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As long as we're talking about rabbit holes, my wife really wants a rabbit. I do not.

Back on topic, I am having a dental procedure done and was notified I'd have to stay away from coffee and alcohol for a little while. I don't know how long I have to give them up, but it's too long for both. So, I'm hitting it hard this week before the procedure to make up for any lost time! ;)
 
:off: Wabbit holes?
Benjamin Marauder PCP .22 caliber air rifle. This thing is a tack driver, fun to shoot and silent. The second picture is a knot on a 2x4 30 yards away. There are 2 pellets in there.
D2BD9C92-B385-4EC3-A852-35400D0CE9FD.jpeg
827CA468-6ED7-4E1E-9E52-5971F381AE51.jpeg
 
Ruint said:
My personal favorite tack driver! It is of the 30 caliber flavor! Yes @Inkleg....way off topic!!!Not the only rabbit hole to fall in. I can get 5 in a quarters' diameter at 300 yards, even the wife says this is a fun one!!!View attachment 653230
Click to expand...
:off:
SWEET set up! Don't think I could touch that off in the backyard without upsetting the neighbors. :eek:
I have a couple of AR's that I have built and are fun to shoot. My .30 are relegated to standard hunting style rifles. They are spot on accurate much to the disliking of many a deer. :D
 
Cool story, thanks for the service also! Haha, I got a laugh imagining myself being under there thinking, dammit why am I always the one who gets the shell zone.
jammin said:
^that reminds of doing gunnery in the Army. dudes in the hummer would be getting rained on with hot 30 cal brass & every so often a piece would fall into the collar of someones uniform. You'd see them later with a burn mark on their neck shaped like a tube of chapstick.
Click to expand...
 
@Inkleg, wow, putting two shots in a dime at that distance with a pellet gun sounds pretty legit. Apologies if thats no big deal, I know little about guns. Still seems impressive.

@Ruint amazing 300 yards with accuracy, what a gun.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
Sounds like we need a new thread named:
Coffee Drinkers who Shoot the Sh&t
Click to expand...

Jammin started it (per usual).
LOL!

Hard to find the time to go shooting, and can’t put a backyard range in. Been thinking about the pellet option. A buddy of mine in Massachusetts has practically no other option and I’ve been impressed with the performance he’s claimed. Nice to see it’s not a bunch of baloney (or is it bologna?)
He built a backstop so he can shoot in his basement even. Claims he can stop .223 with it

Btw,

Anyone had any good luck with the killer Columbia GCBC microlot? I didn’t have great results with that.
TD
 
@TrickyDick
Considering where I live...I hear ya. Of all the things I have shot, some of the most fun I've had has been with a Red Ryder bb gun or a pellet gun. Stories...oh the stories. Most of them true, too. One of my favorite things to do is to set up a playing card so only the edge is facing you. From 25 ft you pretty much can't even see the card, just whatever is holding it up (like a clothespin). I'd shoot it straight in half width-wise with a pellet gun or a a .22 pistol, not using without a tripod or stand or anything like that. Seems like a small accomplishment, but I'm still proud of that. And have done it a few times. I like the high powered stuff, but sometimes the simple bb or pellet guns are a blast...and dirt cheap. Pic below for proof! This one was with a Walther .22.

BACK ON TOPIC though. Today's my last day of coffee for the rest of the week. I had a delightful Brazil this morning, Brazil Alta Vista from Sweet Marias. This was the bean I accidentally ordered twice (and have 25 lbs of...well, now 21 lbs), and it turns out that might have been a happy accident. Hazelnut, pecan, and caramel are just oozing out of this coffee. It's great as a single origin, I'll have to pull some espresso with it next week. It's also the base in my Christmas Blend and it's going to be really good as a base I think.

upload_2019-11-20_15-46-48.png
 
This weeks bodhi sale is a sidama ethiopian at 25 percent off. I dont want it, but hard to pass up as a backup to better coffees. I think it was 28 for 5 pounds. Tempting. I think its this one.

https://www.bodhileafcoffee.com/collections/green-coffee/products/ethiopia-sidama-godicho-green

I am also updating that I roasted some decaf. Damn, its difficult. This Colombian from bodhi is nice. I am really enjoying it. My wife calls it a treat. Feels like I am doing something bad, cheating somehow.
 
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Anyone try any of these recent SM offerings??
I picked up a few pounds each but haven’t yet roasted them.
One “problem” with the bullet roaster larger capacity than my HotTop is that I end up roasting led frequently, which makes my roast skill and learning curve poor because I only end up roasting maybe once with a few batches every 2 -3 weeks.
Here’s what I got, one had a super high sweetness rating too.

Kenya Kiambu Fram Farm AB

Uganda Dry Process Sironko Town Lot 9

Ethiopia Dry Process Kayon Mountain Taaroo
 
TrickyDick said:
Anyone had any good luck with the killer Columbia GCBC microlot? I didn’t have great results with that.
TD
Click to expand...
Just finished roasting the last of what I had. I enjoyed my previous batches, although I'm not sure it lived up to the hype.

Had some trouble with airflow on tonight's batch though. Fan on my typical settings, it just wan't moving as much air. I'm not sure when I last emptied the chaff catcher, i'm wondering if that's my problem. Waiting for the machine to cool first though, i need to move it a little to be able to empty it without making a huge mess.
 
brewed an Aeropress cup of my 2 latest roasts this morning, Kenya Kiambu (Sweet Marias) & the Ethiopian Hafursa Tej processed Crown Jewel.

prepared the cups back to back so I could sit back & drink them consecutively. really fun to do this since the AP brews about an 8oz cup so 2 servings doesn't have you bouncing off the walls too bad.

the ethiopian was substantially sweeter & I think it's because the kenyan needs just a little bit more development time. kinda has that tea like body. both coffees share a nearly identical roast profile so it makes sense that the denser kenyan didnt quite cross the finish line.

anyways.. i don't always get a chance to drink 2 different coffees side by side and it's a really helpful experience. it's hard to really be critical of a roast/coffee without having some sort of control point to reference. anyone else have a chance to cup multiple coffees side by side recently?
 
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jammin said:
brewed an Aeropress cup of my 2 latest roasts this morning, Kenya Kiambu (Sweet Marias) & the Ethiopian Hafursa Tej processed Crown Jewel.

prepared the cups back to back so I could sit back & drink them consecutively. really fun to do this since the AP brews about an 8oz cup so 2 servings doesn't have you bouncing off the walls too bad.

the ethiopian was substantially sweeter & I think it's because the kenyan needs just a little bit more development time. kinda has that tea like body. both coffees share a nearly identical roast profile so it makes sense that the denser kenyan didnt quite cross the finish line.

anyways.. i don't always get a chance to drink 2 different coffees side by side and it's a really helpful experience. it's hard to really be critical of a roast/coffee without having some sort of control point to reference. anyone else have a chance to cup multiple coffees side by side recently?
Click to expand...

No I have not but you have inspired me to try it. Maybe later this week when I have more time one morning.
 
Drinking the last pound of crown banko. Stopped at 1030ish 44 seconds past first crack. Its super good as always and still wishing i had 5 more pounds. I bailed on the bodhi sale. Shouldnt have because any gr 1 Ethiopian at that price, imo, is worth having as a backup, but ultimately I want something a little more on par with the banko quality. @jammin any updates on the geishas you have been getting?
 
Usually sweet Maria's posts a 15 or 20 percent off sale for black Friday or cyber Monday, so if you're looking for coffee you may want to scout their site so you are ready.

They get hit hard with orders during the sale and I've heard that it can take over a week for your order to get shipped!
 
applescrap said:
any updates on the geishas you have been getting?
Click to expand...

I did receive the coffee last week but haven't even opened the bag yet. That recent "super sweet" Ethiopian from SM's is on the way along with a DP Brazilian. When those arrived, Im gonna roast all 3 so Im hoping to report back on all them after the holiday. Im excited about that Brazilian for some chocolate-bomb espresso shots!


...this might be a record year for me on how many different coffees Ive roasted. Ive really been searching my memory banks & trying to recall which ones stood out.
 
What was everyone's top 3 coffee moments of 2019?

It's been a really busy year for our group. Several roaster upgrades & many folks finding new brewing equipment such as espresso machines and grinders. Id like to hear what stood out to everyone this year:

- favorite coffee?
- favorite brewing gadget?
- big "AHA!" moment in dialing in that perfect cup?

I'm still stewing over this myself but it would be great to start recapping 2019 and hear from everyone!
 
Holy smoke!!! Yes to all of those @jammin!!!! Lmao! I think I pulled all the stops out and went no holds barred! Been a whirlwind of a year in that regard! Have had some very good quality coffees along the way, but can't say any of them stood out that much. Either that or I truly am becoming a coffee snob!!! LoL! Nothing like that blueberry bomb Banko from a couple years ago "stand out" at least....
As far as a side by side comparison....can't say I do that either. One cup is a "normal" brewed coffee and the one I have next to (or with) it is a double espresso. One of these things is not like the other!!!! LoL.....an extreme difference to say the least, except if I am doing the same bean.....then of course it's just the difference in strength, as I do try to get the same "flavors" out of the extractions. Definitely easier said than done.
 
Its hard for me to keep very good records.
I had a Burundi recently that has been a stand out for past several months, so I'd have to say
Burundi Kayanza Masha Station, was my fave of the year.
brewing gadget, well I don't use it much anymore, but it is super cool - Coffee Lab VST3 refractometer and software.
No AHA moment so far.

Glad to hear #Applescrap bailed on the Bodhi sale. Those #5 orders are what landed me in green coffee overload, now stale green coffee overload. Boxed in a prepaid USPS for anyone who needs to season a new roaster let me know.

TD
 
Ahh these are such tough questions
@jammin !

I feel like I had a lot of really good coffees but hardly anything really stuck out to me this year. I don't know if it's because I didn't buy anything spectacular, I've just gotten accustomed to great coffee, or if perhaps I'm not roasting to my potential. Here are some thoughts:

- favorite coffee?
I was just super impressed with the Legacy Farms Honduras Lempira. Nothing fancy - just really really good. Also, I did finally get a good roast on some Yemen, and after resting about 3 weeks it was an exceptional coffee so I should mention that.

- favorite brewing gadget?
This summer I got a used Behmor brewer and it's been fantastic. I can't believe how good of coffee I'm getting out of it, and it's saving me a ton of time each morning without sacrificing any quality. Furthermore, I'm using it to make coffee for my wife on days she leaves before me, so she's not buying $2-$3 coffee on those days (or maybe now she's paying cash...). That said, I picked this brewer up for a steal at $50 and I'm sure it's already paid for itself.

- big "AHA!" moment in dialing in that perfect cup?
I started going a little tighter on my grind for the Behmor and single cup brewing, and it's lead to much more flavorful brews. Also continuing to experiment with different water temps while brewing the same bean as it makes a huge difference.
 
Last night I roasted some coffee for Thanksgiving. I had two pounds of Rwanda Bufcafe sitting around and figured I'd throw it at the roaster.

Normally I roast 1lb batches in the Bullet; last week I did a few 1.5 lbs batches that went really well, so I figured I'd just throw in the 2 lbs and roast them real quick. Well, I had surgery last week and I'm still kind of out of it. And what I failed to recognize until about 8 mins into the roast is that 2 lbs is not the same as 1.5 lbs. It's actually quite a bit heavier. For any person who is healthy and well, this makes perfect sense but when you've been on meds and aren't thinking straight, this is quite the revelation.

So, I didn't preheat quite as high as I'd have liked to but the roaster handled it well. It's rated for 2.2 lbs and it easily took care of the 2 I put in it last night, despite me having not charged as high as I'd have preferred. I think I hit 1C around 9:30ish, and I decided to take it to 24% development since I'll be brewing this for others. I dropped at about 13:30, just as I started to hear the first pops of 2nd Crack. I've actually never roasted to 2nd Crack before.

I'll give it a few days and will report back since this was my first 2lb roast and I didn't really plan it out but just let it fly.
 
Jammin:

I also have the Behmor and I love it. Super convenient and makes a great cup. My Technivorm has been in the closet now for a few years.

I'll have to try tweaking my grind settings. Thanks for that idea.

TD
 
Great questions @jammin and thank you for being a friend.

favorite coffee?
I'm going to agree with @HarborTownBrewing on this one. I've really enjoyed every coffee I've gotten from Legacy Farms. Even my coffee coworker makes a comment when I brew a pot (he does not know what he's drinking until he asks).

favorite brewing gadget?
That's on the way! Holy sh*t what have I done!!

big "AHA!" moment in dialing in that perfect cup?
I can't recall any one big moment, but I know that I go "AHA" every time I have a cup of coffee.
 
Favorite coffee of the year? (so far, let's not give up now!) Taking a different angle from the other answers here: I had a mocha with orange and some kind of asian pepper at a coffee shop. Tasty, and different. For coffee that I roasted, I don't think I can pick one. I had a lot of great coffee, but not one that stands so far out from the others that I can single it out.

Favorite gadget? Well, obvious answer is the roaster.

AHA moment? Definitely playing with grinders for espresso.
 
At my parents house for thanksgiving and I regret that I didn’t bring everything I need for decent coffee. I always suffer through bad coffee when I’m here.

And I mean everything. Even the water. Maybe especially the water.
 
TallDan said:
Maybe especially the water.
Click to expand...

my folks live in the smallest town ever & the water is downright offensive in the summer. the sulphur content is so high that you can hardly stand the smell before you even attempt to drink a glass. if it weren't for this, id probably think everyone has the same tap water...this is of course 100% false
 
Wait, are you guys in florida too?! (Sorry passed)This stuff is like swamp , water. I dont think, I could eat pasta made in this stuff. I took a sip in the Marriott lobby and was like damn you have to warn someone before they drink that and everyone looked at me weird. They were like oh you get used to it. I dont see that happening. The water in Denver from the tap is better than the bottled spring water here, no kidding. We travel with a blade grinder, coffee vacu sealed and our cold brew cup just in case.

Great questions jammin. Haven't forgotten about them, just haven't had a right time to answer yet. My fil did like the banko. Was a little surprised, lol, guess years of tasting finally caught up to him. I love that moment.
 
Anyone score any new gadgets this weekend? It was a pass for me - for the first time I feel content with my coffee equipment.

Speaking of family gatherings, I was on barista detail all weekend with both families so I made use of my bow tie and plaid vest, and waxed and curled my mustache. I came prepared with 2 lbs of pretty dark Rwanda coffee which I had dropped just as 2C began. Truth is, it was pretty tasty and was a big hit with everyone.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
Anyone score any new gadgets this weekend? It was a pass for me - for the first time I feel content with my coffee equipment.

Speaking of family gatherings, I was on barista detail all weekend with both families so I made use of my bow tie and plaid vest, and waxed and curled my mustache. I came prepared with 2 lbs of pretty dark Rwanda coffee which I had dropped just as 2C began. Truth is, it was pretty tasty and was a big hit with everyone.
Click to expand...

I think we are all waiting for a post from @Inkleg
 

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