Posted Sat Nov 24, 2012, 8:11pm Subject: Redolencia Coffeeshop, Ludington MI
Thought I'd try something new, and found they roast their own coffee onsite.
First off - all they use are SO Ethiopia. They have a rancillio and a fair menu of coffee drinks. You can get a French Press, or any number of other coffee drinks. They sell their roasted coffee for a buck an ounce (that's $16/lb).
The barista (and I assume owner) was hopping busy. I watched him make three lattes, a french press before he got to me.
Decor was really nicely done - wood floors, cozy, with an Italian cafe vibe inside. Music was jazzy/hip. I understand they feature live music.
I opted for the "triple ristretto". Right there on the menu. Asked him about the beans, and how they roast them - and he noted they only use Fair Trade Ethiopia (no specified varietal or cultivar), and they have an Ambex roaster. It looked like an Ambex YM-2.
A quick glance at the beans I'd say they are FC+, darker than I imagined an Ethiopia would be. I asked him about dosing - he sort of shrugged and said "I just do it." I asked to have a look at the portafilter he used, and it definitely looks like it holds around 20g of coffee or so - it was deeper than most I'd seen.
I watched him grind, tamp, and pull the shot. He was very conscientious about watching the stream, and I could see the change in color - but I'd say the overall time for the shot was around 1 minute, so I wasn't expecting miracles.
I received about 35ml of the thickest, darkest shot I'd seen, with a lovely 15% crema on top. The taste was really rich, just bubbling with raspberry and blueberry and not a hint of bitterness. There was an overall dessert-wine character to it, with an almost licorice or anise aroma. Strength by taste was absolutely off the chart.
I'll go back, definitely. I asked some of the customers what they thought about their coffees, and some of them thought it tasted odd, like it was flavored, but they really liked the atmosphere. One young woman said it was like there was blueberry flavoring in it - and that's when I thought that some people are really unaccustomed to "fruity" or "winey" coffees - this is nothing like a Colombia or Brazil coffee.
------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------- 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 Sun Dec 2, 2012, 10:40am Subject: Re: Redolencia Coffeeshop, Ludington MI
They run an Ambex YM-2, with a decent engineered control system on it to control the roast.
I bought a lb of their coffee, the owner said they sourced two different Ethiopia from SM for this run. Aroma was extremely fruity - apricot/dried cherry with a floral aroma I can't quite peg. Maybe honey? I think it was a blend of "sota" and "goma" if I recall. Roasted on 11/26/12.
A shot of cocoa and copious amounts of fruit in the cup. Tangy, maybe blackberry with lots of dried-stonefruit type flavors. Very high in sweetness, and very much like a couple of Ethiopia coffees I've roasted in the past. Lots of stuff going on in the cup.
The almost over-the-top sweetness tends to balance out as the cup cools. Fresh out of a Press Pot, it's quite intense.
Overall appearance of the roast is FC, very nice and even roast, characteristic small bean size of what I've seen in the past with Ethiopia coffees (the kind that you can't roast in a Behmor).
Delicious cup, but very atypical of what a non-coffee-enthusiast consumer is used to, especially in rural Western Michigan. Folgers, Starbucks, and Eight o Clock this ain't. If you're looking for a really nicely done eclectic coffee with all the wild character that a freshly roasted Ethiopian varietal can provide, check out Redolencia in Ludington. If you find your way along the Lake Michigan Circle Tour, you'd do well to stop by and have a cup. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
------------------------------------------ ----------------------------------------- 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
jwoodyu Senior Member Joined: 31 Dec 2010 Posts: 705 Location: Michigan Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Allex Duetto II Grinder: Mazzer Major Roaster: Poppery
Posted Sun Dec 2, 2012, 11:03am Subject: Re: Redolencia Coffeeshop, Ludington MI
will do for sure next time i am up that way and thanks for posting
You know those people that want to tell you how to raise your kids but have none of their own? That is how i feel when someone with a kitchen appliance tells me how the merits or dis-merits of my machine or how to use it.
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