Looking for suggestions here from other homeroasters that have tried the Sweetmarias espresso blends. I'm traveling to CA next month to visit family (I live in Canada) and am planning on ordering some coffee from SM's and have it shipped ahead for me to bring home with me. I roast with a crazystir/turbo oven combo and I use a cimbali m20 lever espresso machine. I'll probably order some of the donkey and amber blends, but am interested in their 'workship' blends as well. I've enjoyed SO yemen in the past, and I see they have a workship blend right now (#5, I think) that focuses on this region. Once I've got the greens home I'll start looking again for roasting/brewing tips.
Barry.

The only SM "leaded" blend that I've tried is Monkey. It's what I would call a classic espresso blend (Tom created it to be an everyday-type espresso that works both straight, and with steamed milk) that is easy to roast. It takes me about 14 minutes to roast a pound (~8 min to the beginning of first), and I stop the roast about 20 seconds after the first few snaps of the second crack.

As some point I may try some of his other blends, but right now I've been enjoying single-origins.

Enjoy your drive! (and the coffee).

Moka Kadir blend: if you like Yemen.

Howard

Fully agree with RAS.

Monkey all the way...even have the TShirt

Michael

There is no question in my mind that the best option is to get the Sweet Maria's Espresso Workshop Blends. These blends are really wonderful, as they present balanced, complete structure in the cup. I have never had a blend which so clearly and exactly expresses its intent as any one of these.

The difference is that with these Workshop blends, you will get a perfect cup fairly easily. With the other standard blends, you may find that you can never quite get the temperature, grind, or dose exactly right. At least that has been my experience; perhaps it is because the standard blends have had to be modified over time with substitute bean components from new crops, to get an approximation of the original blend.

That being said, you may not like the message of the Workshop Blends.. The current blends are all idealized versions of the perhaps iconoclastic West Coast Neon-Bright Flower-and-Citrus Clean Cup Experience. They are all worth trying, but you won't find a traditional dark and mellow cup among them.

My thoughts are:
Monkey Blend: a nice, punchy blend that will meet standard expectations
Amber Blend: laid back, smooth , and sweet.
Breccia Blend: Great for milk drinks.

I would repeat the recommedation of Workshop blends for their quality and very distinctive flavor profiles. Currently as Adrian mentioned, I don't see one that interests me. They are distinctly bright and citrus flavor based in the west coast style.

I am not a Monkey blend fan as I can't seem to get a nice layered flavor profile but instead my shots are nice but a muddy blend of tastes.

I am a great Moka Kadir fan and I think you will be too if you like Yemen SO espresso. Pulled short and a bit cool on my Anita I get a bittersweet chocolate flowery fruit bomb with some spice. It's wonderful and TOm's description is right on the money IMHO.

Liquid Amber is a nice change of pace for a sweet potent "noir" kind of espresso. I don't use it regularly and have not had any for quite a while.

If you can get some Ethiopia Idido Misty valley it makes the best SO espresso I've had and a good fruity DP ethiopian would possibly subsititute. I also have some Yemen Mokha Sharasi to try as SO espreso and for my own blending.

If you like milk drinks I just made my first cap with the Breccia blend and WOW it was wonderfully fruity and flavorful. As a straight shot it was not my style but if you like the super bright fruity shots this is it. As for the Liquid Amber there is a certain woody flavor in that blend that I don't like.

mvhendel wrote:Fully agree with RAS.

Monkey all the way...even have the TShirt

Michael

I want one! I want one!

I second the monkey for a good blend. I buy in 5 lb bags now. Fun to play with the degree of roast on it.

The "best" I have had was one of the work shop ones recently, Espresso Workshop #3 - Basaltic Bourbon, FANtastic! I did it to a FC and I am still enjoying the last of it. Unfortunatly, it is gone .

I just roasted 1/2 lb of the The Breccia Blend to both a FC and FR to see both ends of the spectrum. Still off gassing for now.

I just noticed they have a French roast and a Classic now so I will have try those as well.
Maybe the FR up to eminent fire! Not, I am not a fan of charbucks flavor anymore.

And now Tom has a new offering, this one with no Robusta in it. Sounds interesting, and when I'm low on Monkey, I'll give it a try (though I've heard great things about SOs with PV Lusso machines - which was an early anniversary present from my wife - geez she's a great woman!)...

http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.other.blends.php#SMNewClassicEspresso2009

"New Classic Espresso," you must be referring to?

I just received some in the mail an hour ago. He claims a wide range of roast possibilities with it. (Now if I could just, actually, hear that second crack on my Behmor when set at P2 profile ...)

Howard