# Help with V60 - Hasbean (subscription) Brazil Carmo



## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

Hi All,

Wondered if you might be able to help. I've recently started a coffee subscription with Hasbean the first of which I received through was 'BRAZIL CARMO ESTATE PULPED NATURAL YELLOW BOURBON'&#8230; https://www.hasbean.co.uk/collections/america-brazil/products/brazil-carmo-estate-pn-yellow-bourbon

I have been brewing this via V60 and to me it tastes like burnt chocolate rather than the 'milk chocolate' I was expecting. I'm fairly new to V60 brewing, done a good few brews with other beans using the Scott Rao method which I very much enjoyed. I've been trying to do a method as follows&#8230;

16:1

225g (water) / 13.5g (coffee)

0:00 45g

0:45 90g

1:30 135g

2:15 180g

3:00 225g

Finishing in just under 4mins. Done this about four times and each time it has the burnt chocolate taste.

Here's some photos of my brew (see below).

I also shot a video. Because I was holding the phone with one hand and doing the coffee my weights and timing slightly vary, but the taste is relatively similar to previous brews where this was more accurate. Link to video...






Any thoughts, is it my method or the coffee?

Anyone else tried this coffee?

Thanks Gareth


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## Mrboots2u (May 10, 2013)

Did you let it cool before drinking


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## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

Hi, sorry for the delay, took me some time to get the video online.

@Mrboots2u I've tried it both immediately from brewing and when cooled. Probably tastes more burnt cooled. But either way isn't a taste I'm keen on.


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

Go a bit coarser. Your pouring is a bit splotty & aggressive (your bloom water should have been able to sit on the dose with the surface still being pretty wet, rather than the claggy mud you see) , I suspect the 'burnt' aspect is coming from silt being flushed through the the paper.

After the first pour as a spiral (with stir) to wet everything, try just pouring down the middle as smoothly as you can.

Your large intervals between pours means you are going to have periods where the bed has drained out, so this will want a fairly coarse grind.

Preheat the pot you are pouring with too.


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

How fresh are the beans? And what temperature are you using?

I've also had beans that taste quite roasty/burnt from Has Bean before. You can try brewing them as immersion (i.e. cupping or Aeropress) and it should taste a lot smoother.


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## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

Hi All,

Sorry for the delay in replying. I've been trying out the recommendations above.

@MWJB i've upped the grind size to the same as I would use for a French Press (27 on Comandante C40) and followed the pouring suggestion you made, which in turn has I think lessened the gaps between pours... this definitely lessens the taste I'm describing making it a bit smoother, but still tastes more bitter than what I would have expected... i'm assuming a 'milk chocolate' description should be richer or sweeter.

@the_partisan beans were roasted on 24th May so just over 2 weeks ago. The water i'm using is from a kettle boiled and then left for about 30 seconds to cool, all brewing components are pre-heated with boiling water. I have tried a Aeropress this morning and that gives again a slightly smoother taste than the V60 on this one, but again still more bitter/burnt than expected.

Perhaps i'm just not very keen on this coffee or the roast. Although if there's something else to try then do feel welcome to suggest, i'm certainly open to improving my brewing skills (I would imagine i'm more likely to be messing up the brew than a skilled roaster is to be messing up their roast). Not sure really.

Thanks

Gareth


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## MWJB (Feb 28, 2012)

garethuk said:


> Hi All,
> 
> Sorry for the delay in replying. I've been trying out the recommendations above.
> 
> ...


 I'm glad it's getting better, but I have no idea what "27 on a Commandante" means. I can only work off what you say about the brew, its taste & the timings/pour method. Can you go coarser still? What are your gaps between the pours now?

Another video might be useful.

It's not impossible that the roast might not lend itself to this kind of brewing, I tend to like very light roasts for drip. Maybe also try a longer Aeropress steep (fine grind, just coarser than espresso, 13g coffee to 225g, water right off boil straight in, leave 20min, plunge until you see top of bed then stop). A short steep will be on the low side of extraction, low extractions can be bitter/charred tasting even though extracting more can sweeten them up some.


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## the_partisan (Feb 29, 2016)

If it's tasting burnt then it's most likely the roast, however you can still get something drinkable by lowering temp and/or using coarser grind I think. I would recommend try cupping the coffee and letting it cool down - then it should be pretty easy to pick up the flavours. I use 10g/165g for cupping (depends a little on your cup size), fine grind, break crust after 4 min and then let it sit another 8-10 min or so and start tasting. Cupping brews don't really overextract, so you can tell if it's the roast or something else.


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## TheHToad (Sep 1, 2018)

Maybe try using a lower temperature as well? if you have a thermometer, 93c or even 91c?


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## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

Hi All,

Thank you for your comments and advice.

I've done a fresh V60 batch this morning with different beans... North Star's Burundi Washed - https://www.northstarroast.com/product/burundi-washed/

Using these beans the burnt taste is definitely not there so perhaps the Hasbean ones just didn't suit my palate. @TheHToad i'll give dropping the temp a go and see if that helps on them. @the_partisan i'll try cupping with them and see where that gets me to. Will feed back. I really do appreciate all the help!

Here's some more photos from today's brew to give you an idea of beans, what 'grind size 27 on a Comandante' that i'm using looks like, and an idea of the finished product. I've also done a video which I shot upside down as I could prop it on a cupboard which made it hands-free (sorry about that) but it means this is closer to me 'at my best' rather than trying to do it one handed. If you've got any advice on how I can further improve my pour then please do offer suggestions.

video...






Thanks again.

Gareth


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## TheHToad (Sep 1, 2018)

also, if you're dedicated to pourovers and v60s, it might be worth upgrading your gooseneck pour kettle, the control on your current one seems a bit rough. I've got one with the thermometer on the lid which helps a lot for consistency and experimentation


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## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

TheHToad said:


> also, if you're dedicated to pourovers and v60s, it might be worth upgrading your gooseneck pour kettle, the control on your current one seems a bit rough. I've got one with the thermometer on the lid which helps a lot for consistency and experimentation


 Yes probably will do at some point, just invested the the grinder and glass jug, so need to save up the pennies.


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## garethuk (May 2, 2019)

Hi All,

Just a little update. I contacted Hasbean and they sent me out some replacement beans, same variety. These seem much better, I think perhaps the roast on the last batch was slightly off, which I'm sure happens to us all. Any way, enjoying some nice chocolaty beans now.

Thanks all for your help above, it has certainly improved my method and skills no end. It's greatly appreciated!!

Thanks

Gareth


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