Coffee for espresso...

[blackice]

I've roasted these coffees to some seconds into second crack with HG/DB.
Tried so far:

Guatemala Antigua: nice for espresso, smooth, spicy, medium body and medium low/acidity

Colombia Supremo: Boring...

Brazil Santos: Interesting distinguishing flavour (either love it or hate it), low acidity, sweet, medium body

Nicaragua Washed: Medium acidity, interesting flavour for espresso (I have to try more of this)

Kenya AA: High acidity, medium/full body, nice flavor. As espresso it sucks. As french fress it is sweet, flowery. My guests have loved it so far.

From Starbucks I tried many blends as espresso and the best so far has been Verona. I think it's a mix of Costa rica, Guatemala and Sumatra.

I like the Ethiopia Yirgacheffe vey much for french press but it's hard to find it, especially in its green form. I guess it would mix well in an espresso blend.


PS
Anybody from Greece?

[espressomattic]

I did live on Paros for a few months years ago...

[Steve]

Hi Blackice

From what you are describing, it sounds like you have a case of needing to find some origin coffee's find a supplier that will tell you something about the farm and where its from. The beans your describing can be a mix of farms and often not the best of the crops.

Welcome to the coffee journey

Steve

[blackice]

I tasted a Nicaragua espresso today. It had low/medium acidity (3rd day after roasting), and a flavour similar to the Brazil Santos. Nice espresso! A Brazil/Nicaragua blend is very interesting...

PS
Steve I don't know the exact origin of my beans. I buy them from a roastery at very low prices (8 euro per kg). I think their quality is mediocre with some exceptions. The roaster told me that the Brazilian Santos was mediocre quality but he's going to receive a higher quality in 2 weeks. So I'm thinking of asking this guy when he has good quality of beans so that I buy 2-3 kg of these beans and store them for future consumption. I haven't found another bean seller in Europe that can provide me with quality beans at prices of 12 euro per kg max. I live in Greece so I must pay for S/H fees.

[kingseven]

Steve - I hope you aren't suggesting there is something wrong with Brazilian Santos?

[Steve]

hmmm no comment

[blackice]

I talked to a very experienced coffee business man today. He's a walking encyclopedia. He had coffee plants in Uganda but he lost everything when war started there. He learned me many things. I tasted his espresso (he now imports green beans from Brazil Ipanema, Uganda, and Brazil). It was interesting. What I remembered today is never to trust what I read...

Some data: Washed method--> Uniform colour, consistency, more acidity, less body, less chaff (all these are the norm-the usual thing). He didn't agree that washed coffee means less crema in the espresso.
Dry-Natural: If done correctly--> Less uniform colour and costistency than washed, more interesting flavour characteristics (exotic???), more body, less acidity.
Semi-Washed: Difficult to correctly implement. Mixed characteristics. Preferrable to washed for espresso IMHO

Better machines-->better and more cosistent quality. Less rotten, underdeveoped beans, stones!!!
Peaberry is nothing special (2 parts developped together as one mass)
Elephant beans --> maybe interesting

Brazil santos maybe beans of any quality. Doesn't mean anything except from the port. It maybe Brazil Minas Rio...

Most importers in Greece only search for cheap beans of not good quality (I don't know anything about other EU countries). Countries important for coffee business Germany, Switzerland, UK.

Jamaica Blue Mountain sucks!!! Kopi Lowak LOL!!! Hawai Kona--> what is this LOL

He'd never add robusta to his espresso.

Coffees for Epresso according to a site:


Always proceed the same way. If you have a favorite coffee that seems to lack something, combine it with a coffee that provides what your favorite lacks.

* For brightness, briskness, and acidity, add a Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, or any high-grown Central America coffee.
* For body and richness, add a dry-processed Brazil Santos or estate coffee or a good Sumatra Mandheling.
* For body and sweetness, add a dry-processed Brazil Santos or a high grade India.
* For flavor and aroma, add a Kenya, Guatemala, New Guinea, Yemen Mocha, or Zimbabwe.
* To add aromatic intrigue at the top of the profile, add an Ethiopia Yirgacheffe or Kenya. To add complexity near the bottom of the profile add a Sumatra Mandheling or traditionally processed Sulawesi.
* To add wine or fruit notes, make the acidy/highlight coffee a Yemen, an Ethiopia Harrar, or a Kenya.

The only real mistake you can make blending is to combine two coffees that are distinctive or extreme in the same way. Two coffees with similar bright, winy acidity, such as a Kenya and a Zimbabwe, might produce a pointless blend. On the other hand, coffees such as Brazil Santos are so congenially understated that they get along with everything. Others, such as Yemen Mocha, wet-processed Ethiopias and most good Central America coffees, are like easy going individualists who manage to mix with almost everybody, yet still maintain their distinction.

(source:coffeereview)

[blackice]

I like the Guatemala/Santos blend roasted to start of rolling 2nd crack.

It's not complete though. I'm going to try Uganta Bugisu, a better quality semi-washed Brasilian Santos, and a dry/natural method Uganda Drugar the following days. (www.kawacom.com)

I continue searching for Mocha Harrar, Monsooned Malabar, Sumatra, Sulwesi and Yemen coffees.

The adventure has just began!

[blackice]

Grrrrrrrrrr! I'm weak! I had to...

I tasted an aspresso of Uganda Bugisu 4 hours after roasting. I thought it would have higher acidity. Wow!

It was drinkable. Actually it was nice! Medium/low winey acidity, interesting flavour profile- I would call it fruity. It's taste is better after it cools off a bit (warm). Nice! Waiting for tomorrow.

I'm also going to try a Guatemala/Brazil/Uganda blend (equal parts). The Uganda Bugisu is here to stay!

[Steve]

Your guy is allowed to be wrong. One thing I've found in coffee is every one has an opinion and there all different. I disagree with lots he says, but I'm just another opinion

steve

[ivdp]

Talk to 5 people about coffee and you have in no time 6 different opinions . . . .

Do not forget: a good Santos is better than a bad Yrgacheffe.
A good Natural is better than a bad Washed
etc etc

There are few fixed rules in blending.

Ivo
no blending for me . .

[blackice]

Your logic good is better than bad seems fine LOL J/K m8 (I like to tease sometimes!)

Here are some shots from 1 day old Uganda Bugisu (washed)

[blackice]

The crema will be better tomorrow (more dense). The taste and acidity is OK now. It reminds me sth between apples and wine

[Ian]

Talk to 5 people about coffee and you have in no time 6 different opinions . . . .

You got that right - the only variety that I don't like as espresso is Harrar but most others seem to like it.

[Ian]

LOL J/K m8

You what?