So here we go I suppose.. a lot of pressure to perform.. well adequately at least. Not that the pressure is being adequate, but that the performance probably will be. Don't you just hate when you feel like you have to explain a joke?
Anyway. The most difficult part is going to be to remember the different nuances between all the coffees I have consumed so far. Some coffees by their virtue of awesomeness have obviously stuck with me a bit more, but like this first one my list, some just haven't stuck with. I will be biased and I want you to know this before you start using my judgement as some sort of frame of reference.
As you might have noticed this will a two part story. Mostly because I can not imagine anyone sitting down, noticing "Hey, Carlos has finally written about coffee!", and then actually reading the whole damn thing. So I'll spare you the back pain and in return you will.. well.. I suppose we will have to come to some sort arrangement won't we?
I will also have some brackety looking thingys next to the different names of beans. This is simply an abbreviation of where I purchased them in case anyone feels like exploring the great(meh) city of Vaasa and buying some coffee for themselves.
[RV] = Ryytivakka, Saluhallen
[LK] = Liisa Koski
The Peruvian Yanesha [RV] was albeit not bad per se just too "meh" and had too much acidity for my taste. Sure there's probably someone out there who thinks that this is the best coffee in the world. For them. My point is, some coffees I liked, some I thought were shit. They weren't actually shit (I don't actually know what shit tastes like) but in my world of "Do I like this or not?" there are only two options. Beans I want to have more of.. and beans that I don't. Yanesha is unfortunately not a bean I will be keeping in my cupboard.
Barahona [RV] from Dominican Republic was actually one of the first coffees I tested. I kind of liked it at first (oh what a fool I was) but as my taste buds got used to tasting coffee this one felt, although heavy bodied with a very rich taste, it was too earthy for me. I also came to be not very fond of it's after-taste which had a little bitterness to it. This one will probably not be making a return. No rose for Barahona.
Switching continents completely I now happened upon an Indonesian that although I decided to only give it a 2+ I might want to revisit this one later one. I feel it might have Manhattan Blow Job potential. I give you the Indonesian Sulawesi [RV]. More light and quite fresh although with an slight acidity that never really agreed with me. This by the way also happens to be one of the beans Starbucks sells as a part of their selection. One friend who visited liked when I randomly did a 50/50 blend of Sulawesi and Bucaramanga (more on that one later).
Aaah, my wonderful wife. She went to Denmark a couple of weeks ago and of course I told that her that if she happens to "stumble" upon some nice coffee beans, she should bring me some. I present you with the Brazilian Daterra Sweet Collection [!]. It took me until last week before I could try this one (didn't have a grinder). I quite liked this one, definitely more of afternoon coffee than a morning one. I like it sweeter and fruitier in the morning.. and with a bit more bite in the afternoon. So why only a 3? Well, mostly because in the end it tasted too little. Bitterness was appropriate as well as acidity, but it lacked taste. Not to say it was tasteless, it had hints of dark chocolate with a dry nuttiness on the side. Some Mango or similar taste the end the experience would have made this a keeper. Right now though, I don't know. Maybe I'll import some more and see later on.Speaking of Brazil though I just remembered. I also had something called Conquista Blend [RV] from Brazil. But I didn't like that at all. So I'm just going to lump it in with this one and call it a day. Okay?
Like I said. Two part story, you're just going to have to stay tuned (or not) for part Two.. the interesting part, the part where I start talking about the coffees I really liked and why I did. Part Two will also feature math (gaah, run for your lives!!1) since I figured that might be a good time to bring up what kind of water to coffee ratios I've been using. Basically I will be indulging myself like the true narcissist I am.. and probably not be paying that much attention to whether you listen or not.
At some point I also have plans of trying to find a good cup of coffee in Vaasa. I might have to lower my standard to a "decent" cup as I fear the coup de grâce for my intestines will be the moment when I reach Shell gas-station, who in my opinion should be notorious for their awful coffee. Hmm, maybe they are and I just haven't heard it. Anyway. Next time.. some random filler because I don't feel like writing part Two.. and then after that, totally.. part Two.
By the way, awesome illustrations, right? Yeah, I totally made them especially for you.
