Mexican Oaxaca Pluma - Tres Oros

Bought from Sweet Marias as part of their four half-pound sampler nearly half a year ago. Finally finished that half pound this roasting.

Roast: 20 seconds into 2nd crack on my little FreshRoast roaster. Done three days ago as I needed drip coffee pretty badly as both milk and roasted espresso had run out and I was tired of spending 20 minutes at the espresso machine for a drink.
Brewed: Drip three days ago (unbleached paper filter, whirly Braun grinder), espresso (Solis Maestro grinder set right on espresso icon) on the MC40 today.

It was surprisingly sweet as espresso. That's the big thing I wanted to remember. Not much crema and not much body, but the taste was wonderful, especially compared to the tempermental Vivace blend. Hints of vanilla and maple (wood caramel?) and surprisingly tasty high notes (pine-like) that weren't sour eventhough they were definitely bright/acid. I had run out of the conventional espresso blends and decided to just try it for fun and I'm glad I did.

I've loved this varietal since I got it. High mountain complexity, lighter than the things I like to roast darker. This is fairly light in body and more acid than most coffees I like. But it's beautifully balanced at the lighter roast. I think of it as being more like a flower when most coffees are nuts or earth or caramels. I can't drink a lot of it alone, feel like I'll float away, but it's a good break from the heavier stuff.

I'll give it an 9 out of 10 compared to a lot of other coffees.

Mexican Oaxaca Pluma - Tres Oros

Bought from Sweet Marias as part of their four half-pound sampler nearly half a year ago. Finally finished that half pound this roasting.

Roast: 20 seconds into 2nd crack on my little FreshRoast roaster. Done three days ago as I needed drip coffee pretty badly as both milk and roasted espresso had run out and I was tired of spending 20 minutes at the espresso machine for a drink.
Brewed: Drip three days ago (unbleached paper filter, whirly Braun grinder), espresso (Solis Maestro grinder set right on espresso icon) on the MC40 today.

It was surprisingly sweet as espresso. That's the big thing I wanted to remember. Not much crema and not much body, but the taste was wonderful, especially compared to the tempermental Vivace blend. Hints of vanilla and maple (wood caramel?) and surprisingly tasty high notes (pine-like) that weren't sour eventhough they were definitely bright/acid. I had run out of the conventional espresso blends and decided to just try it for fun and I'm glad I did.

I've loved this varietal since I got it. High mountain complexity, lighter than the things I like to roast darker. This is fairly light in body and more acid than most coffees I like. But it's beautifully balanced at the lighter roast. I think of it as being more like a flower when most coffees are nuts or earth or caramels. I can't drink a lot of it alone, feel like I'll float away, but it's a good break from the heavier stuff.

I'll give it an 9 out of 10 compared to a lot of other coffees.

Bombay Chai

Bought from: Coffeeshop in Vermont.
Made by: Mighty Leaf

Brewed: This afternoon at 3 at a full, rolling boil. 4 minute steep of 6 ounces of water with 2 ounces of milk and one teaspoon of Turbinado Sugar Shots added after the brewing time was up.

The teabag traveled with me the whole way back and has sat in my purse for the last... hm... three weeks. It's in a foil pouch, but it's still a terrible way to treat a teabag.

Faint tea flavor, rich with green cardamom and sweet with cinnamon. Not nearly as strong as I like chai (I like the loose leaf Republic of Chai and the less sweet Oregon Chai and the Celestial Seasonings buy out of the old Mountain Chai NOT the TeaHouse Chai they now have), either teawise or spice wise. But it wasn't offensive in any way.

2 out of 10.

Bombay Chai

Bought from: Coffeeshop in Vermont.
Made by: Mighty Leaf

Brewed: This afternoon at 3 at a full, rolling boil. 4 minute steep of 6 ounces of water with 2 ounces of milk and one teaspoon of Turbinado Sugar Shots added after the brewing time was up.

The teabag traveled with me the whole way back and has sat in my purse for the last... hm... three weeks. It's in a foil pouch, but it's still a terrible way to treat a teabag.

Faint tea flavor, rich with green cardamom and sweet with cinnamon. Not nearly as strong as I like chai (I like the loose leaf Republic of Chai and the less sweet Oregon Chai and the Celestial Seasonings buy out of the old Mountain Chai NOT the TeaHouse Chai they now have), either teawise or spice wise. But it wasn't offensive in any way.

2 out of 10.