Ethiopian

The Bitter Truth: Fixing Ethiopian Roasts and Unlocking Chocolate Notes

Mar

Coffee FactsBrazilian, Ethiopian, Father

The Bitter Truth: Fixing Ethiopian Roasts and Unlocking Chocolate Notes

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: You’re not alone in wrestling with bitterness in Ethiopian coffees, but the solution might lie in rethinking your roast curve rather than chasing flavor profiles. The Skywalker’s metrics you’ve honed—300g green to 260g post-roast, with precise timing for each phase—have served you well. Yet lately, that same process has left your Ethiopian beans tasting flat, acidic, or overly bitter. The culprit? A misalignment between roast development and the beans’ natural profile. Ethiopian coffees, especially those from the Guji or Sidamo regions, thrive in roasts that emphasize clarity and brightness. But when bitterness creeps in,…

The Perfect Bean Selection for Your Roasting Journey

Mar

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee FactsEthiopian, French, how to clean your coffee maker, Start, They

The Perfect Bean Selection for Your Roasting Journey

Here’s what you need to know: Roasting is less about guesswork and more about understanding how origin, processing, and roast level shape flavor. Your Behmor 1600 is a gateway to unlocking coffee’s complexity, but the right beans can make or break your early experiments. Start with beans that offer balance—neither too acidic nor too bitter—so you can focus on mastering technique over chasing trends. Ethiopian beans are a great starting point. They’re known for their bright acidity and floral notes, which act as a training ground for your palate. Pair them with Guatemalan beans, which deliver a rich body and…

The Ethiopian Bean’s RoR Crash: Why It Happens and How to Fix It

Feb

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee FactsEthiopian, Father, This

The Ethiopian Bean’s RoR Crash: Why It Happens and How to Fix It

If you’ve ever roasted an Ethiopian bean and watched the RoR plummet at first crack, you’re not alone. This bean’s unique profile—marked by a sharp, bright acidity and a delicate balance of floral and citrus notes—often defies the expected roast curve. Unlike most beans, which see a RoR spike as CO2 escapes, this Ethiopian variety consistently drops. The question isn’t if it happens, but why and how to navigate it. The answer lies in the bean’s cellular structure and moisture content. Ethiopian coffees, particularly from regions like Guji Uraga, have a higher proportion of small, tightly packed cells. When heat…

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee FactsEthiopian, Father, French, Post, This

Why That Roast Flattened in the Cup

The verdict is in: a roast that shone in cupping can vanish in the cup. This week, a Guji Ethiopian roast—roasted to 20% with a drop temp of 212°C—delivered bold blueberry and milk chocolate notes in the cupping, only to fade into blandness when brewed as a French press. The mystery? A perfect storm of timing, technique, and chemistry. Roasting is just the first act. Post-roast, beans need time to degas, releasing CO2 trapped during the process. If you brew too soon, the gas escapes during extraction, leaving a flat, underdeveloped cup. This roast was cupped Tuesday, brewed Wednesday—just a…

First Roast Lessons: Ethiopian Guji’s Bold Awakening

Jan

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee Factsacidity, alchemy, Ethiopian, Father, Guji

First Roast Lessons: Ethiopian Guji’s Bold Awakening

Coffee lovers, wine enthusiasts, tea devotees—here’s a lesson in humility and fire. My first roast attempt with Ethiopian Guji was a masterclass in chaos, blending ambition with rookie mistakes. I chased a light roast, but the machine’s heat and my nerves conspired to deliver something darker than intended. The result? A bold, smoky profile that defies expectations, proving that even flawed experiments can spark revelation. The SR800’s drum spun faster than I’d anticipated, turning 225g of green beans into 188g of roasted coffee in a blur of timing and tension. I’d mapped out the roast curve, yet the process felt…

Private-Label Coffee in the Netherlands: What You Need to Know

Dec

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee FactsCalifornia, Dutch, Ethiopian, Father, Netherlands

Private-Label Coffee in the Netherlands: What You Need to Know

Here’s something to stir your curiosity: the Netherlands’ coffee scene is a blend of tradition and innovation, but private-label specialty coffee here isn’t just about branding—it’s about trust, logistics, and navigating a market that values transparency. If you’re eyeing private-label beans, you’re not just selling coffee; you’re entering a niche where sourcing, legality, and reputation matter more than the beans themselves. The Dutch market isn’t short on roasters, but finding ones that offer private-label options requires digging. Established names like Mowbray Coffee or nearby EU roasters (e.g., Belgium’s Caffè Giacomo) often have white-label programs, though they’re typically geared toward larger…

The Hidden Melody Behind Ethiopian Coffee: How Laughter and Rhythm Shape Flavor

Dec

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee Factsacidity, Ethiopia, Ethiopian, Father, This

The Hidden Melody Behind Ethiopian Coffee: How Laughter and Rhythm Shape Flavor

In the misty highlands of Ethiopia, coffee isn’t just brewed—it’s sung. At Adola Washing Station, where the Guji region’s most celebrated coffees are born, the air hums with a different kind of holiday soundtrack. Instead of carols or Christmas cheer, workers sing as they sort beans, their voices weaving through the morning fog like a living rhythm. This isn’t performance art; it’s the heartbeat of a process that turns raw beans into something far more than a commodity. It’s a testament to how Ethiopia’s coffee culture has always thrived on more than just technique—it’s built on sound, laughter, and the…

From Chef to Barista Champion: Laura Metcalfe’s Coffee Journey

Dec

By ADMIN@CoffeeWineTea.com

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Coffee FactsEthiopian, Father, Laura, London, Sheese

From Chef to Barista Champion: Laura Metcalfe’s Coffee Journey

Meet Laura Metcalfe, a coffee freelancer in London who's been making waves in the specialty coffee scene for over a decade. Her passion for sharing coffee experiences with others is infectious and her competitive spirit has earned her multiple national championship titles. Let's dive into her inspiring story. Laura's love affair with coffee began at home, brewing instant coffee as a 10-year-old. But it wasn't until she tasted an Ethiopian Yirgacheffe six years ago that her passion for specialty coffee truly ignited. This delicate, tea-like cup opened her eyes to the world of complex flavors that coffee could offer, and…