Bean blending--custom blends--advice needed

muziq · 10-21-2008, 07:26 AM

I have a local roaster I frequent on a weekly/bi-weekly basis: Texas Coffee Traders.

Always a good selection of medium and dark roast beans from all the usual suspects--South America, Central America, Africa, etc. I tend to brew using a Mukka Express, but also have a Bodum Columbia french press and one of those tacky Gevalia free pots. The Gevalia is just for entertaining, really.

I've made my way through all their single origin beans in both medium and dark roast (it's taken me about 1.5 years to try them all at least a couple times), and am starting to experiment with 2- and 3-bean blends. Generally, I have them mix them in equal parts.

What I'm finding is that while I liked Central American single bean brews over South American and African, as I start to blend 2 and 3 beans together, I'm wanting more variety--I want something that remains smooth, but has some unique characteristics in the flavor profile.

This morning, I just brewed up my first batch of medium Guatemalan, medium Costa Rican, and dark Golden Aged Sumatran. This is really doing it for me. While I'm not a fan of regular Sumatran (too earthy), the GAS is edgy and lends a depth to the smooth Guatemalan and Costa Ricans I love so much.

Does anyone else experiment with blending like this, and if so, what have you come across that you like a lot?

10-21-2008, 07:26 AM	#1
muziq Local Artard Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Here and there...no, there... Posts: 212 Trading: (4)	Bean blending--custom blends--advice needed I have a local roaster I frequent on a weekly/bi-weekly basis: Texas Coffee Traders. Always a good selection of medium and dark roast beans from all the usual suspects--South America, Central America, Africa, etc. I tend to brew using a Mukka Express, but also have a Bodum Columbia french press and one of those tacky Gevalia free pots. The Gevalia is just for entertaining, really. I've made my way through all their single origin beans in both medium and dark roast (it's taken me about 1.5 years to try them all at least a couple times), and am starting to experiment with 2- and 3-bean blends. Generally, I have them mix them in equal parts. What I'm finding is that while I liked Central American single bean brews over South American and African, as I start to blend 2 and 3 beans together, I'm wanting more variety--I want something that remains smooth, but has some unique characteristics in the flavor profile. This morning, I just brewed up my first batch of medium Guatemalan, medium Costa Rican, and dark Golden Aged Sumatran. This is really doing it for me. While I'm not a fan of regular Sumatran (too earthy), the GAS is edgy and lends a depth to the smooth Guatemalan and Costa Ricans I love so much. Does anyone else experiment with blending like this, and if so, what have you come across that you like a lot? __________________