Discussion of various types and blends of commercially available pre-roasted beans, their best sources, prices, their respective merits, and the Vivaldi settings required to optimism flavor.
I hit a near-perfect pour with the same settings as my local roast (John Hornall's own from Chestnut Hill Coffee Company). Rich with a thick, lasting crema which tells me the beans were fresh. A full, smooth flavor with a few fruity notes on the finish... just the slightest hint of smokiness -- Very nice. Not as bold as Black Cat, so it doesn't jump out of the milk as much. But as an espresso, I prefer Matt's. Highly recommended. :)
Just as I suspected, a nice roast for espresso - kind of nice to hear it doesn't jump out at you, especially in milk. Even in milk based drinks, Black Cat (of old) grabbed me by the larynx and slapped me silly :D
So you were pulling doubles? - If so, what kind of volume were you getting ounce-wise?
Niko wrote:How's that stuff grind-wise? Do you find the need to grind finer or coarser than usual?
I'd say average for what I've been pulling lately (which has been pretty darn fresh stuff). I do notice that beans that are not fresh require a finer grind. I.e. some of my home roasts have required adjustments to finer grind as they lose their freshenss.