Mastering the Dial In: Pulling Phenomenal Harmony Espresso Shots

At Color Coffee, dialing in our flagship Harmony Espresso blend is both a science and an art. This classic blend's hallmark is its exceptional versatility - it can produce an array of delicious shot profiles depending on how it's extracted.  

The key variables in dialing in any espresso are dose, grind size, brew ratio, temperature, and shot time. With Harmony, the sweet spot allows expressing everything from dense, honeyed shots brimming with a velvety body to longer pours that highlight bright, vibrant fruit tones. Most baristas aim for a middle ground that balances lush mouthfeel with clear, nuanced flavor clarity.

Achieving that textural and flavor harmony is all about minimizing channeling during extraction. Proper puck preparation is paramount to ensure even water dispersion through the coffee bed. At our cafes, we use the Barista Hustle Autocomb tool to meticulously groom the grounds before tamping firmly and level with a Decent tamper. This simple but crucial puck prep results in consistently beautiful extractions free of harsh flavors or pithy bitterness. 

The current components of our Harmony blend showcase its incredible taste range:

Ethiopia Uraga: From the rare elevations above 2,000 meters in the East Guji zone, this coffee benefits from ideal terroir - sloped land, nutrient-rich reddish-brown soil, and over 1,500mm of annual rainfall. These factors concentrate flavors in the heirloom varieties grown here.

Peru Huaynapata: This lot hails from a small community of just 50 coffee-producing families in the remote Yanatile district. Growing coffee here helps sustain these ancient Quechua-speaking communities.

Ethiopia Tariku Kare Natural: The story of this coffee's producer, Tariku Kare, epitomizes hard work and perseverance. After years managing washing stations, he opened his own mill in his hometown of Bombe, incentivizing local farmers to deliver ripe cherry.  

One-third each of these stellar coffees, roasted to their respective sweet spots, creates a harmonious blend. When properly dialed in to minimize channeling, it produces stunningly lush yet vibrant shots.

Recipe at Color of the present Harmony blend:
Dose: 18.6g
Brewing Ratio: 1:2 (36g beverage)  
Shot Time: 30 seconds
Temp: 199F
Gear: La Marzocco FB80, Mahlkonig E65 grinder