House Blend, Small Batch Coffee Company, Brighton

The House Blend from Small Batch Coffee Company is a seasonal affair so the exact make up changes to reflect that. As this write up is long overdue the beans you can buy today will be different but promising a similar cup. Recently renamed the Goldstone Espresso, what can you expect from one of Brighton's premier independent roasteries? 

Sticking my nose in the bag and taking a big sniff out lifted a fruity acidity and a sweet licorice scent. The beans where a darkish brown with an almost golden green tinge caused by the oily iridescent surface. The blend had beans of all similar sizes and ground down nice and evenly. 

On brewing, a smooth light brown crema formed and a chocolate aroma clearly emerged. The taste was quite bitter at first, with a good bite to it, which then mellowed with coco infused sweetness. As the flavour developed there were iron like qualities to the subtle notes of stone fruit acidity. 

The blend was well balanced and low in acidity overall. It didn't make an overly heavy, broad espresso but one that was medium bodied with good sweetness and some playful notes. The finish was smooth and clean with some distant memories of lightly sharp, sweet fruits. 

Specification
Certification: None
Region: Varied, see beans
Altitude: Varied
Roast: Medium to dark
Process: Washed
Beans: 3 bean blend -Brazil Capim Branco, India Bibi Plantation and Tanzania Ruvuma.

A superb blend that keeps things simple with the one-two of chocolate sweetness and sharper fruit notes. This coffee has plenty of flavour without being overpowering. 

How do we taste it? Go here.

Supplier: 

Small Batch Coffee Company

http://smallbatchcoffee.co.uk/

@smallbatchcc

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01273 220246

info@smallbatchcoffee.co.uk

Terrone espresso blend, Terrone & Co.

Established in 2011, Terrone & Co. is a unique two man company, with the roaster based in Southern Italy and the trader based in West London. 


Yes with Terrone you to can have real Italian style roasted beans for breakfast, a taste of holiday. They have kindly supplied a couple of sample blends to review and enjoy at Damn fine Joe. 

First up is the Terrone Espresso blend, a complicated make up of 5 different coffee's, 3 Arabica and 2 Robusta with the lion's share being a Brazil Caerrado Dulce. 


They roast the beans in a 1950's "Vittoria" Italian roaster all in small batches. For this blend they roast the beans separately then bring them together using a traditional recipe.

Terrone supply their coffee's with some well designed tasting notes which include technical brewing suggestions, plus a badge, which always wins me over.

On opening the black foil sealed bag I was greeted by a strong aroma. There was liquorice and chocolate, a little acidity and even notes of tobacco. 

These were oily beans, the sheen glistened under the lights. Some of the beans in the blend were incredibly large and their colour was a beautiful dark brown, quite dark for a medium.

On brewing the crema was bubbly and a yellow gold colour and the aroma lost some of its darker characteristics and gave off more floral ones. 

The first few sips met with a good rounded body, a full flavour which expanded to fill the mouth. This coffee had some meaty flavours but was not found to be overpowering and was generally low in acidity. 


Bitter chocolate and a good sweetness with some flowery notes were all there through the heart of this cup.

The finish was still sweet and slightly creamy with a fragrant, pleasant bitter taste that was left on the pallet long after the drink was gone.

Specification

• Region:             Blend - See below
• Farm, CoOp:    Blend - See below
• Process:            Blend - See below
• Elevation:         Blend - See below
• Certification:   Blend - See below
• Roast:                Medium
• Roaster:            "Vittoria" 1950's Italian roaster

Blend    
50% Brazil Cerrado Dulce -

• Variety: Arabica 
• Cerrado region
• Source likely to be Cooperativa de Caficultores e Agropecuarists
• Rainforest Alliance certification (if above)

10% Nicaragua Matagalpa Cavallino -

• Variety: Arabica  
• Matagalpa highlands
• Process: Likely wet processed

10% Ethiopia sidamo Grade 2 Washed -

• Variety: Arabica  
• Sidamo region
• Ethiopia Coffee Exchange means beans are lumped together and graded rather than marked from a particular farm or district.
• Grade 2 is a high quality grade 
• Process: Washed

20% Java Blue Bromo -

• Variety: Robusta
• Mount Bromo, East Java, Indonesia

10% India Parchment Kappi Royal AAA Washed -

• Variety: Robusta
• The AAA is a grading
• Process: Washed

A well rounded coffee blend with strong chocolate notes, a little sweetness and a full body providing plenty of flavour to get the tongue round.

How do we taste it? Go here. 

Supplier: Terrone & Co.

http://www.terrone.co.uk/

@terrone

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Zabu House Blend

 The Zabu Coffee House Blend uses a mix of Brazilian, Colombian and Costa Rican and is made from  100% Arabica beans. It is also a Rainforest Alliance certified coffee. More details of the beans origin can be found from Zabu Coffee.

Sniffing straight from the pouch the beans had a good strong traditional coffee aroma with a gentle hint of acidity. They were light golden brown with a beautiful iridescent sheen like a beetle.

On grinding there was not a huge difference to aroma and the grounds had a almost woody texture.

After espressing (pressing?) the coffee had surprising little aroma compared to the roasted whole beans but the flavour on tasting was all there. On the first sip there was light tangy acidity on the front of the pallet, as these faded it gave way to a pleasant, mild nutty hazelnut aftertaste. 

There was a pleasingly balanced sweetness throughout which complimented the earlier acidity. Not overly rich in flavour the golden beans had given out a medium bodied smooth tasting coffee with no bitterness or fuzziness on the finish.

The Zabu Coffee House Blend is an extremely drinkable brew and one which I returned to ravenously till the bag was gone. It presents a pleasing cumulation of flavours yet does not surprise with anything jarring or difficult to handle, all the way from the initial sip to the glowing aftertaste. 

A great everyday coffee and recommended as a solid gateway blend for those new to real coffee.

Supplier: Zabu Coffee

Web: www.zabucoffee.com

Contact: mailto:CustomerService@ZabuCoffee.co.uk

Twitter: @zabucoffee

Zabu on Facebook

How do we taste the coffee? Go here.