Canadian Roasters: Canucks...What are you drinking? - Page 3

Discuss flavors, brew temperatures, blending, and cupping notes.
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Spitz.me
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#21: Post by Spitz.me »

spiffdude wrote:I'm pulling between a normale and a ristretto. I'm using 18,5 grams but i haven't checked the output weight in a while. It's a tight pour but not super tight. Anyway, i have a suspicion that my Mini may not be giving me the best grounds compared to the Robur in their shop (looking at a K10 in the internets).

The bag i got from the location near Drake Hotel was 8 days out of roast. I think that's quite acceptable considering i ran thought it in 5 days.

It is my experience that bags bought at the different cafés in Montreal all hover between 1 to 2 weeks off roast, and this is true even in the top places. Heck, it's even the case at St-Henri and they roast onsite. I can understand the product is expensive and they try to minimise losses, but it's a little disappointing. Maybe i'm being anal about it too.

It's actually the main reason i'm using Social Coffee. I order it online and it's in my hands just a 2-3 days off roast. I even let it rest sometimes lol
I don't understand having stale coffee on your retail shelves when all it takes to get rid of your inventory is pulling some shots. Manic does this. I don't understand why cafes that have stale coffee haven't figured this out. I think it's lazy, but a cafe owner can chime in and call me a doofus on grounds that I don't understand their business.

Vivace won't even sell internationally. We Canadians are paying through the nose if we don't want to sip local roaster offerings.
LMWDP #670

wkmok1
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Joined: 10 years ago

#22: Post by wkmok1 »

+1

Beaucoup (frequently featured on Top 10 lists) here is Vancouver has a wall of 49th parallel bags on display and a big sign extolling their baristas to use the display bags first. They have awesome pastries too.

BTW, any advice on how to pull 49th's Old School Espresso on a Pavoni? Grind, dose, temperature, etc? Thanks.
Winston

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doubleOsoul
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#23: Post by doubleOsoul »

Bob,
Fernwoodcoffee was doing some nice stuff on a good day but I think they changed hands and its not the same. 2% Jazz (Douglas location) is doing some decent roasts on a regular basis.

coffeestork
Posts: 75
Joined: 14 years ago

#24: Post by coffeestork »

Will be picking up the pen soon, but mostly writing about Ottawa for now ...

Great to hear that a place has picked up Stumptown in Toronto... curious to visit it ... although much more excited about Boxcar Social

Propellor ... if anybody followed my twitter, I was rather frank about what I tasted (earthy and bitter) in the early days (last December) which got removed as I agreed to hold off further comment until their roasting matured as it might not be fair in the early days.

To me there are no Toronto roasters that I consistently associate with dependable quality in the same breath as 49th or P&S. This is based on last year's examples of 2 or 3 bags from each. I won't get into details because it will only make them upset with me. Only pleasant surprise that I have had this year was the Kochere Espresso from Pig Iron which I have liked.

Finally surprised that Montreal people are discussing staleness, etc ... I personally always go to Myriade when in Montreal to pick up really well selected and fresh coffee, usually 49th. Never disappointed. Also had a good experience recently with Pikolo who does a lot of P&S.

Finally, I have also ordered Square Mile for the last few year, and it is awesome. Sweet, full flavored, usually fruity and towards the bright side. I choose to do a splurge for it every now and then.

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canuckcoffeeguy (original poster)
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#25: Post by canuckcoffeeguy (original poster) »

coffeestork wrote: Great to hear that a place has picked up Stumptown in Toronto... curious to visit it ... although much more excited about Boxcar Social
Just to clarify, the place that carries Stumptown beans struck me as a place that's better to buy bean from, than get a shot pulled. It's first and foremost a food place, not a specialty coffee bar. I didn't actually order a shot there. But I inquired about Stumptown after passing by and saw the we serve Stumptown sign. They get beans once a week on Thursdays. Who knows, maybe they know how to pull a nice shot, but I wouldn't bank on it. But they remain the only source of Stumptown beans in Toronto that I know of. So that's good.

Boxcar Social on the other hand is a serious coffee bar. They know what they're doing for sure.

Finally, I got some Cut Coffee from Sam James the other day. 7 days post roast, in the sweet spot. I'm getting some nice pulls right now with my not even fully broken in K10PB. It only has less than 10lbs through it since I bought it. I'm dosing 18.5g, about 20 to 25 sec from first drop with output of 25g to 32g range between 198F and 202F. While not quite as magical as what they pull at SJ's shop, I'm enjoying them.

I'm not sure what their secret is.the shot I had there on Thursday was great, although after I left, I realized it may have been Sam James himself that pulled my shot and patiently instructed me on how to pull it at home.

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Bob_McBob
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#26: Post by Bob_McBob »

I am so jealous of the selection of coffees available at Toronto and Montreal cafes. The only two local cafes producing drinkable coffee just use Detour and Social.
Chris

mfogliet
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#27: Post by mfogliet »

I've actually ordered from Square Mile in the UK several times. The sweet spot for shipping is six bags at £3.20/bag. Monday shipments typically arrive by the end of the week for me here in Waterloo, which is faster than Canada Post Expedited from BC.
Chris...
Thanks for the push to treat myself. I ordered 4 bags: 2 red brick, 1 sweetshop, 1 reko. Looking forward to tasting what the 1% are drinking. And not sharing with the milk adders in my house.

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Spitz.me
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#28: Post by Spitz.me »

Bob_McBob wrote:I am so jealous of the selection of coffees available at Toronto and Montreal cafes. The only two local cafes producing drinkable coffee just use Detour and Social.
I thought we had it bad, but that sounds terrible. Detour and Pilot (Formerly Te Aro Roasters) are just two roasters that just never really worked out for me when I tried their beans. Elevens was good once, and probably still is today, if it's available.

Currently pulling Golden Bough from Ritual that I purchased at Boxcar Social. Not really my cup of coffee, but still nice to be able to try. It was $21.50 for the pound since their shipping rates seem to be terrible.
LMWDP #670

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canuckcoffeeguy (original poster)
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#29: Post by canuckcoffeeguy (original poster) »

mfogliet wrote:Chris...
Thanks for the push to treat myself. I ordered 4 bags: 2 red brick, 1 sweetshop, 1 reko. Looking forward to tasting what the 1% are drinking. And not sharing with the milk adders in my house.
mfogliet, I'm interested in hearing your feedback on these Square Mile offerings. I might splurge for some eventually!
Spitz.me wrote:
Currently pulling Golden Bough from Ritual that I purchased at Boxcar Social. Not really my cup of coffee, but still nice to be able to try. It was $21.50 for the pound since their shipping rates seem to be terrible.
Spitz.me , Yeah, I tried the Golden Bough pulled at Boxcar Social. It was ok, but didn't knock my socks off.

Have you bought any of the George Howell imports they carry there? If so, anything you can recommend?

Also, I finally went to Sense Appeal the other day for the first time. They were pulling their GN blend. Completely understand when you say it's a dependable comfort shot. Nicely balanced and lots of chocolate, with a hint of berry. Might get some soon to pull at home. Have you tried anything else from Sense Appeal?

Finally, any Canadians out there ever order from Redbird in the U.S.? I see they ship to Canada and prices are very reasonable per pound.

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Bob_McBob
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#30: Post by Bob_McBob »

mfogliet wrote:Chris...
Thanks for the push to treat myself. I ordered 4 bags: 2 red brick, 1 sweetshop, 1 reko. Looking forward to tasting what the 1% are drinking. And not sharing with the milk adders in my house.
Enjoy! Coincidentally I just pulled this from the freezer :D

Chris