The_Mighty_Bean wrote:Perhaps Rob will loan me his GS3 for a day. I'll pay ship!

I wish I could be so generous but I think I would go through withdrawals if I didn't see it each morning.

It was nice to dial in the temperature this morning. I lucked out on the grind and dosing and it was almost right on except that I really should have cleaned out my Mazzer Mini before grinding this. I could tell that some of the spicy flavors from the previous Moonbeans Espresso blend had come through on the first shot. The subsequent shots were the ones I used for latte's and those were phenomenal. The aftertaste is also very desirable.

And those bags are real neat. I squeezed it this morning and smelled the aroma coming out the hole. Nice bonus.

Suggested dose and brew temp were, IMHO, ideal for use in milk drinks (where the caramelized sugar, honey-roasted nut and powdered chocolate notes really shone).

I found I preferred straight espressos at a lower dose and lower brew temp. There I got espresso that was glorious... chocolate dusted sweet pink grapefruit with candied pecans and a shot of aged Flor de Cana rum.

malachi wrote:chocolate dusted sweet pink grapefruit with candied pecans and a shot of aged Flor de Cana rum.

Next time, could you be more specific? , har har!

It was also an Ecco Caffe Experimental Espresso #1 this morning at my place.

My lasting impression after three espressos was smooth milk chocolates and satsuma mandarins. After sampling, I read the description card that was included in the shipping box; it closes by saying "This blend yields exquisite espresso but also pairs perfectly with steamed milk in macchiatos and cappuccinos." I don't drink many cappuccinos, but the description sounded so inviting... My frothing skills were below par and yet it was a creamy sweet delicious coffee-flavored chocolate drink. I'm looking forward to finishing the other half of the bag this weekend.

The_Mighty_Bean wrote:I am still dialing in the grinder on this blend. This morning, I got a nice 19g double ristretto, but my pull was just under an ounce, so I'm going back a click next time, and that should get me fairly close to Ecco's suggested parameters. So far I am tasting and smelling a brown sugary extraction that reminds me of the caramelized, crackly top layer of a creme brulee.

I found it took a bit coarser grind than my usual blends.

malachi wrote:I found I preferred straight espressos at a lower dose and lower brew temp.

I second that as to the temp. 1 or 2F lower.

After talking with Andrew, I continued to experiment and found that it produced truly gorgeous shots from the following: Synesso triple basket, down-dosed, 200.5F, 2.75oz shot in 25 seconds.

Sweet tangerine, bittersweet chocolate, burnt honey, vanilla, candied nuts, dense and thick body and the aforementioned Flor de Cana rum finish...

It's a truly lovely espresso!
Thank you Andrew.

malachi wrote:2.75oz shot in 25 seconds.

Hi Chris,

Is that a typo, or did you really pull that long a shot?

Best,
David

triple basket.

Well, back to Ecco Reserve this week. After 1 week of Experimental Espresso and then Barefoot Bigfoot Espresso. BTW, Bigfoot was like drinking a Mocha Latte, but we honestly didn't add any chocolate! Our taste buds were literally freaking out on all that chocolate.

Now, it's back to Ecco Reserve and I must say it's like home for me. The aroma from the grinder was sweet, fragrant, fruity. That familiar flavor that's refined and elegant, complex and comfortable. I like it.