Recommendation of Coffee Klatch Roasting

[wagnerite]

i like fresh beans. bought fresh beans at the Coffee Klatch. extremely satisfied... if you want the same experience, go to their site http://www.klatchroasting.com

for details.... read on.

im not very eloquent, especially right after i have my shot in the morning, so excuse the awkwardness of my sentences.

i've been chasing down the freshest bean possible. For the longest time, i was addicted to the freshness of espresso roast that are available at Coffee Bean & Tea Co. They had stuff that was roasted as soon as two weeks prior to being in the store. I thought that was the schnizz....

til now....

recently, CB&T has been stocking beans that are roasted a month old or older... really disappointing.

i dont claim to be an expert barista, most of my guests like my espresso (they might be just courteous) but I find that I make the best espresso *I* ever drunk. When i have fresh beans, i make great drinks... myself being the main consumer.

so, where do can i go to meet real baristas that have the same passion i do, and take making that shot as seriously as i do...

enter CoffeeKlatch (http://www.klatchroasting.com/). i wasnt so interested in their web sales, as i live very close to their retail store/coffee shop.

Basically:

went in, ask for recommendation for beans, bought a pound, they gave me sample of two others.

got them to make me a shot of their house espresso..... tasted it...... man! this stuff shouldnt be legal. its that good.

went home, grind/pulled a shot from one of the samples...... AMAZING!

this morning... more of the same sample...... AMAZING AGAIN!

im finally off

[HB]

Thanks for the recommendation, you're right about Coffee Klatch Roasting firing on all cylinders in 2007. Heather Perry won the 2007 USBC and placed second at the World Barista Championship. Klatch's espresso blend was named "Best Espresso" at the WBC too. And to top it off, they recently joined as an HB sponsor.

No doubt we'll be hearing more about Klatch Roasting in the coming months (e.g., member impressions of their WBC blend).

[kikuchio]

Thanks for the recommendation, you're right about Coffee Klatch Roasting firing on all cylinders in 2007. Heather Perry won the 2007 USBC and placed second at the World Barista Championship. Klatch's espresso blend was named "Best Espresso" at the WBC too. And to top it off, they recently joined as an HB sponsor.

No doubt we'll be hearing more about Klatch Roasting in the coming months (e.g., member impressions of their WBC blend).

We have visited Klatch and were fortunate to have the opportunity to meet and chat with Heather. She is a charming, and obviously very knowledgeable young woman. We enjoyed their coffee too! Definitely worth the drive if you live within a reasonable distance.

kikuchio

[Beezer]

I agree wholeheartedly with the recommendation of Coffee Klatch. I live in California, and it's great to get their beans shipped to me in as little as two days from the date of order. Sometimes it takes close to a week to get beans from Intelligentsia, but I always get fresh beans from the Klatch in a timely fashion.

I'm a huge fan of their Belle Espresso blend, as well as their organic espresso. I recently finished a pound of their very excellent, but also very expensive, WBC blend, which I enjoyed very much. One day I hope to visit their cafe and maybe even buy a shot from Heather herself.

[Marshall]

i like fresh beans. bought fresh beans at the Coffee Klatch. extremely satisfied... if you want the same experience, go to their site http://www.klatchroasting.com
[snip]
i've been chasing down the freshest bean possible.

I share your enthusiasm for Coffee Klatch. I sent a group from my culinary org there just this past month.

But, I want to put my two cents in about a bit of dogma that gets thrown around quite a bit, especially among newer enthusiasts. This is the idea that freshness is the the thing that matters most when buying coffee. I am sure this idea grew in reaction to the terribly stale coffee that prevails in most supermarkets (and even in some coffee shops).

But, you are unnecessarily closing yourself off from some great coffee experiences, if you think coffee that is a few days old can't be amazingly good, especially if the bag is sealed and hasn't been opened. I will take a great 5-day old coffee over a so-so "roasted today" coffee any time. If I remember correctly, Mike Perry posted that Heather's WBC blend was designed to sit in the bag for over a week before brewing.

Now, I'm not saying that a long "rest" or ANY rest is always good or bad for coffee, just that (within reason) freshness is only one component among several to think about when buying coffee.

[edwa]

I too am a recent convert to Klatch Roasting. I made the drive out from West L.A. with my wife one weekend, its close to an hour drive on the weekend - probably closer to 2 during the week. I'm addicted to the Belle Espresso. I go to bed at night looking forward to the morning shots. Go ahead call me Goldilocks, I've found the one that's just right!

I too just bought some of the WBC Championship blend and opened it this morning, 5 days after roast. I can't make any remarks just yet but I did notice that it didn't have that touch of caramel that I love in the Belle. I'll have to try the organic in the near future.

[HB]

I too just bought some of the WBC Championship blend and opened it this morning, 5 days after roast. I can't make any remarks just yet but I did notice that it didn't have that touch of caramel that I love in the Belle.

If you like, post your thoughts in Coffee Klatch's WBC Blend. I finished half of it using my travel kit (Elektra Microcasa a Leva) and plan to try the rest on an E61 tomorrow or the next day. The lever's espressos were a bag of fruits and nuts; I want to coax some more body and sweetness from it before the bag is gone.


Brew temperature was on the hot side, but still a darn good espresso