AndyS wrote:Reading the responses, it is interesting that most people find the extract usually gets distinctly bitter late in the extraction, while I don't (along with a few other folks under certain conditions).

Using the Schectermatic "TM" (All rights reserved. Inter-galactic patents pending.), I found the tail end of the pour to be diluted, but otherwise harmless and inoffensive.

Ditto

depends on both the coffee and the machine (and the relationship between the two).

with a declining brew temp profile and certain coffees the tail ends of the shot can be very sour rather than bitter. i've also found some coffees that (with a flat profile) exhibit strong astringency in the tail end of the shot.

the one consistency i've found is that i've not found a coffee where the initial part of the shot exhibits a lot of sweetness.

I think the internet, comparing photos and videos, and a lot of people getting disconnected from tasting coffee over its visuals means that a lot of people (and pro baristas) have a fear of the blonding.

I've probably ranted about it before, but I do find the very short shots often very unbalanced. I've tried lots of different styles, equipment and coffees over my few short years in coffee and can't help but feel a little bit of blonding is often a good thing.

I would agree that it is machine and coffee specific. On my A3 I get a bitter finish but my machine has an inclining profile. She runs nice and flat then around 25 seconds the temperature starts to tick up a few tenths. At 30 seconds it starts to increase quickly making ristrettos challenging at times. I will have to pay more attention to the end of shot and coffee that I am using at that time.

King Seven wrote:I think the internet, comparing photos and videos, and a lot of people getting disconnected from tasting coffee over its visuals means that a lot of people (and pro baristas) have a fear of the blonding.

I've probably ranted about it before, but I do find the very short shots often very unbalanced. I've tried lots of different styles, equipment and coffees over my few short years in coffee and can't help but feel a little bit of blonding is often a good thing.

Heh.
Keep fighting the good fight.

I should probably add that my feeling that a lighter colour in the pour simply says that there are less solubles and I can't, with any certain, gauge the qualities of those solubles by sight alone.

But this could quickly turn into another rant about the frustrations of crema obsession.

Psyd wrote:Is what you're drinking actually 'blonde'? Depends on what your definition of 'is' is... ; >

You're correct, these definitions are tricky. I usually like to go a little beyond this point:




But this goes a little too far:




I guess I find right about here to be my favorite:



How about you?

I would like door #3 please.

King Seven wrote:I should probably add that my feeling that a lighter colour in the pour simply says that there are less solubles and I can't, with any certain, gauge the qualities of those solubles by sight alone.
But this could quickly turn into another rant about the frustrations of crema obsession.

Crema obsession, you say...?


Total at this point 2.5 ounces, and the pull was stopped right after this image was taken. The flow had gone blonde as you can see, but this pull made for a delicious cappa. This was a home roast, about 3 days old, from my own blend. Ya I love my VBM and Kony!