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jossy
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Post subject: SqM spring blend
 Posted: Apr 13, 2010 - 10:30 PM
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Joined: Oct 29, 2009
Posts: 68
Location: London, UK
Status: Offline
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Has anyone tried the SquareMile spring blend? This is a bombshell:
- obscenely under-roasted, never seen an espresso blend with such a light roast
- if anyone had told me that I would enjoy such an acidic espresso I would have laughed at their face
and yet... one of the best espressos I've ever tasted!! I had one at the Espresso Room the other day and it blew my mind. Very sweet, mellow fruit, and the acidity is very broad and stable and doesn't turn into staleness as acidity often does in espresso. I bought some to take home. Surprisingly, it doesn't appear to be available on the SqM website. Is this an Espresso Room exclusive? It's also very good on my Gaggia although I think the choice of tiny shot-glasses at the Espresso Room amplified the taste in a way that I have not been able to reproduce. Ben, where did you get these shot glasses??? |
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Quest M3 - iRoast2 - Mahlkönig Vario - PIDed Gaggia Classic at home - - Electric Cezve/Ibriki and Iberital MC2 at work - Aeroporess - Hario TCA Syphons - Hario Skerton and Porlex Hand Grinders - Chemex
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Rujir
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 13, 2010 - 10:42 PM
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Joined: Feb 06, 2010
Posts: 44
Location: Slovakia
Status: Offline
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I'm going to London on Friday so I'm REALLY looking forward to tasting it!  |
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"If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; if this is tea, please bring me some coffee." Abraham Lincoln
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kingseven
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 14, 2010 - 05:31 AM
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Joined: Feb 24, 2004
Posts: 2118
Location: London
Status: Offline
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Light roasted doesn't have to mean under-roasted. Under-roasted generally tastes very grassy and bad - which I hope this didn't! Glad you enjoyed it though!
Will be available in the shop in a couple of days I think. |
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http://www.jimseven.com
I'll never own too many items with which to enjoy coffee.
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triptogenetica
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 14, 2010 - 02:56 PM
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Joined: Jul 27, 2008
Posts: 395
Location: Oxford, UK
Status: Offline
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Have yet to try it.
Tried the polar opposite, perhaps, today - some of Whittard's Nicaraguan "Strong Roast". Easy to grind, not so easy to drink. (whole beans, at least  ). Was prompted to buy some by James' suggestion to try awful coffee once in a while - couldn't bear the thought of instant tho.
(I don't remember when i last saw such shiny beans - maybe one of my earlier home roasts).
Sure enough, when i ground them in the hand grinder, they offered almost no resistance. Quiet, easy to grind - i must admit i wish my usual roasts were so easy!
In the aeropress - tastes like smoke. And coffee. To go by the bloom it's about 2-3weeks old already - might practise pulling shots with it  |
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Bezzera BZ35 (ex Gaggia Carezza)
Grinders - Iberital MC2, Bezzera BB105, Hario Skerton
Aeropress, Cona C, Hario MCA-5 and TCA-5 vacpots
Beans - Behmor homeroast
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Tristan
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 15, 2010 - 07:16 PM
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Joined: Feb 14, 2007
Posts: 337
Location: Wadebridge, Cornwall
Status: Offline
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Tried it in Relish today, very very nice indeed.
I had the winter a couple of days ago, so very easy to compare and I like this one better. The Spring doesn't have quite so much dark chocolate characteristics to it, little bit more zingy and nice and full in the mouth. |
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The Wild Drink Blog
www.tristanstephenson.com
Expobar Brewtus II, Vario
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Chris
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 16, 2010 - 12:36 PM
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Joined: Apr 30, 2008
Posts: 65
Location: London
Status: Offline
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| Has anyone noticed how sweet the finish is? Had a double today and it was incredible. At first I thought sugar had been added... no joke. Will look forward to tasting more of this one when it becomes available in the shop and also interested to find out what is in the blend, it was very different to anything I've tried before. |
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Tristan
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 17, 2010 - 11:24 PM
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Joined: Feb 14, 2007
Posts: 337
Location: Wadebridge, Cornwall
Status: Offline
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| Tried it in a flat white today, one word for you - FLAPJACK. |
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The Wild Drink Blog
www.tristanstephenson.com
Expobar Brewtus II, Vario
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Hugo
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 18, 2010 - 10:18 PM
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Joined: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 229
Location: Wadebridge, Cornwall
Status: Offline
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Jack put a whole flapjack in your coffee... well spotted, great palate.  |
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http://www.relishfoodanddrink.co.uk
Relish Food & Drink
Foundry Court
Wadebridge
Cornwall
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Tristan
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2010 - 09:47 AM
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Joined: Feb 14, 2007
Posts: 337
Location: Wadebridge, Cornwall
Status: Offline
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| There was one time that Hugo served me a milk based drink of a new blend and it tasted very strongly of cinnamon. After about 5 minutes of bemused contemplation he realised that he had made the drink with cinnamon flavoured milk... |
_________________
The Wild Drink Blog
www.tristanstephenson.com
Expobar Brewtus II, Vario
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Hugo
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 19, 2010 - 09:17 PM
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Joined: Nov 14, 2007
Posts: 229
Location: Wadebridge, Cornwall
Status: Offline
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Guilty as charged... dirty chai latte jug not thrown in the sink, just grabbed and filled. Oops.
Thats why I want one of them there jug rinsers when I refurb.
I hear you were put on the train to the big smoke, sent away to make your fortune! Best of luck. |
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http://www.relishfoodanddrink.co.uk
Relish Food & Drink
Foundry Court
Wadebridge
Cornwall
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jossy
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 23, 2010 - 12:52 PM
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Joined: Oct 29, 2009
Posts: 68
Location: London, UK
Status: Offline
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Sorry for calling your coffee "under-roasted". I meant light roast of course.
Just to point out that I've been back to the Espresso Room and found the coffee still good but not as bright.... When I asked Ben whether SqM had changed the roast he told me that the blend was too bright for his regular customers and he's been "throwing heat at it" to take the edge off. So beware discerning TMC readers: if you go to the ER to taste the blend, identify yourself as a coffee geek so they can take the temperature a notch down before making your espresso.
I have now noted the composition of the blend (I hope I am not infringing SqM copyright by announcing this before they have it on their website... otherwise let me know and I'll edit my post):
- 50% El Meridiano, Tolima, Colombia, Fully Washed
- 50% Ipanema, Capoeirnha, Conquista & Rio Verde, Brazil, Pulped Natural
(I have just rumbled through the remaining samples of green I received from Annette a few months ago but couldn't find these two... it would have been fun to try to imitate the roast with my Quest M3 home roaster...) |
_________________
Quest M3 - iRoast2 - Mahlkönig Vario - PIDed Gaggia Classic at home - - Electric Cezve/Ibriki and Iberital MC2 at work - Aeroporess - Hario TCA Syphons - Hario Skerton and Porlex Hand Grinders - Chemex
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dunkster
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 30, 2010 - 04:20 PM
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Joined: Feb 28, 2009
Posts: 27
Status: Offline
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jossy wrote:
Just to point out that I've been back to the Espresso Room and found the coffee still good but not as bright.... When I asked Ben whether SqM had changed the roast he told me that the blend was too bright for his regular customers and he's been "throwing heat at it" to take the edge off. So beware discerning TMC readers: if you go to the ER to taste the blend, identify yourself as a coffee geek so they can take the temperature a notch down before making your espresso.
Had my first visit to Ben today who I have to say was one of the nicest people I've met.
I mentioned about the temp and he told me they were brewing as intended and had not hiked the temp up to take off the brightness. To prove he brewed me a single at the standard temp and then another a notch up. While both were great the first and lower/standard temp espresso was more balanced and rounded than the second which had more acidity, although more of a lingering cocoa taste.
I'm not saying what he told you wasnt true, but I just want folk to know that hes making a cracking espresso as it is. |
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Viernes
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 30, 2010 - 05:24 PM
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Joined: Oct 23, 2008
Posts: 101
Location: close to Madrid, Spain
Status: Offline
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dunkster wrote:
jossy wrote:
Just to point out that I've been back to the Espresso Room and found the coffee still good but not as bright.... When I asked Ben whether SqM had changed the roast he told me that the blend was too bright for his regular customers and he's been "throwing heat at it" to take the edge off. So beware discerning TMC readers: if you go to the ER to taste the blend, identify yourself as a coffee geek so they can take the temperature a notch down before making your espresso.
Had my first visit to Ben today who I have to say was one of the nicest people I've met.
I mentioned about the temp and he told me they were brewing as intended and had not hiked the temp up to take off the brightness. To prove he brewed me a single at the standard temp and then another a notch up. While both were great the first and lower/standard temp espresso was more balanced and rounded than the second which had more acidity, although more of a lingering cocoa taste.
I'm not saying what he told you wasnt true, but I just want folk to know that hes making a cracking espresso as it is.
Is not supposed that rising the temperature decrease the acidity? |
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jossy
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Post subject:
Posted: Apr 30, 2010 - 09:25 PM
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Joined: Oct 29, 2009
Posts: 68
Location: London, UK
Status: Offline
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Quote:
Had my first visit to Ben today who I have to say was one of the nicest people I've met.
I fully agree! I don't know why he told me that he had hiked the temperature and then told you something else. Perhaps just confusion with lots of customers around when I was there. His espressos are always wonderful and I've never had a disappointing coffee there (the last one was just a touch less bright than previously but still excellent.) |
_________________
Quest M3 - iRoast2 - Mahlkönig Vario - PIDed Gaggia Classic at home - - Electric Cezve/Ibriki and Iberital MC2 at work - Aeroporess - Hario TCA Syphons - Hario Skerton and Porlex Hand Grinders - Chemex
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awlred
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Post subject:
Posted: May 01, 2010 - 07:14 AM
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Joined: Apr 03, 2009
Posts: 87
Status: Offline
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| I have to agree, I popped into a few shops when I was down in the City this week, it makes a mind blowing flat white, going to be grabbing myself a bag of that for sure. |
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UKBC Semi-Finalist 2009
|Iberital MC2|Pavoni ZIP(Borked)|Wega Max 2.6|Bodum 8-cup cafetierre|Aero Press|Eva Solo Cafe|La Pavoni EuroPiccola EP|Ocaree TCA-5 Vacpot
My Blog: http://awlred.wordpress.com
Barista at Peel&Peel Independent Coffee, 22 St Micheal's Road, Northampton
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