Klatch's "World Best Espresso"
This was an interesting morning of coffee consumption. The main event was Klatch’s World’s best espresso being pulled on my pump machine. It is just entering its window for peak of flavor and I have more or less held off until today to start pulling shots with it. (Did I mention that I really like Roaste Prime because it allows me to order small quantities without paying shipping and therefore drink it exclusively at its peak?) Anyway, this means that I am first trying to dial it in. I have only ordered it once or twice before and remember liking it, but I do not remember much more. I had pulled one or two shots before peak and they were fine, but nothing to write home about.
The shots were pulled close to their recommended parameters which are as follows
EXTRACTION RECOMMENDATIONS
DOSE: 20 grams [ double ]
TEMPERATURE: 203 degrees
TIME: 26 - 28 seconds
VOLUME: 1.7 - 2.0 oz
I found the flavor muted. Also on my machine I should note that there is no such thing as a 20 gram double – it requires more head clearance than that, so if you are going to updose that much it requires a triple basket. Since I was not getting the separation of flavors I wanted I decided to lower the temperature and see if I could tease more subtlety out of the coffee. For good fortune or bad fortune my daughter got me a little distracted so I did not get the flush exactly how I wanted and I am not sure exactly what it was. I would guess it was closer to 198 degrees. Whatever it was it worked. It was a great shot of espresso. It still had the chocolate undertones, but citrus came through that had been totally missing at the higher temperatures. The linger, which is my favorite part of a great shot was fabulous.
Great news you say? Yes and no. I tried to recreate it 15 minutes later and failed. I must have dropped the temperature far more this time than in the shot I loved because that citrus took over making a sour unpleasant shot. I wish I had been paying attention the way I usually do when I pulled the first shot, but then again perhaps I would have ended up with two sour shots and at least now I know what I am aiming for!
Unlike Belle, I think this is an espresso that is fickle and requires careful attention. I guess I am not surprised that an espresso that wins world’s best espresso when pulled by one of the world’s best baristas should require that special attention.
The shots were pulled close to their recommended parameters which are as follows
EXTRACTION RECOMMENDATIONS
DOSE: 20 grams [ double ]
TEMPERATURE: 203 degrees
TIME: 26 - 28 seconds
VOLUME: 1.7 - 2.0 oz
I found the flavor muted. Also on my machine I should note that there is no such thing as a 20 gram double – it requires more head clearance than that, so if you are going to updose that much it requires a triple basket. Since I was not getting the separation of flavors I wanted I decided to lower the temperature and see if I could tease more subtlety out of the coffee. For good fortune or bad fortune my daughter got me a little distracted so I did not get the flush exactly how I wanted and I am not sure exactly what it was. I would guess it was closer to 198 degrees. Whatever it was it worked. It was a great shot of espresso. It still had the chocolate undertones, but citrus came through that had been totally missing at the higher temperatures. The linger, which is my favorite part of a great shot was fabulous.
Great news you say? Yes and no. I tried to recreate it 15 minutes later and failed. I must have dropped the temperature far more this time than in the shot I loved because that citrus took over making a sour unpleasant shot. I wish I had been paying attention the way I usually do when I pulled the first shot, but then again perhaps I would have ended up with two sour shots and at least now I know what I am aiming for!
Unlike Belle, I think this is an espresso that is fickle and requires careful attention. I guess I am not surprised that an espresso that wins world’s best espresso when pulled by one of the world’s best baristas should require that special attention.
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