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Every Friday. Come taste some with us at 73 8th Avenue, 2pm!

Think #20 is comprised of 70% Brazil, 20% Ethiopia and 10% Nicaragua.
XR-1 is 50% Robusta, 25% Brazil, 15% Ethiopia and 10% Nicaragua.

Ristretto Shots- With Think 20, we found the mouth-feel to be creamy and velvety, and the flavor tending towards chocolate and fruit. One taster in particular found strong cherry notes, while another found his shot very herb-like. With the XR-1 shots, the mouth-feel was not quite so velvety and felt more solid. The XR-1 also left the mouth more dry, and some of the tasters found it a bit more bitter. The fruity cherry notes were still present in the XR-1, though it was more subdued and came out in the finish. New flavors bringing to mind sugar and nuts came through. Three of the tasters preferred Think #20, while the other two preferred XR-1.

Whole Milk Macchiatos- The tastes smoothed out and differences became more subtle with the addition of steamed milk, but the two blends were still distinct. Think #20 was still the more fruity of the two, with the XR-1 the more dry. One of the tasters noted pecans in the XR-1 macchiato, and another noted that the dryness came in a lot quicker than Think #20′s, playing a part in the initial taste. Two of our tasters here preferred Think #20 while two preferred XR-1 (one had to leave by this point).

It was a fairly split camp as far as which blend was more enjoyable this week, but we all agreed that the XR-1 made for a different flavor profile. The taste and body changed significantly, and it was interesting to see what it did to the familiar tastes of our blend. Just like we discovered last week, Robusta offers something you won’t find with Arabica.
Next week: one coffee, many brew methods.

Think Blend #19- This is composed of Brazilian and Ethiopian coffees, with a full body, balanced fruitiness and acidity, nuttiness and chocolate flavors. To those familiar with our house coffee, it’s an immediately recognizable profile. Once we threw robusta into in the mix, however, things became far less familiar.

Think XR1- Joining the Brazilian and Ethiopian coffees here were the Chiapas robusta and an offering from Jaime Lovo in Nicaragua. While notes from the Brazilian and Ethiopian stood out (chocolate and fruit were still present), the difference was very marked; there were sweet flavors like in Think 19, but it was not of the same kind. The body and mouth-feel, while still full, were not the same either. Think 19 was wet and sumptuous on the tongue, and this was more solid feeling. The taste was different and hard to place, so we brewed the Robusta alone in the Clever dripper to get a better grasp.

Bella Vista Robusta - To put it simply, this was a completely new tasting experience. The fragrance and aroma were quite striking, very earthy and spiced. In taste, it was a challenge to compare it to what we’ve known. No fruitiness or acidity were present at all, though it did get dry in the finish. It had sweet notes, bringing sugary flavors to mind, with hints of salt as well. The interesting mouth-feel we noted in the blend was even stronger here, almost as though you could feel something solid (of course no particles, since the Clever uses a paper filter). There was a depth of flavors that changed as it spent more time in the mouth, but comparisons still came up short. Robusta truly is it’s own entity.

Nicaragua Cafetalera Buenos Aires- We brewed this familiar member of our Single Source menu in the Clever to give our taste buds a good contrast between robusta and arabica. Just like we’ve found in previous tastings, acidity and tartness characterized this coffee’s flavor profile. This really drove home how different the robusta was; it was sweet but lacked any fruit qualities like the Nicaragua’s, and it was not acidic or bright.

This was one of the most interesting tastings we’ve done yet. We all agreed that the straight robusta may not be something many people would look for in a morning cup, but it added new dimensions and tastes to a blend which an arabica would not provide. Robusta often gets a bad reputation as a commodity filler, but it pays to taste for yourself and avoid generalization. It was enjoyable to have a coffee that really brings new things to the table, and we look forward to getting an even better understanding of it.

Light Agitation- For the first cup, water was poured very gently into the grounds to keep agitation to a minimum. During the infusion a spoon was used to settle any floating grounds to the bottom, but this was also kept as gentle as possible. Compared to how we’ve generally described this Nicaraguan coffee, the acidity and tartness were more subdued, though there were still citric flavors. The smokiness and velvety mouth-feel were also less present, with a fuller mouth-feel in their place. The difference was subtle, but this brew method made for a smoother and enjoyable cup.

More Agitation- For the second cup, the water was poured more aggressively to stir the grounds. Halfway through infusion, a spoon was used to gently stir grounds off the top of the water and to move what settled on the bottom of the Clever. The flavor here was more familiar, with smoke and tartness making the taste more pronounced than smooth. The Nicaraguan’s unique velvety finish was also highlighted, unlike with the previous cup’s fuller mouth-feel.

Even More Agitation- For the third cup, the water was again poured aggressively, and at minutes one and two of infusion the brew was given steady circular stirs with a spoon. The flavor was less tart and citric, but even smokier tasting. Some of the fuller mouth-feel and finish from the first cup returned, and a mild sweetness came in as the coffee cooled. It seemed as though the coffee had high and low notes, but was lacking something taste-wise.

Constant Agitation- For the final cup, water was poured aggressively and the brew was stirred in a circular motion during all three minutes of infusion. Unlike the subtle distinctions between the previous cups, this time the taste was very different. Unfortunately, we found the finished coffee to be lower in temperature, leading us to believe that the constant stir reduced the brewing temperature and introduced another variable. The flavor and mouth-feel were quite thin this time around, with acidity and tartness being subdued, though the smokiness was still present. As the cup cooled, we also noticed some sweet and unpleasant sour flavors.

We had interesting results from this week’s tasting. One taster preferred the smooth profile of the first cup, while another preferred the second. The temperature issue which came in at the end was unfortunate, but allows us to consider what to look for in future tests. Agitation proved to be a significant factor in coffee brewing, and for those of you looking to experiment with their morning cup of joe, it’s worth playing with.

This week at 8th Ave, we explored Ethiopian coffees. Alongside our old favorite from Kellensoo, we tried other coffees from various areas in southern Ethiopia. There was no shortage of variety and detail. The Clever dripper was our brew method of choice for this tasting.

Think Kellensoo, roasted by Red House - Grown in the Sidamo region near Hagare Miriam, this natural-process coffee (where the picked cherries are sun-dried rather than washed and fermented) has been a regular feature in our tastings. With intense fruit and wood in the aroma, and a full body with chocolate cherry notes, this coffee serves as a very good example of the wild flavors found in naturally processed Ethiopian beans.

Roasting Plant Ardi- This coffee from the Roasting Plant is actually from the same village as Kellensoo, but roasted to a darker profile. The fragrance and aroma were similar, but more pungent. The chocolate and fruit notes were still present, but the fruit was more subdued and berry-like than cherry. We tasted the roast as well, with some sugary flavors and bitterness that got unpleasant in the finish.

Oslo Gideo- This natural-process offering from Oslo comes from farther south than Sidamo. The fragrance and aroma were savory and spiced, but were a little hard to place beyond that. Some of the tasters likened it to fresh cut wood and sawdust. There were parallels in flavor to the Kellensoo coffee, but it was notably different; while sweet and fruity, it did not taste like cherries or berries so much as fig, and nutty cacao rounded the taste out for a tasty whole. It was fairly full bodied, and the acidity was brighter than the Kellensoo.

Roasting Plant Yirgacheffe Peaberry- Yirgacheffe is a well known sub-region within Sidamo, found north of the village of Kellensoo. This coffee was wet-processed, which is a characteristic Yirgacheffe is typically known for. Also of note, this was a peaberry, which is the name for a coffee cherry containing just one small round seed as opposed to the two seeds found normally. The fragrance and aroma were nutty, akin to peanuts as one taster pointed out. Despite the tasting notes from the Roasting Plant, we found more sweet maple syrup and pecans here than tea and flowers. Interestingly, while sweetness and acidity were the highlights of this coffee, it was not fruity at all. It was reasonably full-bodied initially, lightening up in the finish.

Toby’s Estate Yirgacheffe- This was another washed coffee from Yirgacheffe, and the lightest roast of this week’s tasting. It was a stark contrast to all the coffees prior. The fragrance and aroma were quite bright, and very citric. In taste, we found lemon and pleasant acidity, and flavors reminiscent of black tea. The mouth-feel was VERY clean, with a crisp and light body. Compared to the naturally-processed coffees (and the other Yirgacheffe) this was a completely different experience, and a good one if you want something delicate.

This was an informative tasting, which showcased how factors such as processing and geography contributed to the varied tastes. Even just within the southern part of the country there is a lot to explore, and we were quite happy with how the Kellensoo stacked up.

NEXT WEEK: We stir it up. Fast and slow. We’ll taste the way coffee changes as the water is agitated. 73 8th ave. Friday. 2 PM

Ethiopia Kellensoo- The fragrance and aroma were intense and fruity, with a pleasant wood-like character presenting itself after taking enough time with the scent. The flavor was rich and sweet, with cherry notes and subtle hints of lime coming in the finish. Combined with the full mouth-feel, drinking it is comparable to biting into a wet, sumptuous piece of fruit.

Nicaragua Buenos Aires Dipilto- The fragrance and aroma were tart, with hints of grapefruit and spice. The flavor is more tart and citric than our other Single Sources, with notes of strawberry compote and vanilla. The body is also comparatively delicate, feeling airy and velvety in the mouth with a smokey finish.

Brasil Daterra Monte Cristo- The fragrance and aroma were chocolaty, nutty and mildly sweet. The flavor was also chocolaty and nutty, like cocao and almonds, with a slightly tart finish which bring to mind dried cherries or cranberries. The mouth-feel, similar to the Ethiopian, was full and wet.

After familiarizing ourselves with each coffee, we tried our hand at developing blends. We made equally-portioned blends with all possible combinations with interesting results.

Ethiopia/Nicaragua- The fragrance and aroma leaned more towards the Ethiopian, with an acidic sparkle from the Nicaraguan. Curiously, the flavor notes of each coffee seemed to be segmented; the cherry fruit of the Ethiopian dominated the initial taste, with the tart smokiness of the Nicaraguan coming into the finish.

Ethiopia/Brasil- The complimentary scents of wood, cherry and chocolate were very rich, particularly in the aroma. In flavor, their notes made more of a fusion than the Ethiopia/Nicaragua, with neither overpowering the other. For a deep and full cup of coffee, this blend would satisfy.

Nicaragua/Brasil- The fragrance and aroma here were a pleasant blend of nutty cacao and bright tartness. In flavor, this was a very detailed blend. The chocolate nuttiness of the Brasil sat well with the additional acidity and citrus, which came out more strongly in the finish, and the Brasil’s heavy mouth-feel was lightened by the Nicaragua. This was not a particularly sweet blend, but very complex and one where the interactions brought out some new dimensions.

Ethiopia/Nicaragua/Brasil- With all three combined, things got perhaps too flavorful. The fragrance and aroma were very intense, with the Brasil getting a bit lost in the other scents. All flavors were present, but the Ethiopian fruit dominated the initial tastes and the Nicaraguan smokey acidity taking over the finish, which was unusually dry. The taste was more overwhelming than enjoyable.

We found our favorite blends to be the Ethiopia/Brasil and Nicaragua/Brasil, with the former making a sweet, rich fusion and the latter a complex, interesting combination. Blending can be tricky business, and not all coffees will play nice together. Find the right components, though, and the results are worth it.

This week at 8th Ave, we found ourselves in a bit of hot water. We brewed our newest incarnation of Think Blend – newly featuring coffee from Jaime Lovo in Ocotal, Nicaragua – at varying water temperatures to see how the flavor was affected. For each test the coffee was brewed in the Clever Dripper. We were looking to see what temperature would provide the most ideal flavor now that the blend has changed, and the results we found are as follows:

Fetco- To start the tasting we brewed the coffee in the Fetco brewer, which brews at at 202 degrees. This was done to see how the new blend tasted as we usually serve our house coffee for customers. The taste was very familiar, with the chocolate and berry notes we’ve known from the previous blend, but there was an additional acidity that made the profile more interesting. The Nicaraguan coffee added a dimension which lovers of bright acidity will enjoy.

180 degrees- We brewed the coffee at a low temperature to see how it affected the flavor, and to make a point of contrast for later in the tasting. The profile was very unique: more than any of the other temperatures, it made the blend very sweet and heavy bodied, while fruit flavors and pleasant acidity were hard to find. With the enjoyable aspects, however, there was also an acrid sensation that got especially strong in the finish.

212 degrees- Here we brewed the coffee at a full boil, to see how the opposite extreme of high heat affected the taste. The overall profile was more similar to what we tasted from the Fetco, but the flavor and finish were overwhelmingly bitter.

195 degrees- At this temperature, the taste was sweet and the body full with low acidity (though not to the degree of the 180 degree brew). Sweet chocolate flavors were most noticeable for us, but we agreed that it was difficult to taste different elements at this temperature. It was pleasant and drinkable, but lacking in some complexity.

200 degrees- Brewed at this temperature, we noticed the blend seemed to ‘open up’ and become more complex. The taste was not quite as sweet as with the cooler temperatures, but nuttier flavors came into play (more akin to cacao than chocolate). Acidity became a very tasty factor here, with a lemon-like quality that came in initially and smoothed out in the finish, leaving a smokey character flavor and mouth-feel.

205 degrees- We found less sweet chocolate flavors here than with the cooler temperatures, with more fruity acidic notes. In the finish the acidity and smokiness became increasingly pronounced, leaving the mouth-feel quite dry. The taste approached bitterness, though not to the unpalatable level that boiling water did.

We enjoyed the new Think Blend most when brewed at 200 degrees, where it had the most balance of different flavors. However, curious and enjoyable results were had with other temperatures. For example, it was interesting to notice how sweetness was highlighted with cooler water and acidity with hotter. As we learned this week, brew temperature is an important variable among many with coffee, and one worth exploring.

Come visit us next week, 73 8th ave, 2 pm, as we taste our Single Source Menu and see how the different coffees work blended together!