Eighty Seven + | Worka Wuri | Ethiopia
Eighty Seven + is a micro-roastery based on the beautiful south-east coast in Whitstable, Kent. They are a team that is passionate not only about the quality of the coffee but also the quality of the service and building relationships with their customers as well as the farmers whom they work with direct.
Their 1-kilo roaster is a testament to the quality, precision and uniqueness that they are trying to achieve. The name, as it suggests is a clue to the top of the range coffee’s that they showcase. Rather than picking a coffee and roasting tonnes of green beans they taste and pick only the very best that is on offer which is then coupled with their skilful roast profiles to create a wonderful taste experience.
The head roaster Matt learned his trade in Lima, Peru. A place that I know extremely well and can vouch for the quality of coffee that can be found there. A unique city in many ways because it is a highly regarded city in the gastronomic world, their fusion foods draw people in from around the world. Coffee has now followed suit and the locals and tourists are seeking out places to find speciality coffee. The fact that the city has a thirst for speciality coffee while also located in a coffee-growing country is an interesting concept as this is rarely seen in the speciality coffee consuming industry. It has drawn new ideas to light and brought the end consumer even closer to the farmer.
The Yirgacheffe Kochere Worka Wuri coffee from 87 plus had my juices flowing at the sight of a natural Ethiopian. I received it the day after it was roasted so I had to sit and stare at it for a couple of days while it rested. I love how they don’t put the tasting notes on the side of the bag, instead of having you scan a QR code to access them online. So many times you see a flavour note and your mind can almost taste it even before you have opened the packet.
Opening this packet was an experience in itself, the floral notes become present immediately and introduce the coffee as if it were a cup of Earl Grey tea. The bergamot especially is a prevalent aroma of the delicious ground coffee that carries into the brewing and creates a cacophony of complex notes.
The initial tastes of the coffee were subtle and sweet, it begins with more delicate flavours of mandarin and grapefruit. The tea-like body is supported by a full mouthfeel and its complexities evolve throughout the drinking experience. The coffee softens as it cools and juicy tones flash through each sip. An aftertaste of peppermint was something that I experienced a couple of times around a week after I had first opened the coffee. I do sometimes find that naturals can evolve different flavour profiles many weeks after they are roasted.
Overall a wonderful, vibrant coffee that lived up to the prestige of a Natural Ethiopian. A great Saturday morning or ‘weekend away’ coffee that was a pleasure to drink weeks after I opened it.
V60 made it top of my list for brew methods for this one. Any pour over for that matter will excel with this coffee. It does also have enough body and depth to sustain a finer ground brew method.
