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· 5 min read
Paul Deng

March 2018​

  • Beans: Coffee Island Microfarm (Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere)
  • Grind Size: 21
  • Coffee Portion: 12 g
  • Water Portion: 200 ml
  • Brew Time: ~1:30
  • Taste: Sweet and light
  • Rate: 10/10

Note: Did a side-by-side taste test between the Perger and 40/60 method. The subtle honey and black leaf aromas were more prominent in the Perger method, whereas the acidity dominated the taste profile in the 40/60 method. Because of the interesting aromas with this particular bean, the Perger method is preferred.

May 2018​

After almost two weeks without proper coffee, I bought some beans from Sumatra, Indonesia to try. It was brewed in the Chemex with the usual ratio of 1:16.7, and the resulting brew had a slightly juicy body that gets sour the more sips you take. The first notes were definitely earthy and herbal - the card indicated tobacco as one of the notes - but obviously I can’t start to tell the difference tobacco, cedar and wood. Then the subsequent notes are sharp, dry and acidic.

Not sure if I enjoyed this one, it is not a combination I particularly enjoy. Which means I probably should write a mental note here - DON’T BUY SUMATRA INDONESIAN BEANS AGAIN!

August 2018 (Pour over cold brew)​

  • Beans: Kicking horse 454 horsepower
  • Grind Size: 10
  • Coffee Portion: 25g
  • Water Portion: 200 ml
  • Ice portion: 250 g
  • Brew Time: ~2:00
  • Taste: Strong, oily and bitter
  • Rate: 7/10

During the summertime, I prefer to cold brew my coffee. This year I learned about Japanese cold pour over - which is much faster to prepare compared to the traditional cold brew. Instead of brewing overnight, Japanese cold pour over uses ice to instantly cool the hot coffee to a refreshing temperature.

To make this, you start by heating the vessel and wet the filter paper with boiling water. Then you add about ~150g of ice into the vessel before making any coffee. Then you slowly pour about 200ml of water over finely grind coffee beans with the usual bloom and pour steps. As the final drips of water is filtered through, you add about ~100g of ice into the coffee to finish.

At the end you have a cup of nicely chilled coffee to start the summer day.

v60 Pour Methods​

About 6 months ago, I got a Hario v60 dripper for my morning brews. Since I am the only coffee drinker in the house, making a single cup with the 6-cup Chemex seems awfully wasteful. With the smaller dripper, it allowed me to explore different pour methods and test their differences in my daily cup of coffee.

I use the Baratza Encore on setting 21 to grind the beans for all of the pour methods.

The Perger Method​

  • Coffee - 12g
  • Water - 200ml
  • Pour - 50ml bloom, 50ml @ 30s, 100ml @60s

Matt Perger's technique is very simple and easy to replicate. It produces a softer cup with less accentuation to the sweetness and acidity of the beans. I usually make a cup with 27g of coffee while keeping the same coffee:water ratio. This method scales well with different amounts of coffee because dividing the water into three distinct pours allow control without being too finicky.

4-6 Method​

  • Coffee - 20g
  • Water - 300ml
  • Pour - 40% of water in two pours, 60% of water in as many pours as you want

This award winning technique by Tetsu Kasuya is nuanced and more difficult to perform. However, I love the precision this pour gives to the flavor of the final cup. The idea of this method is the 40% component determines the balance between acidity and sweetness. The more water one uses in the first pour of this component, the more acidic the final cup will be, and vice versa. The 60% component determines the strength of the coffee. If one divides the 60% of water with more number of pours, the stronger the coffee will be. Since this method also calls for a slightly higher coffee:water ratio, the resulting cup is more flavorful. I always chose to use this method with a fresh batch of beans to experience the palette for the first time.

Continuous Pour​

  • Coffee - 27g
  • Water - 450ml
  • Pour - initial bloom, then pour the rest slowly in a circular pattern, aim for 2:00 - 2:30 brew time

Instead of pouring water in distinct batches and waiting for each batch of water to completely dissipate through the grounds, this method continuously add water after the bloom step. Begin by pre-wetting the ground with 75g or so of water (depends on how much coffee there is). Actively dig through the grounds to ensure there are no dry spots and the gases are released from the freshly grind beans. Then pouring in slow and steady circles around the center of the v60, near but not on the edge of the grounds. Allow water to build up as high as possible without spilling. Rao spin can be achieved through this continuous pour. The Rao spin is a way to achieve a flatter bed to allow for even extraction (although not actually invented by Scott Rao). Another way to achieve a flatter bed is to carefully thump the v60 down on the cup and gravity should even out the grinds. Although this method doesn't allow for customization of the flavor, it is consistent in producing the same cup over and over again.

· One min read
Paul Deng

February 2019​

It has been a while since I’ve had the time to try new beans. Today I brewed two cups of Ethiopia Limu beans with the intent of testing two different grind settings. Usually, I grind at 21 on the Baratza Encore for pour-over because it was a number I found online and I never thought too much of it.

I figured the internet is never wrong, why bother checking it.

But that’s half the fun of brewing at home, you get to tinker with the little levers and dial into your favorite setup. So I brewed two cups with the ratio of 200 ml of water to 12.5 g of coffee, and the same pour method of 4 pours with a 60 ml bloom, 120 ml, 180 ml and 20 ml Rao Spin to finish. The Rao Spin gives you an even bed of grounds to end the extraction process.

· 2 min read
Paul Deng

July 2017​

  • Beans: Coffee Island Microfarm (Brazil Santa * Feliciana)
  • Grind Size: 21
  • Coffee Portion: 27 g
  • Water Portion: 450 ml
  • Brew Time: ~3:00
  • Color: Slight greyish brown
  • Taste: Smooth and balanced
  • Rate: 9.5/10

Note: New coffee specialty shop opened on Bay and Wellesley, they do all kinds of brews from Turkish to Siphon. I tried two kinds of beans, the one from Brazil is the clear favourite with a more balanced and rich body over the one from El Salvador which is fruitier and sharper. Also trying a new brewing method from Tetsu Kasuya - 40/60 method which is a way to manually control the sweet and sour balance and strength level independently.

January 2017​

  • Beans: Kicking horse beans
  • Grind Size: 21
  • Coffee Portion: 27 g
  • Water Portion: 450 ml
  • Brew Time: 2:25
  • Color: Deep dark black
  • Taste: Sharp and acidic
  • Rate: 7/10

Note: Upgraded the dinky hand grinder with the Baratza electrical burr grinder. The consistency with the grounds this electrical grinder produces is so much more superior to the hand grinder. It is well worth the $120 investment. The coffee beans are not my favourite, I bought it mostly because it came in a nice anniversary tin. So I can use it to store coffee in the future.

Equipment​

· 3 min read
Paul Deng

November 2015​

  • Beans: Honduras Medium Roast
  • Grind Size: 2.5 notches visible - Coarse * Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 27 g
  • Water Portion: 460 ml
  • Brew Time: N/A
  • Color: Light hazel color and a fruity * aroma
  • Taste: Light, sweet, bright, lemon * aftertaste
  • Rate: 9.5/10

Note: Walked by a coffee shop I used to go on Baldwin and decided to pick up their roastry's beans on a whim. Great decision. I was first skeptical of the lemon/lime aftertaste, weary of it might overpower the beans, but it was just subtle enough that you only notice the taste as the coffee is swallowed. It leaves your palette clean and it is a wonderful ending note for this roast. Afterwards, I realized I left the grind setting from the coldbrew sessions, that left me confused as to which grind size I prefer for this bean.

September 2015 (COLDBREW)​

  • Beans: Zavida Hazelnut Vanilla Bean
  • Grind Size: 2.5 notches visible - Coarse * Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 50 g
  • Water Portion: 200 ml
  • Brew Time: 11:00:00
  • Color: "Clear", not muddled with any oil * or texture, looks just like black colored * water
  • Taste: Clean and sweeter due to the cold * water extraction
  • Rate: 7/10

Note: First time trying cold brew, a little late with the seasons but whatever. It wasn't too bad, a bit strong compared to Starbucks ones. That is, until I realized that at Starbucks they dilute the coffee with water before they serve it. So I tried that to temper the taste. Finally found a good use for the terrible vanilla beans I bought from Costco, it makes terrible pour overs and now it will be only used for cold brews.

July 2015​

  • Beans: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Bean
  • Grind Size: 3.5 notches visible - Medium * Coarse Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 27 g
  • Water Portion: 450 ml
  • Brew Time: 3:10
  • Color: Transitions from dark black to a * creamy brown around the rim
  • Taste: Light, mellow and sweet with hints * of floral aftertaste, not sharp or harsh. * Very easy to drink and neutral.
  • Rate: 10/10

Note: Favorite beans so far, the beans were purchased at a local roaster in St.Lawrence Market near Front Street at Downtown Toronto.

April 2015​

  • Beans: Continental Dark Roast
  • Grind Size: 3.5 notches visible - Medium * Coarse Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 24 g
  • Water Portion: 287 ml
  • Brew Time: 4:51
  • Color: Oily film on top and incredibly * dark
  • Taste: Bitter with a rough aftertaste, * Americano-esque.
  • Rate: 5/10

Note: Fresh beans was notably different during brew, as more oxygen was released. The ground bloomed much more intensely compared to stale beans.

March 2015​

  • Beans: Zavida Hazelnut Vanilla Bean
  • Grind Size: 3.5 notches visible - Medium * Coarse Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 27 g
  • Water Portion: 450 ml
  • Brew Time: 3:00
  • Color: Brownish with light brown edges
  • Taste: Awkward bitter taste with the * overwhelming hazelnut aroma. Throws the * entire brew off-balance.
  • Rate: 3/10

Note: Terrible purchase, and to be fair I didn't buy it...

· One min read
Paul Deng

December 2014​

  • Beans: Sumatra Mandheling
  • Grind Size: 3.5 notches visible - Medium * Coarse Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 2 tbsp
  • Water Portion: 500 ml
  • Brew Time: 3:02 min
  • Taste: Sharp at the nose but mild in * flavor
  • Rate: 7.5/10

October 2014​

  • Beans: Sumatra Mandheling
  • Grind Size: 3 notches visible - Medium * Coarse Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 2 tbsp
  • Water Portion: 500 ml
  • Brew Time: 2:30 min
  • Color: White around the edges, light * brown, and hazelnut towards the middle.
  • Taste: Soft bland, mellow
  • Rate: 6.5/10

February 2014​

  • Beans: Sumatra Mandheling
  • Grind Size: 4 notches visible - Medium Coarse Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 2 tbsp
  • Water Portion: N/A
  • Brew Time: N/A
  • Color: N/A
  • Taste: Overall the beans tasted smooth with a full-bodied complexion
  • Rate: 7/10

September 2014​

  • Beans: Van Houtte's French Roast
  • Grind Size: 4 notches visible - Medium * Coarse Grind
  • Coffee Portion: 2 tbsp
  • Water Portion: N/A
  • Brew Time: N/A
  • Color: N/A
  • Taste: Rough, sharp
  • Aroma: Smokey, Carbony
  • Rate: 6/10