What coffee are you drinking just now?

[farmerbarleymow]

A free cup of black filter coffee from Pret.

 

[gentlegreen]

A free cup of black filter coffee from Pret.

what does it taste like ?

 

[farmerbarleymow]

what does it taste like ?

Like coffee.

 

[gentlegreen]

I knew you were going to say that.

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I knew you were going to say that.

It's just coffee - there's not much else to say about it.

 

[gentlegreen]

Makes me realise I ought to try someone else's coffee one day so I have a reference, but there's nowhere near me that does anything other than the same espresso with different crap added to it ...

 

[gentlegreen]

Day 1 of blending.

14g of the slightly acidic Guatemala el Bosque bourbon.
4g of the Brazilian "dry cocoa" natural bourbon.

Serious dark chocolate - and the remaining acidity in the mix is actually welcome.

It probably doesn't help reproducibility that I'm feeling the first effects of hayfever, so my nose is somewhat compromised.

 

[gentlegreen]

day 2.

15g of the Guatemala
3g of the Brazilian.



Initially I got even more chocolate ...

Whatever the sweet spot is, the increments are a fair bit finer than with the previous blend.

 

[gentlegreen]

Day 3
I thought I'd go quite a bit up the chocolate spectrum.
I was trying not to swamp my beloved Guatemalan, but this is very nice - all the chocolate, but without the excessive dryness of the Brazilian - and just enough of the Guatemalan acidity.

12g Guatemalan - 11.4 corrected
7 g Brazilian (oops) 6.6 corrected

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I thought I'd go quite a bit up the chocolate spectrum

Couldn't you just have a mug of hot chocolate instead? If you need the caffeine just crumble in a pro-plus pill.

 

[danski]

Couldn't you just have a mug of hot chocolate instead? If you need the caffeine just crumble in a pro-plus pill.

Far too simple.

 

[gentlegreen]

Couldn't you just have a mug of hot chocolate instead? If you need the caffeine just crumble in a pro-plus pill.

It does make me think - it would be a lot cheaper

cocoa and hot water though ...

 

[Don Troooomp]

I love my coffee.
Had a delicious mocha about 10 minutes ago, but a local coffee shop do a really nice caramel thing. I may give one a tasting tomorrow.

 

[gentlegreen]

I had some of my previous blend this morning.
Massively acidic in comparison with my new blend, but not at all unwelcome with freshly made bread - and much more coffee-like ... :hmm.

 

[Proper Tidy]

Aldi #5

 

[gentlegreen]

I may have lost any little coffee mojo I once had ... perhaps it's because I've been stuck at home and drinking it daily for months instead of appreciating it at the weekend. I just put in a review of the natural Brazilian because my experience differed so starkly - I got dry cocoa instead of "chocolate truffle".

Hasbean have run out of the Guatemala El Bosque, so I've gone for a wildcard Nicaraguan ...

In the cup this is cacao nibs with a delicious digestive biscuit kind of sweetness. There's a delicate fruity edge mixed in – it's a hint of lychee. The aftertaste is clean and refreshing, reminding me of pear drops.

The one customer review also suggests it won't be very fruity / acidic. I can always blend it with the cocoa-y Brazilian if it is.


Hasbean: Nicaragua Finca La Isla AA Washed

 

[farmerbarleymow]

Black coffee. Real rather than instant but that's all I know about it.

 

[gentlegreen]

Black coffee. Real rather than instant but that's all I know about it.

Come on, get a bit obsessive about it - you know you want to

 

[gentlegreen]

I miss mrs quoad

 

[friedaweed]

I miss mrs quoad

Aye but top flounce to fall out with Ed over..... which is better I-fone or android?

Anyway I'm on Lavazza Oro cos it was on offer a while back so I filled the cupboard with it.

 

[gentlegreen]

My Nicaraguan beans have just arrived and they smell amazing
Too nice to pour hot water over ... I'm almost tempted to make some now - but it'd keep me up all night.

 

[editor]

Some ghastly coffee concoction from Brussels station. I had to put a bit of milk in as I refused to pay an extra €1 for a drop of soya, the rip off fuckers.

 

[gentlegreen]

I caved.
Made a teeny test batch.
It has something of the yeasty stew I remember from past Nicaraguan beans.
Quite acidic..

This might end up being another blend with the weird cocoa powder Brazilian...

 

[gentlegreen]

I blended some Nicaraguan about 60:40 with some Brazilian and it was a bit strange - like the flavours sort of cancelled-out.
Very refreshing though

 

[gentlegreen]

After 5 mugs of this with it having breathed a bit in the bag I'm struggling to describe it.
It's probably the most actually "coffee"-flavoured coffee I've had in ages - not a very "sophisticated" flavour profile - but welcome nonetheless.

I'm probably at the stage when I need to make half-mugs and compare side by side.

 

[gentlegreen]

After a fair few mugs and with it having breathed a bit, I think "muddy" would be a good description
I doubt @mrsquoad would be very impressed - though he dabbled in "natural" beans occasionally.

As I was making it this morning, I remembered that I used to make coffee the way I make tea - twice the coffee, half the brew time or less.

I may have a try with that - knowing I'm sufficiently shameless to make at least a second infusion - though two scoops might turn me into an axe murderer ..

 

[8115]

Only Tescos cheapest but I have cracked out my cold brew maker and it is lovely. Just enjoying a big glass with goats milk. Cold brew is the best.

 

[gentlegreen]

I may have to experiment with cold extraction - it's certainly the weather for it

I was thinking of trying somewhere other than HasBean for my next order, but couldn't resist this one :-
Bolivian is usually too fruity for me, but they describe this as :-

"Cadbury's Dairy Milk, peach, candied lemon."

Hasbean: Bolivia Teodocio Mamani Organic

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Bought cafe direct last night rather then the own brands I normally do as it was on offer. Loaded into a thermal mug to be drunk by the lake when I get to work. Old stuff was tasting bitter.



I do like fresh ground but wish I'd bought at electric grinder now, even if cheap ones aren't as good as I can never be bothered to use the manual when I've got to get out to work.

 

[gentlegreen]

Bloody hell - I was in Aldi yesterday and they had beans at under £2 for 200g whereas I pay £8 for 250g delivered ...

I think I can resist the tempation to try them though ...