· James Torr · Personal · 1 min read
Another black hole to fall into. Coffee really is one of those worlds you can just dig deeper and deeper. Home coffee roasting starts with a cheap popcorn maker. This one works actually quite well and roasts a lot slower than some of those other models out there. First batch turned out surprisingly well.
Home batches 21-23. 250g each of Brazilian, Guatemalan and Papua New Guinean beans. As we drink mostly , I try to get them to the point where they have some body, reduced acidity and some varietal character too. This is called city or city+. Bit of a tightrope, as if you go too far, you just get chocolate and char.
I'm appreciating a long black from the espresso machine this last week or so. It's basically a short Americano, as a flat white is to a latte. This has come from Down Under, as the flat white did. I find the espresso over a bit too quickly, and the Americano can be a little weak, so this is a perfect middle ground. Lightly roasted, natural process and Colombian beans can sometimes be a little acidic, so the extra dilution takes the edge off that a little.
corner is looking (and tasting) better than ever with recent arrivals and . The grinder in particular has completely transformed coffee for us. Levelling tools, declumping the grounds and good fit tampers also help a lot with even extractions.
I start writing this sitting on the cold stone of Santiago in the morning, waiting for an old cafe to open, waiting for a plane to fly me home.