Did a search for a book recommendation. I would like a book that would help me learn how to make my own blends of coffee? Not recipes made with coffee, but the differents coffees around the world and how to make my combination(s).

I've built up a pretty decent coffee book library over the years and the only one I could find that had a decent section on blending and flavor profiles to blends, is unfortunately rather dated to the 70's. The Book of Coffee and Tea. On the upside, the book can be had for under $3.

Here's a little bit of easy reading on espresso blending from Sweet Maria's while your waiting for book recommendations: http://www.sweetmarias.com/library/cont ... e-espresso

Blending is subjective, especially if you are only trying to please your palate. I suggest you spend your book money ( you'd probably be spending $100+) on many pour overs and SO espressos from as many origins as you can, to get an idea of how different coffees taste, then think about how you can mix them together to make combinations you enjoy. When you buy your greens, read the cupping notes, and buy accordingly. Most importantly, taste your blends and component coffees, and change ratios, ingredients, and roast profiles as needed. I'm yet to come across a book that tells you how to taste.

I started out blending and wish I had not. Start by using single origins and familiarize yourself with the tastes that can be had at different extraction parameters. Once you have a handle on that, then start combining.

But simple blends to start are a good idea. 2 parts South American or Centrals and one part Asian or African will keep you bust for a year or two alone. Brazils work well because they are easy to roast and do well at a lot of different roast levels. Kenyans, Ethiopians, Yemen, Tanzanian, etc., etc. Nearly endless possibilities just based on that. Then do the opposite- one part American and two parts the other.

Get back to us in a couple of decades and let us know how it's going.

But as soon as you get something spectacular the crop will change and you have to reevaluate the blend and roast...

THEN... do you pre-blend or post-blend?

Another resource is Willem Boot's article for Roast Magazine Blending the rules: The Art and Science of
Combining Coffees.

There is a little (very little and probably out of date) information about blending for espresso in Kenneth Davids's "Espresso" book.

Looked at your Sweet Maria's suggestions heavyload and that's close to what I would like. Then pick some of them and experiment like pacificmanitou mentionned to my taste.

But a good book describing all the different coffee would help me select which one I could try to fit my taste. By the way anyone knows the number of different coffees out there?

I bought a blend here in Montreal that's pretty well close to my palate, and I like the chocolate taste and long lingering taste. Of course they will not tell me what the blend is. But If I knew which coffee has the chocolate taste, the little accidity and sweetness that I like, it would be fun to experiment with these.

I will go over all your suggestions further.

By the way, anyone here near Montreal? Could you tell me where you buy your coffee?

The problem is, what you're asking for doesn't exist. There's thousands of coffees, many of which we will never try, many of which are commodity and not worth trying, ect. Each crop from each region of each country can taste very different, and harvest to harvest the same crop can taste different. One good crop could be destroyed the next year by frost or leaf rust, or it could be fermented too long and taste wrong. The amount of variables involved in a cup of coffee makes an absolute checklist of flavor by region near impossible. You could classify regions generally, saying things like Brazil is generally a simple cup of nuts and cocoa powder, which is true. My current Brazil, however, adds a fruit aroma to my blend, which is more associated with other regions. Its subjective, not scientific.

And if you ever could get the perfect blend, after awhile you'd want some variety and try something different.

Marvin