Coffee Beans what's in your grinder ???

[Jay D in Jersey]

Yes very much so. Just like their House Blend counterparts. Very glossy and fragrant. But, so far (though I will report more later on this), I don't see them being worth $6 more a bag. Sadly if I could find them in Costco here, they'd only be $3 more. And so far I think I'd pay that. But again too soon for me to judge it fully.
This is not a reflection of them being poor or inferior quality BTW, only that the House Blend beans are THAT good.

I like the House Blend. It's solid and consistent. I'm looking for a suitable espresso roast that is not oily. It looks like UPS delivers the Gaggia Brera tomorrow. Now we're not heading to the beach until Saturday afternoon but that won't stop me from firing it up here in PA. So I'm going to shop for some different beans today.

 

[LMichaels]

I always thought oily was from the darker roasting process and a sign the beans were freshly roasted. So in my logic a darker roast not oily would indicate "old". Am I missing something?

 

[Jay D in Jersey]

I always thought oily was from the darker roasting process and a sign the beans were freshly roasted. So in my logic a darker roast not oily would indicate "old". Am I missing something?

I'm not sure. I know I've seen espresso roast beans that were not oily. So perhaps I'll seek out a medium roast to start.

 

[Karl Quist]

I'm on the last bit of my initial bag of Kirkland House Blend. It's been great, and I have really enjoyed it. Just a really nice balanced bag of coffee, and it's hard to beat the price. I'm picking some more up this week. This is going to be my go-to for now.

 

[LMichaels]

Well I just pulled a shot with it from my Casabrews. Quite good but while further testing awaits, initial impression is not $6 better per bag good

 

[GrantT]

I always thought oily was from the darker roasting process and a sign the beans were freshly roasted. So in my logic a darker roast not oily would indicate "old". Am I missing something?

It's actually the opposite TBH (usually older = oily unless you are using decaf). It's a by-product of both roast level and age...actually a pretty complex process that coffee roasters take immense efforts in....here is a good summary actually:

 

[Joe Anshien]

It's actually the opposite TBH (usually older = oily unless you using decaf). It's a by-product of both roast level and age...actually a pretty complex process that coffee roasters take immense efforts in....here is a good summary actually:

Interesting as I am one of the folks that like the dark oily ones.

 

[GrantT]

Interesting as I am one of the folks that like the dark oily ones.

Many do, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that either...you like what you like!! There is a richness to darkly roasted coffee that appeals to many for sure (I.e. if you like Starbucks, you are likely one of these people). Personally, I cannot drink a Starbucks coffee...even their lightest roasts are too dark to me, but my wife loves them. I prefer very light to slightly medium roasts that are bright and fruity, citrus, berry flavored, maybe some nut flavors etc. @Rich G does some nice roasting from what I have seen on his posts here. I haven't roasted my own beans in years as I work with some local coffee roasting companies that used to carry my espresso equipment before I sold my company.

Industry "secret"...darkly roasted beans hide many faults in a bean, and also let's you roast different varietals of beans, but come out with the same general flavor in the end. When you lightly roast a bean, it's real flavor really comes through (bad or good) so you have to be more choosy of the green beans you buy, roast them more carefully with different roast profiles etc. This also translates into more effort, and higher costs too. Some of the best coffees that I love cost around $50-$60 a kilo here (my "special" occasion beans). Just like grapes for wines, some years crops from some areas are just unique and rare and sell for much higher. You would never buy these green beans then roast them dark as you would just be rolling over what makes them better than your average bean,

Companies like Starbucks buy coffee in huge bulk (and typically the low-end" beans) and then blend and mix and roast dark to get their consistent end product...there is no way they could do that if they roasted light to medium like artisan roasters do.

 

[LMichaels]

It's actually the opposite TBH (usually older = oily unless you are using decaf). It's a by-product of both roast level and age...actually a pretty complex process that coffee roasters take immense efforts in....here is a good summary actually:

I watched this but it was very difficult. The guy speaks in so much geek abstract, with what I interpret as many contradictions. I'm sure he knows his stuff but a communicator he ain't

 

[Joe Anshien]

Industry "secret"...darkly roasted beans hide many faults in a bean, and also let's you roast different varietals of beans, but come out with the same general flavor in the end. When you lightly roast a bean, it's real flavor really comes through (bad or good) so you have to be more choosy of the green beans you buy, roast them more carefully with different roast profiles etc. This also translates into more effort, and higher costs too. Some of the best coffees that I love cost around $50-$60 a kilo here (my "special" occasion beans). Just like grapes for wines, some years crops from some areas are just unique and rare and sell for much higher. You would never buy these green beans then roast them dark as you would just be rolling over what makes them better than your average bean,

Companies like Starbucks buy coffee in huge bulk (and typically the low-end" beans) and then blend and mix and roast dark to get their consistent end product...there is no way they could do that if they roasted light to medium like artisan roasters do.

Just like with wine and beer, I am glad to have cheap taste in coffee I guess especially at $5/lb vs $25/lb ;-)

 

[LMichaels]

Just like with wine and beer, I am glad to have cheap taste in coffee I guess especially at $5/lb vs $25/lb ;-)

I can't help but think some of this "expensive taste" is more of a "putting on heirs" type of thing (or is that putting on airs IDK). I've tasted some very expensive beverages that quite honestly did not measure up to their cheaper counterparts.
I am going to brew up a pot of the Espresso beans tomorrow AM. I expect it to taste REALLY good. I will also pull a double shot later in the day (this time from my KA espresso machine). The double shot I pulled today was delish. Really. But I did not sense that it was worth 50% more than the House Blend. Even the look of the beans, aroma and tasting a whole bean. Really good. 50% more $$$ good? MEH. But, in all fairness, that 50% figure is because I have to order it online and pay for delivery. Maybe if they had it in my store and I was only paying 20% more I might see it differently.
One thing I saw today is they have the Kirkland Sumatran organic beans. IIRC about $17 for 2lbs. They don't have this often. But I recall it being REALLY REALLY good stuff. I may grab a bag. Just for the helluvit.
But, in all honesty at $10.99 for 2.5 lbs I think the House Blend is so good that it's "punching way above it's weight"

 

[Brian B Atlanta]

Just like with wine and beer, I am glad to have cheap taste in coffee I guess especially at $5/lb vs $25/lb ;-)

I am the opposite been doing Keurig for many years sick of the battles with the wife she likes a medium blend I love dark roast kept wasting pots of coffee she loved hers I hated hers so dump a small pot then make mine waste of money.

 

[Rich G]

Many do, and there is certainly nothing wrong with that either...you like what you like!! There is a richness to darkly roasted coffee that appeals to many for sure (I.e. if you like Starbucks, you are likely one of these people). Personally, I cannot drink a Starbucks coffee...even their lightest roasts are too dark to me, but my wife loves them. I prefer very light to slightly medium roasts that are bright and fruity, citrus, berry flavored, maybe some nut flavors etc. @Rich G does some nice roasting from what I have seen on his posts here. I haven't roasted my own beans in years as I work with some local coffee roasting companies that used to carry my espresso equipment before I sold my company.

Industry "secret"...darkly roasted beans hide many faults in a bean, and also let's you roast different varietals of beans, but come out with the same general flavor in the end. When you lightly roast a bean, it's real flavor really comes through (bad or good) so you have to be more choosy of the green beans you buy, roast them more carefully with different roast profiles etc. This also translates into more effort, and higher costs too. Some of the best coffees that I love cost around $50-$60 a kilo here (my "special" occasion beans). Just like grapes for wines, some years crops from some areas are just unique and rare and sell for much higher. You would never buy these green beans then roast them dark as you would just be rolling over what makes them better than your average bean,

Companies like Starbucks buy coffee in huge bulk (and typically the low-end" beans) and then blend and mix and roast dark to get their consistent end product...there is no way they could do that if they roasted light to medium like artisan roasters do.

I made the most important part of your post BOLD!

I'm no expert, but for sure there's a balance between the flavors of the bean, and the flavors of the roast itself. That's the reason why when I buy green coffee beans to roast, there are usually notes attached to them that include the levels of roast that the purveyor believes the beans are most suited to (or really the other way around.) Subtle floral and citrus notes can be drowned out by a darker level of roast. Beans that tend toward nutty and chocolate flavor notes usually can be roasted darker without losing the bean flavor completely. I roast to my personal tastes (typically a lot of Guatemalans that tend toward those nuts/chocolate, and I like them at Full City/+ roast.....which is a bit before a "French" roast, and quite a bit before an "Italian" roast.)

Here's the interesting thing (maybe only to me.....) I have found that I prefer lighter roasted coffees with more fruit and citrus flavors when I'm making espresso. At the end of the day, back to Grant's "you like what you like" comment, you brew the coffee that puts what you want in the cup. How much you are willing to spend to chase differences in the cup is part of the equation. I'm sure SOME people who buy expensive coffee couldn't tell the difference between Folger's and a $30/lb pure Kona, but I am as sure that there are SOME people who can. If they have the funds and want to spend them on coffee, great....even better if they want to share with me, and I actually like it.

I'm currently on my third bag of Counter Culture "Forty Six" in the espresso machine, which I got for a decent deal on sale, but is probably more than SOME people want to spend on coffee. It works for me, and 99% of the time, I'm the only one drinking it, so I'm the only one I have to please!

Anyway, drink what you like, then put some ribs on the smoker!

Rich

 

[LMichaels]

Anyway, drink what you like, then put some ribs on the smoker!

All for that! Putting a shoulder in early Thursday AM

 

[LMichaels]

I have to ask. If you use light roast beans (whether in espresso or drip, what have you) is the resulting liquid a different color? IOW is it visibly lighter than say a med or dark roast brew? Also what is a "breakfast roast"? I've come across this occasionally at Costco. Or I see "Blonde Roast" on the same bags. So does the resulting brew look more like tea than coffee?

 

[Joe Anshien]

One thing I saw today is they have the Kirkland Sumatran organic beans. IIRC about $17 for 2lbs. They don't have this often. But I recall it being REALLY REALLY good stuff. I may grab a bag. Just for the helluvit.
But, in all honesty at $10.99 for 2.5 lbs I think the House Blend is so good that it's "punching way above it's weight"

I think I saw the Sumatran organic when I was there last week. I did not pull the trigger. Maybe next time if they have it.

I am the opposite been doing Keurig for many years sick of the battles with the wife she likes a medium blend I love dark roast kept wasting pots of coffee she loved hers I hated hers so dump a small pot then make mine waste of money.

Funny - my wife and I went through tough times as well. She is from Puerto Rico and was used to a lot of cream and sugar so liked the coffee brewed very strong. I liked black and liked mine weaker. I eventually went to her way with cream and sugar, then she went mine. We both drink black now and there is world peace in our home.

 

[Rich G]

I have to ask. If you use light roast beans (whether in espresso or drip, what have you) is the resulting liquid a different color? IOW is it visibly lighter than say a med or dark roast brew? Also what is a "breakfast roast"? I've come across this occasionally at Costco. Or I see "Blonde Roast" on the same bags. So does the resulting brew look more like tea than coffee?

To my eye, the liquid below the crema is about the same, but the crema is definitely lighter. I'll get you a pic tomorrow morning, though it won't be all that telling since you can't compare it to a darker roast... As far as I know, a breakfast roast is typically "medium", and is more of a marketing descriptor. Blonde is going to be a light roast, and will probably tend more toward floral and citrus flavors depending on the beans in the roast. I would expect the liquid in a Blonde to be noticeably less dark than medium or dark roasted coffees, but still not as "see through" as tea.

 

[LMichaels]

I wish I could get my hands on some (not a lot) just maybe a like small bag just to give it a whirl. I would love to just get say a "sampler". With different roasts but not having to break the bank to try them

 

[Jay D in Jersey]

I wish I could get my hands on some (not a lot) just maybe a like small bag just to give it a whirl. I would love to just get say a "sampler". With different roasts but not having to break the bank to try them

Yeah there's a grocery store chain in the Mid -Atlantic and Southeast called The Fresh Market. They sell at least 8-10 different types of beans all in barrels which you scoop into coffee bags yourself and mark the product number for weighing at checkout. Several are flavored...hazelnut, vanilla, etc...but they also have different roasts to try. I generally don't because I have to question freshness for being stored that way. But it does present the chance to try a variety. They're also charging about $14/lb. which makes it easier to just go to Costco which is 2 blocks away.

 

[LMichaels]

Yeah, IDK about the wisdom of putting the beans in a barrel.

Also I promised a report on my pot of drip out of my Breville Precision Brew. I did as I usually do with a new/different type of bean, go to the "base" Gold setting on the brewer. This is the setting that is supposedly where the unit is rated at SCA Gold standards. In comparison to the House Blend I would have to say this one seems to have a little more of a "smoky" background note to it then the HB.
Where the HB seemed to have a little more of a brighter taste and aroma. Very subtle though as the main character of both is nearly identical. And I certainly could not point to one and say "I like this better". They're both extremely good and suit my taste buds very nicely. But when this one is gone, I won't buy it again (unless I can find it at my local Costco rather than pay to have it shipped to me), I would either grab another bag of House Blend or a bag of Columbian Supremo at Sam's Club because I like their CS a little better than the Costco one.
Though for s&*ts giggles and grins I could see myself splurging just a bit and grabbing one of the Kirkland Sumatran Organics.
But for a really good daily driver that House Blend is awfully tough to beat