Too Much Coffee

Yummy!

This from the 2007 CoE, 1st crop *I think*.

Great sized beans. This is a great bean to play around with and it is really interesting seeing how different roasts affect the cup.

The first roast was actually the best so far. Taken just beofre 2C. The cup had no 'Colombian Carboard' and presented a syrupy, sweet smooth cup.

I then tried it a little darker, just a few pops into 2C.

The syrup was more pronounced and the carmel flavours were really evident. I found this roast highlighted some of the brighter tones.

I then did a slightly lighter roast than the 1st. Yeah not bad, but the Cardboard was there as was a little acidity.

It is really quite a great Colombian, although having researched it, it seems to be missing from the CoE line up.

All in all, very good, consistent and stands up well to some playing about.

What exactly is the 'Columbian Cardboard' and why is it just (or is it just?) associated with Columbian beans?

I think I know what you mean, I've veered toward and away from Columbian beans a few times in the past, when I first started drinking 'proper' coffee made in a cafetiere or moka pot I would buy Columbian beans (from Algerian Coffee Stores mainly) and think they were great but always had some kind of distinctive background flavour or maybe what I would call a dryness to them that was different from other coffees.

I've since had what are obviously much better Columbians that still display something unique to them which I actually like but without being able to put my finger exactly on what it is.

Sounds great Mutty

GMRK, just as you suspected, it's a sort of blank spot in the main flavour profile that a few of us perceive sometimes exists with freshly roasted Colombians and which does disappear as the roast degasas/ages and flavours develop. It's usually noticible for the first day or so and could just be our perception. Slight differences in the roast profile can either eradicate what we bagan to call "Colombian cardboard" or speed up the 'filling' of this 'gap'.

I'm sure the pros will either think we are bonkers or confirm that it is because of a poor roast profile. I don't remember ever having it from a pro roast - which probably speaks volumes! Actually, we use a lot of Manuela and these days we never get the 'cardboard' in that. Even more volumes perhaps?

Though as GMRK eludes, there is a very specifically Colombian flavour, so perhaps we are just not developing that fully in beans that home roasters have not roasted a few times or have not yet worked out the best profile for roasting.

Does anyone else know what we are on about or have some of us finally lost the plot?

I do want to say that this is only our perception and it always develops into a full profile in a short period of time, so there is nothing to fear in Colombian beans ... they actually remain amongst my favourites of all time

In complete agreement with Cakeboy (twitch) I would like to add that I always let Colombian beans rest longer than usual after roasting - unless I don't have anything else to drink. I never really connected the "cardboard" with Colombian beans, but that probably is the case. In any case it seems to disappear after a couple of days and these beans seem to benefit more from "degassing" than most. This applies to espresso and I don't find it to be so much the case with the cafetiere or Aeropress. I am a big fan of Colombian beans and will be replenishing my stock soon.