A Yirg Blend that really hits the spot...

[Dimal]

Hi fellow home-roasters,

Thought I would jot down one of my favourite Yirg Blends that seems to have stood the test of time in our household....

Ethiopian Yirgacheffe - 60%
Sulawesi Kalosi Tojora - 25%
Costa Rica Tarrazu - 15%

Roasted as a Pre-blended roast, taken to 1st-Crack in 12 minutes and pulled just before the first snaps of 2nd-Crack starts at 19:30 minutes then immediately cooled. Leave for a minimum of 2 days to degas then brew away.

If you dont have any of the Kalosi available, you could substitute a Mandheling and for the Tarrazu any of the good quality high grown Central American varieties should be ok but I personally prefer the Tarrazu.

The outcome of the blend results in a well balanced brew that possesses fruitiness and a slight Pinot character, rich body coupled with earthiness and a buttery smoothness followed by a clean, crisp finish with slight citrussy notes to finish off. My son finished his first brew by the time I had made my first one and was asking for seconds.... always a good indicator .

Cheers,
Mal.

[rowdee]

Re: A Yirg Blend that really hits the spot...

Thanks for this Mal. Used Costa Rica Santa Elena instead of the Tarrazu.

Probably took it a bit further than I should have, to start of rolling second crack.

Started drinking after 5 days. Much nicer with milk than espresso. Slight acidity which is probably your citrussy notes which are mellowed by the milk.

My partner loved it, three lattes is always a good sign.

Will try it again with a slower roast and not take it so far into second crack.

[Dimal]

Re: A Yirg Blend that really hits the spot...

Gday rowdee,

Yes, it does cut through milk very well and probably is more suited to this style of drink for a lot of people. I generally have it as a Doppio Ristretto with a small amount of silky micro-foam, along the lines of a Piccolo. Still retains the crisp finish of the Central American bean and all the complexity of the Yirgacheffe but without the acidic assault on the palate. Personally, I love it :...

If you would like to reduce the acid component a bit, you could always up the Indonesian content and reduce the Central American proportionately. This should have the affect of moving the overall flavour profile slightly more forward on the palate. The name of the game is always experimentation with one thing at a time, until you get a blend that really does it for you. All the best...

Mal.

[rowdee]

Re: A Yirg Blend that really hits the spot...

Thanks Mal, getting rave reviews today as well so definitely going to roast some more and experiment a bit with both the blend and the roast profile.

Really very good.