Specialty roast coffee can taste great as an espresso. These coffees are often brighter and more flavourful compared to espresso-roasted beans. 

Specialty coffee beans can be challenging to dial in for home brewers. 

I will walk you through my process for dialing in Truth Coffee's Fazenda Sao Joao Limited Edition medium roasted beans.

Reference Guides

I always start by watching YouTube for reminders of how to dial in an espresso. 

I recommend the following two videos:

• La Marzocco - Advanced Espresso: Dialing in by Roast Level

• Lance Hedrick - HOW TO DIAL IN ESPRESSO: Using Information from the Bag

Lance has several videos on dialing in espresso; all are worth watching if you're still new to espresso. 

1. Decode the Information on the Bag

The info on the bag provides vital information to get you started. 

I use it to decide on the initial setup of the espresso machine (temperature) and grinder (grind setting) as well as possible recipes (ristretto, normale, lungo, and what ratio I could consider for those). It also gives you a guide on the intended tasting notes to help determine if your extraction is in the correct range.

Here are my notes for this coffee and how I plan on using the information:

Starting Point Inputs: 

Elevation - ±1200m - This indicates a denser bean. Extracting the right flavors is more challenging.

Roast Level - medium - It's not easy to judge the roast level, but it is in the medium range. It's not dark and oily like a typical espresso roast. Neither is it light and dry like a lighter roast. The medium roast level means the beans will have maintained the density and should also have a balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness. 

Options to consider to accommodate the density of the bean include:

• A finer grind size.

• A longer ratio for a longer extraction time.

• An increased machine temperature to help expand the grounds. 

Goal Inputs:

Processing - carbonic maceration - The coffee beans are fermented in a carbon dioxide-rich environment, resulting in a bright, winey, red fruit flavor. These qualities would mean the coffee would taste lively and not dulled by bitter notes. It would also have some tartness. 

Tasting Notes - red grape, plum, cherry - The processing has influenced the tasting notes. The fruity-tasting notes indicate a sweetness that balances with some tartness. 

Elevation - ±1200m - The elevation can also influence the bean flavor. At this altitude, there is a leaning toward possible citrus, chocolate, or vanilla flavors. Based on the other aspects, it is more likely that the citrus notes will shine through. 

Options to consider to dial in the extraction:

• There should not be intense bitterness.

• It should be bright with a balanced sweetness and tartness.

• There will likely be a fermented, fruity taste. 

Blooper: I did all this analysis from the sticker on the box, only to eventually get into the box and find an entire booklet with a lot of information about the processing, tasting notes, and brewing recommendations.

2. Setup for First Attempt

Grinder Cleaning - I started by cleaning out the grinder. I pushed through old beans and grounds, pulled out the upper burr, and cleaned off as much as possible with a brush. 

Grinder Setting - I moved from 4 to 3 on the burr setting and set the grinder to setting 5. My previous setup was for the dark espresso roast I typically brew.

Temperature - I set the machine at 2 degrees above the normal brewing temperature. That would be around 95 deg C.

Dosage and Ratio - I decided to go for a normale espresso, starting at a ratio of 1:2.5 with a coffee dose of 18g in the double shot basket. So that would be 45g of espresso out.

Extraction Time - I would like an extraction time of 20 to 30 seconds. 

3. First Extraction

These are the steps I followed:

• First, I let the machine preheat for 15 minutes with the portafilter locked in place. 

• While waiting, I opened the bag and tried to take in the fragrance from the beans, which was mild, and fruity with over-ripe and fermented notes. 

• Before starting, I primed the grinder by running it a few times without any beans going through. 

• I measured 18g of beans and then started grinding. I broke up the grinding into three stages to distribute. I don't have a distributor, so I spread the bed manually in stages.

• I had forgotten to measure the grounds that came out. 

• I then tamped and proceeded with the extraction.

• I did not use the preset double shot program, and I did not extend the preinfusion. I allowed the extraction to run and stopped it when it reached 45g on the scale. 

Results: The double shot ran for 15 seconds (too fast). It had a mild, fruity aroma and was intensely bright, with a thin body and no sweetness. It did not have an unpleasant aftertaste, but it was very tangy. 

4. Second Extraction

I moved the grinder to setting 3 and decided on a 1:3 ratio. That would be 54g out. 

I followed the same process as the first extraction. 

Results: The shot ran for 23 seconds. The aroma was more toasty and sweeter. The flavor was still tart, and the red fruit flavors were coming through. But it could have been sweeter and balanced. Instead, it had a slight unpleasant bitterness on the finish.

5. Third Extraction

I moved the grinder to setting 2 and kept the 1:3 ratio for 54g out. But I reduced the temperature by 1 degree C to pull back the bitterness. 

I followed the same process as the first extraction. 

Results: The shot ran for 29 seconds. The aroma was fruity, similar to the fragrance coming off the beans. The coffee tasted with a fruity acidity balanced with a mild bitterness, hinting that I was in the vicinity of a proper extraction. The shot had a medium body with a pleasant aftertaste.

At this point, I called it a successful experiment and decided to leave it there. I've since done further extractions, making a black Americano and one with milk. The roaster recommends this coffee with milk. 

I also tried it out in a French press, which is the primary recommendation from the roaster (steeping, that is). So here's my approach to that. 

But I still enjoyed it as an espresso. And as a home brewer, I found the dialing-in process satisfying and educational.