# Which beans for consistency and technique?



## hchrishallam (Sep 22, 2016)

I'm just starting out with my Gaggia Classic and considering which beans to use. I was thinking of starting an In My Mug subscription after Christmas to find out which beans / regions I prefer but thought it may be better to stick with a single bean until I get my technique nailed (passable).

Do you think it's a good idea to have a repeat subscription to a well-known bean (Rave's signature?) while I sort out my espresso making technique. I figured that having one less variable while I learn could only be a good thing, but would also like to expand my bean portfolio&#8230;

Any thoughts appreciated


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## johnealey (May 19, 2014)

Sticking with one bean whilst you get the hang of things will help you with dialling in as well as getting a consistent pour is a good idea and Rave Signature fairly forgiving as are some of the beans from Coffee Compass such as sweet bourbon.

Hope of help

John


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## Phobic (Aug 17, 2016)

learning the basics on a single bean is a good idea, just like trying lots of different beans and styles is a good idea too.

put it into perspective, you'll learn a lot from 1 bean in terms of technique within 1-2Kg when you're starting out as this will give you chance to vary grind, yield weight, shot time, and bean weight (strength). Get a good idea of these variables and how they alter what you're tasting in the cup.

Then enjoy the different varietals, and processing techniques, try as many different types as you can to narrow into the kind of coffee that your palate likes the most


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## hotmetal (Oct 31, 2013)

I agree entirely with your original post and the above replies. Removing that one extra unnecessary variable is a good idea. And a solid choice like a couple of kg of Rave Sig is a great place to start. Not too dark, not too light, a tasty coffee that should be fairly easy to get good results from. It works nicely with milk and the roast level puts it in crowd pleaser territory - a great place to start and then see if you like it or wish to go darker or lighter.

Also, having one bean means that you won't get the waste and frustration of just getting the bean dialled in and trying different ratios, temperature, time etc and then finding that you've run out and have to dial in a different bean and start the whole process again.

Once you're confident in your work flow and can get good shots consistently, then it's well worth exploring different beans and processes etc. A subscription such as Hasbean, Rave and indeed many others, or even DSOL or LSOL (if you want to move away from medium) could be a great way to expand your coffee horizons. For example I'd probably been through all kinds of different beans and had been on here for a while but it wasn't until I tried Foundry's Rocko Mountain Reserve that I realised I have a real thing for African natural process beans - and have since tried similar from Avenue, Rave, Jollybean and Foundry, all of which have been excellent.


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## hchrishallam (Sep 22, 2016)

Thanks for the quick responses, and I'm glad I'm thinking along the right track!

I've ordered some Rave as I've heard before their quite forgiving. Any others (other than sweet bourbon) to consider?


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