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Feb 12, 2022
3,587
50,580
32
North Georgia mountains.
I generally drink less coffee since I got into pour over about 6 - 7 years ago. A really good mug early in the morning usually is enough (and we don't bother to make it at work any more, though there is now a Keurig and I have some Iron Bean pods that I'll occasionally drop in this time of year).

Right now I order from Iron Bean and Olympia, but I'll go back to or try other roasters who are online. There's a coffee shop about 100 miles from here that I'll stop in and pick up bags from if I'm in town, which I am 4-6 times a year. I like my flavor notes from the coffee and avoid flavored beans 99.9% of the time.
I don't do flavored beans either. Luckily there's a shop 25 min from my house I stop by that has great beans.
I keep some Eight O'clock Columbian on hand if I want a whole pot on a rainy day or something. Otherwise I order stuff to try, iron bean is one I'll be looking into. Vietnamese is something else I'm getting into.
Oh, and having lose friends in Costa Rica has its benefits.
 

HawkeyeLinus

Lifer
Oct 16, 2020
5,838
42,153
Iowa
I don't do flavored beans either. Luckily there's a shop 25 min from my house I stop by that has great beans.
I keep some Eight O'clock Columbian on hand if I want a whole pot on a rainy day or something. Otherwise I order stuff to try, iron bean is one I'll be looking into. Vietnamese is something else I'm getting into.
Oh, and having lose friends in Costa Rica has its benefits.
I say 99% because Iron Bean has a tiny bit of vanilla in one of their coffees I really like, but it doesn't come off as flavored. We also keep a good supply of espresso beans on hand for the mochas I make for the wife and me on weekends (I still have regular as well, lol) and I'll raid those when I run short. I got into Iron Bean via @Streeper541 on here. What I like most is their sizes of bags are pretty large (about double what you would get anywhere else, and very reasonably priced). Those aren't necessarily as nuanced as some others may have available, but I find them just as good if I focus on their not so bold blends, and the customer service is incredible and they are great to deal with so I love supporting them. And if you want a good, strong cup from beans you can grind, theirs are great for that as well.
 
Jun 18, 2020
3,973
14,049
Wilmington, NC
This week’s roast,,
Guatemala Antigua, Pulcal Inteligente
Brown Sugar, Chocolate and Herbal Tea notes

Mexican Altura, Chiapas Serranos
Floral, creamy, nutty with some chocolate notes
I also home roast. Now I have two neighbors buying from me. Now I have to keep roasting or I hear about it from one of them (in a friendly way like giving someone shit like we do on here)
 
Feb 12, 2022
3,587
50,580
32
North Georgia mountains.
I say 99% because Iron Bean has a tiny bit of vanilla in one of their coffees I really like, but it doesn't come off as flavored. We also keep a good supply of espresso beans on hand for the mochas I make for the wife and me on weekends (I still have regular as well, lol) and I'll raid those when I run short. I got into Iron Bean via @Streeper541 on here. What I like most is their sizes of bags are pretty large (about double what you would get anywhere else, and very reasonably priced). Those aren't necessarily as nuanced as some others may have available, but I find them just as good if I focus on their not so bold blends, and the customer service is incredible and they are great to deal with so I love supporting them. And if you want a good, strong cup from beans you can grind, theirs are great for that as well.
I'll be ordering some this week. Thanks the tip!
 

Brewfan

Part of the Furniture Now
Jul 5, 2021
937
18,294
Louisville, KY, USA
I'm a lot snobby about coffee and unashamed. My current go to is a local roaster up the road from my house. They do a good job of avoiding the temptation to make highly acidic (in other words NASTY) hipster roasts - the coffee equivalent of over-hopped IPAs. Their medium and dark roasts are rich and beautiful.

My grinder and espresso machine are both Breville and every day starts with two double Americanos. I love this topic.
 

dunnyboy

Lifer
Jul 6, 2018
2,574
32,079
New York
I'm a lot snobby about coffee and unashamed. My current go to is a local roaster up the road from my house. They do a good job of avoiding the temptation to make highly acidic (in other words NASTY) hipster roasts - the coffee equivalent of over-hopped IPAs. Their medium and dark roasts are rich and beautiful.

My grinder and espresso machine are both Breville and every day starts with two double Americanos. I love this topic.
I use a Baratza Forte BG to grind for pour-over and drip, and a Niche Zero to grind for espresso. Over the holidays I bought a Breville Dual Boiler, which I love. Gotta agree with you about lightly roasted beans when it comes to espresso—too acidic and hard for a beginner like me to get right. But I love the hipster beans for pour-over, especially as the coffee cools. Not Chock Full O' Nuts (which I also like), certainly, but very nuanced and tasty. Your post gave me an idea however: I'm going to try making Americanos using some hipster beans (I love your description) to see if the dilution makes them more approachable.

There is obviously a big overlap between the pleasures of pipe smoking and coffee drinking. You can make it as straightforward or complicated as you wish, and enjoy it either way.
 
Jul 28, 2016
8,054
42,316
Finland-Scandinavia-EU
I don't know much about coffee since I'm more of a tea drinker (strong black builders brew with Milk &sugar) nonetheless when I do coffee it is mostly the Rancilio Espresso machine and the grinder of the very same brand I use, the beans are from widely available Italian brands like Lavazza or Passalaqua, moreover, aside from the regular Moka *coffee pots, lately I been practicing to make coffee with my newly acquired Flip over Neapolitan coffee pot, here results vary depending on the grind and amount coffee used if the grind is too finely ground it will shut the filter and dripping process would take an eternity resulting in only a lukewarm beverage
 

dunnyboy

Lifer
Jul 6, 2018
2,574
32,079
New York
Today, instead of drinking an espresso straight, I made an Americano. What a revelation! The medium-roasted (hipster) beans that tasted too intense and sour as espresso were balanced and delicious diluted with hot water. I admire the many people who acquire the skill, and have the tenacity, to search for the espresso "god shot." It must be incredibly rewarding when they occasionally get there. But while trying to improve my barista skills I'm going to enjoy my espresso shots as an Americano or mild drink.
 
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kschatey

Lifer
Oct 16, 2019
1,118
2,284
Ohio
This week’s roast,,
Guatemala Antigua, Pulcal Inteligente
Brown Sugar, Chocolate and Herbal Tea notes

Mexican Altura, Chiapas Serranos
Floral, creamy, nutty with some chocolate notes
Have you roasted any Panamanian coffee? I did for the first time on Sunday and the beans are quite different fmtham most other varieties. Just was intersted to find out if others had the same experience.
 

kschatey

Lifer
Oct 16, 2019
1,118
2,284
Ohio
Today, instead of drinking an espresso straight, I made an Americano. What a revelation! The medium-roasted (hipster) beans that tasted too intense and sour as espresso were balanced and delicious diluted with hot water. I admire the many people who acquire the skill, and have the tenacity, to search for the espresso "god shot." It must be incredibly rewarding when they occasionally get there. But while trying to improve my barista skills I'm going to enjoy my espresso shots as an Americano or mild drink.
I pretty much do straight espresso, but 1:1 espresso:water or milk are both tasty, too.
 

Singularis

Part of the Furniture Now
Sep 11, 2019
618
3,039
Wausau, Wis
Got a Breville Bambino Plus for my wife for Christmas since she loves cappuccinos so much. So I’ve been experimenting with espresso blends lately, which scratches a very similar itch to trying out home tobacco blending. I’ve long been a huge proponent of single origin, (usually) light roasted coffees. And for the last 2 years we’ve been exclusively drinking Mokkamaster auto-drip coffee, which I still adore as a first cup in the morning. So this espresso phase is new adventurous one.

Right now I’m working on an El Salvador medium roast with a touch of Ethiopia and Zambia. And then another that is El Salvador, Ethiopia, and Peru split evenly in thirds, roasted a touch darker than the first one. We’ll see how they fare in the espresso machine. Usually at least 2-3 days rest post roast is the sweet spot.
 

dunnyboy

Lifer
Jul 6, 2018
2,574
32,079
New York
For anydody interested, below are my brew ratios:

Pour over = 30g coffee + 500g water
Espresso = 18g coffee for 36g shot
I pretty much use the same ratios, although closer to 1:15 on pour-over.
I pretty much do straight espresso, but 1:1 espresso:water or milk are both tasty, too.
I'm going to try the 1:1 or 1:2 espresso. What ratio do you use for Americano?