Splendid Espresso Blend!!!

[shadow745]

I don't know if any of you have heard of Espresso Toscano from Counter Culture Coffee in Durham, NC, but it is the BOMB. I recently tried 3 12 oz. bags of it and I can now say it's the best espresso roast I've tried yet. Smooth, buttery, the strongest overall taste of any blend yet and also has the longest lasting and thickest crema I've seen from any bean. Even after the beans hit the 3 week point after roast the shot was still 90% crema. Just outstanding. Later!

 

[davidsbiscotti]

espresso toscano

Counter Culture Coffee describes their Espresso Toscano:

"A wonderful espresso roasted and blended in the caffe dolce
or "sweet coffee" tradition of Central Italy. Sweet and mild,
with notes of caramel, hazelnut, and dark chocolate, Toscano
has built quite a following of professional Baristas and home
espresso enthusiasts alike."

Good call Shadow, I'm sold on the picture alone.

Also, their blend uses Sumatra Gayo, one of my faves.

 

[wartaymor]

yeah, the sumatra gayo does wonders for espresso. we blend it with our uganda bugisu for our espresso blend and have been very happy with the results.

that photo is great - makes me want to spend my year''s salary on a new machine. unfortunately the stars must be aligned for my little junker machine to produce a beauty of a stream like that.

 

[davidsbiscotti]

Taylor, your Crop To Cup website is magnificent. Brilliant use of colors and your videos are perfect. I want to post a link for the coffeeforums members, but I think I'd need your permission.

I will revisit your site soon to have a look at them again and also to read up on your non profit work in Uganda.

Are you based in the U.S.?

 

[jlyon10]

Counter Culture Coffee

I will be going there next Friday can't wait to taste their coffee. I am going for a cupping. I am still learning how.

 

[davidsbiscotti]

Cool Jim, let us know how you like the cupping.

About the other guy though, he didn't put his website in his www button, so I just played like Sherlock HOlmes and found a lot of good stuff on him.

 

[wartaymor]

David - Sorry for the late posting - I was traveling in Central America and just returned this morning.

I will get in touch with you off of the forum to answer your question. Thanks for your positive feedback on our website!

-Taylor

 

[davidsbiscotti]

Hi Taylor, thanks for the pm.

There's an abundance of info on how to make espressos, complete with latte art and etching how-to's and contests and so on. There's the big coffee chain scene, the fancy terms we use and even the spiffy coffee mugs we collect. The romanticisms of the coffee roasting process has also been expressed by many and really is a world on its own. These things are fine and good for those of us who really enjoy a cup of good coffee.

But your site offers a different look into the world of coffee, the pure beginning stages of coffee that I don't think we get to see enough of. Thank you for your contribution, I will add your link to my blog for my customers to view as well.

Here's a link to some info and videos of the Ugandan coffee farmers who nurture and harvest the coffee we enjoy:
http://www.croptocup.com/farmer_regional_profiles.php

 

[shadow745]

This isn't a plug for Counter Culture Coffee........ I'm expecting 4 12 oz. bags of fresh Toscano today and am really looking forward to enjoying it once again. I really should order from the more often, as they are located only 30-45 miles from me. Only problem is they don't allow in-store pickup and shipping is $10 for that short distance...... Ouch!

I've been a big fan of Intelligentsia's Black Cat for close to 2 years now, but here lately it just isn't doing it for me. I keep my machine/grinder in great shape, so it's nothing on my part that I can think of. Maybe just a seasonal change in beans.

Anyway, I'll update this once I pull some shots and let you guys/gals know how it is this time around. Later!

 

[jlyon10]

Roast your own

I was suprised when I went to a cupping at Counter Culture Coffee, I took a tour and couldn't even buy their coffee there. You need to start roasting your own.

 

[shadow745]

Yeah "having" to have the beans shipped is a pain, but what can you do?

I know home roasting is a viable option, but out of the question for me right now. See over the last 2.5 years I have bought 2 espresso machines, 2 grinders, a stainless tamper, digital scales, shot glasses, etc. "Asking" for a roaster is a little over the top for now. LOL......

For now I'll bite the bullet and buy from "pro" roasters. I'm a little concerned that if I start home roasting I might not get it right for quite awhile. At least with properly roasted beans the quality is pretty much guaranteed. Later!

 

[jlyon10]

Boss

You mean the Boss won't let you. lol. I think it is easy to home roast the problem you have is becoming addicted to it.

 

[shadow745]

Do you sale your roasted beans? Have a website? Later!

 

[jlyon10]

sell

No I only roast for myself I have 2 Fresh Roast Plus 8 which don't roast very much at a time. I am looking to buy a drum roaster for my BBQ that will do a pound but I still probably won't sell my roasted beans. I do have a website that sells green beans and roasted beans from a drop shipper.

 

[shadow745]

Well I'm about 1.5 weeks into the Toscano and am loving it. When I first received it the beans had only sat for a day or so. So way, way too fresh to say the least. Had boatloads of crema that went flat really fast. Awesome nonetheless. Any good beans usually take 4-5 days to degas a bit before dialing them in right. Well Toscano delivers once again. Outstanding flavor and texture. The flavor is really rich with notes I haven't tasted in any other blend and very heavily bodied. The texture is buttery-like, being very thick and syrupy. All I can say is that any true espresso lover has to try this blend.

I've been a big fan of Black Cat for almost 2 years and have tried other blends. Nothing I've tried yet comes close to Toscano. I'm sure CCC has other great blends and single origins, but once I lock onto something I like I don't change often. Later!