar.
I have only included the cocoa beans that I found made a good brewing chocolate. Some like the Papua New Guinea for instance, where it is great as a piquant, smoky chocolate, simply comes through sharp and acidic when brewed. Finally, keep in mind this will not give you classic 'hot chocolate'. Brewed chocolate is a different, yet very enjoyable, animal - enjoy it for what it is, not for what it is not.