November 30 afternoon — Java Blend Yirg Natural in vacpot

After lunch I thought I would try to brew up some of the Java Blend Ethiopia Yirg Natural that I bought in the farmer’s market yesterday… The bags were not dated and but hopefully they are kept fresh.

 I note that beans are much darker and oily compared to the Beloya…

I kept the parameters all the same as what I did with my last go in the siphon… grinder set @ 32, 34gm coffee, 3cup mark water.  I minute brewing time + down-kick around a minute…  I have not had Jim’s Yirg for a few months when I last had it in the Clover at the Smiling Goat.  Yet, I don’t know whether Geoff used this particular roast, or whether Jim does a special lighter roast for the Clover.. I remember the blueberries were there (as they were in some of the SO shots of ’spro)…  Yet, the time before when I had it as a ’spro it was primarily chocolate as the blueberries were AWOL… 

Well today, there are no blueberries to speak of in my Yirg…  This is dark, rich coffee though.

 

 It is primarily chocolate, and a bit bitter… I wasn’t entirely happy with how it brewed in the siphon, as I probably turned down the flame a bit too much on the kick up and it took a bit too long for the upper chamber to fill with water…  Plus, I had no real dome to speak of on the brewed grinds…  Therefore, I wasn’t sure if the lack of blueberries was due to my technique or the dark roasted beans… So, as an experiment I quickly tried a press pot of the same bean, and again, NO blueberries, just denser chocolate…Nothing wrong at all, but I wanted something today with a lot of fruit. 

Nonetheless, I think I have been spoiled by the fruitier Beloya, but it is 29$/12oz… 

Then, after a few errands this afternoon, I thought I would get one more shot of Epic @ Steve’s, seeing it was so good the last few days.  Kendra pours one and says she is not really happy with it, but it smells like caramel (that is the creme caramel that Ken was talking about)… Unfortunately, it tastes sour as she predicts (probably the fault of the burgundy cup!)

So, the next one is better… maybe not as great as yesterday though

November 30 — vacpot Beloya

Family life… It’s all bout logistics. No free time if you sleep until nine like I did today. .

Breakfast of brioche French toast is waiting downstairs. Clean up kitchen. Make siphon of Beloya. Then get my son ready for swim lessons and soccer game back to back.

 

Then get home to make everyone lunch. Repeat tonight for my daughter.

Went a little coarser on the grind setting 32. Got a bit more of the blueberry today. But still I think the beans are too old perhaps…  Subtle strawberry. Citrusy sweet. Mildly bitter. Chocolate as it cooled. First time I got what looked like a dome in my grinds at the end. I don’t know how important ‘the dome’ is.

beloya as captured by my son

Nov 29 — my first vacpot @ home

Well the Yama butane burner came yesterday @ work, but couldn’t try it out until today as I was out @ Nick’s place last evening.  Again, I’m going with the 49th Parallel Ethiopia Yergecheffe Beloya.  However, the bag has been open for four days and the roast was 11/17. I try a grind setting of 28 on my Baratza Maestro Plus grinder (about 3/4 over on the range … somewhere between drip and press pot).  The dry grinds don’t have quite that same aroma as 2 days ago, when I made the Beloya in the press pot.  That intoxicating raspberry vanilla aroma is gone.  34g of coffee for 3 cup Hario set-up.  I’m using paper Hario filters, instead of the cloth with is supposedly a PITA.  

Those instructions are helpful !

One minute brewing on heat and about a minute kick-down.  The aroma and first sips are missing that signature blueberry that I remember from the Clover @ Manic and the french press a few days ago.  The first taste is muted more like an apple cider.  As it cools there is a citrusy-strawberry taste.  Chocolate is briefly appreciated but nothing like the french press.  Coffee is way cleaner (more like a Clover coffee) than the press pot a few days ago…  I like today’s way better except for the missing blueberry.  Now that I have done the first one with reasonable success, I can’t wait to try again with new Beloya beans…  I bought some of Jim’s (Java Blend) Natural Yirgacheffe @ market this morning and that will be my next pot…  I wonder whether Ken’s Beloya is also changing in the Aeropress.

Meanwhile, I see 49th has a bunch of new Ethiopia coffees to try !

Nov 29 — steves

WOW. if you never have had Epic before, get here today !

Ken, I hope you managed a stop today…

So good, I order another:

Nov 28 — steve’s

Beautiful morning.
As predicted this was an awesome week for coffee. Epic kept getting better and better. Today’s shot was crazy. Packed with chocolate. Velvety mouthfeel. Syrupy at the end. Macc was inzane.

The Coast article

Read Andy Murdoch’s great article on the first Halifax Non-Barista Championship.

http://www.thecoast.ca/Articles-i-2008-11-27-152832.113118_Halifaxs_cappuccino_undergrounds.html

Nov 27 pm — my house

I’m still waiting for my mini butane burner to come from Transcend Coffee for my coffee siphon… Yet, I’m dying to try the Yergecheffe Beloya Micro-Lot #3, as the 12oz bag of beans were opened a couple of days ago, after I split a bag with Ken.  

So, after my son’s multi-cultural night at the school, I made my first press pot of Beloya…  Very nice for my first effort I guess, but certainly not as eye-opening as the Clover version of Beloya I had last month @ Manic in TO.  Nonetheless, there is still a lot happening there with blueberries to start, citrus, chocolate, and faint strawberries.  I can’t wait to contrast in the siphon.  Ken had it in his Aeropress last night… We should buy another bag next week and try it 3 ways:  siphon vs. press vs. aeropress.  

Even better, I would love to taste as S-O spro… or get our hands on Sammy’s competition blend: 70% Brazil Daterra Bruzzi; 30% Ethiopia Yergecheffe Beloya Micro-Lot #3 for some espresso tasting @ Steve’s.

Nov 27 — java blend

After being judged by john last Saturday , I get to judge his shot today.

Nov 27 — steves

The Epic continues to evolve this week.  Getting away from the chocolate of last week and more brown sugar.  Today, there is nutty taste upfront and much more fruit (dark red fruit in the middle — almost wine like) and some cherry on the end.  Interesting how much it can change each day away from the roast.

Nov26 — steves

Even tho I feel shitty this am the Epic is wonderful. The double shot smelled so good that I didn’t want to wait for the camera before enjoying the espresso.  Then, I order a macc as my breakfast.