In this thread you can share what new coffee, equipment, techniques etc. you have tried this week.
What have you enjoyed and what didn’t you like? Have you learned anything new?
stopped in at dorothea coffee this week in mt. vernon, wa. it was two guys in a tiny space with a roaster taking up about a third of it, a counter, and a little bit of bar seating. the menu is pourovers of a bunch of their coffees, or you can have a drip/cafe au lait if you want. i would recommend this spot to anyone with an interest in quality coffee.
I’d love to have that near my place. My city has a pretty decent coffee scene for its population but nothing with that vibe that I’ve found so far. I’m still discovering new places though.
Unfortunately, not close enough to just drop by for me, but thank you for sharing. Please share more.
i had brought home a bag of their beans and having brewed it a few days now im certainly enjoying. it is one of those “forgiving” roasts, havent yet found the astringency ledge.
Tried a new mucilage fermented coffee (EA Decaf) from Frequent Coffee
It claims- notes of jackfruit, passionfruit, and pineapple on the package. From most rosters I giggle at the descriptions and sip the coffee that tastes like coffee… But I’ve learned that Frequent says what they mean and means what they say.
To be fair, these are their special more experimental beans. I usually buy a bag or two alongside something more mainstream from them. Some of these special bags are amazing, others are not for me, but they are all super fun.
I normally brew a LONG pull via extra low pressure in my GaggiaMate’d Silvia with a deep stepdown basket. For a medium to medium-dark roast like 21g in to 90-100g out. It works for me and that’s really all I care about. Gives me the delicate flavors of a nice pourover with the vibrancy and control of espresso.
Well this bean has proven to be a real challenge with my normal technique. Usually if it’s sour I dial back to 90g. 80g at most.
Tomorrow I have resolved to try 70 and I’m still not confident. The pineapple and passionfruit flavors are so strongly sour I might have to go to… Ugh, like 1:3 or something. Pray for me.
I’ve been recently experimenting with longer ratios but never that long. I did 18/50 the other day and found it far too long, I can’t imagine going for something as long as you claim but maybe once it goes that far it circles around to being good again? Maybe I’ll consider it one of these days.
I’m not super scientific with it, but the shot goes:
- 21g at a medium-coarse espresso grind (3 on my machine) into a 49mm stepdown. Stepdown came with matching filter paper, puck screen, and puck screen spring. No idea how much that changes things but it’s what I’ve dialed it in with.
- 87c
- Turn on pump slowly until 2g are in the cup, then cut
- Bloom 60s with the valve open (usually have about 20-30g in the cup at the end of the bloom)
- 1 bar until target weight gets hit.
It usually makes a balanced cup- not overly sweet or sour or bitter, somewhere in the middle of all 3. I like it but I’m sure many wouldn’t. Most people seem to think that any sour in the cup is bad, and I understand that but like the balanced profile more because I can get those really hard to find flavors in the cup more prominently.
Fair enough, that sounds far more involved than I’m currently looking to go but I’ll take your word for it, I’m sure it makes a great drink.
Just out of curiosity, what machine do you have?
Rancilio Silvia with Gaggimate installed. Been a workhorse.
Oh very nice, I was looking at those around the same time I got my GCP. I’ve been looking at getting a Gaggimate for it too, looks like fun to play with. At the same time, I’m also wanting to pick up a Cafelat Robot when they’re back in stock so we’ll see where I spend my money. I’m also close to pulling the trigger on a grinder too, so who knows right now. I’m sure eventually I’ll get the Gaggimate though. It does look really neat.
Also, where do y’all get your coffee?
Local roasters. Find some good, small roasters in your area and support them rather than the big companies. If you have absolutely nothing close by, some places will ship too. I’m not sure where in the world you live but Hatch, based in Ontario, Canada, have been my favourite recently.
