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Origin 20 | Brewing Los Altos

Two decades of pioneering exceptional, responsible coffee. This series recognises the coffees at the core of who we are–our mainstay collection. Forming the cornerstone of our offerings, our mainstay coffees represent a curated, seasonal selection that consistently delivers quality and great flavour. Sourced year after year, maintaining a core collection gives you the chance to get familiar with some excellent coffee, and find your perfect brew.

Celebrating 20 Years

We’ll hear from our coffee and education teams, who will be sharing their unique perspectives on these well-loved coffees. From classic pour-overs, to experimental cold brewing, they'll guide you through the best ways to brew, revealing how to get the most from them, plus some unexpected recipes, inspiring you to rediscover your favourite cup.

Los Altos

A coffee we look forward to welcoming back year after year, and a firm favourite in the Origin community, Los Altos is an excellent example of an approachable and well-rounded washed coffee. A crisp acidity and smooth, chocolatey body are complimented by a sweet nuttiness that is widely enjoyed on filter or espresso, black or white. Seasonally sourced, it returns to our lineup at the end of summer and stays through to around springtime, giving us plenty of time every year to enjoy.

Producer

Our coffee team have ventured to the Los Altos farms numerous times, and each time feel warmly welcomed by the family and workers that come together to create this incredible crop. The Mierisch family have been cultivating exceptional coffee in Nicaragua for generations. Despite the adversity they have faced along that journey, including civil war and the complexities of climate change, their dedication to quality, experimentation and sustainability has earned them global recognition and numerous awards for their speciality coffee. We’re proud to have a direct trade partnership that spans over a decade, a relationship that highlights a shared commitment to pursuing coffee excellence, while respecting the environment and people involved.

Our relationship with the Mierisch family represents the core of what Origin stands for; meaningful partnerships, real conversations, and a relentless pursuit for exceptional coffee.

Shop the Mainstay Collection

Stronghold Stronghold

Stronghold

from £10.00

Dark Chocolate, Fudge, Sugar

Los Altos Los Altos

Los Altos

from £10.00

Roasted Hazelnut, Prune, Green Apple

Santa-Elena-Coffee Santa-Elena-Coffee

Santa Elena

from £13.00

Apricot, Grape, Caramel

Brewing Los Altos

We spent some time behind the counter with Origin Barista Trainer for Edinburgh, Fraser Ballantyne, who shared his insights on Los Altos with us, plus his favourite ways to brew.

“For me, this classic AeroPress recipe really highlights the smooth sweetness of this coffee, strong caramel notes and rounded body, coupled with an intricate balance of citric and malic acid.”

Traditional AeroPress 

 What you’ll need:   

  • 14.7g ground coffee (I ground this to #6 on our EK grinder, a medium-coarse setting) 
  • 250g water at 94°C 
  • Assembled AeroPress brewer, positioned inverted on a scale 

Method: 

  1. Add coffee to the inverted AeroPress 
  2. Add all water 
  3. Stir 10 times 
  4. Attach filter + cap 
  5. Start timer, and at 1 minute start pressing slowly, until you reach 2 minutes  
  6. Serve 

How Fraser Brews Los Altos

“Grinding slightly coarser than I normally would when brewing on AeroPress really pushes the fruit notes from this natural Nicaraguan coffee. Pressing slowly allows us to retain the delicate body and complexity, that may not always be recognised when following a usual recipe. The harder you press the more you force the brewed coffee through the filter, resulting in a heavier, duller brew. Pressing lightly or slowly massively benefits the clarity and nuance of your final brew. Inverting the AeroPress is something that has taken over the specialty coffee world as it ensures we have entire control over the brewing process and achieve as even an extraction as possible by not allowing any coffee to exit the brew chamber until exactly when we want it to.”

Los Altos Cold Brew with Ginger Beer

What you’ll need: 

  • 20g ground coffee – coarsely ground 
  • 120g water 85°C 
  • 30g ginger beer 
  • Orange peel  

Method: 

  • Add coffee to the inverted AeroPress 
  • Add all water + stir 10 times 
  • Attach filter + cap 
  • Flip onto your cup 
  • Start timer, and at 1 minute start plunging slowly, until you reach 2 minutes 
  • Add 60g ice + stir to melt 
  • Prepare a glass with ice + pour in the ginger beer 
  • Top up with 70g of the brewed Los Altos 
  • Twist orange peel garnish over the glass and serve 

“Optional - adding a shot of rum this creates a great summer cocktail. I’d recommend a smoked spiced rum if you can find it, it adds a super interesting depth and complexity, and complements the warmth from the ginger.”

Where to drink Los Altos

At one of our Wholesale Partners:

Stanley & Ramona 

Fri-Weds: 07:30-15:00, Thurs: 07:30-17:00 

30A Bishopthorpe Rd, York  

YO23 1JJ

“We have had Los Altos as our mainstay espresso for over 7 years. For us, it’s the perfect combination of sweet with a slight bitterness, which makes it perfect for an americano or a flat white.”

At an Origin Coffee Shop: 

We serve Los Altos on filter across all our coffee shops—find your closest here.

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