Posted Fri Jul 20, 2012, 6:54pm Subject: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
Hello everyone. I've been a fan of this site, having helped me make a few recent equipment purchases via the reviews. I've finally registered.
I've been enjoying this coffee since I first tried it in (I think) 1989 or so. I've never had any other bean as satisfying. I've gone through a number of suppliers over the years. My current local source (Mayorga Coffee in Rockville, MD) is no longer selling it, and I'm going through withdrawals. I had a conversation today with the founder of Mayorga (Martin Mayorga) and I while he said he'd let me know when they have extra to bag pure (they now buy it only to make an African blend), I feel that getting it from them will be too irregular for my needs. I really regret having to go back to "mail order" as I was pretty happy with getting very freshly roasted coffee straight from their local roasting facility. Such is life.
I'd love to hear from fans for a good source for fair trade, organic, dark roasted whole beans. Thanks.
Oy. I was so excited until I got to the end. Yirgacheffe is my favorite coffee, but please do yourself a favor and try some that isn't dark roasted. You're burning out the majority of the flavors that make the bean so unique and wonderful.
I recommend home roasting. You'll save a lot of money in the long run.
Check out sweetmarias.com for green coffee beans and supplies.
Posted Sat Jul 21, 2012, 1:00pm Subject: Re: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
One supplier I liked (Schapira's Coffee & Tea) described theirs as a Viennese roast. Mayorga called theirs merely medium. I chose it because of the freshness, local convenience and to show my support for a local business. But I preferred the flavor of Schapira's darker roast. People who like steaks cooked rare argue that a well-done steak is like a piece of leather. But there are people who like steaks well done. Who am I to tell them otherwise? And the same is true for coffee lovers and roasted coffee beans.
Home roasting is on my list, but I haven't had the time to get informed enough about it to buy a roaster.
EvanOz85 Senior Member Joined: 9 Jul 2011 Posts: 258 Location: Lafayette, LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: La Spaziale Mini Vivaldi II Grinder: Baratza Preciso, Hario... Vac Pot: Bodum Santos, Yama 5-cup Drip: Chemex, Kone 3, Kalita Wave,... Roaster: Behmor 1600
Posted Sat Jul 21, 2012, 1:29pm Subject: Re: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
A Vienna roast is still a very dark roast. I'm not trying to tell you what you should like..but I'm curious to know whether you've actually tried a lightly roasted Yirgacheffe to know if you like it or not.
I feel pretty confident in saying that if you're drinking Yirgacheffe roasted past the Vienna stage, then it doesn't really matter what type of coffee you're drinking. Once you reach a certain level of darkness...most Arabicas taste almost the same. The only thing in it's favor is that it's fresh.
Posted Sat Jul 21, 2012, 2:13pm Subject: Re: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
Thinking hard about it, the Viennese roast was the darkest I've had. I recall that it was recommended to me back in 1989 or so by a clerk in a long-since closed regional store called Kitchen Bazaar. And when they closed, their supplier had been Schapira's and so I bought it from them until about 6 years ago. So I've only had it from 2 sources over all these years.
I've honestly never enjoyed any light-roast that I've tried. May I assume that you no longer buy yours pre-roasted (and therefore could point me to a good source)?
Cerridwyn Senior Member Joined: 6 Jun 2010 Posts: 393 Location: Inland Empire California Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Sat Jul 21, 2012, 4:42pm Subject: Re: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
This is one of my favorite coffees and oddly, I find it almost everywhere I go out here, at least a part of the year. I've had it as a light roasted espresso from Barefoot, and a medium roast from a large commercial roaster. I've never had it dark roasted. I think, that is what you will find difficult to find. Most 3rd wave roasters just don't do that anymore. And this coffee is at it's best (to me) on the light side.
I don't roast at home. I find it a waste of time to get it right and then have to waste it and waste coffee again the next batch you buy. It is right for some not others.
But if you like your coffee burnt instead of light and sweet, you will probably have to roast it yourself.
Posted Sun Jul 22, 2012, 11:58am Subject: Re: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
Yirg is one of my favorites. City+ and even FC.
------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------- Le café doit être noir comme le diable, chaud comme l'enfer, pur comme un ange, et doux comme l'amour.
"There is no right answer with coffee. There is only the elixir in your cup at the moment you partake."
"...I often say that when you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind;..." - Lord Kelvin RECIPES thread => http://www.coffeegeek.com/forums/coffee/machines/585708
Posted Mon Jul 23, 2012, 10:18am Subject: Re: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
I prefer to keep mine out of second crack if at all possible, and I'm usually rewarding for landing closer to City+ by brilliant aromatics and sweet spiced fruit. I agree, once you get into second crack, you taste the roasted sugars as much (or more) than the unique character of the origin (or batch for that matter).
Posted Mon Jul 23, 2012, 12:06pm Subject: Re: Hi and looking for Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Fans
Is there an "official" roasting grade/terminology on this site so I can understand your terms? I looked under Guides and Resources, but didn't spot one. Thanks.
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post
Forum Rules: No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards. No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum. No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum. Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards. Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics. Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies. Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies. Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts. Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
= No New Posts since last visit 