What are you drinking?

dfk41

I bought some coffee from Smith Street on Black Friday. I took a chance as the offer was 1.6 kilos for the price of 1 kilo. I bought The Don and Dark Peak. Roasted on November 29th, I bagged them today where they will join the queue. I tried one of each. Considering they had not really rested long enough and were not dialled in correct, DP definitely had a bit of chocolate, treacle and caramel but the winner served as a cuppa was The Don which in milk was delicious. This is their blurb.

Our seasonal espresso blend has been profiled & blended to present a unique multi layered flavour experience from the current season’s crop. Creamy body with fruity overtones, tropical fruits, chocolate & berry’s. Perfect with a little milk or alternative & super delicious black. Medium Roast: ½ Colombia La Manuela Medium Roast: ½ Honduras Guara Roja

Please do not shoot me but if you like notes, other than strawberry sherbert and lemon, these might be for you!

JahLaza

dfk41 Considering they had not really rested long enough

Hi, just out of interest, what’s your normal strategy? I’ve had to start a routine as I also bought up some on Black Friday, I froze 9 days resting post roast (wanted to at 7 but circumstances prevented), I’m now removing ¾ days worth into air scape at a time from the freezer and all good so far

dfk41

I do not like freezing! I bought a vacuum sealer from Amazon and when rested, vacuum seal them. If they release gas I just leave the bags. I used to open and seal again but co2 is used to extend the shelf life. I often drink them 3 months past sealing. I seal in 250 gm bags

JahLaza

Ok, and how long post roast is your ‘resting’? Or does it vary?

dfk41

Varies on the bean matey. These are definitely around medium, so ideally 10 days post roast for me. Obviously, once sealed it is no good opening a bean 2 months later then expecting it to sat ‘fresh’ for a couple of weeks. I use Airscapes and I fond 250 gm the right amount. You might want smaller. I cut my bags from the roll, in 25 cm size so it holds 250 gm easily leaving room to cut and reseal. I might cut that down to 20 cm now as after a discussion with @DavecUK he pointed out if the beans release a bit of co2, so what! The sealer was £35 or so so not a major purchase and works very well. I do not like deep freezing beans for a variety of reasons

Grahamg

I’ve had chocolate punt from black cat coffee as the staple bean for a while but the last batch was roasted just a smidge darker than previous, hoping that’s a one off. In between those bags I’ve been enjoying subscription beans from a small local roaster that delivers - boona boona - but they’ve just run out of the Peruvian la huaca (I think that’s right) that had been a staple for the last year. Hoping the Brazilian (Fazenda Freitas) I’ve ordered to replace is as reliable a bet going forward.

PHL1968

I’m currently drinking carvetii solitude. Im a newbie to coffee and drink with milk (sorry😂) . I’ve tried a few now and come Back to this often.

4W5

PHL1968 I’m currently drinking carvetii solitude.

Thank you for mentioning this company. I just googled and price includes shipping. I prefer to order small amounts because I don’t drink a great deal and delivery included makes a big difference- even though I know it’s added to the price of the beans, I don’t think £8.33 a bag is too expensive. I will give them a try.

4W5

Rave Columbian El Carmen Sugarcane decaff. I would add a photo but I cannot work out how - when I click on add an image nothing happens 😂

DavecUK

4W5 Rave Columbian El Carmen Sugarcane decaff. I would add a photo but I cannot work out how - when I click on add an image nothing happens 😂

See this vid I made

Cuprajake

I got some divine coffee for xmas, but im not sure how good a roaster they are. Their light is over medium to me

DavecUK

Cuprajake divine coffee

It’s always a bit tricky. I think that roasters sending coffee to people have an opportunity to indicate their various roast levels with some sort of printed card with the 1st order….so you can see broadly what colour you should expect…then gauge the roast level you like against what they might term light, light/medium, medium, medium dark…etc..

PHL1968

This is my next bag….

Baldrick

To further my ongoing private battle with Guatemalan beans! I’ve just been rewarded with possibly one of the best shots of espresso I’ve ever had. As seems to be the theme with crown and canvas it does exactly what it says on the tin (bag). Raspberry acidity to start followed by rich plum and dark chocolate body and almond lingering aftertaste.
Apologies if my coffee reviews are starting to sound like an episode of posh nosh 🥸

Edit: you can have this as a flat white but you will bring great shame and dishonour to your family.

Systemic

Triple Co’s Colombian Orange Christmas - perfect festive bean.

Frothbewithyou

For me I am running with

Kiss the Hippo - Uraga, Ethopia natural process. This is for my aeropress

Origin Coffee - El Progresso, Colombia, Tolima, washed. This is in my grinder set up for pour overs.

Cuprajake

Systemic Just cracked open some Ethiopia Goru-Muda Guji - wonderful apple, ginger and butterscotch notes through V60.

Just tried it as espresso - not quite dialled in right but the gingery butterscotch notes shine through a flat white and cortado.

Where is this from sounds lovely

Systemic

Got some of that too - gingery apple and butterscotch notes work well as pour over and as espresso.

Cuprajake

Which roaster Systemic

Systemic

@Cuprajake - Triple Co

Where’s yours from?