Hey everybody, what are you drinking? I'm Roger In Coffee and welcome to Coffee Cup. This week I’d like to spill the beans on Finca La Joyeria from Columbia.
“Finca la Joyeria” translates to “the Joyeria estate” and describes a Santa Barbara Columbian coffee. Columbia has become a big player in the coffee world for its high volume of export, but it is the subtleties and differences between the small estates that make Columbian arabica special.
This review is based on a 250g whole bean package of “Finca La Joyeria” from Pact Coffee, prepared as two-shot espresso and two shot americano using an Aeropress coffee maker.
Opening the bag gave an impression of fruits.It’s light fruits, not red berries, and while the poached pear description of seems like an exaggeration it's definitely at that end of the spectrum. The beans are a mid brown, with plenty of dark flecks. I'm not a roasting expert but from the colour I'm going to guess this is a full city roast, which is around 230 degrees C (440F) The colour of the beans varies a shade or two darker, but this isn't a dark roast. The roast is significant as it has an impact on what happens to the oils and sugars in the bean, which in turn defines the flavour.
“Finca la Joyeria” translates to “the Joyeria estate” and describes a Santa Barbara Columbian coffee. Columbia has become a big player in the coffee world for its high volume of export, but it is the subtleties and differences between the small estates that make Columbian arabica special.
This review is based on a 250g whole bean package of “Finca La Joyeria” from Pact Coffee, prepared as two-shot espresso and two shot americano using an Aeropress coffee maker.
Opening the bag gave an impression of fruits.It’s light fruits, not red berries, and while the poached pear description of seems like an exaggeration it's definitely at that end of the spectrum. The beans are a mid brown, with plenty of dark flecks. I'm not a roasting expert but from the colour I'm going to guess this is a full city roast, which is around 230 degrees C (440F) The colour of the beans varies a shade or two darker, but this isn't a dark roast. The roast is significant as it has an impact on what happens to the oils and sugars in the bean, which in turn defines the flavour.
On the grind the aroma intensified and was joined with darker, toasty notes that are more characteristic of Colombia.
The first drink I make with a new coffee is always an Espresso. In many ways, espresso is the purest form of coffee and draws a small amount of water over the grinds. The Joyeria pulls an Espresso that carries some fruit sweetness but it’s a dry mouth feel like grapes or pears. I found the initial taste was mostly these pear like high notes with a mixed acidic sweetness of grapes, complemented by a dry mouth feel that quickly transitioned to a darker, toasted earthy finish. These dark earth notes seem to build on each other and dominate the palette by the end of the drink.
An americano is made in the same way as an espresso, and then hot water is added. It’s a great way to enjoy coffee and essentially a “dilute to taste” approach to the drink. The extra water can soften a coffees main flavour and allow its more subtle complexity to come through.
The first drink I make with a new coffee is always an Espresso. In many ways, espresso is the purest form of coffee and draws a small amount of water over the grinds. The Joyeria pulls an Espresso that carries some fruit sweetness but it’s a dry mouth feel like grapes or pears. I found the initial taste was mostly these pear like high notes with a mixed acidic sweetness of grapes, complemented by a dry mouth feel that quickly transitioned to a darker, toasted earthy finish. These dark earth notes seem to build on each other and dominate the palette by the end of the drink.
An americano is made in the same way as an espresso, and then hot water is added. It’s a great way to enjoy coffee and essentially a “dilute to taste” approach to the drink. The extra water can soften a coffees main flavour and allow its more subtle complexity to come through.
At americano strength, the Joyeria retains the dry pear mouth feel, but emphasises the darker earthy flavours providing a platform that soaks up flavours. I found plenty of honey brought this earthy raw cacao feeling to life, and sweetened the tail of the coffee without loosing its body.
The dark, dry flavours can be alleviated with a cooler and shorter extraction. This means dropping the water temperature off by around 3-5’C and maybe using a fraction less water. These flavour are always going to be present, but this will pull them back under control giving the Joyeria a fresher, livelier flavour. What we are really doing here is changing the proportion of oils and sugars extracted from the bean.
The dark, dry flavours can be alleviated with a cooler and shorter extraction. This means dropping the water temperature off by around 3-5’C and maybe using a fraction less water. These flavour are always going to be present, but this will pull them back under control giving the Joyeria a fresher, livelier flavour. What we are really doing here is changing the proportion of oils and sugars extracted from the bean.
If you are using an aeropress, then this is fairly easy to do. If you are using a cafetiere, then just make sure the water isn't too hot and plunge fully and early.
As a Colombian coffee with earthy flavours, I found that honey offset its darkness better than maple but both worked well. Classic coffee biscuits like Lotus or shortbread soak up the flavour but the Joyeria pairs better with sweeter flavours. Your goal here is to bolster the coffee with flavours that are similar, but missing, from main drink. The almond and cherry of a sweet bakewell tart fills the spot well, as will a number of other fruit pastries I'm sure.
It's no surprise that milk chocolate [39% cocoa] added a creamy smoothness, and orange chocolate [56% cocoa] worked very well giving it a missing citrus spring but darker [85% cocoa] chocolate was a bit too much and didn't really add anything missing from the palette.
Before summing up I'm going to admit that none of my favourite coffees have been Columbian, and it’s harder to be objective to a drink that isn't to my taste. The Joyerias dry palette is quite drinkable but I found I missed the brighter and sweeter flavours that I really enjoy.
As a Colombian coffee with earthy flavours, I found that honey offset its darkness better than maple but both worked well. Classic coffee biscuits like Lotus or shortbread soak up the flavour but the Joyeria pairs better with sweeter flavours. Your goal here is to bolster the coffee with flavours that are similar, but missing, from main drink. The almond and cherry of a sweet bakewell tart fills the spot well, as will a number of other fruit pastries I'm sure.
It's no surprise that milk chocolate [39% cocoa] added a creamy smoothness, and orange chocolate [56% cocoa] worked very well giving it a missing citrus spring but darker [85% cocoa] chocolate was a bit too much and didn't really add anything missing from the palette.
Before summing up I'm going to admit that none of my favourite coffees have been Columbian, and it’s harder to be objective to a drink that isn't to my taste. The Joyerias dry palette is quite drinkable but I found I missed the brighter and sweeter flavours that I really enjoy.
If you like to taste those big earthy peaks, then you are sure to enjoy the Joyeria.
I've been Roger in Coffee, and this has been a review of the Finca La Joyeria from Columbia. In the 21st century we are drinking over two billion cups of coffee a day. I'm doing my part, are you?
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