☕ Coffee ☕: Ingredients, Roasting, Grinding, Brewing, and Tasting

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TrickyDick said:
So last few roasts have been really great!

I have decided to just drop the beans when first crack is done, or mostly done. If the cracks get too far apart, like popcorn kernels, I'd rather have a few Not popped vs whole bag of burnt popcorn. So same with the coffee. Forget about the temps! Try to coast into the beginning of first crack without too much heat to shoot for 90 seconds or longer until dump. So far been working great!

TD
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I always tell myself I'll drop at the last snaps of 1C, but I tend to have a hard time actually pushing the Cool button until 15-20 secs after 1c stops. One issue too is I roast in a Behmor which contains the heat longer than if I was dumping into a tray or something.

Anyways, I roasted a Brazil to the first snaps of 2C; I haven't roasted that dark in nearly a year. I thought I'd try it to change it up a bit but I just don't like that flavor. I know it's all preference, but I struggle drinking roasts taken to 2C.

Maybe you guys can help me with this, but when YOU roast a good bean into 2C for drip, does it do anything for you? I see people paying $8+/lb for good green beans but then roasting it reallllly dark. My question then is, does it matter how good of coffee it is if you've roasted it so dark it doesn't contain origin flavors?
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
Maybe you guys can help me with this, but when YOU roast a good bean into 2C for drip, does it do anything for you? I see people paying $8+/lb for good green beans but then roasting it reallllly dark. My question then is, does it matter how good of coffee it is if you've roasted it so dark it doesn't contain origin flavors?
Click to expand...

I think it really depends on the beans. When I was roasting regularly (and might again soon due to this thread), I would regularly go up to 2C. I think you're right that you lose some of the more subtle origin characters and earthy notes. On the other hand, you can get a lot of caramel, chocolate and sweet characters that vary by bean type. I do almost exclusively espresso and espresso/milk based drinks, so I like those characters from a darker roast (Full City to Espresso roast levels).
 
Gotta say that the Ethiopian hambela natural is really good. Second roast, though still rather unrested, is great coffee just like my first roast. I think Klatch has some that might be worth getting if you missed the GCC buy.

TD
 
^agreed. I've been going back and forth between they and a nice DP Ethiopian from SM's for a while.. The GCC stuff is worlds better
 
Urggg I always forget about gcc. I'm going to buy something soon; if they get an African or guat I'll buy it through gcc
 
Green coffee coop.

Free to join, hard to actually get beans as they seem to randomly appear unless you check it daily, you could miss out. For instance, I recently scored the last 10 of CR terrazu, and 5 of a Brazilian bean they had, and I got the last of it. I think they ship in 15pound USPS boxes, and sell in 5# increments. Averages after shipping if you get a full 15# out to about $5 per pound or so. I think they use those flat rate USPS boxes.

Go sign up at their website. So far the only one I've had is that hambela Ethiopian natural, and it's fantastic. Have not tried the other two since they haven't arrived yet. I was told that the Brazil is really good even for drip coffee, so I was persuaded to try that to fill out my box. Geez. I hope I'm right about the 15#/box.... It try to maximize my bean costs to shipping cost ratio!!

Here is their website link. Not sure if it will work right trying to paste in on my iPad...
http://greencoffee.coop

FYI, there are a few coffees coming in "a few weeks" to GCC from Columbia and Guatemala, and probably also a decaf from the shrub I've heard.... Keep your eyes peeled and share with the he rest of us if you see it up please.



TD
 
Anyone interested in a coffee swap? I have some Ethiopian Yirg I'd like to get some feedback on - maybe we could just trade 8oz of beans.

I'd be open for anything, other than Costa Rican. Just let me know if anyone is interested in a swap.
 
Last night after doing some dishes and cleaning up the French Press, I decided to run cleaner through my grinder and drip brewer. Gave the carafe an overnight soak to clean up the deposits in it (which was certainly overdue). I also realized it had been a while since I had given the espresso machine a cleaning, but it was late, so put that off until this morning. Just got some of it taken apart and wow. It's clearly been more than a while, it's amazing it even worked with all of the gunk that is built up in there. Now to decide if I should brew a press pot to drink while I'm cleaning, or wait and have the usual cappuccino when i'm done.

PSA: If it seems like it's been a while, it might have been WAY too long. Clean your coffee makers!
 
On that topic, I read from a guy that said he takes his grinder apart and cleans it each time he uses it. I've never considered cleaning that often but I've been better about it the last few days.

The coffee is tasting better but hard to say if it's from the cleaner grinder or not.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
On that topic, I read from a guy that said he takes his grinder apart and cleans it each time he uses it. I've never considered cleaning that often but I've been better about it the last few days.

The coffee is tasting better but hard to say if it's from the cleaner grinder or not.
Click to expand...

Well, when i posted that earlier, all i had done was run grindz tablets through the grinder. After seeing how nasty the espresso machine was, i decided to take the grinder apart and really clean it. I couldn't believe how much crap was built up in there. I'll give the grindz credit, the surface of the burrs were in great shape, but everything else in there was actually kind of disgusting. I could tell that there was some buildup from the outside, but had no idea how bad it would be on the inside. I suppose it shouldn't be that much of a surprise, I had never taken it apart for a real cleaning before and I've had it for over 10 years. I had thought that it was getting harder to adjust the grind because it was getting worn inside, but it was actually buildup of oils and ground coffee on the threads. Between the espresso machine and the grinder, it's amazing either one worked with how messy they were. Today's cappuccino was noticeably better than yesterday's!

Also: PBW soak for the parts on both machines worked wonders. There were a few parts that i thought might need to be replaced because they were so messy, but a short soak in PBW and some scrubbing cleaned everything up. Also thought I was going to have to throw out the brush I was using because it was loaded up with tar-like buildup, but a few minutes in PBW and it was just fine.

I suppose I should order some new burrs too, those have to be way past their life expectancy.
 
ive read several rebates on cleaning your grinder.

I think the grinder path and architecture of your machine make the difference. Dark roasts tend to develop a more acrid taste and leave more oils as well. Most small home grinders have a short grind path and don't require cleaning with frequent use (imho).
 
I've got the Encore grinder, and it's remarkably simple to clean it, so I'm going to make it a habit more often. The one thing I have GOT to remember is to unplug the sucker. Definitely forgot about that this weekend and that could have been bad.
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
I've got the Encore grinder, and it's remarkably simple to clean it, so I'm going to make it a habit more often. The one thing I have GOT to remember is to unplug the sucker. Definitely forgot about that this weekend and that could have been bad.
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Ha! The place where I keep mine on the counter is poorly lit so I had to unplug it to move it.
 
I have been using the French Press exclusively for almost a year, I have grown fond of it since getting my grind dialed in. Over the weekend my wife was given a Krupps espresso machine that appears to have very little use. I admittedly know next to nothing about espresso. I have had espresso from coffee shops and have enjoyed it but never took the time to really learn about it. The past two days I have been using the machine to pull quad shots with some cheap 8 O'clock Coffee Columbian medium roast and even with coffee that is not great I am addicted... If anyone can point me in the direction of a good source of information on espresso that would be greatly appreciated. I am also looking for green coffees to buy to roast for espresso. I am not a fan of dark roasts, I actually tend to hate them due to burnt/charred flavors that develop once the roast goes too far. Some advice on roasting beans for espresso would be helpful as well. I tend to favor South American varietals with strong flavors of chocolate and hints of caramel but realize that what may work well for the French Press may not be appropriate for espresso. Thanks in advance!
 
BrewinHooligan said:
I have been using the French Press exclusively for almost a year, I have grown fond of it since getting my grind dialed in. Over the weekend my wife was given a Krupps espresso machine that appears to have very little use. I admittedly know next to nothing about espresso. I have had espresso from coffee shops and have enjoyed it but never took the time to really learn about it. The past two days I have been using the machine to pull quad shots with some cheap 8 O'clock Coffee Columbian medium roast and even with coffee that is not great I am addicted... If anyone can point me in the direction of a good source of information on espresso that would be greatly appreciated. I am also looking for green coffees to buy to roast for espresso. I am not a fan of dark roasts, I actually tend to hate them due to burnt/charred flavors that develop once the roast goes too far. Some advice on roasting beans for espresso would be helpful as well. I tend to favor South American varietals with strong flavors of chocolate and hints of caramel but realize that what may work well for the French Press may not be appropriate for espresso. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...


Check out Sweet Maria's as a place to buy green beans. They also have some helpful tutorials on coffee roasting with suggestions on roasting tools.
 
BrewinHooligan said:
I have been using the French Press exclusively for almost a year, I have grown fond of it since getting my grind dialed in. Over the weekend my wife was given a Krupps espresso machine that appears to have very little use. I admittedly know next to nothing about espresso. I have had espresso from coffee shops and have enjoyed it but never took the time to really learn about it. The past two days I have been using the machine to pull quad shots with some cheap 8 O'clock Coffee Columbian medium roast and even with coffee that is not great I am addicted... If anyone can point me in the direction of a good source of information on espresso that would be greatly appreciated. I am also looking for green coffees to buy to roast for espresso. I am not a fan of dark roasts, I actually tend to hate them due to burnt/charred flavors that develop once the roast goes too far. Some advice on roasting beans for espresso would be helpful as well. I tend to favor South American varietals with strong flavors of chocolate and hints of caramel but realize that what may work well for the French Press may not be appropriate for espresso. Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...


Check out the books by Scott Rao, especially the one on espresso extraction, but don't say I didn't warn you about your eminent trip down the rabbit hole.

Many folks who drink espresso like Brazil coffees. I'd agree that sweet Maria's is a great resoure also. I'm not much help beyond that, since I don't drink espresso, except rarely when dining out.

TD
 
blizzard said:
Check out Sweet Maria's as a place to buy green beans. They also have some helpful tutorials on coffee roasting with suggestions on roasting tools.
Click to expand...
They are the only place I have ordered beans from and learned how to roast, looking for a little more in depth information.

TrickyDick said:
Check out the books by Scott Rao, especially the one on espresso extraction, but don't say I didn't warn you about your eminent trip down the rabbit hole.

Many folks who drink espresso like Brazil coffees. I'd agree that sweet Maria's is a great resoure also. I'm not much help beyond that, since I don't drink espresso, except rarely when dining out.

TD
Click to expand...
I have a feeling that this is gonna get a bit crazy and I am already eyeballing better equipment... I am a fan of Brazilian coffee as well so that is seeming to make sense. My wife is gonna kill me with all these hobbies :D
 
I am sneaking in a post here as I finally decided to sign up for HBT and never realized there was Coffee, Cheese, Sake, and all of the other forums here.

I've been a home coffee roaster for several years and I do run a low end Espresso machine daily (a Le'lit PL041QE)... so good to see this forum.

I will put in a plug for my "usual" supplier of "green" beans.. Burman's in Madison.. they rock especially if you are in the Speedee delivery area. I've visited them in person and it was especially good. My normal roasting machine is a Behmor... I have a 3/4 completed gas drum in the garage that I've not worked on since last Thanksgiving.. Picking homebrewing back up stalled that project with as little free time as I actually have...

So hello everyone...

Fred
 
ChefRex said:
Roasted up a small batch today
Click to expand...

I'm just about positive I have some of that same Java bean at home, and absolutely love it.

I just got 12 lbs of beans from Guatemala, Sumatra, and Rwanda (I think?). Roasted the Guat last night and can't wait to try it tomorrow.

I think I've got my profiles dialed in for Ethiopians now too, and I've been getting consistently fantastic results from a couple different Yirgs. Makes this guy super happy.
 
I got a chance to try a few different roasters over the weekend while I was out of town. It's always fun to try other people's coffee, as we all have our own taste and approach and I enjoy seeing how others take on certain beans.

First stop: Mad Cap coffee in Grand Rapids, MI. This place gets absolute rave reviews from all sorts of people, and they always seem to have a good amount of people in the door. Expensive stuff to buy out the door, I'd say around $20/12oz, if I remember right. I got a cup of Guatemala pour over, and honestly it wasn't that great. It tasted a little bit green, so I don't know if it wasn't roasted all the way through, or if it hadn't rested long enough, but it definitely didn't taste as good as it should/could. My wife got a cup of something...can't remember what it was, but she wasn't impressed either. I've been there a handful of times now and I've never actually been blown away or greatly excited by anything they have, BUT it's the best (only?) cup of ~3rd Wave you'll get in GR.

Second stop: Ehhh...I won't mention the name of the place but it was disheartening. Ordered the Yirg and it was very very bland and flat. Just no flavor development at all. Their staff was not too good either. Someone asked about getting a Pour over and the staffer said, "honestly I don't notice a difference in taste" (compared to the pre-made stuff on a spout). Come on now. There is no one else in line, so you can take the extra 2 mins to make this guy a pour over, and charge him the extra $1.50. Then the staff started going back and forth with customers about cup size names there vs. Starbucks, etc etc. So much potential...but that's about it.

That's all I got for now, but I'm in training next door to Intelligentsia the rest of the week so I may have to give them a try! :)
 
Wow, $20 for 12oz!! :( That's $26.67 a pound! I don't care what it is, it's not worth that.

I used to order Black Cat from Intelligentsia. Good stuff for espresso. I'd like to have a fresh one from them sometime. :) Once I found Redline from Metropolis, I never ordered Black Cat again, but it was very good.
 
JonW said:
Wow, $20 for 12oz!! :( That's $26.67 a pound! I don't care what it is, it's not worth that.
Click to expand...

Okay you made me second guess myself, so I checked and yes they are selling most of their coffee in the $17 - $18/12 oz range, with some as high as $21/12 oz. https://madcapcoffee.com/buy/coffee/

About a year ago I was talking to a guy at a tasting event, and complaining about coffee prices blah blah blah, and how I think $20 for a bag of coffee is expensive. He humored me.

BUT then about 2 mins later I found out he was the sourcer/roaster for a local joint that sells coffee for....$20+/12 oz bag. Whoops. Hey, that's called market feedback, right?!
 
$6 a pound max roast your own guy and it's always been better than almost every fancy place I ever been to. Now for the joke of the night Jamaican Blue Moon is like $33/lb green now. All that for... Well little to no flavor...
 
Ordered from a new source and the order landed today. Had to roast some of each up right away. They roast is more even than the pics look due to lighting but I've been having issues with the whirley popper lately. Uncle Sam don't know it yet, but he's buying me a roaster when my return hits. The Ethiopian is shinier/prettier, the Brazilian has a richer aroma full of chocolate and caramel. Excited to give these a go over the next few days.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1444789622.790151.jpg
 
Was sick of storebought coffee so gave the Brazilian a go this morning. Made a strong americano and am very happy with how the roast turned out. It still needs a day or two of rest to really shine but I'm happy with this one and have a feeling 2lbs is not going to last long...
 
Was out of town (Boston area) this week and just accepted that I would have crappy coffee the whole time. Got home and roasted that Kenya AA from GCC last night. Cappuccinos today are outstanding. I wasn't expecting much since the beans only had about 12 hours rest, but either because it's good or because I haven't had good coffee for several days, it's a great experience today.
 
Bane, let us know how that Peru comes out - I haven't had one in a while but have been thinking about ordering one.

I'm trying to nail down a profile for a Guat so I've got 1.5 lbs roasted. It's been a very caffeinated last few days that's for sure
 
I am pretty impressed with the coffees I got from homeroastcoffee.com, both the Brazilian and the Ethiopian are just as described and seem to be excellent quality. With lower costs than Sweet Maria's I will be using them more frequently. The Brazilian especially really hits my buttons
 
HarborTownBrewing said:
Bane, let us know how that Peru comes out - I haven't had one in a while but have been thinking about ordering one.

I'm trying to nail down a profile for a Guat so I've got 1.5 lbs roasted. It's been a very caffeinated last few days that's for sure
Click to expand...

This is the third version that I have done. Some of the Peru has been decent, some of it palid. I have a neighbor that is a coffee trader, I have been giving him homebrew for green beans! The current batch, I have hope for; it is FTO, and the roast is on the light side. The taste I sneaked this morning was a bit lighter than expected.
 
I fired up my ghetto roaster on the driveway and roasted 5# yirgacheffe (1# batches). It's bagged now, will be brewing this week.

5-pounds-yirgacheffe-66238.jpg


ghetto-roaster-66237.jpg
 
I did a pound and a half of yirg last night (last of the bag) in my turbocrazy. I love that thing.

I recently added pid control by throwing together a tc4 esque setup from spare parts, and implementing the serial command interface that Artisan uses. I'd have bought a tc4 but I realized I had all the basic parts lying around. It works like a champ, and let's me avoid playing temp knob roulette.
 
dryboroughbrewing said:
I did a pound and a half of yirg last night (last of the bag) in my turbocrazy. I love that thing.

I recently added pid control by throwing together a tc4 esque setup from spare parts, and implementing the serial command interface that Artisan uses. I'd have bought a tc4 but I realized I had all the basic parts lying around. It works like a champ, and let's me avoid playing temp knob roulette.
Click to expand...

So details please! I find artisan nice, but I don't think I am grasping its full operational ability. I bought the somewhat pricey TC4 module to add PID functionality, but I don't really know how to implement it! I have a HotTop with USB port upgrade that directly interfaces with Artisan without using an Arduino/TC4. I have a couple Arduinos. I had been tinkering with one to try and build a dry cure chamber, but its sort of on hold at the moment. I think I fried some components with static, which seems unusual. At any rate, I thought of some other projects an bought a couple knock-off Arduino boards and Viola, the PID / TC4 project seemed to be the perfect way to use one.

How do you run it? How do you setup the Arduino/TC4? What about a sketch? Where do you get it all?

Thanks!

TD
 
TrickyDick said:
So details please! I find artisan nice, but I don't think I am grasping its full operational ability. I bought the somewhat pricey TC4 module to add PID functionality, but I don't really know how to implement it! I have a HotTop with USB port upgrade that directly interfaces with Artisan without using an Arduino/TC4. I have a couple Arduinos. I had been tinkering with one to try and build a dry cure chamber, but its sort of on hold at the moment. I think I fried some components with static, which seems unusual. At any rate, I thought of some other projects an bought a couple knock-off Arduino boards and Viola, the PID / TC4 project seemed to be the perfect way to use one.

How do you run it? How do you setup the Arduino/TC4? What about a sketch? Where do you get it all?

Thanks!

TD
Click to expand...

I'm cutting tile right now, but I'll be sure to post something this evening, after I'm done getting silicosis.
 

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