# Oily beans?



## Dr Forinor (Jul 30, 2018)

As I'm at the beginning stages of my learning, I've been reading about oily beans. My understanding is that oily beans means they have been over roasted, is this correct?

How would you describe the appearance of these beans?

Sorry if this is a stupid question, just trying to understand better.



http://imgur.com/McuH1df


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## The Systemic Kid (Nov 23, 2012)

Oil is a characteristic of darker roasts. It's the fat from the bean - on coming into contact with air, it oxidises. It's isn't a fault but a characteristic. If you like darker roasts, don't be put off.


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

I think there are a few clues there for you. £7.69 per Kg is quite cheap. The supermarket probably paid £4 per kg, so the roaster had to try and find coffee at £2.80 per Kg or less, so it's really not going to be good coffee and probably cut with a significant portion of Robusta. The darker roast style encourages rancidity within a short period of time and after a few months those beans certainly won't be fantastic, especially on a warm supermarket shelf, in a clear bag and under lights. The description of floral and citrus tones does not normally match with coffee nuked to within an inch of it's life. The most dominant flavour note is going to be that produced by the roast level and roaster.

Unfortunately there are no laws being broken, not even false advertising.....just the unsuspecting and those with a lack of the right kind of knowledge being well and truly duped. If someone gave me a bag of those, I would smile politely and once they had left, throw them into the bin.

P.S. I should mention that those have probably been roasted in something resembling a Bessemer converter and reached that level of darkness in 6 or 7 minutes..they would then have been water quenched (probably so they didn't burst in to flames







). Time is money and when the beans are so cheap....who cares. very (overly) fast roasting will also push much more oil to the surface.


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## Dr Forinor (Jul 30, 2018)

Hehehe, you certainly have a way with words Dave.

Thanks for the info guys


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Dr Forinor said:


> Hehehe, you certainly have a way with words Dave.
> 
> Thanks for the info guys


I should have just made this


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

^^^^ lolololololol


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

MildredM said:


> ^^^^ lolololololol


+1

Nailed it @DavecUK


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

On the package I (mis)read it's "an awful mix of coffees from all over the world"


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## Dr Forinor (Jul 30, 2018)

Hasi said:


> On the package I (mis)read it's "an awful mix of coffees from all over the world"


Hehehe. I suppose I always just regarded Costco as selling good stuff....


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Dr Forinor said:


> Hehehe. I suppose I always just regarded Costco as selling good stuff....


Gotta ensure you get it next hi end machine or grinder from good old Costco


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## Dr Forinor (Jul 30, 2018)

DavecUK said:


> Gotta ensure you get it next hi end machine or grinder from good old Costco


Ah yeh that makes sense, this is their normal stock.

Just as a side, it's amazing what the general public (me included - still learning) regards as good coffee?


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

Dr Forinor said:


> Ah yeh that makes sense, this is their normal stock.
> 
> Just as a side, it's amazing what the general public (me included - still learning) regards as good coffee?


I think that is something we (here on the forum) forget, it is good to be reminded!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Hasi said:


> On the package I (mis)read it's "an awful mix of coffees from all over the world"


Connotations of "Mystery meat", or even Spam (something posing as meat)...who knows what those beans really are.



MildredM said:


> I think that is something we (here on the forum) forget, it is good to be reminded!


I think we all take it a bit for granted, because after any time on the forum, we should all be drinking mostly good coffee via recommendation.....but for the uninitiated, it's a minefield out there.


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## Dr Forinor (Jul 30, 2018)

MildredM said:


> I think that is something we (here on the forum) forget, it is good to be reminded!





DavecUK said:


> I think we all take it a bit for granted, because after any time on the forum, we should all be drinking mostly good coffee via recommendation.....but for the uninitiated, it's a minefield out there.


I still haven't tried "good" coffee yet. I've had pre-ground coffee, which was MILES better than instant then I got cheap (relatively) beans and they are obviously still better than instant.

I'm scared of trying the good stuff 'cos then it'll get real expensive! I'm still enjoying the mediocre/crap stuff, for now at least.


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

Dr Forinor said:


> I still haven't tried "good" coffee yet. I've had pre-ground coffee, which was MILES better than instant then I got cheap (relatively) beans and they are obviously still better than instant.
> 
> I'm scared of trying the good stuff 'cos then it'll get real expensive! I'm still enjoying the mediocre/crap stuff, for now at least.


Go expensive!!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

Dr Forinor said:


> I'm scared of trying the good stuff 'cos then it'll get real expensive! I'm still enjoying the mediocre/crap stuff, for now at least.


Really good coffee does not need to be expensive....I can take relatively cheap coffee, roast it well and it will be infinitely better than anything you get in a supermarket and you don't really have to pay very much more than supermarket prices. Any good roaster should be capable of doing this. Just get fairly ordinary coffee (e.g. a screen 17 Braziilan) from a smallish roaster (with a bit of experience), which puts a roast date on the bag, consume it before 4-6 weeks post roast and you should be able to enjoy some great coffee for not much money. Sure if you want Gesha or some fancy variety, you can pay loads, but it's always the law of diminishing returns and you only have to beat the taste of supermarket beans...not hard to do.

I'm drinking a Peruvian at the moment, it's nearly 3 months old sadly, but it still has that creamy body and finish, a big bold coffee flavour without being bitter. I would never get that from a supermarket bean even roasted a few weeks ago. You might pay a little more than supermarket rates for it...but it's so worth it.


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## Dr Forinor (Jul 30, 2018)

DavecUK said:


> Really good coffee does not need to be expensive....I can take relatively cheap coffee, roast it well and it will be infinitely better than anything you get in a supermarket and you don't really have to pay very much more than supermarket prices. Any good roaster should be capable of doing this. Just get fairly ordinary coffee (e.g. a screen 17 Braziilan) from a smallish roaster (with a bit of experience), which puts a roast date on the bag, consume it before 4-6 weeks post roast and you should be able to enjoy some great coffee for not much money. Sure if you want Gesha or some fancy variety, you can pay loads, but it's always the law of diminishing returns and you only have to beat the taste of supermarket beans...not hard to do.
> 
> I'm drinking a Peruvian at the moment, it's nearly 3 months old sadly, but it still has that creamy body and finish, a big bold coffee flavour without being bitter. I would never get that from a supermarket bean even roasted a few weeks ago. You might pay a little more than supermarket rates for it...but it's so worth it.


There is a local roaster that seems popular among enthusiasts, (Aberdeen is a small place, I don't think there are many roasters here). That is definitely on the list to go to but I want to finish all of what I have, I don't like wasting.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

There is a skill in roasting the same bean to different degrees but keeping the taste. Coffee Compass manage it quite well Dave but I do not know if you have tried that. Of course, they are roasting for customers not themselves. Good video btw! it


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

dfk41 said:


> There is a skill in roasting the same bean to different degrees but keeping the taste. Coffee Compass manage it quite well Dave but I do not know if you have tried that. Of course, they are roasting for customers not themselves. Good video btw! it


Coffee Compass' beans cost hardly much more than supermarket stuff and would be a great place to look for someone getting into 'better' coffee, I would think.


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## 4085 (Nov 23, 2012)

I like the way they offer quite a few means as a medium or a mahogany roast level. A lot of roasters simply roast a bean lightly, thinking that is what the market wants. When DSOL was going, so many reputable roasters totally failed to produce anything other than a burnt offering when going to the dark side......does not have to be burnt and ashy, if it was, I would not drink it! Likewise, if someone wants to take Java Jampit and roast it lighter than CC do, I will willing try it


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## Teaboy (Jul 24, 2018)

In Waitrose they stock an ever increasing array of beans at say £5 plus a bag so

that is not cheap, now don't go saying Waitrose is expensive because it isn't they price match and are competitive I just think people often get drawn to the luxuries.

Any thoughts on the beans they stock please?


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## Jony (Sep 8, 2017)

Teaboy said:


> In Waitrose they stock an ever increasing array of beans at say £5 plus a bag so
> 
> that is not cheap, now don't go saying Waitrose is expensive because it isn't they price match and are competitive I just think people often get drawn to the luxuries.
> 
> Any thoughts on the beans they stock please?


Union Beans


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## ajohn (Sep 23, 2017)

Teaboy said:


> In Waitrose they stock an ever increasing array of beans at say £5 plus a bag so
> 
> that is not cheap, now don't go saying Waitrose is expensive because it isn't they price match and are competitive I just think people often get drawn to the luxuries.
> 
> Any thoughts on the beans they stock please?


It's never possible to guess how good / bad those sorts of beans will be without trying them. Often bad may be the best way of putting it. Some I have tried usually bought to condition a grinder really.

Asda - there own. Worst I have ever tasted

Tesco - their cheaper one. Ok but weak via my brother and his aeropress. Hopeless in an espresso machine. Slightly oily.

Lidl - espresso beans, only some stores stock them. drinkable

Lidl Wooden Barrel Beans - best to buy and try. Some aren't too bad. We drank 2 of the 4 types they offered.

Starbucks - something or the other in a silver package. Rather strong.. 16g in a 12oz long black was pretty potent - head buzz. Marked as medium roast but very dark. Probably same cost as many fresh plus postage when collected from one of their stores.

My son bought a coffee advent calender. Something a German company produce. Lots of different 40g packs of beans. They did give a decent indication of what fresh roasted versions would taste like - or have when I manage to find a fresh roasted version. For instance a Cuban one. Both these and the fresh roasted version were boring for my tastes in coffee.

Fresh roasted tend to work out at 5 to £6 for 250g or 227 from sellers that have stuck to 4oz. Some reduce the price per 250 if say 500 or 1kg is bought. Then postage has to be added to that. There are of course some beans that can cost rather a lot more than that. How long they keep depends on the bean - and the weather as I found out recently - just needed some brewing changes that I wouldn't usually have to make though. I'd say at least 1 month is usually possible often longer.

John

-


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## MildredM (Feb 13, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> I think we all take it a bit for granted, because after any time on the forum, we should all be drinking mostly good coffee via recommendation.....but for the uninitiated, it's a minefield out there.


 I've been brought back down to earth twice in as many days now. A neighbour posted on our village FB Page how his life is complete now that there's a Costa machine in the co-op shop in the next village! In fact, it's a 'game changer'!!


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## DavecUK (Aug 6, 2013)

MildredM said:


> I've been brought back down to earth twice in as many days now. A neighbour posted on our village FB Page how his life is complete now that there's a Costa machine in the co-op shop in the next village! In fact, it's a 'game changer'!!


Like another machine I know is going to be when it's finished it's development cycle....it will be all things to all men (women and LGTBTQI+). All you can do is feel sorry for your neighbour..

As for @Teaboy if he lived near me, he would be quite welcome to come round and have a coffee a little bit better than Waitrose, made with roaster a little bit better than he would get from China, using beans a little bit better than union purchase to make Waitrose coffee.


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## Hasi (Dec 27, 2017)

DavecUK said:


> As for @Teaboy if he lived near me, he would be quite welcome to come round and have a coffee a little bit better than Waitrose, made with roaster a little bit better than he would get from China, using beans a little bit better than union purchase to make Waitrose coffee.


Say no more...

Nudge nudge


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## Teaboy (Jul 24, 2018)

DavecUK said:


> Like another machine I know is going to be when it's finished it's development cycle....it will be all things to all men (women and LGTBTQI+). All you can do is feel sorry for your neighbour..
> 
> As for @Teaboy if he lived near me, he would be quite welcome to come round and have a coffee a little bit better than Waitrose, made with roaster a little bit better than he would get from China, using beans a little bit better than union purchase to make Waitrose coffee.


Thank you, it is just a little too far for a coffee.


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