Coffee and afternoon Tea tasting fun

[nabokovfan87]

Hey hey everyone,

I got some new beans and I'm excited to try them and thought I'd share! Please feel free to share what you're sipping (coffee or tea) and whatever you think of it!

To be clear I am no expert but just enjoy tasting and cooking. Trying new things in this way. My method of brewing probably isn't great and may affect things, but it's all good. 🙂

Grounds: sort of a light oak and semisweet chocolate note. Smells a bit like thick dark chocolate syrup, but not exactly.

Nose: Wow! Smells a bit like fresh orange or lemon zest. Maybe a mix of both.

First Sip: Taste like jasmine tea with a little bit of lemon. Very interesting.....  A little acidic.

Finish: Ends with a bit of that chalky chocolate syrup. Semisweet chocolate and oak flavor.

[Fish Folk]

Thank you for the Coffee review! Wish I could drain a cup with you ☕️

Brought back a strange memory. In 2005 I was in Israel, not too far from Haifa, up on Mt. Carmel. An Arab invited me into a mountain shanty to have some coffee. He ground that stuff much finer than any espresso grind I’d ever seen, boiled it in the water, and served — fine grounds and all. It definitely put hair on my chest! 

[TeeJay]

Funny I just saw this thread now. I actually just ordered a bag of coffee from the band green day and there Oakland coffee company. Free bag to try only 3 bucks for shipping. Figured it was worth a try 

[PineSong]

I've always said I can't tell good coffee from bad coffee but someone gave me a bag of coffee for Christmas that was undrinkable and I realized I just never paid enough attention to what I do and don't like enough to figure out what's "good coffee" to me.

That motivated me to take on my current mission of finding a coffee I like better than just "I don't hate this". No luck so far. I'm currently drinking Starbucks Blonde Roast because I hoped it might be the opposite of "puts hair on your chest", but it's not my favorite.

I really like Irish Breakfast tea. Maybe I'm a tea person. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/19/2023 at 7:01 PM, PineSong said:

I've always said I can't tell good coffee from bad coffee but someone gave me a bag of coffee for Christmas that was undrinkable and I realized I just never paid enough attention to what I do and don't like enough to figure out what's "good coffee" to me.

That motivated me to take on my current mission of finding a coffee I like better than just "I don't hate this". No luck so far. I'm currently drinking Starbucks Blonde Roast because I hoped it might be the opposite of "puts hair on your chest", but it's not my favorite.

A recipe to try for you!  Method of less water, some ice, it takes away a little bit of the intensity.  You can also do this with tea!
 

I'll have to think on some bean recommendations for you!  They have cold brew available at the grocery store and that might be another avenue to get your taste buds jumping the right way to coffee and having it be less intense.  (less intense = less concentrate, more intense = more concentrated)

[Katherine]

On 3/19/2023 at 9:01 PM, PineSong said:

That motivated me to take on my current mission of finding a coffee I like better than just "I don't hate this"

This might get me kicked off the thread, but I'll only drink it brewed with half the grounds the bag says to use. And even then I don't love coffee. It's a last resort 'I can't keep my eyes open today' kinda thing.

[Rube_Goldfish]

Alton Brown puts a small pinch of kosher salt in his grounds to cut the bitterness a little, though I've never tried it because I don't drink my coffee black. To quote some tweet I can no longer find: I use cream in my coffee because I love myself.

[PineSong]

On 3/20/2023 at 5:13 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

Alton Brown puts a small pinch of kosher salt in his grounds to cut the bitterness a little, though I've never tried it because I don't drink my coffee black. To quote some tweet I can no longer find: I use cream in my coffee because I love myself.

I am going to try this! Thanks.

On 3/20/2023 at 3:03 PM, Katherine said:

This might get me kicked off the thread, but I'll only drink it brewed with half the grounds the bag says to use. And even then I don't love coffee. It's a last resort 'I can't keep my eyes open today' kinda thing.

Not kicked off! That's probably a good way to use coffee, anyway. We all have enough things we are dependent on every day....or at least I do!

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/20/2023 at 2:13 PM, Rube_Goldfish said:

Alton Brown puts a small pinch of kosher salt in his grounds to cut the bitterness a little, though I've never tried it because I don't drink my coffee black. To quote some tweet I can no longer find: I use cream in my coffee because I love myself.

Definitely an interesting experience.

 

Reminds me to rewatch this ^^  🙂

[Guppysnail]

Nice topic. I definitely have my favorite coffee (Kona) and my favorite teas (English breakfast). But I’m not picky. Before I retired and worked insane timeframes I drank espresso by the mug full all day. The caffeine withdrawal migraines on days off were miserable though. 
I have heard about the salt. @dasaltemelosguy showed me a metal gizmo you put in the grounds while brewing that keeps coffee from getting the bitter burnt flavor. I can’t remember what is was called though. 

[nabokovfan87]

Round 2!

Grounds: smells a little bit like fresh whole grain bread. That malty note from those brown dinner rolls and rolled oat bread. Next is a little bit of cocoa powder and then roasted almonds.

Nose:. Wow. It's almost like smelling a very fine bottle of something. Syrupy and dark.  Sort of reminds me of the inside of a cinnamon roll but not quite chai spices or any cinnamon. It smells like fig syrup! After that initial intense scent I get some notes of warm bread and fresh baked brownies mixed together.

First Sip: definitely hot.... Lol. Very malty, which is a flavor I do enjoy. Works really well with cream or milk. Probably perfect beans for a latte or a splash of anything. Slightly heavy mouth feel that's reminiscent of those fruit leather snacks as a kid. Basically I'm getting a lot of malt, fresh bread, and a lot of leather (actual leather) notes.

Finish:  This one ends with a bit of a warm tone. That fresh baked rye bread without any butter or sweetness. Really interesting one! Definitely a staple if you enjoy a splash of cream.

On 3/22/2023 at 3:09 PM, Guppysnail said:

The caffeine withdrawal migraines on days off were miserable though. 

Geeze I can only imagine!

I remember bdays at work barely able to get up. Would've been nice to have an espresso in moments like that, but definitely takes a toll.

On 3/22/2023 at 3:09 PM, Guppysnail said:

I have heard about the salt. @dasaltemelosguy showed me a metal gizmo you put in the grounds while brewing that keeps coffee from getting the bitter burnt flavor. I can’t remember what is was called though. 

Interesting! I have heard of metal screens for espresso that goes on the top of the basket (helps with evenness and keeping the equipment a little cleaner). Haven't seen anything else, maybe that was the first iteration or something.

[Guppysnail]

On 3/22/2023 at 6:21 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Round 2!

Grounds: smells a little bit like fresh whole grain bread. That malty note from those brown dinner rolls and rolled oat bread. Next is a little bit of cocoa powder and then roasted almonds.

Nose:. Wow. It's almost like smelling a very fine bottle of something. Syrupy and dark.  Sort of reminds me of the inside of a cinnamon roll but not quite chai spices or any cinnamon. It smells like fig syrup! After that initial intense scent I get some notes of warm bread and fresh baked brownies mixed together.

First Sip: definitely hot.... Lol. Very malty, which is a flavor I do enjoy. Works really well with cream or milk. Probably perfect beans for a latte or a splash of anything. Slightly heavy mouth feel that's reminiscent of those fruit leather snacks as a kid. Basically I'm getting a lot of malt, fresh bread, and a lot of leather (actual leather) notes.

Finish:  This one ends with a bit of a warm tone. That fresh baked rye bread without any butter or sweetness. Really interesting one! Definitely a staple if you enjoy a splash of cream.

Geeze I can only imagine!

I remember bdays at work barely able to get up. Would've been nice to have an espresso in moments like that, but definitely takes a toll.

Interesting! I have heard of metal screens for espresso that goes on the top of the basket (helps with evenness and keeping the equipment a little cleaner). Haven't seen anything else, maybe that was the first iteration or something.

It looked like a chunk of metal with spikes. It sits in the grounds. 

[Miska]

Alton Brown is the person I learned most of my cooking tips from in 2000s-2010s because that's when I "came of age". I still love him and still recommend his cooking shows (I don't really care for all the competitions though, just iron chef). 

 

I'm a tea lady! I need to add coffee in due to a health conditions, but I just don't like it without so much sugar and cream it's a dessert. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 3/22/2023 at 3:46 PM, Miska said:

Alton Brown is the person I learned most of my cooking tips from in 2000s-2010s because that's when I "came of age". I still love him and still recommend his cooking shows (I don't really care for all the competitions though, just iron chef). 

Oh yeah.  Me too! 

I enjoyed Emeril a lot as well as Tyler Florence, Mario Batali, and Jamie Oliver.  Grew up with Him and Alton after school.

Edited March 22, 2023 by nabokovfan87

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 3/22/2023 at 6:46 PM, Miska said:

Alton Brown is the person I learned most of my cooking tips from in 2000s-2010s because that's when I "came of age". I still love him and still recommend his cooking shows (I don't really care for all the competitions though, just iron chef). 

 

I'm a tea lady! I need to add coffee in due to a health conditions, but I just don't like it without so much sugar and cream it's a dessert. 

I'm exactly the same way! If I want to learn a new recipe, my first web search is "Alton Brown [name of dish]". I don't always go with his version, but it's usually a great place to start. And I also am completely uninterested in cooking competition shows but can't get enough of Good Eats.

[Tanked]

I don't know how I missed this topic.

I like variety so I don't have a favorite.  Kona would be close.   If someone could remember the name, a rich reddish brew we drank while visiting Interlaken many years ago would top the list. 

Mint tea grown in my yard is preferred for chilly nights.  Coffee rules the daylight.  Despite my best efforts, I seem to lack the ability to discern individual flavor notes already in the coffee so I'm not too picky.  I occasionally mix and match two different coffees at home.  @Rube_Goldfish a coworker suggested adding a pinch of cinnamon to the pot to cut the bitter/acidic taste that I find in most fast food coffee.  

[dasaltemelosguy]

On 3/22/2023 at 3:09 PM, Guppysnail said:

Nice topic. I definitely have my favorite coffee (Kona) and my favorite teas (English breakfast). But I’m not picky. Before I retired and worked insane timeframes I drank espresso by the mug full all day. The caffeine withdrawal migraines on days off were miserable though. 
I have heard about the salt. @dasaltemelosguy showed me a metal gizmo you put in the grounds while brewing that keeps coffee from getting the bitter burnt flavor. I can’t remember what is was called though. 

BTW, that Kona you sent me was incredible!🤎

 

I must have spent months if not years trying to improve our brews. The gadget @Guppysnail is speaking of focus on reducing the hotspots of boiling water striking the grounds.

Supposedly, “the average, optimal brewing temperature is about 195*F”. Naturally most pots drip the 212*F boiling water directly on the grounds which is then too hot in the center and then it cools off too quickly as it radiates outwards towards the edges. So, there’s a combination of scorching followed by insufficient heating depending on where the grounds lie in the basket.

These gadgets reduce this ‘hotspot’ to some degree. The boiling water falls on the thick, cold metal first and then drips on to the grounds. The cold metal drops the boiling water temperature from 212*F to about 195*F on average for the duration of one brew. The fins then radiate the heat to even out the temperatures across the grounds.

I find these do smooth out some harshness and slightly intensify the flavor. I think these work best if kept in the freezer and placed on top of the grounds just before brewing. The one with the hole in the center I used for percolators, the other for drips:

 

 

Water and Coffee: Understanding How Temperature Affects Your Cup | The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

 

I just can’t help myself...Coffee studies! 🤣!

 

 Brew temperature, at fixed brew strength and extraction, has little impact on the sensory profile of drip brew coffee | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

 Effect of grinding, extraction time and type of coffee on the physicochemical and flavour characteristics of cold brew coffee | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

 Impact of beverage temperature on consumer preferences for black coffee | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

 An equilibrium desorption model for the strength and extraction yield of full immersion brewed coffee | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

 Valorization of products from grounded-coffee beans | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

 Influence of coffee brewing methods on the chromatographic and spectroscopic profiles, antioxidant and sensory properties | Scientific Reports (nature.com)

 

 

[Guppysnail]

@dasaltemelosguy do these gadget have a name to look up on Amazon and such?  
I do not often use my big pot. I just brew a since cup over and over all day long 🤣  But would love to get one for when I do  

The coffee studies are FABULOUS 🤩

I had no idea there even were studies. I thought I was just odd trying all different things to get just the right cup of joe. 

[dasaltemelosguy]

It is shocking how much study was done on coffee brewing! I found hundreds of them, far more than I ever found for aquatics!🤣

I don't know if you can buy something similar. I made these so there's only a few but I'll mail you one. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 4/29/2023 at 1:37 PM, dasaltemelosguy said:

I just can’t help myself...Coffee studies! 🤣!

James hoffmann is hours of entertainment if you've never seen his "experiments" and such.

On 4/29/2023 at 11:03 AM, Tanked said:

I occasionally mix and match two different coffees at home.

This is the way!  Happens with a lot of things that humans drink.

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 3/19/2023 at 9:01 PM, PineSong said:

I really like Irish Breakfast tea. Maybe I'm a tea person.

If you give loose leaf a try, get some Ceylon tea from the Kenilworth Estate.  This one is my go to morning cuppa.  I see it gets bagged now, but only the lowest grades tend to make it into bags.  I tend to grab mine from places like Upton or Simpson and Vail.  There are also some very nice Assam teas out there, but that's a longer conversation. 

[nabokovfan87]

^^ Can confirm, "Hot Cinnamon" or similar is wonderful stuff and very healthy!

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 4/29/2023 at 8:41 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

"Hot Cinnamon"

Oh no.  This is a black tea.  The "Ceylon" part is the old colonial name for the island of Sri Lanka where the estate is found.  In tea lingo, Sri Lanka has remained "Ceylon".  So this tea has zero to do with cinnamon.  Well, except that true cinnamon is also native to the same island and so retains the same colonial name.  Sorry for the confusion. 

[A3M0N]

We have a subscription at Summer Moon. Our favorites are En Fuego and Sweet Hearth. 

[nabokovfan87]

On 4/29/2023 at 7:19 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

Oh no.  This is a black tea.  The "Ceylon" part is the old colonial name for the island of Sri Lanka where the estate is found.  In tea lingo, Sri Lanka has remained "Ceylon".  So this tea has zero to do with cinnamon.  Well, except that true cinnamon is also native to the same island and so retains the same colonial name.  Sorry for the confusion. 

That's awesome.  I'll try to locate some 🙂

Always happy to hear about something new.  I read your post... had the urge to go boil some cinnamon sticks. 😂

On 4/29/2023 at 7:31 PM, A3M0N said:

We have a subscription at Summer Moon. Our favorites are En Fuego and Sweet Hearth. 

ORD.... sounds wonderful!