Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

[chopinhauer]

Hi All,

Ive been purchasing my beans for local roasters for over 20 years but have reached a bit of an impasse and am looking for recommendations. So my situation is as follows:

After much experimentation with different blends from the same roasters, and from different roasters I now know that I only really am satisfied by a blend that delivers strong but still subtle and complex flavours (usually in the nutty direction; hazelnut, pistachio even marzipan). My wife and I only drink piccolo lattes or tallish macchiatos, so the blend has to have the power to cut through milk. The other constraining factor is my machine, an Olympia Cremina. While it delivers coffee as good as any, it only has 49mm baskets so effectively its doubles are equivalent to a large 58mm single. That means I can’t just up the dose to increase strength.

Anyway, this site will not let me enter the name of the blend that I like. When I do it simply replaces the name with the words boring blatent plug removed. So, I guess your recommendations will be limited to blends that are have passed this sites censors. So please recommend away, but be careful not make any boring blatant plugs

[dski]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Have you tried the BeanBay beans available on this site?

If you let us know where you live, this forum is a wealth of information about local roasting house around Australia and beyond.

[iaindb]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Ive been purchasing my beans for local roasters for over 20 years but have reached a bit of an impasse and am looking for recommendations

As someone with very little experience in roasting or blending, I find myself suitably qualified to answer ;D

How about doing a cupping course with a roaster? Then you could pick some SOs yourself and blend your own. Or try your favourite slightly-lacking blend and add half of something punchy like the boring blatent plug removed? just kidding I mean the Tanzania Kyaurinde FairCrack Pulped.

Also, there are ways to g-e-t a.r.o.u.n.d c e n s o r s, but Andy probably has a reason for them... (uh-oh - I sound like a Mac fanboy with a comment like that - "I know Apple has the rights to my kidneys, but they probably have a good reason"!)

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

So please recommend away, but be careful not make any boring blatant plugs

I recommend that you compile a Chopin Liszt (sorry in advance).

[Fresh_Coffee]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Dazed and Confused here.

a) Youve already found the blend you like, so I for one dont understand the question, except if it is to try and find an alternative that will allow you to brew with the same quantity of grinds, but result in a stronger character in the cup?

b) While you cant up the grinds in the one "erogation", you can decrease the liquid volume of the brews to give them a stronger character.  And then if its quantity you want, do that again (as in have a pair of coffees in a short space of time).

c) Or.....you can make 2 blacks one immediately after the other, combine them, then do your milk.


EDIT: I see you have 3 domestic lever machines. Sell one and replace with a "regular" semi commercial. That will get you the regular commercial sized coffee filter, and the extra grinds you would like. I am not a fan of the micro casa, so suggest that one.....

[Dennis]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Dazed and Confused here.

a) Youve already found the blend you like, so I for one dont understand the question, except if it is to try and find an alternative that will allow you to brew with the same quantity of grinds, but result in a stronger character in the cup?

b) While you cant up the grinds in the one "erogation", you can decrease the liquid volume of the brews to give them a stronger character.  And then if its quantity you want, do that again (as in have a pair of coffees in a short space of time).

c) Or.....you can make 2 blacks one immediately after the other, combine them, then do your milk.

Equally dazed and confused. That description of flavours is readily available in nougat rather than coffee.

[Fresh_Coffee]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

NS.....Nougat Snobs ;D

[chopinhauer]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Thanks for all the replies.

To be honest, while I like my "boring blatant plug" blend (d.i. L.o.r.e.n.z.o), I dont absolutely love it. What I would like is something like it but better. As Dennis suggests, maybe nougat in a cup. The fact is, whatever the flavour that is what I like.

Yes, Barry OSpeedwagon, my original message had a lengthy chopin liszt (nice!!) but I took it out. It mainly included many of the blends Ive tried and rejected (mainly because they are too fruity; Camposs Superior and Coffee Alchemys Goodness Galileo, Paracelsus Punch blends included).

Elbon Special blend I like, but it simply my boring blatent plug blend taken down a notch in flavour.  Once upon a time Allpresss Carmelo blend filled the bill but to my palete this has gone down in quality progressively over the past 6 years. And as for Santoss Five Star Espresso blend, it is very strong but completely unsubtle and, with respect, not all that fresh to boot.

Anyway, I am already a coffee maniac (according to wife and friends) so Id prefer to stay away from roasting since Im sure Ill find in it another distraction from life matters. So Im just continuing my search for the perfect roast from one of our many very talent local roasters. Im sure some of you here might some suggestions that fill my very nebulous taste profile.

[Andy]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

When I do it simply replaces the name with the words boring blatent plug removed. So, I guess your recommendations will be limited to blends that are have passed this sites censors. So please recommend away, but be careful not make any boring blatant plugs

There is a total of 1 company that gets their name replaced with that.

They spammed our site over and over and wouldnt take a hint so forever more they will be known as Di Lorenzo

Its not hard to play nice.

[chopinhauer]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Sorry, I didnt realise that you had a specific negative history with this firm. Tis a pity since, from a consumers point of view, they seem to be a decent roaster. But if they operate unethically (according to the rules of this site) Im happy to call them at the very least boring.

[iaindb]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

so Id prefer to stay away from roasting

no need to start roasting - visit a roaster or barista that does a cupping session and see if you can make a blend to your liking. You never know, they might start selling the "chopinhauer" five star blend...

Alternatively youre ingesting too much lead and its killing your taste buds...

[chopinhauer]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Actually Ive tried that, but I find the problem with mixing different blends at a roaster to get ones own blend doesnt work because usually the beans are not equally fresh (ie roasted on the same day).

Look I guess I am just asking a simple question: does anyone have a favourite dark, rich, interesting blend they can recommend? I guess I can stick with my current blend from the unmentionable roaster, but Im always looking for a better one along similar lines. These lines are really just classic Italian espresso, the type one can get in Italy when one is lucky.

[DrSmurto]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

Have you tried Espresso WOW from Beanbay?

[chopinhauer]

Re: Recommendations for dark rich complex blend

No, I havent. In fact, until you mentioned it I didnt know it existed. I might depending on the shipping costs.

[PeterM]

I don't want to hijack this thread, but I'm also looking for a similar blend, specifically from the Brown BeanBay. I have tried most available blends, currently on 'Elephant Hills', but find it a little bland. Any suggestions muchly appreciated.