Coffee talk

[Nick Clayton]

The incredible amount of variables are one of the most fascinating parts to me with this dive down the rabbit hole.

Since the start I've been using the ratio that I kept seeing as standard, basically 60g coffee per 1000 ml of water, and adapting accordingly to size. A couple of weeks ago I was reading a Reddit thread where someone mentioned using a different ratio on accident and being blown away by how it improved their cup. In this case it was 20/1 water to coffee instead of the more "standard" 16/1.

A whole bunch of people agreed with him so I gave it a try the next day. Instead of making 30g coffee to 500ml water, I went to 25g coffee and I'll be damned if it didn't vastly improve the flavor of my V60 pourover. I've been using that ratio since and it has made a huge positive difference no matter the bean. In my head using less coffee to the water would result in a "weaker" cup but that isn't the case at all. It just results in a much tastier cup to me, where I'm really able to pick out and taste various notes.

Roasted up 225g of these Costa beans yesterday. For whatever reason I've found myself really taking to pretty much all the Costa beans I've roasted. Not sure if that's to due with my roasting abilities or just my tastes but where I'm still having trouble dialing in some other beans, particularly Ethiopian and Kenyan beans Im trying to keep on the lighter side, I've found consistent results in the various Costa beans I have tried. I've read that some beans are just more forgiving to new roasters so that may be the case here.

Took these ones 1 minute and 35 seconds past first crack which ended up somewhere around full city/city+ based on color and moisture loss. I was planning to let them rest a few days before trying but just made a cup and it's delicious. Very sweet, creamy and with just a hint of chocolate. Delicious.

 

[Buzzy]

The incredible amount of variables are one of the most fascinating parts to me with this dive down the rabbit hole.

Since the start I've been using the ratio that I kept seeing as standard, basically 60g coffee per 1000 ml of water, and adapting accordingly to size. A couple of weeks ago I was reading a Reddit thread where someone mentioned using a different ratio on accident and being blown away by how it improved their cup. In this case it was 20/1 water to coffee instead of the more "standard" 16/1.

A whole bunch of people agreed with him so I gave it a try the next day. Instead of making 30g coffee to 500ml water, I went to 25g coffee and I'll be damned if it didn't vastly improve the flavor of my V60 pourover. I've been using that ratio since and it has made a huge positive difference no matter the bean. In my head using less coffee to the water would result in a "weaker" cup but that isn't the case at all. It just results in a much tastier cup to me, where I'm really able to pick out and taste various notes.

Roasted up 225g of these Costa beans yesterday. For whatever reason I've found myself really taking to pretty much all the Costa beans I've roasted. Not sure if that's to due with my roasting abilities or just my tastes but where I'm still having trouble dialing in some other beans, particularly Ethiopian and Kenyan beans Im trying to keep on the lighter side, I've found consistent results in the various Costa beans I have tried. I've read that some beans are just more forgiving to new roasters so that may be the case here.

Took these ones 1 minute and 35 seconds past first crack which ended up somewhere around full city/city+ based on color and moisture loss. I was planning to let them rest a few days before trying but just made a cup and it's delicious. Very sweet, creamy and with just a hint of chocolate. Delicious.


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You are far more scientific at the process than I am. I don't think my sense of taste is as refined as some folks (I surely wouldn't be an effective sommelier). For me the freshness of the roasts, the aroma of fresh beans out of the grinder (not to mention the aroma during the roast) are just king.

This morning, running a tad low on any one specific roast, I used a blend of Guatemala Hue Hue Tenango and Columbia Huila (not measured by weight, measured by volume) and somehow came up with a delicious cup, different from my usual cups.

Fun, ain't it!

 

[troutpocket]

The incredible amount of variables are one of the most fascinating parts to me with this dive down the rabbit hole.

Since the start I've been using the ratio that I kept seeing as standard, basically 60g coffee per 1000 ml of water, and adapting accordingly to size. A couple of weeks ago I was reading a Reddit thread where someone mentioned using a different ratio on accident and being blown away by how it improved their cup. In this case it was 20/1 water to coffee instead of the more "standard" 16/1.

A whole bunch of people agreed with him so I gave it a try the next day. Instead of making 30g coffee to 500ml water, I went to 25g coffee and I'll be damned if it didn't vastly improve the flavor of my V60 pourover. I've been using that ratio since and it has made a huge positive difference no matter the bean. In my head using less coffee to the water would result in a "weaker" cup but that isn't the case at all. It just results in a much tastier cup to me, where I'm really able to pick out and taste various notes.

Roasted up 225g of these Costa beans yesterday. For whatever reason I've found myself really taking to pretty much all the Costa beans I've roasted. Not sure if that's to due with my roasting abilities or just my tastes but where I'm still having trouble dialing in some other beans, particularly Ethiopian and Kenyan beans Im trying to keep on the lighter side, I've found consistent results in the various Costa beans I have tried. I've read that some beans are just more forgiving to new roasters so that may be the case here.

Took these ones 1 minute and 35 seconds past first crack which ended up somewhere around full city/city+ based on color and moisture loss. I was planning to let them rest a few days before trying but just made a cup and it's delicious. Very sweet, creamy and with just a hint of chocolate. Delicious.


View attachment 43301

Nice work finding a confidence variety! I think getting dialed with one makes it easier to figure out others. I spent most of the first couple years I got into roasting focused on Central American beans. Same reasoning you listed.

I also find that adjusting the water ratio, even just a little, can make a big difference when I’m trying to dial in a cup. Most of the time my first adjustment is to add water and that often does the trick, particularly with light and medium roasts. Occasionally the key is going the other way and making a more concentrated brew.

 

[Matt B]

Sometimes a cup tastes pretty good hot, then it cools and tastes different, too.

 

[troutpocket]

Legit. Thanks Kona Costco!


I grabbed the Kona on my first day stop and the Kauai yesterday on the reload trip. Hawaiian coffee rulz. Will be bringing some home for holiday gifts…and to get me through the shock of central WA winter .

 

[wanderingrichard]

This mornings pot had us concerned here. We may be shopping for a new unit.

For over a decade I've used a Cuisinart grind and brew as the main device . This morning was no different except that when the machine started the grind process it had a bit of a surge and skip, like the impellor was binding at the hopper.
Still not quite sure what happened but its telling that when i turned back to rest of the kitchen, my wife was holding the fire extinguisher

 

[Nick Clayton]

After quite a few roasts I feel I am finally starting to get comfortable and produce consistent results that I am very happy with. No doubt there's a long way to go, but I'm starting to gain confidence and I am producing beans that to me are incredibly delicious and no doubt that's all that matters. For quite a while there it seemed my roasts were hit and miss but I'm really starting to see consistency now which is a huge boost to my confidence. I also feel like I am gaining a much better understanding of the entire process, as well as how my machine works which is likely a huge part of my success level.

On Monday, with upcoming nastiness is the forecast my wife and I went to town and finished up our Xmas shopping, and grabbed some basic grocery supplies in case the snow got bad. When we got home I got busy roasting. I roasted a total of five 225 gram batches.

First up was the Costa Rican beans I've had such good results with. Then some Yemen Mocca Hajjah natural, two Ethiopian varieties, and finally this Burundi. Ive roasted the Yemen a couple times this last month and really enjoy it. Very bold cup full of chocolatey and nutty notes. Very enjoyable on a cold morning, and each batch seems to be better than the last.

The CR turned out incredible, possibly my best results with these beans yet. Very fruity, some tartness, a bit of chocolate....just delicious. I am letting the Ethiopians rest a bit longer before trying. I've had a much harder time with Ethiopian and Kenyan beans than any other variety but I'm hopeful that my growth the last month or two is going to show here.

But so far I'm most excited with these Burundi beans. I tried these a couple times right after I started roasting and really crashed and burned, and kinda put them away and hadn't messed with them until Monday when I decides to give them another go. Hit rolling first crack at 6:30 and pulled them at 8:15. They looked and smelled wonderful. Got up yesterday and made a cup of the CR then followed that by trying these and was blown away. Even with little rest they were incredible. A very syrupy mouth feel, and while I definitely got some of the fruity notes I was really blown away with a strong milk chocolate finish I wasn't expecting. Working on another cup this morning and it's even better.





This is such a fun hobby, I really owe you all a thanks for getting me headed down this road. It's so much fun trying a roast for the first time and seeing how my efforts turned out. I think it was Troutpocket who compared roasting your own to tying flies and that's a great comparison. No doubt I could buy "better" beans from professionals but there is just something so satisfying about the process of doing it myself.

An unexpected side effect of all this is that my palate really seems to be improving. Or maybe it's better to say that I'm able to really pay more attention to it I guess. It's funny I've never been the world's biggest beer or wine drinker, but over the past couple months I've had both beer and wine where I noticed things I would have never noticed in the past flavor wise, and I attribute this to all the coffee tasting I've been doing. Really focusing on the subtle flavors of a coffee seems to have improved my ability to do so with other things as well, which is pretty cool. I bought a couple bottles of wine for our 10 year anniversary last month and I was really blown away not only with how much I enjoyed them, but how I was able to really taste the wine. That's never been something I've been much good at in the past.

 

[flybill]

Started a batch of cold brew tonight! Been doing it for a while and have used a lot of different beans. I have considered roasting my own, but there are so many good places doing it. Occasionally I've bought beans from some of the small coffee stands. I like to grind them myself and have an older electric grinder, want a good hand grinder.

I usually use a medium grind, and let it steep 3 or 4 days before use the cold brew..

Cheers!

 

[flybill]

 

[Rob Allen]

Coffee is pretty much coffee.. except for charbucks. There's a reason people drown their coffee with chocolate.

 

[Nick Clayton]

Coffee is pretty much coffee..

I used to believe this myself. Boy was I wrong.

 

[Matt B]

Coffee is pretty much coffee.. except for charbucks. There's a reason people drown their coffee with chocolate.

Fly rods are pretty much fly rods.. except for SnOrevis. There’s a reason people overline their rods with shooting head lines.

 

[Matt B]

I am just cracking up thinking of parallels like going on a hunting site and writing that rifles are pretty much rifles. Or a new mom’s site and saying babies are pretty much babies.

 

[troutpocket]

@Nick Clayton I hear you on developing a palate for different flavors. I got my education in beer and top shelf liquor as a student in Wyoming. A professor in my department brewed beer and fly fished. And owned a drift boat. He was really into hoppy beer and after a few days fishing when I was responsible for bringing the beer, I finally understood the difference between an Amber Ale and an IPA . By the time I graduated I had the lay of the land of craft beer.

I didn’t know I liked bourbon or tequila until I tried top shelf versions. A group of us would kick in to split a bottle of something good since none of us could really afford it.

 

[Porter2]

Wife makes a mean eggnog latte with fresh grounded nutmeg. She uses a Nespresso machine. Only 20 calories

 

[Buzzy]

Coffee is pretty much coffee.. except for charbucks. There's a reason people drown their coffee with chocolate.

Rob - I’m not a fan of really dark roasted coffee (burnt is how I think of French and Italian roasts). For me, a much lighter roast brightens bean flavor*.

*I don’t know if this holds true with all beans but most Ethiopian beans roasted lightly taste fresh with hints of fruit. Tastes so good!

I guess what I’m saying is coffee is pretty much coffee with endless taste options, kind of like the difference between a ribeye and a hot dog. ;-)

 

[Rob Allen]

I used to believe this myself. Boy was I wrong.

I figured I was wrong, just wanted to give Starbucks fans a little rib.. especially after stealing the name of one of TV's most important and beloved characters.

 

[Porter2]

I figured I was wrong, just wanted to give Starbucks fans a little rib.. especially after stealing the name of one of TV's most important and beloved characters.

The only thing I have purchased and liked with regards to Starbucks was their stock about 15+ years ago! Oh and the old forgotten Rhumba (sp?) Frappucino.

 

[Matt B]

I figured I was wrong, just wanted to give Starbucks fans a little rib.. especially after stealing the name of one of TV's most important and beloved characters.

Meant to reply earlier, how offended I am that you not only insulted my favorite beverage (even though my kids say my favorite beverage is beer; I say that’s because they are asleep for most of my coffee consumption) but you have now also offended my favorite American Renaissance novel! And I’m not joking! (About the favorite part. I Moby Dick)

 

[Rob Allen]

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Meant to reply earlier, how offended I am that you not only insulted my favorite beverage (even though my kids say my favorite beverage is beer; I say that’s because they are asleep for most of my coffee consumption) but you have now also offended my favorite American Renaissance novel! And I’m not joking! (About the favorite part. I Moby Dick)

Don't even get me started on how all beer tastes EXACTLY the same.

American Renaissance novels?

Moby Dick might as well be free Wille.

Real men harpoon their quarry and then lash them to the boat for the sharks..