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

[HarborTownBrewing]

Yep @Ruint and I recently stayed at an Airbnb who's host is a "foodie" and stocked the shelves with "high quality cooking supplies" but... The coffee is roundys or Kroger or something like that.

The priorities are funny, so they give us nice olive oil and fresh black pepper but it's completely acceptable to drink the cheapest coffee from the grocery store.

 

[Inkleg]

The priorities are funny, so they give us nice olive oil and fresh black pepper but it's completely acceptable to drink the cheapest coffee from the grocery store.

"I'll take, People who just don't get it, for $1000 Alex".

 

[applescrap]

Yep, a few side by side sniff tests will clear that up real quick. Man some of these pouches in hotels literally smell like strict nine. Have someone take a good whiff of some likely stale char roast and then smell fresh. The real diff is sugar, sweetness, syrup.

 

[shelly_belly]

Getting ready to roast some coffee and seen I was almost out of Mexican coffee so I went to Sweet Marias to find the coffee from above. No luck but seen a couple new dry process Ethiopian beans. Ended up buying these.

Ethiopia Organic Dry Process Sidama Keramo
Ethiopia Organic Dry Process Sidama Bombe
Guatemala Xinabajul Mejor de Peña
Costa Rica Tarrazu Don Mayo La Loma
Nicaragua Jinotega Finca El Lino

So many new arrivals at the end of the year. Between 1 order in December and 1 in January I picked up 21 different lots and still managed to miss out on a few.

 

[applescrap]

Wow thats cool. All those different types. Hope you share some findings.

So many new arrivals at the end of the year. Between 1 order in December and 1 in January I picked up 21 different lots and still managed to miss out on a few.

 

[shelly_belly]

Wow thats cool. All those different types. Hope you share some findings.

So far I'm finding out that I, like you, have a preference for the ethiopians!

 

[TallDan]

This may be interesting to some here:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/01/the-math-of-brewing-a-better-espresso/
It's summarizing this article
https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltex...m/retrieve/pii/S2590238519304102?showall=true

It suggests a coarser grind and faster extraction time. I haven't read the second (source) article yet, and I may not read it all, it gets pretty deep, but the high level suggestion may warrant some experimentation.

 

[applescrap]

It was interesting very much, thanks. I have made shots with coarser grinds but only saw them as weaker, perhaps perception bias and or too much water. I do this when I don't want to empty virtuoso, like when I am making decaf shots or fresh or different roast. I use the blade grinder. Its been a while cant quite remember, nothing negative. I will have to give it a try, save a little coffee!

This may be interesting to some here:
https://arstechnica.com/science/2020/01/the-math-of-brewing-a-better-espresso/
It's summarizing this article
https://www.cell.com/matter/fulltex...m/retrieve/pii/S2590238519304102?showall=true

It suggests a coarser grind and faster extraction time. I haven't read the second (source) article yet, and I may not read it all, it gets pretty deep, but the high level suggestion may warrant some experimentation.

 

[Ruint]

Not for nothing...I had got the aforementioned Nicaragua dry process coffee...roasted it, then sampled and thought to myself that it wasn't bad, but did have more blackberry flavor in the cup than blueberry. It was 2 days post roast at the time. Been drinking other coffees for a couple weeks and neglected the Nicaraguan. 23 days post roast this dry process is fantastic with a dried blueberry flavor, slight taste of dried blackberry. Totally enjoying the "aged" version....just thought I'd share with ya all!!!

 

[jammin]

Wish I would have bought some!

 

[Ruint]

I can send you a sample if you really would like it...

 

[TallDan]

Not for nothing...I had got the aforementioned Nicaragua dry process coffee...roasted it, then sampled and thought to myself that it wasn't bad, but did have more blackberry flavor in the cup than blueberry. It was 2 days post roast at the time. Been drinking other coffees for a couple weeks and neglected the Nicaraguan. 23 days post roast this dry process is fantastic with a dried blueberry flavor, slight taste of dried blackberry. Totally enjoying the "aged" version....just thought I'd share with ya all!!!

Really... I haven’t had much berry flavor with it but all of my brewing has been 1-8 days post roast. Maybe I should roast some and set it aside.

 

[ba-brewer]

@Ruint, Do you remember how you roasted it?

I try to give my dry process coffee a few days of aging before I start sampling, but not much gets out past two weeks.

 

[Ruint]

Sorry guys...been running hard for the last few and crashed....I can look up my graphs for the last couple of roasts on that and either post them or try to summarize Ba-brewer. I'll also be able to give finer details on how long post roast tasting occurred. But, it'll be a little later this morning....

 

[Ruint]

This is a snapshot of 2 roasts done (overlayed in analyst mode) with the Nicaragua dry process Buenos Aires coffee beans. 2 different size batches, 1 being 700 grams and the other was a batch at 888 grams. Very similar tendencies as far as ror and phases are concerned if you notice....

These roasts were done on the 7th of January, so you can see that I have had them "aging" for more than 3 weeks....them some old beans right there!!!! Lmao!!!

 

[Ruint]

This is a single chart for the batch that was at 888 grams. I preheat my drum to 437 degrees F. Upon charging, I let the batch just absorb heat from the drum for a little over a minute before changing my heat setting to be the most powerful I can get on the bullet, but I drop my drum speed, for the majority of the roast, and I keep my air flow low. Looking at the bars underneath the graph, first bar is "P" the number associated with it is the setting, so P6 is an intermediate setting whereas P9 is the highest setting. The bar right below that is "F" and is for the fan. Bottom one is "D" for drum speed. Both of those are the same for settings, 1 being lowest, and 9 being strongest. At the bottom of the chart, you will notice time increments in 1 minute intervals. So, looking at this you can see I charged, let the beans absorb heat for just a little over a minute then hit with power and slowed my drum, while never messing with the airflow.
Lines in graph:
Dark purple is ET
Light Purple is BT
Red is power
This is relevant btw....bullet owners are aware of the differences but this gets it close enough to what most are comfortable with or familiar with for everyone....

At about 10 1/2 minutes I do change the airflow, as I want to slow the speed at which my temperatures are about to hit with 1st crack, and as you see at 10:59, first crack does occur. I change airflow (the "F" numbers)again to keep it, to what I call my sweet spot, and just adjust accordingly. Past 11 minutes I also change the drum speed, as I want to increase the effect of the airflow thru the beans, so I make them tumble faster to simulate that. Very close to the end of the roast, when I am sure that the caramelization I want to occur, has in fact occurred, I reduce the power setting...

 

[Ruint]

So, the whole roast was a little shy of 13 minutes, for both batch sizes. I would consider this to be a "gentle" aggressive profile. Drop the beans in, let them bask in some heat before ramping the power up, but keeping it fairly even and gentle on the climb. Increase the airflow before first crack, to damper the rise in temperature in the beans from exothermic reaction, so I can ride a little longer in first crack. You have to pay attention to how aggressive the beans are cracking, and that is why I adjust my airflow and drum speed at this point, to help me maintain that moderate aggressive crack. When the beans are slowing, or not quite finished with first crack, I drop them for cooling. Not sure that the information I presented helps anyone, but hopefully it shines a light where needed to assist with how you might need to approach or inspires someone to try something out of normal for them....

 

[TallDan]

How can your BT be higher than your ET? Is that typical with the bullet?

 

[Ruint]

That is the relevant difference I referred to in the above post TD. The 2 purple lines on the graph both represent bean temps. One is taken from a thermocouple and the other is from the IBTS sensor, (infrared). One is actually called bean temp and the other drum temp. It isn't really though, it is more or less, still bean temp. The upper line thru most of the chart is "drum" temp and the underlying is the bean temp taken via the IBTS. For me, those lines usually get very close together towards the end of the session, and often cross.

 

[jammin]

92pt Ethiopian up at SM’s

notes are a bit weird though

It meets my “auto-order” stats of 9+ in both flavor & sweetness. I was already really tempted by that Natural Yellow Bourbon Brazilian. That varietal is one the best & I just know it would make a terrific shot of espresso!

BTW - anyone know WTF Tuberose is?

 

[jammin]

Some fluffs from the Monolith

 

[Ruint]

I will live vicariously through your pics for now @jammin! Not getting the Titan yet...lol. still very content with the settle 270, I also have converted quite a few folks to cold brewed coffee, as when I ask them where or how, they mostly tell me their chain store does it by icing hot coffee and it just doesnt do anything for them, so I convince them to try some I made and there is no comparison. I get back from them that this is so good and smooth....lol! I use the g3 with 80mm flats to chew thru those loads though....love helping folks learn their passions!!!

 

[Ruint]

Here's a description, not sure if it would be too much in a cup.

 

[ba-brewer]

https://www.fragrantica.com/news/Tuberose-Flower-Scent-History-and-Perfume-5041.html
The smell of tuberose absolute is like an explosive bouquet of white flowers. Its extreme complexity gives the olfactive illusion of different flowers and their extracts. With green and narcotic notes, she approaches the scent of Narcissus species. With its milky notes, from its profile emerge exotic flowers like gardenia, frangipani and tiare, whose petals are mixed with coconut oil for the traditional Monoi, the scent of skin under the sunlight.

Not sure I want those smell or jasmine in my coffee, but the flower seems like it would smell nice.

 

[applescrap]

Almost through my 4 yemen pounds, its ok. Somewhat hard to roast because it cracks slowly and not that many cracks. But 1min after 1c I pulled last batch and I taste some char which is interesting. I am eyeing the bodhi aricha. At 35 for 5 pounds, 7.50 1 pound, plus 7 shipping it seems a good deal. I hope its the same as the burmans aricha.

 

[ba-brewer]

This is a single chart for the batch that was at 888 grams. I preheat my drum to 437 degrees F. Upon charging, I let the batch just absorb heat from the drum for a little over a minute before changing my heat setting to be the most powerful I can get on the bullet, but I drop my drum speed, for the majority of the roast, and I keep my air flow low. Looking at the bars underneath the graph, first bar is "P" the number associated with it is the setting, so P6 is an intermediate setting whereas P9 is the highest setting. The bar right below that is "F" and is for the fan. Bottom one is "D" for drum speed. Both of those are the same for settings, 1 being lowest, and 9 being strongest. At the bottom of the chart, you will notice time increments in 1 minute intervals. So, looking at this you can see I charged, let the beans absorb heat for just a little over a minute then hit with power and slowed my drum, while never messing with the airflow.
Lines in graph:
Dark purple is ET
Light Purple is BT
Red is power
This is relevant btw....bullet owners are aware of the differences but this gets it close enough to what most are comfortable with or familiar with for everyone....

View attachment 664375

At about 10 1/2 minutes I do change the airflow, as I want to slow the speed at which my temperatures are about to hit with 1st crack, and as you see at 10:59, first crack does occur. I change airflow (the "F" numbers)again to keep it, to what I call my sweet spot, and just adjust accordingly. Past 11 minutes I also change the drum speed, as I want to increase the effect of the airflow thru the beans, so I make them tumble faster to simulate that. Very close to the end of the roast, when I am sure that the caramelization I want to occur, has in fact occurred, I reduce the power setting...

I tried to mimic your roast profile with the Dry Process Buenos Aires Caturra Nicaragua today. I really don't have too good fan control, but my roaster is fairly responsive so I could control the start of first crack OK. I was able to get a FC at 11min and dropped at 12:30 while still a few cracks active. Will try to let some coffee sit 3weeks to see how how the flavor changes.

 

[Ruint]

I was hoping that you'd be able to look at that chart and be able to apply the concepts to your particular roaster or roasting techniques. If you sample now, from my experience, the BlackBerry is the most noticeable. It is still enjoyable, but I really notice blueberry with that longer rest period, which I feel elevated the coffee to quite a bit more enjoyable. For those of us that had the Ethiopian Banko Yirgacheffe that @jammin recommended a few years ago, it is not that intense of a blueberry. It is subtle but noticeable, and very pleasant. I am hoping that you will get to experience that ba-brewer, or anyone else for that matter!


Would still like another blueberry bomb!!!!!

 

[Ruint]

I know it is early, (10 hour rest)maybe too early! I have a cup of the JBM I roasted yesterday evening, sitting in front of me, brewed this very morning. Color me impressed! Very nice nuttiness mixed with chocolate and caramel. Because I roasted these beans to complete 1C completion, and then held them in another minute, they are a bit darker than where I normally drop. There is a very pleasant roast characteristic that is intermingling in the cup also. Definitely an "island" coffee.

 

[Ruint]

In the past week, I have ordered 92 pounds of beans. Mostly all "fresh" arrivals. Some, after conferring with others, we decided to go in on some more of the Jamaican Blue Mountain, because it really is a prime specimen, and then we are taking a gamble with the Kona, I believe from Greenwell farms. We will see....if it is everything it's cracked up to be! I hope it is, as $35 a pound is a tad bit steep! With coffees at that price I generally ask family, friends, or others that intimately know my roasts if they are interested. Not a bad deal, everyone gets to try, that wants to, a coffee that would be phenomenally priced if it was roasted by a "professional" shop.

 

[jammin]

JMB & Kona are 100% hype/marketing. You just can’t grow amazing coffee at lower elevations. Low acidity chocolate bombs, sure. Brazil has this market on lockdown with substantially more advanced processing technology though.
I hate to be a wet blanket but their BS prices really piss me off.