ANOTHER DAY AT THE COFFEE LAB

We received two new coffees yesterday which we tried out today. One was a Hawaiian coffee from the island of Maui, coffee varietal originally from Mocha, Yemen; grown on the "cool lower slopes of the West Maui Mountains" on the Ka'anapali Estate and sent by a friend. The espresso, after three grind settings, OK to good, definitely tasted just like a traditional Mocha (which we have been using; a roast from Green Beanery in Toronto). Very caramelly with milk, probably due to the long roast time, maybe just over the edge a touch. Then there was the new coffee, we picked up at Discovery (Victoria, BC), a Guatemalan from a farm called Guataloompa. Made quite a good espresso after a few grind setting changes; very acidic, bright with a light mouth feel. So classically Guatemalan. Then we made a 50:50 blend of both beans. Not great, too chocolately, the Hawaiian swamped the bright notes. So, after lunch, and after adjusting the grind setting finer, we went for a 40:60 (Guatemalan), and it was lovely; a sweet balanced coffee, well made, but a wee bit thin mouth feel. It may take longer to get the tamp, grind setting, etc. down. Yet a very drinkable, delicious coffee, both as espresso and as double shot cortado. Almost out of these coffees!