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.

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.

Washed Bourbon

Rwanda

I highly anticipated this third coffee roast as the green beans smelled very pleasant (vs. the Flora Bajawa & Finca San Jose). The brewed cup had an earthy, almost sweet saw-dusty scent which was pleasing and beckoning.

The flavor's first initial nuance is a fruity note that suggests a bitterness that never actually materializes while the buttery attribute stands out as it finishes. Although it boasts a nutty tone I did not notice it as much as in the other two coffees and it seemed the more enjoyable for it.

This brew has a hearty body which allows the flavor to finish long and it is packed in a bright amber-brown color that hints emerald green at the edge.

From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 5.