# Coffee Compass



## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

I had an interesting chat with Richard the roaster from Coffee Compass this afternoon as I wanted to see if they had anything new in that took my fancy, but wasn't on the website yet. He's a really nice bloke and really cares about the coffee he buys and roasts. One of the things he did say to me was if I ever buy anything from them and am not keen on the roast level then ring him him up and he would be happy to try a different roast of it for you.

As a result of our chat I've got 2 250g bags of his new Caravanserai blend which is a blend of their Java Lintong and the Ethiopia Dumerso natural one 250g bag will be a medium roast and the other a darker roast version of it, he was saying it's currently his favourite coffee to drink, 1kg of the Ethiopia Cherry Red Natural roasted to the same darker profile I had last time, some Bolivian Cascara to try and a surprise sample of something else.

It's really well worth giving him a call to discuss what you are after as he is quite prepared to do you a different roast profile of a coffee from the standard way they offer it.


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Yeah Richard was very kind and patient with me when we spoke a couple of times recently. Super chap.

Can't wait to hear your feedback on the coffees you got and I'm intreagued to know all about the surprise bean too


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## Spazbarista (Dec 6, 2011)

I've got some Brighton Lanes, and something else (can't remember...its in the freezer) and a sample of Yirg/Java.

Smells divine.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Just broke into the cherry red and it's a great coffee


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

CamV6 said:


> Yeah Richard was very kind and patient with me when we spoke a couple of times recently. Super chap.
> 
> Can't wait to hear your feedback on the coffees you got and I'm intreagued to know all about the surprise bean too


I don't think it's a surprise bean in the sense that some of the DSOL lots have been unknown at 1st, but rather a surprise for me, as in something I hadn't asked about but he thought i may like.


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## spune (Oct 3, 2011)

I can't sing these guys' praises enough. They never cease to delivery quality service and produce.

Glad to hear they're continuing to excel.


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

I've really enjoyed the beans we have ordered as well.

A top Forum Sponsor and worthy of supporting


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

working dog said:


> Just broke into the cherry red and it's a great coffee


Andrew I have been considering these. Can you please try and describe it as an espresso brew? What's the acidity like, high or low?


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

will give it a go with my next drink

first thoughts are that there is lot of fruit in there - more reminiscent of a lighter roast. the extraction has that foamy type consistency that you get with their jampit

as for flavours and acidity I'll let you know in an hour or so


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Richard is ace.

Just arrived, my pack of Brighton Lanes, a pack of Guatemalan Decaff so I can practise in the evening, and a sample of the Mahogany roast Carvanserai blend. Now the waiting game.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

OK. Just trying as an espresso rather than long black

Acidity is there as a touch of sharpness. The coffee tastes like black forest gateaux and you get that type of aroma as you open the bag.

Its black cherries and more black cherries - almost a concentrated version of the black cherry flavour. Very intense fruit - theres a bit of dark fruit in there but cherries dominate the flavour to my palette.

Theres not a deal of sweetness in there. Youre left with bitterness on the tip of your tongue

Not getting any nuttyness or chocolate flavours from the coffee but thats not what this coffee is about. Edit : that blows my BFG analogy !

In milk its cherry ice cream

Photo to follow


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)




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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Mmmmmmm, looks and sounds yum (that well known coffee geek term).


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

CamV6 said:


> Andrew I have been considering these. Can you please try and describe it as an espresso brew? What's the acidity like, high or low?


The darker roast version I had recently had no absolutely no stab of acidity in the way some more citrusy coffees have, I also got what tasted to me like a boozy summer fruit tarte tatin, with plenty of caramelised fruit and a hint of very rich very dark chocolate, I made a post somewhere, it may have been the what's in your cup thread a few weeks ago describing what I got from the 1st lot of it I had. I do know one thing , it was one of those coffees that I was pissed off about running out of and it got better with age as well.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

sounds nice Charlie

Will give that darker version a try


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks guys. Sounds like this will suit me better as darker roast


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Phil104 said:


> Richard is ace.
> 
> Just arrived, my pack of Brighton Lanes, a pack of Guatemalan Decaff so I can practise in the evening, and a sample of the Mahogany roast Carvanserai blend. Now the waiting game.


Ooh would be very interested to see what you say about the decaf


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

CamV6 said:


> Ooh would be very interested to see what you say about the decaf


 Will do - in about ten days or so when it has rested - although I don't have a sophisticated language for describing taste. I'm in awe of such descriptions as: 'I also got what tasted to me like a boozy summer fruit tarte tatin, with plenty of caramelised fruit and a hint of very rich very dark chocolate.'


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Andrew and Cam you'll have to rung Richard and ask him for the darker roast of the Cherry Red, the last lot I had was dark without being shiny and oily, which I would guess gave me so much of the caramelised elements to the fruit. I could quite happily settle on the Cherry Red as my coffee of choice, if I could reign in my urges to keep trying something different. If I ever stopped being a DSOL member I could certainly see myself buying it as a staple.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Phil104 said:


> Will do - in about ten days or so when it has rested - although I don't have a sophisticated language for describing taste. I'm in awe of such descriptions as: 'I also got what tasted to me like a boozy summer fruit tarte tatin, with plenty of caramelised fruit and a hint of very rich very dark chocolate.'


It's nothing complicated in that, all you need to do is just say what it is you are tasting, don't overthink it and don't be afraid anyone will criticise or laugh at you for saying it. It was garydyke1 who gave me this advice sometime ago and it was bang on the nail. It doesn't matter what the tasting notes or other people say it what it tastes like to you.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Charliej said:


> Andrew and Cam you'll have to rung Richard and ask him for the darker roast of the Cherry Red, the last lot I had was dark without being shiny and oily, which I would guess gave me so much of the caramelised elements to the fruit. I could quite happily settle on the Cherry Red as my coffee of choice, if I could reign in my urges to keep trying something different. If I ever stopped being a DSOL member I could certainly see myself buying it as a staple.


I could happily drink their jampit everyday - will ask for it roasted darker at some point. Too many coffees to try which isnt such a bad thing


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Charliej said:


> It's nothing complicated in that, all you need to do is just say what it is you are tasting, don't overthink it and don't be afraid anyone will criticise or laugh at you for saying it. It was garydyke1 who gave me this advice sometime ago and it was bang on the nail. It doesn't matter what the tasting notes or other people say it what it tastes like to you.


 Thank you Charlie - this is very helpful because it's true that I tend to try and taste what the tasting notes say or how I think it should be described.


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

To add to all the positive comments about Richard and Coffee Compass. Having recently entered a whole new world of roasting at home, I rang Richard to ask for 2kilos of greens (Guatamalan Marogogype) and ended up also getting 2 Kilos of Columbian Santa Innes Antioquia after a discussion about what i like taste wise etc. Having roasted and rested opened up today and very nice, exactly as described. He could not have been more helpful ( I would also fly a flag for BB at this point too, as both re define what service truly is) and also threw in a mystery sample to try (Tanzanian....?) as well as small bag of green java jampit.

All in all a positive experience and to echo comments above, happy to support. ( as a side note I rang late in the afternoon and they still managed to bag up box up and I received the following morning!)


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

Charliej said:


> It's nothing complicated in that, all you need to do is just say what it is you are tasting, don't overthink it and don't be afraid anyone will criticise or laugh at you for saying it. It was garydyke1 who gave me this advice sometime ago and it was bang on the nail. It doesn't matter what the tasting notes or other people say it what it tastes like to you.


I couldn't agree more. Even if you can't pick out the individual flavours just say what you taste no matter how 'clunkey' it may feel to you it will still mean something. Like you I get taste/tongue tied when I try so you aren't alone.

Charlie, thanks for the heads up on the roast


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## Sean (Jun 20, 2014)

I've just ordered some Jampit, I'll look forward to it.


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

Whilst I really liked their Jampit, I didn't like it as much as some I bought from dfk earlier this year (it may have been from Rave).

However, the coffee that I liked best from Coffee Compass was French Breakfast Blend. I could drink that forever!!


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## CamV6 (Feb 7, 2012)

DavidBondy said:


> Whilst I really liked their Jampit, I didn't like it as much as some I bought from dfk earlier this year (it may have been from Rave).
> 
> However, the coffee that I liked best from Coffee Compass was French Breakfast Blend. I could drink that forever!!


How would you describe it as a straight espresso and what was your receipie please David ?


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

Dark, very strong and smoky! 16g in for 28g out in 27sec did it for me. Also nice as a lungo and even in the Aeropress!!


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## Sean (Jun 20, 2014)

Would it be any good as a medium roast?


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

Sean said:


> Would it be any good as a medium roast?


I really wouldn't know! It is one of Richard's very dark roasts. The best thing would be to phone and ask him!


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Well, I have started on the Brighton Lanes. I was sent a sample of Caravanserai, which I found a bit too overpowering (but will give it another try). The Brighton Lanes is wonderful: smooth, sweet, balanced. It explodes at the front of my mouth and then spreads backwards and upwards. I'm not great on describing tastes and the closest I can get is like it's a thick, dark chocolate, and a pleasant, lingering after taste. More. I have yet to try the decaf - will over the next couple of days.

Actually, I do have a question. From 17 gms at around 25 seconds to produce 27.2 gms (and a little bit over - up to about 28.odd) I get greater volume (I will start measuring it when I get the time) than anything else I've put through the Mignon and out of the Classic. Does that make sense and why does it happen?


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## centaursailing (Feb 27, 2012)

I posted this wrongly in the La Columbe Roasters thread but my request for a moderator to relocate it hasn't yet been actioned, so as I'm about to report on one of the beans, here's what I said:

"Received my first order from Coffee Compass and my first impressions are very good. First, I was able to talk with a real person to get advice/discuss my needs. He was very helpful and will be happy to tailor future roasts to my wishes. My first order was for 2 x 500g bags of Guatemala El Triangulo (Mahogany Roast) Mountain Water Decaffeinated beans and Richard included a free sample bag of Columbian Swiss Water Process (medium roast) decaffeinated beans. Not only is the roast date clearly shown on the label but it's personalised with my name!"


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## DavidBondy (Aug 17, 2010)

Got to agree! I love CC's beans and just got a kilo of French Breakfast Blend beans.

These are the only roaster I buy ready-roasted beans from and Richard is a total pleasure to deal with!


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## centaursailing (Feb 27, 2012)

The Columbian Swiss Water Decaffeined (medium roast) sample bag that Richard sent me to try is now finished ... and following an initial gusher the grinder was adjusted bit by bit down to the 3 setting when 19g in delivered 30g out in 27 seconds and it was delicious!


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## gcogger (May 18, 2013)

Has anyone else tried the new Mahogany Roast Caravanserai? I don't think it's on the website yet, but I had some as a free sample a few weeks back, and I ordered a full bag last week (I needed to phone to place the order, but he was very helpful). I think it just might be my favourite coffee so far from any roaster









It's dark - similar to the Jampit Hit and Malabar Hit - and made from 50% Sumatra Mandehling (nice as a dark roast on its own) and 50% Ethiopia Dumerso Natural. It retains the deep flavours and much (not quite all) of the body of the other Mahogany Roast blends but adds a touch of dark, wild, fruitiness (presumably from the natural Ethiopian bean).

(Bear in mind that I only use a CCD to make brewed coffee - no espresso - so YMMV).


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

gcogger said:


> Has anyone else tried the new Mahogany Roast Caravanserai? I don't think it's on the website yet, but I had some as a free sample a few weeks back, and I ordered a full bag last week (I needed to phone to place the order, but he was very helpful). I think it just might be my favourite coffee so far from any roaster
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I had a bag each of the medium and mahogany roast Caravanserai and in what will be a surprise for many the mahogany roast was verging on a little too dark for me, my best shots from it came from dropping temp to 91 and running the whole shot at 7.5 bar in a deliberate attempt to extract a little less from it, I preferred the medium roast version by far, it still had all the huge rich bold Sumatran flavours coupled with the fruit from the Ethiopian beans whichever you prefer it's still yet another great blend from what have become my favourite roasters.


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2014)

The man who owns this place is very helpful. Replied to my email over the weekend very early on Sunday morning; and his passion and enthusiasm for the job was there for me to see. Well done I say.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Noah&theBean said:


> The man who owns this place is very helpful. Replied to my email over the weekend very early on Sunday morning; and his passion and enthusiasm for the job was there for me to see. Well done I say.


Noah, you really really need to stop buying yet more coffee and get on with drinking the stuff you already have whether frozen or not and put the money you don't spend towards a real grinder rather than keep on using your Fisher Price one to regrind 2 or 3 times.


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## Phil104 (Apr 15, 2014)

Just returned to the Guatemalan Decaf, having frozen some. Blimey - as an espresso a wonderfully well balanced, sweet, dark chocolate hit that has lingered with great pleasure. I really didn't think that decaf could be this good nor that the beans would freeze so well.














:good:


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