Monday, April 11, 2005


the elephant in the room. . .

. . .comes from stumptown! chris tacy's care package arrived today.

i am still beside myself with utter joy. if you had any idea how wonderful this fresh coffee smells. if. if. if. only.

i immediately pulled the bag of the fabled ethiopian 2005 mao horse harrar from the box. there on the bottom stamped as plain as day was the "born-on" roast date, apr. 7.

we here at bccy love roast dates and we love artisan roasters who provide them! i immediately opened the bag and could instantly smell a fantastic blend of nuts; i'd call this roast level something like city+ to full city-, because the beans show not one speck of oil.

also kindly included is a bag of the famed hairbender espresso and a bag of rwanda. i've never had the very-highly-rated rwanda before, so this will be quite exciting!

here's how chris describes the coffees:

  • hairbender - this is our espresso blend. unlike most espresso blends, this is mostly washed coffees - with only one semi-washed indonesian in there. it responds best to 19-20oz dosing for a marzocco double [portafilter basket], 200F brew temp, 9BAR pressure, 1.75-2oz doubles in 27 seconds. you should get strong butterscotch sweetness, some dutch processed cocoa in the finish and some nice high-toned aromatics.
  • rwanda karaba - i love this coffee - it's amazing in a french press. you've probably read ken davids' review on coffee review [my note: you bet i did, chris!]. personally, while I do get the floral notes, i find this coffee dominated by a wonderful tart-berry truffle tone (dark chocolate ganache, tart raspberry and cranberry).
  • ethiopia harar - this is from the first lots from the 2005 mao horse. it's the best harar i've tasted in three years. incredible fruit - not just in the aroma but also in the cup. the usual blueberry tones, but also some unique tropical fruit, tons of sweetness and shocking clarity for a harar. i love it!! wonderful in either a vacuum pot or a press pot.

don't these all sound just scrumptious? i have to say i've never seen a cranberry sensation in a coffee before. . .

and please dear readers, don't forget to eat your salmon, have an extra helping of italian greens cooked in garlic and olive oil, pour a glass of wine, and then enjoy a square of dark chocolate with almonds beside a dish of fresh berries. four times a week -- it's a must!

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