On the hunt for the "unclean" finish
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- Posts: 25
- Joined: 12 years ago
My favorite coffee has always been the huge, in-your-face natural-processed variety. I've recently had a natural yirg that I expected to like but didn't, and I noticed something in the description that hit the nail on the head: it was marketed as a natural that was carefully processed so to have a "clean finish".
"Clean" seems to be a positive quality in many coffees, but I guess the "unclean" finish is the part of the coffee experience I enjoy the most. I love when I swallow my sip of coffee and still taste intense flavor for 30 seconds. I love that "aftertaste" that doesn't seem to hit you for several seconds.
Usually it seems to be the DP Ethiopians and especially Yemenis that do this to me, but I've also experienced it with a few WP Geishas. So:
1. Am I weird? Do other people find that quality of coffee appealing?
2. Has anyone tried some beans that turned out to have standout aftertaste recently?
"Clean" seems to be a positive quality in many coffees, but I guess the "unclean" finish is the part of the coffee experience I enjoy the most. I love when I swallow my sip of coffee and still taste intense flavor for 30 seconds. I love that "aftertaste" that doesn't seem to hit you for several seconds.
Usually it seems to be the DP Ethiopians and especially Yemenis that do this to me, but I've also experienced it with a few WP Geishas. So:
1. Am I weird? Do other people find that quality of coffee appealing?
2. Has anyone tried some beans that turned out to have standout aftertaste recently?
- TomC
- Team HB
- Posts: 10550
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Bad Yemen's, well to be honest, many if not most Yemen's have a very hide-y, pungent, dark brooding spicy finish. But there's a few gems to be found from Yemen, and it makes a wonderful contribution to an espresso blend. There's plenty of Sumatran coffees that can do the same. Some of the aged ones are phenomenal.
But for the life of me, I can't figure out how you've included a washed Geisha into a group and calling them unclean finish type coffees.
But for the life of me, I can't figure out how you've included a washed Geisha into a group and calling them unclean finish type coffees.
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- Posts: 25
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Maybe the terminology I'm using is poor. When I say "unclean" finish, I don't necessarily mean that there's some sort of off-taste in the finish. I mean that it lasts a very long time.
Similar to how you can still taste a good cigar in the back of your mouth the day after you smoked it, I find that sometimes I can taste specific notes of a coffee (berries, lemon, etc.) for minutes and even an hour after drinking it. Almost always, the coffees that do this to me are DP and from Africa, but I find that the tea flavors in a geisha can linger for a very long time. On the other hand, other centrals that are just as often praised (anything El Injerto comes to mind) taste wonderful when you're drinking them, but a minute after you finish your cup the taste is gone.
Similar to how you can still taste a good cigar in the back of your mouth the day after you smoked it, I find that sometimes I can taste specific notes of a coffee (berries, lemon, etc.) for minutes and even an hour after drinking it. Almost always, the coffees that do this to me are DP and from Africa, but I find that the tea flavors in a geisha can linger for a very long time. On the other hand, other centrals that are just as often praised (anything El Injerto comes to mind) taste wonderful when you're drinking them, but a minute after you finish your cup the taste is gone.
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I don't think you're using "clean" and "unclean" the way most other people use them. I believe that most people will use clean to refer to flavor separation in a coffee - the opposite of muddled. I'm actually not very informed on the topic, but i think that you may be seeking the effects of an over-extracted or under-dried coffee.
Spencer Weber
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OP:
I too enjoy a good, strong coffee with lingering tastes. A local roaster has a great sidamo DP, and counter culture has an etheopian dry process that's just fantastic. If you roast, I'm using a dry etheopian from sweet Maria's, and I've for nothing but good things to say about it. I made a blend with a dry process Brazil because etheopians always seem dry and thin as espresso. It adds a nutty component, but I still have a predominantly dry fruit taste.
I too enjoy a good, strong coffee with lingering tastes. A local roaster has a great sidamo DP, and counter culture has an etheopian dry process that's just fantastic. If you roast, I'm using a dry etheopian from sweet Maria's, and I've for nothing but good things to say about it. I made a blend with a dry process Brazil because etheopians always seem dry and thin as espresso. It adds a nutty component, but I still have a predominantly dry fruit taste.
LMWDP #366
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- Posts: 661
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Grade 3 Ethiopian Limu, Sumatra Mandheling, Java Arabica, some PNG AX grades. All complex finishes, sweet/sour/bitter plus body. Avoid Centrals and most specialty grade Brazils. You might also enjoy some of the "specialty" wet processed robustas coming out of India.
Alan
Alan
- Burner0000
- Posts: 469
- Joined: 12 years ago
I'm a dirty finish fan as well but I enjoy the odd clean finish as well. I recently cupped some natural Yirg Konga and found it to be one of the cleanest I've had yet. I do however prefer natural Brazil (dirty, sweet finish) and Sumatra Gayo(earthy finish). I hear where your coming from. The dirty finish is more coffee like in my eyes. Clean finish ind of reminds me of wine for some reason.
Roast it, Grind it, Brew it!.. Enjoy it!..
- bean2friends
- Posts: 687
- Joined: 14 years ago
I guess taste is taste. As I'm doing this roast and learn exercise with other HB-ers, I'm finding it hard to put words to what I'm tasting. But, I am noticing acidity differently with this Guat HueHue Tono Sanchez we are roasting. And what I notice is that it has a lingering and pleasant aftertaste that I attribute to its acidity. It's certainly not what I'd describe as unclean, but for me, it's an acidity that I can't separate from the other tastes in the coffee. Maybe that's what is called well balanced.
If you roast your own, you might enjoy Sweet Maria's Moka Kadir. It's certainly got a taste that will stand out and stay with you.
If you roast your own, you might enjoy Sweet Maria's Moka Kadir. It's certainly got a taste that will stand out and stay with you.
- kajer
- Posts: 200
- Joined: 11 years ago
I can understand what you are looking for. When I first discovered espresso, it was with a thick double ristretto that gave my palate the feeling of being coated in pure coffee oil flavor.
I have been trying to reproduce that oily taste ever since. Yes, some espresso comes out super clean and has plenty of flavor, but nothing that lingers, but that's not what we are looking for :)
If you want a lingering taste, lower volume extraction might be what you are looking for, just the pure oils in the cup, none of this hot water stuff you speak of.
I have been trying to reproduce that oily taste ever since. Yes, some espresso comes out super clean and has plenty of flavor, but nothing that lingers, but that's not what we are looking for :)
If you want a lingering taste, lower volume extraction might be what you are looking for, just the pure oils in the cup, none of this hot water stuff you speak of.
- Marshall
- Posts: 3445
- Joined: 19 years ago
+1 The Seattle style "micro-ristretto" fits the bill.kajer wrote:If you want a lingering taste, lower volume extraction might be what you are looking for, just the pure oils in the cup, none of this hot water stuff you speak of.
Marshall
Los Angeles
Los Angeles