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Outlandish coffee
Let's post pictures and data about some of the more exceptional coffees we sourced / roasted / used.
From a friend I got a few kg's of "Sumatra Mandheling" beans. They are obviously not well sorted / culled yet as the better beans are mixed with damaged beans, beans that have had insect trouble, beans that were half mashed by the machine that takes the fruit pulp off the cherry et cetera.
I spent a lot of time sorting through the beans before roasting and then again after roasting I took out the beans that were way too light, as if they were too moist to effectively absorb and process the heat of the roaster.
The result in the cup is delicious!
Unsorted:
Sorted, the rejects on the right:
Espresso, having used the new button tamper:
From a friend I got a few kg's of "Sumatra Mandheling" beans. They are obviously not well sorted / culled yet as the better beans are mixed with damaged beans, beans that have had insect trouble, beans that were half mashed by the machine that takes the fruit pulp off the cherry et cetera.
I spent a lot of time sorting through the beans before roasting and then again after roasting I took out the beans that were way too light, as if they were too moist to effectively absorb and process the heat of the roaster.
The result in the cup is delicious!
Unsorted:
Sorted, the rejects on the right:
Espresso, having used the new button tamper:
Comments
To be honest the after taste has a dryness in it that suggests my "rate of rise" should be a little higher in the later part of the roast so I'll work on that some more. It's interesting how the results of a change in roast profile can be smelled, and measured using a Tonino, right after the roast but the proof of the pudding is at least a few days later when the espresso is pulled. I could try to learn 'cupping' but the few cupping I've attended the hocus pocus and the communal sharing of saliva put me off a bit.
It does pay to stick to a certain bean when roasting for a few weeks, just as exploring one (set of) bag of beans for a while to grind and extract and optimize with one basket does teach me to find my way with a bean quickly.
I tend to just wing it and my results at roasting are sometimes great and others pure crap. I know what to do but am way to lazy to try to learn it and put it into practice.
Some beans roast with a better visual result as well as a more pleasant odor. Decaf beans are much harder to judge the level of roast with the naked eye and maybe a Tonino would help with that.
I have enjoyed your scientific approach Frans, and seeing its results! Keep it coming :-)
if any one else has found coffees that they particularly enjoy, please feel free to post
kind regards
reiss.
http://kostverlorenvaart.blogspot.nl/2015/03/culling-roasting-and-tasting-sumatra.html
PS: used up the last three portions of these beans and ended on a higher temperature, will know more in a week!
http://www.coffeeawesome.net/august-31-erna-knutsen-a-portrait-of-a-coffee-pioneer/
On another note: the LONDINIUM I is so very helpful in bringing about the best in a good roast. I feel it is so easy to get a splendid extraction providing the beans are fine. On a pump machine this requires a little more effort at best and a lot of experimentation at worst, but the LI lever squeezes out that delicious espresso as soon as it gets hold of nice grounds.
Below one of Colombian beans that I bought green maybe as long as 5 months ago. I did not get the roast profile right at first but I did not throw away the beans as they smell wonderful so I knew there was something to get out of them and now I got it.
Another good supplier of coffee for folks.
Steve
http://www.bodhileafcoffee.com/
Will try some of their offerings :-)
Was that bean that you mentioned any particular Lot #?
Sumatra Volkolpi Mandheling Grade 1 (5LB ($5.85 per lb))
Sumatra Rainforest Alliance Lintong Gr 1 (5LB ($5.91 per lb))
Sumatra Rainforest Alliance Mandheling Gr 1 (5LB ($5.63 per lb))
(got a discount at checkout) ... The Vokoloi and the RFA Mandheling were my two favorite of the 3 and would order either again.
(drinking the RFA Mandheling as I type!)
In my experience most Sumatran beans need to be gone over before roasting to improve the flavor by picking out what seem to be beans that have been injured in the drying process. Lots of "tortured beans" in there very unique way of processing beans in Sumatra (can read more on this from Tom at Sweet Maria's) ... love the "walking in the Olympic rain forest taste" though.
Steve
Thanks for posting Steve
Better coffee and better grinders are the missing pieces of the puzzle once you have an L1
[video width=425 height=344 type=youtube]TNIJqnaCs8Q
What Cafe' was it that had those cups?? Moyee?
Hilarious!
:unsure:
The clip was by/about Moyee indeed. I never noticed the cups. Would you like me to try & get one for you?
In fact I have had one sitting here for you for about a week.
I am surprised that brownies were not being served in lieu of hors d'oeuvres.
I picked up your Moyee espresso cup & saucer 5 minutes ago, will pack& mail to you tomorrow!
http://kostverlorenvaart.blogspot.nl/2015/03/sweet-lupin-coffee-roasting-hold-your.html
Where did you get the burrs, just standard Mazzer?