By Hailie Stevens |

Fellow's Take on Funkonia by Portrait Coffee | Brew Recipe

Here's how we brewed this Special Juneteenth Drop: a coffee tribute to Black imagination and the diverse spectrum of flavors it brings, roasted by Atlanta’s Portrait Coffee.

Portrait is an Atlanta-based, Black-owned roaster on a mission to pour a new narrative for coffee. They created Funkonia with THE COLOR, a multidisciplinary artist and one of the founders of the Black Trans-led mutual aid organization FOR OUR SIBS. Grown around the Humere Washing Station in Rwanda, it went through 72 hours of low-oxygen whole cherry fermentation, bringing out a wild and intense fruity sweetness. We tasted mixed berry jam, grape candy, nectarine, and florals.

🌍 Origin: Humere, Rwanda

⚗️ Process: Low-Oxygen Natural

🔬 Variety: Red Bourbon

⛰️ Elevation: 1,550 - 1,850 MASL

🔥 Roast: Medium

Brew Recipe for Funkonia

Using Stagg X Dripper

Ingredients:

22g of Funkonia

350g of water

200°F

Steps

1. Measure and grind coffee at a medium-coarse setting

Measure out 22g of coffee beans and grind them on a medium-coarse setting. We used setting 7.1 on Ode with SSP Burr / 6.1 on Ode with Gen 2 Burrs, which is about 5 - 5.1 on Ode with Gen 1 Burrs. Suggested setting on Opus is between 7 and 7.2 - and note that the inner ring was set to 0 at 7 for us!

2. Heat water and rinse the filter

Heat water to 200°F and rinse your filter before putting your coffee grounds in.

3. Pour 60g water for the bloom 

Fully saturate your coffee grounds with 60g of water, and allow 35 seconds for the bloom.

4. Continue pouring in four stages

After the bloom, pour to 150g; then when the water is approximately 0.5 in above the bed of grounds, agitate with 5 gentle swirls, then pour to 250g; once water drains halfway, pour to 350g, then swirl 3-5 times gently to settle once the water level is about halfway. The total brew time varies, but we’re aiming for between 2:15 - 2:45 minutes.

5. Decant into your favorite mug and enjoy!

Look out for the incredible flavors of bold sweetness, mixed berry jam, grape candy, florals

Espresso

Ingredients:

20g of the same coffee

40g of water at 200 - 202°F

1:2 ratio

28-32 second pull time

Steps

1. Measure and grind coffee

Measure out 20g of coffee beans.

2. Make sure your espresso machine is at temp.

Water should ideally be at  200-202°F.

4. Grind your coffee

We suggest a brew time of 24-28 seconds.

4. Pull shot at 9 bars!

Pull your shot at 9 bars with around a 24-28 second pull time.

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