It has been so humid in New York for the past week, the city looked like it is under constant fog. With 95 degrees outside, and Dan busting my hump to wrap up The Brewtus Article, I stayed home for the most part. One of the blends I was using for the article is Terroir North Italian Roast Style Espresso, Daterra Farm. I bought it pre-roasted, and as I opened the bag, I noticed that it was roasted very light. A shade lighter than the standard bearer of Northern Italian Roast - Illy's Normale Roast. I said to myself, this is going to be one hell of a fruit bomb.
As I had never used that coffee before, I decided to try it every day and follow the aging effect on the blend.
I pulled the first shot a day after roast. Man, it was so noisy, my windows were rattling. Sharp high notes that left trenches on my pallet. 2nd day from roast - not much has changed. 3rd day, still a fruit bomb. 4th day - Here comes the marzipan. 5th day - why didn't you tell me there was chocolate in there? 6th day - oh man, who switched blends on me? It finally came together. Apricot, marzipan, chocolate, cream, lemon peel, and still you could notice a hint of flower. I liked it best at 93c. That window lasted three days. If I were to open the bag on the 5th day, instead of the 2nd I am sure the window would have lasted longer.
The sweet spot is mostly determined by the amount of C02 left in the bean. The rate of degassing is determined by a combination of the coffee, the roast profile, and storage after roast. Slow roasts, and particularly roasts that deprive the bean of air flow at the end of the process, tend to lock-in more CO2, and take longer to degas.
Who said waiting is for chumps?
