This week's blend

by **simonp** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:07 pm

Actually an old favourite:

100g Brazilian Screen Dried Cachoera (HB)
100g Bolivian Prima Organic (HB)
50g Smith Farms Kona (HB)

All roasted together in the Hottop, and stopped a few pops into 2nd crack, or in this case when the Hott[p overheats and dumps the beans, and then stops, meanig I have to turn on press eject to get the cooling cycle to run! I guess the filter needs changing.

Anyway this blend (a recipe from Steve) is as good as ever, lots of chocolate, caramel, nuts and a little spice. Not much acidity here, but I'm quite a fan of lowish acidity espresso. Very smooth. Just a shame that Kona is so expensive, I wonder what I could use instead?

by **CakeBoy** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:09 pm

Damn it Simon, it sounds lovely. Now I need to buy Kona to give it a try. Sounds just perfect for our taste here.

Whilst I think about it, what do you chaps think would be a suitable alternative for the Bolivian Prima Organic that Steve has no more of in stock? I have been puzzling that one for a little while.

by **Beanie** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:17 pm

Oooh... I'm gonna have to try that one too

Very similar to a blend you posted before that is now one of my favourite blends

Sounds like you swapped out the Harrar for a Kona here

Tomorrow I think I'm going to roast:

130g Colombian La Manuela (HB)
60g Cuban Caracalillo (HB)
60g Yemen Ismaili (SM)

Any suggestions/recommendations before I roast?

by **CakeBoy** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:19 pm

Sounds lovely Beany. You lot with all your fancy beans that are no longer available or are over the water at Thom's

by **simonp** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:46 pm

The Kona was in Stev's original recipe, but I used Harra in place when I had no Kona, but it didn't really give a similar taste profile.

Finding an alternative to the Bolivian will be tricky, it has lots of cocoa and chocolate, not so easy to substitute.

by **Beanie** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 12:19 am

simonp wrote:The Kona was in Stev's original recipe, but I used Harra in place when I had no Kona, but it didn't really give a similar taste profile.

Finding an alternative to the Bolivian will be tricky, it has lots of cocoa and chocolate, not so easy to substitute.

Hmmm... which one do you prefer? the original Kona one or the Harrar substitute?

I'm out of the Bolivian from HB

I did however get a batch from Ivo. I'm excited to see what the Cuban will do though

You know what else I miss? The Lagoa

Although I'm quite merrily playing around with all my other Brazils

I think I've got all the Cachoeira and Daterra "varieties" in stock now

by **simonp** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 10:58 pm

I think the one with the Kona is better, but I roasted up a batch with Harrar tonight as a comparison, so will post results in a couple of days.

by **Bertie_Doe** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 9:33 am

simonp wrote

Very smooth. Just a shame that Kona is so expensive, I wonder what I could use instead?

Looking thru' some old notes against -
Mexican Maragogype (HB) 'Kona at Full City, but reduced at FC+, thin in body, but might be good in a blend'
Dunno whether the HT will give same result as my Precision. Might be worth making a note of the Mex for future ref, as HB seems to be out of stock at the moment.
QC

by **phil2spill** » Thu Jul 13, 2006 10:05 am

simonp wrote: Just a shame that Kona is so expensive, I wonder what I could use instead?

Last October I got 3 Lbs (1.362 kg) of 'estate grade run' Kona direct from smithfarms for $42.75 (about £23.22 / €33.62 today) including shipping to Europe. That amount fits neatly into a global priority mail express envelope which is only $9 to ship and takes less than a week to arrive.

by **simonp** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:19 am

Geting near the end of the beans now, so will probably try the Harrar version tomorrow, after 3 days rest, it should be on top form. Unfotunately I have a stinking cold, so my taste buds will not be in top condition, so perhaps not a fair comparison.

I do like the Kona version as a cappucino, lots of caramel and chocolate (Cach, and Boliv) work well with the milk, and the Kona adds sonme spice that comes through really well. I'm wondering if another spicy bean might work well with the other 2 for use like this. Indian?, or perhaps Yemen? (expensive again).

by **Joris** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 12:56 pm

Having neither Kona nor Bolivian Prima Org. I can't try this one....

wait... this is the perfect excuse to order some more beans

by **simonp** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:22 pm

Joris wrote:Having neither Kona nor Bolivian Prima Org. I can't try this one....

wait... this is the perfect excuse to order some more beans

Both out of stock now from my usual supplier (HB) :cry:

by **Joris** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 2:19 pm

Fortunately there are enough other beans to play around with

by **simonp** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:32 pm

OK, the cold is a little less virulent today, so I think it is a fair day to compare the Harrar version. It is quite different, there is fruit there that is not present with the Kona version. It is very nice, but not quite as smooth, it may be to more peoples espresso taste having the fruity acidity, but I prefer the spice of the Kona. This has more crema for sure, and a thicker mouthfeel, but the chocolate is more muted/covered by the Harrar. Nice though.

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