How to Brew Colombia Saldaña Highlands at Home

Quick answer

For a bright, balanced cup, brew Colombia Saldaña Highlands as a pour over using a medium-fine grind, 1:16 coffee-to-water ratio, and water just off the boil.

Pour over brewing steps

1. Measure and grind: Weigh 25 grams of whole beans and grind to a medium-fine consistency, similar to table salt. If you buy pre-ground, choose the pour over grind option when ordering. Check that the grind is not too fine: it should feel slightly gritty, not powdery.
2. Heat water and rinse the filter: Heat 400 grams of filtered water to 200°F (93°C). Place a paper filter in your dripper and rinse it with hot water to remove paper taste and warm the brewer. Discard the rinse water before adding coffee.
3. Add coffee and bloom: Add the ground coffee and shake the dripper to level the bed. Pour 50 grams of water in a slow spiral to saturate all grounds, then wait 30 seconds. This bloom releases trapped CO2 and improves extraction. If the bloom bubbles vigorously, your coffee is fresh—that's normal.
4. Pour in stages: Continue pouring in slow, circular motions, adding water in three or four stages until you reach 400 grams total. Aim for a total brew time of 3 to 3.5 minutes. If the brew finishes too fast, grind slightly finer next time; if it stalls, grind coarser.
5. Serve and taste: Let the brew finish dripping, then swirl the carafe gently to mix. Pour and enjoy within a few minutes for the best flavor. Taste it black first to notice the bright acidity and balanced sweetness.

The coffee we're brewing

• Colombia Saldaña Highlands: This washed lot from smallholder members of the Asprasar Cooperative is grown between 1,700 and 2,000 meters in the southern highlands of Tolima. High-altitude growing and washed processing give the coffee a clean, balanced acidity that is easy to highlight with pour over brewing.