Peru Penachi Roasts

The latest green coffee bean that I have roasted is Peru Penachi. I roasted this bean in my Fresh Roast SR500 coffee roaster with two roasts in mind. A morning brew and an espresso brew.

For the intended espresso roast I set the fan to medium high and the temperature to high. I set the roasting time for 6.6 (this equals six and six tenths minutes). The first crack occurred with 3.5 (three and a half minutes) remaining. The second crack with 1.1 (one and one tenth minutes) remaining. I pushed the "cool" button with six tenths of a minute left on the timer because I wanted to stop the roast while the bean had a matte finish on its surface. For both roasts, it should be noted I used 3 oz of beans, or for those who have the same roaster, three scoops.

For the intended morning roast, which for my husband and I is a darker roast, I set the fan to medium high and the temperature to high. I set the timer for 7.9 (seven and nine tenths minutes). The first crack occurred with 5.0 (five minutes) remaining. The second crack with 2.9 (two and nine tenth minutes) remaining. I pushed the "cool" button with six tenths of a minute left on the timer. The second crack had ceased and I did not want the beans to burn. The surface of this bean was very oily.

For those reading who are unfamiliar with roasting terminology, the cracks refer to the two moments during roasting where the water content of the bean is steamed out. The first crack is louder and sounds a little like popcorn. The second is more subtle. Some say it sounds like paper crumpling, but I think it sounds like the clatter of a hard candy being rolled around a mouth, clinking against teeth. These two moments are sound indicators to how fast or slow the roast is progressing. Another indicator is the appearance of the bean; a matte finish on the bean, where spots of oil show on the surface of the bean, or an oily surface. The oily surface usually occurs during and after the second crack where the matte finish is most notable during the end of the first crack and prior to the second crack.

The following morning, my husband brewed in a drip machine the "morning brew". It smelled like a pretzel. A nutty roasted smell was also prevalent. Impatient to taste this roast, we both drank while it was hot, risking the scalding of our mouths. They survived intact, but the back of our throats were left scratchy by the coffee. I left mine sit for a while and tried it again. It was very smooth. Instead of tasting like a pretzel it was bittersweet, like unsweetened dark chocolate with an additional flavor of roasted nuts. I found it enjoyable.

In the afternoon, I ground some of this roast for my espresso machine. Normally I try to abstain from caffeine after one in the afternoon, or no surprise, I find I have a hard time sleeping. However, a sick three year old had seriously sapped my energy and patience. It was time for an indulgence. Before adding the espresso to the steamed almond milk (an underestimated milk matching for lattes and in my opinion, far superior to soy milk) I sample the brew. I was shocked by how incredible bitter it was. Normally, I enjoy drink my coffee and espresso black. This roast required the addition of milk to dilute the bitterness and acidity.

While I was not a fan of the strength, my husband liked it. I hope to try this through our drip machine or French Press to see how the flavors are affected. If I still have found I do not like this roast, I will have to try again at a lower temperature. For the morning blend I may have to try it in the espresso machine. Perhaps it will produce favorable flavors than the intended espresso roast. Perhaps I will experiment with this morning brew on a lower temperature as well to produce a roast with more pronounced flavors.