Espresso bean

[Bigwaved]

What is your favorite SO bean to roast for espresso? I am not a blender when I home roast, so I am looking for one that you have had good results from lately.

[novasurf]

Ask the folks at Stumptown if they have any Autumn Pearl (Perla del Otun) left. This was a Colombian Cup of Excellence 1st place winner from the first harvest in '06. Roast to just second crack. You might find it one/two dimensional compared to Hair Bender, but we really pulled some great shots with it.

We've also pulled some very good single origin shots of '06 Brazil CoE, but knowing how much Stumptown Roasters bought of these, it would not surprise me that you're already drinking some in their blends.

Since you are so close, they'd be an excellent choice to tap on the shoulder for some of the '06 Brazil CoE SO coffees.

If at all possible, tried to pull 2 or 3 different SO shots and taste. It is a real eye opener.

Good luck.

[Bigwaved]

Thanks, Nova. I will have to head down there and rub spme shoulders with then to see what they may be willing to do.

BTW, I have some of the Columbian COE from you. Should I roast it to the same point? I went a little further with it to see how it pulled. It wasn't bad, just not quite what I was shooting for.

[novasurf]

Wave....just to second crack...no surface oil. Let the beans rest a minimum of 3 full days.

SO as espresso has its own domain. And I for one have lobbed very high expectations on SO only to be let down cuz its just not like any of my espresso blends. When I let go of that expectation, I usually find a decent SO shot.

I have really not come up with a godshot of SO. Close but no cigar.

Best....Nova

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by novasurf

Wave....just to second crack...no surface oil. Let the beans rest a minimum of 3 full days.

SO as espresso has its own domain. And I for one have lobbed very high expectations on SO only to be let down cuz its just not like any of my espresso blends. When I let go of that expectation, I usually find a decent SO shot.

I have really not come up with a godshot of SO. Close but no cigar.

Best....Nova

Doh! I took it to surface oil the first go around. I will shut it down before that this time to see what I can come up with. Thanks.

[MrJerry]

I love oil on the surface of the beans. I use 7 beans in my espresso blend, but not all the beans are dark roast...I got some marbling going on...some medium, dark medium and dark roast. Very rounded and full flavor.

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by MrJerry

I love oil on the surface of the beans. I use 7 beans in my espresso blend, but not all the beans are dark roast...I got some marbling going on...some medium, dark medium and dark roast. Very rounded and full flavor.

Seven? Way over my head, Mr. J. Maybe someday when I am in the experimenting mood...

[novasurf]

How are you making out on this Dave?

[Mister Moo]

Bump. Hello? Hello?

I was always ready to enjoy every SO bean I roasted as espresso when I first got into it. A few were good, a few were less good and most were OK. Sooner or later they all told me something of what "they" are and why "they" might be exactly what a great espresso blend demands.

Finding the single great bean for espresso is harder than creating a decent blend (which ain't easy, no matter how much advice you get from the normal blending wizards and even the 7-bean sorcerers). When you finally find the great one, a crop change can turn it into the one pathetic one or the average one. And you're back to ground zero. A proper blend will always taste good as it covers up changes in crops. A goll-danged black art is what it is...

Once I had my idea of the best SO that ever made espresso - 2002(?) Puerto Rican Yauco Selecto AA. Pricey stuff, it was, and not easy to find. It made something that heaped with crema, tasted chocolate sweet and went down like rich honey-butter. The next year's crop did nothing like it. Or the next. At $9.00 or more per pound (green) I gave up on the SO espresso grail and went on to a satisfying blend.

If you DO find the ONE TRUE BEAN, please send me 40-pounds. Thanks in advance.

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by novasurf

How are you making out on this Dave?

I have experimented with the Columbian COE. It was not too bad. Not the best, but above average. I then cheated by buying some Stumptown Hairbender blend already roasted. It was on par to the C COE. Then, I purchased some Monkey and Liquid Amber from SM. The monkey has changed over the course of this week. It has filled out nicely. After I return from vacation, I will roast the LA. While in Chi-Town, I am heading to Intelligencia for some exploring.

[Syekick]

Google and search didn't enlighten me. (or i gave up to early on the returns.)

What gives with the acryomns SO and GOE?

Please don't tell me the first one has something to do with Sanka after all the ribbing I have been giving you guys!

[Bigwaved]

Originally Posted by Syekick

Google and search didn't enlighten me. (or i gave up to early on the returns.)

What gives with the acryomns SO and GOE?

Please don't tell me the first one has something to do with Sanka after all the ribbing I have been giving you guys!

SO is single origin. Goe is what O-A's do when the light turns green. COE is cup of excellence.

[Syekick]

Originally Posted by Bigwaved

Goe is what O-A's do when the light turns green.

Raginfratsingsorgin ARGHHHHH! All those darn letters and I chose the wrong one. Thanks for the COE explaination.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by Syekick

Thanks for the COE explaination.

And the COE-operation, too.