Which coffee to roast for someone else?

[shapeshifter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shapeshifter]

The situation is that a friend has a machine and was introduced to making coffee the right way by another friend who is part of Vittoria.

Ive looked at their website and they say that the coffee is Arabica coffee beans but italian blend or high mountain etc. what sort of beans do they use?

I asked her what sort of coffee she liked and she said that its not an espresso and yes she has sugar.

So Im wanting to roast something up for her to try. Is the Peru Ceja good enough to use for this, I also have the Limmu, Gambella and the Yellow Bourbon, I want a bean that is repeatable just in case she does actually like it, and of course selfishly I dont want to give away the beans I cant get for another year. I will do them for her to taste occasionally though ;D

I boldly said oh if you taste these coffees youll never go back to Vittoria, yeah yeah I know stupid me, I dont actually know if Vittoria is an alright coffee, I just hope I can do a great roast to prove it.

Of course shes welcome to say nope Ill stick to my Vittoria

[rmoulynox Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close rmoulynox]

Re: Which coffee to roast for someone else?

Ive had this same dilemma recently trying to work out what people want after hyping up my coffee and not knowing how theyll treat it.

If she has sugar, it will cover up any bitterness and complexity of the coffee anyway. Id give her the Limmu if that list is all you have.

Personally based on those descriptors, Id do a just-before-second-crack KJM blend, or just a 50/50 Limmu/Indonesian (which youd obviously need to obtain).

Another word of warning, dont specify the *exact* beans that are in it. Just write "Ethiopian/Indonesian", otherwise theyll notice what you write on the bags and get it in their head that its different if you try a different Indo bean for example.

I personally always ask people how they drink their coffee, and try it that way before giving it to them. If drink it black from a plunger with two sugars (ugh), Ill replicate that before supplying it just so I know what they will be tasting.

[shapeshifter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shapeshifter]

Re: Which coffee to roast for someone else?

I do have another four but they are the only around once a year ones and I only have 2.5kg of each of them.

The original four are the ones I know I can buy more of if she really does like it.

I am horrible at blends for some reason, I tried some earlier in the year and the first taste was great but after that they were horrible for some reason. A 50/50 I should be able to get away with though surely

LOL Im not even going to tell her which one it is, just hand her a bag and say "here try this"

[Thundergod Sleep is overrated Find all posts View Profile Close Thundergod]

Re: Which coffee to roast for someone else?

I was going say Limmu as well, and in my opinion, if you want to be able to replicate, it dont bother with a blend.
Just stick to 100% Limmu.

[Dimal Mal Find all posts View Profile Close Dimal]

Re: Which coffee to roast for someone else?

Is the Peru Ceja good enough to use for this

It certainly is and would be my pick as a standard to roast up for others; wonderfully complex, beautifully sweet and amenable to a wide variety of brewing methods so long as you dont roast it too dark. My favourite end-point for this one is just before the start of 2nd-Crack but you could take it into the first few lazy snaps of 2nd for a little more chocolaty after-taste.

Im pretty tight when it comes to my Ethiopians though, theyre all mine [smiley=evil.gif] (well, ours anyway :)....

Mal.

[Fresh_Coffee . Find all posts View Profile Close Fresh_Coffee]

Re: Which coffee to roast for someone else?

Im with you Mal re the Peru out of the choices given.

IMO Unblended EThiopians are not for people used to drinking commercial style blends unless they indicate to you that they want something completely different to try and or are willing to try something completely different to see the difference with an open mind.....Otherwise my experieince is they will get a "hit" from the very different character of any ethiopian coffee....and say it is....."bitter".

In the end if this is a true friend then you will be accepting of your friends taste in coffee and accept that she likes to drink what she likes, and in the end all you are trying to do is roast up something nice for you both to enjoy together, and its ok if she goes back to her standard.

Regardz,
Attilio. 
veru first CS site sponsor

[Dimal Mal Find all posts View Profile Close Dimal]

Re: Which coffee to roast for someone else?

IMO Unblended EThiopians are not for people used to drinking commercial style blends unless they indicate to you that they want something completely different to try and or are willing to try something completely different to see the difference with an open mind.....Otherwise my experieince is they will get a "hit" from the very different character of any ethiopian coffee....and say it is....."bitter".

Yep...

Thats been my experience too Attilio. If people drop around and the only coffee I have ready to go, has Ethiopian beans as a blend component, I warn them that there may be a difference and watch to see if their toes curl.... : ;D

Mal.

[shapeshifter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close shapeshifter]

Re: Which coffee to roast for someone else?

So the Peru it is, thanks everyone

Yes Attilio, your last paragraph is very true. I like giving people the opportunity to try something different, it doesnt matter to me if they love it or hate it.

Interesting your comments on the Ethiopians, the Ghimbi is one of the favourites and I liked it immediately after not trying too many other single origins (also have to say I really like the Limmu too), but I took it to my parents and when they tried it they didnt like it at all and yes they are used to drinking a blend.