Cuba Escambray

[DesigningByCoffee]

Just into a bag of these Cubans I roasted on Tuesday. Used my 'standard' profile - 750g, around 22mins all up.

What a very strange bean! Agree fully with Andy's beanbay notes - dry spice and drying mouthfeel. Very light, quite thin pour. Also get a bit of heat - maybe cayenne? Not quite dialled in yet on this one - it requires a much finer grind than usual, so the resultant pour was a bit to fast which probably contributes to some of these characteristics.

Also had an interesting side experience with these - took a bag of the same batch to see my sister & brother in law, and we ran some through a Silvia / M2 combo. Many of the same underlying characteristics, but got a much heavier, thicker, darker espresso - maybe the higher brew temp and planar grinder. Just interesting comparing same beans on two very different setups.

We'll see how this ages and dials in - if it lasts that long!

Matt

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[DesigningByCoffee]

Man, no idea what to do with these beans!
Getting the grind closer, so finer pour but crema explosion. Maybe needs a few weeks to rest.
And in the cup? With a tighter pour, it's kind of like Lapsang Soochong in espresso - smokey and dry. In a FW, mild Aztec Hot chocolate - but too much chili and not enough cocoa or sugar! Not sure that this will be a fav - anyone had any other experiences with any Cubans? Do I need to roast differently? Can you blend it with anything? Better as an aeropress? Or just put this down to 'not really for my pallette'?

Good thing we're all different

Cheers Matt

[DScanes]

I've been roasting this bean for a few months now. I think it's almost pushed the Peru Ceja De selva from my favourite bean. I find it roasts quite easily on my gene café. I find roasting it a little lighter then I usually roast brings out the dry spicy goodness... quite a mild mid body smooth flavour. I will admit though that I've never had problems with the grind on my Pharos with this? Unlike the Yemen an maui which have both been nightmares to adjust to the sweet spot lol. I actually roasted some tonight and think to me the flavour is at its best between about day 5 to 15.
I should add, I always make this as a latte, I don't much like the taste as a straight espresso but in a latte... yummmm!

[DScanes]

Oh. And I like to blend it 60/40 with Ethiopian oorimu blended post roast every now n again

[Yelta]

Just received 2.5 kg of this bean, have yet to roast any of it, will let you know my thought when I do.

[Yelta]

Roasted 750 grams of Cuba Escambray this evening using my standard profile.

Start of FC 198°, loud rolling FC continued until 203°, stopped the roast before SC @225°, nice even looking batch approx CS9.

Couldn't resist, pulled a Lungo 15 mins post roast, using the grinder setting I have been using for my current batch which is producing nice syrupy pours with plenty of chocolate.

The result, a very thin dark pour, no sign of tiger striping, light even crema----- in the cup, thin, quite astringent, light earthy flavour, at this stage not at all to my liking.

Will report back when it has a few days age and I have sorted out the grind setting.

[DesigningByCoffee]

Sounds very similar to my first experiences

[Yelta]

6 days on, grinder adjusted to my liking.

Age has certainly improved these beans, tried them again at day 3 and daily since, thick viscous pour, some tiger striping.

In the cup, much mellower than early on, not a crema monster, but has a respectable golden layer, most (not all) of the astringency has disappeared, however it has a subtle earthy flavour that I'm not a fan of (I dislike Indonesian beans for this reason) still very little chocolate evident.

There is nothing really objectionable about the coffee I'm making with these beans, simply not one of my favorites, on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd rate it at about 6.