# HasBean - win me over to light beans



## Phillikescoffee (Mar 16, 2015)

I'm still very new to this "making good espresso" malarkey and so far I've been pretty much assuming that dark beans are the ones for me. This is based on a number of things:

1) From trying very stylish espresso around London I *have *enjoyed some lighter, fruitier roasts but more so in flat whites than as espressos

2) From my research (and some excellent advice from Obnic) it seems that on my starter level equipment with my starter level of skill, dark roasts are more likely to give consistent results

3) I've generally enjoyed the coffee I've made so far (while it hasn't knocked my socks off - I'm sure for many reasons other than beans).

Anyway, as a scientist, I love a good evidence based conclusion so I want to order a couple of bags of beans from a lighter roaster (probably HasBean) than Rave or CC.

I would like something that has good detailed fruits, especially berries, but does not overpower you with the sourness. I've also wondered about natural processed (most of the beans I've liked the look of from HasBean have been...) because on the darker natural processed CC beans I've tried this has tended to give a weird "umami" aftertaste that I'm not sure I like in my coffee.

Thanks for your help.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

@garydyke i think for current Has Bean top trumps .....

-sourness tends to be a function of the extraction and the barista ,

-Has Bean tend to predominantly roast more to medium of the stuff ive have had though IMM.

- Foundry Rocko Mountain may be up your street

- Union - Brazilian here, has been stocking espresso , gets a bit lost in milk

http://www.unionroasted.com/coffees/espresso-coffee/fazenda-ambiental-forteleza-microlot-550.html

here is another yirg that i enjoyed

http://www.rountoncoffee.co.uk/store/coffee/ethiopia-rocko-mountain-250g/


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## jeebsy (May 5, 2013)

Sourness is a defect with the way you make the coffee. If you want something a bit different try a yirgacheffe.


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

With naturally processed beans - you will get powerful flavour profiles which isn't to everyone's tastes. Bad natural processed beans can taste fermented. That said, the offerings from the roasters you mention, will provide big bold fruit forward notes.


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## Phillikescoffee (Mar 16, 2015)

I'm currently drinking a coffee compass natural yirgacheffe, maybe it's the bean I'm unsure of rather than the processing. I might try the foundry rocko mountain.

The number of beans available is very exciting but a bit daunting to a newby! You guys are amazing help as usual.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Phillikescoffee said:


> I'm currently drinking a coffee compass natural yirgacheffe, maybe it's the bean I'm unsure of rather than the processing. I might try the foundry rocko mountain.
> 
> The number of beans available is very exciting but a bit daunting to a newby! You guys are amazing help as usual.


The Foundry Rocko Mountain is sublime - there is a thread on it somewhere - as is their Finca las Meninas from El Salvador. Brand new from them, too, is a Tanzanian, which sounds like it will have the wow factor, too..


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## Phillikescoffee (Mar 16, 2015)

Foundry Rocko Mountain would also be a good point of Yirgacheffe comparison. Think that might be the one. I'm quite happy to find things that I may not like, learn as much from what you don't like as what you do.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Try the fresh crop Nics


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Hasbean do an espresso starter kit where you get 5 different ones and they have quite a variety I didn't love them all but enjoyed trying them . http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/starter-packs/products/espresso-starter-pack


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I'd probably class Hasbean as medium - light.

I didn't like my first 3 tries of Hasbean. I was a dark roast fan for a long time and always found them too citrus or floral.

My shots for espresso were generally in the 1.6 ratio 25-30 secs with darker beans.

It was only when I started grinding finer, extracting more and for longer that I started getting on better with Hasbeans beans.

So as a general starting point 18=>35g in 35 secs. Previously I think I'd been under-extracting them.


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

Good post Urbs. I had a similar experience with Square Mile and DCSA. It pushed me darker and for that reason I still haven't got round to trying HB. I might give the starter pack a go.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Trying the lighter fruitier beans as brewed is a good entry to lighter roasts IMO.

I remember the trying a Yirg for the first time brewed and it completely changed how I looked at coffee.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Forget the starter packs & trust me : )

Get these :

1. http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america-brazil/products/brazil-fazenda-cachoeira-da-grama-yellow-bourbon-pulped-natural

2. http://www.hasbean.co.uk/products/nicaragua-limoncillo-pn-caturra

3. http://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america/products/brazil-fazenda-passeio-pulped-natural-rubi

All super easy to extract. If you struggle with these , seek some training


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## Mr O (Jan 14, 2015)

I had the same issues, I didn't have any evidence to base my thoughts on, but I thought I liked darker roasted beans. I was open enough to sample some lighter roasts though. I only really enjoyed them as brewed though. After the chap above put me right I now like light/ medium - medium - medium/ dark.


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## Phillikescoffee (Mar 16, 2015)

After having struggled with my CC natural yirgacheffe I decided to buy some HasBean beans next in the end, and will buy those foundry yirgacheffe next. As I got towards the end of the CC yirgacheffe I started to get some amazing flat whites - the strawberry flavours really started coming out especially in the milk. I'm not sure if it was due to improvement in my technique or the beans getting better around the 17 day mark (dunno if that's quite late for beans to improve).

Going to try the Brazilian natural pulped yellow bourbon first - HasBean bill it very highly so no pressure.

Thanks again for all the suggestions - I'd be completely lost without this place.

Phil.


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