Author: Pete Denison

What’s Brewing – El Salvador Finca Suiza

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What better way to spend a couple of weeks off over the Christmas break than catching up on a few tasting reviews. Obviously one key review will be the Christmas Blend referred to in a previous post, however there are also a couple of El Salvador varieties yet unwritten as of the current time. My thoughts on one of these appear below, however the other, the Finca Siberia Pacamara went a little long in the roast and ended up significantly darker than planned, so will be reviewed after I have another shot at refining the roast.

The Whack

Spanish built Santa Ana Cathedral

Spanish built Santa Ana Cathedral (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What
– El Salvador Finca Suiza
– City: Santa Ana
– Region: Santa Ana Volcano
– Altitude: 1,650 metres
– Variety: Bourbon
– Processing: Washed / patio dried
– Owner: Juan Francisco Menéndez

How
Latte , V60 Pour over, Aeropress

Assessment
Latte – A creamy, rich, full-bodied flavour is evident when using the Suiza as an espresso base in a milk drink. This one is on the verge of being my pick of those I have roasted so far this year for my morning latte. I highly recommend making this as a 3/4 latte with a double ristretto base.

V60 Pour over – Here there are some great citrus and fruit flavours. Though not quite as bright as some, it is certainly a worthwhile variety to run through the filter. Though an improvement is noticeable as the brew cools, it seemed to peak after a couple of minutes rather than several as I have often found with other origins. I don’t really see this as a negative, for at times I really do enjoy a solid filter offering with good body and reasonable acidity that doesn’t continue to sweeten as it progressively cools.

Aeropress – Probably not quite reaching the level of the V60, though an enjoyable brew in the Aeropress nonetheless. The sweetness was a little lacking, however I certainly cannot complain about a brew of this quality in getting me through an afternoon of spreadsheets.

Conclusion; Know This
Overall I found this particular variety to work well across the three brewing types mentioned above, with the pick being the latte. Sometimes single origins or estate coffees I find to be a bit hit and miss in a milk based drink – certainly not this one. As I indicated above, the Suiza also performed really well in both forms of filter brew, with the V60 shading the Aeropress. This is one variety I will certainly be looking to snap up again in the future.

Overall Rating : 4/5

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The in-between

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Referring to exactly what you may ask?

Well, Christmas Day has come and gone, now onto the New Year in all it’s celebratory joy – or excess, depending on your particular view. I typically think of this week as the “in-between”.

Should our thoughts drift towards what was accomplished in the year almost complete, what is to come in the year ahead – or neither? I don’t know about you, though for myself the answer is probably a little of all three.

Personally, I am often thinking of what I could, might, or should have done. How I may have done better the things I actually did. In view of this, I don’t feel it is necessarily a bad thing to remind ourselves of what went well, what we accomplished, or those things crossed off the list we never thought we could do.

The year almost complete?

For myself, achievements both big and small, some that stretched me and others that didn’t. Many which could have been done far better though were completed nonetheless, and lastly, some things left undone.

Overall I would say I am happy with 2013, as amongst other things I managed to start this blog in May and have now published 70+ posts. Along with continuing to develop and refine my coffee roasting skills, this is probably what I am most satisfied with.

Professionally? Much the same, however the focus of this blog has never been, nor will it be (save for a passing reference here and there), about my professional life. One aspect from the past year that particularly resonated was a comment made by Tim Ferriss in a breakfast seminar here in Brisbane in the latter half of the year. Tim stated he did not believe in work-life balance, but work-life separation. I certainly second that thought.

I have never been more relaxed than when my head is buried in my iPad (what am I a teenager?) or a bag of green coffee beans I am about to roast.

For the year ahead?

Probably more of the same – just better!

All jokes aside, gaining more knowledge and ability in everything from blogging to coffee roasting and brewing are in my (albeit unwritten) plans. I expect I will also be searching for great pens, paper, apps and other tech goodness . Some or all of which I will continue to share on these pages – those within my ability and comprehension anyway.

Professionally, I will continue to work hard and to the best of my ability, ensuring I grow in this sphere of my life as well. Plain and simple.

For You?

I would like to take this “in-between” time to congratulate you on your achievements for 2013, and wish you all the best for the coming year. Whether your intentions are concrete, well planned and written down to every minute detail, or swimming around in your head, I am sure you will finish 2014 a step or two ahead of where you are now.

Best wishes and good luck!

Dreaming of a Light Christmas…Roast

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Here we are at “that” time of the year again. Where we all can’t believe how busy we are, yet spend a good portion of our time telling others precisely that, rather than actually working on what we need to do. Nor can we believe how quickly the year has gone, and also need to remember of course it will be a long hot summer this year…

I think you get the idea. Trust me, we’ll all get through it people – and we’ll all be OK. Enjoy yourselves, being with family, and remember the “reason for the season”.

With the ham and prawns safely ordered, here at dept4 it is time to put together our Christmas coffee blend for another year. Family members who sampled the limited run last year enjoyed the blend, so this Christmas the distribution will be cast a little wider to include extended family and some work colleagues as well.

Another year means a new blend, and this year we are aiming to combine two flavour profiles that embody those of Christmas. The rich candied fruit and currant flavours of fruit cake, along with the summer flavours of berry and citrus. Often the case when searching for some fruitiness in a blend, we look to Africa for our origin beans. After a scan through the green beans on offer from our ever reliable supplier Ministry Grounds, here is what you can expect (tasting notes and background courtesy Ministry Grounds):

Kenya Karamikui

The taste:

Citrus, berries and currants in aroma, hazelnuts, guava, plum, vibrant grapefruit acidity, full body with rounded honey sweetness, long intense finish

Background:

This coffee comes from the Kirinyaga district. Kirinyaga is located within Kenya’s Central Province, a key area for Kenya’s large coffee industry. The district lies close to Mt. Kenya, and encompasses high elevations of between around 1600–1800 meters above sea level, ideal conditions for growing high quality coffee.
Small-scale farmers are organized into well-managed central pulperies, also called Coffee Factories. Karimikui Coffee Factory is the name of the washing station where this particular lot comes from.

Rwanda Nyarusiza (Buf)

The taste:

Maple syrup sweetness with candied orange, mandarin, stone fruit dark chocolate and elderflower. Medium body.

Background:

Buf Café was founded in 2003 by Epiphanie Mukashyaka, a dynamic businesswoman and a source of inspiration to countless other female entrepreneurs in Rwanda’s coffee sector and beyond. Buf is now managed by Epiphanie and her son, Samuel Muhirwa, who is taking an increasingly active role in running and expanding the business. The title ‘Buf’ derives from ‘Bufundu’, the former name of the region in which its washing stations are located.

Epiphanie, who was born in 1959, was widowed during the 1994 genocide – which claimed over 800,000 lives in just 3 months – but chose not to leave her family’s small coffee farm. Instead she set about rebuilding and developing her business, and with it the local community. She started Buf Café in 2003, when she established Remera washing station with a loan from the Rwandan Development Bank and the assistance of the USAID-financed PEARL project.

The initial roast batches are now complete, and as the title of this post suggests, the roast was on the lighter side to align with the majority of brewing methods used by those who will receive the blend (Aeropress, French Press, Pourover).

After sampling the results, the exact ratios of the blend will be determined and we will then ship the finished product immediately to ensure maximum freshness and pre-Christmas delivery.

We hope you enjoy!

2013 Gift Guide and Wishlist

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Everywhere you look at the moment there are numerous Christmas gift guides, from software to hardware, tools and trinkets, things to eat, drink, watch or listen to. Oh, and everything in between. It is the time of year for it after all.

Writing a gift guide that doubles as a wishlist (Wishguide?), there is always a chance someone close to me may read it and … I think you get the idea. Why create a list if I can’t cross off a few items for myself along the way?

Outlined below are groups of items aligning with the categories in which I post on this site. Hopefully there is something here that interests you, or perhaps will suit someone you are buying for. Away we go…

Thoughts

A difficult category to easily slot products into, however a check of my Goodreads “To Read” bookshelf reveals a couple of titles.

On Writing by Stephen King | $11.83 Kindle Edition |

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A favourite author of mine through my late teens and early twenties, and widely acknowledged as one of the best. I have seen many positive reviews of this insight into the creative writing process from such a master of fiction. The Goodreads description:

Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer’s craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King’s advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 – and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, “On Writing” will empower and entertain everyone who reads it – fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.

David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell | $9.99 Kindle Edition |

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I must admit to knowing less about this particular offering from Gladwell, however enjoyed immensely his work titled Blink. Whether or not you agree with what he has to say (and many don’t), there is little doubt your own thoughts will be challenged by Gladwell’s books. Again, a little background from Goodreads:

David and Goliath draws on the stories of remarkable underdogs, history, science, psychology and on Malcolm Gladwell’s unparalleled ability to make the connections others miss. It’s a brilliant, illuminating book that overturns conventional thinking about power and advantage.

Improvement

There are any number of things I could list here, however the focus is on my system for tracking tasks and projects.

Omnifocus for Mac | $84.99 AUD Mac App Store |

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Omnifocus is the ultimate App for personal productivity and task management. I have been using Omnifocus for both iPhone and iPad over the past year or so without the “Godfather” – that is, Omnifocus for Mac.
The overall App count on our new Mac mini is slowly building (especially after the recent Black Friday App store sales), however at $84.99 AUD, Omnifocus for Mac is a significant investment that will certainly be made – I simply haven’t done so yet.

Omnifocus Premium Posts | $67.00 Asian Efficiency Store |

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What I believe would be the perfect companion to the above recommendation comes from Aaron and Thanh at Asian Efficiency. Honestly, with the exception of reading Getting Things Done by David Allen, you need look no further for some fantastic advice on productivity in general, and more specifically, Omnifocus. The resources (most of which are completely free) these guys have put together to improve how you use Omnifocus are superb. Access to the Premium Posts which includes bonus content can be purchased for $67.00 through the Asian Efficiency Store.

Coffee

Porlex Hand Grinder | $65.00 AUD |

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Why a hand grinder? Apart from the obvious convenience when used for travel, I plan on purchasing a hand grinder to use when brewing single origin coffees at home. Much of my brewing is done with the Hario V60, and I often use this in the evenings, with the electric grinder not a great option when some in the household are asleep.

I have also researched a little into the Hario Skerton model as well, however a couple of reviews seem to suggest the Porlex may shade the Hario in performance. Another plus being the Porlex is sold through my green bean supplier Ministry Grounds, and it may not be too difficult to accidentally click “add to cart” at some point in one my future orders.

Hario Scales | $61.00 AUD |

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As I mentioned above, much of my home coffee brewing these days is done with the V60, requiring a fairly accurate ratio of water to coffee, as determined by weight.

Although the digital scales I currently use are adequate, there is one major problem in that the auto-off interval is too short. Not so great when aiming for a specific target weight to have the scales go blank and obviously reset to zero when turned back on. I have managed to get around this by constantly pressing and releasing the scales in between pours to keep them “active”, however this is obviously less than ideal.

The inbuilt timer on the Hario model will also come in very handy.

Tools

Kaweco Ice Sport Fountain Pen | $24.95 AUD |

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A fountain pen was always going to make this list. For years I have used my faithful Mont Blanc Meisterstuck, however given its value (both sentimental and material), I have always been a little nervous carrying and using it as an everyday pen. Obviously my preference for an everyday pen still runs towards something I enjoy using, which is likely to be a fountain pen.

The choice here, a Kaweco Ice Sport in green. Something that is great value for money, has excellent build quality, and in my opinion looks pretty good too. At this price point, my mind would be at ease including this in my everyday carry.

Noodlers Ink – Apache Sunset | $22.95 AUD |

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For many years I have relied on the Mont Blanc Black and Blue-Black inks in my fountain pen. In recent times this pen has been increasingly used for reviewing and marking up documents, where a different colour is useful to easily see any markings or notations on the page (standard white copy paper with black text).

Why not go bright with a colour that will really stand out! This particular Noodlers Ink is a brilliant, rich orange – somehow I don’t think it will be hard to see my notes written in Apache Sunset.

Twelve South Hi-Rise Stand for iPhone / iPad mini | $34.95 AUD |

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Twelve South produce high quality accessories for Apple products, and are available in the Apple Stores or on-line.

This particular stand, which requires a small amount of assembly, accommodates a Lightning charger and is adjustable to allow for having a case on your iPhone or iPad. This is a stylish way of lifting the device up off the desk – very handy for using my iPad mini as a second screen whilst sitting at my Mac, and makes a perfect hands-free face time accessory.

Bonus Item

Yamazaki 12 Yr Old Japanese Whisky | $130.00 AUD |

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This one is a bolt from the blue. I am certainly no expert on golden liquid of the single malt variety, however scotch has always been my drink of choice – to the tune of relaxing with one or two on weekends my maximum intake.

There has been a bit of a buzz around Japanese whisky for a little while now, and I am keen to sample what is on offer. Why this particular maker? No specific reason, however why not start at the beginning, with Japan’s first malt whisky distillery. Australian site World of Whisky provides a little background:

Yamazaki is a Japanese whisky distillery located in Shimamoto, Osaka, owned by Suntory. In 1923, Shinjiro Torii, the founder of Suntory and the father of Japanese whisky, built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in the Vale of Yamazaki. Using copper pot stills, the Yamazaki distillery was the first of its kind outside of Scotland. The distillery’s location on the outskirts of Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto offered pure waters, diversity of climate and high humidity—the ideal environment for the maturation of good whisky.

The taste? Described as initially dry and herbal, becoming fruitier with smoke. According to this article in Gear Patrol, I may be onto a good thing. Cheers!

Conclusion

That concludes the Gift Guide / Wishlist for this year, and provides a little more insight into my interests and spare time pursuits. If there is nothing specifically on the list that interests you, hopefully it has at least provided a few areas to look into for similar products closer to the mark.

Most of all, best wishes to you, valuable reader. I truly appreciate the time you take to come and read these posts.

Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year to you and your family.

What’s Roasting – El Salvador Duo

/ Pete Denison / 1 Comment

Today’s roast consisted of two batches, both originating in El Salvador. The first being the unusually named Finca Siberia Pacamara, explained by Ministry Grounds:

The farm’s history dates back to 1870, when Fabio Morán and Etifanio Silva decided to conquer this hostile territory, sowing coffee trees in one of the highest summits of the Apaneca-Ilamatepec Mountain Range. They named the 28 hectares of land Siberia after its chaotic weather conditions, along with its difficult accessibility. One century later, Rafael Silva, brother of Luis Silva, inherited the property.

All of the coffee is shade grown under Pepeto Cedro and Cypress trees, which protect the coffee from wind and sun.

The expectation for this variety is for some nice fruit flavours, along with a sugar cane sweetness and good overall balance.

Cordillera de Apaneca mountain range in El Sal...

Cordillera de Apaneca mountain range in El Salvador. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The second batch through the roaster was another from El Salvador, Finca Suiza. Again from Ministry Grounds:

Finca Suiza is located in prime specialty coffee country in the foothills of the Santa Ana volcano. The farm’s 22 hectares are planted out with a mix of Bourbon and Pacamara varieties, as well as a few old Typica trees. The coffee is grown in the shade of native trees, which also provide habitat for a variety of birds and insects.

The resulting cup for the Suiza should demonstrate floral characteristics with some maple syrup sweetness and fruity acidity.

I am looking forward to comparing the two to determine how closely the flavour profiles align if at all. Both roast batches went reasonably well with the exception of the Siberia Pacamara ending up a little darker than I would have liked, courtesy of playing trampoline volleyball (don’t ask) with my son at a critical part of the roast. The challenges of home roasting!