Three harvest windows from the same farm in the same season — but the March lot carries Villa Sarchi alongside the Catuai and Caturra, and that matters for what ends up in the grinder. Villa Sarchi is a dwarf Bourbon mutation from Costa Rica, in the same genetic group as Caturra — dense, compact beans that hit first crack slowly and carry heavier melanoidin potential during the Maillard phase.
Milk chocolate and cream at medium-dark roast point to a specific Maillard outcome. Extended development past the first-crack sweet spot builds higher-molecular-weight melanoidins — the brown polymers that contribute body and mouthfeel rather than brightness. Melanoidins can account for up to 18% of roasted coffee's dry weight and up to 25% of brew dry solids, and it's this concentration that creates the thick, creamy texture described. Leucine-derived 3-methylbutanal delivers the dark chocolate character; lighter Strecker products like valine-derived methylpropanal soften it toward milk chocolate.
Sultana and peach are more surprising for medium-dark territory. These notes suggest malic acid is surviving into the cup — malic is the crisp, stone-fruit acid, and it degrades more slowly than citric during roast development. At 1,700m, slower cherry maturation builds meaningful malic acid into the green bean, giving it more runway before the roast eliminates it entirely.
Raspberry at this roast level is likely coming from trace volatile ester production during the development phase, where higher-temperature reactions generate fruity aroma compounds even as acids decline. It sits as a top note against the heavier chocolate-cream base rather than driving the profile. The result is a medium-dark coffee with more fruit tension than the roast level typically delivers — a function of what the altitude and the Bourbon-lineage varieties put into the bean before it ever reached the roaster.
Cold Brew at 87/100 is this lot's top match, and the flavor logic connects to this bean's fruit-forward sweetness and smooth body. At 1°C water temperature, cold brew selectively preserves the pleasant acids while suppressing extraction of harsher bitter compounds that medium-dark roasting creates. For a bean where the peach and sultana sweetness is a defining character, cold brew preserves that brightness while keeping the harsher roast-derived notes out of the cup. The concentrated 1:6.8-1:7.8 ratio over 12-18 hours draws out the milk chocolate smoothness and body from these high-solubility Bourbon-group varieties. The raspberry fruitiness may actually come through more clearly in cold brew than in hot methods — cold water's gentler extraction preserves delicate aromatic compounds that hot brewing can diminish.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop water temperature by 1°C. If bitterness appears in cold brew from this lot, check steep time first — three Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark can over-extract past 18 hours, especially if water temperature is above 4°C. Steep 12-14 hours as a baseline.
strong: Decrease dose by 1g or increase water by 15g. These Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark roast extract efficiently even in cold water — the 1:6.8 end of the ratio range can produce a concentrate that tastes syrupy rather than sweet. Target 1:7.8 as the starting point.
flat: Grind finer by ~22μm and raise water temperature by 2°C. Flat cold brew from this lot usually means bean age — the raspberry and peach volatile esters degrade within 4-6 weeks. With fresh beans, raising water to 3°C and finer grind accelerate extraction of caramelization products.
Espresso at 85/100 is where this lot's raspberry and sultana notes compress into the most interesting version of themselves. Under 9-bar pressure at 90°C, the volatile aromatic compounds that register as raspberry concentrate into the shot's first few seconds of extraction — they're part of the fast-extracting fraction along with acids and lighter volatiles. The milk chocolate and cream follow in the middle extraction phase as caramelization products and melanoidins dissolve under pressure. The recipe targets a 1:1.3-2.3 ratio, enabling ristretto — medium-dark roast's higher body from roast development and lower available solubles mean short ratios can achieve adequate extraction without the bitterness that would emerge at higher temperatures or longer flow times. At 90°C (-3°C), bitter compound extraction is slowed, protecting the sultana sweetness.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~10μm and drop temperature by 1°C. The raspberry notes in this lot are volatile esters that bitterness masks quickly — if they're absent and the shot tastes ashy, over-extraction is the cause. Small grind adjustments (10μm) are more precise than temperature for dialing in espresso.
strong: Decrease dose by 1g or increase water by 15g. Three Bourbon-group varieties with high melanoidin content extract efficiently under pressure — the 1:1.3 lower end of the ratio range can produce an overpowering TDS. Extend toward 1:2.3 before reducing dose to preserve extraction completeness.
AeroPress at 84/100 is where this bean's raspberry top note has the best chance of showing through without being buried by roast heaviness. The 82°C temperature — the recipe's lowest across all brewers — specifically targets this outcome: at lower temperatures, extraction dynamics slow for bitter compounds and phenylindanes while still dissolving caramelization products at reasonable speed. The raspberry note comes from trace volatile esters formed during development phase roasting — these are fragile aromatic compounds that over-extraction at high temperatures quickly eliminates. AeroPress's short 60-90 second brew time at 82°C preserves them while the applied pressure ensures the heavier milk chocolate and melanoidin fraction still extracts. Grind targets 430μm with +30μm offset. The result should deliver the full flavor arc: chocolate-cream base with raspberry on top.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop temperature by 1°C. The raspberry and peach notes in this lot are volatile ester compounds that over-extraction quickly eliminates — leaving only the roasted chocolate base. Start at 60-second steep before adjusting grind to preserve the fruity top notes.
strong: Decrease dose by 1g or increase water by 15g. At 1:12.8-1:13.8 this is already a concentrated ratio — Villa Sarchi's dense Bourbon-mutation beans extract efficiently. If the cream and sultana character disappears into heaviness, extend toward 1:13.8 before reducing dose.
Clever Dripper at 83/100 bridges immersion's extraction depth with paper's clarity — a reasonable trade for this lot. Full immersion ensures the cream and chocolate melanoidin compounds extract evenly from all three varieties (Catuai, Caturra, Villa Sarchi) despite their density differences. Paper filtration then removes the fine Bourbon-lineage particles that would otherwise contribute sediment and astringency without adding flavor complexity. The recipe targets 91°C with 560μm grind and 1:15.8-1:16.8 ratio. Releasing at 3 minutes is preferable to 4 for this particular blend of Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark — the shorter release window captures the milk chocolate and peach character before over-extraction builds the bitter/dry finish. The sultana note is particularly well-served by even saturation across the full bed before drainage begins.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop temperature by 1°C. Release at 3 minutes rather than 4 — with three Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark roast, the Clever Dripper's immersion phase accelerates CGA compound extraction near the 4-minute mark. Time is the first variable to adjust.
strong: Decrease dose by 1g or increase water by 15g. Villa Sarchi's dense beans extract more efficiently than their dwarf stature suggests — at 91°C in full immersion, even small dose increases push TDS above the target range. Reduce incrementally and taste before adjusting steep time.
Moka Pot at 82/100 concentrates this lot's cream and chocolate character effectively at ~1.5 bar pressure. The Villa Sarchi beans' dense, compact structure — typical of Bourbon mutations — creates a relatively uniform puck that resists channeling in the moka pot basket better than looser, lower-density beans. The recipe targets 97°C with pre-boiled water, 380μm grind (+30μm offset), and a 1:9.8-1:10.8 ratio. Pre-boiled water is critical here: the three Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark roast have enough CGA degradation products that cooking with rising steam drives the bitter fraction into solution before brewing pressure builds. The resulting concentrate should carry dense milk chocolate and sultana sweetness. Remove from heat the moment sputtering begins — the final fraction is disproportionately bitter from this medium-dark roast.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop temperature by 1°C. Use pre-boiled water and pull from heat as sputtering begins. With three Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark roast, the moka pot's steam-heating mechanism is the primary bitterness risk — not grind size alone. Address both variables.
strong: Decrease dose by 1g or increase water by 15g. Villa Sarchi's dense Bourbon-mutation beans pack the basket efficiently — slight over-dosing creates increased resistance and extracts more solids per gram. The cream and chocolate character becomes astringent rather than sweet. Target the 1:10.8 upper end of the ratio range.
French Press at 82/100 is where this lot's cream character comes through most faithfully. Cream mouthfeel comes partly from melanoidins (soluble, survive any filter) and partly from insoluble oils — and French press's metal mesh passes both fractions into the cup. The Bourbon-lineage varieties in this lot — Catuai (Mundo Novo x Caturra cross), Caturra (Bourbon mutation), and Villa Sarchi (Bourbon mutation) — all contribute oils that carry the milk chocolate and cream descriptors. At 93°C with 1030μm coarse grind, the recipe limits bitter compounds extraction during the 4-8 minute steep. The sultana and peach malic-acid notes remain stable in immersion brewing because malic acid dissolves readily and doesn't require high temperature — it's in solution from first contact at any temperature above about 70°C.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop temperature by 1°C. Keep steep to 4 minutes — don't push toward 8 with three Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark. Allow 5-8 minutes post-press settling before pouring; the rest clarifies the cup and reduces bitter fines in suspension without requiring additional filtration.
strong: Decrease dose by 1g or increase water by 15g. Full immersion at 93°C extracts efficiently from these three varieties. The cream and chocolate character can tip into heavy astringency if TDS runs high — reduce dose in 0.5g increments before adjusting water volume.
Kalita Wave at 80/100 is the best paper-filtered pourover for this March lot. The flat-bottom bed design distributes water evenly across Catuai, Caturra, and Villa Sarchi grounds that may have slightly different particle densities — Villa Sarchi's Bourbon-mutation density versus Catuai's dwarf-cultivar consistency. Uneven distribution is a risk with mixed-variety lots because different particles settle at different rates. The Wave's lateral water distribution reduces channeling risk and creates more uniform extraction across that varietal blend. Recipe: 91°C, 560μm, 1:16.8-1:17.8. The Kalita's paper filter still removes oils, so the cream mouthfeel comes primarily from melanoidins in this format. The flat bottom's characteristic balanced sweetness aligns well with this lot's milk chocolate and peach profile.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop temperature by 1°C. Three Bourbon-group varieties at medium-dark roast means the extraction-to-bitterness threshold arrives early — especially for Villa Sarchi's denser beans. Pulse pouring technique matters here: avoid pouring onto filter walls, which disrupts even extraction and can concentrate fines in the center.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or decrease water by 15g; consider a metal filter. This lot's cream and milk chocolate character is partly oil-carried from Bourbon-lineage beans — paper filtration strips it. Ratio tightening helps with perceived strength but doesn't restore lipid mouthfeel.
V60 scores 69/100 here for the same structural reason it does across this batch's medium-dark washed lots — the brewer is optimized for clarity, and this bean's value is body-forward. But the March Pickings' Villa Sarchi component adds a specific wrinkle. Villa Sarchi is a dense, compact Bourbon mutation that hits first crack slowly and builds melanoidin potential during the extended MAI phase — and melanoidins are soluble, so paper filtration doesn't eliminate them. The recipe drops to 91°C and opens grind to 560μm effective (530μm base + 30μm offset) to avoid over-extracting the Bourbon-lineage fines that extract bitterness faster than the larger Catuai and Caturra particles. At this temperature and grind, the V60 can deliver the raspberry top note and peach acidity reasonably clearly, but expect lighter body than French press or Clever Dripper would produce.
Troubleshooting
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop temperature by 1°C. Catuai and Caturra both belong to the Bourbon group and carry moderate CGA concentrations at medium-dark roast — these extract bitterness quickly in V60's fast drainage. Target grind adjustment before temperature reduction.
thin: Increase dose by 1g or reduce water by 15g. V60 paper filtration strips the oils that carry milk chocolate and cream character from this Villa Sarchi-inclusive lot. A metal filter is the structural fix; ratio adjustment helps but can't fully recover oil-based mouthfeel.
Chemex at 65/100 is the lowest match for this lot. Melanoidins are the source of cream and milk chocolate character — and melanoidins are soluble, so they survive filtration. But Chemex's extra-thick filter removes the insoluble oils that build the tactile cream texture the flavor notes describe. There's a distinction between tasting "cream" (from lipid mouthfeel) and tasting "chocolate" (from melanoidin and Strecker-derived compounds) — Chemex passes the latter but strips the former. The recipe compensates with dose compression and the standard -3°C/+30μm adjustments. The sultana and peach malic-acid notes survive well through Chemex — washed processing at 1,700m retains citric and malic acid, both of which are water-soluble and paper-filter-stable. But the resulting cup will be bright rather than creamy, which inverts this bean's designed profile.
Troubleshooting
thin: Increase dose by 1g or decrease water by 15g. Chemex filtration removes the oil-based cream and chocolate body that Catuai, Caturra, and Villa Sarchi's Bourbon lineage contributes. Tightening the ratio raises soluble concentration; a metal adapter filter is the structural fix, recovering the lipid-carried mouthfeel that paper eliminates.
bitter: Grind coarser by ~22μm and drop temperature by 1°C. Chemex's extended drawdown from thick filters keeps grounds saturated longer. The Catuai and Caturra at medium-dark roast have enough CGA breakdown products to contribute roasty bitterness under longer contact — address grind first.