Iteration 4
With this approach, I wanted to take something I knew worked reasonably well and see if I could adapt it. Specifically, I was thinking about some of the more classic flavors people associate with coffees from Papua New Guinea. Earthy, spicy, savory, you know… those sorts of flavors. This coffee has tons of fruit and acidity; it also has the potential for baking spices, herbs, and earthy characteristics. I thought that if I roasted this coffee a little darker and gave it a longer development time, I may be able to access these flavors and really show them off. I took what I had done in the second iteration, which was delicious (even though it was not my favorite), and decided to give it more development time and a darker roast color. It’s really a fairly straightforward adjustment, but it ended up being my second favorite coffee in the set.
Here is a quick comparison between Iteration 2 and Iteration 4. Iteration 2 is in red, and 4 is in blue.
My first round tasting this coffee brought out notes of black pepper, sweet and heavy toffee, caramel, positive earthy and clove flavors, aromatic plums, and a little drying, but A LOT more lively, interesting, and fruity than I thought it should be. The second time tasting through it was juicy plums with a mild roast flavor. I got aromatic plums, cherry, tobacco-like floral, heavy toffee, chocolate, earthy, and delicious as it cooled.
This coffee ended up being my second favorite of the iteration boxed set. I love how drinkable it is and how complex and interesting!
