Caffe Vita - Comfort blends

Discuss flavors, brew temperatures, blending, and cupping notes.
Mat-O-Matic
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#1: Post by Mat-O-Matic »

Recently ordered from Caffe Vita and enjoyed both blends. Am now curious to try some of their other offerings. Both that I had taste darker than I'm usually getting, but are listed as either medium or light-medium. I only drink espresso or americano, but would expect both to do well in milk.

The Organic Espresso, listed as light-medium, claims fudge, blueberry, and brown sugar, and I'd agree with those notes. The blueberry fades a little as the roast ages, but it holds up well and remains a balanced cup: the acidity stays even if it is less distinguishable as blueberry. I got a 5# bag and pull one pound out of the freezer at a time for hopper feeding, so the acidity does change a bit over the course of the week. Not peak, but OK by me. It definitely seems darker than Alchemy, Monarch, or Big Trouble. Maybe similar to Big Truck. But no roast smoke. I have good pulls at a moderate temperature and a 1:1.8 ratio. FWIW, I emulate the Synesso two-stage pre infusion with my lever. (3-4 sec lever down/ 1bar, another 4-5 at 20°/ 3-ish bar, then relax to the spring pressure.) This seems to boost the sweetness and has preserved the berry flavor just fine. Rich, satisfying texture. It is not super complex (like, compared to lighter, fruitier beans), but is dynamic and tasty enough to consider as a regular daily driver.

Their Cafe Del Sol was also good. I got 1# of that, which was the right choice for me. This is chocolate and caramel as promised. A little less complex than the Organic blend, and also a tad darker. It is right on the line of being dark enough to almost-but-not-quite have some roast smoke. What acidity it has is slightly tart cherry. Also good mouthfeel, maybe even a tad more than the Organic, though this one pulled best at 1:2 or 1:2.1. I did virtually no pre infusion with this, but did hold my lever at the 45° catch point briefly before letting the spring go. That let me grind slightly finer. I wouldn't say I ground this coarse (not like Dragonfly La Crema Dolce), but it was coarser than most coffees I use.

I've been wandering in this almost-dark roast land through the winter. Feeling a need for lighter things that taste like graham or butterscotch or s'mores. Maybe PTs Flying Monkey or Wonderstate's Flyway. Recommendations welcome.
LMWDP #716: Spring comes, and the grass grows by itself.