single origin

I've been playing around with a few coffees for the express purpose of evaluating them on their strength as single origin espresso. There is not a coffee I roast that doesn't get run through as a SO shot, but that is purely for my own experimentation. Notes are taken and filed away for future reference, some as a simple "yuck" others with more detail. The roast level may not be optimum for that particular coffee as an espresso because it may be a production roast specifically done for use in French Press or a Fetco drip but I still get a good idea of how that coffee would taste with a roast degree more suited for espresso.

This week has found me with a number of coffees sent to me by various importers, brokers, roasters, professional cuppers and directors of coffee buying/development at my request. The response was overwhelming and many times an excited, "I've got the perfect coffee for single origin espresso I'd love you to try" was heard. A huge thank you to all who sent me beans, you know who you are!

Before I go any deeper into my findings, I better explain that this isn't an argument for or against Single Origin espresso or espresso blends. It's purely a exercise in understanding how many different coffees perform as SO's on a grand scale. Am I going to bore my readers with every cupping note, every discovery, every flowery prose and descriptor? No, I'll save you that. I will however tell you about my eureka! moments, occasional exemplary shot and stuff that just blew my socks off.

I will update this post as time and energy allows with my discoveries and get it started with this...

Brasil Fazenda Vista Alegre [Traditional Dry]
In keeping with my above promise, I'll cut to the chase...EXCEPTIONAL!
buttery smooth, sweet and beyond expectations

more to follow....

Today I'm cupping some Indian coffees from Karnataka Plantation.

The Maya-Lot #6007 proved to be my favorite, but not by much. Karnataka describes it as; Earthy, complex, spicy with medium body. I found it to be, clove, cinnamon and tobacco with medium body and clean finish. Overall I scored it a 86.

Running a close second was the Kimaya-Lot #6028. Karnataka's cupping notes for this one are, Heady perfume, spice, big body of butter and caramel. Mild finish. My cupping revealed a sweet, flowery aroma, heavy clove and light caramel and light body. Overall I scored it a 84.

Overall I wasn't overly impressed with any of these. At least not enough to buy any. Another thing I kept finding was the majority of Karnataka's cupping notes were nowhere near mine. For example the Kohinoor-Lot #6024 is described by Karnataka as having deep chocolate notes. I found no chocolate but rather a not unpleasant but weird peanut flavor dominating.

They do get big points for including a engraved, silver cupping spoon. The samples also arrived allready roasted which was a bit of a surprise. The roast level was fine for cupping and they did a good job of it. It did make cupping this set a bit less of a job.

They still continue to provide a mind numbing array of printed material with everything they do. Lots of different size full color glossy cards, pamphlets, just too much. One other thing I find maddingly irritating is the closeness in similarity of the different coffees names. All small things and just my own personal bent.

Blood & Guts

Had the side panel off the machine for some fiddlin' and the camera handy

A shot of the new Finca Vista Alegre Traditional Dry

in a word, delicious