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

[applescrap]

Thats cool harbortownbrewing

 

[jammin]

That is so weird the Columbian and the Cameron left little to no chaf. Its chaf was wimpy. I wonder if im going to like the strong chaf.

thats probably due to the processing method of the coffee. dry/natural is gonna yield a lot more chaf than wet/washed coffee.

dry/natural coffee leaves the mucilage & silver skin on the bean (where wet processing washes it off). due to this along with the drying process you get a coffee that is more difficult to get a consistent roast out of. it is also the reason this type of coffee is fruitier & sweeter when roasted properly. the extra proteins on the exterior of the bean are easily burned so lower drum temps combined with an elevated convection factor make for an optimal roast for these type of beans. now you know why pro roasters covet designs such as the probat, diedrich, san franciscan, etc..

 

[TallDan]

That is so weird the Columbian and the Cameron left little to no chaf. Its chaf was wimpy. I wonder if im going to like the strong chaf.

Don't think you're going to find that the chaff has any flavor.

Only coffees I've had with no chaff have been decaf.

 

[applescrap]

Oops meant the strong chaf coffee vs weak chaf coffee.
Thanks for the info jammin. You always offer helpful hints. Im going to have to google those things since i dont know what they are.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Okay this is the Burundi I roasted: https://www.sweetmarias.com/product/burundi-busiga-maruri-4985

Brewed it this morning in the Chemex. Interestingly, it didn't have a whole lot of aroma, maybe a little spice, but not much. I actually was expecting it to taste like a Sumatra just from the smell of the coffee, but what a surprise in the first sip! It took me about two sips to get my bearing, and right away I could taste a beautiful, deep cherry flavor with a little spice, maybe a little malty flavor. As it cooled a really nice complex chocolate note shone through with a very delicate but noteworthy sweetness - a lot of depth.

This was a really good cup, and I can't wait to give it another day of rest and pull it as an espresso. I'd recommend this one.

 

[TallDan]

Nothing like a stop at a great coffee bar to remind me how much room for improvement I have with home espresso.

 

[applescrap]

Okay this is the Burundi I roasted: https://www.sweetmarias.com/product/burundi-busiga-maruri-4985

Brewed it this morning in the Chemex. Interestingly, it didn't have a whole lot of aroma, maybe a little spice, but not much. I actually was expecting it to taste like a Sumatra just from the smell of the coffee, but what a surprise in the first sip! It took me about two sips to get my bearing, and right away I could taste a beautiful, deep cherry flavor with a little spice, maybe a little malty flavor. As it cooled a really nice complex chocolate note shone through with a very delicate but noteworthy sweetness - a lot of depth.

This was a really good cup, and I can't wait to give it another day of rest and pull it as an espresso. I'd recommend this one.

Nice analysis here. What did you roast it to.
Talldan sounds like a good thing. Now you know where you want to go

Speaking of pro I'm seeing those expensive big grinders for a hundred and fifty bucks on Craigslist. Do they work well for home.

 

[applescrap]

This kind

View attachment 1470499010737.jpg

 

[applescrap]

I have to admit I have no idea how to brew coffee. Can you guys help me. Right now I specially need help for vacation. I don't want to use a skanky coffee pot. Do I just buy a cheap pour over? don't know how to use one beyond obvious

 

[jammin]

This kind

These work incredibly well. Keep your out of for a Bunn G1. It's the smallest in stature but still has the huge burrs. No matter how you slice it they're beasts though.

If you're a DIY'er, they can be modded to have machined burrs and stepless grind adjustment. This turns it into a grinder that would normally cost close to $2k and considered the best of the best grind quality

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I have to admit I have no idea how to brew coffee. Can you guys help me. Right now I specially need help for vacation. I don't want to use a skanky coffee pot. Do I just buy a cheap pour over? don't know how to use one beyond obvious

Hmmm where to start?

What are you using now?

I'll say this, first off. You can roast an incredible batch of coffee (like, mind blowing) but unless you grind it right, use proper brew temp, and get proper extraction during brewing - it won't taste all that great. So, a great roast is only as good as a great brew. Sort of like, you can be amazing at chording strings on the guitar but if your other hand can't find a rhythm, it's worthless.

If your looking for something cheap for travel, I suugest a plastic Hario V60. They have one on Amazon (red one I think) for like $7.50.

If you are looking for advice on general technique - check out credible videos on YouTube (I believe Intelligentsia has some) and try a few different methods you see online to see what you like best. Everyone does it slightly different.

Hope this helps a bit and hopefully I didn't misunderstand your question haha.

 

[applescrap]

Thanks harbortownbrewing, I am using a 4-cup mr. Coffee. So those plastic for pour overs are what I'm looking for, for cheap good coffee. Will Google how to use one cause I don't know

 

[ba-brewer]

Applescrap, take a look at the cleaver dripper. It is sort of a cross between a pour over and french press. You can add water and steep the coffee like a press then add extra water as it drains like a pour over. For more than one cup you need to brew strong then dilute.

 

[applescrap]

I wet the coffee with just a little bit of water so it was all damp before I let the drip machine start to brew in our hotel room. Haven't got the pour over yet. The burundi coffee is definitely better than the other two I had. Flavors of chocolate blueberry and raspberry.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Sometimes when I make espresso, I think especially with east African beans, my cup is full on 12 secs and its half crema.

Is it the beans? or something else? I'm tamping hard and the grind is good. I can usually get a 25-30 sec pull so I'm guessing it's the beans?

 

[TrickyDick]

Sometimes when I make espresso, I think especially with east African beans, my cup is full on 12 secs and its half crema.

Is it the beans? or something else? I'm tamping hard and the grind is good. I can usually get a 25-30 sec pull so I'm guessing it's the beans?

Need to balance your lines. Too much CO2. Well, what'd you expect on a beer forum! Couldn't resist.

 

[TrickyDick]

I wet the coffee with just a little bit of water so it was all damp before I let the drip machine start to brew in our hotel room. Haven't got the pour over yet. The burundi coffee is definitely better than the other two I had. Flavors of chocolate blueberry and raspberry.

Scott Rao has a book about brewing everything but espresso that is well written. It's worth the money I think.

Brewing coffee is a chemistry experiment. You are trying to extract the flavor, but not too much. You need to be like Goldilocks, find what is just right.
In order to achieve consistency, which is very difficult, you need to measure things precisely. Eliminate variables - like the leftover water retained in the bottom of the mr coffee reservoir or other such reservoir. Use a particular ratio of coffee to water every time and adjust to your preference.
Time of th extraction and method of brewing also impact the coffee ratio and brewing process. You can measure the result with your senses and also, an instrument called a refractometer (plus accompanying software). of course, you can also follow the instructions that come with your coffee brewer and still get good results.

TD

 

[applescrap]

Thanks td. These are great tips. Even if i am not entirely on the same page, i enjoy looking at things from a different perspective. It's funny to me that I think I take coffee making more seriously than brewing beer. Sadly, have a lot of books I want to read but just don't get into it often enough. I can live with a little variety. More coffee almost always tastes better to me. Considering cold Brewing. Takes no time in the morning, could potentially be less acidic and harsh, and really requires little effort it seems. Pouring hot water over coffee in the V60 also seems a quality solution, no. Ever since I threw up on a moldy coffee pot, i have become like a surgical coffee pot cleaning center. Anyways thanks again

 

[Staestc]

Sometimes when I make espresso, I think especially with east African beans, my cup is full on 12 secs and its half crema.

Is it the beans? or something else? I'm tamping hard and the grind is good. I can usually get a 25-30 sec pull so I'm guessing it's the beans?

It sounds like, with no other information, that you may not have let the beans out gas enough after roasting. That's just a wild guess, but I have noticed that some beans seem to give up gases longer than others.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

It sounds like, with no other information, that you may not have let the beans out gas enough after roasting. That's just a wild guess, but I have noticed that some beans seem to give up gases longer than others.

Appreciate the feedback but this is the same result I'll get with beans rested two days or ten.

 

[applescrap]

Drank a pound of burundi in vegas. It is really good. I thought blueberry or rasberry and dark chocolate. Noticed bag said dark chocolate and black cherry. I was like cool, i was close! Anyways roasted some more and then a Honduran. 11 minutes produced an exact same Burundi and 10 minutes made a little lighter honduran. I wonder if some coffees just arent as good as others? I mean it would be easy to say, one isn't better that they're just different, but in just sheer quality some seem better.

 

[passedpawn]

I roasted a couple pounds this wkend (almost out).

I've pushed my roast time to 15m, aiming at a darker roast. It's better.

 

[applescrap]

Gotta roast before almost out. You guys were right on resting it a couple days. What do you think's better the roast or the time. I have to agree I kind of like a little darker roast. I have affectionately come to know it as s.a.f. smokey as .... well its smokey

 

[TallDan]

Any quick tips on roasting Ethiopian coffees? I got some "Ethiopia Natural Sidamo 'Gerbicho Killa'" (or, as I have been thinking of it: "gerbil killer"), have roasted it twice and haven't been happy with it. Have tried it with automatic drip, chemex and espresso and haven't had a good drink yet.

 

[jammin]

Any quick tips on roasting Ethiopian coffees? I got some "Ethiopia Natural Sidamo 'Gerbicho Killa'" (or, as I have been thinking of it: "gerbil killer"), have roasted it twice and haven't been happy with it. Have tried it with automatic drip, chemex and espresso and haven't had a good drink yet.

natural process coffees benefit from lower MET's & higher airflow to preserve the sweetness in the mucilage. due to their inherent dryness, a short roast is best (less than 10 minutes overall). i like mine light as possible & often dump midway through 1C.

 

[TallDan]

Roasts have been 11min, which is about as fast as i can get through 1c. (of course, this is with a behmor, which doesn't dump when it starts cooling)

8oz batches
"Yellowing" @ ~6:00
"Browning" @ ~8:30
start 1c @ ~9:30
end 1c @ ~10:30
cool @ ~11:00

Full power until the start of 1c, 50% from start of 1c until cool.

So, maybe hit the cool in the middle of 1c (around the 9:00 mark)

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

TD, Generally with Ethiopians I pull back the heat using P4 from 3:00 -4:30 into the roast, then go back to P5. Then at browning I pull back again with P4 for about 45-50 seconds. Then as soon as I get a couple clear pops I hit P2 and finish on P2, hitting "Cool" about 15 secs after 1st crack ends.

In general this is my go-to Ethiopian profile and works really well (for my tastes). I will say I have a couple Sidamo from Bodhi and from Theta Ridge that I can not get any flavor out of. It's blueberry nonsense.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I'm due for another order. Anybody have anything good to recommend?

I wish Sweet Maria's allowed you to sort their coffees by score. Everything is 86-88. I want 90+, dang it!

 

[applescrap]

Bodhi leaf sale on honduran coffee says bourbon and cactuai (sp.) Varietal. What does that mean?

 

[TrickyDick]

There is a pretty cool review of home roasters available at roast magazine. I learned about a really promising electric roaster with a 1 kg capacity. Unfortunately I heard about this too late to pre-order a unit. The first batch is supposedly going to be mailed out this summer. I will be highly anticipating availability of future models as pre-orders are closed. Also the pre-order customers got a $1000 discount on with the future MSRP price will be. It sounds really cool has anybody heard of this particular roaster called the R1 bullet? It's searchable on google and I think the website is ailllilo or something like that.
Looks pretty awesome. Gonna have to sell my hottop to afford that!