I am going to give it a try too. Probably putting my order in this weekend.

Also Bluesman, thanks for giving me your Redbird parameters. I was pulling 18/36. I tighened up the grind and pulled 18/28 and I am liking it better. I also am finding the bitter tamed the longer I wait past the roast date. I was freezing it at 7 days. After pulling it from the freezer I would use it up in about 3 days. Now I am starting to use it at 10-13 days post roast and liking it better. I for a few days I was at 13-15 days post roast and I was literally getting chocolate covered cherries, not just notes but big flavors. It was pretty cool!

Bossman wrote:Ok you sold me! I am nearing finishing off my 5# Ala Italia bag, and I have to say it is my favorite ever. Will have to see how this compares.

After a week or so, I'm even more in love than I was before. I almost took a picture of one of my morning shots today because it was absolutely the most beautiful coffee I've ever seen. There's been no channeling at all, and almost no splatter even when I don't put the cup on my little pedestal below the PF. The color is a rich, warm, uniformly golden brown.

There are a few other adjustments necessary. The crema is so dense that I've had to reduce the aeration in my microfoam. The density that produced nice art in Redbird is simply too much for Malabar Gold - contrast and definition are lost. So I drop the tip into the milk as soon as I feel warmth in the pitcher now, and I'm back to delightful rosettas. I stretch only about 20%. If I want to reuse the cup for a second drink, I have to wash it out as soon as I finish the first because the Malabar clings so tightly and is hard to clean completely by hand once it "sets".

After about 20 drinks (ristrettos and capps), I'm more impressed than ever. We're still Redbird lovers for drip, but I'm sticking with Malabar for espresso unless & until I find something I like better. I've loved classic, chocolately smooth espresso since I discovered it in about 1960 in Greenwich Village - this is absolutely the most wonderful coffee I've ever had.

lancealot wrote:I am going to give it a try too. Probably putting my order in this weekend.

Also Bluesman, thanks for giving me your Redbird parameters. I was pulling 18/36. I tighened up the grind and pulled 18/28 and I am liking it better. I also am finding the bitter tamed the longer I wait past the roast date. I was freezing it at 7 days. After pulling it from the freezer I would use it up in about 3 days. Now I am starting to use it at 10-13 days post roast and liking it better. I for a few days I was at 13-15 days post roast and I was literally getting chocolate covered cherries, not just notes but big flavors. It was pretty cool!

We get a 5 pound bag of Redbird every month or so and freeze about 3 pounds of it in 8 oz Ball jars right away (2 or 3 days post roast) after filling a canister each for my wife and me. The last jar is as good as or better than the first.

My bag of Josuma Malabar Gold came the other day. Roasted on Aug 28th, I waited until yesterday (September 1) to open it. This week was a killer at work so I came home and played coffee shop. I think it is still too fresh. Josuma says you can pull it at 5 days but that it is best around 10. I got the molten, bubbling, crema waterfall.

It is everything that Bluesman says, that is warm, comfortable, delicious and easy. Really great in milk. I am looking forward to seeing how it changes in the next few days. It is going to be a good 5lbs.

A few months back the Italian Blends thread caught my attention and I bought some Kimbo Superior. I didn't love that coffee. I didn't know it then, but this is what I was searching for in that thread.

bluesman wrote:After a week or so, I'm even more in love than I was before. I almost took a picture of one of my morning shots today because it was absolutely the most beautiful coffee I've ever seen. There's been no channeling at all, and almost no splatter even when I don't put the cup on my little pedestal below the PF. The color is a rich, warm, uniformly golden brown.

There are a few other adjustments necessary. The crema is so dense that I've had to reduce the aeration in my microfoam. The density that produced nice art in Redbird is simply too much for Malabar Gold - contrast and definition are lost. So I drop the tip into the milk as soon as I feel warmth in the pitcher now, and I'm back to delightful rosettas. I stretch only about 20%. If I want to reuse the cup for a second drink, I have to wash it out as soon as I finish the first because the Malabar clings so tightly and is hard to clean completely by hand once it "sets".

After about 20 drinks (ristrettos and capps), I'm more impressed than ever. We're still Redbird lovers for drip, but I'm sticking with Malabar for espresso unless & until I find something I like better. I've loved classic, chocolately smooth espresso since I discovered it in about 1960 in Greenwich Village - this is absolutely the most wonderful coffee I've ever had.

Glad you are having the same experience I am having with it. It is a joy to watch the pull out of the bottomless portafilter. The only thing bad about MBG is that it easily knocked the nearby roaster off the top of the roster. I'll likely have to shift the local roast to drip, and he'll be wondering why he doesn't see me as often....

My wife prefers Redbird to MG for drip, so we're now buying 5 lbs of each at a time. Instead of a LM, it looks like we may need a bigger freezer! But I'm actually having 2 or 3 more shots daily (extra morning cap and an extra ristretto or 2 after dinner), so consumption is up sharply. We may be fine if we just give up using all frozen food

This is funny. I might be in the same boat as you. My wife put some Redbird Espresso in her drip machine about a month ago and she is over the moon with it. This is what is going on around here, five more days rest and it is time to re-arange the freezer.

I very much like Redbird Sweet Blue however the Caffe Lusso Gran Miscela Carmo coffee may have edged out Rebird for me.
It is SO very soft, chocolatey, smooth, sweet.. I have pulled three consecutive espressos as simply drinking one was not sufficient.The coffee tastes so very good...
If you want new wave fruity coffee this is not for you.IF you want classic Italian style roast.. consider treating yourself by checking out this roaster

I never go this route but a good friend, after I gave him some Northbound American Beauty to try out, gave me some Maromas Arabea to try. Pulled quite possibly the sweetest chocolate cup of espresso today I've ever pulled. No roast date. From WLL. Not sure what country it came from. Broke all my rules. But super sweet, big milk chocolate and low acid it is.