pcroque wrote:The Maracaibo in the first video is blended at Ottolina in Italy, and then shipped green to a local roaster here in Calgary. They roast it here in town so I can get it very fresh. However, the roaster indicated that with this blend, you need to wait a few weeks after roasting for the flavours to develop. Maybe because there is some robusta in it, but I'm not sure.

I'd try it fresher than that. Then again, blending coffee's green then roasting isn't ideal either. Which is perhaps why they're telling you to wait... so all the different coffee's (which roast at different speeds, and outgas at different speeds) will all be finished the outgassing process.

Since your in Calgary, you may like to try some fresh coffee's some Fratello and Phil & Sebastian. Two good roasters, both located in Calgary.

nickw wrote:I'd try it fresher than that. Then again, blending coffee's green then roasting isn't ideal either. Which is perhaps why they're telling you to wait... so all the different coffee's (which roast at different speeds, and outgas at different speeds) will all be finished the outgassing process.

OK. I'll find out when they've roasted a new batch and pick up a bag soon after.

Actually, all I was told is that they roast the beans here after they get them green from Ottolina in Italy. Maybe they do roast them separately, and then blend them after they've outgassed.

nickw wrote:Since your in Calgary, you may like to try some fresh coffee's some Fratello and Phil & Sebastian. Two good roasters, both located in Calgary.

I have tried P&S and 49th Parallel. They both pulled beautifully, and you could tell they were quality beans, but they were way too "bright" for my liking. I seem to prefer the traditional Italian blends with some robusta.

pcroque wrote:I have tried P&S and 49th Parallel. They both pulled beautifully, and you could tell they were quality beans, but they were way too "bright" for my liking. I seem to prefer the traditional Italian blends with some robusta.

You could try 49th old school blend. Would be closer.

I also found Fratello tends to roast towards the medium to medium/dark end of the spectrum. You may really like them, and they're local for you.

I tried both the Old-school and the Epic blends from 49th. Both were too "bright" for my (and my wife's) tastebuds.

But I have wanted to get down to Analog and try some of the Fratello blends.

I can't remember the last time I used the single basket in either a Pavoni or my Cremina.

Usually, I'll go for 1:2 ratios and that works out just fine with the small double baskets. 12g in, 24g out with the Pavoni, 16g in, 32g out with the Cremina.

And one more. This is the same Kimbo Extra Crema used in the second video above, but after it was opened, it was frozen for 10 days. The beans were thawed overnight, and then this shot was pulled. Basically, it looked and tasted very similar to the never-frozen beans.