Oh yes, it's that blend posting time again

[simonp]

OK the first is one I mentioned in another thread on the Hottop:

50% Brazil Fazenda Lago & Cachoera 50/50 mix
20% Guatamalan HueHuetenango
20% Lintong
10% Yirgacheffe

The roats time was a little over 20 minutes, taking the beans just to where 2nd crack starts to speed up (not wanting to underroast the Lintong), again the ease of hearing the cracks enabled me to stop the roast just when I wanted to. The beans were shiny, but no oil was showing. The roast looked pretty even, considering it was a pre-blend.

This was the same as a previous blend I had air roasted (the Brazil mix was new), but I have posted the Hottop roasted version due to JonathanM's request for 250g Hottop pre-blend ideas.

There is certainly more depth to the flavour than with the same blend air roasted a week or so back, and there was a cocoa flavour that had not been there before.
On the 4th day after roasting, and after raising the temperature on my machine this stuff is really coming good. There is lots of body, and some gentle acidity as a highlight, but no sourness.
I also tried some ristretto doubles, boy were these nice, really sweet, with some muted earthiness. I'm thinking now that I could try a little more Yirg to add some more highlights.

The 2nd blend was inspired by a shot that I had at Phil's place, which was 70% Brazil Lagoa, and 30% Lintong.

I did 2 roasts:

1) 214g Brazil Fazenda Lago
36g Etheopian Harrar

2) 175g Lintong
75g Aged Lintong

Roast 1 was taken to 20 seconds of slow pops of 2nd carck
Roast 2 was taken abou 20 seconds into a rolling 2nd crack
Neither roast had oils on the beans. I left the beans in open 1-way valve bags for a couple of hours to get the de-gassing going well. I have noticed that if I put them straight in to sealed 1-way valve bags, it takes 3-4 days to loose that big foamy pour whne running a shot.

I liked the smootheness of the Lago and Lintong, but fancied a little something to lift it, hence the Harrar for some fruit (I like Linting and hHarrar together in a blend), and the aged Lintong for black treacle sweetness and a little of that bite from an aged coffee.

I tried a quick shot this afternoon (2 days rest) using a mix of (weighed beans before grinding) 14g roast 1, and 6g of roast 2. This gave me a 45ml ish double. Nice dense, thick crema, not quite as much as with a Cachoera based blend, the Lagoa being a washed (not fully weat processed) cofee, unlike the dry processed Cach, will give less crema. Pretty good, not quite as sweet as the one with the Cach/Lagoa mix, but still sweet, lots of body from the Lintong, and the lovely dark sweetness from the aged one. You could taste the Harrar, but perhaps needed a little more for some more fruitiness. Now my brew temp is better I think I can use some more of the acidic beans in my blends, before more than 10% gave a sour edge.

I believe that the Hottop shows an improvement in taste for beans in espresso, but then I understand that the slower drum roasting is generally better suited to roasts for espresso. Also I think that more of the smoke stays around the beans and adds something to the flavour.

[JonathanM]

Thanks Simon! I'll be trying one of these as soon as I get home tonight!

[simonp]

This stuff makes a nice cappa, teh cocoa/chocolate from the Lagoa really goes well with the milk/foam, and the aged Lintong bite woeks nicely. You can't realy taste the Harrar, unsurprisingly, though I think you would notice if it wasn't there.

I'm still getting really nice straight shots with this too, I just love the Harrar fruit with the dark, earthy Lintong . I think I prefered the Lago mixed with Cachoera though, it was more sweet in a ristretto.

I have to freze the rest of these benas though We are off to Cornwall on Wednesday, so no coffee for a week as there is no room for the French press . It is a very tight fit with a 4-man tent and kit for a week in an MX-5

[Gouezeri]

Hah, a 4 man tent, that's luxury! I managed to take my FP when I was touring round Provence on my motorbike with wife (though she wasn't at the time, and yet she still chose to marry me only a few years afterwards!) and necessary camping and diving gear for about 12 days. It's all about priorities... surely the MX-5 has a glove compartment, well now you know what to put in it!
Or just take the beans and go round to MicaMoc's gallery/coffeeshop and borrow his equipment... where there's a will, there's a way

[simonp]

Trust me, the car will be FULL. I even have to take the spacesaver spare wheel and put it beind the passanger seat, and fill the inside of the wheel dish with stuff. I have no boot rack, so I suspect it may be possible to get more stuff on a motorbike . Mind you try taking anything in an MGF . We do take dome luxurys, like a double airbed (I HATE sleeping on the ground, and a full sized pillow for Jess (I have to make do with an inflatable one.

I could probably fit s mall FP in, but ours is an 8 cup one, so a bit big!

It probably does me good to have a week detox from caffeine anyway.

Or just take the beans and go round to MicaMoc's gallery/coffeeshop and borrow his equipment... where there's a will, there's a way

The thought had crossed my mind I might pop in and say hello anyway, is he still around here?

[Gouezeri]

I even have to take the spacesaver spare wheel and put it beind the passanger seat, and fill the inside of the wheel dish with stuff.

gives me an idea... I presume you are running tubeless... now you know where to put those beans... best avoid sniffer dogs, in case, or it might be tricky to explain

True, I do have a rack on the back of the bike, but I managed to explode (long story involving a pressurised can and a couple of hot exhaust pipes ) one of my panniers on the return trip, so we had even less room.
As for luxuries, we're talking more about having 2 saucepans instead of just one on a bike and pillows are a clean t-shirt when you can find one! You'd be surprised how much room a wetsuit and freediving fins take up! As for FP, I'm still looking for a plastic one, that wouldn't mind getting crushed. I've seen the mugs, but something like a 3 cup size would be better. Either that or a titanium brika

It probably does me good to have a week detox from caffeine anyway.

Dunno, I think we'd better ask the GF, after spending a week with you and no coffee, as to whether it does you good or not
Still, just because you're away, we'll still be expecting the weekly blend post, no excuses!
D

[simonp]

Still, just because you're away, we'll still be expecting the weekly blend post, no excuses!

Actually the campsite does say it has broadband access, but my blends will likely be 2 parts mud and 3 parts grass