by HughF » Tue Jan 06, 2004 4:31 pm
Alan, I think you just did!
In case it's any help (and because Phil asked me to write a little about it!), I'm using a modified version of the Jim Schulman 4321 single-roast blend for espresso :
40% Brazil Cachoeira (HasBean/Monmouth)
30% Bolivian (JS recommends Aged Sulawesi from SweetMarias - Bolivian gives a much more even roast but a little less complexity; Bolivian sourced from HasBean)
20% Ethiopian Harrar Horse (I'm using Ethiopian Djimmah as I stumbled on some cheap Djimmah, no more available from that supplier)
10% Kenya AA (presently I'm using Burundi AA as I am still working through a TwoLoons Mega Sampler, 17 1lb packs of green) (I only use the very nice HasBean Kenya Kariru for French Press.)
It seems to work well for me and as there are no longer any aged beans in the blend it all roasts very nicely together in one roast. I make up 150 grams of this blend every 3 to 4 days, roast in two loads in my HWP (until I see spots of oil on the beans), rest for 48 hours or a little more. It is great as a cappuccino, maybe a little intense for straight espresso.
I don't mind sending 75 grams of the blend roasted to someone for free but due to the small roast size fo the HWP, first to send me an email off-list gets it. I could send one sample green to another, first email for greens gets them.
NB : I do NOT pretend that Jim Schulman would approve of my substitutions - they make sense to me but I have far less blending knowledge; if I lived in the USA I would use the identical beans JS recommends (mostly from SweetMarias) but SM minimum order sizes for Europe are a problem unless you can predict your green bean needs perfectly some months in advance OR you don't mind tying up a lot of cash in your green stash.
Cheers,
Hugh
Grinders : Macap MXK conical for espresso, Mahlkoenig Vario for Chemex, Macap MC6 (spare when our office was closed) for cafetiere, Zassenhaus Knee Mill for cafetiere when working away from home.
La Spaziale Vivaldi S1 espresso machine. HotTop KN8828P roaster. Chemex manual drip for most brewed coffee plus cafetieres and eSantos.