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

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Anyone have tips on roasting the Maui Mokka beans? They are about 1/3 the size of most Ethiopian beans, extremely small, smallest eans ive ever seen.

Thinking that a lower charge temp and less overall heat application will be best for these low elevation beans. Not sure what the flavor profile of these are supposed to be, but I like a bit of acidity in my beans. Maybe I start crunching a few as I near the drop point to see if I like them. I believe I have only 1/2 pound left, and the first half I didn't care much for. Near impossible to hear the cracks.
TD.

http://www.home-barista.com/home-roasting/how-to-roast-maui-mokka-t22765.html
 
No for me on the burundi this time, because i got the ethiopian sale last week. The Brazilian they had on sale maybe 3 weeks ago, was really good. My buddy and I split these sales as i mostly only prefer you know what.
 
Anybody had any great green coffee beans lately? Looking for some more like the EYC hambela natural that jammin informed me about probably last year sometime. Had great berry flavor and aromas as I recall. I believe my stash is all gone.

TD

The bodhi leaf drima zede is good, but its pricey.
 
I started at a new office and before I got here word got out that I roast. So, everyone wanted to try it. Given that I was brewing for 6 people and didn't have the resources to bring in my pour over set up for another few weeks, I brought in some 24 hour-ground home roast Kenyan and let them make it in the office coffee maker.

Like most office coffee maker's, this one appears to have never been cleaned. Hamilton Beach, I think, so the water certainly isn't getting hot enough. I walked in today though and they had already downed the pot and were talking about how great it was. They saved enough for me to try it and it was...okay. Better than restaurant coffee, but definitely not how it SHOULD have tasted. There's just not clarity - no definition of the different flavors.

But they liked it so that's great. I think they usually drink Kirkland brand out of a can, so I'm sure this was an upgrade just from freshness alone.

I'm hoping in the next month I can bring the Chemex in and really give them a treat. I could also brew in the V60, but probably no more than two cups-worth at a time...and that would be pushing it's capacity. Every now and then it's fun to open other people's eyes to what we all now consider "normal".
 
I started at a new office and before I got here word got out that I roast. So, everyone wanted to try it. Given that I was brewing for 6 people and didn't have the resources to bring in my pour over set up for another few weeks, I brought in some 24 hour-ground home roast Kenyan and let them make it in the office coffee maker.

Like most office coffee maker's, this one appears to have never been cleaned. Hamilton Beach, I think, so the water certainly isn't getting hot enough. I walked in today though and they had already downed the pot and were talking about how great it was. They saved enough for me to try it and it was...okay. Better than restaurant coffee, but definitely not how it SHOULD have tasted. There's just not clarity - no definition of the different flavors.

But they liked it so that's great. I think they usually drink Kirkland brand out of a can, so I'm sure this was an upgrade just from freshness alone.

I'm hoping in the next month I can bring the Chemex in and really give them a treat. I could also brew in the V60, but probably no more than two cups-worth at a time...and that would be pushing it's capacity. Every now and then it's fun to open other people's eyes to what we all now consider "normal".

I brought in the 5 pounds of coffee I bought for seasoning my new roaster after I had roasted it and gave it away at my offices. It was a hit. The office coffee service we have stinks. Undrinkable.
One of the techs who works with me I found out today used to be a former Starbucks barista for 7 years ( I have to do some more interrogation about this). They apparently teach them how to evaluate the flavor of coffee. I gave her a sample of my 3 day rested Columbia La Florida Roasted just past 1C about 11:05 mark or so. Really great roast I had on this one. 14.5% weight loss, 19.5% development time. (The wonky new roasting software will give you that if you enter pre and post weight plus the % Dev - still prefer Artisan). Just great stuff, and frankly, the best roast I've ever had from this bean - never seemed to nail it on my HotTop. She was wowed for sure (probably never knew anything different than over-roasted coffees working at starbucks!) Another tech had the remains of my thermos at the end of the day - a generously full mug. That one was Ethiopian EYC plus about 30% of the stale and somewhat darker roasted seasoning greens coffee I had leftover to make weight on my brew batch (Not wanting to dip into the COlumbian beans on the second day of rest). She liked it also. One of the other guys I work with first wife family had a coffee farm in Columbia. He is interested in getting into roasting after he finishes up with his alimony. Another guy I work with is addicted to Kona coffee and s paying a fortune getting fresh coffee shipped regularly. He will probably want to get into roasting too to save some money. Regarding hawaiian coffees, there is a rave discussion about t particular farm in hawaii in the Blue Bottle Coffee book- has anyone tried that either roasting on their own, or as brewed by blue bottle? Great book by the way.
TD
 
@td The roasts sound solid. Cool of you to share the beans with everyone. Glad to hear you are rocking the new roaster. Would love to see pics of roast, roaster.

Yeah the dz went on sale a while ago and i got 5 pounds. My buddy usually gets some of their sale stuff and adds 1 pound of dz. Their shipping is 6.60 here. I usually only get their Ethiopian sales and if i am out i go to sweet marias for their solid 5 pound Ethiopian deals.

Drima zede is absolutely one of the best Ethiopians i have had up to this point and i think the best. My friend agrees too. Roasted light it is the brightest, tangiest, fruitiest of them all just my opinion. Worth the buy, yes and no. My buddy gets a pound and drinks it on weekends and on special occasions. Looked at that way its only a two dollar difference on one pound.
 
I finally procured an aeropress and must say that it is one of the single greatest coffee gadgets one can own. I have been enjoying a co-roasted blend of Guatemalan (10oz) and Tanzanian (6oz) roasted to full city in the pourover but I could tell it would really shine in a more concentrated presentation and I was right. Still getting my volumes dialed in, but tinkering is half the fun.
 
Amazing iced coffee recipe!? Details!

it's pretty simple; the key is to press a strong coffee over ice so when it melts, the strength is right.

I use about 20g of coffee in an inverted Aeropress. I fill it not quite full with 200* brewing water and let it steep for 1 minute. I like to add the brewing water somewhat gradually as to agitate the grounds as they bloom & float etc..

After 1 minute attached the filter and flip the brewer over on top of a pint glass filled with ice cubes. I then let it sit for 1 more minute for a total brew time of 2 minutes & then press the coffee out over the ice.

You really want the pint glass filled with ice otherwise the drink can get diluted. Sometimes I add a teaspoon or 2 of sugar into the Aeropress with the coffee which makes for a very nice drink. A tablespoon or so of half n half stirred into the drink can be a really nice touch as well. This is a great recipe that I love to make. It goes down really easy during the warm months and can give you a case of the jitters if you're not careful haha.

Cliffs:
20g coffee into ~80% full inverted AP
brew for 2 minutes
press over pint glass full of ice.
add 1-2tsp sugar to AP for a nice touch
1-2tbs half n half stirred in makes a nice variation
 
Roasted last of my Ethiopian yc and am continually surprised at how, light, it expresses fruity notes and darker tastes like chocolate milkshake. The problem is i cant decide which one i like better. Although i am leaning towards light and fruity. Next up is five pounds of sale bodhi leaf Ethiopian. Least expensive ethiopian i have bought. Looks little just like other Ethiopians in bag.
 
Roasted last of my Ethiopian yc and am continually surprised at how, light, it expresses fruity notes and darker tastes like chocolate milkshake. The problem is i cant decide which one i like better. Although i am leaning towards light and fruity. Next up is five pounds of sale bodhi leaf Ethiopian. Least expensive ethiopian i have bought. Looks little just like other Ethiopians in bag.

Every once in a while, when I'm feeling reaaaaally wild, I'll roast up a light roast and also a dark roast. Blend the two and you have a black and tan.
 
Really nice sounding Kenyan AA blend @ SM's today. Im grabbing 5lbs

"fruit-forward cup, papaya, ruby red grapefruit, blackberry, and more. Chocolate roast tones in the cool cup, with layers of fruited notes, and moderate citric acidity"

Kenya%20Othaya%20Farmers%20AA_746xauto_58f15dc23068d-jpg-keep-ratio.jpeg
 
I haven't met a Kenyan I liked yet, note, I didn't say one that was good, just one that I liked. My buddy and i couldnt drink anymore of the last acidic one. Our other friend likes it. To each their own, hakuna matata.

The aeropress seems interesting.i like the video i have seen with the guy in his pop up using it. Thinking about bonavita brewer, thoughts? Its well reccomended and im not stepping up to the handmade dutch coffee machine, can't think of name.

Side note, just like that delonghi sent me a new esspresso machine. Just wanted cut cord. They dont repair the 80 dollar machines. The vituoso will kill a cheap esspresso machine. Love the virtuoso.
 
^mark this down in your coffee timeline, Apple. When I first got into coffee, Ethiopian & DP coffees in general were the "gateway drug". Soon you will progress into the harder stuff like Burundis & Kenyans just to punch your tongue in the face haha:mug:

For the price of a "good" auto brewer you could get a big french press. The Bodum Columbia 51oz will never wear out and makes brewing large batches easy. I don't use mine often, but it's irreplaceable when i do. FWIW - if you like DP Ethiopian coffees; getting away from paper filters will be in your favor
 
@jammin Cool, Im ok with growing into different tastes. Also, appreciate the fp advice. I havent liked the muddy french press coffee i have made. I think it will be different with a real course grind.
 
Roasted 3 batches this afternoon - the 1st is a 50/50 blend of Yemeni & Ethiopian. I roasted this for an Imperial Stout; i wanted to go 100% Yemeni but didn't have enough. I had every intention of taking it a bit darker than my normal ultra light roast but all the aroma from the tryer was so good I had to dump it at a solid City level.

The other 2 roasts were Ethiopian & Kenyan. The Kenyan coffee still gives me trouble when roasting but I'm getting better at it slowly. Overall I'm getting more comfortable with the new roaster & it's becoming more of a joy to roast on then a panic attack lately haha
 
So I ended up over roasting that Bodie leave Ethiopian been. Tasted it today after three days rest it it's OK but not what I had hoped for or who I still have a 2nd pound. Still learning the inns and outs of the new roaster I guess. This is a picture of that GCBC Coffee. Large. For a peaberry .

IMG_0665.jpg
 
Roasted 3 batches this afternoon - the 1st is a 50/50 blend of Yemeni & Ethiopian. I roasted this for an Imperial Stout; i wanted to go 100% Yemeni but didn't have enough. I had every intention of taking it a bit darker than my normal ultra light roast but all the aroma from the tryer was so good I had to dump it at a solid City level.

The other 2 roasts were Ethiopian & Kenyan. The Kenyan coffee still gives me trouble when roasting but I'm getting better at it slowly. Overall I'm getting more comfortable with the new roaster & it's becoming more of a joy to roast on then a panic attack lately haha

Wait a second what did I miss! You got a new roaster? Which one?
 
Wait a second what did I miss! You got a new roaster? Which one?

yeah i sold my Quest to a dude in canada and picked up a TJ-066 from MillCity Roasters. It is rated for 500g and can handle it easily. I roast 454g batches to keep the bags sold by the pound even. I think I've put close to 40lbs through it so far and am just now starting to get my chops but def. need more practice. It is way more capable/versatile than anything I've experienced.
 
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