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I guess that there is no need to justify myself. I knew I was going to go through with it all along. Besides, it is not like buying an pound of coffee for eighteen bucks is going to break me. Heck, if you break it down by the cup, I am still getting off pretty dang cheap. Let me see here, I get around 16 venti’s per pound of homeroast and figuring that I pay around two bucks for a Starbucks…Umm lets see, I guess I am getting some super primo coffee at about half the cost still. Not too bad. I mean sure, most of the beans I buy run around 6 bucks a pound, one third of the cost of the Panama Esmeralda Gesha lot #10, but then again at 18 bucks, lot #10 is  still a heckuva lot cheaper then the  two above it which run 66 and 122 bucks a pound repectively. Well, enough of all this number throwing. Lets get down to meat and potatoes of this blog entry: how the stuff tastes.

I roasted my first batch of the #10 for 24 minutes in my Nesco roaster, 24 is the average time I like to start a new batch of beans off on and then tweak it from there. I heard the first initial cracks around the 12 minute mark and the second ones were starting up once the five minute cooling cycle kicked in. I got a nice uniform full city roast that was smelling pretty good. Already knowing that the Gesha tastes better when allowed to sit around for a few days, I resisted making any the next day, resorting to some  over roasted Koratie wet Process that I really should have just tossed.

On day two however, I could wait no longer and brewed up a big pot of the stuff in the Chemex. I think I was perhaps a bit too tired that morning, and I ended up making some really strong coffee. Well it did cause me to wake up and say “good morning America!”, I think that taste wise, it was a bit too concentrated to pick up on any little subtleties that would cause my eyeballs to pop and me to  say “damn, this is one great cup of coffee!” The next day, I was a little bit more conservative with my beans and my grind, and got a much better cup. This coffee is extremely smooth and has a distinct aftertaste that reminded me of sucking on a Werther’s candy.

On day four, I decided to brew up the remaining beans in my French Press in liue of the Chemex. This was the best coffee yet from this moderately pricey bean. Perhaps, it because I have been French Pressing for a long time now, and brewing a great cup this way has become second nature. Or maybe,  a four day rest was what this bean needed to reach its peak flavor. What ever the case is, my eyeballs did pop and I thought to myself, ” damn! this is some good frickin coffee.”

So in conclusion, I guess the Gesha lot #10 is worth the 18 bucks I plopped down for it. Just to be sure however, I am going to really tweak around with the other two bacthes I have left to roast from the pound I bought. At 18 bucks a pound, I am not looking for a orgasmic experience ( I would expect that at the $120 range though ) but I do expect my eyeballs to pop a bit. I guess we will see.

Being down to the nitty gritty, as I eagerly await the latest additions to my, Ahem, stash (which I will pick up later today), I decided to do a little blending with the final remnants of the remaining beans. Usually when I finish up a pounder of  coffee beans, I am left with a couple of remaining ounces. When I try to roast an amount this small in my Nesco, I usually end up blazing it to an oblivion which doesn’t stop me from trying to drink it.  Instead of forcing myself to down these charcoal concoctions,  I have learned blend these remnants with each other.

I had three ounces of the Ethiopian Koratie Wet process left over along with two ounces of the Panamanian Esmeralda Gesha lot number 5. Both beans on their own, had panned out “ok” for me, but had not evolved into anything spectacular. Perhaps, I thought to myself, if put together they would become something. The nutty smoothness of the Gesha just might compliment the fruity tooty tang of the WP Koratie. I decided on a nice mellow full roast, getting the beans to a nice dark tan at around 23 minutes. I let the beans rest for a bit and then brewed some up in my Chemex carafe. The result was a pretty good coffe that is both bitter yet sour, like a wheat beer with a slice of lemon. It dried my mouth a bit, yet had a memorable taste.

I wouldn’t say that I really stumbled upon anything spectacular in my little experiment, but I do think that I did learn a few things. I have perused charts in coffee books and have read up on the internet about the art of blending, but none of it really sticks. I think I gain more from my own casual monkeying around with the different beans that I could ever get from some book.

coffee cup collection pic 2

I guess I am always doing this. I try some new coffee that I get and intially find it lacking only to turn around and end up liking it. Perhaps the taste just grows on me, or maybe I just happen to find that sweet spot within the roast. I really do not know. My initial thoughts on the Panamanian Esmeralda Gesha Auction lot #5 was that it was lacking character and was  not worth the inflated asking price.  Well, as I said in my last blog about this particular bean, I still had one more batch to determine whether I this stuff was worth revisiting.

Well, as you can probably guess from the tone of this blog, After this last batch, I once again changed my mind on this coffee. I roasted it for a minute less this time, then let it rest a full day before indulging. Yesterday morning,  this cup just blew me away. The taste was still subtle, a bit nutty, a little creamy, yet now there was something else, something more complex beneath the nuttiness that slapped at my taste buds and made me want more. It was the same thing this morning. I brewed the remaining beans in my chemex and was rewarded with another pot of primo coffee. Whatever it was that I did, I had definitely hit the sweet spot on roast number three and now I am regretting that it was the last of the stuff.

I now plan to give the next level of the Gesha (lot number 10) a  shot when I add to my stash next week. I can now justify spending the 18 bucks after this experience. Hopefully I will not be disappointed until the last batch like I was  with lot number 5. Who knows I might even like it so much that I will end up cashing in a few stocks and and invest in a pound of the 125 dollar a pound stuff.

This morning I brewed myself a carafe of the Aged Sumatra Grade One Lintong using my Chemex brewer.  It has been a while since I tried the Aged Sumatra, and my taste buds had completely forgotten how wonderful this bean is, especially roasted dark. I gave myself a nice little pat on the back for being a little greedy and not sending all of the Sumatra away to friends and family like I had originally intended. As much as I like this coffee, I also tire of it after a couple of pots and need to switch to something else for a while. It has a unique tobacco tinge to it that makes it feel like you are smoking a fine cigar whilst drinking it. Since I quit smoking, this is the closest thing to enjoying my morning coffee and cigarettes. Incidently, i not sure if I mentioned this before, but researches now belief that having coffee with your cigarettes actually helps prevent some types of bladder cancer. Too bad it does not help against lung cancer too.

Anyway, I guess I will have to send my buddy some of the Ethiopian Koratie instead since I think I plan on keeping the rest of my Sumatra for myself.  Also, I blended the sumatra  with the remaining Gesha and got a really good cup .  I might try a little more experimenting with this and let you all know.

 coffee cup collection pic 1

Well, I guess I am a sucker for a good sales pitch. I just went through three different pounds of three different Panamanians, obtained only a bare smidgen of satisfaction, yet found myself plopping down another ten canolis on yet another Panama fare. But, as I said, it came with a really good sales pitch.  The Panama Esmeralda Gesha (or Geisha:depending which coffee authority you talk to) is considered one of the most sought after coffees in the world. It is grown in a tiny area in Panama and sold in incredibly small micro lots for insane prices.  Sweet Marias had several different auction lots of this stuff available ranging from 10 bucks a pound to a whopping 125 smackers for a pound for some of the real good stuff that won all the awards. Since I am not made out of money (mostly just water and carbon), I decided to to try the Panamanian Esmeralda Gesha Auction lot 5. This gesha was harvested sometime last winter and is still considered a great cup, just not the best.  Why not start at the bottom and then work my way up to the 125 dollar stuff, was what I figured.

I roasted the first batch at 25 minutes  to a solid full city plus roast. On the first day it tested okay,  but was nothing spectacular. I let it sit a a bit, then brewed some more. On day three, I got a nice cup with a nutty aftertaste. It was a little reminiscent of the Jacu bird coffee, except for the the lack of peppermint. Suffice it to say that this coffee did not blow me away during its first go around, but perhaps I just did not hit the sweet spot.  I decided to roast the next batch a little lighter, but not much to see if maybe I could find out what everyone is raving about.

The next batch did taste a little better, especially after sitting for three days. It was a very smooth cup with a nice after lemon after taste that was not overwhelming to the senses. Still, this cup just does not knock my socks off. Perhaps it is just to subtle for my particular tastes. I still got one more batch left to decide this. Who know maybe this stuff will start to grow on me as I tweak my roasting of it. I will probably plop down the 17 big ones to try the next lot just to be sure. What can I say, I am a sucker for a good sales pitch.

Thinking that it might of been the short roasting time that left me feeling unsatisfied with the taste of the wet processed Ethopian Koratie,  I decided to extend the time on the next batch by a couple of minutes. This time, I roasted it for 22 minutes in the Nesco, getting a slightly darker bean color the last bunch. This improved the overall taste by a few degrees, but the change was nowhere near dramatic. The wet tasted nice, clean and bright, like a South American, but was still lacking any sort of complexity that I personally look for in my morning cup of the old go go juice.  This bean would probably be a good as part of breakfast blend, especially if paired with something a little bit hardier.

As for the dry processed koratie, I roasted the next batch exactly likely the first one, knowing that I had already found its sweet spot and intending to stick to it. I roasted it for just over 24 minutes, pushing the cooling cycle on just as I heard the second crack. This batch turned out even better then the last one. The tangy blueberry aftertaste was even more reminiscent of the Anohki, and the rst of the cup just oozed character. I made a mental note to stock up on a few more pounds of the stuff so that I might be able to send some to a few friends to see what they think.

In conclusion, while I prefer the Ethopian koratie dry process to a much greater degree, I can see why maybe some coffee nuts might prefer the wet. I know there are coffee people out there in which the perfect cup is clean, bright and conventional like the wet. However, I am certainly not a conventionalist. I prefer a cup with a little bit of character, perhaps even a smidgen of craziness. Give me the dry anytime.

Why ask why? Drink Ethiopian  organic Koratie dry. Ok,if you really need an actual reason to try this coffee, then I will give you one.

Judging from the first have at it, I must say that I prefer the the dry processed beans from the Koratie batch. The cup has oodles of more character than the wet process with a rich  fruity bouquet emanating from the cup along with tangy blueberry aftertaste that is reminiscent of the Anohki. Perhaps the dry process is key to the rich taste that this batch of beans had, compared to the overly clean, lemony taste of the wet processed Koratie or perhaps it was in the roast, since I think I stumbled upon the sweet spot on my very first try.

In the dry or “natural” method of processing harvested coffee , the picked cherries are left to to dry in the sun for several weeks before the the outer layers of the hull are removed. Dry processing is usually done in coffee growing regions where water is scarce and the humidity is low, and results a richer, denser cup of coffee if it is done right. The Koratie dry is, by all means, much more rich and complex than its wet counterpart.

Another reason for the better cup could also be the roast time. I  roasted the dry to a nice full city plus, which always seems to bring out the beans character without making it too smoky. This darker roast was a different as night to day when compared to the overly light taste of the Wet, My next batch of the wet Koratie has also been roasted a little darker, so before I pass any final judgement, I guess I should give it another look see.

I decided to include two different versions of the same coffee  in my latest order from Sweet Marias. The Ethopian Koratie was being offered up  in both wet and dry processes. Being ignorant of the differing tastes each process gives to the bean, I decided to buy  both of them and do a little comparison testing. I do love science!

I decided to try the Wet processed first, simply for the fact that I was low on time and the writing on the bag suggested a light roast. So,  I set my little Nesco to 20 minutes, which is pretty much as low as you can go. What resulted was a very light cinnamon roast that tasted overwhelmingly citrus. This coffee was way too clean and bright for my tastes at the moment and lacked any sort of “grit” that I prefer my coffee to have. Perhaps this was from the wet processing that the picked coffee beans went through. Wet processing involves using water to clean the picked and dried  cherries, removing all of the dried and husk resulting in a very clean and uniform batch of beans. I could have also have not roasted long enough. With a preference for the darker roasts, I have never roasted anything for a mere twenty minute before. Perhaps tacking on a few seconds will produce a better cup for me next time.  Instructions on bags  be damned!

I am currently working on a novel which is set in an alternate earth in which coffee is illegal. I fyou think about it, this is a world that could of easily come about. Caffeine is a strong psychoactive and coffee contains a butt load of it. In this world people secretly smuggle coffee into the country and roast it in underground labs, many of which are run by gangs. Sounds all to familiar right? So anyway here is a short excerpt for your enjoyment…

David looked at his watch phone; it read  11:45, only ten minutes left.  He looked outside, the rain had stopped, for the moment, and a heavy bay fog began creeping into the cold, dark streets. He glanced towards the monolithic facade of the nightclub,the doors were thudding to the beat of the band’s final number, Bruce the doorman was leaning against the cinder block wall with the look of boredom etched onto his face. David caught Bruce’s attention with a quick whistle then pulled a flask out from beneath his jean jacket, flashing it inquiringly  Bruce  turned down his offer with a disinterested shrug and then lit up a contraband low tar cigarette from China. David unscrewed the flask’s cap and  took a long healthy swallow of the hot, black elixir within savoring the initial chocolate, tobacco bitterness then swallowing to mellow in the slighty grainy, licorice aftertaste. He felt the immediate effects of the caffeine, waking him up, making him alert, it was good stuff. He took another swallow of the hooch and  was pondering yet another when he heard the low rumble of approaching vehicles. Thinking it might be the HSD making their rounds, He quickly replaced the cap and put his flask back inside his jean jacket. He then popped a mint hoping to mask the odor of the illegal  coffee.
A dozen motorcycles appeared out of the dark soupy fog, all of them were Harley Hybrids, and the riders were all wearing matching white sequined jump suits. They were definitely not HSD, unless they were some special task force on assignment from Las Vegas. David had trouble believing what his eyes were telling him: a dozen Elvises on bikes was just too much visual stimulation for one night. They stopped about fifty yards from the ticket booth maneuvering their Harleys into a straight militaristic line, keeping the hybrid engines idling. Then, the oldest, fattest looking Elvis  heaved himself off of his bike and trudged up to the ticket booth. He paused in front of David and  sniffed the air like a hungry bear.
“Ohh Mama, I smell good hooch.” Fat Elvis said with a signature snarl.
David nervously cleared his throat, but chose to remain silent.
“Whatsamatta boy, cat got yer tongue?” Fat Elvis asked as he stepped closer, “Yes sah, someone  sure has been hitting the Joe around here. My nose always knows. Ohh mama, what I would do for a cup of that good stuff.”
“I don’t have any clue what you are talking about,” David said, finally gaining some of his composure back. “Do you and and your friends want to see the show or what? There is a big finale coming up, eleven Charlys on the stage at once.”
“No thank’s boy, My brothers and I have no interest in that  Charly Freedom nonsense,” Fat Elvis said.
“Too bad, it’s going to be a rockin finale.” David said
“What ever you say lad,” Fat Elvis said. “Now how about you tell me how to get to the freeway from here, We got lost on our way to Sacramento.”
“Umm sure, just take a right on Peralta then make a left on Grand,”David said while pointing down the street. “You can’t miss the exit.”
“Much obliged,” Fat Elvis said, then added, ” So I guess we will be on our way, unless you wanna give a taste of that fine java you got hidden in there, unh huh.”
David scrutnized Fat Elvis and the situation. If this was some sort of vice trap, he had to give the police points for originality. He pulled out his flask and tried to push through the homeostatic slot. The slot sizzled and popped, rejecting the metallic container. “Oops,” said David snatching up the flask. He did his best not to feel like an ignoramous, and flicked off the barrier, waited ten seconds, then slid the flask through.
Fat Elvis reached down and with his pudgy fingers and gingerly picked up the flask. He opened it, held it up to his pug like nose and sniffed the contents.  “Ohh mama, I never thought I would see the day when just smelling coffee would give me such pleasure,” he whispered half to himself. He then raised the flask to his lips and took a long healthy swallow. ” What you got here son, some Jamaican Blue?”
“It’s actually New Guinea Bourbon, I have a friend who knows a guy,” David replied as Fat Elvis took another long greedy swallow. “Hey man, save a couple of drops for me.”
“My apologies,”Fat Elvis replied as he replaced the cap and pushed the nearly emptied flask back through the slot. “It has been so long since I got my hands on some gourmet coffee, I guess I lost control”
He then reached inside his jumpsuit and produced a shiny gold coin which he pushed it through the slot. “Please accept this token as gesture of gratitude for your generosity.”
David picked up the coin and examined it. It was a Sacajawea Dollar Coin.
“It may not look like much son, but that coin is a lucky coin. May it help you in times of trouble and my guts a-tellin me that there is a-trouble coming your way soon.” Fat Elvis said as he walked back to his gang, donned his helmet and climbed up on his bike.
The bikes started up with a roar and David watched  as the rotund leader led his gang down Peralta street in search of the freeway. David examined his new lucky Sacajawea dollar coin and contemplated upon the trouble that the Fat Elvis Impersonator was talking about. His watch phone then beeped signaling the end of his shift. He slipped the coin in his pocket, secured the lockbox, and began to punch in the code that would let him out of the secure ticket booth. He was was about to open the door when a large explosion erupted within the ThundaDrone. The last thing David remembered seeing  before the hard concrete floor took away his conciousness were the doors of the club  being blown off their hinges and Bruce the doorman flying through the air like a rag doll tossed by an angry child.  The last thing he remembered thinking was: “Lucky coin my ass”.

One of the first coffees that I ended up buying green was the Aged Sumatra grade one lintong from Sweet Marias. I roasted it as dark as my little Nesco would let me, and ended up being blown away by the taste. There is a strong tobbacco under current in this coffee that makes me miss my good old smoking days as well as the flavors of chocolate and licorice. I liked this coffee so much that I wound up buying a two pound bag of it as soon as I ran out, which of course caused me to tire of the taste after a while. But now, it has been a few months, and i once again yearn for the taste, so I have gotten myself another bag of this stuff ( some of which I plan to send to some friends to try)

Certain things, such as wine and cheese, tend to taste better when aged. Coffee is not necessarily on the same playing field, yet certain types of green coffee fare well if they are aged with care. However, if the coffee is “aged” by letting it sit around to mold, it will usually come out tasting bad or “baggy” as the seem to want to call it in the coffee tasting world. While trying aged coffee can be a bad experience, this 2005 aged sumatra is anything but. It is a great cup that deserves to be explored.