Your Morning Mug

**JPDyson** · 06-22-2012, 06:19 AM

Busy week, no roasting, ergo Counter Culture's Variety: Bourbon. In the best way possible, it tastes like coffee.

**gearchow** · 06-22-2012, 06:52 AM

Ethiopia Grade 1 Chelelektu Yirga Cheffe

roasted last night to C-C+ (it's a tough distinction for me to make).
Not rested long enough, but sure does taste nice. It is a bright cup.

-jim

**Crixus** · 06-24-2012, 08:27 PM

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Made it drip in the Black & Decker. Sometimes I can't help myself.

**gearchow** · 06-30-2012, 08:04 AM

Roasted some Kona - Kowaii Farm Typica - last night. Around the 7 minute mark had a fantastic loud and rolling first crack and I meant to stop it before it hit second but it seemed to transition right into 2nd. Going to try and reduce the heat once 1st starts next time.

It's not a bad cup even without much rest. I usually don't buy Kona because it's expensive and I don't find it to be an interesting cup. It's good, but just not interesting if that makes sense.

-jim

**xraygun** · 06-30-2012, 08:22 AM

I'm having a nice cup o' Columbian San Sebastian Reserva from my new favorite, Olympia Coffee Roasting. The first roaster in the NW I've found that doesn't overcook everything.

Jim- I've never been impressed with any Kona to date. I know what you are saying. I'd still take a chance on it again if folks like this morning's pot offered it to see if I've missed something.

**JPDyson** · 06-30-2012, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by gearchow

Roasted some Kona - Kowaii Farm Typica - last night. Around the 7 minute mark had a fantastic loud and rolling first crack and I meant to stop it before it hit second but it seemed to transition right into 2nd. Going to try and reduce the heat once 1st starts next time.

It's not a bad cup even without much rest. I usually don't buy Kona because it's expensive and I don't find it to be an interesting cup. It's good, but just not interesting if that makes sense.

-jim

Slow your ramp-up. Keep it moving, but you're in no rush to 1C. A little 2C isn't the death of a typica Kona, but I prefer to stop mine just before it would start.

**EricBNC** · 07-01-2012, 06:04 AM

This morning I tried a blend of the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe grade one Wota Konga available from Compass Coffee either roasted or green. The blend consisted of three different roasts of the same bean - one part light, one part medium, and one part just to the edge of 2nd crack with a couple beans showing a little oil so these few went further than the rest.

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The blend made a nice cup of coffee in a Hario V60 cone this morning with powerful acidity - not lemony, but still a hint of fruity tartness. The body was medium full - more silky than syrupy - while the finish was long and sweet. I can't wait to try each of these as individually brewed cups next.

**Bob the aged Lurcher** · 07-01-2012, 09:54 AM

In my case PG in a mug, bliss.

**Larry J** · 07-01-2012, 10:03 AM

The last of my stash of Red Bird's Black Jaguar Espresso, ground using my Rancillio Rocky and pulled through my 25+ year old La Pavoni Europicola.

**EricBNC** · 07-02-2012, 01:44 AM

I mixed some light and dark roast Wota Konga Yirgacheffe and ended up with this:

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and then I brewed the same beans to make this cup:

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**JPDyson** · 07-02-2012, 09:32 AM

Burundi Prestige Cup #8 -Ngogomo at City+. Likely enough natural sweetness, maybe honey or less refined sugar. Seems like cherry, but not in the way cherry-flavored things are - more like real cherry. Some sort of spice character, and even some cocoa.

**Everett529** · 07-03-2012, 09:53 AM

This morning the mug contains an aeropress of Caribou Lakeshore Blend. Definitely seems darker than I would think according to the package, but all in all, not a bad cup of coffee. I have some homeroast aging at the moment, but tis not ready, so by default, this is the coffee du jour.

**austinDeville** · 07-03-2012, 01:14 PM

An afternoon cup of organic Sumatra brewed strong (two healthy scoops per half cup of 80C water) thru a melitta-style filter into a mug one-quarter-full of pre-heated-to-a-froth organic whole milk.

**austinDeville** · 07-04-2012, 06:00 AM

starting the day gently with a weak infusion (1/2 teaspoon per 2 cups water) of chun mee green tea. these leaves will be reinfused 5 or 6 times during the day. what an economical drink.

**benvh** · 07-07-2012, 06:22 AM

Finished off the last of my Columbia Tolima - Nelson Atuesta Microlot from SweetMarias. Roasted to C+...a great cup of Columbia.

Ben

**RondeB** · 07-08-2012, 07:08 AM

A Klatch espresso blend latte.

**StillShaving** · 07-08-2012, 09:38 PM

Originally Posted by EricBNC

This morning I tried a blend of the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe grade one Wota Konga available from Compass Coffee either roasted or green. The blend consisted of three different roasts of the same bean - one part light, one part medium, and one part just to the edge of 2nd crack with a couple beans showing a little oil so these few went further than the rest.

The blend made a nice cup of coffee in a Hario V60 cone this morning with powerful acidity - not lemony, but still a hint of fruity tartness. The body was medium full - more silky than syrupy - while the finish was long and sweet. I can't wait to try each of these as individually brewed cups next.

Nice pics and writeup. I have extremely limited first hand experience with this approach, but have been interested in exploring the taste profile of taking a single origin coffee and roasting at different levels and blending before grinding. To determine if a roasting blend is any better than "nailing" the proper roast to begin with.

A more concise question is whether it is "easier" to get "better" taste from a blend of different roasts rather than a single ideal roast which is harder to execute....assuming one is roasting with a Behmor, BBQ grill, Popper, etc, where precise profiles are non-existent.

**StillShaving** · 07-12-2012, 06:00 PM

Just roasted some Kenya Peaberry in preparation for the weekend mug.

I usually do some light multitasking while roasting but for the first time I totally forgot about the roast a few minutes into it. A little bit later I was about to start some non-urgent task that would take about 10-15 minutes to finish, and as I paused for a split second to consider delaying, it caused me to remember the roast. I bolted back outside expecting to see the Behmor on fire but thankfully it was still in 1st crack.

**JPDyson** · 07-13-2012, 04:56 AM

Originally Posted by StillShaving

Just roasted some Kenya Peaberry in preparation for the weekend mug.

I usually do some light multitasking while roasting but for the first time I totally forgot about the roast a few minutes into it. A little bit later I was about to start some non-urgent task that would take about 10-15 minutes to finish, and as I paused for a split second to consider delaying, it caused me to remember the roast. I bolted back outside expecting to see the Behmor on fire but thankfully it was still in 1st crack.

Yikes! I've never had a fire, but I watch my roaster like a hawk. I think that's how it works...

**EricBNC** · 07-13-2012, 06:13 AM

Originally Posted by JPDyson

Yikes! I've never had a fire, but I watch my roaster like a hawk. I think that's how it works...

You will never hear me condone leaving a roaster unattended. That said, a friend of mine roasted the same Ethiopian Natural process (i.e. chaff laden) and had a small fire in his Behmor. Sometimes it just happens...