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Espresso Enthusiasts
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Wow. This is taking the art of coffee seriously………
Very nice. What beans have you roasted?
Hmm, one of Sweet Maria's espresso workshop blends. I forget at the moment, and I may have already disposed of the bag.
I do admit the blends are nice, at least as SM makes them. There is something to be said for a good blend with a nice filled-out flavor profile. I can't really say right now whether I prefer a blend to SO, it depends on the blend and the SO bean. I'll need more time if I'm going to discern a general preference in one direction (if one exists).
Well, the reason I asked is that while I have tasted some brilliant blends, I have come to realise that I probably prefer some of the really good single origin coffees.
This is not snobbery, just a recognition of the fact that many times, blends are a sort of lazy mélange which speak of 'coffee' but little specific beyond that. However, if prepared properly they can be excellent.
A few months ago, I had fun mixing a few different beans myself, and produced some surprisingly tasty coffee from the results.
Well, my favorite blend so far has been SM's Ethiopiques, which, as you may guess, is an all Ethiopian blend. I suppose it is my favorite for obvious reasons...
Yes, I can well imagine that.
However, I have noticed this difference even with coffee companies who have - or stock, or source - products I like. Their single origin products may be fine, or excellent, but their blends don't always work as well as might have been intended.
Intelligentsia managed to produce some excellent blends, but blending a variety of beans (different regions, different countries, sometimes different continents) needs a finely balanced hand and a keen awareness of what you are dying to do with this particular combination of tastes and textures and beans.
Indeed, unfortunately blending is also a common way to hide imperfections or stretch stock (this goes beyond coffee, clearly). I'll be honest, though; I haven't had blends from anyone other than SM's in quite a while.
Well, a few months ago, I ordered several different coffees from the Ethiopian Coffee Company, several single origin coffees and one of the two blends they and on offer. The only coffee that was underwhelming was the blend, the others wee excellent.
While I accept that blending can be seen as a way to stretch stock (or use up stock), I also suspect that in the experimental stage, sometimes, people don't really know what they are dong, or what sort of taste they wish to end up with when they produce a blend.
Intelligentsia have had some excellent blends (but also a few that were less than stellar); however, the same applied to their single origin coffees, and I am prepared to accept that some of this may simply be put down to my just not particularly liking specific individual products.
Nevertheless, I do think that blending really good coffee successfully is more of an art form than some of these (fairly new, and enthusiastic) companies realise when they throw stuff together in the hope that some particular version works well enough to be considered a success.
Indeed, well, I imagine that one shouldn't take the task of blending coffee any less seriously than the blending of spirits or wines.
Amen to that. And agreed.
I appreciate that many of these companies are run by enthusiasts and are fairly new to this whole enterprise, but, for now, some of the blends on offer simply don't really work in terms of taste and balance, and that difficult to describe sense of hitting the sort of sweet spot whereby you want to try that again. Doubtless, time, knowledge and learned experience will lead to a general improvement in the blended coffees on offer. For now, though, many blends can best be described as 'a work in progress'.
The topic of the legendary Jamaican Blue Mountain beans have come up elsewhere (@JamesMike mentioned them), and I have been browsing a little.
I am aware of the bean's legendary reputation, but haven't come across it in years.
Around 16 years ago, I did come across it in a high end specialist coffee shop, and, as a pretty poorly paid college teacher at the time, I couldn't justify the expense - which was astronomical - of buying a bag containing nothing but 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain beans. I did treat myself to a blend (recent reading tonight reminds me that the Government in Jamaica prefers the term 'blend' not to be used if the percentage of Jamaican Blue Mountain is less than 20% of the total).
Anyway, I cannot recall what exactly the percentage of Jamaican Blue Mountain was in the blend that I purchased, but I do recall having been somewhat underwhelmed by the coffee I tasted.
Now, it is entirely possible that my palate was insufficiently educated or sophisticated at that time. It is equally possible that at that price, the beans might not have been in as high a demand as the business might have hoped, and that they were not, therefore, perhaps, as fresh as they might have been. Beans that are less than fresh do not taste as well as offerings that are more fresh.
Likewise, I have no doubt that standards have risen since as customers have become a lot more demanding and exacting. Moreover, the competition provided by a cut-throat and thriving coffee business model that has taken off since the last 1990s, would also have provided an incentive to improve standards and service.
But still: I wonder. Has anyone here tried Jamaican Blue Mountain? And, if so, how did you find it? Did the legend live up to its reputation, or did you feel, that while this was an interesting experience, it most certainly was not transcendental.
I am aware of the bean's legendary reputation, but haven't come across it in years.
Around 16 years ago, I did come across it in a high end specialist coffee shop, and, as a pretty poorly paid college teacher at the time, I couldn't justify the expense - which was astronomical - of buying a bag containing nothing but 100% Jamaican Blue Mountain beans. I did treat myself to a blend (recent reading tonight reminds me that the Government in Jamaica prefers the term 'blend' not to be used if the percentage of Jamaican Blue Mountain is less than 20% of the total).
Anyway, I cannot recall what exactly the percentage of Jamaican Blue Mountain was in the blend that I purchased, but I do recall having been somewhat underwhelmed by the coffee I tasted.
Now, it is entirely possible that my palate was insufficiently educated or sophisticated at that time. It is equally possible that at that price, the beans might not have been in as high a demand as the business might have hoped, and that they were not, therefore, perhaps, as fresh as they might have been. Beans that are less than fresh do not taste as well as offerings that are more fresh.
Likewise, I have no doubt that standards have risen since as customers have become a lot more demanding and exacting. Moreover, the competition provided by a cut-throat and thriving coffee business model that has taken off since the last 1990s, would also have provided an incentive to improve standards and service.
But still: I wonder. Has anyone here tried Jamaican Blue Mountain? And, if so, how did you find it? Did the legend live up to its reputation, or did you feel, that while this was an interesting experience, it most certainly was not transcendental.
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I was lucky enough gifted a brand new Rancilio Silvia V3 on Monday. So far I've had an interesting week trying to figure out grind, dose, tamp and how to temperature surf my machine, but I've gotten to the point where I can now pull consistently decent (better than SB anyway) shots.
Pardon the sugary stuffs, my GF loves foo-foo coffee drinks.
Pardon the sugary stuffs, my GF loves foo-foo coffee drinks.
Lucky you to be on the receiving end of such a lovely gift. What a kind soul to think of gifting you such a thing, whoever they are. Enjoy it, and thrill to the learning curve that it comes with it. Above all, enjoy the fact that the coffee you make now is a lot better than that charged for at high rates by SB, and can only improve further…...
Good stuff! What a wonderful gift to receive. One that no doubt will provide years of fun playing with it, getting all the parameters set right and producing wonderful espresso.
Browsing the internet for stories and information about espresso machines, - and, in particular, browsing the site of the company that has manufactured our friend @Kurwenal's wonderful La Marzocco GS/3, it appears that La Marzocca have produced a smaller version of their legendary Linea.
Called the La Marzocca Linea Mini, it appears to have been designed to appeal to those individuals who may see themselves as Home Baristas. Anyway, I have been reading reviews with undisguised interest…..
Called the La Marzocca Linea Mini, it appears to have been designed to appeal to those individuals who may see themselves as Home Baristas. Anyway, I have been reading reviews with undisguised interest…..
That sounds interesting. I may have to take a look at this mini version...
Indeed, reviews reviews which put the (greatly admired) La Marzocca GS/3 (our friend @Kurwenal's machine) side by side with the new La Marzocca Linea Mini - and test them both - point out that the Linea Mini (which is every bit as gorgeous as its older and larger sibling, the GS/3) is aimed at the discerning home enthusiasts market.
This is La Marzocca's second foray into this field…….and the first was the legendary GS/3. (The Linea after which it is named was a professional commercial machine, but apparently was revered by professionals). Hm.
I would be lying - most mendaciously - if I said I wasn't tempted.
This is La Marzocca's second foray into this field…….and the first was the legendary GS/3. (The Linea after which it is named was a professional commercial machine, but apparently was revered by professionals). Hm.
I would be lying - most mendaciously - if I said I wasn't tempted.
I have a very kind employer. My boss has the same machine, and I think he is just hoping I'll hack it and share some knowledge with him. I'm already feeling the need for a bottomless portafilter, pressure gauge, PID controller and a few other do-dads. It's a brave new world I'm entering...
Welcome to the world - or thread - of coffee insanity. And enjoy the exploration of your wonderful gift. (And yes, your employer is indeed, most kind, a rarity to be treasured in these days bursting with the hubris of a capitalism dripping red in tooth and claw.)
This morning, I opened my parcel and made a lovely mug of coffee with the "Ethiopia Kebel Aricha: Washed" (beans) that arrived last Friday, with a roasting date of 23.07.
Lovely. The tasting notes (and yes, I'll indulge them, because this really is rather nice) remark: "Juicy and clean, white sugar sweetness, notes of lemon, apricot and bergamot, tea-like mouth feel."
Haven't had Nuevo in a long time. Still as good as I remember, very creamy and chocolate like taste which fits it's descriptor and reviews, not a full on comfort blend as you get a bit of zest/spice notes like a hint of fruit. Awesome straight and in milk.5lbs of some Nuevo in mmmm
5lbs of some Nuevo in mmmm
Gorgeous picture; I hope it tastes as good as it looks…...