More of that damned blending!

[simonp]

Yep, at it again.

Roast 1:
210g Brazilian Cachoera (50g of which is last years, and the rest this years) - Hasbean
40g Etheopian Harar Horse - Sweet Marias
Roasted approx 20s into 2nd crack. Once again only a small time bertween 1st and 2nd crack (about 15s)

Roast 2:
125g Sumatran Lintong - Hasbean
125g Ugandan Bugisu - Ian
Roasted 30s into a rolling 2nd crack, 40s+ in total. There was some surface oil spots on a few bean when I dumped, but soon dissapeared.

I will mix Roast 1 60% and roast 2 40%.

I'm hoping for the usual sweet base flavour from the Cach, and good chocolate tones from the Bugisu, and earthy smokey notes from the Lintong. The Harar for the fruit and acidity.
The mix of roast levels should add some complexity too.

I'm resting it for 3 days, so will try tomorrow

[simonp]

Well, I had some interesting shots of this initially, really in your face, also got really early "blonding" of the pour and short lived crema. I had some suspician that my brew temp had drifted a bit high given the short lived crema.

I pulled a couple of shots when SteveS came over on Friday to lend me his Bodum Santos vac pot, and theyu weren't that special, with the pour slowing down as the shot ran.

This morning I ran a shot for mt cappa, and the pour stopped afetr about 15 seconds. I check ed the pressure, and sure enough the pressure relief valve was playing up again, so the pressure was quickly dropping from 9 bar to 5 bar. So, off came the lid, and apart cam the pressure valve. This time I gace the inside bits a good scraping and polish to get rid of the scale. Put it all back together and got a good steady 9.5 bar again.
Whilst I had the lid off I checked the boiler temp with my thermocouple meter and found the reading was about 5 degrees hotter than the PID was reading. When I looked, the PID thermocouple was coming unstuck from the boiler, so I did what I had planned to do a while back and fit a jubilee clip round the boiler and trap the thermocouple under that. I ran another check and found the reading correct.

Ahh, now the shots are better, the early blonding is gone , and the taste sweeter and smoother

I like this blend now, lots of velvety crema swwet and earthy with chocolate fruit and spice. This reminds me a little of Hill and Valley's Bourbon blend, rather more earthy, but a simlar mix of sweet and spice.

[Olings]

Just wanted to tell you that I read all your blending-posts. Keep up the good work! I'm trying to learn more about blending, and your posts are very interesting! I'm noting it down, so that when I finally get my own roaster I'll have some recipies to try out. I hope you don't mind.


Ola

[simonp]

Just wanted to tell you that I read all your blending-posts. Keep up the good work! I'm trying to learn more about blending, and your posts are very interesting! I'm noting it down, so that when I finally get my own roaster I'll have some recipies to try out. I hope you don't mind.


Ola

Jsut be warned that I am a complete amateur at this, and just post all my experiments good and bad!

[simonp]

I've been getting some really nice shots with this stuff today, all with thick and dense red/brown crema, the sort that sticks to the side of the cup even after you have finished it. It also made a particularly fine cappuccino this morning, the chocolate really came through.

If you don't like the Lintong eathriness you won't like this blend, but I do and at 20% it is not too overpowering. I'm wondering how it would taste with Sulawesi (Celebes) in place of the Lintong, and perhaps a little more Harar.

I've been impressed with the Bugisu in espresso, I found this more successful as a sweetener/body enhancer that my attempts with Columbians, I always get a sharp edge with those, I guess I'm just not hitting the sweet-spot with the roast.

[simonp]

Once again, pulled a fabulous looking and tasting shot with this this evening, lots of lovely mottling.

My only problem is that I don't know how much of this is the blend and how much is due to the machine now functioning at the top of its game. Although having said this if the blend wasn't good, it would taste bad whatever the machine I suppose. It's a shame when SteveS tried some my machine was obviously not working right and so the shots we had were not so good, it would have been interesting to get another opinion on one of my blends.

Anyway, my love affair with espresso is starting all over again, and this stuuf so far rates up with some of the pro-roasted stuff I have had in terms of yumminess.

[steves]

It's a shame when SteveS tried some my machine was obviously not working right.

And there I was thinking "perhaps my own shots aren't too bad after all". Now you've really pi**ed on my bonfire!

Yes, the earthiness was there, but as you say, not overpowering. When you add your own blending to all the other factors it makes evaluation even more complicated, I reckon. I certainly don't feel ready to add an extra factor to a process which I only get right some of the time anyway, but I certainly admire those that do - for now I'll stick to singles or pre-blends. When I'm ready though, an anthology of your works would be very useful.

Steve

[simonp]

And there I was thinking "perhaps my own shots aren't too bad after all". Now you've really pi**ed on my bonfire!

Yeah, I had the impression that you weren't overstruck on the shot . They taste WAY better now, much smoother. I would think that you would pull pretty decent shots with the Rituale though, what with the E61 group and all. My poor Silvia cannot compete there I think

[steves]

Yeah, I had the impression that you weren't overstruck on the shot

Okay, okay, just 'cause I wasn't brimming with enthusiasm

But seriously, it's good to know there was a reason and that we were both thinking along similar lines. Yes, I do get quite a few decent shots from the Rituale (when I'm alone ) I suppose the machine is one variable I don't have to worry about too much as long as it's warm and I run enough water through the group. But you must come and have a go, just bring a kilo or so of your finest

Steve

[phil]

Now you've really pi**ed on my bonfire!

How polite! Where I come from, the equivalent expression involves chips (frites to Raf et al) - as in "he's really pi**ed on my chips".

But that's me as a rude crude northerner (although IIRC Steve S isn't exactly a southerner either).

Love from Portugal