Pompeyexile If I had the taste buds and coffee preparation expertise the likes of you and many more on here possess
The thing is my taste buds are really quite average. I think that’s perhaps why my preferences aren’t the same as world champion baristas. I have had a lot of guests who tell me that they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a coffee from one grinder to the next. And they are universally surprised when I use two different grinders and give them samples because they can always detect the difference. (Bearing in mind I deliberately choose two distinctly different burrs such as SSP Espresso versus a DF DLC burr.)
The challenge of detecting the difference becomes much greater if there’s a long gap between the two samples e.g. your coffee at home versus visiting a mates place. And that’s why I set up the grinder lab; so I can do two espresso pours or two filter pours side by side with a variable (using two grinders or one with the balls and one without) and sample them blind immediately one after the other. Repeat three times and I either have a clear winner or the variable makes no difference.
But in regard to the average state of my taste buds, I figure that if I notice a distinct difference after blind taste testing then any Tom Dick or Harriet would probably do so too, unlike if The Hoff or The Hed could detect a difference, where we may not.
Good fun if you have the time.
And it’s not quite as expensive as some people imagine because I am starting to get offers to buy kit at wholesale on the basis that I will post my impressions. And then I can onsell that item without too much of a loss once I’ve finished the testing.
Another example of why it doesn’t always cost much is yesterday when I was asked if I wanted to test a new 83mm filter burr from a manufacturer that’s due out late this year. In this case, I don’t have to pay for it or even post my impressions. I just give them feedback. (When I was asked if I would like to test the burr set I replied that it was a bit like asking my dog if he wanted Fillet Mingnon for dinner.)
Burrs are the exception. I’ve had to pay full retail for all 31 sets (15 × 64mm and 16 × 83mm flats) that I have acquired in preparation for the “Burrnament” I’m launching in March and they may not be as easy to onsell once I’m done with them. Especially so given that I’ll be keeping the winners 😉.
So many burrs, so little time!
(**** Apparently the short version of the name Richard is considered worthy of redaction 😀 )
