On Diaspora’s first day ever serving yaupon espresso at a market, a group of ladies took a chance and ordered a few different drinks. About five minutes later, one of them comes back with a big smile on her face and says, “it tastes like coffee and tea had a baby!”
We added our new slogan to our sandwich board sign on the spot. Thank you to this woman, and if you’re reading this we owe you royalties!
Beyond that comparison, yaupon has many unique tasting notes. We usually describe it as a dark pu’erh tea on the nose, followed by a body of chocolaty, herbal flavor. The finish is reminiscent of coffee with roastiness in the cheeks and jaw. The finer notes people describe most often include maple syrup, dark plum, sweet tobacco, pepper, and mate cocida. Yaupon’s natural sweetness means it can be enjoyed without added sugar, making it a healthier choice for those looking to reduce their sugar intake.
Yaupon is virtually acid- and tannin-free, so it can’t be brewed for too long. However, we find that over certain brewing temperatures, some of the finer flavors are lost. That means that just the right combination of pressure and temperature provides the best tasting yaupon espresso shot with a nice crema on top.
Yaupon blends will with floral, citrus and tart fruit notes. It also adds a deep layer of complexity to all masa and cacao based drinks. It has been brewed with these medicines for thousands of years, after all!
