# Boring beans (Italian job) or bad technique?



## Phillikescoffee (Mar 16, 2015)

Hi lovely coffee people. I've gotten through most of a kg of Italian job beans after getting my first proper espresso set up and have found I can get consistently fine espresso.

It tastes very classic Italian coffee and has been generally more bitter than I like across a range of experiments. It's all a bit boring, more so than from an Italian cafe I sometimes go to.

It tastes best so far at 26 seconds 17g in and about 34g out. However, messing with these has only changed the base taste from "ok" to "eugh". I'm wondering if these beans are just a bit dull and not to my tastes or I'm to blame.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

What kind of taste profile would excite you? Perhaps we can help with your next purchase.

IJ is a darker roasted blend with some robusta in it. Its not what I choose to drink, but it has its fans. I suspect mostly as a milk based espresso though .

Alot of Italian style espresso is served with sugar to perhaps temper the robusta and bitterness


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## Phillikescoffee (Mar 16, 2015)

I've had some coffee from some "third wave" type coffee places in London such as caravan. I liked the more fruity flavours in milk but didn't like the sourness so much in straight espresso so I think darker beans might be a good starting point?

I also had some mahogany coffee compass caravanserai beans sent with my grinder (from obnic on here) which I liked more than ij apart from a slightly funky flavour they ended with. However my variables were all over the place with those. Thanks for the help, might this be better in the beans forum?


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Just out of interest how long did you leave these beans to rest post roast date? Quite a few members have mentioned 10 days before starting to use them. Also that as you get further down the bag and the older they get they taste improves.

Your mileage may vary.


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## StuartS (Jan 2, 2015)

I've been using IJ since January and find it makes a nice cappa or flat white (even better).

It's doesn't make a sophisticated espresso.

i did try a bag of Signature blend and dn't notice much difference.

i've come to the conclusion that my taste buds can't pick out the subtle "tasting" notes so i stick to milk drinks. Of course my mc2 / classic is no doubt limiting what i can achieve, espresso wise.


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## Obnic (Jan 14, 2014)

I'm only just starting the Caravanserai now. They need their rest, bless them. I'd also describe them as on the 'darker side of dark' so somewhere in the middle might be less funky.

I'll declare myself now and say I prefer medium to dark roasts (at the moment) so you'll get better advice on lighter roast from others but....

I keep coming back to this one: http://www.coffeecompass.co.uk/shop/ethiopian-yirgacheffe-natural-process-500g.html. It's dark chocolate, wine and cherry for me. Bridges the gap between classic chocolate, toasty, nutty flavours of traditional espresso, and more fruit and floral-led lighter roasts. They also do a washed version so you can compare two modes of processing.

Have to say, first time I tried it I wasn't sure but I kept thinking about it and reordering. Now it's a firm favourite.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Taste them side-by-side with a single origin


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## mremanxx (Dec 30, 2014)

As Doubleshot and StuartS state, best after about 10 days and made a nice flat white or Lungo for me, I reached this conclusion when the kil was nearly finished so don't know how muck longer they would have stayed good.

As Garydyke says, single origin might suit you. I got some really nice yigacheffe from Has Bean


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## Phillikescoffee (Mar 16, 2015)

Thanks guys, I think the conclusion is I just need to try more beans! So many to chose from this is going to be a long journey.

The ij were 9 days old when I started with then, I think it might just be they're better in milk.

I was thinking (before this thread) of ordering some Colombian suarez from rave to keep at least the roaster constant for know. Does this sound sensible? I think long term coffee compass keeps coming up as a roaster I should look at more.


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## DoubleShot (Apr 23, 2014)

Cuban Serrano Superior is worth trying whilst they have some still. Otherwise you'll have to wait until next year!

You're probably not wrong to consider Coffee Compass. I'm working my way through four different beans from them, started today.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

If you're a fan of the darker roast Cuban Serrano is worth a try.

It was the bean I produced my first ok shot from weighing in and out and was a bit of a revelation for me. So it has a special place in my heart.


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## johnnygee04 (Mar 16, 2015)

There's a lot of like minded folk on here; I've just got thru my second kilo of IJ (separate orders) since upgrading my set up and the taste now fails to excite. I've just received some Rave Columbian Suarez and I'm waiting on a bag of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from Foundry. I looked at the taste notes from various roasters on the Yirgacheffe and liked the sound of strawberries and cream that the foundry bean would give in milk, as that's how we drink it. For the sake of your taste buds I think it's a good idea to spice it up a bit.


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## Wuyang (Mar 21, 2014)

I had a kilo of Italian job and all I got was a nasty after taste...hard to describe but not nice, never had a good milky drink out of the whole lot. Used mignon and classic....and they were rested....couldn't understand why they tasted so rank.


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