Roast Level: Medium
Origin: Colombia
Region: La Esperanza
Process: Natural
Varietal: Caturra & Colombia
Altitude: 2050 masl
Taste notes: Floral, citrus fruits and boiled candy. Complex acidity, syrupy mouthfeel, and honey-like body.

The name Mzllah caught my attention when I was going through the sponsors list for the 2021 UAE Aeropress Championship last month. To my surprise, it was an artisanal roastery and cafe in Fujairah. I have been patiently waiting since to make a work trip to this emirate and stop by Mzllah for a cup of coffee.

The name Mzllah is inspired from the ancient tradition of Bedouins and their coffee brewing rituals. When Arabic coffee is prepared and served, there are three types of pots that were in use - the first pot is used to brew coffee with cardamom, second to steep with spices, and third is a very elegant pot to serve the guests, also known as Dallah Al Mzllah. 

If you are interested in traditional arabic coffee and the culture around it, I think there’s no better resource than the Bait al Gahwa Training and Certification Programe launched by The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi. There will also be a Gahwa Championships 2021 that will take place end of November this year.

I went off on a tangent related to Arabic coffee. Coming back to Mzllah, when you walk into the cafe you will find that the interior is modern with a Middle Eastern inspired finish. Not to mention numerous Fiddle-leaf figs adding a gorgeous and architectural statement inside the cafe.

I bet like me you might have also noticed the highly detailed whimsical illustrations of the animals native to the Arabian Desert inspired by elements of the Middle Eastern culture. If you are wondering, these were created by the talented Freddie Denton using Procreate on an iPad. Great work.

A roastery inside a cafe works wonders, the smell of freshly roasted coffee amplifies the whole experience. Every cafe has a personality of it’s own, but with an in-house roastery you stand out just like an outlier. 

Arno Quinton, head roaster, was not present during my visit. Mohan, who is also a roaster, gladly showed me around the roastery. He suggested I try the Colombia La Esperanza. This was his current favorite. 

Edward brewed the Colombian on a V60 for me, it was a natural process and very juicy with prominent notes of red fruits, candy and underlying floral sweetness.

Burundi was another origin on display that was really interesting and I was keen on buying for brewing at home. It was out of stock which meant the Colombian was yet again the default choice. 

Edward shared his brew recipe for the blog:

Coffee: 20g
Water: 260g 
Temperature: 92 Degrees C 
Grind: Medium to Medium Fine 
Ratio: 1:13 
Total Brew Time: 2 minutes 30 seconds

Three pours in total. Pour 60g of water, bloom for 30 seconds. The next two pours will be 100g of water each. Finish the first pour at 1 minute 10 seconds and second pour at the two minute 30 seconds mark.