Sey x BAC

In May, Sey had a collaboration lot with us in Bae Area Coffee (BAC).

The coffee was a washed gesha by Frank Aroste of La Esperanza in Peru. It was initially considered an SL9, but genetic testing suggests it’s a gesha; it’s hard to tell.

More details can be found on Sey’s page for the offering: https://www.seycoffee.com/products/2026-frank-aroste-la-esperanza-peru

A hundred 250g bags were made available exclusively within our group, and was gone in under 3hrs. Actual demand far outpaced expectations, but thanks to the power of our established local bean sharing community, splits were being coordinated moments after it sold out.

The card looks great in person, incredibly tough to photograph

My notes across a variety of waters and burrs, all as pourover:

1. Water: 10GH MgSO4, 10GH MgCl, 5GH CaCl2, 10KH NaHCO3, 5KH KHCO3, 10ppm NaCl
   Grinder: Option-O P80 / SSP LU SK
   Yellow fruit, pomelo, green tea, melon, bright citrus peak, panela, yellow floral finish

2. Water: 20GH MgSO4, 10GH CaCl2, 6KH NaHCO3, 2KH KHCO3, 10ppm NaCl
   Grinder: P100/Kafatek SCR
   Mandarin peel finish, lemongrass, peppermint, sterile + clean flavor transitions, pineapple juice, draping florality at the finish

3. Water: hustinJam’s water recipe
   Grinder: EK43S / SSP 98OLD
   Gooseberry, yellow fruit, starfruit, fresh juicy melon, yellow guava, custard apple, jasmine in the retronasal finish

4. Water: Lake Tahoe tap
   Grinder: Pietro
   Rounded citrus, tangerine in the midpalate, yellow floral finish

5. Water: Reno tap, 18TDS
   Grinder: Femobook A2
   Brown sugar, stewed melon, jasmine pearl tea, earl grey finish, light citrus. Tropical fruits, passionfruit juice on cool.

6. Water: Aviary
   Grinder: Kinu POB
   Orange creme quadritini, orange blossom, calamansi, bergamot on nasal exhale

7. Water: 20GH MgCl, 15GH MgSO4, 5GH CaCl2, 10KH NaHCO3, 5KH KHCO3
   Grinder: Pietro
   Purple shiso, verbena, lemon tea, pear, starfruit

8. Water: Komakase
   EK43A pre-2015
   Orange peel, chamomile tea, jasmine on the nose, marmalade jam on cool

9. Water: 5GH MgCl, 10GH MgSO4, 3KH KHCO3, 10ppm CaCO3, 10ppm NaCl
   Ek43S / SSP Brew RS
   Honey Nut Cheerios, orange juice, white florals upfront, yellow florals upon cool, Sunkist orange juice, reverberating linger

Opinions collected from other members of BAC:

“Incredible coffee, very elegant and delicate. Beautiful citric acidity and florals and some malic. Citron, pomelo, and bergamot intermingled all throughout temps and hot to warms beautiful white florals”

“With my 64mm MP SK it was quite nice, pomelo, melon, lemon zest, mild jasmine florals”

"Nice brew with a bright citrus at the forefront, followed by soft melon and mixed white and orange florals, lime leaf coming out as it cools"

“Jasmine and Mandarin tasting notes on this one. Very tasty!”

“White peach, grapefruit, soft florals, sweet tea”

“Its very sweet, red, juicy”

“My first brew had black-tea/melon base, nectarine/plum, and jasmine”

“Bitter yet bright florals into sweeter citrus, pomelo x bergamot. Sweeter melon taste when it cools down more.”

“Pomelo, plumeria, and a sugarcane sweetness finish.”

Thanks to Doug at Sey, and Harry and Janesh in BAC for coordinating.