Nutty Counter Culture Coffee Aficionado

[woodchuck]

Anyone tried CCC's Aficionado lately? I had a batch this week and I got a much nuttier flavor from my espresso than I was used to with this coffee blend. I actually liked it much more than earlier batches that I had tried. The earlier batches seemed more acidic to me without the nutty taste to balance out the overall brightness. Temp was about 201/202. I'll have to shoot Tim a note to see if they have changed anything lately.

Cheers

Ian

[PeterG]

The "nutty" character comes from the Brazilian component of the blend, which we've been working really hard on this year. At this point, we are customizing coffees at the farm level, creating special coffees especially for our espresso blends.

At the same time, the Ethiopian component (a natural coffee, typically a Harrar or similar) is somewhat less intense this year. I always like the acidy fruit of this component, but it is less pronounced this year due to the nature of the Ethiopian Naturals at this point in the crop year.

Glad you like it! I agree, it is very rewarding to see the ebb and flow of coffees and how they affect espresso blends.

Peter G

[woodchuck]

Peter, thanks for the update. The nuances of espresso continue to fascinate me. Having CCC so close really helps as well:-)

Cheers

Ian

[prettydeceextrap]

I keep tasting notes for my own personal records ... but seeing as I just recently tasted this coffee, I figured it could be relevant ....

Coffee: COUNTER CULTURE -- ESPRESSO AFICIONADO
Price: $10.00/12oz. + Shipping = $1.13/oz.
Year: 2007 (October)
Blend/Roast: Unknown?; Relatively lightly roasted, Northern Italian style espresso blend and roast. Requires slightly hotter pulling temperatures, near 203*F to extract its full potential sweetness.
They say at CC: "The Northern Italian espresso is a completely different animal than in the rest of Italy. Relatively lightly roasted; complex, delicate, and composed, many espresso devotees proclaim the Northern Italian style to be the quintessential espresso experience. When the modern espresso machine entered this milieu, the coffee blend of choice naturally reflected the Northern Italian taste: coffee flavors are balanced against one another; the natural sweetness of lightly roasted coffees offset their aromatic complexity and dance above a full-bodied foundation. The final product is a sophisticated and complex, and perfectly suited to the Northern Italian espresso ristretto and the traditional cappuccino."

TASTING NOTES
ESPRESSO
Crema: Deep reddish brown, easily burnt crema. Thick and substantial crema layer with every cup
Aroma: Sweet and toasty aroma, like toasted marshmallows. Makes you think of s"mores.
Body: Creamy body that lingers in the mouth after each sip. Surprisingly dry overall.
Milk: One of the best milk-handlers I have ever pulled. Sweet syrupy notes come through like chocolate into a delicious latte or cappuccino. Perfect with any milk, from 2% to half and half.

Scores: 88, 97, 90, 88, 95, 91

Profile & Flavors: Semisweet milk chocolate is the most obvious flavor, like good chocolate covered espresso beans. Sweetness is apparent throughout, but difficult to assign an exact flavor. I taste dark cherries. This espresso is dry and nutty to the finish. Think of the skin on a hazelnut, naturally dry and almost salty, pulling out the sweetness of the nut. Very complex indeed, but very delicious. Just like they were trying to do, it seems that the Espresso Aficionado captures the quintessential espresso flavors: bitter, sweet, and almost winey when pulled properly. It can be a bit finicky to pull (note the fluctuance in scores), but when hit right, it is an extremely rewarding espresso (see 97!). A great everyday espresso, which earns extra points for its wonderful milk-handling ability.

Buy Again? Definitely. Perfect for everyday shots and for milk drinks. I prefer it to this year's Toscano from CC.

[woodchuck]

Matt, thanks for sharing your tasting notes. I looked up your blog. If you like trying SOs as espresso another good Counter Culture Coffee bean that works well for me as espresso is the Finca Mauritania. I think Peter lets it set for awhile before roasting. Very sweet and rich for an SO.

Cheers

Ian