Those espresso blends again

[simonp]

After drinking quite a few single origins and pre-blends recently I got back to a home-blend in the last roast.

Into the Hottop went (all together, being short of time):
120g Brazil Carmo Estate Semi-washed (Sweet Marias)
60g Yemen (Hasbean)
60g Sumatran Mandheling (Sweet Marias)

As the Yemen and Sumatran like to go a little darker than some, and the Carmo will take a darkish roast, I took the lot just to a roling 2nd. This gave a few oil spots after 3 days rest.

This is a little calmer than I expected, I thouht the Yemen would be a little more aggressive, but what I get is sweetness, earthy body, and quite a bit of dark chocolate, the acidity is pretty low. Very nice as a ristretto, in fact more pleasant than the Daterra Estate I had yesterday, which is not a patch on last years I feel.

[Steve]

Which Daterra Simon?

[simonp]

The Reserve Espresso blend. The lovely nutty smell has gone when you open the bag with the roasted beans in, and the choclate and nut flavour seemd to have goen too. It seems quite so-so now.

[Bertie_Doe]

simonp wrote

I thouht the Yemen would be a little more aggressive, but what I get is sweetness, earthy body, and quite a bit of dark chocolate, the acidity is pretty low.

I got some HB Yemen yesterday for the first time. I assume your description is the Yemen as a SO? or were you describing the taste of the whole blend?
QC

[simonp]

No, I was describing the taste of the Yemen in the blend. Having tried Yemen as a single origin in the past, it as quite intense, and can be very winey, so at 25% of the blend I was expecting it to be perhaps too powerfull, but it was about right. This Yemen has been in my kitchen for about 18 months (green of course), so perhaps it has muted a little.

[simonp]

With a touch longer flush, and a shoter recovery wait to get the brew temp down a touch this combination tastes even better, very thick crema too, but then I have got 2 dry processed beans and 1 semi washed so lots of crema potential I guess.

I looked back at some old tasting notes, and found I wrote very positive things about Yemen as espresso, if a little too much on its own. I wondered why I haven't used it more, but then I remembered that I couldn't get any for a while so kept what I had for something special. I have a reasonable ammount now, so I reckon I'll be using it quite a bit