# Mocha java



## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Has anyone tried Rave Mocha Java ?. What brew ratio are you using and what timing? I have tried variations but find it rather sharp/ slightly acidic.


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## Charliej (Feb 25, 2012)

Frank,

I found the same with the last time I tried it a couple of months ago, previous batches of it didn't seem to be like that so I just gave up on it. I tried the stock gaggia baskets with all sorts of dry weight of coffee, also tried the 17g LN Strada basket both under and over dosed and then the LM Strada 21g basket, tried brew ratios varying from 1.2 to 2.0 and couldn't get a shot I liked even in milk .I was glad I had only bought 250g of it.


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## El carajillo (Mar 16, 2013)

Thanks Charlie it appears you have covered the same ground as me, I bought a Kg and still cannot get it right.


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## NJD1977 (Dec 16, 2014)

El carajillo said:


> Has anyone tried Rave Mocha Java ?. What brew ratio are you using and what timing? I have tried variations but find it rather sharp/ slightly acidic.


I know this is an old post, but I'm finding exactly the same with this bean that I'm just trying for the first time. It's a sharp taste, but quite empty behind the sharpness. It doesn't taste like a full bodied chocolatey espresso that it suggests it will be.

Anyone else concur?


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## Olliehulla (Feb 26, 2013)

agree, at usual ratios I couldn't get this to work however, I screwed something up in the prep (not sure what, might have mis (under)weighed, think that was it as it flowed way to fast) earlier and (what I thought was) 16g gave over 50g in about 27sec. Balls, but I persevered rather than sink it and did my usual cuppa and it could be a total fluke, the fact that I was eating some spicy crisps so taste buds were out of whack but it tasted a lot better, chocolate sweetness really came through.

I can almost guarantee that I won't be able to replicate what happened though...


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## 2971 (May 7, 2012)

NJD1977 said:


> I know this is an old post, but I'm finding exactly the same with this bean that I'm just trying for the first time. It's a sharp taste, but quite empty behind the sharpness. It doesn't taste like a full bodied chocolatey espresso that it suggests it will be.
> 
> Anyone else concur?


Yes and no. I relate to the empty comment, and to the lack of full bodied chocolateyness. I don't personally find it sharp and acidic at all. It's just a little bland.

I tend to use the lowest temperature I can get away with, plus I'm using a large conical and a lever machine, so my results may not be representative.


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## Orangertange (Jul 4, 2013)

Found this one gets a lot better with age (2 weeks plus)


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## NJD1977 (Dec 16, 2014)

Well after struggling for nearly the whole 250g bag - I finally got a delicious shot out of this. The culprit seemed to be the temperature, but the grind also needed tightening.

I upped the temperature originally by 1.5degC, then a further 1degC. After the first shift in temperature I noticed slightly less sourness, and more flavours and balance coming through, and after the further 1degC the sourness completely disappeared, the shot was lovely and balanced, syrupy, chocolately and nutty. I also had to tighten the grind slightly - I tried 35seconds, but the taste wasn't great, backed it off steadily to 27 seconds.

I've now done 18.4g in 37g out, 27 seconds, at approximately 2.5degC higher than when I started. It's difficult to give a reference point for the temperature on my REX C-100, but after all corrections for boiler casing temp/sensor adjustments etc. the REX is reading 96DegC now.


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