Im trying to learn what it is Im tasting in the cup, so that I can make subtle changes to grinding/dosing/tamping to improve the quality of my shots and also to help with getting-to-know the different bean varieties/blends.
I normally drink milk based coffees, but I thought it might make it easier for me to determine what is happening in the cup, if I take out the milk variable for these test shots. Im mainly thinking in terms of taste testing new roast batches / days post roast / and/or new beans.
So,.this morning I poured an espresso from Honduras Marcala SHG, Organic HG,(5 days post roast) and boy..does this stuff put hair on your chest or what?,.. or perhaps you need to already have hair on your chest and come from another planet to enjoy espresso.
Here is my espresso,.. extraction time 27-28sec, looked nice and syrupy, 2/3coffee to 1/3crema right after extraction, reduced to what you see in the pic by the time a strolled over to the other side of the room to get camera and then take a few photos. The glass holds 110ml to the very top.
[img]www.studioheath.com/images/bits/remysespresso.jpg[/img]
To me, it tasted like some vile potent plant extraction,..erm um.. well what I would call bitter?..(straight to the back of the tongue), and I like bitter beers, but this stuff ack!!!. It was hard for me to get past the bitterness to taste anything else.
So,.based on my pic and description, can anyone advise whether I have just got something very wrong in the espresso making process,.. or whether I got the espresso right and espresso lovers really are hairy chested aliens with a bizarre taste for acrid substances. :-? ;D
I normally drink milk based coffees, but I thought it might make it easier for me to determine what is happening in the cup, if I take out the milk variable for these test shots. Im mainly thinking in terms of taste testing new roast batches / days post roast / and/or new beans.
So,.this morning I poured an espresso from Honduras Marcala SHG, Organic HG,(5 days post roast) and boy..does this stuff put hair on your chest or what?,.. or perhaps you need to already have hair on your chest and come from another planet to enjoy espresso.
Here is my espresso,.. extraction time 27-28sec, looked nice and syrupy, 2/3coffee to 1/3crema right after extraction, reduced to what you see in the pic by the time a strolled over to the other side of the room to get camera and then take a few photos. The glass holds 110ml to the very top.
[img]www.studioheath.com/images/bits/remysespresso.jpg[/img]
To me, it tasted like some vile potent plant extraction,..erm um.. well what I would call bitter?..(straight to the back of the tongue), and I like bitter beers, but this stuff ack!!!. It was hard for me to get past the bitterness to taste anything else.
So,.based on my pic and description, can anyone advise whether I have just got something very wrong in the espresso making process,.. or whether I got the espresso right and espresso lovers really are hairy chested aliens with a bizarre taste for acrid substances. :-? ;D
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