Ritual & process
Coffee
Tracking my journey through beans, brews, and the pursuit of a better cup.
- 4
- Tried
- 14
- To try
Santa Maria de Dota, Dota Valley, Costa Rica
Smooth, robust, dark, and smokey. Made espresso with these beans and it turned out well, would buy again.
Naturally-processed East Africa & washed Colombian blend
Sweet, deep, and soulful. Made espresso with these beans, which was okay. Wouldn't buy again.
Mbozi Small Holders, Mbozi district, Songwe, Tanzania — washed, AA grade
Washed AA from the Mbozi smallholder group in Tanzania's southern highlands — MoonGoat's third consecutive year sourcing the region. High sweetness, clean citrus character, and a quick tannic finish. Sorted to AA screen size for roast consistency, and pitched as a daily drinker rather than a showpiece lot. Just picked these up; no verdict of my own yet.
Ayla washing station, Bombe, Bensa district, Sidama, Ethiopia — heirloom, washed, 2,000m
Washed heirloom lot from the Ayla washing station in Bombe, on the Bensa side of Sidama, roasted in Santa Ana by the Orange County roaster behind the Los Rios Street café. Peach, wildflower honey, and black tea on the bag. Okay in the cup — nothing off about it, but nothing that stood out either.
Rotating single-origin lots — North Canaan, Connecticut
Specialty roaster focused on direct trade with transparency and traceability.
Rotating origins — direct farmer partnerships
Filter coffee subscription from the team behind restaurant noma. Monthly delivery of two 250g bags.
Rotating single-origin and blends
Chicago-based specialty roaster with sustainability focus. Offers subscriptions with exclusive micro-lots.
Rotating single-origin lots
Danish specialty roaster known for light, nuanced profiles. Rituals subscription with curated monthly coffees.
Rotating single-origin lots
Portland-based roaster known for meticulous sourcing and light, clean profiles.
Rotating single-origin lots
Brooklyn roaster with a reputation for some of the best light roasts in the US. Extremely selective sourcing.
Hartmann Estate, Santa Clara, Panama — 1500m
Shade-grown Geisha varietal from the family-owned Hartmann Estate. Honey processed, dried on raised beds. Classic Panamanian Geisha profile — smooth body, jasmine and honey aroma, lingering sweet aftertaste.
Multi-origin blend — washed & natural SL-28 lots from three countries
A cocktail blend celebrating the SL-28 variety. Vibrant citrus character, tropical fruit punch, raw turbinado sweetness, and blackberry jam.
Rotating single-origin lots — Colombia, Ethiopia, Honduras, Kenya, Mexico
LA-based specialty roaster with cafés in Los Feliz, DTLA, and Larchmont. Known for seasonal and limited releases with meticulous sourcing. Currently featuring Colombia El Plato Estate and Ethiopia Wuri.
Colombia — Castillo variety, various regions
Tokyo roaster led by Kiyokazu Suzuki, 2014 Japan AeroPress Champion. Their signature shallow-roast technique brings out bright fruity nuances — passion fruit, oolong tea, and apple. Ranked among Asia's top 50 coffees.
Finca El Paraíso, Cauca, Colombia — Castillo variety, 1,750m
Thermal-shock washed Castillo from Diego Bermúdez's innovative Finca El Paraíso. Double anaerobic fermentation produces a cup of osmanthus, lychee, apricot, and floral sweetness. Gold medal winner at the Global Coffee Awards.
Mondomashe farmer group, Mbozi district, Tanzania — Bourbon, Kent, 1,600m
Washed peaberry from the Mondomashe farmer group uniting four villages in Tanzania's southern highlands. 12-hour fermentation and meticulous hand sorting. Expect dried apricot, molasses, and honeydew sweetness.
Cundinamarca & Huila, Colombia — Caturra & Typica, 1,600–1,700m
Devoción's signature house blend — 100% Colombian, farm-fresh, and roasted within a month of leaving origin. A medium roast with notes of cacao, vanilla, cherry, and toasted almond. Ideal for espresso and drip.
Rotating Ethiopian lots — Wuri, Gerse, and others
Ethiopian coffee is a core pillar of Maru's lineup — they always feature at least one on the menu. Expect rose, jasmine, honeydew, ripe cherry, and dark plum depending on the rotation.
Current setup
Espresso Machine
Breville Bambino (BES450)
Compact machine with 54mm portafilter, ThermoJet heating (ready in 3 seconds), and manual steam wand for microfoam.
Grinder
MHW-3BOMBER Precision R3
Manual hand grinder. Precise step adjustments for dialing in espresso vs pour over.
V60 Dripper
MHW-3BOMBER
Pour over dripper for manual brew. Clean, precise extraction for highlighting single-origin beans.
Distributor
Normcore Chisel V-Blade
Coffee distribution tool for even puck prep before tamping.
Pour Over Brewer
Chemex Eight Cup Classic
40oz borosilicate glass carafe with a polished wood collar and leather tie. The bonded filters are thick enough to strip fats and sediment, which is what gives a Chemex its unusually clean cup.
Server
La Cabra Coffee Server (450ml)
Heat-resistant glass server with a wooden lid. Transparent, so volume and extraction stay readable through the brew — used under the V60 and the AeroPress.
Cold Brew Bottle
Hario Filter-In Bottle
650ml borosilicate bottle with an integrated mesh filter. Medium-fine grind, 12 to 24 hours in the fridge, then pull the filter and serve straight from the bottle.
Bean Atlas
A map of every bean I've tried. Toggle between where it was roasted and where it was grown.
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