Brew Guide: Brazil Mogiana Gold Darker Roast

By Ted Dobek

This is the coffee for people who want something full, dark, and nostalgic. Sourced from the Cocapil Co-op in Ibiraci, Mogiana, and roasted darker than anything else we put on bar. We don't do a lot of dark roasts, but when we do, we want them dialed in properly. Here's how we're doing it.

A note on this recipe: these numbers are dialed in on our setup at the shop. Your grinder, machine, and basket will affect the result, so treat this as a strong starting point, not a fixed target.

Coffee

Name: Brazil Mogiana Gold Darker Roast
Origin: Ibiraci, Mogiana, Brazil
Producer: Cocapil Co-op
Elevation: 950 to 1,000 masl
Variety: Mogiana Gold
Process: Pulped Natural

What Dialed In Tastes Like

When it's right, you're getting dark chocolate up front, a big, heavy body through the middle, and a smokey finish that lingers. Bold and straightforward. This is not a subtle coffee and it's not trying to be.

Common Misses

The biggest mistake is opening up the ratio or slowing down the extraction. Darker roasts extract faster and the toasty, bitter compounds come out quickly if you give them too much time or too much water. We tightened the ratio to 1:1.67 and kept the shot moving at 20 to 25 seconds specifically to keep that bitterness in check. If the shot tastes harsh or ashy, pull it shorter before you change anything else.

Filed under: Brewing