Artist Reserve: Mexico Oaxaca Loxicha (FIRST FRESH CROP MEXICO ARRIVAL)
ARTIST RESERVE: MEXICO
OAXACA LOXICHA
BROWN SUGAR, APRICOT, DARK CHOCOLATE + PECAN
Fresh Oaxaca has arrived early! Honored to bring you more coffee from Loxicha, one of our cherished Oaxacan community favorites. This is one of those profiles that defines this region and state—light-bodied, nuanced, crushable. We love them for daily drinking and nostalgic morale boosters. In the cup, we're tasting brown sugar, apricot, dark chocolate, and pecan.
Setting the tone for what's already an awesome coffee, I worked with my college friend and talented artist, Bill Quinn, to create a label to match the vibe. Bill is currently working out of CDMX and building an amazing hotel on the coast of Oaxaca, less than 100km from Loxicha. We're stoked to see this project come to life! ¡Suerte, Bill!
BEAN DETAILS:
ORIGIN: Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca within the district of Pochutla
PRODUCER: Smallholders in Loxicha
PROCESS: Washed (see full details below)
VARIETY: Pluma
TASTING NOTES: Brown sugar, apricot, dark chocolate, and pecan
ROAST TYPE: Light
Farm Level
San Agustín Loxicha: A Remote Coffee Paradise in Oaxaca
Geographic Setting
San Agustín Loxicha is a lush, densely forested community nestled in the Sierra Sur region of Oaxaca within the district of Pochutla. Coffee grows on steep slopes under a thick canopy of native shade trees, facing the Pacific Ocean to the south. This unique positioning creates distinct rainy and dry seasons complemented by cooling Pacific breezes that help shape the coffee's exceptional character.
The Journey to Origin
Reaching San Agustín Loxicha from Oaxaca requires approximately five hours via a well-maintained road, but the real challenge begins upon arrival. Unlike many coffee-producing regions where farmers live on their farms, Loxicha's producers typically reside in the central town, with their farms accessible only by a grueling 2-3 hour journey on foot or by mule. During harvest season, producing families relocate to temporary housing on their farms, then must transport their coffee back to the collection center in Loxicha through multiple trips by mule or on foot.
Cultural Heritage and Community
The indigenous Zapotec traditions and languages flourish throughout Loxicha, including Zapotec, Mixteco, and Mixe dialects that remain very much alive in daily life. A cornerstone of the community is the practice of Tequio, a word from the Nahuatl language meaning "work" or "tribute." This traditional system of communal workshare becomes essential during harvest and off-season farm renovations, demonstrating the deep collaborative spirit that defines this region.
Coffee Varieties and Generational Transition
Many farmers in this group cultivate younger coffee trees planted within the last five years while maintaining the tradition of growing almost exclusively Pluma variety, a local mutation of Typica that has thrived here for over 80 years. This heritage variety has perfectly adapted to the local conditions, soil, and climate, consistently producing spectacular cup quality. Encouragingly, many farmers are under 30 years old, suggesting a bright future for coffee cultivation in the region, though some young people continue migrating to urban centers seeking broader opportunities.
Biodiversity and Farming Practices
Loxicha demonstrates remarkable plant diversity compared to other coffee-growing regions. Local producers utilize native trees such as Cuachepil, Cuil, and avocado to provide shade for their coffee plants. These trees offer multiple benefits beyond shade, including food, ornamentation, medicine, construction materials, and water collection. The Cuil tree, for example, produces leaf litter that enriches the soil as a natural fertilizer. Farmers maintain careful spacing with two meters between rows and 1.5 meters between individual seedlings, placing separator plants between each row to maintain proper distance and organization throughout their plots.
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?
We recommend drinking our coffee within one month of the roast date. Most of our coffees taste best however within 2 - 14 days of roast date.
For espresso, we recommend using coffee that has rested at least 7 days after roast date. This is because coffee gives off CO2 after roasting that can interfere with extraction. One way to get around this is to let your ground espresso dose sit for 30-120 minutes before pulling the shot. Email info@colorroasters.com for more questions about this.
If you are pre-grinding the coffee, we recommend drinking the coffee within one week of grinding.
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?
These are in the works! We are compiling a bunch and even shooting some video, to help you brew like us at home.
In the meantime...go here: Pour Overs | Aeropress to get some expert advice.
MY COFFEE TASTES WEAK, WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?