Artist Reserve: Ethiopia Muntasha Natural
ARTIST RESERVE: ETHIOPIA
MUNTASHA NATURAL
Sun-Dried Natural — 74158
PINEAPPLE, WILD BLUEBERRY, CARAMEL DRIZZLE, SATURATED FRUIT
This is the high-end, luxury natural Ethiopian coffee we've come to expect at this exact time of year, from this exact part of the world.
Muntasha Natural is lush, vibrant, and downright succulent. We're tasting ripe pineapple, wild blueberry, caramel drizzle, and a whole lot of saturated fruit sweetness. It's complex, with the kind of depth and clarity that makes you want to keep brewing it.
Big fruit, super clean, and an almost ridiculous level of drinkability.
We're also thrilled to be teaming up with Landon Sheely again for another Artist Reserve collaboration. This is the first of two releases featuring Landon's artwork, and we couldn't be more excited.
Landon is a Wisconsin-based tattoo artist and illustrator whose work draws from classic Americana, traditional tattoo imagery, and a wonderfully distinctive visual language. Check his work here - https://www.instagram.com/landonsheely/
We love Wisconsin - GO BREWERS!
Bean Details
- Origin: Arbegona, Southern Ethiopia
- Producer: Mullugeta Muntasha
- Producer group: Approximately 600 Arbegona outgrowers
- Elevation: 2,230 meters above sea level
- Variety: 74158
- Process: Sun-dried natural
- Grade: G1
- Harvest: 2026
- Tasting notes: Lush pineapple, juicy wild blueberry, and rich caramel sweetness
- Roast type: Light
- Partnership established: 2022
- Artist: Landon Sheely
- Series: Artist Reserve
Farm Level
About Mullugeta Muntasha
Mullugeta Muntasha is one of the producers helping redefine what's possible in Ethiopia's southern Guji region.
He grew up in Bursa, a village where coffee cultivation is still relatively new. As a young man, he worked as a truck driver in Arsi, transporting coffee cherries to private washing stations before eventually becoming a collector supplying the central market.
As changing climate conditions made coffee cultivation more viable around Bursa, planting expanded throughout the area.
In 2021, Mullugeta returned home and established his own drying station, Dawencho.
And things moved quickly.
That same year, he placed second in Ethiopia's Cup of Excellence with the Dawencho farmer group and sixth under his own name.
In 2022, four of the competition's top ten coffees were processed at Dawencho, including the first-place lot from Legesse Botola, Mullugeta's brother-in-law.
That's a remarkable achievement for a relatively new coffee-producing community.
Today, Mullugeta processes cherries from his own farm alongside coffee purchased from neighboring growers, helping create new opportunities for farmers throughout the region.
About the Coffee
This particular lot comes from Arbegona in southern Ethiopia, at an impressive 2,230 meters above sea level.
The coffee is traceable to approximately 600 smallholder producers contributing to the Arbegona station.
At these elevations, the combination of cool temperatures, slow cherry maturation, and careful processing creates an extraordinary foundation for quality.
And this year's harvest is a beautiful example.
There's an intensity to the fruit that we love in exceptional Ethiopian naturals, but also a level of clarity that keeps the coffee feeling lively and refined.
Pineapple and wild blueberry lead the way, followed by rich caramel sweetness and a long, juicy finish.
It's the kind of natural that reminds us why we get so excited when these coffees arrive every year.
The Process
Muntasha is a sun-dried natural, produced from the Ethiopian variety 74158.
With natural processing, the coffee cherry remains intact during drying, allowing the fruit and seed to develop together before the dried cherry is removed.
The result can be an extraordinary concentration of sweetness, aromatics, and fruit character.
What makes this particular lot so impressive is its balance.
There's plenty of saturated tropical and berry fruit, but the cup remains clean, structured, and wonderfully expressive.
It's a great example of the quality coming out of Arbegona and the work Mullugeta and his neighboring producers are doing.
Artist Reserve — Landon Sheely
We're incredibly excited to welcome Landon Sheely back to the Artist Reserve series.
Landon is a Wisconsin-based tattoo artist and illustrator whose work draws from classic Americana, traditional tattoo imagery, and a wonderfully distinctive visual language.
His illustrations have a timeless quality to them, blending bold linework, playful symbolism, and a little bit of the unexpected.
For this release, we're featuring his striking illustration of a skeleton floating among flowers. It's playful, a little surreal, and a perfect fit for such a vibrant coffee.
This is the first of two Artist Reserve releases featuring Landon's work, and we couldn't be happier to have him back.
Artist Reserve exists to celebrate the artists who inspire us just as much as the producers who grow our coffee.
Pairing Landon's artwork with a coffee this special feels like exactly what the program was made for.
Brew Guide
Filter & Espresso
You bought great coffee. Brew it that way. Below is how we approach extraction at Color — built from years of roasting, tasting, and a lot of dialing in on our favorite brewers: Hoop, Pulsar, UFO, and Origami Air.
Brew how you’d like — but if you want it how we taste it, start here.
REST
Great coffee changes over time. Don’t rush it.
Filter:
→ 2–6 weeks off roast
→ Sweet spot: 3.5–6 weeks
This is where things get cleaner, riper, and more clear. Fruit tones deepen. Structure gets polished and the finish cleans up.
Espresso:
→ 4–6 weeks off roast
You can pull earlier. It’ll be brighter and aromatic. Around week 4, it rounds out and gains density.
If you enjoy tasting evolution like me, just keep brewing and wait for it to get better!
WATER
Water matters more than most variables. We QC with TWW at full strength, the light roast profile, but these coffees truly sparkle with most soft water profiles. Most mountain water is hard so be sure to adjust accordingly. Definitely filter out chlorine and sulfur if using tap water. Apex is making some really cool water drops!
Ideal Range:
→ 30–80 ppm
→ Moderate alkalinity
→ Balanced calcium/magnesium
Softer water increases clarity and perceived sweetness. Harder water can flatten acidity and mute top notes as well as muddy the finish.
FILTER BREWING
Core Philosophy
- Even extraction > aggressive agitation
- Minimize channeling
- Control flow rate
- Your taste is the most important factor!
- Bed Depth is critical, check out Jonathan Gagne’s thoughts on this
We aim for:
- Extraction Yield: 20–23%
- TDS: 1.35–1.55
- Clean, structured sweetness
- The least amount of astringency possible
- No hollow center, flat beds
RATIO
We cup at 1:17
For brewing, we gravitate toward:
- 1:16 – 1:17
- Personal favorite: 1:16.75
- If the coffee is ultra-dense or fruit-forward, push toward 1:17. If you want more saturation and body, lean toward 1:16.
GRIND
Medium-fine for most flat-bottom / hybrid brewers.
You should see:
- Even drawdown
- No stalling
- No rushing
- See Jonathan Gagne’s bed depth post
If it tastes:
- Sour → grind finer or reduce chanelling
- Bitter/astringent/dry → grind coarser
- Thin → increase extraction (finer or hotter water)
BREWERS WE LOVE
Hoop
Low agitation. High clarity. One pour.
Let gravity do the work. Make sure to break the crust when you finish pouring.
Use a metal aeropress filter if you’re struggling with choking and/or slow draw downs.
Pulsar
Excellent for brewing for 2 people.
Aim for doses 25g - 30g to reduce channeling risk.
Bloom with the valve closed. Open after the first pour.
UFO
Expressive, modern clarity.
Great for highlighting fruit structure. Forgiving.
We love the sibarist filters.
Origami Air
Run conical filters for clarity, flat-bottom for structure.
Control your pour pattern — even spirals, minimal disturbance.
Thermally stable, easy pour over option.
POUR OVER POUR STRUCTURE (General Framework)
For a 1:16–1:17 brew:
- Bloom: 2–3x coffee weight (45–60g for 21.5g dose)
- 60 sec bloom
- 2–3 controlled center-out pours
- Avoid heavy swirling or stirring
- Let it draw down naturally with a light rattle after the last pour. Agitation increases extraction — use it intentionally.
ESPRESSO
Rest longer. Be patient.
Starting Parameters:
- 1:2 – 1:2.5 ratio
- 25–35 sec
- 93–95°C
- Adjust based on roast level and density
These coffees often open up at slightly higher extraction. Don’t be afraid of longer shots if they remain sweet and structured. More shot volume = more extraction.
You’re looking for:
- Dense sweetness
- No harsh finish
- Lingering fruit or chocolate clarity
- Structured acidity, not sharpness
If it’s thin → grind finer or increase ratio
If it’s harsh → coarsen or lower temp slightly
WHAT WE’RE TASTING AT OPTIMAL EXTRACTION
- Saturated sweetness
- Clear fruit articulation
- No hollow mid-palate
- Weight without heaviness
- Long finish
When you hit it right, it feels polished. Not loud. Not dull. Just complete.
FINAL NOTES
- Rest matters.
- Water matters more.
- Extraction is measurable.
- But taste is king.
Brew whenever you’d like. Track changes. Stay curious.
If you dial something incredible on your Hoop, Pulsar, UFO, or Origami Air — tell us.
We’re always chasing better coffee.
— Color Coffee
Coffee Faq
IS YOUR COFFEE ORGANIC OR FAIR TRADE?
In many cases, yes. However, our first priority is quality and flavor. Sometimes these priorities align and our producers are certified organic and/or fair trade. We always pay well above fair trade rates (which are quite low and don’t guarantee sustainability or quality).
Often times, the producers we work with are too small to gain certifications. It’s expensive and laborious. Many of our producers are certified organic and fair trade, including many of our producers in Peru, Ethiopia, and Mexico.
WHAT IS THE BEST TIME-FRAME TO DRINK MY COFFEE?
Great coffee changes over time. Don’t rush it.
Filter:
→ 2–6 weeks off roast
→ Sweet spot: 3.5–6 weeks
This is where things get cleaner, riper, and more clear. Fruit tones deepen. Structure gets polished and the finish cleans up.
Espresso:
→ 4–6 weeks off roast
You can pull earlier. It’ll be brighter and aromatic. Around week 4, it rounds out and gains density.
If you enjoy tasting evolution like me, just keep brewing and wait for it to get better!
CAN YOU GRIND MY COFFEE ON WEB ORDERS?
Yes, we can. Please select how you want your coffee to be ground at the time you place your order. Simply click on the arrow beside "Grind" and make your selection. If you need help choosing let us know the brewing method you will be using to prepare the coffee, in the notes of the order. And we will be happy to grind the coffee for you on our commercial grinder.
DO YOU HAVE BREW RECIPES?
Yes — check out our Brew Guide for how we brew at Color.
MY COFFEE TASTES WEAK, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?