John says...
While the main components of this blend remain the same, I often alter percentages and experiment with different pre and post blending methods as well as different roast levels. This way, I can discover flavors I may have missed or lost with some other combination.
This current batch as espresso is peach, mango, light bittersweet almond and hints of honey and chocolate. In cappuccino, it tastes like a peach/apricot creamsicle up front with the almond taking on a lighter, but sweeter role. Not recommended for drinks above 12 ounces.
This espresso is not for the choco choco dark caramel and wood crowd.
But for those looking for a bright, lively, multi-dimensional espresso--this is it.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Sunday, June 22, 2008
need beans?
John says...
Tasty coffee this week.
Currently at the caffe:
* Kenya AA - Nyeri Kiamaina
* Honduras San Marcos COCOSAM
* Rwanda Kinunu 100% Bourbon
* Colombia Choco Carmen del Atrato
* Panama Carmen Estate
* Flores Bajawa
* Killer B espresso
* Mountain Mambo Espresso
exceptional coffee, exceptionally fresh. Only at caffe d'bolla!
Tasty coffee this week.
Currently at the caffe:
* Kenya AA - Nyeri Kiamaina
* Honduras San Marcos COCOSAM
* Rwanda Kinunu 100% Bourbon
* Colombia Choco Carmen del Atrato
* Panama Carmen Estate
* Flores Bajawa
* Killer B espresso
* Mountain Mambo Espresso
exceptional coffee, exceptionally fresh. Only at caffe d'bolla!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Kenya AA - Nyeri Kiamaina Tasting Notes
John Says...
Today I tested a batch of the new Kenya AA Nyeri Kiamaina.
This batch was roasted to a City Roast at 9:00 AM this morning.
Testing was done at 6:00 PM.
I brewed several batches in the Siphon brewer, and even on day one, the flavors are coming through. Peach and maybe a hint of floral apricot in the aroma. Peach and lemon up front, with the peach dominating as the cup cools. A sweet and balanced finish of peach and honey.
I found this coffee to be exceptionally clean, even by my radical standards. It's truly a magnificent coffee and creates a cup you will long remember.
Today I tested a batch of the new Kenya AA Nyeri Kiamaina.
This batch was roasted to a City Roast at 9:00 AM this morning.
Testing was done at 6:00 PM.
I brewed several batches in the Siphon brewer, and even on day one, the flavors are coming through. Peach and maybe a hint of floral apricot in the aroma. Peach and lemon up front, with the peach dominating as the cup cools. A sweet and balanced finish of peach and honey.
I found this coffee to be exceptionally clean, even by my radical standards. It's truly a magnificent coffee and creates a cup you will long remember.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Pursuing Perfection with Panama: Siphon Techniques
John says...
Today I am testing the Panama Carmen Estate
This coffee was roasted 9 days ago at a City roast.
Test 1:
Grind at 4 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Test 2:
Grind at 2 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Results.
This coffee being roasted a hair lighter, my suspicions were found to be true.
Test 1 was a balanced peach/vanilla with very subtle, yet sweet citrus notes.
As the cup progressed the citrus became more defined, but surrounded by an essence of vanilla.
Test 2 had more separation up front in the cup. Strong Peach notes with a bright citrus aftertaste. As the cup cooled, the vanilla came out and began to mingle with the peach.
The finish in Test 1 was sweet light citrus.
The finish in Test 2 was a bright citrus with the slightest hint of vanilla.
What does this tell me?
It's obvious that even with a small adjustment, there is a direct correlation between roast level and grind. And it is the balancing of the sweet, citrus, and more rounded, or even spice notes that are where the technique comes into play.
Tomorrow I will use the same method on the Papua New Guinea Peaberry, which has a lot of spice and tea notes.
more to come...
Today I am testing the Panama Carmen Estate
This coffee was roasted 9 days ago at a City roast.
Test 1:
Grind at 4 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Test 2:
Grind at 2 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Results.
This coffee being roasted a hair lighter, my suspicions were found to be true.
Test 1 was a balanced peach/vanilla with very subtle, yet sweet citrus notes.
As the cup progressed the citrus became more defined, but surrounded by an essence of vanilla.
Test 2 had more separation up front in the cup. Strong Peach notes with a bright citrus aftertaste. As the cup cooled, the vanilla came out and began to mingle with the peach.
The finish in Test 1 was sweet light citrus.
The finish in Test 2 was a bright citrus with the slightest hint of vanilla.
What does this tell me?
It's obvious that even with a small adjustment, there is a direct correlation between roast level and grind. And it is the balancing of the sweet, citrus, and more rounded, or even spice notes that are where the technique comes into play.
Tomorrow I will use the same method on the Papua New Guinea Peaberry, which has a lot of spice and tea notes.
more to come...
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Revisiting Rwanda: Siphon Techniques
John says...
Today I am testing the Rwanda Kinunu.
This coffee was roasted 6 days ago at a City+ roast.
Test 1:
Grind at 4 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Test 2:
Grind at 2 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Results.
Both the aromatics and coffee on Test 1 were slightly sweeter. A little more fruit and citrus note.
In the middle of the cup, Test 2 tasted more complex. It was a collection of flavors coming together vs. a layered effect of lighter and brighter vs. wood and nut/spice.
The finish in Test 1 was superior.
Preliminary Conclusion:
Do same test on Panama Carmen Estate and see if the results are similar, or is the method entirely coffee dependant?
Stay tuned...
Today I am testing the Rwanda Kinunu.
This coffee was roasted 6 days ago at a City+ roast.
Test 1:
Grind at 4 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Test 2:
Grind at 2 notches above espresso grind on Mazzer Mini.
9 grams coffee, 5 ounces water.
Coffee in. Water Boil and up. Stir to saturate grounds and distribute heat evenly.
Brew 40 seconds.
Heat off.
Stir Rapidly.
Cool and drink.
Results.
Both the aromatics and coffee on Test 1 were slightly sweeter. A little more fruit and citrus note.
In the middle of the cup, Test 2 tasted more complex. It was a collection of flavors coming together vs. a layered effect of lighter and brighter vs. wood and nut/spice.
The finish in Test 1 was superior.
Preliminary Conclusion:
Do same test on Panama Carmen Estate and see if the results are similar, or is the method entirely coffee dependant?
Stay tuned...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Espresso: IN YOUR FACE
John says...
As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been experimenting with some radical blends.
I have finished the degassing on a blend of eighty percent Kenya Ruiru Peaberry and tw Guatemala Finca El Injerto SHB. I roasted the Kenya at two different roast levels. 25 percent was roasted at a very light city roast, and the rest of the Kenyan and the Guatemala were roasted at a City + roast... just between first and second crack.
Pulled as a ristretto, 16.5 g @ 198 degrees, BRIGHT orange citrus, almond, hint of dark chocolate in the finish.
In cappuccino, lightly sweet orange and almond.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I've been experimenting with some radical blends.
I have finished the degassing on a blend of eighty percent Kenya Ruiru Peaberry and tw Guatemala Finca El Injerto SHB. I roasted the Kenya at two different roast levels. 25 percent was roasted at a very light city roast, and the rest of the Kenyan and the Guatemala were roasted at a City + roast... just between first and second crack.
Pulled as a ristretto, 16.5 g @ 198 degrees, BRIGHT orange citrus, almond, hint of dark chocolate in the finish.
In cappuccino, lightly sweet orange and almond.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Aches and Pains of Customer Coffee Transition
John says...
Most coffee and espresso served is the United States is bitter, stale, over-roasted, unflavorful dreck. In order to make this bitter, unflavorful swill palatable, you need to add sugar to it, but this presents a problem for the growing number of quality oriented shops.
Adding sugar to the latte, or God forbid a cappuccino or macchiatto upsets the flavor balance of the espresso and the drink. Each roaster logs many hours of sourcing the proper beans, blending, roasting and tasting in order to create an espresso that works wonderfully alone, with milk, or both. Tweaking the roast to pull out the proper amount of sweetness, or wonderfully flavored acidity, which becomes smooth and sweet in milk... these all become corrupted, and honestly become over-sweetened if marred with sugar. And this all goes back to the habitual pour and stir, as a defense mechanism of the bitter brew consumed at most caffe.
Taste, drink, enjoy the subtleties of flavor that dance across your tongue and linger quizzically in your mouth. Do not treat such fine brew as the commoner's beverage. Rejoice at the coffee splendor you are about to partake.
Honestly, it is an offense to everyone in the chain. So for the thousands of coffee shops that serve horrendous bitter swill or under-extracted, over-roasted, old and stale espresso; please tell your customers, "it isn't this bad everywhere."
Come. Taste. Enjoy.
Most coffee and espresso served is the United States is bitter, stale, over-roasted, unflavorful dreck. In order to make this bitter, unflavorful swill palatable, you need to add sugar to it, but this presents a problem for the growing number of quality oriented shops.
Adding sugar to the latte, or God forbid a cappuccino or macchiatto upsets the flavor balance of the espresso and the drink. Each roaster logs many hours of sourcing the proper beans, blending, roasting and tasting in order to create an espresso that works wonderfully alone, with milk, or both. Tweaking the roast to pull out the proper amount of sweetness, or wonderfully flavored acidity, which becomes smooth and sweet in milk... these all become corrupted, and honestly become over-sweetened if marred with sugar. And this all goes back to the habitual pour and stir, as a defense mechanism of the bitter brew consumed at most caffe.
Taste, drink, enjoy the subtleties of flavor that dance across your tongue and linger quizzically in your mouth. Do not treat such fine brew as the commoner's beverage. Rejoice at the coffee splendor you are about to partake.
Honestly, it is an offense to everyone in the chain. So for the thousands of coffee shops that serve horrendous bitter swill or under-extracted, over-roasted, old and stale espresso; please tell your customers, "it isn't this bad everywhere."
Come. Taste. Enjoy.
Monday, June 09, 2008
need beans ?
Currently at the caffe:
* Panama Carmen Estate
* El Salvador Juan Francisco
* Papaua New Guinea Kimel Plantation Peaberry
* Killer B espresso
* Mountain Mambo Espresso
* Kenya AA Peaberry Lot 416
* Brazil Daterra Santa Columba
* Colombia Choco Carmen del Atrato
exceptional coffee, exceptionally fresh. Only at caffe d'bolla!
Panama
John says...
I roasted a new batch of Panama Carmen Estate to a light City roast.
Floral, tangerine/peach and vanilla as it cools.
Experimenting with a radical espresso blend of Panama Carmen Estate and an excellent Kenyan from the Nyeri district.
So far the results are promising.
I roasted a new batch of Panama Carmen Estate to a light City roast.
Floral, tangerine/peach and vanilla as it cools.
Experimenting with a radical espresso blend of Panama Carmen Estate and an excellent Kenyan from the Nyeri district.
So far the results are promising.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Three New Coffees!
Three new coffees in!
Brazil Fazenda Esperanca:
This wonderful coffee was #1 at Brazil's Cup of Excellence in 2007. It has previously placed 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th. This Yellow Bourbon, grown at 1500 meters, is a rare gem in Brazilian coffee. Sweet floral and caramel aroma, tangerine and honey in the cup.
Kenya AA Nyeri - Kiamaina:
A fantastic coffee from the Nyeri district in Kenya. Crystalline clear flavors permeate this wondrous brew. Peach nectar throughout the cup with hints of warm honey, lemon and spice in the finish.
Nicaragua Limoncillo Java Longberry:
This coffee, from the Limoncillo Estate, is 100% Java, yet it is a Longberry.
Sweet smokey nut flavors with soft hints of lemon cookies in the cup.
Brazil Fazenda Esperanca:
This wonderful coffee was #1 at Brazil's Cup of Excellence in 2007. It has previously placed 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th. This Yellow Bourbon, grown at 1500 meters, is a rare gem in Brazilian coffee. Sweet floral and caramel aroma, tangerine and honey in the cup.
Kenya AA Nyeri - Kiamaina:
A fantastic coffee from the Nyeri district in Kenya. Crystalline clear flavors permeate this wondrous brew. Peach nectar throughout the cup with hints of warm honey, lemon and spice in the finish.
Nicaragua Limoncillo Java Longberry:
This coffee, from the Limoncillo Estate, is 100% Java, yet it is a Longberry.
Sweet smokey nut flavors with soft hints of lemon cookies in the cup.
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