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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Finca San Jose

Nicaragua / Coasta Rica

The San Jose is now the second coffee bean that I have been roasting. This bean seems to me to be less finicky about roasting (or perhaps I am getting a little better at it?) and I think that it tastes the best when it is roasted to a little less than Full-City but a little more than pure Cinnamon.

This coffee has a red-wine attribute that comes to the forefront of your taste buds as it has cooled a bit in the cup and is at that perfect drinking temperature of "less than hot" but cannot yet be considered "cold". It is noted for its flowery, winey, and earthy attributes but also has a touch of chocolaty and nutty qualities as well.

I like this coffee enough to have given it to friends as a gift. I would buy this bean again but I did not "love" it enough to make that purchase now. From 1 to 10 I rate this coffee a 5.