# Sweetshop Problems



## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

Does anybody have any experience with sweetshop?

Roasted 14th Feb, started using 16th.

I'm grinding finer than I ever have before and still getting quite a quick shot with a standard dose of 15.8g.

Just tried keeping the grind the same and upping the dose to 17g and same thing, but a bit longer.

The shots taste delicious, I just know I can do better.

I'm hoping its just the beans causing the quick shots and my burrs aren't dead (new grinder that I've only had since November).


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## twistywizard (Sep 3, 2012)

I have not used Sweetshop for a couple months however I do recall when I did that I needed to grind much finer than most if not all other coffees I had put through Mazzer to that date.

I was using a VST basket and would dose 17.8-18G for a double.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I would let it rest another day or two. Usually settles down. My pack of SS roasted on same date as you wont be opened until Friday


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## twistywizard (Sep 3, 2012)

I still found it a very fine grind in comparison compared to others even after 2 weeks from Roast Date!


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## Glenn (Jun 14, 2008)

Let it rest for a couple more days and see if that solves the issue


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## origmarm (Mar 7, 2012)

Agree with twisty that even after a few weeks was still fine. Had the same thing with Jailbreak recently.


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## repeat (Nov 14, 2009)

The ones I had were very lightly roasted (about 1 month ago) and needed very fine grinding compared to darker roasts. I'd keep going finer  and use now!


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

repeat said:


> The ones I had were very lightly roasted (about 1 month ago) and needed very fine grinding compared to darker roasts. I'd keep going finer  and use now!


Yep, it's a light roast, so needs to be quite fine. I don't think that letting them settle will make a significant difference.

I wasn't blown away by the previous blend, or at least the fruit flavour was a bit disappointing for me. The newer blend sounded a bit more interesting (I think it's currently a two bean 50/50 with Yirgacheffe).


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## reneb (Nov 2, 2011)

as an aside, how does sweetshop compare to red brick?


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

reneb said:


> as an aside, how does sweetshop compare to red brick?


This isn't an easy comparison to make, as both blends are on rotation. Your current Sweet Shop blend is different from mine last month.

The roast was similar, and as a result I found both slightly sour as espresso, but this was remedied to some extent by extracting for longer with a finer grind. I was using a Mazzer Mini and Gaggia Classic at the top of its temperature cycle.


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

I need to use now







I *hate* non resealable bags with a passion though, so it's been decanted into a glass jar.

I'm used to light roasts though as usually buy from Has Bean, although this is lighter than them even.

I cant compare it to Red Brick as I have never tried it, but I get huge levels of funk and tropical fruit, with an astringent mouthfeel. It's very nice as a change, but not something you'd want to drink every day for months at a time.

Current blend is 60% Jirmiwachu (Ethiopia) 40% Limu (Ethiopia)


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## rodabod (Dec 4, 2011)

I should add that I also tried the same batch of Sweet Shop from Prufrock a couple of times, and it tastes similar to how I brewed it.

It sounds like the newer blend should have more fruit flavour, but if that's your goal, then I'd recommend Hasbean's Ethiopian Wote Yirgacheffe whcih I reckon will blow it (and anything else) out the water. It's like a mixture of blueberries, stewed/dried fruit, and Turish Delight.


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## repeat (Nov 14, 2009)

i had good luck with the last batch - tasted like lemon sherbet. Was also nice in milk. I agree much lighter than Hasbean.

Not tried the latest Red Brick or sweetshop though.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Ive pulled 3 shots of Sweet Shop - roasted 14/02

All shots dose fixed at 18g & temperature 92.5c

1. 29 seconds to produce 28.5g. Not a great shot. Tarte, tangy, artifical sweetner feel, both over and under extracted, channelling visible

2. 34 seconds to produce 27.5g. Less in your face , hint of bitterness, definately over extracted, better looking pour.

3. 25 seconds to produce 31.9g. Thin mouthfeel . The most palatable. Less sweet , more balanced. Marzipan, funk, blueberry, but piercing acidity. Perfect looking pour.

I think this will need another 3-4 shots to find my feet with it and certainly requires more settling down / resting time!

I think a longer extraction time but shorter yield would work to tone down the acidity and keep the body (say 40 seconds 23g), conversely a shorter extraction time and bigger yield was the most tasty of the 3 shots so far. So ristretto or lungo is looking best so far!


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## skenno (Oct 14, 2012)

I'm struggling a bit with Sweet Shop too. It's my first bag though so I don't know what it's supposed to taste like. I'm definitely getting a fruity citrus flavour but it just tastes a bit 'weak' compared to other beans. I've tried different grinds, weights and timings and I've changed from a gaggia classic to a Rocket Giotto halfway through the bag which has produced a much smoother shot but still the same weak taste.

I had a genius/stupid (delete as applicable) solution to the non resealable bag problem - not with these sweet shop beans, but with some emergency lavazza supermarket beans (I know, I know, I forgot to order my usual beans in time). I just poured them into the old resealable bag from my previous beans. Will that be ok? Or would it affect the flavour? I've not noticed any change yet but it's only been a day.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

I used old has bean bags, give em a quick shake and wipe out first


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## aaronb (Nov 16, 2012)

garydyke1 said:


> Ive pulled 3 shots of Sweet Shop - roasted 14/02
> 
> All shots dose fixed at 18g & temperature 92.5c
> 
> ...


Funnily enough I pulled a longer shot today, 16.0g in didn't measure weight out but the shot took about 35 seconds. I lost a lot of the acidity and mouthfeel I liked about it







Definitely got a better pour though.



skenno said:


> I had a genius/stupid (delete as applicable) solution to the non resealable bag problem - not with these sweet shop beans, but with some emergency lavazza supermarket beans (I know, I know, I forgot to order my usual beans in time). I just poured them into the old resealable bag from my previous beans. Will that be ok? Or would it affect the flavour? I've not noticed any change yet but it's only been a day.


I know quite a few people who do that but something about it puts me off. I decant the beans into glass jars with resealable lids, which isn't great as no one way valve to breathe.

It's one of my own pet peeves I know, but I hoenstly think that resealable bags with the one way valve are the only bags coffee should be sold in.


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