Here's how we brew this amazing Burundi Gakenke Bourbon by Flower Child Coffee Roasters!
Today’s coffee is a delicate cup of sweet florals from a tiny Oakland roastery we love: Gakenke Burundi Bourbon by Flower Child - exclusive to Drops!
The team behind Flower Child has been roasting coffees from the Gakenke Washing Station for years, and this season’s lot is a beautifully structured showcase of Burundi’s distinct flavor profile. We tasted honey, jasmine, orange blossom, papaya, and apricot jelly, with a silky body and a juicy citric acidity.
🌍 Origin: Kayanza, Burundi
💦 Process: Washed
🔬 Varietal: Red Bourbon
⛰️ Elevation: 1,800 MASL
Burundi Gakenke Bourbon
Brew Recipe for Burundi Gakenke Bourbon by Flower Child Coffee Roasters
Using Stagg [X] Dripper
Ingredients:
19g of Burundi Gakenke by Flower Child Coffee.
380g of water
Ratio: 1:20
Steps
1. Measure and grind coffee
Measure out 19g of coffee beans and grind them on a medium setting. We used setting 5 on Ode with Gen 2 Burrs, which is about 4 on Ode with Gen 1 Burrs, and a 6 on Ode + SSP burrs. For Opus, lean from the middle to the finer end of the Pour Over range on the inside lid of your grinder’s hopper.
2. Heat water and rinse the filter
Heat water to 212°F as this is a very light roast and rinse your filter before putting your coffee grounds in.
3. Pour 40-50g of water for the bloom
Fully saturate your coffee grounds with twice as much water as coffee, and allow about 30 seconds for the bloom.
4. Continue pouring in 4 stages
After the bloom, pour to 80-100g for the roaster-suggested “second bloom”, then at 1:00 pour to 250g, pause for 10s, and finish at 380g. You’ll want to tap the carafe to settle the bed of coffee as this last pour draws down (drips). The total brew time should be over 4:00 minutes.
5. Decant into your favorite mug and enjoy!
Look out for the incredible flavors of tamarind, plum, black cherry, and a silky clean body.
Espresso
Ingredients:
16g of the same coffee
50g of water at 200 F
Ratio: 1:3.5 or 1:4
Suggested to let rest 4-7 weeks off roast for espresso! This allows for better extraction and flavor structure / definition.
Use low bar pressure (5 bars max) if at all possible! If using standard pressure, pull at 40s instead of low bar 50-60s.
Steps
1. Measure and grind coffee
Measure out 16g of coffee beans.
2. Make sure your espresso machine is at temp.
Water should ideally be at 200°F.
3. Use low bar pressure if possible!
Flower Child suggests pulling the shot at 5 bars of pressure for 50-60 seconds, and we support. This isn’t possible with all machines, however, and that’s okay! Look at the next step for higher pressure suggestions.
4. If pulling shot at 9 bars of pressure, make sure to:
Stop the shot at 40 seconds, again aiming for that 50g yield. If your yield is higher, you should tighten your grind (make it finer). If your yield is lower than 50g, you should loosen your grind (make coarser). Please make sure to use micro adjustments unless your yield is greater than 20-30g above or below!
5. Decant into your favorite demitasse cup and enjoy!
Let us know what flavors pop out in your espresso. We suggest stirring with a small spoon before tasting to integrate all layers of the ‘spro. We’re tasting firm structure with a big pop of plumb / purple fruit, but also want to know what you’re tasting!