Roasting level and flavor profile of Ethiopian Huakui coffee beans   Characteristics and taste of hand-brewed Huakui 6.0 coffee beans

Generally speaking, espresso blends are specifically designed for espresso machines, but skilled blenders can also create blends suitable for pour-over brewing.

Hua Kui coffee beans have become a highly popular variety in recent years. Some people have mythologized them, while others call for a more rational view.

Behind all the noise and chaos, the production of Huakui coffee beans is expanding year by year.According to the green bean importer who introduced the Huakui green beans, this year’s fresh crop of Huakui Natural Process G1 is expected to fill 11 containers, marking a 10% increase compared to last year!

But we also know that for many agricultural products, higher yield often comes at the expense of quality.

Therefore, the green bean supplier also mentioned that this change might bring the Huākuí coffee beans closer to the regional flavor characteristics of the origin.What does this mean? On one hand, the annual flavor changes of Huakui are actually related to coffee as an agricultural product, which is greatly affected by uncontrollable factors such as weather. On the other hand, it is also related to the expansion of the producing area, ultimately resulting in flavor variations.

Initially, the signature bold strawberry cream flavor of the Huacai (Hua Kui) coffee beans has become less prominent (the original Huacai beans specifically referred to the 2017 TOH Natural Category winning beans from Ethiopia’s Guji-Hambela region; later, any beans from that region processed at the Bukuru washing station were also called Huacai). Now, the flavor profile leans more toward the general characteristics of the growing region — the Guji region — with vibrant berry acidity, long-lasting floral notes, and a distinct juiciness.

However, there’s no need to be disappointed.Because there will also be limited small batches of the highly distinctive and intense-flavored Hua Kui 6.0 available. Additionally, special processing methods such as anaerobic fermentation will be offered to enhance deep fruity tones.Hua Kui 6.0 refers to the coffee beans from the 2021/2022 harvest season, which have recently become available in various coffee shops and roasteries. Different roasting techniques yield slightly different flavor profiles, and recently I bought Hua Kui 6.0 from different sources—the flavors are like a lottery, relying on luck.