dsharp88 Senior Member Joined: 22 Dec 2001 Posts: 73 Location: Metairie, LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: LaCimbali Junior D/1 Grinder: Mini Mazzer, Solis Maestro Vac Pot: Yama Drip: Chemex, 1-cup Melitta Roaster: Alpenrost, FreshRoast+,...
Posted Sat Dec 27, 2003, 8:56am Subject: New blend and upcoming Single Origin Espresso Project
It's been awhile since I updated my "coffee at a glance" chart. Keep in mind the ratings are INTENSITY ratings, NOT QUALITY ratings.
Since recently cupping Timor Maubesse Organic, I've been thinking about single origin espressos. Timor has become my number one coffee in that category. Famed coffee cupper Ken Davids rated it 88 as a single origin espresso, and his guest cupper rated it an other-worldly 95! If I hadn't known it was a single origin bean, I would have guessed it was a blend of Sumatra, Sulawesi and Papua New Guinea because it has components of all three of those Indonesians. Other good single origin espressos include Costa Rican Doka Estate, the dry-processed Ethiopians and Yemen, Papua New Guinea, Sulawesi, and perhaps Indian Pearl Mountain, and Columbian. When I cupped these individually, though, I was thinking of them only in terms of their blending potential. With the exception of Timor and C.R. Doka, I'm doing this by memory. It could be an interesting series of projects, though (hint of things to come).
As for my latest blends, I have been playing around a lot with 5-bean house blends. My latest is 30% Brazil, 20% each of Sulawesi, Uganda, and Harrar, and 10% Sumatra, which I call Black Labrador Blend. I've changed to naming my blends for dog breeds rather than college nicknames because I didn't want to infringe on any licenses for trademarks or copyrights ("Tiger" Blend would have been OK, but "Green Wave" Blend and "Sun Devil" Blend may not have been).
jim_schulman Senior Member Joined: 19 Dec 2001 Posts: 3,772 Location: Chicago Expertise: I live coffee
Posted Sat Dec 27, 2003, 4:32pm Subject: Re: New blend and upcoming Single Origin Espresso Project
Don, thanks for the great blending chart. It looks like it's very accurate. I'm guessing the ratings come from the taste at a rolling second crack; if you could, please clarify that.
It may be useful for you to append the text file with these ratings where people usually post pics, so those who want can download it for their reference.
dsharp88 Senior Member Joined: 22 Dec 2001 Posts: 73 Location: Metairie, LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: LaCimbali Junior D/1 Grinder: Mini Mazzer, Solis Maestro Vac Pot: Yama Drip: Chemex, 1-cup Melitta Roaster: Alpenrost, FreshRoast+,...
Posted Sat Dec 27, 2003, 5:18pm Subject: Re: New blend and upcoming Single Origin Espresso Project
Jim,
You're correct in assuming these were all taken just to the rolling second crack. I don't know where to post this for downloading, although I do have it also saved in a Word file if that will help. How/where do I upload this for the site?
Posted Sun Dec 28, 2003, 9:36am Subject: Re: New blend and upcoming Single Origin Espresso Project
Hi Don... Thanks for this chart... Can you put up with a couple of newbee questions?
In looking over the varieties you've charted, there are a couple that I know I've really enjoyed in the past (Ethopian Harrar, for example). Is it fair to say the if I look for other varieties that have similar characterisitcs (PNG, for example) that it likely that I will enjoy that variety as well?
So far, my espresso experience has been with blends (Black Cat and SM's Espresso blend, pre-roasted). If I want to try making espresso from a single origin coffee, what characteristics are most important in making a variety suitable for espresso?
Thanks, again!
...ron
Oh... For your Word version of this list, you could just attach it to a message in this thread (At the bottom of the Post a Message or Post a Reply form).
dsharp88 Senior Member Joined: 22 Dec 2001 Posts: 73 Location: Metairie, LA Expertise: I live coffee
Espresso: LaCimbali Junior D/1 Grinder: Mini Mazzer, Solis Maestro Vac Pot: Yama Drip: Chemex, 1-cup Melitta Roaster: Alpenrost, FreshRoast+,...
Posted Sun Dec 28, 2003, 12:57pm Subject: Re: New blend and upcoming Single Origin Espresso Project
Ron,
I'm always happy to help.
No, similar characteristics won't produce a similar sensory experience. For instance, you can play a note on a contrabass and an electric bass, viola or cello, guitar or piano, etc. and while the notes are the same, and played at the same pitch, and both on string intruments, they still aren't the same. Likewise, the flavor characteristics I've listed are very broad and are affected tremendously by many other factors.
First, those are both great blends so know that you are enjoying some very fine espresso. Espresso works best as a blend. Continuing my musical analogy, espresso emphasizes the characteristics of a single origin bean far more than coffee in the way that an orchestra full of one instrument can play at the volume of a normal orchestra, but without the blend of many musical instruments. That's not to say a brass band cannot produce a pleasing sound, but it's difficult to match the complexity and balance of a full orchestra, and there lie the key words - complexity and balance. Strings can work well together, brass can work well together, but drums only, or trombones only produce a sound lacking in certain aural necessities.
Timor scores high because it resembles an Indonesian blend. Ethiopian Harrar can work because it has more complexity as well. Most Brazil wouldn't likely work well as a single origin espresso because it doesn't have much flavor, and what flavor it has is very simple.
Posted Sun Dec 28, 2003, 8:51pm Subject: Re: New blend and upcoming Single Origin Espresso Project
Thanks, Don... The music analogy worked great! I understand the differences you are illustrating. I guess I'll have to try out different coffees until I can taste the difference! In the name of research, of course! :)
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