Gesha is known for florals: jasmine, bergamot, stone fruit, a tea-like finish. Those are also the first things you lose if the brew goes wrong. Too hot, too fine or too slow, and the cup turns flat and bitter. Too cool or too coarse, and it tastes thin and sour.
This is the recipe we use for our own Gesha, and the reasoning behind each step, so you can adjust it to your grinder and your water.
The Recipe
| One cup (V60 01 or 02) | Two cups (V60 02) | |
|---|---|---|
| Coffee | 14 g, ground medium-fine | 28 g, ground medium-fine |
| Water | 250 g | 500 g |
| Temperature | 91 °C | 91 °C |
| Bloom | 45 g, 30 to 40 seconds | 90 g, 30 to 40 seconds |
| Total time | 2:30 to 3:00 | 3:15 to 3:45 |
For our SL09 Inca we go one degree hotter, 92 °C. Everything else stays the same.
What You Need
- A V60 dripper, 01 for one cup or 02 for one or two, and paper filters that match. A 02 filter does not fit a 01 dripper.
- A scale that reads in grams and shows time.
- A kettle with a thin spout, ideally one where you can set the temperature.
- A burr grinder. Pre-ground coffee loses the florals quickly, and Gesha has little else to hide behind.
You will find the drippers and filters we use in our brewing equipment.
Step by Step
- Heat the water to 91 °C. If your kettle has no thermometer, let it rest for about a minute after it boils.
- Rinse the filter. Place the filter in the dripper and pour hot water through it. This removes the paper taste and warms the dripper and the cup. Pour the rinse water away.
- Grind 14 g of coffee medium-fine and level the bed with a gentle shake.
- Bloom. Start the timer and pour 45 g of water, just enough to wet all the grounds. Wait 30 to 40 seconds while the coffee releases gas.
- First pour. Pour slowly in small circles, keeping away from the paper, up to 155 g. You should reach it at around 1:10.
- Second pour. Continue to 250 g.
- Swirl and let it drain. Give the dripper a gentle swirl so the bed settles flat, then let it draw down. Aim to finish between 2:30 and 3:00.
Why 91 °C and Not Boiling
Gesha is roasted light to keep its florals, and light roasts need heat to extract properly. Boiling water, though, pulls out harsh and drying flavours along with the sweet ones, and the jasmine and peach disappear first. 91 °C is where we get the sweetness without the dryness. If your cup tastes sour, go up a degree or two. If it tastes bitter or drying, go down.
Let It Rest After Roasting
Freshly roasted coffee is full of carbon dioxide. It pushes water away from the grounds during the bloom and makes the extraction uneven. We roast to order, and our Gesha tastes best from around seven days after the roast date on the bag. Brew it earlier and it will still be good, but the florals open up more once the coffee has rested.
Water Matters More Than You Think
A cup of coffee is almost entirely water, and very hard or chlorinated water mutes delicate coffees. If your tap water tastes of anything, try a simple carbon filter jug. You do not need special brewing water to get a good cup, but clean water helps a Gesha more than most coffees.
Taste It as It Cools
Do not judge a Gesha in the first minute. Much of the fruit shows itself as the cup cools. With our Yellow Gesha, the peach comes forward once the cup drops below about 60 °C. Give it a few minutes before you decide whether you need to adjust anything.
Troubleshooting
| What you taste or see | What to change |
|---|---|
| Sour, thin, a bit empty | Grind finer, or raise the temperature by 1 to 2 °C |
| Bitter, drying, heavy | Grind coarser, or lower the temperature by 1 to 2 °C |
| Drains in under 2:15 | Grind finer |
| Takes longer than 3:30 | Grind coarser, and pour more gently so the bed does not clog |
| Florals are faint | Check the roast date. Very fresh coffee often needs a few more days of rest |
Change one thing at a time. If you change the grind and the temperature together, you will not know which one helped.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best water temperature for Gesha coffee?
We brew our Gesha at 91 °C. It extracts the sweetness of a light roast without pulling out the harsh flavours that boiling water can bring.
What ratio should I use for Gesha on a V60?
We use 14 g of coffee to 250 g of water, a ratio of about 1 to 18. For two cups, double it to 28 g and 500 g.
How long should a V60 brew take?
Aim for 2:30 to 3:00 for one cup and 3:15 to 3:45 for two. If it runs much faster or slower, adjust the grind.
How long should Gesha rest after roasting?
Our Gesha tastes best from around seven days after the roast date. It is fine to brew earlier, but the florals open up more once the coffee has rested.
Can I use the same recipe for other light roasts?
Yes, it is a good starting point for any light roast filter coffee. For our SL09 Inca we raise the temperature to 92 °C.
Coffees to Brew With This Recipe
All three come from Dwight Aguilar Masias at Finca Nueva Alianza, Santa Teresa, Cusco, roasted to order in Oslo and shipped within 24 hours of roasting.
- Yellow Gesha (200 g). Jasmine, peach, citrus, honey.
- Red Gesha (200 g). Floral tea, stone fruit, citrus, honey.
- SL09 Inca (200 g). Dark berry, red wine, chocolate. Brew at 92 °C.
Not sure where to start? Read Red Gesha vs Yellow Gesha, or try all three with Tres Amigos de Cusco. The short version of the recipe is also in our V60 brew guide.
