Today’s Coffee: 28th March 2024

Comments:

  • New beans!
  • A notch darker than the São Pedro, so got to bear that in mind
  • However, I am discovering that with savoury and to some extent boozy beans, it’s more about balancing the bitterness than eliminating it
  • Today I’m going for 50% of the water in to two flavour pours, with a 2:3 ratio on those
  • If anything, that ratio should probably be more like 1:2 or even 1:3 because I suspect I’ll need to maximise the sweetness to balance the cup

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Still getting savoury soup vibes, a hearty mug of minestrone.

First Taste: Nice tart apple vibes to open with.

Haven’t gotten the finish quite right, but not bad. Leaning too hard towards dark chocolate and I think I can get something a bit more savoury than that on the finish.

If I could make more of those apple notes, then that should help mellow the end and maybe we can reach something like a tart from a French patisserie, one of those little ones with a single slice of glazed apple. Refined. Dignified.

Second Taste: As it cools, so does the astringency and I get a glimpse of what I’m looking for. It is a bright future that awaits me if I have both the determination and the humility to learn all that this bean can teach me.

Help me Obean-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.

Rating:

🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

As always, the rating is a reflection of my ability to get the most from the beans. These are trickier beans but I have been shown The Way and the secrets they hold are intriguing.

Do I have the skill to unlock them? Tune in next time to find out!

Beans

  • Roastery: Round Hill
  • Beans: Estrella Divina
  • Roast: Medium (4/7)
  • primary aroma: savoury

Adjustments

  • Coffee weight: 20g
  • Grind Type: Slow Feed
  • Water to bean Ratio: 15.0:1 (300g)
  • Flavour Pour Ratio: 2:3

Method: Custom

  • 1st Pour: 60.0g in 10s (total: 60.0g)
  • 3 Strong Swirls
  • Wait 25s
  • 2nd Pour: 90.0g in 10s (total: 150.0g)
  • Wait 25s
  • 3rd Pour: 150.0g in 20s (total: 300.0g)
  • Bed Clear: 03:00

Unchanged Settings

  • Grind size: 1Zpresso QS @ 70 (777.78μm, Burr Distance: 52.5mm)
  • Water temperature: 88°C (190.4°F)
  • Filter paper: Hario V60 01 Brown
  • Funnel warming water: 400mm @ 88°C (190.4°F)

What the heck is this?