In alphabetical order:

• Bella Donovan
• Hayes Valley Espresso
• Roman Espresso

I just picked up a half-pound of Retrofit Espresso today at the Berkeley Farmer's Market (Roast Date of 10/30) to try, so I'll let you know . . .

Cheers,
Jason

Thanks Jason.....I haven't tried Vivace Dolce yet. How would you describe it compared to Redline? I am going to have to try some soon.

Bob

zin1953 wrote:Not that you're doing this, but -- just for the sake of thorough discussion . . .


Don't let that concern you. We all have our own tastes and preferences (to state the obvious), and no one size fits all. I happen to keep going back to Vivace's Dolce blend, in the way you go back to Redline (which I also really enjoy), and yet many people here dismiss it . . .

My personal pattern is to get beans from Vivace (and grab some Blue Bottle or Ritual if I mis-judge my re-order/ETA for delivery), and then "journey" here and there from time-to-time . . . for instance: Metropolis, Klatch, Terroir, and so on -- but I keep coming back to Vivace.

Cheers,
Jason

Dolce is very, very different from the Redline.
Dolce is - to be clear - a somewhat unique coffee that isn't much like anything else.

It's a very finicky, tricky coffee to work with.

When good, I'd describe it as:
- dense,
- syrupy,
- sweet,
- heavy caramel,
- spice in the finish.

When bad, I'd describe it as:
- tasting like sweaty socks smell,
- hints of dorito,
- ashy,
- cod liver oil.

Anyone a fan of Caffe D'arte?

I used to order 2-3 bags a month - they have some roast and post program. They describe themselves are Italian style, and go north to south. I don't recall which I liked best though. I did like the alder-wood roasted blend for a change sometimes.

There are a couple of Alaskan roasters, Heritage and RavensBrew, that are very good.

I also like Caffe Umbria in Seattle, a third-generation roasting family with roots in Italy.

My favorite is local and perhaps not well known. Legacy has been roasting small batches for about 6 years and is my #1 local roaster. Also they have the best chocolates made!:
HERE
When I am in Mpls /St Paul, I like the specialty roasts from Black Sheep and Paradise Roasters.
Black Sheep and Paradise
-Richard

Bob,

Let me say that what Chris ("malachi") writes . . .

malachi wrote:Dolce is - to be clear - a somewhat unique coffee that isn't much like anything else. It's a very finicky, tricky coffee to work with.

. . . is the standard "knock" against Vivace's Dolce blend. Personally, I've never found it all that problematic. Neither have others I know, but some have, and it is something that should not be ignored. Rather, take it with a grain of salt and recognize that "YMMV."

Also, when Chris writes that it's "dense, syrupy, sweet, heavy caramel, (and with) spice in the finish," it's true. And my best shots are like that. Then again, I've never found it to have a "sweaty socks smell, hints of dorito, ashy, (or reminiscent of) cod liver oil." Rather, I'd say, my "average" shots are merely not quite as dense or syrupy as Chris describes -- probably because my double ristrettos (stopped on blonding) run about 1.5-1.75 ounces or so, not 1.0-1.25 oz. -- with its sweet, caramel and spice notes slightly less intense. This is not to say Chris is wrong; just that my experience is different. As I said, YMMV.

Oh, and it is very different than Redline.

Cheers,
Jason

Jason, thanks, the Hayes Valley sounds interesting, though I've never tried pulling a shot at 192. How does it taste if you go hotter to say 198-200?

Curious if anyone has tried Millars Coffee in Washington? They have a video on youtube that shows their wood firing roasting.

Ed, your question presumes I measure the temperatures that precisely. I like the Hayes a lot, but I just give it a longer cooling flush on my HX . . .

The Retrofit was good, but since my wife prefers her one-drink-per-day to be a lattè, I doubt we'll go back to it. The website is correct: it gets lost in milk.

Cheers,
Jason

Nik wrote:Curious if anyone has tried Millars Coffee in Washington? They have a video on youtube that shows their wood firing roasting.

Mr. Espresso in Oakland roasts their beans over an oak fire . . . well, you know what I mean.