Of limited interest to most, but Coffee Alchemy (see elsewhere) has just won the 2011 "God Coffee" award from one of the international coffee magazines (who knew?). They are quietly pleased with themselves, fair enough too. Since my last review the coffee probably isn't any better, but the range of coffees for tasting just increases all the time. Still with the San Emilio as my favourite.
I had a great training run Tuesday. I don't know whether the new training regime, which includes 2 days rest with a loooooonnnnngggg slow run (21.5K along the Cooks River) sandwiched between them, or just a random confluence of positive influences was responsible. Hopefully it's a promising sign for the Penrith half marathon, which is coming up in October. Weird business.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Coffee Alchemy - Single estate tasting notes
All these beans are run through a Jura C5 as a medium strength long black. Sometimes I try them with milk, sometimes not.
El Savador - San Emilio
??????
This is seriously one of the nicest coffees I've drunk. It's particularly fantastic with milk, but also excellent black. I don't know coffee tasting language, but it seems velvety, not at all bitter, rich but not extreme.
Red Icatu
I think this is a different bean from the same estate; similar but less rich in flavour. I'm not completely sure though. It's certainly from San Emilio.
Guatamala - Huehuetenango injenta
This is another good coffee, more vigorous, almost like a dark chocolate, although again. not bitter. I haven't tried it with milk, but I suspect it might not work quite so well. (It doesn't) For me this coffee is best after cereal - seems to bring out the flavour, although that's puzzling in a way because the dominant after-taste of cereal is milk, but I can't get the same effect by milking the coffee; as a standalone or with bread it doesn't work quite so well.
Sumatra - Blve Batak?/Balak?
Kind of a blurred taste, then the next two mouthfuls were a bit thin, but finally ended up with quite a rich & fulfilling mouth feel. (I've decided to make up my own language). Sadly, not enough to take home & try with milk. I'm increasingly of the opinion that coffee tastes in its context. With a crusty bread roll it tastes different than with a croissant, etc. etc. Obvious you may say, but often overlooked I feel.
Ethiopia Sidarra - Haile Selassie
I haven't tried this yet, but one thing I can say is that it smells like no other coffee I have ever smelt. Can something smell dry & dusty? This does, like summer soil. Turned out to taste pretty good, as a black coffee only. It didn't taste nice with milk at all.
Kenya - Oreti
This was an OK coffee that didn't particularly distinguish itself in any direction. Pleasant, but not outstanding. As exemplified by the fact that I didn't bother to blog it until after it ran out, and now I can't remember anything particular to say about it. Oh, except it was good with yeasty white bread.
Ethiopia - Nigus(s)e Lemma
What I think of as "typical African" taste, thin, with the impact on rear sides of tongue. Fantastic bouquet in the beans, strongly floral/grassy, but not coming through to the brew.
Tanzania - Ruvuma AAA
Has an "African finish", a little bitter, which is OK, it's not at all unpleasant, and not present while drinking. The beans have a chocolatey smell, a little dry. Pleasant to drink black or with milk. Perhaps a little undistinguished in flavour, but not bad. About on a par in the mouth with the Guatamala above, only better with milk. Certainly nicer than the Ethiopian & Kenyan.
Panama - Paso Ancho
Another OK, but not outstanding bean. A little bitter, not too much. Nice aroma as a bean, but not following through to the mouth.
Brasil Moreninha Formosa
Great aroma, the chocolate drifts in towards the end. Nice to drink, not bitter. Not an overwhelming flavour; good with milk.
Mexico - Oaxaca Organic
I thought this had a kind of egg-y smell, not unpleasant. Then I thought of pipe tobacco. A pleasant drink, particularly good as the first coffee of the day; not because of the caffeine content, just because it seemed to deal with the "morning mouth" syndrome particularly well.
Costa Rica Garanbito (honey cured)
Not a bad breakfast coffee; the honey is a long way back in the flavour, but it's noticeable. For my money, better as a black than white coffee base.
Columbia - Naryano?
I forgot to make a note while I was still drinking it, and now I can't remember: I guess we could assume that means it wasn't outstanding in any particular direction.
Guatemala - Finca Ceylan y Anexos
Most noticeable about this coffee is that it packs a killer caffeine punch; no way can I drink 3 a day & even 2 is beginning to seem risky. As to flavour, it's a bit earthy/dry, lacking in aromatics. Not so great with milk. A coffee to wake up to, but not one to savour with a croissant.
El Savador - San Emilio
??????
This is seriously one of the nicest coffees I've drunk. It's particularly fantastic with milk, but also excellent black. I don't know coffee tasting language, but it seems velvety, not at all bitter, rich but not extreme.
Red Icatu
I think this is a different bean from the same estate; similar but less rich in flavour. I'm not completely sure though. It's certainly from San Emilio.
Guatamala - Huehuetenango injenta
This is another good coffee, more vigorous, almost like a dark chocolate, although again. not bitter. I haven't tried it with milk, but I suspect it might not work quite so well. (It doesn't) For me this coffee is best after cereal - seems to bring out the flavour, although that's puzzling in a way because the dominant after-taste of cereal is milk, but I can't get the same effect by milking the coffee; as a standalone or with bread it doesn't work quite so well.
Sumatra - Blve Batak?/Balak?
Kind of a blurred taste, then the next two mouthfuls were a bit thin, but finally ended up with quite a rich & fulfilling mouth feel. (I've decided to make up my own language). Sadly, not enough to take home & try with milk. I'm increasingly of the opinion that coffee tastes in its context. With a crusty bread roll it tastes different than with a croissant, etc. etc. Obvious you may say, but often overlooked I feel.
Ethiopia Sidarra - Haile Selassie
I haven't tried this yet, but one thing I can say is that it smells like no other coffee I have ever smelt. Can something smell dry & dusty? This does, like summer soil. Turned out to taste pretty good, as a black coffee only. It didn't taste nice with milk at all.
Kenya - Oreti
This was an OK coffee that didn't particularly distinguish itself in any direction. Pleasant, but not outstanding. As exemplified by the fact that I didn't bother to blog it until after it ran out, and now I can't remember anything particular to say about it. Oh, except it was good with yeasty white bread.
Ethiopia - Nigus(s)e Lemma
What I think of as "typical African" taste, thin, with the impact on rear sides of tongue. Fantastic bouquet in the beans, strongly floral/grassy, but not coming through to the brew.
Tanzania - Ruvuma AAA
Has an "African finish", a little bitter, which is OK, it's not at all unpleasant, and not present while drinking. The beans have a chocolatey smell, a little dry. Pleasant to drink black or with milk. Perhaps a little undistinguished in flavour, but not bad. About on a par in the mouth with the Guatamala above, only better with milk. Certainly nicer than the Ethiopian & Kenyan.
Panama - Paso Ancho
Another OK, but not outstanding bean. A little bitter, not too much. Nice aroma as a bean, but not following through to the mouth.
Brasil Moreninha Formosa
Great aroma, the chocolate drifts in towards the end. Nice to drink, not bitter. Not an overwhelming flavour; good with milk.
Mexico - Oaxaca Organic
I thought this had a kind of egg-y smell, not unpleasant. Then I thought of pipe tobacco. A pleasant drink, particularly good as the first coffee of the day; not because of the caffeine content, just because it seemed to deal with the "morning mouth" syndrome particularly well.
Costa Rica Garanbito (honey cured)
Not a bad breakfast coffee; the honey is a long way back in the flavour, but it's noticeable. For my money, better as a black than white coffee base.
Columbia - Naryano?
I forgot to make a note while I was still drinking it, and now I can't remember: I guess we could assume that means it wasn't outstanding in any particular direction.
Guatemala - Finca Ceylan y Anexos
Most noticeable about this coffee is that it packs a killer caffeine punch; no way can I drink 3 a day & even 2 is beginning to seem risky. As to flavour, it's a bit earthy/dry, lacking in aromatics. Not so great with milk. A coffee to wake up to, but not one to savour with a croissant.
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