Great thread, time to experiment!
I recently started this coffee adventure with three blends, purchased for my (gasp) jura superautomatic.
From Anthony's espresso in woodbridge (I live in the GTA) their house roasts (weekly) Rocco Bar Gran Crema, and Bellacaf. RBGC is delicious, and the other is nice too. Steve-son-of-anthony is a soft spoken and knowledgeable guy and recommended those for the Jura, but recommended I not use those in the LSM. (roadsted longer for lower temp machines apparently?) He recommended one from Esse Caffe in italy - Miscela Masini. Not so freshly roasted obviously, but still quite good. Have not really explored local roasters at all.

Anyone try Barrocco in Mississauga? (on Tomken Road, happens to be near my office)

Dave

Will advise.

DaveLSM wrote:Will advise.

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I've been intending to try Trebilcock Roasters for a while now. But would need to order online since the roastery is a bit far for me. Please do report back.

As for Barocco, last I heard, they supplied beans to B Espresso Bar in Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music building. But I get headaches from any blend that includes robusta. So I only drink pure Arabica. Most specialty roasters these days use 100 per cent Arabica.

However, many Italian style roasters still include a small percentage of robusta in blends. Poor quality robusta often has a burnt rubber taste. But there is, contrary to what some might say, higher quality robusta.

Also, there are some interesting threads on HB discussing traditional Italian blends that can produce good shots, despite being roasted many, many months ago and then packaged with a nitrogen flush.

canuckcoffeeguy wrote:I

As for Barocco, last I heard, they supplied beans to B Espresso Bar in Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music building. But I get headaches from any blend that includes robusta. So I only drink pure Arabica. Most specialty roasters these days use 100 per cent Arabica.

However, many Italian style roasters still include a small percentage of robusta in blends. Poor quality robusta often has a burnt rubber taste. But there is, contrary to what some might say, higher quality robusta.

Also, there are some interesting threads on HB discussing traditional Italian blends that can produce good shots, despite being roasted many, many months ago and then packaged with a nitrogen flush.

Sure though whatever I report back from Trebilcock will have to be consumed with a grain of salt given my limited experience in this realm. Esse Miscela was actually the packaged Italian blend discussed here as being quite good. It was recommended by Anthony's and I was enjoying it prior to my finding that HB post, so nice validation. FWIW Steve, (at anthony's) recommends some robusta content for espresso. The other blends from Anthony's I referred to are 10 and 20% robusta apparently. I have not yet tried 100% arabica in this machine, though for french press it was always my favourite. (not fresh, and no burr grinder prior, so am looking forward to c hecking this out also.) Have enjoyed all of the above however I do need to find something a little more mellow for my wife. Lots to try....

Visited Trebilcock yesterday - an immaculate and stylish little shop and roastery in the middle of a down at the heels east-end Toronto industrial area. (Pickering, ON specifically. I used to work just down the street, had no idea it was there.) Clearly a labour of love and of commerce.
Was toured and well looked after by Kat - seasonal employee of father and son, and coffee lover, (Kat started as a customer) She explained the operation, how they source ethically, buy direct from farmers, often working with them to smooth out seasonal cash flows.
Purchased a couple of blends and have tried the "wicked espresso", finding it much less wicked than the robusta-heavy (I think) italian style coffees I have gotten used to. (no pipe-tobacco flavours, which I think others may associate with burnt rubber) Easier to pull a nice tasting shot, and my wife and son prefer it to my previous brews. Much...cleaner-tasting... than what I am used to, if that makes sense. Enjoyable! Further exploration to follow, but if you are looking for a Canadian roaster I would not hesitate to order from trebilcock.
https://www.trebilcockcoffee.ca/

Dave

thanks Dave.
bit far from Ottawa too, but i see they offer free shipping on a purchase of 3+ bags.
out of curiousity, is there any indication on the two blends you have, of what the origins of the beans are? most others listed on their site seem to list, but of course not the wicked espresso or the cocks crow.
anyway, just saying thanks for sharing about trebilcock. i hadn't heard of them but am intrigued and think i will reach out and give them a try.

edit - just ordered one each of the Wicked Espresso, Cocks Crow and Big Rooster. within only a few minutes after receiving an automated confirmation, I then received a personal email from David Trebilcock confirming my order and to let me know that they will ship out tomorrow (rather than the 22 as was indicated in the online process). looking forward to tasting what my trusty moka pots will do with these. and wow, +1 for personalized service.

Nice that you had an experience like that, will be interested in your opinion of the coffee. Switched back to my other more prosaic blends when I ran out, and while I am enjoying them, I do appreciate the freshness of Trebilcock's and will be back for more.

Dave

yay. coffee day. my order from Trebilcock Coffee arrived today. the three roasts i ordered on Sunday.
couldn't wait until the AM. opened up the Big Rooster as it was the one that was furthest away from it's roast date.

6cup moka pot + 275g water + 26g fresh ground = 75g in the cup.

the aroma permeating the kitchen during the extraction was incredible. So i knew then i'd have to steal a sip before adding my usual steamed dairy.

as described. big, dark, bold (they left out delicious) blends of beans from Brazil, Sumatra and Zimbabwe. this blend is certainly not for the timid. but there was no hint of any sourness or bitterness and acidity was in-check. just dark chocolate, nuts, toast and a hint of spice.

i'm no barista with my trusty moka pots, but i know what i like, and this is very much inline with my palate and i feel as though i've been able to discern the major tastes even if at a less refined level than most of you here.

if anyone else shares a tendency towards the darker, bolder coffees, you would be doing yourself a service to try the Big Rooster from Trebilcock. and thank goodness for fast shipping. i wouldn't fancy the 8hr return drive if i had to go pick it up.

Waiting for a delivery from Chalo's, another in the east GTA...
http://www.chaloscoffee.com/

Chalos was recommended by a good friend (Mark) who has been ordering for awhile. Mark does not do espresso (yet) and explained that he loved the coffee for pour-over but lead time was variable as Chalo Fernandez and his wife are from a Colombian coffee farming family, and the coffee came from their community back home. Apparently they are a courier family as well, they personally deliver the roasted coffee to Mark's house. They must live out this way.

I shared some of Trebilcocks coffee beans with Mark (who really enjoyed the cock's crow) and explained Trebilcock's cool local roastery, and we speculated about the roasting of Chalo's coffee. Who did it, where and when? A quick search of the websites of both Chalos and Trebilcock reveals a connection, sheds some light, and adds some richness to the local coffee story. Well worth having a look.

Dave

The eagle has landed!

Will try this tomorrow - actually, no, I'll wait a week. (roasted yesterday)

Will a single origin Colombian like this make good espresso?