Blend #3

1/2 oz. of Ethiopia's-Harar Horse
1/2 oz. of Costa Rica's-Tres Rios La Magnolia
1 oz. of Kenya's-Gichi Kiambu

I roasted this recipe together until I heard the Second Crack begin - "Full City+ to French Roast" The beans emerged a soft mocha brown without any caramelizing and escaping of the oils.

I ground the beans very coarse as I brewed 2 TBS. of the coffee in the French Press for 4 minutes. The aroma was pleasing -floral and chocolaty. Quite enjoyable.

The flavor reminds me of a Peaberry with a full bodied mouth feel. Slighly sweet from the floral attributes of the Horse and the Magnolia. These two flavors seem to play very well together. I consider this recipe to be my first successful blend.

Turkish Coffee

Ahhhh... For Christmas morning I was planning on a big plate of Jesus' birthday cake and ice cream but after my daughter tossed her cookies everything went a different direction. So while my whole family is sick or just plain not feeling well and camped out in front of the tele, I was allowed to make some Turkish coffee.

So I searched the internet to learn how to make it and then I spent 20 minutes searching the house for my Cezve. A no-go on the Cezve so I made it in my small sauce pot. While Turkish coffee snobs aschew the use of a sauce pot I did not figure that it would matter much but I think I was mistaken.

I ground the beans very finely and I added 1 heaping teaspoon of the grounds to 12oz. of cold water in the sauce pan then I set the brew to heat slowly until it boiled. I let it boil for a minute or so and then I poured some of the coffee into a cup - which I let sit for a minute or two allowing for the grounds to settle.

The reason that I suspect that I really did need a Cezve for the coffee is because my brew never developed the expected foam on top of the coffee. Would this have changed the flavor? I don't know but I suspect that the body and the mouth feel would have been different. I will have to find the Cezve and let you know.

The coffee that I did end up with was actually pretty good. It had no discernible attributes to speak of but it did have a full bodied mouth feel and a genuine standard coffee flavor. I used some Starbuck's Zambia Kasama for this and I was surprised that the Starbuck's flavoring seemed to vanish leaving just a plain coffee taste.

One Of My Fondest Coffee Experiences

I came across this photo of me having coffee on the beach of Lake Huron at Lakeview State Park. I blogged about this experience before and since I just came across the picture I thought I would post it.

I doubt if tea drinkers could ever have this sort of experience with their Earl Grey.

Addicted

I was diagnosed with MS in 2001. My doctor put me on Beta Seron which was an every-other-day shot that I administered myself. The drugs made me really sick for about 3 or 4 months. During that time I was going to college and the only thing that helped me through was a pot of coffee that I took with me to school in a thermos. During that time I developed an unhealthy addiction to caffiene. If I did not have it in quantity I would develop headaches and my body ached as well.

I woke up this morning and felt as though I had been hit by a Mac Truck. After hours of feeling like death I decided that I had forgotten to drink my morning coffee.

My wife says that she is gald I am not addicted to Alcohol...

Palhu Huehuetenango SHB - 3

Guatemala

This is now the third batch of the Huehuetenango that I have roasted and the other two samplings did not score very high. However, just to show how subjective coffee tasting is (see Palhu Huehuetenango SHB & Palhu Huehuetenango SHB - 2) and how difficult it is to be consistent (at least in my world) I have to say that I really liked this batch. It had a very crisp chocolate aroma and the flavor was smooth and full. I liked it so much that I have roasted a batch and will be taking it with me to my small-group bible study where I am sure that everyone will ga-ga over it.

CIAPEC (100% Organic) - 2

Bolivia

All I can say is "YUM!!!" I re-read the post of the original CIAPEC tasting and it still holds. This bean is a very flavorful bean roasted at Full-City and it smells wonderful. I know because my wife commented to the fact.

Idiot Proof Coffee? A Rant of the Righteous...

I feel like somebody entered the Musée du Louvre and desecrated the Mona Lisa with a mustache. I feel violated, like that time when Coca-Cola changed to the New Formula or when I learned that Santa Claus was not real. Today, my world is sad because the art of coffee has been reduced to a meaningless mechanical process. I am usually quite supportive of technology but this time the technicians have gone too far!

I went into the local grocer last night to pick something up for dinner and I noticed a group of people gathering around a vendor who was giving away something for free. Mmmmmm, so I got in line. The vendor was giving away free cups of coffee. Mmmmmmm, I waited. When I got closer I learned that they were promoting a coffee maker that used coffee discs. It's called the Tassimo Brewer and it claims to brew the perfect cup.

I read a review of the disk/pod coffee brewing system and the writer said that brewing coffee this way was "idiot proof". Ooooooooo, that makes me so mad - if idiots want something hot to drink let them stick with tea! The perfect cup of coffee is supposed to be sought after like Indiana Jones seeking after a relic, Bobby Fisher seeking to win the Chess championship from the Russians, the Detroit Lions seeking the Superbowl. The power of creating a perfect cup of coffee is not supposed to be given to just anyone who can afford to buy the machine, that's like giving a nuke to terrorists just because they can afford it.

Ach, this is a sad day indeed. What's next for coffee? Will they design a Terminator that will excrete coffee from its bladder?

Michigan Snow Coffee

Well, since I have heard good things about Colorado Coffee I decided to take a stab at making some Michigan Snow Coffee. I set out a large stainless steel mixing bowl during the snow flurries that we had yesterday and today and then tonight I had better than a quart of raw, untreated, water from the Michigan sky.

I brought the water inside and poured into a glass Pyrex container. I inspected it for contaminates and found that the water was perfectly clear without anything that even whispered that it should be filtered. So, I poured it into my aluminum pot, added 5 tablespoons of Maxwell House grounds and boiled it for 5 minutes. I then poured the coffee through a filter to remove the grounds and viola - Michigan Snow Coffee was served!

The brew was the color of brown tar nicotine - which is a vulgar thought but a good descriptive tool. It was not a clear and clean brown but almost solid as it looked quite viscous however the body had no discernible functionality. The flavor reminded me that I should have filtered the water before using it to brew with. The dominating sensation was that of a metal in the nose. The metallic sensation reminded me of well-water that was straight from the ground - a tad bit rusty.

As I thought about how this Michigan Snow Coffee might be considered "good" (like the Colorado Coffee) I figure that I would have to create an experience much like hiking the trail by the Colorado River. I figure if I can get people to pay me $2000.00 to spend a week in my home (lodge) and make the last night a hike along the St. Clair river with a sleep in a tent during the Winter, my customers would find that my Michigan Snow Coffee would be the best thing that they had ever tasted. So if you are ever coming to the Anchor Bay area and have $2000.00 to spend, please call on me and I will give you the works - even Michigan Snow Coffee.

Mogiana - 3

Brazil

I am looking for a bean to give my mother as a gift for her birthday. She can be quite particular about her coffee so I wanted something that is not "too" anything. This Mogiana seems to be very good for that - but I am positive that she will let me know.

I roasted and brewed a batch just to make sure that this is what I wanted to give and I was again reminded of this bean's natural nutty flavor. It is a great cup of coffee to just sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Blend #2

I have now made my second blend. It was nothing spectacular but still, it was not too bad.

THE BLEND...

• 1.40 oz. of Flores Bajawa (37%)
• 0.85 oz. of Harar Horse (23%)
• 1.50 oz. of Mysore Nugget (40%)

THE ROAST...

I roasted these beans through the First Crack and when ground they were an even cinnamon color.

THE FLAVOR...

This blends is mellow and rich with a twinge of sweet that is likely derived from the Harar Horse's dominant floral quality. The rich base likely comes from the Mysore Nugget but seems to have been retarded by the infusion of the Flores Bajawa. I tend to believe that just as the Nugget brought the quality of the Bajawa up, the plainess of the Bajawa brought the quality of the Nugget down.

THE VERDICT...

I am not dissapointed with this blend but I do think that the Harar Horse is too dominating - even at 23%. The Horse seems to be a good sorce to give sweetness to a coffee but according to my taste it has to be used sparingly because it seems to easily steal the show.

A Conspiracy Theory About Coffee

Today I dumped out the last of the Harar Horse (just too floral - needs to be in a blend) and I opened a pound of Starbucks' Zambia Kasama. The roast was slightly oiled, roasted Full-City, and it smelled good. I grounded it between fine and coarse and brewed a pot. What struck me was that it tasted like a Starbucks' coffee does.

Now I have been roasting my own beans for a few months now and I cannot seem to get this level of consistency in my own roasts. I fully understand that Starbucks' roasts with large industrial roasters (with all the computer aids they afford) but when the Kasama possesses the flavor of all the other Starbucks' coffees I automatically become suspicious. I cannot help but wonder if the large coffee companies, like Starbucks', Tim Horten's, Java General, and the many others, use a special flavoring to make the coffees that they serve all taste the same?

I used to think that the larger roasters just over roasted coffee beans in order to get consistency of flavor but the fact is that not all beans taste the same - no matter how they are roasted. I have often wondered if they just had a special blend that made their flavor consistent, but since my Starbucks' Kasama tastes the same as all the rest I cannot call say that it is the blending that makes it consistent. No, it has to be something else and my suspicion is that they add flavoring to their coffee to make it taste a certain way.

I know that this idea is a bit conspiratorial of me but what am I to think? Now that I know how to roast coffee and that each coffee bean actually possesses its own unique attributes, I wonder all the more about the consistent flavoring of the large roasting companies.

Washed Bourbon - 2

Rwanda

I roasted this bean for the second time using the Popcorn Popper. This was a City Roast being removed from the heat just after the First Crack finished.

I made two cups using two methods. The first was with the French Press and the second was with a very coarse ground and my wife's tea infuser. Both cups turned out well. The flavor was highly floral / fruity and very mild.

It seems to me that this is a good coffee if I ever figure out how to make it well. I will keep you posted when I figure it out.

Colorado Coffee

I have heard people tell me that the best coffee that they have ever had was coffee that they had on hiking trips in Colorado along the Colorado River. I was thinking about that and decided to give my cousin a call who was the Trail Cook for one such excursion company. I asked her what she did to make the coffee along the trail. Here's what she told me.

"Get ICE-COLD water from the river and filter/purify it. Fill a big coffee pot with the water, through some grounds in it, and boil for 5 minutes. After boiling and just before serving, pour a cup of ice cold water on top (this causes the grounds to fall to the bottom of the pot). At this point serve Colorado Coffee."

I live on the St. Clair River and have been considering getting some water from it and making some "St. Clair Coffee" but my wife is aghast at the notion. She doesn't think I could filter or purify it enough to make it safe. I am leaning on her side of the discussion. I am thinking that I will just wait for a good snow fall and make some "Snow Coffee" instead. ;-)

El Conquistador Tarrazu - 2

Costa Rica

I presented this Tarrazu at a coffee demonstration the other day - it was a hit roasted at City. With this batch I roasted it Full-City+ to Espresso when the second crack was in full force and the beans displaying a beautiful oily sheen. I've been grinding just two cups of beans (very coarse) and soaking them in boiling water in the French Press.

This coffee is strong, straightforward, and possesses a flavor that is in full-swing. It is a very enjoyable cup when the temp cools a bit and it has a great body. It is unique in that it burps bacon (please forgive the unsophistication of this description but it seemed the best way to communicate it).

I am learning that there is a happy point with coffee. Too many grounds to water ratio and your coffee is too much like a bully forcing its flavor upon you but too little grounds and you have a cup of hot brown water that desires to be good coffee when it grows-up.

Sumatra - Mandehling Gr. 1 - 5

Indonesia

I just made the final pot of the Mandeling that I had beans for. This pot had a wonderful body and mouth feel as I ground it quite fine. This finer ground seems to have released a really deep flavor that seemed to be dominated by a hint of spiciness but what really stole the show was the body. The richness of the body made this cup more of a meal than a beverage. Yum, yum.

Coffee From The Past

I woke up at 4 am this morning and I could not grind any beans for fear of waking the family. I was hoping to hold out but I could not so I made a cup of Maxwell House grounds dumped in a mug with water, microwaved, and filtered in the french press. It was not what I would consider good - but hey! It was coffee.

This morning's cup reminded me of one of my favorite memories of coffee. Years back (before kids) my wife and I camped on Lake Huron. Again, I woke up at 4 am or so and I decided to go sit on the beach and wait for the sun to rise. My wife came with me so we grabbed blankets, the backpack burner, coffee kettle, grounds, and water. We laid our blanket out on a piece of beach and looked at the stars while we watched the morning freighters silently float by. I filled the screened basket with the cheapest grounds that I could find at Wal-Mart at the time (I had yet to learn how to be a coffee snob), filled the pot with water from my canteen, then I started the coffee to percolating. It took about 20 minutes for coffee to brew and then I poured a cup for myself into my Army issue canteen cup.

I really am not sure what it tasted like (though I do remember chewing some grounds) but sitting on the Lake Huron beach, under the stars, watching the freighters, it really did not matter what the coffee tasted like. To be honest, I could have been drinking some warmed fruity girls' tea and I think I would have enjoyed the experience. But, then again, it was a great experience and I am really glad that it is a bad cup of coffee that triggers that memory for me now.

Coffee Demonstration

Today at church one of the guys asked me about how to roast coffee. So I volunteered to demonstrate the process using my popcorn popper at our small group bible study that afternoon - it was a hit. Not only was there a buzz at church about the roasting demonstration but everyone wants to roast there own coffee now. Hee-hee, I feel like the Brain who is attempting to take over the world.

To the left (from the left) are my popcorn popper, jug of filtered water, green coffee beans, 12 cup coffee maker with conical screen filter, aluminum pie plate to cool the beans on, and a burr grinder. I let everyone see and smell the green beans and then added 2/3 of a cup to the popper. With-in 10 minutes the beans were a nice shade of brown and finished having fully entered the First Crack.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the coffee.
My continued preaching of how it is a mortal sin to add cream or any flavoring to black coffee made people feel obligated to at least try it plain black. Afterward I heard from person after person that they did not need to add flavoring because the coffee was so good. Ahhh, converts. (Sidebar - Do you know why they flavor coffee? Because it is bad coffee in the first place) At least two people commented that they are going to seek out a popcorn popper of their own and so I am well on my way to starting the green coffee bean co-op that I need to help with my coffee bean purchases

This was my first coffee roasting demonstration and it turned out well. I had pieces of 72% and 86% dark chocolate to sample with the coffee which seemed to go over well with the ladies. I am looking forward to having more demonstrations like this so that more people can learn the joy of truly experiencing coffee.

Sumatra - Mandehling Gr. 1 - 4

Indonesia

I made this cup using the one-cup french press. The grounds were a mix of popcorn and stove-top roasted beans. I set the burr grinder to 15 for a coarse ground and only ground 2 cups of grinds.

The taste is strong but yet very smooth and pleasing. The flavor of the Mandehling is classic which makes me think it would be a great base for a blend with the right bean which has a sweeter attribute.

As this cup cooled the body became quite dominant and a woodsy flavor emerged. I really began to appreciate the deep simplicity of this cup. I suspect that I have to grind this bean a little finer for the 12 cup coffee maker and add enough grounds to make it stronger.

Nirvana? Have I Arrived?

I think I have made a break through. Today I went into the local Salvation Army store to look for a bread maker to convert into a coffee roaster (see left) but instead of finding a bread maker I found a popcorn popper for $2.50! So I bought it.

This evening I made a 1/3 cup of Mandehling and the results were much better than I had hoped for or even expected. I could hear the First Crack but the transition between the First and the Second was more difficult to hear. Between the noise of the popper's fan and my kids yelling and playing behind me, I was mostly flying by sight (ie. the chaff and the color of the beans).

The image to the right illustrates two batches of beans side by side. On the left are the beans from stove top roasted in a standard aluminum pot and the beans on the right are the ones roasted in the popcorn popper (Click the image to get a closer look). The beans done on the stove top are less uniform in color, some beans look under roasted while some shine with the oils of a dark roast. The beans from the popper are uniform in color and roast - These are a City to Full-City roast.

I made an 11-cup pot of coffee with 1.75 oz. of these beans. I set the grinder to a coarseness of 10 from Fine and the brew was great! I will admit that this was not the best cup of coffee that I had ever had but it was close. Now that I have the popper to roast my beans in I am looking forward to retrying my coffees and experiencing them uniformly roasted. I will keep you posted.

Obsessive Compulive Behavior & Coffee

So I am obsessive - I own that. I don't know why it is it's just a reality that I have lived with all of my life. I go through phases and off the top of my head I remember a few of them.

I wanted to be a writer. I wrote many things but the reality is that I am no good at it. Every now and then I get this notion that "now I will be better" but I know that I won't. So I sat with a cup of coffee and considered what I wanted to do next.

My wife and I saw the movie "October Sky" so the next week we began building model rockets to learn the "science" behind it. I had grand visions of actually learning complicated math because of it. After a few months of that I sat with a cup of coffee and wondered what was next.

A friend of mine ordered a bottle of wine for dinner one night and he sniffed the cork and rejected it and made the waiter open a different bottle. So I wanted to learn the snobbery of wine tasting. After a few months of that I lost the taste for it and sat with a cup of coffee and decided that beer, then scotch (in that order) would be next - and they were.

I could continue but I am sure that you see the pattern. Now I have this blog about coffee. How long will it last? I am not sure but coffee has been with me since the time that I was in the ARMY. Whether I keep roasting my own and writing about it remains to be seen but for now it is my current obsession.

I guess there are worse things to be obsessed with.

Sumatra - Mandehling Gr. 1 - 3

Indonesia

The aroma of this Sumatran Mandehling is quite simply exquisite. All I did was ground it and my wife walked out of the bedroom and commented how good it smelled. There is certainly a pleasure in the aroma - even before brewing.

I roasted these beans to City and I ground 6 cups of them at a coarse 13 with the burr grinder (heh, heh, the new grinder has settings like that). This is a very good cup of coffee. The brew possesses an excellent full-bodied buttery mouth feel and the flavor is classical and earthy. There is also a slight spicy note but that is only noticeable upon close inspection of the flavors.

Mocca Matari - 4

Yemen

The Mocca Matari is my favorite bean (so far) but this batch seems to have the least amount of distinguishing flavor of all the times that I have made it. I think the problem with this pot was that I used my new burr grinder to grind the beans and I think it is just too strong. The body is very good and the mouth-feel is quite pleasant but the flavor is lacking. I suspect that when I learn to make grounds that don't make such strong coffee - the flavor will be back.

Burr Mill Grinder

I am as giddy as a school-girl at her senior prom! I finally got a Burr grinder and ever since I have been learning about coffee everything that I read states that it improves the flavor of coffee. This unit is as pictured but it was refurbished and only cost $19.99 plus shipping. That is a lot less costly than new and I will get the experience of it before it dies on me in a year or two.

The burr made its maiden voyage by grinding the Pastoral Gold blend that I had roasted yesterday. While the grounds were indeed uniformly ground and they smelled great the coffee did not taste any better than they did yesterday - in fact they tasted worse as the bitterness that I noted in them came out in full force. I will have to write an addendum when I finally ground a good bean.

Pastoral Gold - BLENDED

Guatemala
Sumatra

This is my first blend - 50% Antigua-Patoral (Guatemala), 50% Aceh-Gold (Sumatra). The actual blend is unknown as I roasted 50/50 green beans but the moisture that cooked off of each bean is different and so the actual blend may be 49/51, 48,52 or some slight variation from 50/50. The roast was a standard City Roast in order to allow each bean to retain its intrinsic flavoring.

The aroma possesses the smell of nature, not like goat-cheese but more like the smell of a wood pile at the cottage up North. Mixed in with a smell of nature is a definite smell of warm chocolate pudding. I, however, kept smelling this blend hoping to discover more but to no avail.

The body is normal if something like "normal" actually exists. I am always hopeful that I will discover a mouth-feel that wows me and need search no more. Alas, the "wow" is not here.

The flavor is fun as a single cup runs a gambit of flavors while cooling. My first sip demonstrated a bitterness that was not really bitter but rather it was a lack of sweetness. I could detect no notes of chocolate even though the aroma screamed of it. I thought this cup was a bust but as I sipped and the brew cooled I realized that the flavor changed significantly. As the cup cooled it demonstrated a sweetness that was not noticeable at first. I also detected a floweriness in the nose during the lingering flavors.

Blending the two coffees together was a nice experience as it made me try to detect the individual coffees in this blend. If I had to rate this blend it would be bottom shelf for sure - a Johnnie Walker Red

Tres Rios La Magnolia - 2

Costa Rica

With this second batch of Magnolia I went light on the roast in order to taste the bean's intrinsic flavoring. What happened was that I did not find it to be as dynamic as I had hoped. My first experience with this bean was wonderful but that was with a dark roasted bean. While I did not dislike the coffee I suspect that this bean needs to be roasted enough to have the sugars in it caramelized in order for the flavors to be exploited.

With that said, I like this bean because it seems to have a wide variety in the flavoring and I am left with much yet to explore. I think the next roast will be a very dark Espresso roast and then made into a cup of espresso. I 'll let you know how it turns out.

Kona Coffee

A friend of ours gave me a new expired bag of Kona coffee from the Gold Coffee Company.

I will not say that I did not like it but it certainly was not as good as some have made it out to be. Of course the problem could have been that it was stale, or it could have been that is just the nature of mass produced coffee, or it could even be that their website said that they were proud of their Full City Roast and so I suspect that that dark of a roast did not let the intrinsic flavors come through. Whatever the deal was I think I will have to roast my own beans to get a true assessment of Kona.

Converting The World To Coffee - One Doubter at a Time

So I had a meeting yesterday and I took my thermos filled with a freshly brewed pot of Mysore Nugget. Usually all that is in the office is a pot of some poorly made 8 O'Clock coffee brewed with regular tap water. My friends know that I am a bit of an enthusiast when it comes to coffee (that's a polite way of saying snob) and when I offered one guy a cup of my brew he asked if he was allowed to put flavored cream in it. My brain screamed "ARE YOU OUT OF YOU MIND?" but I graciously told him he could put anything that he wanted in it.

Well I poured him a cup and much to his credit he at least sampled it before putting anything in it. I was surprised when he stopped me in mid sentence with a "Wow, this is good coffee!" exclamation.

I don't think he added the flavoring.

Mysore - Nugget (Extra Bold) - 2

India

I roasted these beans to a light City roast - removed from the flame just before the First Crack ended. The beans and the ground smelled exquisite. When brewed this bean releases an aroma that fills the house with anticipation of the first cup.

The Mysore has a definite earthy flavor which suggests a nut tone in its effect. Although it is a very complex taste which some suggest has a chocolate note and spice sensation as well. The flavor was certainly more describable at a lighter roast.

The body was full and rich which assists the buttery flavor that is present. I used 1.75oz of ground to make a 8-cup pot. It was a very good cup and I highly suggest it to all who seek a very good cup of coffee.

This is a very fine bean from India and I am looking forward to more experiences from that part of the world in the not too distant future.

Mocca Matari - 3

Yemen

Can you say "YUM"?

This is now the third time that I have roasted this bean and I only kept it on the heat until the First Crack was about finished. I did not want to over roast these beans as doing so greatly diminishes the flavor. I once considered the Kimel Peaberry to be my favorite but I really think this one is the finer of the two. I must try them side by side to make a real determination but I will have to wait until I get some more of the Peaberry first. ;-)

Bugisu (100% Organic) - 2

Uganda

I have drank this City Roasted brew now for the second and third pots. Again it was dominated by a woody unsophisticated flavor. After a few cups I found that I looked forward to the next cup but that is (I suspect) due to the fact that I love coffee and not because this coffee is all that special.

In fact, the Bugisu is quite boring in that it does not have any attributes that are worth exploring. The experience of this cup is only a bit slightly better than McDonalds coffee.

Kimel Peaberry - 3

Papua New Guinea

I roasted the last of my Peaberry to give as a gift to friends. Thankfully I had enough to roast myself a pot.

This was City Roast which is going to really impress. It has an outstanding aroma and an exquisite flavor. If you ever get a chance to get some of the PNG Kimel Peaberry don't let it pass you by because it is excellent.

CIAPEC (100% Organic) -2

Bolivia

This round was roasted to firm Espresso. The beans were so oily that they stuck to each other when they dried. It made for a very dark coffee and it lost some of the nuance in flavor that it had before but it did retain its extravagant aroma.

The body was not as deep as I had hoped it would be with this dark of a roast. I am still trying to decide if Body quality is a function of the roast or the ground to water ratio.

All in all, not a bad coffee but not one that I consider great either. The next time I roast this bean I am going to try a lighter City-Roast to examine its more raw qualities.

Sumatra - Mandehling Gr. 1 - 2

Indonesia

The aroma of this Sumatran Mandehling stands out to me just as it did the first time. The smell is earthy and deep. It is comforting and inviting. I wish I could explain it better than this but words allude me as I try to describe it.

I roasted this as a Full-City+ or maybe even Espresso roast which made it seem more like a cup of Tim Horton's coffee though I would not presume to suggest that it was as good.

I am a little concerned with this bean as I suspect that it may be a little defective. The green beans themselves seemed to be a little too dried out, these beans appeared to be slightly what a raisin is to a grape. After I roasted them there was relatively little chaff to blow off which also makes me suspicious. However, I am sure that it is my lack of experience which causes me concern. The coffee itself tasted good.

Palhu Huehuetenango SHB - 2

Guatemala

I roasted this batch of Palhu Huehuetenango to a Full City+ and while I did not dislike I cannot say that I liked it either. With this bean coffee seems to be coffee and there are many other beans that are worth the shipping.

Mogiana - 2

Brazil

I roasted 2oz of this bean (yielding 1.5oz of ground coffee) Full-City+ to make a 12 cup pot of coffee. And what a great pot it was!

This cup was nutty and earthy as before (Search "Mogiana") but much fuller this time. The darker roast works well with this bean as it makes a very rich cup that begs you to have more. I have not been rating coffees on the second time around but with the Mogiana I make an exception and give this roast an 8 when it was once a 5.

Harar Horse - 2

Ethiopia

I roasted the Horse to Full-City+ this time and although I enjoyed it I did not pick up on some of the nuanced attributes. I noted a spiciness last time that I did not seem to notice this time around. The only reason for this is the darker roast.

However, when I poured this coffee over ice it was again very enjoyable as the chocolate shined. Because of this I think the best of both worlds is gained with a lighter roast.

Mocca Matari - 2

Yemen

I roasted 2 oz of this bean (yielding 1.75 oz of grounds) to a Full-City+. This is the first bean that I noticed a BIG difference between the lighter City roast and the darker Full-City roast.

Although the aroma was still a pleasing chocolate pudding smell the flavor lost a lot with the darker roast. This bean has lots and lots of character (especially chocolate) but it was not readily apparent with this roast. The coffee was good (as far as plain black coffee goes) but any attempt to quantify the attributes was frustrating because they were not present.

This bean demands the lighter City roast in order to be fully experienced.

Kimel Peaberry - 2

Papua New Guinea

I prepared a 12 cup pot of this Papau New Guinea at a Full City roast (2 oz. of grounds) and took it to a meeting for people to try. Some people drank it black (as coffee is intended to be enjoyed) while others put all kinds of creamers and sugars in theirs (really, why bother with coffee in the first place?) but everyone enjoyed this coffee. One guy in particular knew that this was freshly roasted but forgot as it was 5 minutes before hitting his drink. He literally interrupted the meeting with a surprised exclaimation of how good the coffee was.

As I was brewing this pot my wife came out of the other room and asked me what I was cooking. She said that from the other room it smelled like I was cooking some sort of breakfast meat. It must have been the spiciness in the aroma.

I am sorry now that I did not buy more than 1 pound of this bean, it has been one of my favorites.

Espresso Coffee - Mysore Nugget (Extra Bold)

Mysore Nugget

Well I used some of the Mysore Nugget to make espresso with; I think I am finished with the Espresso for awhile. I am having a very difficult time tasting any real difference in the flavors of espressos - maybe that is by design but it all pretty much tastes the same to me. So, unless I am not particularly fond of a bean I think I will refrain from wasting it.

With that said. The Mysore Nugget was not bad but not exceptionally appealing either. I will rate this espresso as a 5 just to be neutral but that is about all I can do.

Espresso Coffee - Washed Bourbon A

Washed Bourbon

The other night I roasted some of the Rwandan Washed Bourbon to use for Espresso. I did not enjoy this cup as much as I enjoyed the Finca San Jose because the Finca San Jose seemed a touch sweeter and inviting but it was much much less bitter than the Flores Bajawa.

So for these reason I give this bean a 5 rating.

Espresso Coffee - Finca San Jose

Finca San Jose

I used the Nicaraguan Finca San Jose tonight for Espresso. A couple of things that is noticeably different from last nights Flores Bajawa is that 1) it tastes better, less bitter and difficult to get used to, in a very-strongly-roasted sort of way, it was actually quite good and 2) I feel the kick of caffeine where I did not last night. Either this specific bean has more caffeine content or I am more open to the effects of caffeine tonight.

However, Compared to last night's rating of 5 out of 10 I rate this espresso a 7.5 out of 10. I am actually thinking that I would like another cup of this brew.

Espresso Coffee - Flores Bajawa

Flores Bajawa

This is the Primula Aluminum Espresso Coffee Maker

I often tell people that coffee is an "acquired taste" and people agree - especially those people who do not like coffee. But now I think the most honest statement is that "coffee is an acquired taste and espresso is at best tolerated."

Wow! Espresso coffee is coffee times 10. I've been using 2 oz. of grounds for a 12 cup pot but with the espresso maker I use 1 oz. of grounds for just one cup of coffee. It is not so much the caffeine jolt but the flavor is potent. I wish I could say that it tastes good but all I can taste is dark-roast. There seems to be no flavor from the bean at all. I am sure this is by design but I am still going to try the various coffee beans as espresso just to see if there is any difference between them.

I made my first cup of espresso with the Flores Bajawa. As I said I could taste nothing but very strong espresso roasted coffee. Since I do not know what "good" versus "bad" espresso tastes like I am going to rate this first brew a 5 out of 10 just to give me a base line to start from.

NOTE - I have since rescinded this rating of 5 to a rating of 3 because as I learned what to expect, I learned that this espresso was just too bitter to be considered good.

Tres Rios La Magnolia

Costa Rica

I roasted this bean to a City to Full-City and the smell of the beans was sweet and syrupy - like caramel corn. The ground beans were a bit less caramelish but it was still possessed a sweet smell that promised a very rich cup - it did not renege.

The aroma of the brew was very aromatic and pleasurable. It smelled sweetly fragrant, almost like milk-weed, and deep like a coffee shop smells.

This Costa Rican was very rich with a fine balance as the sweetness was evident and the complexity kept me guessing at what sort of flavors I was experiencing. Although this cup was not as distinct as the Peaberry it had a distinction that commands an audience of its own. I am looking forward to someday brewing this cup next to some of the other beans and making a side-by-side comparison

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 8.

Sumatra - Mandehling Gr. 1

Indonesia

The aroma of this Sumatran Mandehling stands out to me as a firm coffee that is classic but far from basic. As I took in its fragrance I could detect the rich earthiness that is imbibed in the flavor.

I roasted this as a City roast (removing the beans from the fire just seconds after the First Crack) as I desired to experience the raw flavor of this bean (I do that sometimes). The flavor is long and earthy which is free from any hint of bitter. Although it is not listed as one of the attributes I sensed a hint of butter, though that could just be the creamy feel of the body upon my tongue.

This is certainly a pleasurable cup.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 5.

This coffee press makes a single regular sized cup of coffee. It was $9.99 on sale at Meijer. It works and cleans pretty well but because I have nothing to compare it to my assessment might be skewed.

I have been using it to make a cup of Maxwell House when I don't have a pot of my own roast brewed. For the most part the flavor has not been enjoyable and quite bitter. But I have discovered that this is because of user error. I have been making the coffee in the press with water from the tap. I know the importance of using filtered water when making coffee but for some reason I have been too lazy to get water from the fridge when using the press.

Yesterday I made a cup of Maxwell House using the press and I used filtered water. What a difference in the flavor. While I find Maxwell House to be a boring/common coffee it is a stable blend and the basis from which I compare all coffees. Using the filtered water the flavor is not bitter and pretty much without quality flaw. The flavor is still common and unimpressive but it is not bad. The press is a nice way to make a quick cup of coffee but filtered water is still a necessity.

Palhu Huehuetenango SHB

Guatemala

The Huehuetenango is a good solid cup of coffee that seems almost classic. The body is thin enough to leave the mouth clean and hearty enough to not be confused with tea. I've been drinking Maxwell House these past few days and really enjoy the departure from the normal bitters that exist in that roast.


From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 4.

Antigua Pastoral

Guatemala

The Antigua Pastoral is a bust. I think I made it too weak. I usually make coffee 2oz. to a 12 cup pot but I made this one at 1 oz. to a 6 cup pot and I think it was too weak. It smelled good but also too weak.

This Guatemalian is said to have a "big" chocolate taste although I did not notice it to be that big. The body was too thin and drank more like a watery tea than a full-bodied coffee. I was disappointed but again, I think I made it wrong.

I will brew this coffee again and add my updates in the comments.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 4.

Mocca Matari

Yemen

This is a great cup of coffee! The Mocca Matari has an exquisite aroma, from its ground City roasted bean to the hot brewed cup. It smells like warm chocolate pudding just like mom used to make which beckons the drinker to eagerly sample the cup.

The flavor is full and complex but most of all chocolaty! There are undertones of spice upon the finish but without doubt the chocolate flavor wins the day. The Yemen, Mocca Matari is a must try for all enthusiasts who want to know what it's like in Yemen.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 8.

McDonald's Coffee

Uh oh, I think I really am becoming a coffee snob. I just had a cup of McDonald's coffee and I was quite disappointed with it. I used to like the stuff, in fact I was quite impressed with it when it was first introduced in the market. However, today's cup had no body and the strong flavor came only from the roast itself. It tasted like it was burned, not quite charcoal, but burned.

I used to be happy with coffee, any coffee, the good, the bad, the ugly. Now I actually taste it and know the difference between a good brew and a brew that is not so good. I think I liked it better being ignorant but alas I know that I will never go back. I am sure that a snob I will forever be. Ah well, I guess there are worse things to be snobbish about.

El Conquistador Tarrazu

Costa Rica

As I have seated myself and am preparing to write this review I ask that you would bear with me a bit while I go get another cup of this Tarrazu.

O.K., I have returned. Thank you for waiting.

As a Full-City+ roast I find this cup to be very pleasing. The aroma is strong and spreads around the house like a fine linen blanket that invites you to snuggle in while it brews. Very smooth with a strong fragrant scent.

The flavor is very earthy, and (as someone else describes it) pleasingly straightforward. Straightforward is a great term that describes the flavor in this cup because other adjectives do not seem to identify the quality here. It really is a flavor that has to be experienced to be understood. I read that the Tarrazu is a classical bean that is known for its fruity and nutty attribute but I am afraid that the nut is lost on me - all I taste is the pleasing fruitiness that seems to make this cup "straightforward".

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 6.

Know Your Coffee

I found a 5 minute video that is a great overview of coffee beans. It covers origins, harvesting, Arabica beans, Robusta beans, wet processing, dry processing, blending, coffee strength, and caffeine.

Click here to open the video in a new window.

Aceh Gold

Sumatra

The flavor here is full with a Full-City roast - Highly chocolate, semi-sweet, and quite deep. The flavor lingers after the cup is gone suggesting a heavy body.

My lack of enjoyment of this cup is not because of the coffee but rather because I was not mentally prepared to fully experience it. I am learning, as I go, that I need to be ready to take some time to smell and taste the coffee that I make. Also, I think I need to drink some regular coffee for a while to find my baseline again.

I will post updates in the comments section as I try this bean again/

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 4.

Mogiana

Brazil

Nutty and Earthy! Here is a great example of what Nut and Earth taste like in coffee. There is a bit of a wine attribute on the finish of this flavor but it is slight enough to leave you asking if it is really there. The dominant flavor is that of Nut with a fine compliment of Earth tone that balances off the taste.

The aroma is strong with a sweetend earth flavor which is pleasing but not fascinating.

The overall experience is good because this Brazilian bean is the best example of Nut that I have had so far. The flavor does not beg me to drink more but at the same time I like it enough to suggest it to you and to pour myself another cup.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 5.

Salimba

Zimbabwe

At city, to full-city, this is a very pleasing and surprising cup. You know that it is a good cup when you take a sip and say "wow" and you look for your wife to try it.

The coffee has a dominant floral quality that hits you with a definite floral sweetness right off. There is a nutty quality to this brew which is only slightly noticeable upon the finish.

The aroma did not stand out as one of distinction - smelled like coffee. I will comment later about how it tasted over ice.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 6.

Bugisu (100% Organic)

Uganda

I roasted this bean somewhere between city & full-city. The aroma was natural and the flavor was earthy and nutty. I liked this coffee, for the flavor was good and the balance was quite focused. However, there was nothing that screamed "drink me" as with say the Paupa New Guinea Peaberry. If you want a cup of regular Joe then this is the bean for you, however if it is uniqueness that you seek then you need not look here.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 2.

What Makes "Organic Coffee" Organic?

Earlier I wondered what constituted an organic coffee. So I did some poking around and this is what I found. This is an excerpt from the article from the Organic Trade Association.

What is organic coffee?
Organic coffee is grown using methods and materials that have a low impact on the environment. Organic production systems replenish and maintain soil fertility, reduce the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers, and build biologically diverse agriculture. Third-party certification organizations verify that organic farmers abide by the law.

What does it mean to be certified organic?
In order for coffee to be certified and sold as organic in the United States, it must be produced in accordance with U.S. standards for organic production and certified by an agency accredited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. U.S. requirements for organic coffee production include farming without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances for three years and a sustainable crop rotation plan to prevent erosion, the depletion of soil nutrients, and control for pests.

CIAPEC (100% Organic)

Bolivia

The aroma of this Bolivian brew was very enjoyable. If you have ever smelled chocolate pudding on the stove-top while it was cooling (but only not so sweet) then you can begin to imagine the richness of this brew's aroma.

I roasted this bean to a full-City roast and the flavor is earthy and floral with a touch of fruity sweetness which blends this coffee together nicely for a balanced feel in the mouth and palette. I like this coffee and really expect it to perform well when served over ice but I do not think it unique enough to enter into a contest.

What makes coffee organic? I will have to do some investigation into this question. In my naivete I have visions of Juan Valdez walking leisurely around a mountain picking a bean here and a bean there from wild coffee bushes to deliver to me organically grown coffee. I will post when I learn about this.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 4.

Gichi Kiambu

Kenya

First a little background...

There are two different species of coffee bushes, aribica and robusta. Aribica requires more care and produces less beans per plant so it is more rare and more expensive. The robusta plants produce more beans, require less care, and so the beans are cheaper and more readily available.

This Gichi bean, from the Kiambu region of Kenya, is a bean from the arbica species of plant. It is known as the "Kenya AA" and is noted for its fruity attribute. It is known as the "peachy gichi" (get it? It ryhmes - cute huh?) but I have not noticed this. However, this cup is vibrantly bold as a City to Full-City roast. The Gichi's flavor was unexpected as it possessed a lot of flavor for such a light roast. I noticed a dominant earthy tone which was slightly sweet but just noticeably so. Its aroma is inspiringly different but it did not seem to have anything that could be pinpointed as a noticeable attribute.

This would be a good cup to use as a taster against other cups as it is distinctive enough to warrant its own viewing.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 5.

Guayata Typica

Colombia

The aroma of this cup smells as a cup of coffee is expected to smell. It smells nostalgic of grandma's house when coffee was still made with a percolator and you awoke to the smell of coffee wafting through the house. There seems to be a lot of smell for such a lightly roasted bean.

There is a dominant nutty flavor, in this cup, that finishes with a nice fruity and spicy note. The flavor is very good but I do not think it is anything more special than a cup of Maxwell House dark roast.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 2.

Kimel Peaberry

Papua New Guinea

This is a complete and unexpected surprise. I do not know if this is what I was to expect from a Peaberry (sort of like the hoppy flavor is expected of an IPA in the world of beers) but this almost tastes like something other than coffee. It is nothing if it is not a new experience.

The Kimel Peabery possesses a sort of spiciness which is a strong attribute in this coffee. One person describes this as the slight flavor of thyme which resonates as true with me. I also sense a fine buttery flavor and feel as well.

I roasted 2 oz. of this bean to a lighter City roast and ground it mediumly for a 12 cup pot. The brew was a perfect cinnamon brown with no hint of emerald around its edge. It had a unique aroma, from bean to brew, which should have tipped me off to what was in store but not many beans actually taste like they smell.

This Papau New Guinea (PNG) Kimel Peaberry is quite extraordinary and quite a pleasurable experience. I do believe that this is one of those coffees that can be used as a tool to aid in personal times of devotion and worship.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 9.

All Part of the Experience

I have become aware that I have made some mistakes that will necessitate that I re-roast and re-evaluate the coffees that I have already sampled. This affects the Flores Bajawa, Finca San Jose, Washed Bourbon, and Harar Horse coffees. which I will add addendums to as I re-sample the beans.

The mistakes?

First, I used to little ground in my pots of coffee. I used 1oz. of grounds to a 12 cup pot which is simply diluting the coffee too much to get the real essence of the bean. Second, I did not grind the beans enough. I need to sample a finely (Turkish) ground bean as this allows the flavor to be quickly extracted by the hot water of my coffee maker. A peculator or French press can use a more course ground simply because it has the luxury of time to adequately wash over the grounds. And lastly (at least for now) the first of the beans that I roasted was brewed with tap water where filtered water certainly enhances the flavor.

So, there are the three mistakes that I can and will remedy. I am informed that using a burr grinder (rather than my blade grinder) will enhance the flavor of my coffees as well but for the price of a burr grinder I will just have to suffer. Anyway, I will add an addendum to the posts that exist as soon as I get back to to them.

Mysore - Nugget (Extra Bold)

India

"WOW!" That was the very first thing my brain yelled when I first tasted the Mysore (pronounced 'mee,zore) Nugget. The flavor is very deep and rich with this bean but it may be because I roasted and brewed it differently than the others.

First, I roasted it to Full-City and it was just entering the Second Crack by the time that I took it off the flame, second, I ground the beans very fine (Turkish style) where all the others were not ground nearly so much, and third, I used 2 ounces of ground for a 12 cup pot rather than the 1 ounce that I usually use. The coffee this produced was a full bodied and flavored brew that is comparable to any of the large chains' brews.

As far as the attributes of the flavor is concerned I must admit that I could not make any of it out. The rich bold flavor overwhelmed my palette and did not allow me to notice the finer intricacies of the beans' flavor attributes. I was not disappointed by this as I was too busy thinking that I had struck gold. Who needs intricate flavors when the cup is begging for you to drink more? I am very happy with this coffee and I am looking forward to sharing it with guests.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 8.

Harar - Horse

Ethiopia

I chose this forth coffee simply because of the name "Horse". Whatever it means in the Ethiopian tongue I wanted to see if it tasted like dog food. ;)

This coffee has grown on me as I found it to not have any attribute that leaps out - This indicates that it is a very well balanced coffee. As I worked through a couple of cups I learned that it had a slight spiciness and fruitiness in the initial stage which quickly diminishes into a smoothness that becomes nondescript.

This was a City Roast which sported a wonderful aroma in the ground bean itself but I found the aroma of the brew to be lacking and almost raw in nature. Because of this I am going to try a Full-City Roast and see if the beginning stages of carbonization unlocks some hidden flavors and aroma.

This coffee, roasted City, grew on me. After about 4 cups I found that there was a lingering quality about it. The body did not seem anything special but now I am wondering if it was an attribute of the body that is lingering. This lingering certainly suggest a complexity that I have yet noticed in any of the other coffees. I am eagerly expecting to try this cup again.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 5.

Child Slavery & Coffee

It would seem that child-labor is a big issue where coffee is concerned. So I spent some time researching the topic to try to get a handle on what exactly are the issues. And while I am certainly no expert I wanted to respond to a few of those issues. The specific article that I read is what I felt was a fairly balanced article on the subject. If you care to read it you will find it here: www.teaandcoffee.net.

"Recent census statistics show that populations in Latin American countries, contrary to those in the U.S. and Europe, are increasingly younger, ranging from 38-52% of inhabitants under the age of 18"

This was the first statement that caught my attention. Is this comparison between Latin American countries and the United States meant to inform us of how bad the Latin American countries have it or of how good America has it? It is possible that neither were the intention as we needed a base from which to demonstrate the Latin American statistical data. However, my first reaction to the comparison was "That is horrible! Those poor children."

"Accurate statistics on the prevalence of child labor in coffee are scarce, though anecdotal evidence indicates that the occurrence is widespread in coffee producing countries around the world."

I am not trying to discredit the plight of child laborers but I am an automatic cynic to everything and so I naturally wonder what the heck "anecdotal evidence" means? So I did what every intelligent ignorant person does when they don't know something - they go to Wikipedia. Here's what Wiki had to say;

"The expression anecdotal evidence has two quite distinct meanings.

(1) Evidence in the form of an anecdote or hearsay is called anecdotal if there is doubt about its veracity: the evidence itself is considered untrustworthy or untrue.

(2) Evidence which may itself be true and verifiable is used to deduce a conclusion which does not follow from it, usually by generalising from an insufficient amount of evidence. For example "my grandfather smoked like a chimney and died healthy in a car crash at the age of 99" does not disprove the proposition that "smoking markedly increases the probability of cancer and heart disease at a relatively early age". In this case the evidence may itself be true, but does not warrant the conclusion.

In both cases the conclusion is unreliable; it might happen not to be untrue, but it doesn't follow from the "evidence".

So what I take from this is that concerns about child labor is, at best, an unsubstantiated problem in the world coffee market. Am I saying that the problem does not exist? Not at all, but rather that the problem that exists may (or may not) be what we Americans suppose that it is. And further the article states:

"Among the products that children help to harvest are cocoa, coffee, coconuts, cotton, fruit and vegetables, jasmine, palm oil, rubber, sisal, sugar cane, tea, tobacco, and vanilla."

So now it seems that the unsubstantiated claim that children labor has tainted the world coffee market is equally unsubstantiated in the harvest of many of the world's commodity agricultural markets. Huh! I have never been asked about the child labor used to produce my Q-Tips nor my car tires or morning sugar-cereal. However, now that I am roasting my own coffee beans people decide to ask about the ethical decision to do so "because green coffee beans use child labor you know."

The article continues too define the various problems and how proposed solutions may or may not have the desires affect on riffing the world of child labor abuses. When I was in a Global Market Business class the discussion was on Nike's use of foreign manufacturing plants which used children to make its shoes. The solution was to boycott Nike products until it ceased employing these plants. As I thought about this solution I thought about the children in Thailand where many children (both girls and boys) are sold by their parents into the sex trade so that the family can survive. I wondered how many children would rather work in a manufacturing plant rather than be sold as prostitutes. As I thought about the Nike plant closing up shop because we Americans were appalled at the inhumanity of child labor in the making of our shoes I suggested as much and I was chastised that my thoughts were preposterously ignorant of the facts. Hmmm, maybe they are, but I wonder if my boycotting the company because of my offended American sensibilities is the proper approach.

"Most child welfare advocates agree that the proper place for a child is in the schoolroom, not the workplace."

As my wife and I discussed the issue of child labor probably being used to pick the beans that I am buying, we decided that boycotting would probably not be the appropriate approach for change. We agreed that children should be allowed to go to school if they have the opportunity but we understand that most children do not - even if I were to not buy the coffee, the cotton, the rubber, the cocoa, the sugar, or anything from Walmart. Boycotting did not seem to be the most expedient solution so we have decided that we are doing the best that we can do for four children already. We sponsor four children through Compassion International from around the world to go to school. Is this going to change the fact of child labor abuses? Certainly not for everyone but for the four children that we send money to every month I am sure that it helps.

Is there a better solution than just sponsoring the children's education? There may be but I am unaware of it. The article confesses as much:

"Child labor is a complex issue primarily rooted in poverty. A “one size fits all” solution developed in a vacuum in order to avert a potential public relations scandal will not put an end to child labor."

So in the end am I just rationalizing my purchasing of the coffee beans that have not been "Fair Trade" certified? It is possible (like you, I am very good at rationalizing and justifying the things that I desire) but as for now my conscience is clear. If it were certain that my boycotting of certain coffees would put an end to the poverty that demands the use of children in the picking of that coffee - I would. Then I would boycott the makers of my Q-Tips, my sugars providers, my tire company, and the like as well.