Green coffee sampler is out, still don't know anything

[Vlad]

Guys, I'm almost out of coffee, and I have not developed a palette to know what I want. So many choices at Sweeet Maria's, and I don't where to start. I want something that isn't too bright, and evey once in a while I get a nutty taste I really like. Anyone have suggestions? I need to order a few pounds this week.

[benvh]

I've found that Columbia coffees have a nice balance for the most part and I've had good luck with those I've gotten from SweetMarias. They have a nice El Salvador listed also. Another balanced coffee.

Or you could always order another sampler pack...

Ben

[JPDyson]

I tend to think, in broad strokes, that you'd like a lot of the American coffees. Brazil and Columbia can be... well, simple at times, but not in a bad way. Costa Rica and El Salvador may offer more punch. Many are bright at light roasts, but reserved around FC.

[gearchow]

from SMs the Java Kopi Sunda is pretty good. I roasted some of that yesterday - got away from me a bit though. Still pretty nice.

There is one that I can tell you that you shouldn't get at this stage of the game and thats the Lake Toba 19+. I've gotten it before and they describe it as "a pungent, brooding, opaque, full-bore Sumatra". No kidding. I love the Indonesian coffees, but that one took me a long time to finish.

-jim

[StillShaving]

I would probably recommend central and south america as well. Sounds like you should get a large sampler, or create a sampler yourself with about 1/2 the amount from the Americas, 1/4 from Africa and 1/4 from Indonesia/South Asia. Coffees from the same general region can be different based on the farm and how you roast it, so I would encourage you to continue to experiment.

[Rughi]

You're best luck with Sweetmarias might not yet be looking for a region, but clicking on the "view cupping scores" and comparing the "brightness" to the "body" and "sweetness." If the brightness is smaller than one or both of the others, you'll likely not get overly much brightness.

To Tom's tastebuds "balanced" is pretty bright, and he'll write more glowingly about bright and acidic coffees (citrus fruits, tangy, etc) than more earthy, less acidic coffees (dark chocolate but not too musty, etc). Also, I find any coffee he recommends to not roast as far as full city + is going to be brighter and fruitier than I care for.

If you email them, I'm sure they'd be happy to recommend a nice set of beans to try.

Roger