• Beans

  • I can’t seem to get rid of unpleasant harshness and dryness

MediumRoastSteam I’m confused. Jake says Redbrick and Guatemala in the same post. You then reply to my post, and send a link for said coffee (the roaster is square mile) but there’s no Guatemalan coffee as part of that blend. So I don’t know what you are trying to tell me 🤷‍♂️. Redbrick is a rather traditional blend from SquareMile roasters (think James Hoffman owns it, or used to)

Nothing.

I have no idea if @MuddyOne’s RedBricks is from SquareMiles. Their blend origin changes. Their current offering isn’t Guatemala. I also have no idea why Jake mentioned Guatemala.

Only MO can tell us where did he purchase his coffee from.

If I still have not explained properly, please ignore my post. 😊

      MediumRoastSteam

      Maybe temperature swaying in my room is the issue, Can you elaborate on this advice please?

      Assuming I’m buying 1kg bags, I should buy vacuum bags, divide 1kg to four portions( 250g roughly lasts me a week) then take that bag out night before opening and use it .

          LMSC I got red brick from square mile, well it’s going to be 1month now

            MediumRoastSteam

            The square mile been changing their blend and even now currently you can find two different versions on their website displayed ( only one can be purchased the other is not updated photo ) I think this is where confusion comes from

              MuddyOne thanks - yeah, I know it’s a seasonal blend and changes through the year. I was more curious about Jake’s comment… maybe when he had it, there was Guatemalan coffee as a component of the blend. Moving on… 😊

                If you have been keeping the whole 1 KG in the tin (sorry, I don’t recollect how you keep them), it is a bad idea IMO. Please consider splitting as MRS advised. I don’t buy a KG as I easily get bored; mostly 250g; and, at times 500g which gets vac-ed into two bags.

                  LMSC

                  I always split my bags,I have two airscape 250g…. But I think I will stop using them as the stale smell coming from them is really something odd.

                    MuddyOne Maybe temperature swaying in my room is the issue, Can you elaborate on this advice please?

                    My understanding is that food, in general, deteriorates faster at higher temperatures. Coffee being no exception.

                    MuddyOne Assuming I’m buying 1kg bags, I should buy vacuum bags, divide 1kg to four portions( 250g roughly lasts me a week) then take that bag out night before opening and use it .

                    That’s what I do. If you are going to use it within the month, it might not be worthwhile freezing it. If you seal the bag, then you could keep in the fridge, or somewhere dark and cool, away from the direct heat of a radiator. 👍

                          MediumRoastSteam

                          I’m keeping my beans in such wardrobe it’s rather cooler there, even when I brew between coffees I keep my bags away from heater, I only hope that keeping the grinder like that by radiator is not damaging in any way, radiator is on now and I can’t feel my duo is any warmer.

                          When you suggested beans might be stalled , after 3-4 weeks is just alarming if I should change the way I store them, I probably use my 1kg beans within 1,5 month after purchase .

                              MuddyOne - look… I think you are jumping to conclusions. 😊. I don’t live in your house, so I don’t know. All I can see is a video and made a few comments based on what I could see.

                              I’ll say again…

                              Buy a smaller bag of Redbrick (because that’s what you have and is not working) and brew within one week from delivery. If it works (read: if you can extract 36g in 30s) then you know what your problem is (read: stale coffee). If nothing changes, then it’s something else. This is all I’m trying to tell you. One step at a time.

                                  MediumRoastSteam

                                  Yep vile just taste of grass

                                  https://www.home-barista.com/espresso-machines/getting-accurate-shot-temperature-displays-on-pided-double-boilers-without-thermometer-t54897.html

                                  Have a look at that for your flash boiling, temps too high by the sounds of it, remember its just a number, if you are flash boiling something is wrong, try dropping your temp down to 90 and repeat, keep all other things the same change one variable at a time

                                  Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                    Sorry I was giving an example of how I don’t like a certain bean, which the op may not like a certain bean, not that it’s part of the square mile roast hahah caused a right tangent

                                    Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                    MuddyOne - unless someone has a better idea, the only time I see a shot taking ages to start and then pouring down half way through is with coffee that’s stale, or coffee that’s very finicky, light roasted. I don’t believe Redbrick is one of them.

                                    I’m assuming you’ve tried the stock basket and the same thing happens?

                                        MediumRoastSteam I tried stock today once and surprisingly I got a little bit more sweetness but I will try tomorrow again after adjusting grind setting .

                                        Are there any baskets that are better than stock but not difficult as vst? Is it worth buying ims or something else?

                                            Ims comp, rounded bottoms are easier than straight wall

                                            Decent De1pro v1.45 - Niche Duo - Niche Zero - Decent is the best machine ever made -

                                            MuddyOne The stock basket is slightly waisted - they are more forgiving and good to learn with. Always good to explore the limitations of a standard basket and to keep it around for comparisons when you get new beans that are tricky to dial in. Red brick may not be a blend you like. I’ve seen a lot of people mention that it and sweet shop are difficult to dial in and an acquired taste even when they are brewed “correctly”.

                                            Your opening post does state there are some beans you’ve managed to get great shots from. It may be beneficial to share what those were, and to get recommendations from there.