^ Looks like Grumps enjoyed his Penfolds shiraz as much as I enjoyed the Yirg .. perhaps even a little more 😉 Last night I made a double shot piccolo of Major Tom. The pour was 25 secs for about a 12ml single extraction. It ended up being way too strong for my taste, and now thinking a double dose basket for a piccolo, at least for the MT is overkill. I then made a single shot MT earlier today .. and it was much better, so Round 2 will be a single shot contest. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Round 2 ETHIOPIAN YIRGACHEFFE - piccolo latte Cup 1 Sugar was measured .. light to medium tamp .. the lever wanted to spring up a little quickly, so I did a double fellini. Once released, with the pour dripping, the lever shot up due to air still being in the cylinder and not being displaced by the water. I didn't at that stage want to go another fellini by pulling down the lever again .. so I allowed the extraction to compete itself. The result was a 10ml shot in 15 secs. After filling with milk .. it looked a little pale in colour. As I drank it .. I wasn't sure of the rating .. it was a little weak, although still nice, but wondered about how the air pocket had affected the extraction .. and decided, in fairness to the Yirg .. to make another to rate. Cup 2 The 2nd was tamped a little firmer .. in case this was the reason for the air pocket?? This extraction appeared much better .. producing a 20ml shot in 25 secs. There was more crema and more colour .. once filled with milk. When drinking .. it seemed like this was a properly made coffee, even if I do say myself .. as my aim when rating is to be fair on the beans by presenting them at their best .. and to produce its distinctive characteristics. I felt that this time .. I had achieved that - in the cup. Rating - 9.1/10 I hadn't previously been a fan of the Ethiopian coffees I'd tried (not that it was many) - due to a distinctive flavour I had identified back in my earlier days.. which I had attributed to beans grown in Ethiopia. I have since favored the Central American beans along with the odd beans from producers in Brazil. Although this was a well made coffee .. it was the actual flavour that did not appeal to me as much as many of the other beans I have tried from different regions. Having said that .. I rated the Ethipian Yirgacheffe a 9.3/10 in Round 1 - which is as good as I've had .. so go figure? I guess each coffee is appreciated for how it presents at the time of drinking. Perhaps it was overrated .. only one thing is certain - I must have really enjoyed it. You can take that to the Bank. Major Tom .. later Oh Yeah baby .. it's time ........ (thanks Gough)
