Too Much Coffee

fiend wrote on 26/9/05 under thread 'Grinding, why the variance?' :-
....."As it happens I would be curious to know how the Haraar and Malabar went in a blend together."
Over the w/end, I tried these together and it didn't work 'for me'. I also tried it with my supurb (very dark roasted) Mexican Santa Rita Peaberry.
Not withstanding the 'hit & miss' nature of entry-level roasters, it seems that the highlights of the above origins, get cancelled out in the blending.
When googling the history of coffee (as one does) there is often reference
to the classic blend of Mocha (Yemeni) and Mysore (Indian). Has anyone tried these ? and did it work in espresso ?
Quentin

My last three blends have been Brazil Lagoa, MM, and Harrar... and we love it as espress/capp:) I've been playing around with proportions; however, my palate is not sophisticated enough to note major differences other than ever so slightly smoother or fruitier. I gave some to a friend this wknd and they thought it was excellent in FP - although, that's the first time they've ever had freshly roasted.

I haven't thoroughly enjoyed just MM & Harrar - I find it needs the Brazil. If I had Cachoeira still, I think maybe that might have been nicer.

I haven't tried Yemeni and Mysore, but I have tried Yirg and Mysore recently. Too much of the same thing, I thought, resulting in an earthy but not refined espresso where the rather elusive floral notes of the yirg disappeared. But since the roast method and roast level makes quite a difference, I can't promise others will have the same results.
The Mysore Nuggets and an El Salvador "Bourbon Estate" at about 5 parts El Salvador BE / 2 parts Mysore was better, with better balance and a sweet finish, but still the earthy notes (I like them, it gives somewhat similar effects as putting 20-30% robusta in the blend does, but tastes much better, I think).
I roasted both to the beginning of second crack. Next time I´ll roast the Mysore further into second, as per your roasting tips in the 'Grinding, why the variance' thread.

Curiously (and take a seat before reading further) I enjoyed using small amounts of Mysore in blends having roasted it just to the peak of first crack. Admittedly it didn't feel right dumping anything before the end of first but I found that adding around 10% Mysore to blends gave it extra creaminess which I liked a lot.

Luckily, I was already sitting down. The dizzyness makes it hard to focus though...

I read that post on the Santa Rita, and I definately need to get some of that in my next batch of beans. Looks like I won't need to try the Harrar and Malabar blend

Bean-Believer wrote

I find it needs the Brazil. If I had Cachoeira still, I think maybe that might have been nicer.

I've got 3 months supply of greens, but I might get 250gr of Lagoa and Cachoera, when I order next, to see how they perform as a single origin.
Zix wrote

haven't tried Yemeni and Mysore, but I have tried Yirg and Mysore

My coffee book mentions that the Yemeni Mocha was a casualty of the Gulf war, but you could substitute Ethiopian Mocha.
tisri wrote

it didn't feel right dumping

I can feel your pain. I have a gut feeling in my stomach, with regard to blending, that (in my case) it's not the way forward : you can spend months, maybe years, achieving 'Blend Nirvana', only to find on restocking, that one of the vital origins is unavailable.
I'll probably stick to 4 or 5 fav SO's. If one gets effected by war, weather, supply etc, it's not so critical IMO.
Fiend, remember to roast dark. i.e. some oil at the roast, puddles on day 2.

fiend wrote

Looks like I won't need to try the Harrar and Malabar blend

As a p.s. I suggest you get a bag of Malabar (maybe just 250g of greens) as this batch is the best I've tasted in 4 years. For my taste, I like to see a couple of oil spots on day 2, bottom end of the temperature dead-band, an extra gram of coffee and maybe err on the courser grind.
Q.