# Those Casa Espresso beans



## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Did anyone buy those beans on special offer at £6 per 250 gms last week. I did and have to be honest and say I find them distinctly average. They were roasted on Sept 29th so considering they are for filter, should be fine now. I am struggling to get anything distinctive from them. I still have a kilo to go as well! I tipped half a bag into my hopper and mixed it in wit Mahogany Tusker, so we will see if thats any better for espresso!

I cannot say the beans are duff, cos it might just be me, but at what bought to be £12 per 250 gms, I was hoping for something special


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

@Jez H @Rhys both did


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## Eyedee (Sep 13, 2010)

At the original price of 48 pounds per kilo I would have expected them to knock me out.

Ian


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

Not tried mine yet! But slightly worried now!


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Not tried mine either, although they smell lovely. Will try them in a pour over tonight.


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

Rhys said:


> Not tried mine either, although they smell lovely. Will try them in a pour over tonight.


Fingers ccrossed.....


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

If you want you coffee to taste of coffee ( chocolate nuts instant whatever ) then this coffee is never gonna wow you based on its descriptors.

Mixing it with another bean of a wildly different development will make it very difficult to dial in for Espresso - you are putting a filter roast bean in with a darker roasted espresso bean . What grind will that work at ?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Eyedee said:


> At the original price of 48 pounds per kilo I would have expected them to knock me out.
> 
> Ian


If you don't want a coffee to taste of yellow fruit , it's not gonna wow you at £2 or £50 a kilo .


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

I regularly blend beans at different roast levels without any 'dial-in' problems. You've got no chance if you are just stirring them up a bit in the hopper

The essential is to spend a lot of time mixing the beans to ensure an even mix. If I'm dealing with a large quantity I put them in the Kenwood using a bat at very slow speed.

BTW 'Boots' there's a whole lot of difference between Chocolate, Nuts etc taste & Instant as I'm sure you know:act-up:


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

@ronsil - with a light roasted , filter coffee


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## ronsil (Mar 8, 2012)

No - not at extremes. A mahogany roast will blend well with a much lighter Brazilian or Colombian


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

ronsil said:


> No - not at extremes. A mahogany roast will blend well with a much lighter Brazilian or Colombian


This bean and a mahogany roast will be at extremes of development


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Just to give a different opinion . I have this bean kindly sent by Dfk.

I've only cupped it so far and one v60 - which I had to dilute a little as strength was a bit much for me ( user error here )

Yep juicy - yellow fruit and a zing to it . For me a few of the Nicaraguans I've had from more than one roaster lack a little sweetness and a little too much zing.

If I had a small criticism it would be his . But this is more to do with my preferences Than quality of bean and as a result I don't order Nicaraguans as a first go to choice .

Try it and see people . I'll go back to it this week and try a chemex and report back to .


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Can I just make it clear, I am not knocking these beans. I accept that they are unlikely to wow me because I like stronger tastes, which is why I asked others. The idea of putting the beans in with my existing, was just to make them more enjoyable. I do have one brew every day done on the Brazen and I am varying the recipe

When you buy an expensive bean, you may like it, you may not. Does not make them good or bad!


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

I think part of that comes down to your expectations because it is priced (or normally priced in this case) at a higher price point to the beans you may usually purchase, it's only natural that some of us would expect something really good, to wow us.

But, it's often other factors that dictate the price, rather than tasting notes that will blow you away.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

Well, just made my mid morning brew using these. 93 degrees 27 gas. Again, I am struggling to pick up the delicateness of the flavour. if I said clear meaning unmuddied, and sharp to suggest a definite taste, trouble is I just do not know what!


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

dfk41 said:


> Well, just made my mid morning brew using these. 93 degrees 27 gas. Again, I am struggling to pick up the delicateness of the flavour. if I said clear meaning unmuddied, and sharp to suggest a definite taste, trouble is I just do not know what!


Yep that's on the range . Clear clean - fruit acidity . Wouldn't disagree with you there at all


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Sometimes the most expensive coffees are the cleanest , sometimes this can come across as ''nothing special here'' until you cup them side-by-side other similar coffees from the same origin and then its plainly obvious how superior they are.

Coffee prices are not determined by wow factor or unique flavours, actually these can lower a cupping score significantly.

* I haven't tasted this coffee , am commenting on coffee prices in general


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

For me, these beans are just a little underwhelming. Pleasant enough, but from the tasting notes I was hoping for a little more. However, the last beans I had from them were superb:

http://www.casaespresso.co.uk/product/rwanda-karengera/


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Jez H said:


> For me, these beans are just a little underwhelming. Pleasant enough, but from the tasting notes I was hoping for a little more. However, the last beans I had from them were superb:
> 
> http://www.casaespresso.co.uk/product/rwanda-karengera/


How many brews have you had with them


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

Mrboots2u said:


> How many brews have you had with them


just the 2 so far. Yesterday & today. With a roast date of 29/9 I don't know whether to expect more in the coming days?


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Jez H said:


> just the 2 so far. Yesterday & today. With a roast date of 29/9 I don't know whether to expect more in the coming days?


Depends what your expecting ...

I found them a Juicy and clean brew.

That just might not be to your preference . I know you have had a chemex for example and they tend to be the " cleaner " tasting pour over method . Do you brew any other way ( v60 - immersion ) to see if this brings out more of what you want .

I'll make another brew this afternoon too


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## Rhys (Dec 21, 2014)

Mrboots2u said:


> Depends what your expecting ...
> 
> I found them a Juicy and clean brew.
> 
> ...


I found this using the Chemex papers kindly sent to me. I'm going to use normal papers tonight to see what that's like.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

I'll give these a try later today with the V60 and report back


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

Mrboots2u said:


> Depends what your expecting ...
> 
> I found them a Juicy and clean brew.
> 
> ...


i must confess to brewing the same way every time! I don't know whether this is down to laziness or finding the recipe/routine that seems to work with most beans. Probably a bit of both! I suppose it's unrealistic to expect the "wow factor" with every bean.


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Just had a V60 with these beans.

Its a delicate bean - gentle acidity coming through with loads of juicyness (is that a real word ?)

Its not a full on coffee and the thin mouthfeel / clean charachter mean that it will probably not appeal to the creamy / chocolate / roasty coffee drinkers taste

Its almost tea-like

A nice change to some of the bolder coffees and well suited to a long afternoon brew. Id imagine that it works better black than with milk (havent tried it in milk)


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## coffeechap (Apr 5, 2012)

@working dog have sent you a pm mate


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

dfk41 said:


> Well, just made my mid morning brew using these. 93 degrees 27 gas. Again, I am struggling to pick up the delicateness of the flavour. if I said clear meaning unmuddied, and sharp to suggest a definite taste, trouble is I just do not know what!


Have you tried playing around with the ratio? You could go up to 70g / litre on a Brazen - I know others are generally using lower - to see if that gets you to a slightly stronger cup that you enjoy.


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## Casa_Espresso (Dec 2, 2011)

Many thanks to everyone for all the comments. This coffee confirms the fact that all coffees are different and come in different shapes, styles & flavours. It would be boring if all coffees tasted the same, no? The Nicaragua is definitely a subtle fruity and soft acidity and a very easy drinking coffee. It might divide opinions, as we have some customers who gave it 5 out of 5, while others prefer something different. That's why we try to have a variety of different coffees on our website, with more coming soon. We welcome all feedback and your brew recipes too


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

jlarkin said:


> Have you tried playing around with the ratio? You could go up to 70g / litre on a Brazen - I know others are generally using lower - to see if that gets you to a slightly stronger cup that you enjoy.


Not had time today but tomorrow, I will use the 70mg per litre recipe. I had thought about that initially, but I think that this has been described as delicate and would not expect to improve with a higher dos. I think it is meant to be delicate!


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

dfk41 said:


> Not had time today but tomorrow, I will use the 70mg per litre recipe. I had thought about that initially, but I think that this has been described as delicate and would not expect to improve with a higher dos. I think it is meant to be delicate!


If you're working in mg that's definitely where you're going wrong ;-).

Yeah it'll be different probably more muted but could be good... May be worth a shot anyway or somewhere in between that and what you've been using if a lot less...


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

jlarkin said:


> If you're working in mg that's definitely where you're going wrong ;-).
> 
> Yeah it'll be different probably more muted but could be good... May be worth a shot anyway or somewhere in between that and what you've been using if a lot less...


I just went with 52 gms per litre or 26 per 500 mls. I will try it stronger and see what happens!


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## jlarkin (Apr 26, 2015)

Cool. Yeah maybe up it without going full 70 to start and see if it's better for you


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

So, I'm warming to these beans. As has previously been said, they are quite tea like. Delicate & not bursting with flavour. Subtle & easy drinking, but not one I would re-order. However, for the price, they are definitely worth a punt!


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## 4515 (Jan 30, 2013)

Just put these thought the L1 and its a different bean !

Its still clean but has a creamy gloopy mouthfeel and more sweetness

Very nice !


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

Anybody tried these yet?

http://www.casaespresso.co.uk/product/ethiopia-duromina/

just ordered a bag & they sound superb!


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## AMCD300 (Feb 11, 2016)

No, but I have just ordered a half-kilo of these alongside my usual Charlestown Espresso Blend:

http://www.casaespresso.co.uk/product/india-gems-araku/

Looking forward to trying them...


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

Some fantastic looking new beans on the Casa Espresso website! Just ordered some from The Congo, which sound amazing. £5.50 with discount & collection!


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## Jez H (Apr 4, 2015)

http://www.casaespresso.co.uk/product/ethiopia-kayon-mountain/

Can't get enough of these at the minute. A beautiful natural. Delicate, sweet blueberry! Top notch.


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## Casa_Espresso (Dec 2, 2011)

Jez H said:


> http://www.casaespresso.co.uk/product/ethiopia-kayon-mountain/
> 
> Can't get enough of these at the minute. A beautiful natural. Delicate, sweet blueberry! Top notch.


Thank you Jez


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