If they were purposely resting their beans in strict rotation so that we could open them immediately upon arrival, then I take my hat off to them…….I rather suspect that is not the case though
Best coffee related purchase of 2024
dfk41 - purposefully doing it or not… what difference does it make to the recipient, if they were to drink it straight away?
MWJB For me, there is nothing more soul destroying than realising you are low on coffee, buying a bag to drink within the coming week & being told by the roaster it’s best after 4 weeks.
In case of Darkwoods - I find it to be hit and miss. Some were bang on, some were over a week old - in the same order.
When corresponding with them, I even suggested if they want to shift coffee already roasted, they could add as an option when buying for “rested coffee”, given the expectation is for always to be fresh. If I want to order coffee and drink straight away, I tick the box. Simples. So for me it’s not about being rested or not - it’s more about having a consistent approach.
MediumRoastSteam In case of Darkwoods - I find it to be hit and miss. Some were bang on, some were over a week old - in the same order.
Sorry, we might be getting our wires crossed? Are you saying that the coffee (filter roast) tasted bang on, but a week old bag in the same order was not tasting good?
HAPPY christmas everyone.
🎄🎁🎄
Ade Smith. ACS Evo Leva v2. Kafatek Flat max 2, ssw 2024. Mazzer Philos, Craig Lyn HG-1 prime., WW key mk1.
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MWJB - no, not at all. Nothing to do with taste - just roast dates. Im merely saying that Darkwoods is capable of sending, in the same order, a bag of coffee hat was roasted 2 weeks prior to order date, and another one which was roasted when the order was placed. I just wished there was consistency - they are sent “rested” coffee or “fresh” coffee - or at least give you the option to choose. Sorry for the confusion. 👍
MediumRoastSteam Simple, when I buy multiple bags of beans I buy them expecting them to have been roasted more or less to order. They then join my own stock rotation queue. DW do 500 gm bags so if an erroneously dated one comes in, it throws my own rotations out of sync
MWJB Find me a roaster who is consistently supplying better filter roasts?
Mark, I cannot argue with that except to say that is your opinion and therefore only relevant to you!
Mine was this tamper. 
dfk41 Simple, when I buy multiple bags of beans I buy them expecting them to have been roasted more or less to order. They then join my own stock rotation queue.
We are on the same boat. I’m the same: If I buy freshly roasted coffee, I expect the roast date to be when I placed the order (+/- a couple days).
I was questioning what you said earlier:
dfk41 If they were purposely resting their beans in strict rotation so that we could open them immediately upon arrival, then I take my hat off to them
Which, for you, it wouldn’t work anyway, given what you said above (i.e.: You, like me, manage your own stock rotation, so no point in taking hats off to anyone).
Definitely El Placer offerings have been the stand out beans for 2024. Pleased to see they’re available now. Fingers crossed this year’s beans are as outstanding as last year’s.
They aren’t the only one sending back-dated coffee. Usually, I have stocks. In these cases, I simply vac pack and throw them in the freezer.
Unless the roast date is more than 2-3 weeks old, I don’t waste time contacting them. Because, such communications do not lead anywhere, however healthy they may be. Roasters like Foundry are exceptions and hats off to them.
I can’t decide between my solo t64, flair 58+ or the morning dream steamer!! 🤔
Coffee wise, can’t remember who said about them, but they’ve been fantastic! First roaster i can get consistent tasting notes from https://www.unorthodoxroasters.co.uk/coffee
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I got my first proper machine just over a year ago so it has been a year of discovery for me, self levelling tampers, various electrical and manual hand grinders (k6 and KUltra)
But I’d say the duo however takes the crown, it’s led me to producing consistent repeatable shots from various coffees back to back and back again. It really does work well for switching beans regularly.
I’d like to give the runner up crown to the Fracino Cherub,what a marvellous but industrial bit of kit it is, easy to work on (needed a few repairs), strong (too much even) steaming power and most of all easy to rinse off back to back shots in company…I know they say to do a cafeteria when you have to give out many coffees, but if it means I can hide in the utility for 20mins to make espresso based drinks I’ll take it :p
I have toyed with changing the cherub to a fancy profiling machine, Bianca perhaps, but I’m not sure how much it will benefit my medium dark preferring pallet at all.
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EK43. It’s opened up a whole new world for me. £800 🙂👍
Flair 58, Mahlkonig EK43, Kinu M47, 1zpresso ZP6.
MediumRoastSteam Some beans need much longer than a week 👍
Flair 58, Mahlkonig EK43, Kinu M47, 1zpresso ZP6.