I've been using Black Cat for the past couple of months and have loved it. Thought I would try something different so bought a bag of Red Bird. Having major issues dialing it in. Any body care to share your temp, time, dose, and yields for this coffee? I prefer lower yield, syrupy / sweet shots. This is proving a little bitter with some ashy afternotes. Pulling at 200 degrees, ~19.5 in, ~33 out, ~30 seconds. Roast date is 3/28. Perhaps I just don't like the coffee?

RedBird was my go to espresso a few years back, but I found it changed and started tending to ashiness myself and have stayed away from it. Based on recommendations on another thread I instead tried RedBird's Sweet Blue, and love it. It's a sweet chocolate bomb. 15G dose (in my 53mm group), 2:1 extraction at 91C.

To answer your RedBird espresso question, I did pick up 1lb of it along with the Sweet Blue to see if my feelings changed. They didn't. However I'm pulling it at 89C - 90C (192F-194F) to get through it and avoid the ashiness FWIW. It's not terrible, just not what I'm looking for.

John

EDIT: Jeff at RedBird says RedBird Espresso needs 8 days rest to be at it's best.

i find redbird ashy as well if i don't let it rest at LEAST 7-8 days. I brew it at 197 on my Duetto, 14g dose in about 20g out.

I had a lot of trouble with Red Bird until I lowered my temperature. Don't let it get too hot. Don't brew above 198 or 199. I run it more like 15 grams in to 16 grams out, but I think it is the temp that is most important.

For sure, Jeff Pentel at Redbird will tell you his blends peak in the 7-10 day range. And you can continue to get good results into 15+ days.

Thanks everyone. A little better this morning, today is day 7 post roast. Did drop temp to 198, will go to 197. Still not as good as I found Black Cat but it's just getting into peak apparently.

Try emailing Jeff directly. He's usually very responsive. Tell him your issue and he'll suggest some parameters to pursue for this roast.

I sent an email to rh @ redbird this morning. Haven't heard back yet but hope to. I've relegated the remaining coffee (which there is quite a bit of as I bought a 5lb bag, some of which is now frozen) to my wife for drip duty. Have ordered a bag of Motor City. Hopefully that will be more to my liking and or ability. If not, I will go back to Black Cat.

lifevicarious wrote:Have ordered a bag of Motor City. Hopefully that will be more to my liking and or ability.

Heads-up - Motor City will also peak about 7 - 9 days after receipt, so give it plenty of rest before passing judgement. While in the same vein of "comfort" espressos as RedBird, it's different enough that you'll know right away if its for you or not. I really like it.

I don't know Black Cat well enough to compare, sorry to say.

FWIW...I've pulled considerable pounds of Jeff's (Redbird) Wote Konga and its high on the list of our favorites for espresso. But, about a month ago or so I received another 5 pounds from him and the first bag (this order came in 5 individual bags whereas sometimes I receive larger bags with larger orders of the same bean) was the typical super flavorful Wote Konga.

But after pulling a couple jars from the freezer (vac sealed in glass jars @ 7-days post roast and into -10°F manual defrost type deep freeze; been doing it this way without issue for a few years now...) and our WK is tasting like its been sitting on the kitchen shelf for a month or more. The big intense flavor profile is gone. No matter what perimeters I use for pulling...even the very consistent dose & grind Wote Konga has always responded well to...the flavor is gone. Whether or not each 1 pound bag of the 5 lot came from the same green bean batch and/or same roasting cycle is unknown.

Another friend of mine has experienced similar with Jeff's Wote Konga of late. Maybe its just the variable nature of coffee beans...dunno. And, of course, this type of experience is not limited to Redbird. I've noticed it from many different roasters. Expectations too high?!