Resting Beans ... Can I peak?

[gav]

Hi all

I have completed a few roasts in my Hottop B and am waiting to taste the (hopeful) goodness. I'm going to start tasting the beans (decaf - Mexican mountain water) 5 days after roasting, but was wondering if it's okay to sneak a peak each day at the beans or if I should just leave them be until ready to taste. I have them resting in one-way valve bags.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

All the best

gav

[chokkidog]

Hi gav and welcome to CS.

Go for it! Taste from day 2 onwards.. crikey, even day 1. It will give context to what you learn about the beans you roast

and how your roast mojo develops.

If you have enough bags, set aside small portions ( say 3 days worth ) and open successive bags up to day 14 or so.

[gav]

Thanks chokkidog

I'll give it a go. I'm roasting 250 gram green bean batches, which have so far ended up at a roasted weight of 210-220 grams. My wife and I are planning on trying one coffee (double shot, small flat white) from each batch until the beans have been used ... we have a rancilio sylvia and rocky doserless grinder, so easy to do. Hopefully, we can get a few days out of each batch until we find a resting/aged level that suits.

Just out of interest ... would you suggest trying to keep the bags sealed as much as possible, rather than opening a couple of times a day?

All the best

gav

[chokkidog]

Yep, which is why I suggested multiple bags. Then you can see what the coffee is like from

roast day + 2,4,6,8,10 or so days without having more accelerated oxidation, from repeated bag opening, interfering with the results.

Doing it this way will tell you the optimal time to rest, then open and use your coffee. (i.e. open day 9, use by day 16).

[gav]

Gotcha

Makes perfect sense. I'll measure out how much is roughly needed for the two coffees and put them in separate bags - have a few spares.

Thanks heaps.

[mwcalder05]

At work, we found that our Mexican Mountain decaf pours best at about two days old! But try it and see what you think. There are no golden rules to break.

[gav]

I like the sounds of that ... might be time to spark up the Sylvia and divide the beans as chokkidog suggested.

Thanks mwcalder. If you're based in noosa, I am probably using your beans as the gold standard.

-------- A short time later

Divided the beans ... they should go a fair way. Also, put sylvia to use. It was quite a nice coffee. Mixed nicely with the Mungalli Creek full cream milk. No highs or lows at the moment, but a nice strong lasting flavour with no bitterness. Leaves a nice aftertaste in the mouth.

Thanks fellas ... I'm one happy camper already.

[Yelta]

I like the sounds of that ... might be time to spark up the Sylvia and divide the beans as chokkidog suggested.

Thanks mwcalder. If you're based in noosa, I am probably using your beans as the gold standard.

-------- A short time later




Divided the beans ... they should go a fair way. Also, put sylvia to use. It was quite a nice coffee. Mixed nicely with the Mungalli Creek full cream milk. No highs or lows at the moment, but a nice strong lasting flavour with no bitterness. Leaves a nice aftertaste in the mouth.

Thanks fellas ... I'm one happy camper already.

Way to go Gav, sounds like your thoroughly enjoying your coffee experience, well on the way to becoming a Snob.

Sylvia certainly is a great little machine, I never regret having owned one.

[gav]

Thanks Yelta.

I've only had the Sylvia and Rocky for around three years. Although initially quirky, once the secrets are worked out, a totally reliable duo. We usually mange 5 or 6 coffees a day, but when guests come visiting ...

I think the hottop makes a good third member to the trio.

All the best

gav