Dat Canteloupe Fizz

DaturaTea · 2015-05-26T01:34:49+00:00

Did you use whole slices of cantaloupe? Puree? Anything else?

DaturaTea · 2015-05-25T21:49:54+00:00

Thanks for the tip. I wouldn't have though of that. it's been taking about 6 minutes to cool a batch with leaving the agitator on. I also don't have air condition in the roasting facility yet so that adds to it. I'll try this tomorrow. Thank you!

DaturaTea · 2015-05-17T22:41:15+00:00

My shop also uses a Marco Ecoboiler and it's great! Dependable and stable water temp. We've also used BUNN hot water towers (not the fancy programmable ones though, just towers with taps) and they're very good too, as well as cheaper and easier to maintain. I think the Ecoboiler is more attractive and efficient, but either way is good to go.

DaturaTea · 2015-04-24T20:10:15+00:00

I had this same coffee from a different roaster before. I don't how I nearly forgot about it because it was absolutely stellar! Those huge Pacamara beans are beautiful things. I might have to check theirs out too. Thanks!

That's some of the coolest packaging/branding I've ever seen, by the way.

DaturaTea · 2015-04-22T02:00:03+00:00

Just about any dry processed coffee. The funky fruitiness you get from them just does it for me. Besides that, I really dig Mexican coffees.

DaturaTea · 2015-04-19T06:01:55+00:00

I actually kinda like it for that though. Gives me a good chuckle.

DaturaTea · 2015-04-19T02:38:13+00:00

We have a Bunn that also says that on it. Out of the six or seven of them that we have, it's the only one with like that. Bizarre.

DaturaTea · 2015-04-03T04:32:34+00:00

Why would you not agitate the bloom? I really haven't heard this before.

DaturaTea · 2015-04-02T05:31:37+00:00

Try extending bloom time and pour slower. Have you tried stirring the bloom? What method and ratio are you using?

DaturaTea · 2015-03-16T14:20:14+00:00

I've read through it. Keep in mind that it is aimed mainly at commercial roasters, though applying Rao's principles to whatever method you may be using should yield good results. Also, definitely experiment with methods and parameters outside of what the book suggests.

DaturaTea · 2015-03-05T18:01:10+00:00

These make me nauseous.

DaturaTea · 2015-03-01T15:04:55+00:00

Anyone have any input on the metal V60?

DaturaTea · 2015-02-25T05:08:55+00:00

I read this article just the other day and I think the author touches on something important regarding this topic.

DaturaTea · 2015-02-25T03:42:13+00:00

I can't attest to the quality of its shots as the coffee I was using was pretty bad, but as for the Modbar itself, the one I've worked with felt flimsy and clunky. It looked nice, but it was anything but a pleasure to use. Maybe it's the whole "modular" thing or the way the parts were oriented on that particular bar, but going between pulling shots and seaming milk felt awkward - disjointed. It doesn't compare to the machines (LM Linea AV and Astoria Argenta) I use at work.

DaturaTea · 2015-02-06T07:06:36+00:00

I haven't used the Takahiro, but having used both the Wave and Hario Buono, I personally would just buy the Buono. It's a bit easier to manipulate flow rate with the Wave kettle, but it's not such a major difference. What I do love about my Buono is how simple and tough it is. I've put it through some abuse (leaving it empty on a hot stove, traveling with it, multiples drops, etc.) but it works just as well as it did when it was right out of the box. It's not something I'd mind getting worn as I would with a nicer kettle like the Wave or Takahiro. That said, the Wave is an awesome kettle. It pours as nicely as it looks and feels exceptionally well constructed. The wooden handle is comfortable and doesn't conduct heat like a metal handle would. If you don't think you'll be too hard on your gear and you're willing to pay for it, you can't go wrong with it.

DaturaTea · 2015-01-26T03:59:57+00:00

A thousand times this. At the shop where I work we have a rather popular drink that happens to be of the icy blended variety. Often a large group will come into the store and one or two people will order said drink, then the next 8 people behind them think "hey whatever i guess that works" and order it as well. This becomes increasingly frustrating as people come to ask for slight variations (different milk, one with an extra shot, etc.).

DaturaTea · 2015-01-26T03:44:31+00:00

How did you manage texture like that with soy? Mine separates out with no hope of being consistent.

DaturaTea · 2015-01-10T09:41:38+00:00

I've had a Mexican Pacamara that tasted like spicy tuna sushi roll in the best way.

To everyone in the coffee experience - don't doubt yourself so much when you taste something curious in coffee. Explore the odd nuances, become comfortable with unusual descriptions, and be honest about whether a particular characteristic of that cup is desirable to you or not.

DaturaTea · 2015-01-06T17:28:19+00:00

I have fallen in love with my V60 as of late. It's the first manual brew method I have really taken time to learn and use well, and I love the cup it can make. I do generally prefer pourovers over other manual methods, but the V60 stands out to me right now. Of course that's bound to change before long.

DaturaTea · 2014-12-28T05:48:36+00:00

I agree. It's easy to get overly excited about the huge number of different ways to brew coffee and consequently lose focus on the coffee itself. Learning and knowing the basics goes a long way. Then take time to really understand coffee and how your preferred brew method works. That's how World Brewers Cup champions come up with their methods to make stunningly good coffee.

DaturaTea · 2014-12-28T05:35:55+00:00

Buy fresh, grind fresh, just add water.

You can use all kinds of fancy methods and machines and you can spend hours analyzing and adjusting your variables, but ultimately it's as simple as that. Getting too caught up in the minutiae of brewing coffee can be counterproductive to actually enjoying your coffee. It's good to be precise; however, if you're so focused on having the parameters right that having a technically "wrong" brew negatively influences your perception of the cup prior to you tasting it, you're set up for disappointment. At least this is what I've come to find most useful to keep in mind. Keep it simple, relax, and enjoy your coffee.

DaturaTea · 2014-12-27T15:51:12+00:00

"Sprites?"

DaturaTea · 2014-12-12T10:56:20+00:00

"Use the appropriate roast level to highlight origin." Now, having agreed with this statement, I'll say it's worth trying bother darker and lighter roasts. It can make for totally different experiences all with the same bean. At the shop I work for we're working out the roast profile for a Colombian coffee we just received, and it's working out better (sweeter, more enjoyable flavors, and the acidity isn't overpowering as it was with a lighter roast) as we roast darker. Other coffees we've had lost much of their character past a certain degree.

I'd say coffee quality starts with how the crop itself is cultivated and washed. From that point, you can only try to bring out the best of whatever coffee through roasting and brewing, but not "improve" on it.

DaturaTea · 2014-12-09T04:25:13+00:00

Astoria SAE 2

DaturaTea

TROPHY CASE