Favorite Espressos 2017 - Page 2
- Chert
- Posts: 3537
- Joined: 16 years ago
When is next review planned? I like Team HB reviews.
LMWDP #198
-
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: 9 years ago
+1
I actually learn a lot about the process and tasting rather than the just the specific coffee.
I actually learn a lot about the process and tasting rather than the just the specific coffee.
I drink two shots before I drink two shots, then I drink two more....
- TomC
- Team HB
- Posts: 10552
- Joined: 13 years ago
In following what has become my usual pattern when evaluating an espresso formally for HB, I've practiced a simple approach to cover as much interest as possible, meaning that not all the members are going to like lighter 3rd wave S.O. espresso, and thus, we've generally opted to switch it up between reviews, one doing a lighter S.0. and next usually a more developed, traditional (some say "comfort food") blend. The pendulum swung this time to that more developed traditional blend range and landed us at Velton's Coffee Roasting, specifically, his well established Bonsai Blend. I found it surprising that we hadn't officially reviewed it beforehand; I had enjoyed it previously and thought it deserved a closer look here at HB
Velton's Bonsai Blend was famously noted for its very high scoring early on by reviewers like CoffeeReview, which at the time wasn't a common achievement for an espresso blend. We formally reviewed it over the past month, with a disclosure that there was a minor glitch in the first review of the coffee around the time of the SCA Expo. The first sample wasn't on the same level as what I had personally experienced prior; simply put, that review was done blindly by everyone except myself who organized it, and we discovered we weren't all evaluating it the same. Jim noted that the last portion of his sample was predominantly smaller beans, which prompted those of us still early in the review to re-homogenize the bag for better results.
For fairness and accuracy sake, we took another critical look at it and had better results. For those looking for a flexible, lower acid blend of chocolate, light nuttiness, and some gentle red fruit tones, I believe it's worth consideration.
When the following reviews were repeated, however, it wasn't done blind, due to the nature of our discussion about the coffee, the roast, etc. We'll share some opinions here shortly. In closing, I'd like to personally thank Velton and his small team for sponsoring this review and working thru the hiccups along the way!
Velton's Bonsai Blend was famously noted for its very high scoring early on by reviewers like CoffeeReview, which at the time wasn't a common achievement for an espresso blend. We formally reviewed it over the past month, with a disclosure that there was a minor glitch in the first review of the coffee around the time of the SCA Expo. The first sample wasn't on the same level as what I had personally experienced prior; simply put, that review was done blindly by everyone except myself who organized it, and we discovered we weren't all evaluating it the same. Jim noted that the last portion of his sample was predominantly smaller beans, which prompted those of us still early in the review to re-homogenize the bag for better results.
For fairness and accuracy sake, we took another critical look at it and had better results. For those looking for a flexible, lower acid blend of chocolate, light nuttiness, and some gentle red fruit tones, I believe it's worth consideration.
When the following reviews were repeated, however, it wasn't done blind, due to the nature of our discussion about the coffee, the roast, etc. We'll share some opinions here shortly. In closing, I'd like to personally thank Velton and his small team for sponsoring this review and working thru the hiccups along the way!
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- TomC
- Team HB
- Posts: 10552
- Joined: 13 years ago
Spoiler: show
Join us and support Artisan Roasting Software=https://artisan-scope.org/donate/
- HB (original poster)
- Admin
- Posts: 22019
- Joined: 19 years ago
Thanks once again Tom for arranging this review! I'll leave the reviews behind spoiler tags for awhile should members wish to try it blinded.TomC wrote:The pendulum swung this time to that more developed traditional blend range and landed us at Velton's Coffee Roasting, specifically, his well established Bonsai Blend. I found it surprising that we hadn't officially reviewed it beforehand; I had enjoyed it previously and thought it deserved a closer look here at HB
Dan Kehn