FAO anyone who's up for trying a Really Interesting Coffee (deadline 19/2)

[mrs quoad]

Mine arrived today too. Just brewing up now

Very surprising for a Nicaraguan coffee - very smooth and well rounded - - with something chocolatey going on in the middle - I'm still a bit bunged-up so I can't give it justice yet.

Oh, awesome!

Would love to hear your thoughts too, dbd!

All bar 50g of my second bag has gone... And it took a fair few shots to get the brew time and grind right

 

[gentlegreen]

What temperature etc would you recommend ?

I've always associated Espresso coffee with a piercing sharp pain in my head, but maybe it's time to re-examine the technology if it enables you to dial in the settings.
I've settled on a tea blend that seems to survive my random approach.

I discovered real coffee thanks to Kenya Peaberry in a stovetop thingy, but last time I fired mine up, the results tasted caramelised and I thought about dangerously extending the pipe ...

I can swear I can now taste the paper in filter coffee - can't believe I drank that for so many years...

Amazing in retrospect I could tell the difference seeing as I bought my coffee ready ground.

So can an Espresso machine give that "chewiness" you get from a cafetiere ?

-------------
I'm mostly an Oolong tea drinker these days.

I'm still buzzing thanks to that jug of coffee - I even drilled some holes in the bathroom earlier

You are, in effect a drug-pusher !
.

 

[mrs quoad]

I discovered real coffee thanks to Kenya Peaberry in a stovetop thingy, but last time I fired mine up, the results tasted caramelised and I thought about dangerously extending the pipe ...

I cannot recommend the Muchoki peaberry enough, if interested in fruity coffees... Strawberries and tangerines. Ridiculously so.

I can swear I can now taste the paper in filter coffee - can't believe I drank that for so many years...

Filter did something to my innards last time I drank it. With this Nicaraguan, as it happens. Thundering wind, and green shits. I think it might not be entirely unrelated to the quantity of caffeine I took in...

So can an Espresso machine give that "chewiness" you get from a cafetiere ?

Do you mean body? If so, yes.

x 50

Crema is far, far more bodiful than anything that a cafetiere can turn out... And the shot's far more concentrated.

You are, in effect a drug-pusher !
.

In this instance, I'm ok with that

 

[mrs quoad]

What temperature etc would you recommend ?

Cafetiere?

Standard would be about 95*C when poured - I've been advised to count about 12s after the kettle's boiled...

Leave for 4 mins tops.

If bitter, grind coarser.

Or - at slightly more length...

To start with, I will assume that your French press has been
cleaned, you have a clear work top area and all of the following
things are to hand:


1. A kettle filled with fresh water
2. A French press
3. Coffee beans
4. A coffee bean grinder
5. A tea towel (or drying cloth)
6. A mug or cup
7. A stirring stick or spoon
8. *Optional* a thermal flask.


Boil the water in the kettle. Once boiled, poor around 5cm of water
into the French press. Gently swill the water around the jug making
sure that the whole jug is warmed.

Then add the filter (plunger) to the jug and allow the heat to add
a little expansion to the outer spring but only for a few moments.
This will help in forming a secure seal when placed in the coffee.

Throw the water away then dry the inside of the pot and the filter
mechanism.

Boil the kettle again. Whilst it is boiling, take your coffee beans
and grind the amount you need. The grind should be coarse and
similar to sharp building sand. What do you mean you have never
tried that in coffee!

Below is a table of recommended amounts. Please note these are just
a starting place, coffee is very personal and you may want to
change the quantities in order to get the brew just right for your
own taste.


Cup Size Level Table Spoons of Ground Coffee
3 2.5
4 3
8 6
12 9


If you prefer to drink your coffee from a mug, a good rule of thumb
is two cups are about equal to one mug.

The water should be just off boiling (95ºC) when poured into the
jug leaving around 2cm at the top of the pot to allow for the
filter part. Then take the stirring stick (or spoon) and stir the
pot making sure all the grinds at bottom are nicely infused.

Put the top of the pot back in place, so as to keep the spring
warm, but do not press it down. Leave the coffee to brew for around
four minutes.

Once four minutes has passed press down the plunger being careful
not to exert too much pressure. You will get the best results if
you are slow and gentle at this point.

Forcing the filter can make hot coffee squirt out of the top
resulting in it being wasted whilst possibly scalding you. If there
is undue pressure from the plunger it may be that you have ground
the coffee too fine. If this occurs, remove the filter, stir the
liquid, and replace the filter again, remembering that next time a
courser grind may be needed.

Once infusion has finished pour the contents of the jug into cups
to be enjoyed immediately, or into a vacuum flask if you don't want
it to get cold too quickly. Leaving coffee in the pot with the
grinds can over extract the brew, leaving a bitter and unpleasant
cup. Coffee should never be re-heated!

 

[gentlegreen]

I cannot recommend the Muchoki peaberry enough, if interested in fruity coffees... Strawberries and tangerines. Ridiculously so.

I bought some of that too so have that to look forward to later on - though not today or I will never get any sleep.

I can see I will have to try some dangerous mods to my Moka express.

 

[mrs quoad]

I bought some of that too so have that to look forward to later on - though not today or I will never get any sleep.

I can see I will have to try some dangerous mods to my Moka express.

Re: the Muchoki.

If it isn't open...

Sniff the valve.

Or - alternatively / if that gives you nothing - punch a pin-prick in the top, and squeeze out some of the air.

Inhale deeply.

Report back

 

[gentlegreen]

I can tell the difference between that and the Nicaraguan - more "rounded" whereas the latter is more "dusty" ..

I'm somewhat lacking in vocabulary.



EDIT :-

still a bit bunged-up at the moment.

 

[Spion]

I'm yet to find anything to top Hasbean's Monsoon Malabar.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Another Hasbean fanatic

Just roasted a batch of my feeling-unloved Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira Canario. My iRoast (still loving your work there, quoady ) lid somehow managed to undo and a few beans and plenty of chaff went awry, but still. I should have roasted yesterday, but I didn't, so I'm going to have to have freshly roasted in a min - won't be ace, but whatever.

I wish I had your zeal (and money) for coffee mrs q. I'm happy if my machine doesn't explode while I'm pouring an espresso Once I'm a rich bugger with time on my hands I'll follow your dedication and be able to know wtf you're going on about again!

 

[gentlegreen]

Just started on the Kenya peaberry.

Me tubes are still a tad clogged up, so all I can say is this tastes of coffee - gutsy, but smooth.

 

[mrs quoad]

I'm yet to find anything to top Hasbean's Monsoon Malabar.

Monsoon(ed) malabar is a fairly... take it or leave it... / unique / marmite coffee. IME... People love it or hate it...

I keep on meaning to try HB's offering - but've been put off by previous MMs I've tried... Which've always reminded me a bit of warm sewage, and... throbbing mustiness. Like rimming an antagonistic cat*.

e2a: oh. The college dean gave me a bag of Whittard MM last year, for fixing / altering / tinkering with his espresso machine. That reminded me of confusion, warm underpants*, and Robusta. I also - fwiw - have a feeling that there's either some Robusta or some MM in here. I couldn't work it out. Puzzled the hell out of me. Very strange blend. My feelings towards it went through a whole lot of ambivalence / confusion, and I think I ended up leaving about half a bag.

Just started on the Kenya peaberry.

Me tubes are still a tad clogged up, so all I can say is this tastes of coffee - gutsy, but smooth.

OK... I'm... interested, and kinda saddened... IME, the Muchoki peaberry (if that's the Kenya?) was one of the most crisp, acidic, fruity coffees I've drunk. When I sniffed it, it reeked of strawberries... In espresso, the sharp acidic brightness REALLY came through - almost like tangerines, or crisp oranges... With a very definite natural strawberry taste (not subtle strawberries, but 'oh fuck me strawberries') coming through more in filter / my lever machine (though the lever was a bitch to get it to work in).

Oh well! If it's good, it's good




*burying / immersing my head in a fat man's buttocks is probably a closer amalgamation of these two thoughts / tastes / impressions. Overwhelming, wrong, stuffy, intense, intimate, salty, airless, bewildering. On a similar vein, someone once described one of my favourite coffees as like cow manure, with a hint of urine and strawberries, but in a good way.

 

[mrs quoad]

Another Hasbean fanatic

Just roasted a batch of my feeling-unloved Brazil Fazenda Cachoeira Canario. My iRoast (still loving your work there, quoady ) lid somehow managed to undo and a few beans and plenty of chaff went awry, but still. I should have roasted yesterday, but I didn't, so I'm going to have to have freshly roasted in a min - won't be ace, but whatever.

Check the lid locking mechanism.

There's something there that - if memory serves - can be bent up / down a wee bit to ensure a better catch.

I've had this problem before, and only discovered when my whole f***ing kitchen was awash with red hot beans and chaff.

Hope it was drinkable! I've been roasting some greens dating from last year recently, and it's been surprisingly awesome

 

[gentlegreen]

Definitely not fruity - I have Colombian as a reference.
I've just poured the remains of the brew and I got a nose full of almond ..

It's probably skewed by the toast and marmalade...

 

[mrs quoad]

Definitely not fruity - I have Colombian as a reference.
I've just poured the remains of the brew and I got a nose full of almond ..

It's probably skewed by the toast and marmalade...

And that is the Muchoki peaberry?

Gosh.

 

[gentlegreen]

And that is the Muchoki peaberry?

Gosh.

yes.

Perhaps they put the wrong beans in the bag.

Excellent coffee though - good to be reminded that Kenya makes quality coffee too.

 

[mrs quoad]

yes.

Perhaps they put the wrong beans in the bag.

Excellent coffee though - good to be reminded that Kenya makes quality coffee too.

Glad to hear it!

I might order another bag... It's perfectly possible that the greens've matured / changed over time. Or that the french press (?) is bringing out something different

Their description looks like it hasn't changed, mind...

This is a sparkling, crisp peaberry lot with a ripe cherry acidity and a surprisingly full body. Tangerine, rosehip, cherry and a hint of strawberry come together to create a complex and satisfying cup.

*intrigued*

 

[gentlegreen]

Or that the french press (?) is bringing out something different

You could be right, I'm not upset by finding chewy bits at the bottom of my mug.

 

[mrs quoad]

You could be right, I'm not upset by finding chewy bits at the bottom of my mug.

Likewise - but I'd usually expect the FP to be pretty close to vacpot...

 

[Herbsman.]

Bastards

 

[mrs quoad]

Bastards

Given you've bumped this...

https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Bolivia-Machacamarca-BV-María-and-Mario-Andrade-2009.html

Truly awesome.

Getting a reputation as one of the best single origins for some time. Toomuchcoffee has a thread devoted to it.

I've been loving it in espresso - so much so that I've completely failed to get round to trying it in fp, vacpot or filter

I've got 4kg of greens, and'm thinking of getting another 4kg. Because it is worth it.

 

[tar1984]

MrsQ - can you post a picture of all your coffee making paraphernalia again? I remember you posted it before and it was wicked!

 

[mrs quoad]

MrsQ - can you post a picture of all your coffee making paraphernalia again? I remember you posted it before and it was wicked!

The roaster's out of shot in the lower picture, but it's just in shot in the top un!

And the vacpot, filter stuff and cafetieres are elsewhere

 

[Herbsman.]

Fucking hell Quoad

You seem like some sort of mad coffee professor.

TBH if I had excess money to burn I'd be spending it on the same shit - grean beanz, roaster, grinder, espresso machine, scales, tamper the lot.

 

[electrogirl]

Ha that's fucking brilliant!

 

[Spion]

Given you've bumped this...

https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Bolivia-Machacamarca-BV-María-and-Mario-Andrade-2009.html

Truly awesome.

Hmmm, might give it a go. I need to put an order in with them soon. Will it be any good in cafetiere?

The one I most enjoyed lately (apart from the Monsoon Malabar, which I buy every time from them) was the Yemeni Mocha Matrar. They don't seem to have had any lately tho

 

[mrs quoad]

EG / Herbie... tbh, that's approx. half the width of my room. All the non-coffee space is taken up by a bed, and my books

Hmmm, might give it a go. I need to put an order in with them soon. Will it be any good in cafetiere?

Should be good! I'd cautiously suggest adding in the delivery notes that it's going to be used in french press - Steve might roast it slightly lighter (he'll be roasting to order regardless; if he knows it's FP then it's something else to go on!)

Also worth mentioning this: https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/De-Lujo-Espresso-Blend.html

Which is built on a 60% base of the Bolivian, with some El Salvador La Illusion mixed in. I know it says espresso blend, but it should be pretty darned interesting in FP. And it really IS worth a shot!

The La Illusion was in last year's Cup of Excellence auction, and adds a really interesting winey twist. IMO. I've been chuffing loving it

The one I most enjoyed lately (apart from the Monsoon Malabar, which I buy every time from them) was the Yemeni Mocha Matrar. They don't seem to have had any lately tho

Probably out of this year's crop. If next year's crop is up to standard, it'll be back in a few months' time... For the meantime, use this opportunity to explore beans from a few currently-cropping regions

 

[Herbsman.]

Bloody caff addicts.

They're so addicted that they become deluded into thinking that spending hundreds if not thousands on expensive caffeine paraphernalia is somehow 'normal'. It consumes their lives and takes over their brains. BAN THIS DRUG NOW!

 

[Herbsman.]

It's MORE DANGEROUS THAN HEROIN!

 

[mrs quoad]

Bloody caff addicts.

They're so addicted that they become deluded into thinking that spending hundreds if not thousands on expensive caffeine paraphernalia is somehow 'normal'. It consumes their lives and takes over their brains. BAN THIS DRUG NOW!

I really, really hate feeling caffeinated

I can't work, function, or exercise, and feel like a splintered, sweaty mess

So it's 1-2 cups per day (the safe / 'not-feeling-it' threshold)

 

[mrs quoad]

Given you've bumped this...

https://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/Bolivia-Machacamarca-BV-María-and-Mario-Andrade-2009.html

Truly awesome.

I'm roasting some of this as I type

My laptop is about 1" (to scale) to the right of the roaster (out of shot), in the top of the two pictures

Beautiful Sunday morning smells