Sweet Maria's Aged Sumatra

#1: Post by **another_jim** » March 20th, 2013, 11:06 pm

SM's notes recommend full city or more. I wouldn't go quite that far.

This is a very civilized aged coffee that, at a City to City + roast, tastes like a mildly earthy oak-aged chocolate milk with just enough of a cherry tasting acidity to keep it from being flat, and lots of creamy mouthfeel.

The espresso shot is fine, but doesn't reach the brewed taste.

#2: Post by **mborkow** » March 21st, 2013, 12:05 am

Is it similar to monsooned coffee?

#3: Post by **dustin360** » March 21st, 2013, 12:11 am

Your a brave man drinking that coffee at city...

Actually this coffee was less intense than I thought. Reminds me of a yemen(at least the one cup I had of it).

March 21st, 2013, 12:13 am

mborkow wrote:Is it similar to monsooned coffee?

Monsooned Malabar is the cheap imitation of good aged Sumatra. This lot isn't stellar; but it's very good.

#5: Post by **allon** » March 21st, 2013, 6:01 am

Thanks, Jim! I'll try that.
I picked up some for messing around with espresso blends, but I can't wait to try it brewed now.

Any tips on light roasting this one? Slow ramp or fast?

March 21st, 2013, 2:48 pm

Slow to the first crack, fast finish -- this one's all about the Maillard flavors. Regular Sumatras can take higher ETs; but for these aged coffees, I keep the ET in the low range.

#7: Post by **cannonfodder** » March 22nd, 2013, 12:13 pm

I had a good batched of aged Sumatran a couple years ago. As I recall you had to watch the heat. The bean wanted to take too much heat early and the roast would run away probably due to a little bean expansion from the aging. So I would run lower power at the drying phase, a slower ramp up to 1st then put the spurs to it and get an aggressive roll into 1st. Then cut way back and coast through the second half of first and drag out the time from 1st to second (stopping short of second) to give the sugars time to caramelize and Maillard time to work his magic. Or I could be completely wrong and babbling like an idiot.

#8: Post by **the_trystero** » March 26th, 2013, 10:04 pm

Mine arrived today, looking forward to roasting some tomorrow (edit: tomorrow as in Thursday).

#9: Post by **TomC** » March 26th, 2013, 11:31 pm

Same here. It was waiting on my doorstep when I got home tonight. Looks like dry cat food and smells like dirt. Should be interesting. Might roast a bit tonight. I'll have to go back and see how much rest is recommended for this one.

Also picked up some Espresso Workshop #27 since it sounded different and interesting enough, as well as some of the new Colombian Pedregal.

#10: Post by **the_trystero** » March 26th, 2013, 11:45 pm

TomC wrote:I'll have to go back and see how much rest is recommended for this one.

4 to 5 days on SM.

Oh, I didn't have a chance to open mine yet, looking forward to it when I get home in a little while.