Auction Series #004 Ninety Plus Yuzu & Ruby

Auction Series #004
Ninety Plus Yuzu & Ruby

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Auction Series Pre-Order Information
1st Session: June 7 (Mon) - Jun 15 (Tues) 2021
2nd Session: June 16 (Wed) - June 22 (Tues) 2021
3rd Session June 23 (Wed) - June 29 (Tues) 2021
*Limited quantity of 65 sets in total available.

About Auction Series
The auction series coffee is Bean Brothers top coffee line-up that introduces "really special coffee".
Auction Series #001 El Injerto Patagonia Pacamara Natural
Auction Series #002 Mikava Geisha Carbonic Maceration
Auction Series #003 Mikava Santuario Geisha & Tierra
Auction Series #004 Ninety Plus Yuzo & Ruby

This is Not Coffee
Kev, Soy, Derek and Rosa were all quiet for a good while after the cupping session at the roastery. And all of a suddenly, I started laughing. "What does this taste like?! It's like alcohol. Is this even coffee?" The team has tasted thousands or even tens of thousands of coffee but this has to be the first time that this is something that is outside the realm of coffee we are aware of. From the first meeting, this coffee has definitely made an impression on everyone at the cupping table, breaking past experiences. At the cupping table we would normally decide to buy the coffee or not considering if it is sweet and clean, if it has great flavor, or a character of its own. But after tasting Ninety Plus' coffee samples, we have no idea. This time around the question is more like "Is this even coffee?". How do you define coffee? Dark brown water? Caffeine content? For some, it is the rich taste of espressos, for others, a coffee that is subtly sour with reminiscent of fruits. If there is one coffee that breaks the coffee spectrum you know, it is this one.

Ninety Plus Goes Direct
Ninety Plus is a coffee farm that produces coffee that won world championships five out of six times starting from the 2014 World Brewers Cup with its Panama Geisha. After it was introduced to the consumer market, it has then left a deep impression on many coffee enthusiast with its unique and colorful flavors. However, there were cases where the quality could not be maintained consistently due to hiccups in the distribution process, which caused disappointment to fans who swore by the farm. Becoming aware of this being caused by not being able to control its own product at all value chain, Ninety Plus decided to sell coffee directly to reputable roasters around the world from then on.

Coffee Geeks
In the process of finding a roastery to collaborate with, Ninety Plus came across this blog post on Bean Brothers' barista (name) coffee experiment and this is where it all started. Ninety Plus in the past was a good coffee 'farm' that showcased premium quality geisha breeds and today, Ninety Plus is more of a funky lab that produces more than 300 experimental coffee lots by adjusting several variables in detail within the harvest year like a research center. While many farm are producing expansive varieties with unique processes, Ninety Plus is taking a step further doing both the original classics and the experimental.

Ninety Plus Coffee Lineup
Ninety Plus coffee lineup consists of four major categories according to the rarity and development stage. All but one categories of coffee are of the infamous geisha breed.
1. Founder's Selection - the most rare and best coffee
2. Innovation - the prototypes
3. Signature - the renowned
4. Accent - introduction series
Starting with the Founder's Selection, Joseph the founder of Ninety Plus, cups 300 different experimental lots and sorts them based on the lineups. It is said that about 4 to 5 cups of coffee with a unique flavor that does not overlap with existing categories are produced during this process. In other words they become the prototype of a new categories. The Innovation line is a category that group these coffees together. The coffees that we are presenting to you is the coffees that were newly selected as the Innovation line late last year. With coffees from the Innovation line more work are being done to improve the process for stable production. Then, the coffee moves to the Signature line with a more mature price tag. Last but not least, the Ascent line is for coffee that is not of the Geisha variety, however, they are produced with the same attention to detail for more people to experience the coffee philosophy of Ninety Plus.

Yuzu & Ruby
I still remember when the Ninety Plus samples arrived at the roastery and when we were cupping intensely all those coffees from the Innovation and Signature line. The two coffee categories, all being cupped blindly, each consisted of the best Geishas and experimental coffees with very unfamiliar flavors. After a heated debate on weather to go for the safe choice with the signatures or making a bold attempt for the rather unique coffee experience, the team ultimately decided on the latter. We chose the team's first favorite, Yuzu, from among the coffees in the alcohols note category, and Ruby which promised the most exceptional note from the chocolaty note category. The reason BB decided to introduce these two coffees is also because we wanted to share with you our experience of going beyond the comfort of the usual known good coffee. We also chose this particular two because we thought the impression and effect would be elevated even more when we experience them together.

Yuzu
With notes of sake, honey and lemongrass, Yuzu is the most expansive coffee in the innovation line, first launched in 2020. It has a character that is too unique to be said to have come from region they are known of, and it is as if it is being cultivated by an oriental artisan instead.
Region: Volcan, Panama
Farm: Ninety Plus Geisha Estate
Soil: Volcanic Soil
Cultivation Altitude: 1,500 - 1,700m
Breed: Geisha
Processing Method: Innovation / Proprietary
Drying Method: Dried in Cherry
Roasting Point: Medium Light

Ruby
Featuring notes of black cherries and cacao, Ruby was developed 'accidentally' in 2015. If there is a volume button for taste and aroma, this is where the impressive experience is like at the maximum.
Region: Volcan, Panama
Farm: Ninety Plus Geisha Estate
Soil: Volcanic Soil
Cultivation Altitude: 1,500 - 1,700m
Breed: Geisha
Processing Method: Hot Anaerobic
Drying Method: Dried in Cherry
Roasting Point: Medium Light

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Brew Recipe by Barista Vero
These two are very good coffee and hence, so long as you get the right concentration / extraction, you will get a satisfying and clean cup. Yuzu and Ruby is best experience by drinking about 60ml at a time in several servings.
For both Yuzu and Ruby, we recommend to brew with V60:
Bean: 20g, in slightly finer grind than your usual v60
Brew Water 320g
Water Temperature 93c
Concentration TDS 1.20 - 1.25%
Extraction time 2:10 - 2:30
1. Pour 60g (3x the amount of coffee used) to bloom, give the dripper a gently swirl.
2. After about 30 seconds, add another 140g of water and wait until the water runs out.
3. Add another 120g of water and the brew should complete at around 2:10 - 2:30.
4. Feel free to dilute (bypass) by adding water in 20g increments if you find the coffee too strong for you.