Help me choose my perfect espresso beans - Page 3

September 30th, 2014, 8:26 pm

drgary wrote:The last batch of Red Bird I had needed to rest for at least 10 days post roast. Don't get discouraged if it's not ready before then.

This may be a bit of a sidetrack, since I use Red Bird Espresso for brewed coffee, not espresso (I've come to the conclusion I'm not really an espresso guy). Some of my best cups of coffee ever have been Red Bird made in an Aeropress, Clever, or Vac Pot, but I also find it gets significantly better with rest.

I generally tear right into a 5lb bag, don't freeze any at all, use between 30 and 95 grams a day, and the day I finish it is better than the day I get it, although it reaches a peak somewhere in between. In fact, when I first started getting 5lb bags, I did carefully freeze it in mason jars and use it a jar at a time. But I found it was better at the end of each jar than the beginning, so I stopped bothering.

#22: Post by **drgary** » September 30th, 2014, 9:55 pm

jeroend wrote:Probably a stupid question, but how do you know how long they need to rest? Just wait and see?

Asked by an espresso newbie who is trying to get his first good espresso from the Red Bird beans - so far it's drinkable (not bitter), but not spectacular.

Not a stupid question. Try it soon after the roast and see what it tastes like. Try it at about day 7 and see if it's better. Try it at day 10 and see if you can get several flavor notes that complement each other. I haven't had it in awhile, so I don't know when it's expected to hit its peak. You might ask Jeff (at Red Bird) about that.

DrugOfChoice wrote:This may be a bit of a sidetrack, since I use Red Bird Espresso for brewed coffee, not espresso (I've come to the conclusion I'm not really an espresso guy). Some of my best cups of coffee ever have been Red Bird made in an Aeropress, Clever, or Vac Pot, but I also find it gets significantly better with rest.

I generally tear right into a 5lb bag, don't freeze any at all, use between 30 and 95 grams a day, and the day I finish it is better than the day I get it, although it reaches a peak somewhere in between. In fact, when I first started getting 5lb bags, I did carefully freeze it in mason jars and use it a jar at a time. But I found it was better at the end of each jar than the beginning, so I stopped bothering.

Not a side track and perhaps an indication of what to expect -- especially since the OP is expecting to try this coffee. It might be interesting to brew some over 14 or more days and see when you like it most and when the flavor starts to fade. Then you would also learn how long to let it rest before freezing it at peak so you can enjoy it that way.

September 30th, 2014, 9:56 pm

jeroend wrote:Probably a stupid question, but how do you know how long they need to rest? Just wait and see?

Asked by an espresso newbie who is trying to get his first good espresso from the Red Bird beans - so far it's drinkable (not bitter), but not spectacular.

I recently ordered from Jeff at Redbird. Got some Redbird espresso, Blue Jaguar and Decaf espresso 9 days post roast by the time it arrived in Canada. When I inquired, Jeff at Redbird advised his blends peak around 10 days. So I began pulling shots right away with great results. I froze much of it to lock in the rest period, but continued to get solid results up to 2.5 weeks post roast with the unfrozen beans. Many roasters recommend a minimum of 5 days rest for espresso, and as much as 10+ days for best results. In my experience, closer to 10 days is typically the sweetspot.

#24: Post by **jeroend** » October 2nd, 2014, 12:05 am

And here I was thinking my coffee was improving thanks to me, while all along it was due to the beans aging

Thanks for the info, it's been very informative.

#25: Post by **drgary** » October 2nd, 2014, 12:07 am

But you see, that will be because of you! Many people don't take these kinds of changes into account, so they're trying coffees and panning them when the coffee may be just fine.

#26: Post by **Carsncoffee** » October 4th, 2014, 1:01 pm

great info on this thread!
I was going to post a question but since its somewhat similar I will go ahead and ask here:
I tend to like a more caramel/chocolaty taste profile in my coffees/espressos- can anyone suggest a roaster/blend that they have come across that has this profile?
many thanks

#27: Post by **mathof** » October 5th, 2014, 4:44 am

Carsncoffee wrote:great info on this thread!
I tend to like a more caramel/chocolaty taste profile in my coffees/espressos- can anyone suggest a roaster/blend that they have come across that has this profile?

One of the oldest blends - Mocha Java - tastes like that to me. Used for cappuccino, I sometime feel like I am drinking hot chocolate rather than coffee.

Many roasters - at least in the UK - offer this traditional blend of Indonesian (Java) and Mocha (Yeman) beans.

Matt

October 9th, 2014, 11:11 am

*Full disclosure: I work for Counter Culture*

I think that something like Counter Culture's Big Trouble (Formerly Toscano), is right up your alley. The coffee's sourced for this are always sweet, clean, low-acidity coffees which help achieve the chocolate/caramel/nutty flavor profile you're after. I would suggest letting it rest between 7-10 days for best starting results.

October 16th, 2014, 12:53 pm

jessebgordon wrote:*Full disclosure: I work for Counter Culture*

I think that something like Counter Culture's Big Trouble (Formerly Toscano), is right up your alley. The coffee's sourced for this are always sweet, clean, low-acidity coffees which help achieve the chocolate/caramel/nutty flavor profile you're after. I would suggest letting it rest between 7-10 days for best starting results.

mathof wrote:One of the oldest blends - Mocha Java - tastes like that to me. Used for cappuccino, I sometime feel like I am drinking hot chocolate rather than coffee.

Many roasters - at least in the UK - offer this traditional blend of Indonesian (Java) and Mocha (Yeman) beans.

Matt

Thanks for the suggestions! will give them a try.

#30: Post by **HaitiCoffee** » October 21st, 2014, 8:25 am

Thank you Sam for your comments.There is a real tendency for the Third Wave coffees to be acidic and have strong citrus flavors. Geisha is a good example and is quite the fad. Personally I prefer my citrus notes in tea rather than coffee.
Comfort Food Espresso is definitely my preference which explains why I like Haitian coffee so much. Its a classic. What would you recommend blending with it for an espresso blend?
I am a newbie to home espresso. I've been using stove top and now trying the Aeropress