# Quarter Horse Roasters Birmingham



## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

I found myself stuck in traffic on the commute home as usual on the A38 when I noticed Quarter Horse Coffee Roaster at the side of the road.

Has anyone tried their beans. What are they like?


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

Yup, been there a fair few times. They are still working on their roasts, the first batch I had from there were VERY underdeveloped. I have a filter roast and an espresso roast that I picked up last weekend. If you want to try some then pop and I'll do you some samples to take away









In store they they are dosing 19.8g into 32g so they're pretty old school. I enjoy their house blend spro served in-store but I don't get as good results at home.

Had their Ethiopia filter on aeropress and that was great, really nice fruity notes and their food is superb too!

Maybe we should have a little meetup there one weekend? See if we can get Gary, Ian and anyone else who fancies it down.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Cheers Spence, sounds great idea going in there one weekend with Gary and Ian.

The row of shop fronts its on looks really cool. What do you think of the location? Bit too far out of town for town?


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Cheers Spence, sounds great idea going in there one weekend with Gary and Ian.
> 
> The row of shop fronts its on looks really cool. What do you think of the location? Bit too far out of town for town?


RE: the location it's got parking outside so you can drop in pretty easily. I do think it's a little out of the way but something that big in the centre would cost a fortune. It's not too far out the way really but I do worry that they don't have the passing trade, maybe they can offset this by roasting/selling beans. It's a shame it's near the pagoda island as you have to do some back street driving to get on the right side of the road on a Saturday morning. That row of shops seems like it might be the start of a trendy little row so you never know.


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## jtldurnall (Mar 16, 2015)

It's been there for a while, roasting since mid March. I think some of the other coffee places in town are stocking their beans now. I know faculty are.


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## badger28 (Jan 5, 2013)

jtldurnall said:


> It's been there for a while, roasting since mid March. I think some of the other coffee places in town are stocking their beans now. I know faculty are.


6/8 had their dark horse blend as the guest espresso when I went in the other day. Was not bad!


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## jamster (Feb 6, 2014)

Xpenno said:


> In store they they are dosing 19.8g into 32g so they're pretty old school.


Hmm... One of those "there's still so much I don't know" moments. How come this dose is considered "old school"?


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

jamster said:


> Hmm... One of those "there's still so much I don't know" moments. How come this dose is considered "old school"?


It's a little tongue in cheek to be honest mate but some people are stretching shots a bit longer these days. Nothing wrong with it at all but the longer shots i.e. 20g > 40g can be so much more rewarding (depending on your grinder and machine) and a little sweeter.


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## jamster (Feb 6, 2014)

Cool thanks mate, good to know!


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## Geordie Boy (Nov 26, 2012)

Isn't there still plans for the Brum meet up, could visit them then if they're open Saturdays?

Edit: Website suggests they're open Saturday and Sunday 9-6


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Met up with Spence this evening. Dropped off the loan Macap from CC to be be returned via the Rave day. Thanks again for loan Dave.

Had a couple of great shots of Square Mile Sweet Shop on the EK and Vesuvius. It was Spence's first dial in of them and both were pretty dam good. Sweet with floral notes.

He also has a pretty serious "special water" set up with an RO unit. After the shots I had tonight I think it's definitely worth exploring. Nothing like another parameter!

Spence also very kindly gave me a couple of bags of Quarter Horse beans to try out. filter and espresso blend.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

To quote a dear friend of mine in the coffee world

''the water isn't important to brew coffee, it's Crucial!!!

it's not an ingredient, it's simply the solvent that will or will not make the magic happen!!!''


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> To quote a dear friend of mine in the coffee world
> 
> ''the water isn't important to brew coffee, it's Crucial!!!
> 
> it's not an ingredient, it's simply the solvent that will or will not make the magic happen!!!''


Think I might have to pipeline put in from Spences


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## Xpenno (Nov 12, 2012)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Think I might have to pipeline put in from Spences


If you bring a bottle I'll make you some up


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

If it wasn't prohibitively expensive to ship water am sure could see a business there: Spences coffee water ! 

I'd buy some, as Urban said above, "nothing like another parameter"....

John


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Xpenno said:


> If you bring a bottle I'll make you some up


Thanks Spence will definitely take you up on that.


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Has anyone tried their Kenya, Rumukia AA beans.

I've tried a couple of Aeropress's and have got a slight bitterness to it which surprised me. Sowdens was nice though.

I've been grinding quite fine and using water straight off the boil. I did contact Quarter House who recommended going for 87-90c for AP.


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## froggystyle (Oct 30, 2013)

Think your findings and the advice from roaster ring true, lower the temp and hit the right notes, guessing it's a light roast?


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

froggystyle said:


> Think your findings and the advice from roaster ring true, lower the temp and hit the right notes, guessing it's a light roast?


Cheers Froggy. It is a lighter roast which surprised me as I've tended to use higher temps for lighter roast (e.g. Foundry) for AP.

Weirdly enough once my first couple of brews at an AP with the QH beans had cooled down the slight edge had almost disappeared. Brew much more velvety too.


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

urbanbumpkin said:


> Has anyone tried their Kenya, Rumukia AA beans.
> 
> I've tried a couple of Aeropress's and have got a slight bitterness to it which surprised me. Sowdens was nice though.
> 
> I've been grinding quite fine and using water straight off the boil. I did contact Quarter House who recommended going for 87-90c for AP.


Their tasting notes may be based on a sweetness based on pre hump extraction levels ...hence lowering the temp may achieve this.

It may be a super super soluble bean where a lower temp can be used ( although at 87 I'd still say your in pre hump nom somewhere )

#prehump nom - another sweet spot in the taste journey , could be measured at what people would have previously considered " under " . Unsure where pre hump nom would be for immersion ...

Further reading here

http://www.jimseven.com/2010/11/08/the-double-hump/

Referred to as " little hump"


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Cheers Boots. Really interesting read.

Quarter House also recommended an 18g dose as their recipe for AP which is more than I tend to go for.

They recommended:-

18g in, 230ml out, brew for 1:30, finish press at 2:15.


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## garydyke1 (Mar 9, 2011)

Really interested in trying this coffee


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

Just trying it as a cafetière at a lower temp. Significantly better, not a hint of bitterness. In fact really quite good.

I'll try it again on Monday at the lower temp when I'm back at work


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## urbanbumpkin (Jan 30, 2013)

garydyke1 said:


> Really interested in trying this coffee


Hi Gary

I've only got a 250g for my hols. But if you want me to drop over a 50g sample of them in the week, I'm more than happy to do so.


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