The return of the blends

[Beanie]

Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I loved this blend! 40-Lagoa : 30-BPO : 30-Harrar - taken to 2C about 3 minutes after 1C, rested 3 days.

Well, I've just finished my first cup. As you predicted, Simon, lots of chocolate - between a milk and a pure dark but a wee bit closer to the dark side. Then again, it's also like Phil said: Chocccies and Blueberries! Well there's a fleeting scent of blueberries in the beans and the espresso (which I'm sure if I'd not smelled in pure Harrar, I would not have identified now). There's also something, I know not what, that reminds me of an nice full northern Italian red... like a Valpolicella/Amarone type thingy. But the really best bit about drinking it is that the blueberries is in the finish, immediately after the drink silkily flows down and you take in that slow breath of air. I guess that's called aftertaste but it seems insulting to reduce it to that.

One strange thing though - this coffee tasted saltier??? than any other blend I've tasted. I was surprised - but by no means was it unpleasant

I'm so

[simonp]

Sounds like you love the taste of Harrar in espresso like me and Phil. That fruit is just fantastic.

Looks like Steve got it right then. One day I'll try it with the Kona instead the the Harrar.

[phil]

Harrar can be very variable though. My last batch (from the same bag) gave me mushrooms rather than blueberries.

Gotta love the stuff though.

[Steve]

I love the Harrar for that reason, different every time and a great SO and blend.

Steve

[Beanie]

Absolutely, love, love, love Harrar - pure or blended Also agree with the evasiveness of blueberries though I haven't yet detected mushrooms, thankfully.

This blend is really addictive... just want to have one cup after another. Steve, do you have something like this in your blends? If so, I just might order a bag of roasted with my next order of greens

Ahhhhh, I'm so damn today.

BTW, has anyone tried Vivace's Vita blend? That's what this blend reminds me of. Funny enough I was thinking of the Vita last night. Although the drink I had in his Roasteria was nothing to write home about, the macchiato I had at the Vivace exhibition booth was excellent (and to top it off, it was free). Mr. S had the beans on display, I sniffed it and said, "Yum, smells like my favourite bean in there". He asked me which, I said "Harrar". He smiled slyly and said "Yes, there's some of that in there".

[Gouezeri]

Argh.... mushrooms... what is it with you guys picking things I can't stomach.... you really don't want to know what mushrooms do to me...
Every thread I read, you're all trying to poison me...
Next time I order some Harrar from Steve, I'll have to ask whether they are blueberries or mushrooms

[Steve]

I think its in the description more than anything. I get much more of an earthy tone but I can understand the mushroom, there pretty close in terms of taste.

But there was that time where you got tomato soup Phil

Steve

[phil]

Yeah but that was a Brazilian - and I have to congratulate Steven Hurst for not falling over laughing....

[Steve]

The worst part was I could see what you meant

Steve

[simonp]

The current lot of Harrar I have is Harrar Horse from Sweet Marias, and this definitely has the bluberry thing going. Tom also says he gets apricto and mango, but I can't say I've got that myself.

[simonp]

But there was that time where you got tomato soup Phil

I've certainly got a tomato aroma from the grounds of one bean.

[Beanie]

Speaking of soup, I always smell noodle soup in the spent puck Although I don't feel so alone... Joey smells chicken soup in the wet puck

[Bertie_Doe]

Bean_Believer wrote

I always smell noodle soup in the spent puck Although I don't feel so alone..

You are not alone Beebs, because SteveL smells the cool, roasted scents of peter stuyvesant, in his spent pucks. I do wish he'd use an ash tray ........ sheeesh!!
Q.C.

[simonp]

Going back to this thread having got the ingredients for Steve's original blend:
40% Cachoera
40% Bolivian Organic
20% Kona

I cheated and roasted them all together about 15s into 2nd crack. A medium dark roast, milk chocoalte colour and no hint of oils.

I tried it today after only 2 days rest, the pour was (as expected) a little foamy and light, but not too bad.
The first thing that hit me was the chocolate/cocoa taste. I think this lot of the Bolivian Organic must have more chocolate teaste than the stuff I had from last years stock. The usual Cachoera taste is there after the initial chocolate, and also a smooth, fresh sort of acidity. I was bad and didn't roast a batch of Kona separately to taste on it's own and then add to the blend, so I am not up on its taste, but I'm presuming the acidity is from that. I'm not exactly getting the pine that Kona is famous for, but the blend has not rested properly, so I'm sure the taste balance will change. It is definitely different to how it was with the Harrar, more mellow, and a more muted acidity. Very smooth, I reckon it would go very nicely with a good praline chocolate

[zix]

yeah. I´d like a Kona too. I once had a Cannondale. Someone stole it.
It is about ten years ago now, but I still can't help staring at black mountainbikes and their owners whenever I meet them. Perhaps it is my old one! I will never know. Arrrrrhhh... :harrumph:
Nothing that couldn't be fixed with a kilo of Harrar though. Mushrooms make my day any day. If only someone would send it to me - our green importers haven't discovered it, it seems.