Favorite Coffee Bean?

I would like to know from the coffee greats of CPF what their favorite coffee bean is and what part of the world it comes from. I am in search of something else that is as great as Kenya AA to take a crack at roasting. Thanks all!

batterystation,

I have had good luck with La Minta estate's Costa Rican Tarrazu (sp?). It may or may not be overhyped, but I like it. The other bean I'm currently roasting is the Kenya AA Mika auction lot from sweetmarias. (La Minta is also from sweetmarias). I tried some Sumatra something or other (NOT from sweetmarias) that never turned out well for me, but that was probably because I didn't know what I was doing and didn't have a thermometer. For some reason my roasts always turn out darker than they are "supposed" to turn out, so if I go only by color I get an under-roasted bean.

So as you can see, I'm far from a coffee great, but I think javafool said he had 70 lbs of green beans on hand! Let's hope he weighs in on this. I would say that a good option might be to order a sampler of some kind or other and roast a bit of many different beans. Then order 2 or 5 lbs of your favorites. Can't go wrong with any sweetmarias offering, I'd say. At first, controlling the roast is going to be a bigger factor than what bean you choose.

By the way, I could lend you a book on home roasting if you promise to send it back in a month or so. PM me if you'd like to borrow it.

Blue Mountain from Jamaica... yum!

Next to the Kenya AA, hmmm... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thinking.gif

Well, the Kenya AA is currently my favorite too, but that may change if I do in fact get into home roasting, which is very likely at this point.

Blue Mtn. is very good, but hard to get. 100% pure Kona is also usually a good one. I have also had some good Sulawesi coffees.

My current preferences:

1. Costa Rica

2. Tanzania

3. Sumatra

4. Kenya

If you like Kenyan, you'll Sumatran, IMHO.

Joe

Joe,
I will add two of those to my sampler list. I just bought the Zach and Dani's roaster kit on ebay for $90

Congratulations, been watching your enthusiasm. Let us know how it does when you experiment.

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batterystation said: I just bought the Zach and Dani's roaster kit on ebay for $90

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I've got my eye on one of those kits and real anxious to hear your first review! Soon I hope? Thanks!

Sigman, I will give it a try the day it arrives. I got green beans coming with it. I ordered some Sumatra and Yemen beans to try out.

Sigman, The Zach & Dani roaster arrived today. It did come from Z&D. They have an ebay store. It also came with a grinder and three pounds of green beans. If someone wants a pound of green decaf beans, PM me and I will send it to you. I have no use for decaf. Back to the review. This thing is so easy to use even a complete beginner like me can do it. You just set the time and away it goes. Stinks the house up real nice too!!! You have to get one of these. It was about $90 to my door I think. I roasted two batches tonight and both turned out well. I will grind and brew in a day.

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batterystation said:I roasted two batches tonight and both turned out well.

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Keep us posted on the taste, eh? I'm sooooo close to getting one of these!

batterystation, I am curious to hear how it goes too. I can't help but share in your excitement and enthusiasm. I have been roasting for several years and it is still a lot of fun and wonderful coffee.

blue mountain and blue java, sumatra, costa rica is very good, kenya is good for day-use. i like them dark, with rather fine grain in a press can, or even darker and finer in an espresso can.

First one roasted is Columbian (came with the roaster). I also did some Yemen last night. I will brew it in the morning. I really like how easy this roaster is to use. Highly recommended.

I received an order of Aged Kona this afternoon so I had to roast a small batch to see what it is like. Beautiful even roast and I always chomp on a bean or two out of the roaster and it is quite sweet. I probably won't brew any until Thursday but so far very promising.
I drank Costa Rican today and it will be from Guatemala tomorrow. I think all of the origins are good, just some better than others. But all countries that grow coffee also sell some pretty crappy beans so quality is very important.

javafool

I also got some Costa Rican from sweetmarias along with Guatemala too. I have not roasted either of them yet. Boy that Yemen is bitter smelling early in the roast. Much worse than the others thus far. Drove my wife out of the kitchen. I was hoping to get a pound of Blue Mountain but they ran out the week before I ordered.

I had some Jamaica Blue Mountain brewed in glass at a Japanese cafe in Hong Kong that was out of this world.

I've also had great coffee in the Netherlands. Does anyone know what they drink over there? This was sort of a house blend but so rich and flavorful.

Wilkey

Blue Mountain is the best, but the price is unreal. The problem is that over 90% of it goes to Japan & gourmet restaurants, driving the price way up.

Kona is my favorite (still pricey, though), and it has great range. Medium roast in the mornings, and a dark roast for after dinner.

I think I need to add one more minute to my roast times on these beans. They are real smooth tasting but not loud and robust like I think they should be. I must just favor a medium roast over a lighter roast. I am doing the breakfast blend that came with the roaster now.