# Square Mile Red Brick



## drh__ (Apr 3, 2020)

Just got my bad of Red Brick (well, 7 days ago) and wondering what recipe everyone found best for espresso? Appreciate it will vary but struggling to get it right so looking for ideas.

Using a BE and a Specialita.


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

drh__ said:


> Just got my bad of Red Brick (well, 7 days ago) and wondering what recipe everyone found best for espresso? Appreciate it will vary but struggling to get it right so looking for ideas.
> 
> Using a BE and a Specialita.


 They advise Red Brick not to be opened for 3 weeks. Use the search, there's a link to their site of flavour to be expected after 7 days (then, 14, 21 etc).

I have a BE, what do you mean by recipe? For the record I didn't like Red Brick at all, I couldn't finish the bag, just wasn't for me.


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## drh__ (Apr 3, 2020)

CocoLoco said:


> They advise Red Brick not to be opened for 3 weeks. Use the search, there's a link to their site of flavour to be expected after 7 days (then, 14, 21 etc).
> 
> I have a BE, what do you mean by recipe? For the record I didn't like Red Brick at all, I couldn't finish the bag, just wasn't for me.


 Interesting, obviously opened it now but suppose I can just leave it to sit in the bag for another week or two?

Recipe as in dosage, yield, timing etc - I love Red Brick, had it at a few coffee shops, I just can't seem to get it right (with my previous bag of it but wanted to try again).

Also have a kilo bag of Sweetshop coming which I'll leave for a while.


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## Longmanh (Mar 30, 2020)

CocoLoco said:


> They advise Red Brick not to be opened for 3 weeks. Use the search, there's a link to their site of flavour to be expected after 7 days (then, 14, 21 etc).
> 
> I have a BE, what do you mean by recipe? For the record I didn't like Red Brick at all, I couldn't finish the bag, just wasn't for me.


 Can you point me to where they mention leaving it for 3 weeks please as I can't see it on their website and have used both Sweetshop and Red Brick blends in the past. Maybe you're getting confused with the amount of time the beans should be used in, not sure.

This is where I looked: Red Brick

Thanks.

Ps. As for recipe, they mention this on their website. 19g in 38g out in about 30s.


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## drh__ (Apr 3, 2020)

Longmanh said:


> Can you point me to where they mention leaving it for 3 weeks please as I can't see it on their website and have used both Sweetshop and Red Brick blends in the past. Maybe you're getting confused with the amount of time the beans should be used in, not sure.
> 
> This is where I looked: Red Brick
> 
> ...


 I can't see it on the website either but I did read somewhere (think it was reddit) that James Hoffman mentioned that Red Brick is best between 2-3 weeks.

Does recommend recipe on their site as a starting point, tried it but tasted very bitter/over-extracted so was just curious to see what everyone else preferred.


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## 24774 (Mar 8, 2020)

Longmanh said:


> Can you point me to where they mention leaving it for 3 weeks please as I can't see it on their website and have used both Sweetshop and Red Brick blends in the past. Maybe you're getting confused with the amount of time the beans should be used in, not sure.
> 
> This is where I looked: Red Brick
> 
> ...


 This is the post (for @drh__ too):

https://www.squaremileblog.com/2020/02/21/red-brick-and-freshness/

They told me on the phone it's best after 3 weeks, this post say it's sweetest after 3 weeks, 'best balance' at 4. I generally use 10-14 days as standard but I understand different beans vary, some as little as 5 days I've read on this forum. Sweetshop....no idea if that would be the same.

drh_ - for recipes, that post mentions them. For my recipe, my BE will be set up different to yours (I have inner burr at 3 I think, dial may have been 4, I'm not sure) and I am still using the BE grinder so different again. Dosing I usually start at 18g and go from there but unfortunately I only make a note of beans I like and will get again so don't have specifics.

I also often go 1:3 rather than 1:2 as is the norm. I find the drink is often better that way. Not to say you should do that, or that is how Red Brick should be drunk, it probably isn't, but I often like my coffee like that. I'm in an 'experimental year' so don't take my recipes as what one 'should do'!


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## Longmanh (Mar 30, 2020)

So did your extraction tick all of those boxes? 19g in 38g out in 30s?

If it did then maybe stop the extraction early, or play around with other factors. On a Sage Duo Temp, I usually use 18g in 36 out in about 25 seconds and if I remember correctly, this made the Red Brick taste pretty good.


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## Longmanh (Mar 30, 2020)

CocoLoco said:


> This is the post (for @drh__ too):
> 
> https://www.squaremileblog.com/2020/02/21/red-brick-and-freshness/
> 
> ...


 Thanks for the info, I'll give it a read. 👍


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Hi

for me two weeks rest gets me to a good place , SQM tend to roast to have a espresso blends to be pretty easy based on a 1:2 ish ratio 18>36-40 ish . This is from a friends conversation with them re his cafe supply . Again try and experiment for your tastes.

TIme wise, SQM is 25-35 seconds is ball park for a standard 9 bar machine


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## drh__ (Apr 3, 2020)

CocoLoco said:


> This is the post (for @drh__ too):
> 
> https://www.squaremileblog.com/2020/02/21/red-brick-and-freshness/
> 
> ...


 Very interesting, thanks for posting - will give it a read this afternoon.

And no problem, I'm in the same boat (in terms of experimenting ) as I've had my BE for just under a year now and still learning.


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## drh__ (Apr 3, 2020)

Longmanh said:


> So did your extraction tick all of those boxes? 19g in 38g out in 30s?
> 
> If it did then maybe stop the extraction early, or play around with other factors. On a Sage Duo Temp, I usually use 18g in 36 out in about 25 seconds and if I remember correctly, this made the Red Brick taste pretty good.


 Yeah I managed to hit that but tasted over-extracted/bitter and couldn't pick any notes out from it.

Not sure if the DT has pre-infusion but if it does then do you include that within your 25 seconds?


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## drh__ (Apr 3, 2020)

Mrboots2u said:


> Hi
> 
> for me two weeks rest gets me to a good place , SQM tend to roast to have a espresso blends to be pretty easy based on a 1:2 ish ratio 18>36-40 ish . This is from a friends conversation with them re his cafe supply . Again try and experiment for your tastes.
> 
> TIme wise, SQM is 25-35 seconds is ball park for a standard 9 bar machine


 Thank you, they're 7 days old so going to seal them back up and try again in another week


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## Wolftasy (Jun 13, 2020)

I really enjoyed Red Brick. I don't know if anyone else got this taste but got a good cherry/berry taste out of it. A much lighter coffee so wouldn't add too much milk if thats your thing. From memory I actually got it tasting better while playing about with it trying to dial in the 1:2, 18>36 recipe than actually hitting that recipe on my Rancilio Silvia (Eureka Specialita grinder). Will definitely be getting it again.


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