# To Blend or...........



## ronsil

For me blending is an integral part of home roasting.

I like to roast 3 x 250 grams different good SOs. I try them by themselves as espressos & then blend to suit the taste we (family) like best using 2 or all 3 in varying proportions

I blend quite small quantities to start & if I find something that excels in taste I roast those particular beans in suitable quantities.

Sometimes I can find 2/3 beans that have similar roast profiles which lets me try pre-roast blending. Somehow roasting together gives another dimension & can taste very different to post-roast blends of the same beans.


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## soundklinik

Same here, except small batches ~150-200 grams at a time, due to my small manual roasters. Blending is a must for me too, I try to keep a log of blends and roasts...


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## soundklinik

Roasters, do you find Central American beans acidic? I have a bit of a problem with that...I used to think that Central/South American beans were "balanced", now I seem to find they're not...

Africa=acidic

Pacific=Dry

CA/SA=balanced...

As far as acidity goes, how do you rate the beans below?....feel free to add *** next to beans please. Low * Hi acidity *****

THANX

Tanzania AM Mringa Estate

R Brazil Daterra Sweet Yellow

Honduras SHG Brazil Pulped natural

Cost Rica SHB Ojo de Agua

Papua New Guinea Sigru A

El Salvador SHG las Lajas

Dominican Republic

Nicaraguan SHG

Indian monsoon Malabar

Guatemalan Pastoral Antiqua

Sumatra White Aceh


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## iroko

I've never tried blending, I'll give it a go sometime.


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## DavidBondy

I used to blend a lot! I tried to recreate some of Steve's blends by buying the green beans and blending them to the same proportions as he did BUT always roasting them a little darker.

I learned a lot and even compared pre-roast blending as well as post-roast blending.

I've sort of got out of the habit now and tend to roast what I feel like drinking for the next few days. I used to mainly buy Old Brown Java from Carolyn but I bought Claudette's 20kg bulk buy of different green beans and I'm enjoying working my way through them.

To me the stand-out bean (so far) was the Australian one (can't remember the name right now!). It was superb!

This thread has made me think about rediscovering the joy of blending! Thanks OP!

David

Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk 2


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## ronsil

soundklinik said:


> As far as acidity goes, how do you rate the beans below?.


I tend to think of acidity as brightness. I'm thinking about the Beans on your list. I've roasted all of them at some time or other.

Most of those have been available from within Bella Barista's special bulk buys. Over the next day or so I will rearrange the list starting with the brightest.

It will be my opinion of course, based on my roasting & open to comment.


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## soundklinik

ronsil said:


> I tend to think of acidity as brightness. I'm thinking about the Beans on your list. I've roasted all of them at some time or other.
> 
> Most of those have been available from within Bella Barista's special bulk buys. Over the next day or so I will rearrange the list starting with the brightest.
> 
> It will be my opinion of course, based on my roasting & open to comment.


 Thanx I'd appreciate your opinion and am curious to see your rating.

The beans are indeed from Bella Barista's bulk buy. Got the lot from a FM and been roasting them happily.

When I worked in Boston's Coffee Connection 27 years ago, we called African beans "acidic", Pacific beans "full body/dry" And South American "balanced"=medium acidity/body. This was basically "continent wise" general idea to point out dominant type of beans available...* 27+ years ago*! (You know what most americans were drinking in those days...lol)

Now, definitions, logistics and tastes evolved, I see beans called "fruity", "spicy", "woody" and other exotic names with flavor left to my imagination...

cheers


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