Nicaragua Jinotega Coffee
Red fruit, cocoa and brown sugar from Jinotega, the city of mists in northern Nicaragua.
A highland coffee from Jinotega, Nicaragua's coffee capital, where mist rolls through the mountain valleys. The cup is red fruit and cocoa with brown sugar and walnut, soft-bodied and easy to drink.
Sensory profile
You should taste
How it unfolds
Where it sits
That is 89 mg in one serving (8 oz cup (240ml)), a concentration of 37.1 mg per 100 ml. The scale above ranks whole servings, and servings differ in size, so a larger drink can sit further right while being weaker cup for cup.
Editorial estimate, not a laboratory measurement
| Brewing method | Pour-Over |
|---|---|
| Coffee-to-water ratio | 1:17 |
| Dose & yield | 18g → 300g |
| Grind size | Medium-fine |
| Water temperature | 199°F / 93°C |
| Target brew time | 3:00-3:30 |
| Serving | 8 oz cup (240ml) |
What you need
- 18 g whole coffee beans, freshly roasted
- 300 g filtered water at 93°C
Required gear
- Cone or flat-bottom dripper
- Paper filters
- Gooseneck kettle
- Burr grinder
- Scale accurate to 1 g
- Timer
- Server or carafe
Step-by-step protocol
- 0:00Rinse the paper filter with hot water, discard the rinse, and add 18 g ground medium-fine. Level the bed.
- 0:00Start the timer and pour 36 g of water at 93°C, wetting every part of the bed. Let it bloom.
- 0:45Pour in slow spirals up to 180 g total, keeping the bed submerged and the level steady.
- 1:30Final pour up to 300 g total. Give the dripper one gentle swirl to settle the bed flat.
- 3:15Drawdown should finish around here. Swirl the server and serve.
What it may be good for
Caffeine, in numbers
We list about 89 mg for an 8 oz cup.
Coffee from cooperatives
Many of Jinotega's farms are small family plots that sell through cooperatives, some of them Fair Trade and organic certified.
What to watch out for
- Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you.
A highland coffee from Jinotega, Nicaragua's coffee capital, where mist rolls through the mountain valleys. The cup is red fruit and cocoa with brown sugar and walnut, soft-bodied and easy to drink.
Origin & Story
Jinotega is called the City of Mists. Cloud feathers through the top of its valley, and the fog that blankets the mountains gives it another nickname, Capital of Coffee and Mists. Coffee grows there at roughly 1,100 to 1,700 meters, mostly Caturra and Bourbon, and the department produces about two thirds of Nicaragua's coffee, importers say.
Large-scale coffee growing began in Nicaragua in the 1850s, and by 1870 coffee was the country's principal export, a position it held for more than a century. The finest beans have historically come from Matagalpa and Jinotega, the two departments at the center of the central mountains.
Most of the coffee is grown by small families, and cooperatives matter. The Nicaraguan Association of Smallholder Coffee Cooperatives, CAFENICA, was formed to represent smallholders, and importers say it helped connect about 80 percent of them to Fair Trade cooperatives. Nicaragua also hosted a Cup of Excellence competition in 2003.
Nearby in Matagalpa, the Selva Negra estate dates back to 1883, when German immigrants started a coffee farm that is now in its sixth generation. In the cup, Jinotega's coffee is gentle: red fruit for sweetness, cocoa and brown sugar for depth, and walnut in the finish.
Reading the Flavor Profile
| Axis | Score |
|---|---|
| Sweetness | 84/100 |
| Acidity | 64/100 |
| Bitterness | 26/100 |
| Body | 64/100 |
| Aroma | 84/100 |
These values are comparative editorial positions within our own catalog, calibrated so entries can be ranked against each other. They are not laboratory measurements.
How much caffeine is in Nicaragua Jinotega Coffee?
One serving, 8 oz cup (240ml), contains approximately 89 mg of caffeine.
What temperature should I use for Nicaragua Jinotega Coffee?
Target 93°C (199°F).
How long should Nicaragua Jinotega Coffee be extracted?
Timing: 3:00-3:30. Method: Pour-Over. Ratio: 60g/L (18g coffee to 300g water). Grind or leaf format: Medium-fine.
Why is Jinotega called the city of mists?
Clouds and fog drift through the high valley around the city for much of the year, which is where the nickname comes from. The same mist and humidity are part of why coffee grows well in the surrounding mountains.
What is Caturra?
Caturra is a compact natural mutation of Bourbon, widely planted in Latin America. It is easier to plant densely and to harvest than taller varieties.
Who should avoid Nicaragua Jinotega Coffee?
Caffeine affects everyone differently. If you are pregnant or nursing, sensitive to caffeine, or have been told to limit it, check with your doctor about how much is right for you. This information is educational and is not medical advice. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, managing a cardiac or gastrointestinal condition, or taking prescription medication, discuss caffeine and botanical intake with a qualified healthcare professional before making changes.
What people say
Hario V60 Size 02 Ceramic Dripper
In this recipe: Cone or flat-bottom dripper
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