Roast Reviews: Pueblo 57 - Medium Roast
Review brought you by Beth and George.
Faced with cold winter temperatures, our thoughts turned to hibernation and stocking up on necessities. Fortunately, we had Pueblo 57’s Medium Roast on hand for our espresso needs!
This roast proved to be a great match for the season as it brought to mind some of our favorite comfort foods and encouraged feelings of hygge when we were otherwise dreaming of spring.
Pueblo 57 is based in the city of Santiago de Cali, better known as Cali, the capital of Colombia’s Valle de Cauca region. What began as a simple agricultural endeavor has transformed into a company that harvests, roasts, and ships their own product, enabling these farmers to earn better wages and invest in their communities. Currently, Pueblo 57 offers four different roast profiles available as whole beans and compostable capsules compatible with Wacaco Minipresso NS. With direct shipping from Colombia to the USA and Canada, you’re guaranteed the freshest roast possible.
Medium Roast: Single origin Arabica Castillo beans from a single harvest at one single farm in Sevilla, Valle del Cauca, Colombia. We used pods for this tasting.
Pod Sense
If you’ve ever run an internet search along the lines of, “Why is sour beer sour?” or “What’s so special about sourdough,” you’re not alone! After picking up notes of sour cherry beer and toasted sourdough bread, Beth found their commonality in lactobacillus, the agent used to produce lactic acid. We’re just speculating here, but we think lactic acid played a role in this particular batch. Speaking of beer, George picked up hints of wort waiting to be fermented, along with cacao and licorice scents.
Analyzing the Espresso Pour
Thick, foamy crema clung softly to our cups like fresh powder on a mountain slope. Or maybe we only imagined it so; neither of us has a penchant for skiing, preferring to stay inside where it’s warm and toasty. The Medium Roast brought to mind certain smells we associate with skiing, like toasted marshmallows and buttery, marzipan-laden pastries from Alpine countries.
Taste Test
It’s enticing to envision the gaiety of a Currier & Ives snowscape when you’re shut inside during a polar vortex. Fortunately, this espresso taste test allowed us a brief escape, if only mentally. Beth picked up a woodsy flavor, such as chicory, that felt fresh on her tongue and went down like a breakfast stout. George liked that the Medium Roast offered “all the cues you’d want in an excellent drinking espresso… not nearly as complex on the palate… not harsh, not pretentious.” It’s perfect as an après-ski drink — in our imaginations, at least — or for anytime you need espresso that’s relaxed, casual, and comforting.