# If you drink Rave Chatswood Blend......



## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

Hoping there is someone that drinks this. If so, can you tell me how you find it? Taste notes? What brew ratio do you go for?

I'm a bit confused with it. This is my first go at making proper coffee (not counting my efforts with a bean to cup machine) and I'm starting off with Chatswood blend. I know there isn't a right and wrong answer to this but I am getting very different cups of coffee as I experiment and I really dont't know which I prefer. I'm finding it quite acidic and I'm not getting a lot of chocolate (although I'm not exactly sure what that means - I understand cocoa as a taste note but not chocolate) and am trying to work out whether I should be getting more chocolate coming through given the taste notes for this are all about chocolate. It could be the way I'm doing things, it could be just my beginner's taste buds not picking up on it, it could be that I'm used to the dark, burnt taste of Caffe Nero and this has an acidity that I'm not used to. I'd be interested in what other people think of this blend, what flavours come through for you and whether you find it benefits from a long or short extraction.


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## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

I love Chatswood. I have always taken chocolate as a smooth cocoa. The ultimate test is, do you like to drink it?


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Chocolate it should be sweet and smooth. Like a bar of galaxy. Cocoa probably suggests a bit more bite.

What's your technique? G in and out? I found Chatswood fairly forgiving. If it's tasting sour extract longer if it's tasting bitter/burnt extract shorter/faster.

Have you read the beginner's guide to weighing thread?


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

To me chocolate is dark - I eat chocolate with 100% cocoa solids so my interpretation of chocolate is a bit different!

Yes I've read the weighing thread. All helpful.

I really can't decide whether I'm enjoying it or not. I was expecting more of a satisfying chocolate taste but I have had some cups I've enjoyed and some which are a bit too acidic for me (not sure whether it's sourness). I am weighing 16g in and 32g out in about 30 seconds. It comes through pretty slowly so I'm a bit wary of grinding finer.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

Pull longer into a 1:3 shot. Then if that's not tasty try 1:2.5. Don't vary anything else... Just how much you get in the cup.


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## Missy (Mar 9, 2016)

And 16-32 in 30 seconds is about right. Nothing usually comes out for the first ten secs or so.


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## Banjoman (Apr 18, 2017)

From your description, you're obviously not just getting something that doesn't taste right to you, but you're getting inconsistency - suggesting something you or your machine is doing is changing each time. You're weighing in and out, you've got good beans. What is your machine? Is it possible the brew water temperature is varying between shots, producing inconsistent results?


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

Thanks. I'll try closer to 1:3 and see how that tastes.


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

Banjoman said:


> From your description, you're obviously not just getting something that doesn't taste right to you, but you're getting inconsistency - suggesting something you or your machine is doing is changing each time. You're weighing in and out, you've got good beans. What is your machine? Is it possible the brew water temperature is varying between shots, producing inconsistent results?


Yes, I think it could possibly be the water temperature. I have a Gaggia Classic (not PID modified) so I suspect the temperature is different each time.


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## J_Fo (Dec 24, 2017)

Kitkat said:


> Yes, I think it could possibly be the water temperature. I have a Gaggia Classic (not PID modified) so I suspect the temperature is different each time.


I fitted a PID last month and it's like night and day, really easy to fit (I was a bit apprehensive) and much more consistent shots!

Definitely recommend it if you can manage it.


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## ajh101 (Dec 21, 2013)

Before you fit a pid (although I am sure it would not hurt), what grinder are you using?


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

ajh101 said:


> Before you fit a pid (although I am sure it would not hurt), what grinder are you using?


Eureka Mignon.


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## Rob1 (Apr 9, 2015)

Is the group nice and clean (behind shower screen too)? Are you purging the old grinds from the grind path of the Mignon? Whenever I get inconsistency I clean the group and make sure my burrs are empty. After that make sure you've got a consistent routine to pull at the same temp (heating up for x minutes flushing for x seconds).


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

I drink a lot of chatswood - I always have it in now.

I have a mignon with an e61 hx.

The chocolate should come through strongly, but with a lovely balanced acidity and slight orange tang that you don't get with darker roasts.

I too find it very forgiving, I've found it impossible to lose the dark chocolate notes even when I pulled a clearly under-extracted shot once with it.

I find 1:3 in around 25-30 seconds is best though I usually then add water to that for a big, satisfying americano. I'll go 1:2 in around 30 when i put it in milk.

Comparing it to the likes of Nero etc it should give that classic dark chocolate kick but much more refined and a little orange acidity to really lift it.

If it's tasting way off from this I'd assume under extraction - maybe water temp as u say.

Good luck - I find it's a wonderful blend when you've got the hang of it.


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## KTD (Dec 28, 2017)

This will be my next order after I use up the next dog and hat sub, how does it compare with the mystery 8 from coffee compass? Has anyone tried both? The notes make it sound pretty similar and price around the same for a kilo.


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

kennyboy993 said:


> I drink a lot of chatswood - I always have it in now.
> 
> I have a mignon with an e61 hx.
> 
> ...


Thanks. That's helpful. I need to get more chocolate out of it but what you have described is exactly what I was hoping to get. I definitely get the slight orange tang, just need a bit more of the chocolate. I suspect I am not doing everything the same each time, and thinking about it I think I may be getting some channelling as well so will concentrate on trying to be consistant in everything I do.

Re cleaning - I am having a bit of a problem with the shower screen. I have back flushed and today I tried to clean the group head. I managed to remove the shower screen easily but then I just could not budge the plate behind. Not 100% sure I had the right sized Allen key, although it did seem to fit, but no matter how hard I tried it wouldn't move at all. Hope I can find a solution there. I've taken the Mignon apart and brushed around inside so think that's ok.


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Cool sounds a good plan. Yeah channeling will lose the chocolate I reckon.

1:3 brings it out really well


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

So today I tried a longer extraction - 1:2.5 in about 38 seconds. Bingo - Chocolate! Will try 1:3 next to see how that changes things. Finally I have chocolate and feel I'm getting this how it should be.


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## RasmusSimling (Feb 5, 2018)

Kitkat said:


> Re cleaning - I am having a bit of a problem with the shower screen. I have back flushed and today I tried to clean the group head. I managed to remove the shower screen easily but then I just could not budge the plate behind. Not 100% sure I had the right sized Allen key, although it did seem to fit, but no matter how hard I tried it wouldn't move at all. Hope I can find a solution there. I've taken the Mignon apart and brushed around inside so think that's ok.


I'm new to fiddling with espresso machines myself as well - but I did a through refurbishment of my second hand Gaggia Baby Twin just before christmas and encountered the exact same problem.

I removed the shower screen alright and the two allen machine screws holding the dispersion plate as well - but the dispersion plate was completely stuck in all the old gunk sitting in there. I tried everything to get it out - prying it out with a small screw driver, getting it loose by impact force (ie. banging it with a wrench) - what did the trick for me was to get a longer allen bolt of the same type as those securing the plate. Screw the longer bolt into the plate, and once you hit bottom just continue - the bolt will then lift the plate forward from its seat and it will come loose easily. It didn't take more than a single extra turn or so before the 'suction/vacuum' was broken and the plate came right off. Quite amazing to see how much gunk and old coffee was actually hiding in there.

I'm not sure it is going to resolve your problem (it seems like you have got it dialed in better already), but it is always good practise to give it a clean in there every once in a while, while you are at your cleaning routine


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

RasmusSimling said:


> I'm new to fiddling with espresso machines myself as well - but I did a through refurbishment of my second hand Gaggia Baby Twin just before christmas and encountered the exact same problem.
> 
> I removed the shower screen alright and the two allen machine screws holding the dispersion plate as well - but the dispersion plate was completely stuck in all the old gunk sitting in there. I tried everything to get it out - prying it out with a small screw driver, getting it loose by impact force (ie. banging it with a wrench) - what did the trick for me was to get a longer allen bolt of the same type as those securing the plate. Screw the longer bolt into the plate, and once you hit bottom just continue - the bolt will then lift the plate forward from its seat and it will come loose easily. It didn't take more than a single extra turn or so before the 'suction/vacuum' was broken and the plate came right off. Quite amazing to see how much gunk and old coffee was actually hiding in there.


Thanks for the tip. I can't get the Allen screws out at the moment. Going to have another weekend.

I think I'm getting the hang of this now. Still feel as though I'm not getting the best out of the beans but I am now at least getting an enjoyable cup with some chocolate and a hint of orange.


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## kennyboy993 (Jan 23, 2017)

Nice one - glad you got it sorted. Come to think of it - it's 1:2.5 that I use not 1:3 so good stuff

Fantastic blend isn't it - the chocolate and orange balance each other out so well. I bet it works well in aeropress too


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

I've ust ordered another 1 kg from Rave (after a bit of a mishap with some beans). I knew this would be right up my street if I got it right. I'm starting to really appreciate the acidic, citrussy note that stops it being too dark and bitter.


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## Kitkat (Jan 25, 2018)

I'm liking this more and more. Today's offering was 16g in 40g out in 40 seconds (I fiddled with the grind a few days ago and have struggled to get it back to where it was but I'm pretty much there now). My previous best one was the 38 seconds one, with the 28 seconds one tasting more chocolately initially but not very nice by the end of the cup. I still feel I want to get a smidgen more chocolate and less citrus, but it's tasting pretty good they way it is so I won't fiddle with it for a while.


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