Coffee Beans what's in your grinder ???


 
So an update on the Member's Mark House Blend product I've tried using. While the roast and flavor profile is quite good (to my tastes) the quality of the either the handling of or the beans themselves is quite "suspect".
I realize there will always be "chaff" in a bag of beans. But, I am very alarmed at how much of a bag of these MM beans are just chaff. I've now tried them in my Breville grinder, my KA grinder, and now 3 different Baratza grinders (yes 3, FWIW I am looking at "branching" my business model a bit to include high end grinders). Anyway I have an Encore here, a Virtuoso Plus, (both of which are 40mm conical burr units) and now as of yesterday I was able to acquire a very nice Vario W (weight based) grinder with 54mm ceramic flat burrs.
All of these grinders are behaving the exact same way with the MM beans. Very inconsistent grinds because of all the debris and chaff. It seems these pieces of "waste" material simply pass through the grind chamber either untouched by the burrs or not crushed correctly.
Leaving a messy grind that is inconsistent. Looking in the 2 bags I bought, it seems the reason for the cheap price is I think they're sweeping the floor in the roasting chamber and packaging what's left. But, a bag of these is close to 40% broken little bits and pieces not whole beans.
So, the last bag I bought will be the last bag I buy and I will be leaving a review about it with Sam's on why I am making the decision to leave them on the shelf.
I also began noticing this with the Kirkland House Blend but nowhere near this extent. FWIW I have a bag of Kirkland Espresso Blend waiting in the wings. I will see how it fares in this dept.
But, IMO if I pay for a bag of "whole bean" coffee I expect "whole beans" not little busted up bits and pieces
 
Yep - I was lucky enough to find myself in Kona, Hawaii about ten years ago, and downstairs off the hotel lobby was a little shop - and one of the things they sold were bags of imperfect Kona beans - meaning they were broken Kona coffee beans. At half price! Well, that's a deal, because who cares if the bean is broken, it's still good coffee, right? Wrong. But I was too naive to know. The normal Big Island beans I now buy are all perfect. At the bottom of the bag, there is nothing - no little pieces, no crumbs. Apparently, all the broken beans get picked out before the beans are bagged.
 
Check this review of Big Island Roaster's Ka'u Morning Glory

In the verdant embrace of Hawaii’s Ka'u region, there lies a coffee most wondrous—Ka'u Morning Glory. With each sip, one is transported to a realm of delight, where the rich essence of pecan dances harmoniously with the warm whispers of cinnamon.

This brew, a symphony of flavors, unfolds gently upon the palate, its nutty richness enveloped by the sweet spice of cinnamon, and the splash of citrus, evokes images of sunlit mornings and tranquil repose. The smoothness of its medium roast bestows a comforting caress, inviting the drinker to indulge in its sublime depths.

Thus, Ka'u Morning Glory coffee stands not merely as a beverage but as an enchanting experience—crafted with care by dedicated hands, it offers both taste and the spirit of the land. A treasure for the discerning connoisseur, it is indeed a cup of paradise to be savored with reverence.

:D
 
Well today I filled the hopper on the Vario W with Kirkland Signature Espresso roast. It's pretty darkly roasted. A lot of glistening on the beans. So, I was not sure what I was going to expect. I recall trying this product once quite some time ago but no recollection of how it went. So, seeing how quite well roasted it is I'm amazed at how "mellow" a brew it made. Now maybe that is a testament to the high quality of the 54mm flat ceramic burr Vario W? Rather than the little Shardor inexpensive 40mm conical I'd tried it on? Also IIRC last time I tried it I did so in the Moccamaster that gave me so much trouble to get a quality brew out of. But I did this AM, an 80+ (IIRC 81.5) dose in the OXO 12 cup, and holy cow what an amazing cup! No harshness, very smooth, almost a little sweet. Honestly WAY WAY better than what I expected. Very happy!
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LMichaels said:
Well today I filled the hopper on the Vario W with Kirkland Signature Espresso roast. It's pretty darkly roasted. A lot of glistening on the beans. So, I was not sure what I was going to expect. I recall trying this product once quite some time ago but no recollection of how it went. So, seeing how quite well roasted it is I'm amazed at how "mellow" a brew it made. Now maybe that is a testament to the high quality of the 54mm flat ceramic burr Vario W? Rather than the little Shardor inexpensive 40mm conical I'd tried it on? Also IIRC last time I tried it I did so in the Moccamaster that gave me so much trouble to get a quality brew out of. But I did this AM, an 80+ (IIRC 81.5) dose in the OXO 12 cup, and holy cow what an amazing cup! No harshness, very smooth, almost a little sweet. Honestly WAY WAY better than what I expected. Very happy!
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Niiiiiice!!! I've been walking by that bag at Costco....I might have to reach for one next time I need coffee.
 
LMichaels said:
I was truly and honestly surprised how good it is. IDK who is supplying it though.
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I just bought a bag of Mayorga Cubano roast, which rarely goes on sale at Costco. The price chafes my cheap-*** a little bit, (and it's only a 2lb bag to boot), but I only drink one cup a day, and the missus is a tea drinker, so I'll get by :cool:
 
That is one I have never seen locally. I think our Costco here being in the middle of a huge farming county has people who think we're all a bunch of backwoods dweebs out here. When I've gone into the Costcos nearer Chicago night and day differences in what is on display. Here not much variety of anything. Same at our local Sam's Club. I can count on one hand between both stores the amount of bean variety I see.
 
LMichaels said:
That is one I have never seen locally. I think our Costco here being in the middle of a huge farming county has people who think we're all a bunch of backwoods dweebs out here. When I've gone into the Costcos nearer Chicago night and day differences in what is on display. Here not much variety of anything. Same at our local Sam's Club. I can count on one hand between both stores the amount of bean variety I see.
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Yeah.....I get that. They might carry the Mayorga because they're a local company. Whenever we're out of town, and I see a Costco, we try to stop in because they have different stuff.
 
My buddy has emailed me twice over the past three weeks or so saying there is Mayorga Cubano at Costco, 2 lb bag, for $12.75. Hard to believe.
 
Mark_E said:
My buddy has emailed me twice over the past three weeks or so saying there is Mayorga Cubano at Costco, 2 lb bag, for $12.75. Hard to believe.
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I believe it. They do those $5.00 off sales on coffee all the time. The brands vary, but I've snagged the Cubano & Muy Macho cheap a few times over the years. The Mayorga doesn't go on slale as often so, whenever I see either one on sale, I'll buy a bag, whether I need it or not. I like Starbucks French Roast too, but I'll only buy it when it's discounted, which happens a lot more than the Mayorga.
@LMichaels has me intrigued about the Kirkland Espresso Roast...so I see a visit to Costco in my very near future...
 
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