Counter-intuitive week-old-coffee tip from Ellie

[Marshall]

I urged one of my clients to go to a local training session with Ellie Matuszak, SCAA Board Member and former Intelligentsia trainer. He came back with a tip that I found counter-intuitive, but which actually works. As your coffee starts to show signs of aging, don't grind more finely. Instead, grind more coarsely and updose it. This has added an extra two or three days of enjoyable life to my coffees.

Ellie trains for Espresso Elements here in L.A. (http://www.elementsofespresso.com/schedule.html).

[another_jim]

I can see this working if the coffee ages into something blah; but does it work if the coffee gets more bitter?

[EspressoObsessed]

I can see the coffee getting more bitter if the grind is too tight. Just a thought which would suggest the possibility that updosing with a coarser grind may prove useful.

[AndyS]

As your coffee starts to show signs of aging, don't grind more finely. Instead, grind more coarsely and updose it. This has added an extra two or three days of enjoyable life to my coffees.

Hi Marshall:

Chris Tacy made a similar observation on his blog:

"With a triple basket you can get decent shots with stale coffee. (This is the important one. Today I experimented with some 7 day old coffee from Ecco Caffe. When fresh, this was a lovely, subtle and balanced espresso. Now, in a double basket it is quite flat and undefined, with little dynamic range and limited aromatics. In the triple basket, however, I can pull a 1.75oz shot that is incredibly concentrated, dense and enjoyable - especially in milk. My guess is that I should be able to get decent shots out of this coffee this way for another day or two.)"

Of course, he's not just talking about using a triple basket with the same dose as you'd put in a double. He's talking about using a significantly larger dose in the triple basket compared to the double..

[cannonfodder]

Interesting observation. I need to get a triple basket so I can up dose on my machine (does not take well to up dosing in a double basket). It does kind of make sense. By up dosing (did she mention how drastic of an up dose?) you are essentially pulling a tight ristretto and concentrating what flavors and aromatics the coffee has left.

[CoffeeOwl]

I also noticed this happening: as it was going off-fresh I had to go finer to get good extraction time and acceptable taste, but then - and very soon - I had to go coarser and pack more coffee to the basket. The taste was a bit pale compared to fresh.
I wrote a post on that some time ago in 'coffee' division of the h-b-wisdom-pages

[malachi]

Be aware that this doesn't seem to work as well with darker roasted coffees.

[Jasonian]

Is this really "Counter-intuitive"? It seems to make perfect sense to me.

When the ratio of aromatics is low, stuff more of 'em in the basket. More aromatics in the basket = more in the cup.

(note: I have a theory that this is related to dosing parameters for air roasted blends like the Super Tuscan, and how air roasting effects bean characteristics. (p.s. - I'm not saying I'm right, I'm saying I have a theory))

[Marshall]

Is this really "Counter-intuitive"? It seems to make perfect sense to me.

I called it "counter-intuitive," because baristas normally grind more finely as the roast ages. The suggestion here was, when it gets beyond a certain point where fine grinding does not help, go in the other direction.

[malachi]

Suggest it's likely about dose volume at least as much as grind size.

[another_jim]

It does make sense of one thing. I drink my espresso within a few days to a week of roasting; and I generally have better luck with lower doses. I think other home roasters are getting similar results. But in commercial settings and barista competition, the prevailing custom is to use coffees that are over a week past roast, and to dose fairly heavily. For instance, Klatch's USBC trial blend blend that I'm trying now is 10 days post roast, and tastes excellent at higher doses, but just average at low ones.

[malachi]

Over a week?
Really?
I've never worked anywhere that worked with coffee that old. For the most part I've worked with blends that were best at 4 to 5 days out.

[HB]

Over a week?
Really?

Yes, really. For example, starting mid last year, the rest period for several of Counter Culture's espresso blends increased from the nearly universally recognized 3-4 days to 7-9 days. I have no idea why.

[another_jim]

I've never worked anywhere that worked with coffee that old. For the most part I've worked with blends that were best at 4 to 5 days out.

I was thinking mostly about Klatch's blends for Heather Perry's competition appearances which I think are superb. Unfortunately, they undermine my usual advocacy for fresh roasted coffees down dosed, since they are at their best up dosed and about 7 to 10 days post roast.

[r-gordon-7]

I assume, however, that this approach (grind more coarsely & updose) would be less likely to work on a lever machine, as lever machines typically require a more fine grind regardless... correct?

r-gordon-7

[Elbasso]

Yes, really. For example, starting mid last year, the rest period for several of Counter Culture's espresso blends increased from the nearly universally recognized 3-4 days to 7-9 days. I have no idea why.

I guess the resting happens in sealed containers or something alike? Cause if I leave my beans in the hopper for more than a week the espresso tastes flat as a pancake. No amount of updosing or grinding the beans to dust can save the aroma's.

Elbasso

[HB]

I guess the resting happens in sealed containers or something alike?

That's correct, the coffee degasses in a sealed bag with one-way valve.

[malachi]

I was thinking mostly about Klatch's blends for Heather Perry's competition appearances which I think are superb. Unfortunately, they undermine my usual advocacy for fresh roasted coffees down dosed, since they are at their best up dosed and about 7 to 10 days post roast.

Yes, really. For example, starting mid last year, the rest period for several of Counter Culture's espresso blends increased from the nearly universally recognized 3-4 days to 7-9 days. I have no idea why.

Damn...
I have to say that sounds wrong to me.
I've had a few Aussie coffees that we spec'ed to that sort of age - but they all had robusta in them and the "excessive" aging was a result (and of course the robusta "protected" the appearance from degrading with that age).

Now... to be fair, just 'cause one roaster has switched some of their espresso blends to that sort of suggestion and another has one blend that fits the parameters doesn't actually support the earlier claim that this is "the prevailing custom" in commercial settings.

[Marshall]

Damn...
I have to say that sounds wrong to me.
I've had a few Aussie coffees that we spec'ed to that sort of age - but they all had robusta in them and the "excessive" aging was a result (and of course the robusta "protected" the appearance from degrading with that age).

There was no robusta in Heather's week-old blend, and that's what she won "best espresso" with at the WBC last year.

[HB]

Damn... I have to say that sounds wrong to me.

I agree, that was my take on it too, but the improvement for Counter Culture's Toscano between day 4 and day 7 was not subtle. To give credit where credit is due, it was actually Geoff Corey (owner of the former Pheasant Creek Coffee) who brought it to my attention last year. At the time it was the difference between baking soda on day 3 and sweet raisins on day 7. IIRC, their recommended brew temperature has lowered too, which only goes to remind us that we're dealing with an agricultural product and seasonal changes should be expected.