Mexican Chiapas

On the Southern most edge of Mexico, just before you get to Guatemala, is Chiapas (chee-ah-pass).  Once there you may ask the locals for a cup of cafe and they will give you a brew from of their home-grown beans.

The Chiapas is a mild cup that sports a dominant fruit-wine flavor.  Roasted just 60-seconds into the second-crack this bean's profile was just slightly Full-City roasted.  Here the flavor of the roast is obvious while the intrinsic flavor of the bean remains present.

While this bean is roasted a strong smoky-nut aroma is revealed making the roaster assume that nut will be present in the flavor however that flavor never materialized.  Only a sweet aroma that had a dry-wine effect was present.  Overall it was a clean cup that nosed sweet and sipped brightly a midst a panorama of floral notes.

South-American Pale (Blend #6)

1oz - Brazil Mogiana
1oz - Bolivian CIAPEC
1oz - Guatemala Palhu SHB Huehuetenango

This recipe was roasted to the point that the Second Crack was just beginning. And while it suffers in comparison to the Manna it possesses its own classic flavor. My wife describes it as more "chewy" and much "stronger" coffee - something akin to Camp-Fire coffee.

I do not find anything special about this blend but it is good all the same. This is a cup to enjoy while sitting out on the porch on a brisk fall morning.

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.

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

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.

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.