Last crop from Sweet Maria's (Nov, '07) was one of my all time favorite coffees and I roasted 25lbs of it here. This year is quite different, and since this is only the 3rd lot I've ever tried, I don't have much 'track record' to compare. I also have some of the 'Menno's Misty Valley' Tom had in short supply earlier this year. Intense, winey, fruit bomb? I haven't gotten that. I would put the intensity between mild and moderate actually and my extreme efforts to bring forward the fruit in roast to City light resulted in sour but free of common Ethiopean DP defects like over-fermented or compost-pile, earthy notes. Exceptionally clean. The fruit is more subtle strawberry, more fresh/light than jammy. (as the Menno's is an intense Cherry Jam fruit) The best shots I have gotten so far (now been working this bean on and off for a month about 8 batches for me) Has the roast level between City+ and Full City, still a light roast but balanced between the more subtle fruit and emerging mocha flavors. Now this is a great SO straight espresso bean to work with, balanced, not so intense and moderate acid, good body, just not quite what I was expecting when I ordered my 20lb bag. I might put this 2 parts to 1 part Menno's to see what happens. Anyone else working on this bean that can give me a perspective?

It also makes a fantastic Siphon (Vac Pot) coffee!

I just roasted some up with El Salvador Santa Rita Full Natural. The blend is 80% El Salador, 20% Misty Valley. It just hit 3 days after roasting and I pulled a great shot today. It was the first one, so I made a machiatto, which is what I usually do on the first shot since the grind is usually off a bit. This time the grind was actually spot-on and got a bit under 60ml. I can definitely taste the fruit, it seems well balanced with good body and a bit chocolaty but not too much. I think I may try this with a good brazil added in to get more chocolate, but overall it's nice. It's just missing the mouthfeel I'm looking for, but I'll see how it develops over the week.

This was blended before roasting. Hottop was used. About 3 mins between 1st and 2nd crack. I went into 2nd until it got rapid. There's a little bit of oil spotting, not much.

Well, I don't have much vocabulary to describe the various flavors of coffee. We have fresh local grown blueberries in the summer and wild blackberries grow along the streams, ...make a fantastic blackberry jam.
It's more like looking at an abstract painting I think and feel the texture, line, movement, balance, not 'it looks like.....'. I was thinking about and tasting the current IMV this morning.... if last years lot played like a saxaphone, this years would be a clarinet. (think Ted Nash and 'Odeon', to plug some great Jazz). ...or the difference between a trumpet and a french horn. Maybe the analogy is not so precise but reading and comparing Tom's notes on the 2 lots of IMV does not convey the contrast to me, and he's an expert.

...not exactly a lively discussion I'm having with myself.. but I should make note anyway that I traced this 'fruit in the backround chorus' issue to changes in my roasting profiles since adding a MET probe to my poppery I a few months back. I went back to last years IMV profile notes (before adding the MET) and used that (dead reconing by power levels on the Variac) and found my lighter city range roasts were run at significantly lower powers and consequently lower finishing MET. (this investigation uncovered issues with my MET measure accuracy) Well DUH! Fruit and floral notes are back front and center. Sort of starting over to dial this bean in now... but I think this is where it's at with IMV. What a difference a few degree makes! ( ....and this is with the same 'bean mass' temps!)

I've only roasted one 2lb batch of this years misty for a Christmas request. Kept a little of the batch for myself. Took it to a 418 reading with 1st starting at 390. I'd say lighter-mid city+. I'm not a real everyday fan of fruity brewed coffee but when I happen to want one, often after dinner, they are a real treat. And often will mix some in a post roast espresso blend or even as a SO. The early lot of 06 is still my favorite. MET temps seem pretty important with fruity notes in a DP and a few degrees either way at dump can make a big difference. Jim might be better able to explain but to me a nice DP Ethiopia like Misty is one of the more challenging beans to get right. But well worth doing so.
farm

farmroast wrote:............... Jim might be better able to explain but to me a nice DP Ethiopia like Misty is one of the more challenging beans to get right. But well worth doing so.
farm

Thanks, Ed. I agree. One thing the Idido has going though is the careful hand sorting that tends to make for much more even roast than say Harrar or the DP Koratie. It's tough to get these uneven roasting beans to a light roast without those funky bits from the lighter under-ripes (....and other defect beans). IMO that's what makes these Idido preps special: clean. I still can get some over-fermented notes but not from the current crop ...yet. I feel like I'm starting over to dial this Idido in but I did have a break during the holidays to roast a bunch of comfort type beans: sweet chocolate and nuts. Now with an accurate MET probe I hope to get some better results. I have 20lbs, maybe went through 3lbs so far,,, by the time I have 15lbs left I hope to have a grip on it!