Coffee Appreciation

wasn't intended to be as facetious as it sounded, just chancing.

edit, plus I know VB wasn't fishing. Soz.

Just finished off the bag of Monmouth Guji Gorbiche in the Aeropress. Left the grinder set for espresso (my arm is broken just now, so things are hard enough as is). Anyway, made probably 40mls or so as quick as possible, and made up to a full mug.

It's more restrained than via espresso, but still has that amazing fruitiness. Closest taste I can compare too is a Soreen fruit malt loaf.

My girlfriend is picking up some Kochere and Wahenya Estate later, and I'll grab some Square Mile Red Brick again for a second try.

Yup, crappy coffee. The gimmicky marketing set my alarm bells ringing.

Milk can hide a lot of bad flavours (just look at Starbucks/Nero/Costa). If it tastes like shit on its own then it probably is just bad coffee.

Ok, cheers!

I bought some east blend from nude expresso, ground -had to google this one - it in the porlex an had an excellent expresso from my gaggia today. anyway, the brazilian that I bought at algerian coffee is sill my favourite very strong and powerful.

Fear not, I wasn't fishing... just fearing the cold turkey period and walking into the kitchen to be greeted by an array of coffee equipment every morning.

I'm spared though, a very kind soul is pulling in a favour owed to him with the net result that I shall be kept in beans for the near future.

I'm both up and down about this... it's touching, I deeply appreciate, and the beans I know I like. But... I'm also enjoying hacking my body recently, and was quite tempted by trying to be caffeine free for a while (I'm currently hacking my sleep cycles too... getting up at 5am and snoozing mid-afternoon).

(I'm currently hacking my sleep cycles too... getting up at 5am and snoozing mid-afternoon).

i would do that too if it wasn't for my 9-6 grind, think it'd suit me really well

Just got an aeropress and want variety of coffee to try with it. Which out of the hasbean starter packs would be best, the filter or the espresso?

I've been drinking aeropresses from Dose for the best part of a year and I have never seen them use an espresso roast. On that basis I'd recommend the filter pack; I got the same for my parents for Christmas the other year and it tasted great - albeit in a cafetiere.

The thing with the aeropress is its versatility. You can imitate a typical filter brew, or smash out a fine grind in next to no time. I'd try different roasts, but it makes sense to try lighter ones that haven't been cooked to death first.

Also, he's using my grinder - and my grinder has never proven itself at creating consistent espresso-suitable grounds.

I made a cup in my stovetop today with the new beans from Hasbean. Compared to Monmouth espresso which I was using before, the coffee was weaker and more watery - a larger volume of steam passed through the coffee than before. I was using the same setting on the grinder. I prefer a stronger, smaller shot. Not espresso, exactly, but more that end of the spectrum than filter coffee, which is essentially what I got out this morning.

Should I try it a little finer, or is there anything else I should be doing? Do different beans sometimes require different grinds to get the same effect?

Also, he's using my grinder - and my grinder has never proven itself at creating consistent espresso-suitable grounds.

I'm buying a porlex at the same time, but will probably go for the filter starter pack as you suggest.

Yes, just a grind issue. Different coffees can require quite significantly different grind settings for the same brew method. Go finer, you'll get the richness back. You can probably expect it to be a fair bit brighter than the Monmouth espresso

Cool, will try that. The smell of the beans when I opened the packet was gorgeous. Was a bit disappointed by the weak drizzle that came out, but assumed it was user error.

Ethiopia Konga Peaberry from hasbean is full of win. Aeropress. The Rwanda kigoma fully washed red bourbon isn't far behind either. #happycoffeedays

The MM Ethiopian Kochere was mental the first time I tried via espresso yesterday. It really is like a fragrant tea on top of the coffee. I also noticed a (nice) skunky weed aroma too, like freshly dried buds. With milk it is less noticeable.

Still trying to get the Kenyan Wahenya dialled in as it's pouring very slowly whilst also showing too much acidity. I may back off the dose first. I'll experiment this afternoon. Will also try in the Aeropress at work. Dude in the shop said it'd need a different grind as a passing comment, and he was right.

Oh, question:

The cafe round the corner on Cambridge Heath Road (Hurwundeki) has 1Kg bags of Square Mile Red Brick for £23. Can I get away with freezing half of it as I won't drink that fast, or am I better splitting the bag with a mate to drink it fresh?

I'm heading to Europe in the spring for a month. Is it worth taking my polorex + buying beans? Or just get a bag of ground whilst traveling? If the beans, has anyone got any advice on the best (small) receptical for keeping them in?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/shortcuts/2012/feb/01/anyone-for-lcd-soundsystem-coffee

Some Brazil Fazenda Cachoeria da Grama Pulped Natural arrived the other day. First shot this morning not quite dialled in but almost.....

Show-off.

Oof. Home machine Sasmon?

If so...

Show-off.

Probably not wrong.

The wife went nuts when I ordered it.

Probably not wrong.

The wife went nuts when I ordered it.

Very shiny. Is it a double boiler or HX?

hx.

Anybody know why the Percol Italiano is not stocked anymore in the supermarkets and Earth in Kentish Town? They said a few month ago their supplier does not have it anymore and now I found it in my local Nisa of all places. No Espresso for me at home and this Percol is the best cafetiere by far.

Well done Simon, I thought you were a Jura man to be honest.