Normal service resumed, the blends are back!
Posted: Mon Aug 01, 2005 12:05 pm
Last week I got back to the blending experiments. The latest one is based on a good old Jim Schulman one again, but with a little twist.
This is supposed to be a typical lighter bodied Italian style espresso (no big heavy Indonesians in there).
34g Harrar (Hasbean), 33g Guatamalan Antigua (Sweet Marias), 79g Yuaco Selecto (Sweet Marias), 79g 50/50 mix Brazil Cachoera (Hasbean) & Brazil Carmo Estate (Sweet Marias), and finally my own addition of 20g Nanga Farms robusta (Sweet Marias).
I roasted the lot together as I was feeling lazy, and also didn't want too many beans on my hands from lots of batches. Besides, I quite like the flavour mix of a pre-blend roast sometimes, as long as the beans are not too different in roast characteristic, which I find is less of an issue with the drum roast method.
I took this to the edge of 2nd crack gaining pace so as not to under-roast the slower beans, about 35 seconds after the first snaps. There was no oil showing, but most beans had a smooth surface. There were a few small spots after 4 days.
I used a mix of the dry procesed Cachoera and the semi wet Carmo Brazils, as I understand that a mix of Brazils are quite common in espresso blends. The Cach is very sweet, and the Carmo has nuts and chocolate I added the robusta (yuk! I hear some of you call) to add a little kick.
The Nanga farms is sweet and smooth (for a robusta), but withgood body and bottom notes, it also roasts quite quickly so works well in a pre-blend roast.
The Yuaco is perhaps a little pricey for a blend, but it is one used often by Jim Schulman, and I got such nice straight shots with this bean before, I had to try it in there. I guess maybe a good columbian could be used instead, or perhaps a low acidity Mexican?
I waited 3 days and then gave it a go. Lots of crema from this one, the robusta really helping here. The taste is lighter than my previous blends, but not lacking in flavour. There is a lot of sweetness here. The Brazils and the Yuaco all are sweet beans. The robusta added a good kick, and worked well with the liquorice from the Guatamalan. The Harrar just does what it always does, I just love this stuff in espresso .
Makes good cappas, the thick crema means even I can do a rosetta of sorts, and there is enough bite to work with the milk, and the sweetness comes through. Too mild for a Late I expect (not that I ever drink them, Erghh )
This is supposed to be a typical lighter bodied Italian style espresso (no big heavy Indonesians in there).
34g Harrar (Hasbean), 33g Guatamalan Antigua (Sweet Marias), 79g Yuaco Selecto (Sweet Marias), 79g 50/50 mix Brazil Cachoera (Hasbean) & Brazil Carmo Estate (Sweet Marias), and finally my own addition of 20g Nanga Farms robusta (Sweet Marias).
I roasted the lot together as I was feeling lazy, and also didn't want too many beans on my hands from lots of batches. Besides, I quite like the flavour mix of a pre-blend roast sometimes, as long as the beans are not too different in roast characteristic, which I find is less of an issue with the drum roast method.
I took this to the edge of 2nd crack gaining pace so as not to under-roast the slower beans, about 35 seconds after the first snaps. There was no oil showing, but most beans had a smooth surface. There were a few small spots after 4 days.
I used a mix of the dry procesed Cachoera and the semi wet Carmo Brazils, as I understand that a mix of Brazils are quite common in espresso blends. The Cach is very sweet, and the Carmo has nuts and chocolate I added the robusta (yuk! I hear some of you call) to add a little kick.
The Nanga farms is sweet and smooth (for a robusta), but withgood body and bottom notes, it also roasts quite quickly so works well in a pre-blend roast.
The Yuaco is perhaps a little pricey for a blend, but it is one used often by Jim Schulman, and I got such nice straight shots with this bean before, I had to try it in there. I guess maybe a good columbian could be used instead, or perhaps a low acidity Mexican?
I waited 3 days and then gave it a go. Lots of crema from this one, the robusta really helping here. The taste is lighter than my previous blends, but not lacking in flavour. There is a lot of sweetness here. The Brazils and the Yuaco all are sweet beans. The robusta added a good kick, and worked well with the liquorice from the Guatamalan. The Harrar just does what it always does, I just love this stuff in espresso .
Makes good cappas, the thick crema means even I can do a rosetta of sorts, and there is enough bite to work with the milk, and the sweetness comes through. Too mild for a Late I expect (not that I ever drink them, Erghh )