malachi Senior Member Joined: 5 May 2002 Posts: 1,758 Location: SFCA Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Monster Mia (for now)_ Grinder: Monster Cimballi Junior Vac Pot: Not any more Drip: never Roaster: Ecco, Stumptown, Intelli,...
Posted Thu Oct 7, 2004, 12:18pm Subject: Re: Why Blend? The Case for Single Origin Espresso
i tasted an incredible single origin organic harar from Doma today. far and away the best harar espresso i've had to date - and one of the best origin espressos i've had. really quite lovely!
Posted Thu Oct 14, 2004, 4:12pm Subject: Re: Why Blend? The Case for Single Origin Espresso
I've been following this since your first post, but haven't commented until today. I admit that I did read your article, but it has been a few months now, so bear that in mind.
I recently used (oh crime of crimes) Kona as a single origin espresso. Some Greenwell Farms green I bought during a tour of the farm during my honeymoon. It wasn't intentional, I had roasted it while my espresso machine was out for repair and it was all I had when the machine came home. It was one of the sweetest shots I've had in a long time.
Current my quest is to figure out how my local favorite (Coffee Cat) roaster manages to roast his VERY caramel flavored espresso. I haven't actually asked him, but I should since he's likely to tell me something about it. He's willing to sponsor a local home roasters meeting in his shop free of charge as well. He's very encouraging of home roasting.
I do not believe it. Good beans do not have to make good blend with other good beans. Things are not so easy.
If mension about a single origin of espresso, I give an example of MONSOON, which I tried and was told that many of our friends like it so much.
Peter in Beijing ------------------- http://www.kaffa.cn/ ------------------- I have got a new website, just started to establish. If you have any question or suggestion, let me know and it is mostly appreciated.
I wouldn't say crime of crimes -- I had some Kona that my parents had left with me, and I agree -- it makes a pretty sweet espresso. I've actually been experimenting with other SO coffees as espressos, mostly because I go through 1/2 lb. a week, and this way I get a more frequent turnover of fresh beans. It makes for (at least) a fuller appreciation of what each coffee tastes like, specifically their strengths and their weaknesses. Kona's mild, so there aren't any overpowering flavors when you use it for espresso.
Posted Mon Jan 10, 2005, 8:39pm Subject: Re: Why Blend? The Case for Single Origin Espresso
i don't see a point in debating which is "better," and i didn't see where the article really made an assertion in that regard.
if the pitch is to give SO espresso a chance, i'll chime in with an aestheticist's perspective:
there is nothing, in my book, like getting a new bean and learning it -- i mean really learning it -- over a period of weeks. when what seems like a so-so uganda, for instance, turns into a delicious, molasses-dark shot after several roasts of testing and tweaking, then shows some floral notes and seriously durable crema with more brewing and tweaking .... there's just very little that's so satisfying, in my book. it's like wooing a woman.
ahem.
there's a different journey with blending, but i'm talking about taking awhile to just drink one bean, learn it, make it sing, develop that sucker. it's uber-rewarding, and your palate expands as well. you start apppreciating all kinds of funky stuff. it's sorta like learning to like new and subtly different beans for what they are, as opposed to going in search of something (belnding) that meets your pre-conceived demands.
both have their place. i'd rather get to know just one girl at a time. er, but that's just a preference.
a caveat: i bet if some of us SO advocates were honest, we'd admit the cost and time involved in getting multiple beans/roasts to cooperate tend to dissuade us as well -- there are times when we'd rather be teasing the flava out of that ethiopian and slurping it up instead of mixing stuff in a beaker. sometimes i feel less like a scientist and more like a philosopher. maybe i'm wrong. but it is a teensy factor in the back of my mind. i do both.
also: how has no one mentioned the smooth kenyas yet? for a pure shot of SO, it's my daddy. the best i've had: that coffee emergency kenya muthiani that got an 89 or some such score. sparky. this could be REALLY heretical, but as good as code brown is ... i preferred the kenya, right into my bouche, please. i'm still trying to come close, on my own. no luck.
Posted Mon Jan 10, 2005, 8:42pm Subject: Re: Why Blend? The Case for Single Origin Espresso
after reading my post above, it should be clear to everyone that i'm not only swilling SO at a record pace, i'm also smoking crack. name-brand stuff. putting it right in my latte. chyyeeaa.
anyway. apologies for all the blather. it was made in jest, partly (you know, the woman stuff).
joatmon Senior Member Joined: 18 Sep 2004 Posts: 151 Location: Greenville, SC Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Elektra MCaL Grinder: Mazzer Mini
Posted Wed Jan 12, 2005, 8:43am Subject: Re: Why Blend? The Case for Single Origin Espresso
e61brewski Said:
...... also: how has no one mentioned the smooth kenyas yet? for a pure shot of SO, it's my daddy. the best i've had: that coffee emergency kenya muthiani that got an 89 or some such score. sparky. this could be REALLY heretical, but as good as code brown is ... i preferred the kenya, right into my bouche, please. i'm still trying to come close, on my own. no luck.
x Senior Member Joined: 29 Sep 2002 Posts: 322 Location: x Expertise: I love coffee
Posted Sat Jan 15, 2005, 3:42pm Subject: Re: Why Blend? The Case for Single Origin Espresso
Hello, Seems like the SO threads sometimes sound like all or nothing. I like both, assuming both are good. Roasting at home for SO is quite challenging for me. That Brazil that worked fine in a blend likely needs much more skill to roast properly for a SO drink. Recently bought some Brazil roasted by a passionate pro for SO espresso, also bought some green. His was uniquely grand, mine uniquely bland. My opinion, SO requires greater roasting skill and greater skill in selecting the green.
Swedish_Chef Senior Member Joined: 3 Feb 2004 Posts: 81 Location: Sweden Expertise: Professional
Espresso: Promac Club/S + Vibiemme... Grinder: Anfim House Vac Pot: GAT, La Caffètiere Drip: KRUPS Thermos (rarely... Roaster: Owen
Posted Tue Jan 18, 2005, 9:38pm Subject: Re: Why Blend? The Case for Single Origin Espresso
IMHO, SO shots are boring, period! ;-) (excuse my insomnia mode, in lack of control of how to express myself proper! Lol! Never the less a perfect situation to taste some experiments with the Vibiemme!) Taste is taste, highly personal. I just say that _I_ have never had a SO shot I found interesting enough to remember what it was made of. If you've found one, go for it! I only object to the Whisky related "single malt" thinking that seem to have found it's way to the world of Caffè... For me it's kind of watching a painting that's being painted in one and the same colour. (I know it does exist, and that some are fond of that too! Man, there's people for everything! LOL!)
Give me Yemen Sanani in a French Press, any day! :-)
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