How’s it going? Hope the coffee is flowing! Today I’m going to be talking to you about one of the many coffees I took home with me from the Pennsylvania Chocolate and Coffee Festival. This week I’m brewing Semilla Coffee Roasters Guji Natural.
The Roaster
Semilla Coffee Roasters is a micro-roastery founded in 2020 by Yil, the granddaughter of Puerto Rican coffee farmers. Her upbringing on a coffee farm sparked a lifelong passion for the craft, inspiring her to master the art of roasting in pursuit of the perfect cup.
Driven by a passion for quality and fairness, Semilla is dedicated to sourcing exceptional coffee while building equitable partnerships with the farmers behind each crop. The result is a selection of organic, sustainably sourced coffees that display Semilla’s love for coffee while also honoring the heritage of Yil’s grand parents.
If you checked out my review of the Semilla coffees I sampled at the 2024 Pennsylvania Chocolate and Coffee Festival, you’ll remember how much I enjoyed each one. So when Yil returned to this year’s festival with a few new offerings, including Guji, I was thrilled to give them a try. Let’s find out if this new roast lived up to the hype!
When rating coffee I follow the same method of brewing each time. Find out about how I prepare French Press coffee here.
Semilla Coffee Roasters Guiji Review:
Characteristics and Flavor Profile
Grinding Semilla’s Guji natural bring outs bright and fruity notes, with a distinct and rich smell of slightly tart citrus.
| Semilla Coffee Roasters Guji Natural | French Press | Pour Over |
| Aroma | Rich berry notes with a touch of sweet milk chocolate | Bold blueberry notes with a balanced fruity sweetness and tartness |
| Body | Medium-light body without a substantial mouthfeel | Light body, minimal weight and mouthfeel |
| Start | Strong berry notes with a distinct blueberry-like sweetness | Juicy fruity start, berry forward with a well balanced sweetness and tartness |
| Middle | Fruity middle, with the flavor notes shifting to stone fruit providing a sweetness with just a touch of sour | Tartness fades while the sweetness remains |
| Finish | A citrus-like fruitiness comes forward before giving way to a roastiness with strong coffee notes | Sweet blueberry finish, rounding out the cup with a great fruity taste |
Overall Thoughts
Overall, this was a smooth and incredibly delicious coffee. The natural process really allows the Ethiopian beans to showcase their fruitiness, and the expert roasting enhances the experience even further. This is a truly exceptional coffee and would be a great choice for most coffee drinkers. It would especially appeal those who prefer a fruity cup or want to experience the craftsmanship of a highly skilled micro-roaster. However, individuals who prefer a more traditional cup and do not enjoy fruity coffee may find the bold fruit notes less appealing.
Choosing a preferred brew method was a challenge, both were very fruit-forward and delicious. The coffee is truly suited for a pour-over, as the fruity notes really popped. However, I slightly preferred the French press, as it added a nice touch of roasty coffee notes to the finish while still maintaining the delicious fruitiness.
Where to Purchase
You can buy Semilla’s Guji Natural directly from their website. They roast and ship their coffee on Tuesdays and Thursday, and all orders are roasted to order so no matter which of their excellent coffees you choose you know you are getting the freshest beans possible. At a price point of $19 for 12 oz (about $25.33 per point) Guji is one of Semilla’s most expensive offerings, but for the quality of beans and coffee it is well worth the premium price.
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