2026-09-07 to 2026-09-13

Week of 2026-09-07

0 daily files

Summary

seylance2897

On Ecuadorian coffee quality and nuttiness, argued that several variables may be interacting: climate change, elevation, seed/genetic separation, and tree age. He said newer, higher-elevation plantings and more intense genetic separations seem less nutty to him, while older famous plots may show more nuttiness; he was relatively confident that younger trees tend to produce higher-quality coffee, but explicitly said he lacked good data on maturation-time changes and the effect of stumping.
Praised the consistency of very small coffee deliveries he had been tasting, saying they were unusually variety-forward and distinctive enough that he could identify them easily on a blind table. He contrasted that with some exceptional producers whose current style simply is not what he personally wants right now.
Recalled older Cruz Loma coffees from roughly five years earlier as extraordinary, including one lot he had blended, while emphasizing that present-day preference does not imply the producers are not excellent.
Described experimenting with blends of different processing methods from the same farm, especially in Panama where the same Gesha lot may be available as natural, anaerobic washed, held-cherry, and multiple honey levels. He framed side-by-side cupping of these process variants as both highly informative and exhausting.
Questioned the stated varietal separation of some Saraguro/Ecuador lots, suggesting that outside Soledad some may actually be field blends without producers fully realizing it. He said he would bet Manuel Dota was mostly Mejorado and Victor Dota mostly Sidra.
Said eucalyptus is a recurring "dead giveaway" for Sidra to him, while adding that imperfect varietal identification does not bother him much when the coffees are excellent.
On Typica Mejorado, stated that it was intentionally crossed in a Nestle laboratory in northern Ecuador and later taken from the lab and distributed through Ecuador.
Briefly noted after a production cupping that Susan's coffee was very good on the Thursday production table.

lancehedrick

Organized a 13-bowl cupping on September 7, covering that week's roasts of Kambarare, Diana Pink Bourbon, Guiliar Pink Bourbon, and Alejandrina SL9 alongside prior roasts including Kamavindi Gesha and SL, Victor and Manuel Dota, Hector Londono, William Ortiz, Putushio, Raro, and Esayias. He kept notes but was hesitant to post them publicly because isolated comments - such as a note about one roasty sample - could be stripped of the live cupping context.
Continued testing a single-pour filter approach but said he still could not equal what he gets from an Orea 01 or V60. His best cups were around 82-85C, often with a small kettle bloom before using the drip-assist device; a roughly 3 bloom, lid on, then the remainder at 30 seconds was his most successful general pattern.
Said he would not intentionally reach for that single-pour method yet despite some good cups, because the extra steps defeat the simplicity he was seeking. He encouraged experimentation in the low-80C range even though the brewer loses considerable heat.
On filters, strongly preferred xBloom papers over Kalita papers and had bought them in bulk since xBloom's release. He also liked newer orange Abaca filters and thought they might replace his older T90 stock because they perform well and are somewhat more sustainable.
Diagnosed large brew-time swings as potentially coming from how filter papers were wetted and how strongly they suctioned to the brewer wall, rather than from coffee outgassing.
Praised William Ortiz's Chiroso harvests as unusually consistent and singled out David Berrio's later harvest, Arley, and the second Duber release as processed Colombian coffees with surprisingly little herbality. He also noted that high-elevation processed Peruvian coffees had shown cup variance and mentioned the possibility of moving cherries to lower elevation for processing.
Gave a detailed position on astringency: lighter roasting leaves more polyphenols, but he argued that newer evidence does not support polyphenols as the direct mechanism of literal astringency. He instead pointed to phenolic-rich melanoidin fractions appearing more strongly at higher extraction, while stressing that the practical prescription is the same: if the cup tastes astringent, extract less.
After reviewing a newer 2026 paper that had been raised in discussion, he said it was good evidence but did not alter his brewing advice. A coffee may also have high inherent astringency potential, but raising extraction when astringency is already present is generally the wrong direction in his framework.
In water discussions, said he personally prefers AC to Third Wave Water and usually enjoys water in roughly the 30-50 range, though the exact parameter was not specified in the captured text.
In the September 11 cupping, was especially enthusiastic about the African coffees. He described Diana Alviz's Pink Bourbon as very Kenya-like and reminiscent in quality of Servio from earlier in the year, while saying one washed Ethiopian coffee differed from very clean, floral examples such as Danche 1st/2nd and Banko because of its unusual acidity.

opp4004

Took a pragmatic stance toward defects and sorting: he rarely hand-picks roasted coffee beyond obvious rocks or green beans, preferring to judge what the roaster actually sold. If a coffee tastes bad, he simply stops buying from that roaster rather than treating consumer defect-sorting as an obligation.
Used Albino/Saulo as an example of green-coffee variability. One brew had little of the intense woody character others reported and instead showed tropical fruit, florals, and a positive lactic quality; he argued that bag-to-bag inconsistency can be severe enough that a roaster's QC samples may genuinely miss a problem.
Suggested Albino and Abraham showed a "more heat early" roast character consistent with green coffee that had lost moisture or aged, while remaining uncertain about the exact cause and blaming bad luck in logistics rather than asserting a definite roasting failure.
Gave extensive tasting notes across the week. Juan Jose Huillca Lot Y-3 SL9 stood out for oily texture, jasmine, kaffir-lime-like acidity, white-tea elegance, and magnolia; Anibal Sanchez's La Siria Gesha was somewhat too developed but complex, with Lotus cookie, green tea, berries, jasmine, bergamot, lime, and white peach; Genezard Perez SL9 showed Meyer lemon, mangosteen, dragon fruit, aloe, and green banana.
Raised an interesting regional perception difference around SEY's roast style: recent "underdeveloped" complaints seemed much more visible in the English-speaking discussion than in Korea. He speculated about water and preference differences, noting that Korean enthusiasts often like very light coffee and comparing the current ultra-light-roast debate to arguments around Nordic roasting roughly six years earlier.
Was especially enthusiastic about Gerald and Kambarare. Gerald reminded him of the "real Kenyan" profile that drew him into specialty coffee, with buttery texture, deep Taiwanese oolong, hibiscus, gooseberry, and intense umami; he said it was close to the Kenyan flavor many industry people have been trying to recover for years.
Explored several unusual Geshas and Ecuadorian coffees. A Big Sur coffee initially smelled potentially funky but brewed as a highly complex, fruit-forward cup with rose, white wine, white tea, orange blossom, melon, and mango. Noria Lot 4 Gesha showed sugarcane sweetness, mango, magnolia, eucalyptus, lychee, and oolong; he called Noria the best producer in CVM.
Offered brewing advice that partly diverged from Lance's simplified astringency rule: he said astringency can arise at either very low or very high extraction, and if a cup is clearly underextracted - thin texture, mostly aroma - he would raise EY. One tactic he recommended was grinding coarser for stability while increasing water temperature to recover extraction.
Was extremely positive on Danche 2nd, Gerald, and the September subscription more broadly. He called Danche 2nd the best Chelbessa-area coffee he had tasted across roughly 25 examples and described it as a recovered "classic Yirgacheffe" profile with intense bergamot, gooseberry, oolong, and lemon-jelly notes.
Showed continuing interest in Kenyan varietal separation, asking whether SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11 from estates such as Kamavindi or Gerald could be separated into a comparative set. His own separated Ruiru 11 experience was poor, but he remained interested because he thought better producer quality could change the result.

dougssg

Had relatively few captured messages this week, so the available points are narrower than for the more active posters.
Mentioned receiving frozen doses of 2024 Sophia specifically so it could be cupped alongside the current year's coffee, implying an interest in direct vintage/harvest comparison under controlled conditions.
Prompted another participant to explain what was currently happening in Kenya, indicating active interest in contemporary Kenyan production rather than only cup descriptions.
Clarified in a current-menu discussion that certain coffees use different yeasts in processing but do not involve added fruit.
Joked in favor of creating FOMO rather than suppressing it during a subscription/menu discussion.
Explained that letting subscribers choose or coordinate coffees differently was not logistically feasible, partly because many coffees are no longer available by the time a subscription shipment goes out.
Flagged scarcity around an event, noting that only one ticket remained for the Lost Origin cuppings.

naomi (car7iern)

Naomi had only a few captured messages this week, all centered on cafe/menu implementation rather than coffee tasting.
Said the cafe would spend the following week or so recipe-testing before the final menu was set, indicating that service recipes were still provisional.
Mentioned that "Motorspro" had been discussed but was not tested that day because it needed to be evaluated on a suitable setup; the captured text cuts off before the full condition is stated.
Said a new offering or workflow was being soft-launched with select coffees first, and that one person had already received one of the earliest examples.
Explained an equipment constraint: larger beakers were arriving because the Z1s do not fit on 400 mL beakers used with their AeroPress preparation.
Added that tea carafes had been useful as multipurpose vessels during the interim setup.

Cross-thread takeaways

The strongest recurring technical disagreement concerned astringency. Lance's practical rule was to lower extraction whenever a cup presents as astringent, grounded in newer work questioning polyphenols as the direct mechanism. opp4004 allowed for a second case in which a thin, aroma-heavy, unstable brew may actually need higher extraction, recommending coarser grinding plus hotter water to stabilize extraction while increasing EY.
Varietal identity and separation came up repeatedly across Ecuador and Kenya. seylance2897 questioned whether some Ecuadorian "single-variety" lots are actually cleanly separated and used eucalyptus as a Sidra marker, while opp4004 wanted more explicit separation of Kenyan SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11 to understand what each contributes.
Several participants were chasing older or "classic" origin signatures rather than simply novelty. Gerald and Danche 2nd were repeatedly praised for evoking historically recognizable Kenyan and Yirgacheffe profiles; opp4004 explicitly framed them as flavors the industry has partly lost and been trying to recover.
Processing complexity was treated as both an opportunity and a risk. seylance2897 described intentionally blending different process expressions of the same Gesha lot, Doug clarified that some menu coffees use different yeasts without fruit additions, and multiple tastings distinguished clean, herbal, funky, and fruit-driven outcomes from processed coffees.
Green-coffee and logistics variability remained an important explanatory theme. opp4004 emphasized bag-to-bag differences, moisture/age effects, customs delays, and the possibility that QC sampling can miss defects; seylance2897 also mentioned lots stuck in Miami customs, while Lance noted cup variance in high-elevation processed Peruvian coffees.
Brewing discussion leaned toward lower-temperature, lower-extraction approaches for very light coffees, but not dogmatically. Lance's most successful single-pour tests sat around 82-85C and he repeatedly reinforced "extract less" when astringency appears; opp4004's counterpoint was that an underextracted, unstable brew can need a different intervention.
The week combined high-end sensory enthusiasm with unusually concrete operational detail: frozen harvest comparisons, subscription fulfillment constraints, customs delays, menu recipe testing, vessel compatibility, filter batch differences, and ticket scarcity all appeared alongside tasting notes and origin/variety discussion.

Full weekly Markdown preview

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2026-09-07 to 2026-09-13

seylance2897

2026-09-08

9:23 PM #origins-and-producers: All of this - only thing I'd add is climate change... I don't have good data on the maturation times and how/if those have changed over the years. I can say that I taste less nuttiness at the newer, higher elevations... I have also experienced less nuttiness with intense seed/genetic separations. The last potential variable is tree age; a lot of those older, more famous farms/plots are quite old at this point... I can say relatively confidently that younger trees produce higher-quality coffee... How stumping interacts here I again, don't have good data around. <@421132246536159232> ?

2026-09-09

10:08 PM #what-are-you-brewing: this lance loves that coffee
11:03 PM #what-are-you-brewing: the quality consistency of these tiny deliveries is beyond insane IMO. They are always so extremely variety forward and intensly themselves.... I can so easily find them on any blind table... which is why i like them so much
11:03 PM #what-are-you-brewing: but they were very, very similar IMO
11:04 PM #what-are-you-brewing: more of these lots are currenty stuck in customs in Miami 😂
11:05 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Just isn't what I'm personally looking for at this time. They are obviously exceptional producers
11:06 PM #what-are-you-brewing: but cruz loma circa 5 whatever years ago... 🤯
11:07 PM #what-are-you-brewing: yeah it was insane
11:08 PM #what-are-you-brewing: also that lot from them that i blended was also crazy good 😂
11:09 PM #what-are-you-brewing: they will come!
11:09 PM #what-are-you-brewing: i've been playing around with blending processings from the same farm
11:11 PM #what-are-you-brewing: hah soooo many... sprinkle in a little natural, ana washed, held cherry, deferent levels of honey... like everything you can imagine
11:11 PM #what-are-you-brewing: mostly in panama where you can cup all these processes of the same gesha lot
11:12 PM #what-are-you-brewing: super fun
11:12 PM #what-are-you-brewing: generally end up cupping till like midnight and wanting to die... but comes with the territory
11:18 PM #what-are-you-brewing: anyone have any thoughts on manuel dota?
11:19 PM #what-are-you-brewing: I think its hard Jose, because i don't actually they are separated well outside of Soledad. I think a lot of the lots from Seraguro are actually blends they just don't know that
11:21 PM #what-are-you-brewing: I'd put money Manuel being mostly Meorado and Victor being mostly Sidra
11:21 PM #what-are-you-brewing: the eucalyptus thing is always the dead give away for sidra for me... and yes I'm with Janesh... i'm not mad cause they are also so good either way
11:25 PM #what-are-you-brewing: lemme know what you think of Manuel dota
11:25 PM #what-are-you-brewing: word
11:27 PM #what-are-you-brewing: you and me both
11:29 PM #what-are-you-brewing: magic
11:30 PM #what-are-you-brewing: gotta keep some kind of mystery
11:30 PM #what-are-you-brewing: enough about me, lets talk about @doug
11:32 PM #what-are-you-brewing: gerald is goat
11:32 PM #what-are-you-brewing: i gotta go package and fulfill subscriptions

2026-09-10

8:43 PM #origins-and-producers: 'typica mejorado' was intentionally crossed in the nestle lab in the north of Ecuador... it was actually taken from the lab and then distributed through ecuador

2026-09-11

11:46 PM #cupping: Susan's coffee is very good on the production table on thursday

Back to index

lancehedrick

2026-09-07

1:09 PM #cupping: Ok! To those who were interested, I think I'll do the cupping in like 2ish hours or so? I'll get things set up and update but should be around 1 or just after western euro time.
I'll keep a Google doc and can check that out after.
2:17 PM #Brew-Along: 13 Bowl Cupping Live
2:19 PM #Brew-Along: this weeks roast of
Kambarare
Diana, pink
Guiliar, pink
Alejandrina, SL9

last weeks roast of
Kamavindi Gesha
Kamavindi SL
Victor Dota
Manuel Dota
Hector Londono
William Ortiz, last harvest
Putushio
Raro
Esayias
3:49 PM #Brew-Along: 13 Bowl Cupping Live
7:04 PM #cupping: Probs will post. Been having cold feet because people like screencapping and talking elsewhere lololol
(Not you)
Happens so often and always out of context
Not really even a nefarious way to misuse the info but I can foresee peeping Toms who hang around that want to go complain about something will.
Or see my note on a roasty batch and blindly assume that coffee is all roasty (even tho on stream I checked and saw my sample was the only of 12 out of range/spec). Without that live context, can be annoyingly misused. For now, I will DM you it as I consider how to go about it. Lol

2026-09-08

1:10 AM #what-are-you-brewing: https://klipy.com/gifs/did-i-miss-something-robyn
1:11 AM #what-are-you-brewing: https://klipy.com/gifs/kelly-the-office-2
1:11 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Jk. Stoked to brew up beriso in the morning. Going to bed like
1:22 AM #what-are-you-brewing: [attachment only]
1:22 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Meant to pin that earlier for people who may get it. Ideal is always to email us. But wanted that to not get lost in the weeds!
4:22 PM #filter-focused: i still have not matched what i can get with orea 01, v60, etc, but best results i have had with single pour have been in the 82-85C range a la <@1106959163541696632> recommendations. They have been the closest to really good. Still doesn't give me enough to ever intentionally reach for it. have tried with a range of grinders and grind sizes. Best cups have come from a small amount of water with kettle prior to adding drip assist for rest of pour, but that is too much faff for why i was interested. Regardless, still playing around.
4:31 PM #filter-focused: makes sense!
4:32 PM #filter-focused: it def loses heat. but so what if it tastes yum? haha
I do freak out a bit with how much is in the uncovered top portion as it is brewing and it started at 84 haha
but i agree. 3x bloom with kettle, top on, tare, pour rest at 30s is roughly where i have found most success in general
4:34 PM #filter-focused: try out low 80s. you might hate it, but could be delicious
4:36 PM #filter-focused: https://klipy.com/gifs/bet-the-rock-1
5:12 PM #filter-focused: for single pour, yes. if i do my v60, i get sub 1 tds hahah
5:12 PM #filter-focused: for a bare kettle pour then rest through the top chamber, can do v60 size. but usually bit finer
5:19 PM #filter-focused: better than xbloom?
5:19 PM #filter-focused: i so prefer xbloom and have since releae that i have not bought kalita brand, well, since xbloom release haha
5:21 PM #filter-focused: i have heard about some batch variations. have not experienced but it is because i have only bought them twice
5:21 PM #filter-focused: i always buy in big bulk haha
5:21 PM #filter-focused: i did 8 packs twice.
5:21 PM #filter-focused: for my t90s, i think new ones are different. i bought a literal box of them back in 2023.
5:22 PM #filter-focused: and still use them. i mean, a big box filled with 100pk packages lol
5:22 PM #filter-focused: i got a wholesale account just to buy them lol
5:22 PM #filter-focused: i got orange abacas like 2 weeks ago
5:23 PM #filter-focused: have not done side by sides. have only been using them. very good filters and will likely replace t90s due to being slightly more sustainable and making me feel less bad about using so much paper haha
5:37 PM #cupping: i have only seen it sequentially. i can go back to LA after african if i take a few slurps first to overwhelm and reset palate
10:16 PM #water: is it your company?
10:16 PM #water: now i will ensure we are after 😉
10:23 PM #water: no early unit for me. cool cool cool. i don't care. it is what it is. i'm not hurt
10:24 PM #water: my favorite daily hobby
10:32 PM #water: Never said free. i don't take free
10:32 PM #water: lol
10:33 PM #water: joel got an early one and he is an influencer 😉
10:34 PM #water: https://klipy.com/gifs/you-better-3
10:34 PM #water: i wanna look like i am adding hand soap to my water kettle

2026-09-09

9:02 AM #current-menu: Let's gooooo
9:06 AM #filter-focused: Def not outgassing. Could you have wetted the papers slightly differently? Based on how much suction to the wall, can have wildly diff Brew times
9:06 AM #current-menu: In the works
3:28 PM #what-are-you-brewing: @here who is up and brewing and what
3:28 PM #what-are-you-brewing: debating on doing a live brew but need compatriots, sympaticos, paracletes, partners in crime
3:29 PM #what-are-you-brewing: ideal coffee time tbh
3:29 PM #what-are-you-brewing: but tea is good
3:30 PM #what-are-you-brewing: you brewed that? wowe send me skill pls i need mostor
3:31 PM #what-are-you-brewing: my first name is Kyle. i need monster and walls to punch
3:32 PM #what-are-you-brewing: tbh i would be hurt if you were
3:32 PM #what-are-you-brewing: good enough. t minus 10min
3:33 PM #what-are-you-brewing: https://klipy.com/gifs/cat-kitty-209
3:33 PM #what-are-you-brewing: (cat cuz i only see you in bana)
3:34 PM #what-are-you-brewing: https://klipy.com/gifs/michael-jackson-dont-stop-till-you-get-enough
3:35 PM #what-are-you-brewing: RIPPPP
3:35 PM #what-are-you-brewing: that is stewing
3:39 PM #what-are-you-brewing: new verb?
3:40 PM #what-are-you-brewing: when someone complains, sorry you skill issued that bish
3:41 PM #what-are-you-brewing: tis a very good chiroso. William Ortiz had a wildly good year with chiroso harvests. so consistent
3:42 PM #what-are-you-brewing: live and learn. lolol my bbbbb
my discord etiquette is lacking it would seem. I thought "here" only pinged people that were currently interacting with the SEYcord.
3:42 PM #what-are-you-brewing: i thought "everyone" pinged everyone regardless
3:42 PM #what-are-you-brewing: what the heck does "here" do then?
3:43 PM #what-are-you-brewing: like. why call it "here" if it pings people not "here"
sry. my millenniel is showing
3:49 PM #what-are-you-brewing: you get to try david berrio second harvest or end of season? Or the Arley? Those had surprisingly low herbality, as well.
3:49 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Duber also (second release), though first release was tropical enough to overwhelm the little herb in it imo
3:52 PM #what-are-you-brewing: gross. the worst
3:56 PM #what-are-you-brewing: niceeeeeee. how did you gabi?
4:04 PM #what-are-you-brewing: sadly, i have not had the opportunity to try the Albino this time around
4:07 PM #what-are-you-brewing: yeah a lot of the high grown/high elevation processed Peru coffees have had some cup variance. OG Lance is working on this. Maybe having cherries taken to lower elevation to process
4:16 PM #what-are-you-brewing: bet. got side tracked with this chess debate going on between two candidates for FIDE president lolol
4:20 PM #Brew-Along: Brew along
5:30 PM #Brew-Along: Brew along

2026-09-10

12:19 PM #filter-focused: the lighter you roast, the more polyphenols still in the coffee. polyphenols do not seem to cause astringency in a literal sense but can give you a feeling reminiscent of astringency (meaning, there is a literal definition of astringency and though decades of scholarship speculated polyphenols created it, there was a substantial study out of ohio state recently that showed otherwise). That all being said, for all intents and purposes, there is a more "astringent" perception one can have from extracting more highly lighter and lighter roated coffees.
As for the literal mechanism of astringency, which is currently believed to be a specific size and section of melanoidins produced in extraction, those are also only really unlocked en masse at higher extractions due to their size. It takes more EY to pull them out.
12:20 PM #filter-focused: long story short- regardless of the mechanism causing the perceived astringency, whether it is actually persimmon/red wine tannin/etc atringency or something that reminds you of it, the answer is always extract less. Further deepening the low EY lore. haha
12:21 PM #filter-focused: i have a full video on this if interested in more or you can go direct to the paper. Can't remember the name of the paper, but there are two published as well as the thesis they are based on by Dr. Brianne Linne when at OSU. Cheers!
7:39 PM #origins-and-producers: I am not
7:39 PM #origins-and-producers: And after over a year I am finally back in the gym. So. Lol
10:14 PM #origins-and-producers: Started I believe in the 50s when Nuvo Mundo and bourbon and caturra were introduced. But it was not like a few other countries that made a wholesale swap to bourbon once it came first to Brazil.
10:14 PM #origins-and-producers: So, common in the sense that it has lineage in Ecuador for 50+ years

2026-09-11

8:51 AM #filter-focused: Lol exactly what I said just longer hahaá
8:52 AM #filter-focused: Only diff is I said polyphenols are arguably not causing literal astringency but a sensation that can be easily construed as astringent. But yeah. Haha
8:55 AM #filter-focused: There is no evidence that polyphenols actually cause real astringency. That is what I was getting at. Regardless of causing it a mechanism of true astringency, the advice stays the same from above. That said, under extracting or over extracting gives polyphenols. So not sure the uneven bit at the end. It isn't like you can extract well and avoid polyphenols in light roasts. If you over extract you get both. Period.
Anyway, nice
9:05 AM #filter-focused: The best evidence thru fractionation for the existence of astrigency in coffee is from a complexo phenolic rich melanoidin fraction. These are not only in darker roasts. Just in higher concentrations. Anyway, always validating when a chemist says same thing, though shouldn't be surprised since I literally researched this with Samo and emailed with Linne of Ohio State for maximum Clarity in prep for the video with most up to date scientific lit on the subject.
9:07 AM #origins-and-producers: Haha my obsessive research for a video on the history of Arabica helps here lol
9:31 AM #cupping: Got in new coffees. Cup today?
10:50 AM #filter-focused: I'll check out the 2026 citation he has. The other more recent publications pushback on polyphenols being linked to actual astringency. And it was not found in the fractionation process.
but yes- same thing was said other than whether or not polyphenols are actually astringent haha (old science says yes, but my more recent audit says no, tho i am not familiar with this 2026 paper he cites).
Cheers
10:57 AM #filter-focused: 2026 paper is good. very nice. Doesn't change practicality. If you taste astringency, lessen extraction. If still there, could be a coffee that has high inherent potential astringency.
11:00 AM #filter-focused: 2013 there was a paper suggesting perhaps polyphenols but did not settle. Then others came through with further investigations into CGAs et al. The big boy paper was the Linne OSU but even that is 2023. This 2026 was after i did my video, so after my big research effort hahaha. Anyway, TLDR for anyone disinterested in two people saying the same thing with different word counts other than Polyphenols being or not being a technical astringency vehicle:
If coffee seems astringent, whether or not true definition of astringency, lower your extraction.
11:14 AM #water: i def prefer AC to TWW, personally. What else you trying?
12:38 PM #water: Yeah I tend to enjoy between 30-50 normally
4:30 PM #Brew-Along: Cupping Time
4:33 PM #Brew-Along: Carmen, diana alviz, guiliar, alejandrina
gerald, sike, demeka, danche 2nd
5:43 PM #Brew-Along: Cupping Time
6:56 PM #origins-and-producers: yes
6:57 PM #cupping: with the SL9 rounding out four. i just LOVED the African coffees hahaha
6:58 PM #cupping: the Diana Alviz tho was heating up. a super Kenya like Pink Bourbon that gave me quality vibes of the Servio from earlier in the year
6:59 PM #cupping: absolutely! exciting times
7:07 PM #cupping: it is very high quality but definitely a different washed Eth to the clean, floral, etc ones like Danche 1st and 2nd, Banko, etc. But still soooo good. acidity is super unique.

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opp4004

2026-09-07

1:52 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I guess you could interpret this as either pessimistic or optimistic, but I very rarely pick things out by hand when I drink coffee. I’ll occasionally remove a rock or an unroasted green bean, but otherwise I just drink the coffee as it is and judge it on that basis. If it doesn’t taste good, well, I just stop buying coffee from that roastery.

I think whether a consumer chooses to pick out defects from their coffee—or doesn’t—is entirely up to them. I don’t really see it as an obligation, and I don’t think it means the roastery is simply neglecting the issue either
1:56 AM #what-are-you-brewing: A woody coffee is just woody, I guess. Sure, you could pick things out to try to get rid of that woody character, but I’m just willing to accept the flavor as it is. It’s really one of those things you can’t do much about. Of course, Team Sey could decide during QC, “Oh, this coffee is woody, so maybe we shouldn’t sell all of it”. But if you decide that it’s still just part of the coffee’s flavor, then you might as well enjoy it
1:57 AM #what-are-you-brewing: For me, Saulo’s coffee this time is just an extension of those “something tastes weird” coffees you get from Rwanda or Burundi. I mean… it’s just one of those things you can’t really do much about lol
1:59 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Since that got me thinking about it, I think I’ll make the second coffee Saulo’s. The coffee I just had was Cambalache from Nicaragua, a Maracaturra Honey from the farm that took 1st place at this year’s Cup of Excellence, from the 2025 harvest. I got notes of rose, apricot, grapes, and muscovado sugar. I’m really looking forward to seeing what this year’s Nicaraguan Maracaturra is like
2:12 AM #what-are-you-brewing: The second coffee is Albino 2nd. Maybe I got lucky this time, because there’s none of that really intense woody character. Instead, I’m getting lively tropical fruit, florals, and that lacticky character I found really positive in the first harvest is coming through really nicely
2:27 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Lol, honestly, it’s pretty common… This kind of thing happens all the time, and it’s the sort of thing that makes roasters want to tear their hair out. You open bags green coffee, and the first one is absolutely amazing, so you’re like, “Dang, this coffee is incredible.” Then the second one is full of terrible defects, and the third one isn’t bad, but tastes completely different from the first bag. Haha.

It’s really just part of the game. If you want to find perfection in coffee, I guess the only way is to stop drinking coffee altogether
2:39 AM #what-are-you-brewing: This kind of “consistency” issue… ugh. I mean, I don’t know exactly how Sey cupped it, but there’s a very good chance they didn’t see any problem in their cupping results. Lance said it was 3/20, but looking at what’s happening now, Sey may simply have gotten incredibly lucky with the bags they sampled lol. And honestly, the opinion that it’s “woody” might even be a minority opinion here
2:44 AM #what-are-you-brewing: This is a bit of a different story, but both Albino and Abraham from this subscription had that kind of “got hit with more heat early on” character. Basically, when the green coffee is lacking moisture or is a bit old, it can take a lot of heat right at the beginning of the roast—some roasters will probably know what I mean. Anyway, that’s the kind of flavor I was getting, so I thought, “God, US logistics are really...”

That’s all I mean by it. I think I just have to chalk it up to bad luck this time. And if I keep getting unlucky, well, I can always buy coffee somewhere else, right? lol
2:53 AM #what-are-you-brewing: And honestly, I’ve thought this for a while, but you guys really do make me realize just how much good coffee you’re drinking… starting with Halo lmao. Meanwhile, roasters are out there cupping even more terrible coffees! I’m always grateful to the roasters who sort through all that terrible coffee for us and keep the bad stuff from reaching our cups
6:12 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Today’s third coffee is Juan Jose Huillca, Lot Y-3, SL9. I actually liked this one more than Albino. It’s the first coffee I’ve brewed since changing my setup, so I was really looking forward to it—and it’s exceeded my expectations by quite a bit.

It might be a little unfair to compare it to other coffees, but one of the most elegant coffees I’ve ever had was Elida Vuelta DRD, and this reminds me of that. It has the oily texture I love, jasmine, really intense kaffir lime-like acidity and fruitiness, and this feeling of drinking an exceptionally high-quality white tea. It could come across as a little simple, but it’s incredibly elegant. I’m also getting something floral, almost like magnolia, on the finish
8:50 AM #what-are-you-brewing: A4z + orb
10:50 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Honestly, I don’t think this is really an issue worth getting that heated about…
10:50 AM #what-are-you-brewing: If the coffee is bad, it’s just bad. That’s pretty much the end of it for me lol
10:53 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I mean, if there had been a problem during the roasting process, that would be a different story. But this could simply be an issue with the green itself, and these kinds of defects aren’t unique to Albino. There are coffees where the variety itself can have certain inherent flaws—VC, for example, or things like that. If a coffee is exceptional enough in terms of both the experience and the flavor to outweigh those negative characteristics, then even if the score is lower, I still think it tastes good and I’d view it pretty positively
1:44 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Do you guys see the new SL09 that just dropped on Big Sur?
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1:47 PM #what-are-you-brewing: FRESH
1:51 PM #what-are-you-brewing: HAHA I’m avatar of FOMO
4:02 PM #what-are-you-brewing: My Thunguri HN is stuck in customs… I wonder when they’ll finally release it

2026-09-08

6:09 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Today I had three different coffees.

Colombia — La Siria, Anibal Sanchez’s Gesha
The roast was a little too developed, so sweetness ended up dominating the cup, but it was still quite complex and enjoyable. I got Lotus cookie, green tea, berries, jasmine, bergamot, lime, florals, and white peach. I wish it had a little more delicacy, but I really enjoyed that sharp, vivid citrus character.

Kenya — Eaagads Estate, AA
This is from the same lot as the coffee that placed #1 at ToH, which contains Ruiru 11, and the presence of Ruiru 11 is definitely huge, in more ways than one. Floral notes, tea-like flavors reminiscent of oolong, grapefruit, white currant, berries, and cherry. With Ruiru 11 or Batian, I definitely get more tea-like qualities and florals, while at the same time it feels like some of the more distinctly fruity character is toned down.

Peru — Genezard Perez, SL9
It has incredibly vivid Meyer lemon, mangosteen, ripe dragon fruit, aloe, and green banana aromas. It reminds me a lot of last year’s SL9 coffee from Eudis Orosco. Of course, I’m still waiting for Eudis or Isidro’s SL9…

2026-09-09

5:04 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Ah, I’m absolutely not trying to pick a fight or start an argument here—I just thought it was interesting and wanted to share the observation. I’ve been active in the Korean coffee community for a long time, and I’ve talked about and promoted SEY quite a bit over the years. But interestingly, with the recent subscriptions—especially the particular one that’s been talked about a lot here—there’s been quite a bit of discussion here(about under-things), while there’s been virtually no mention of it in Korea at all. I wonder why that is? Water? Preference?

Of course, people in Korea do tend to enjoy slightly lighter-roasted coffees than people in the US (at least among coffee enthusiasts lol)
5:52 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Lately, I’ve seen a few people mention that coffees like Halo, or the July subscription, seem a little underdeveloped
5:58 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Occasionally see people here saying things like, “Ah, SEY is underdeveloped, yeah” but interestingly, it seems to be people in the industry who bring it up more often
6:01 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Usually, there are about three types of people who talk about that kind of thing in the community here(Korea): gear enthusiasts, coffee enthusiasts, and people in the industry. Gear enthusiasts tend to like darker coffees, coffee enthusiasts tend to like coffees like SEY, and people in the industry are kind of caught somewhere in the middle lol
6:02 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Anyway, it’s kind of interesting seeing both sides of the argument…
6:09 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Haha, honestly, I think I’m most comfortable just sipping coffee by myself at home and mumbling to myself lmao
6:13 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Ha..
6:17 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I feel like the whole convo around Nordic coffee about six years ago is basically the same thing as the UL trend we’re seeing now lol
6:19 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Well… I guess it’s the same everywhere—the people with the loudest voices tend to win lmao
6:20 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I think I’ll try the Gerald. I’ve been really curious about this one
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6:37 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Gerald, wow… it feels like I’m drinking a “real Kenyan” coffee for the first time in a long time. When I first got into specialty coffee, the first “real Kenyan” I ever had was a Kii from Fjord in Germany. This one reminds me of that coffee, but the flavor is so overwhelmingly good that it almost makes that memory disappear. I can’t help but be impressed lol. Buttery, deeply brewed Taiwanese oolong tea, hibiscus, gooseberry, and an incredibly intense umami character, among other things.
6:41 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I think this is probably pretty close to the kind of Kenyan flavor that a lot of people in the coffee industry have been chasing for years
7:01 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Seriously, you all have to try Kambarare. It’s honestly an incredible ❤️‍🔥
7:35 AM #what-are-you-brewing: 🫡
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10:51 AM #origins-and-producers: There must have been some kind of secret gathering…
4:06 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Herbs are good for you 😉

2026-09-10

12:38 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Haha, all I have are Victor and Maritza’s mejo…
12:51 AM #current-menu: V
12:54 AM #current-menu: If it were me, I’d go with Buesaco(Cumbre). That place is truly both blessed and cursed when it comes to coffee…
12:55 AM #current-menu: Buesaco is a place where local gangs have threatened farmers, telling them to “grow cocas instead of coffee” and have even robbed them. In fact, coffee exports from the area were pretty difficult for several years because of those problems, but I guess things are different this year
12:59 AM #current-menu: Coffee containers are basically the easiest targets for gangs to rob, so… ugh. But Buesaco coffees are seriously great
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1:07 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I feel like Big Sur might have scammed me… I’m getting a bit of a funky smell from it too…
1:08 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Smells like rose, fermented berries, tropical fruit
1:09 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’ll brew it first and let you know
1:16 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It’s not funky, but… I’m not sure you’ll like it
1:18 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Lol, it’s incredibly complex. Rose, a little white wine (there’s a specific one it reminded me of, but I can’t quite remember the name), a bit of white tea, orange blossom, and this soft, almost melon-flesh-like texture. Hmm… the melon note is definitely really prominent
1:20 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Gachiku had really prominent acidity—especially alongside those florals that reminded me of hibiscus. This coffee, on the other hand, is much more fruit-forward, with flavors in the melon and mango kind of range
1:21 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It’s a pretty good cup, and considering I brewed it without even letting it rest… I mean, it’s not bad at all
1:23 AM #what-are-you-brewing: As it cools, the melon and mango become really prominent
1:26 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Conclusion: lol, I guess Big Sur didn’t scam me after all
1:34 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m going to have my second coffee. What would I drink
1:35 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I really love herbal coffees
1:39 AM #what-are-you-brewing: My new coffees: Victor and Manuel’s Mejo, Kamavindi’s secret lot, El Sal’s Conascate Gesha, Ecuador’s Noria Gesha, and Colom Betania’s anaerobic Gesha (Washed and Honey)
1:39 AM #what-are-you-brewing: or just drink Albino
1:44 AM #what-are-you-brewing: if the “secret lot” ever gets exposed, I’m almost dead lmao
1:49 AM #what-are-you-brewing: It’s just a limited lot from a particular roastery(not Sey)… It hasn’t been released yet, so I can’t say anything about it for now
1:52 AM #what-are-you-brewing: All the coffees I mentioned above were paid for with tribute from my minions too 🕵️
2:20 AM #what-are-you-brewing: The second coffee is Noria — Lot 4 Gesha. It’s one of the producers in Ecuador known for producing really high-quality Gesha. They’re also a farm that likes to experiment quite a bit, and the zero-fermented coffee I had from them before is probably the one that sticks with me the most.

Anyway, the flavor is pretty unusual as expected. A sugarcane-like sweetness pops out right at the front, and then the other flavors develop really delicately. Mango (I’ve been running into mango a lot today lol—it’s not usually a note I get, but for some reason I am today…), magnolia-like florals and a cool, eucalyptus-like herbal aroma, lychee fruitiness, and an oolong-like tea character. They’re still producing some really good coffees.
2:21 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Yeah from CVM
2:22 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I think Noria produces the best coffee in CVM
2:26 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Maybe Big Sur will use it if you’re lucky?
2:26 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Try grinding a little coarser and raising the temperature too!
2:36 PM #what-are-you-brewing: There are a lot of ways to approach it. Basically, the way you deal with astringency can go in completely opposite directions. It can either be caused by too low ey or by way too high ey it’s one or the other. If the extraction feels underextracted, though—meaning the texture is too light and you’re mostly just getting aroma—I’d aim for a higher EY in the extraction
2:37 PM #what-are-you-brewing: The idea behind grinding coarser while raising the water temperature is to make the extraction more stable, and then compensate for the rest with temperature
2:39 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Because even an unstable extraction can cause that kind of astringency

2026-09-11

2:17 AM #what-are-you-brewing: La Siria!
2:19 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Ha
2:19 AM #what-are-you-brewing: You need go to Starbucks
2:22 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Drink something like that to cleanse your palate lmao
2:22 AM #what-are-you-brewing: GOOD
2:22 AM #what-are-you-brewing: VERY GUD
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2:23 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Now i drinking
2:26 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I have a feeling this coffee is going to get the biggest reaction out of this subscription
2:30 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Really intense bergamot, gooseberry, oolong, lemon jelly, and so on. It’s somewhat similar to the Demeka I had before, but that incredibly intense bergamot really makes me feel like I’m drinking a classic Yirga coffee. I guess the theme of this subscription is retro lolol.

Anyway, it’s an incredible cup. Gerald was like that too, and with Danche as well, I’m getting flavors that are completely different from the Danche coffees I’ve had before
2:54 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Didn’t someone ask about Vilcabamba in Ecuador recently? I’m drinking a Mejo from that town right now. More specifically, it’s apparently a Vilcabamba Mejo micro-lot from “Agrogora”…

Anyway, I’m honestly surprised—it tastes like I’m drinking an exceptionally good Burundi. I’m getting saffron-like aromatics, lemon, dried fruits, Jonathan apple, and something that reminds me of black tea. If I were cupping this blind, I would’ve thought it was an excellent Burundi from Sey
2:58 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Anyway, the second selection from Danche is pretty surprising. It tastes completely different from the Danche coffees I’ve had before. I feel like it would be incredibly popular if sold it…
6:32 AM #what-are-you-brewing: The coffee I just had is a gesha from a place called El Conacaste in El Salvador. As I understand it, the farm was named after the cute little coati, which apparently likes to pick and eat only the tastiest coffee cherries. The gesha from here is one of the ones I really love. Normally, I don’t specifically seek out gesha or ask people to give me one, but this is an exception. I think the quality is so exceptional that I really hope you guys get a chance to try it someday.

It has an oily texture, elegant florals like lily and magnolia, bright lemon, flavors and aromas reminiscent of high-quality Taiwanese oolong, green grape, and as it cools, honeysuckle and apricot start to come through on the finish, along with something like green mango. It’s absolutely incredible.
11:52 AM #filter-focused: Take it easy. If it’s astringent, blame the roaster. That’s the secret to being able to drink coffee for a long time. Thank you 😎
4:58 PM #Brew-Along: I’m really looking forward to your reaction after you try Gerald
5:22 PM #Brew-Along: Ha whenever I drink coffee, the score just pops up on my glasses immediately
5:28 PM #Brew-Along: Demekaaaaa 💪🏻
5:28 PM #Brew-Along: Ha i told ya
5:28 PM #Brew-Along: 😂
5:30 PM #Brew-Along: 2nd Danche was kind of special
5:32 PM #Brew-Along: I think they'd sell it, though—the quality is incredible. Ask Doug
5:34 PM #Brew-Along: Danche 2nd was like… the “classic Yirgacheffe” that the coffee industry has lost somewhere along the way lol
5:46 PM #what-are-you-brewing: A Japanese-owned green coffee company bought it, then exported the green coffee to Korea, and a roaster I know sent me a sample
5:48 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Well, honestly, it wasn’t really the kind of Mejo flavor I have in mind, but it was still pretty good

2026-09-12

1:54 AM #what-are-you-brewing: How's that
2:00 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Haha… give it a little more time
3:06 AM #what-are-you-brewing: I’m drinking Basha Bekele’s Badigalo Honey. I’ve had the natural and anaerobic honey as well, and I think this one is the most delicate and the best of the three. I’m getting florals like apple blossom, a sticky, plum-like fruitiness, green grape, pomelo, a tea character reminiscent of oolong, and Valencia orange. Some people have called it funky, and when someone else brewed this coffee for me, it did actually have a bit of a funky smell lol. But in my setup, it’s coming across as an incredibly delicate and beautiful cup
5:24 AM #origins-and-producers: I know this is probably almost impossible, but it might ever be possible to separate the SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11 from Kamavindi, Gerald, or other estates or factories and sell them together as a single set?
5:24 AM #origins-and-producers: Actually, I had a coffee recently that was made up entirely of Ruiru 11 and Batian… and that made me even more interested in projects like Retro 1984
8:25 AM #origins-and-producers: That’s really interesting. I’ve never had a single-variety Batian from Kenya; I’ve only had it from Latin America… I guess it’s worth looking forward to next year
1:59 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Ha
1:59 PM #what-are-you-brewing: You definitely won’t regret
2:02 PM #what-are-you-brewing: Think about it. You’re getting the result of Doug and Lance racking their brains, going, “Ugh, how do we ship these coffees so everyone will be happy and nobody complains?”—and you’re getting all of that for incredibly cheap. That’s what a subscription is
2:21 PM #what-are-you-brewing: This might make me sound a little crazy, but… I’ve been drinking all kinds of coffees derived from Chelbessa ever since they first started producing coffee. I’ve tried 25 different Chelbessa and sub-station coffees—Danche, Kubi, Siti, and so on—and this Danche 2nd is by far the best-tasting one I’ve had.. For real
2:41 PM #what-are-you-brewing: There are still three coffees I haven’t tried yet, but even the two I’ve had so far have been absolutely legendary: Danche and Gerald. Everyone already knows how good Basha is, of course, but I’m most curious about Diana from Tolima. SEY used to carry some legendary coffees from Tolima, and it feels like it’s been a really long time since I’ve had one. Kukipata is also a farm that’s pretty well known in Korea. This subscription is truly legendary 🫡

2026-09-13

1:00 AM #origins-and-producers: I’ve tried a separated Ruiru 11 too, but it was just 🤷🏻 Quality was not good
2:03 AM #origins-and-producers: Ruiru 11 I had from Coffea Circulor was from Meru, so I do think it could be excellent if it came from the good producer(and roaster). But I’ve had very little experience with it that I don’t really know what to say… which makes me want to try it even more
6:28 AM #what-are-you-brewing: Today is a day off from reviews, so I just drank through a bunch of the SEY coffees I’ve got piled up.

Burundi, Umoco: Dried apricot, berries, white currant, lemon, black tea
William Ortiz Chiroso, First: Tropical fruit, oolong, sour jelly, golden kiwi
Alejandrina Maytna, SL9: Berry jam, jasmine, tropical fruit, silky

As for the SL9, it’s a little less complex than before, but it comes across as incredibly fruit-forward.
1:34 PM #filter-focused: Yeah, exactly. It’s a bit intense. It’s normal for some water to come out before the pumping starts. If it tastes too strong, try grinding much coarser
2:22 PM #filter-focused: Sorry, I haven’t used either of them, so I’m not sure… I can only really describe it as sugar lol

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dougssg

2026-09-09

4:04 AM #what-are-you-brewing: <@1054527551483166810> sent us some freezer doses of 2024 Sophia well cup with this years
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6:54 AM #current-menu: 🙏
7:28 AM #what-are-you-brewing: <@1525809899685150891> you finally joined!
9:27 AM #origins-and-producers: <@1525809899685150891> please tell us about what is happening in Kenya right now!

2026-09-11

6:31 PM #current-menu: [attachment only]
6:40 PM #current-menu: I’ll be there all day!
6:40 PM #current-menu: Likewise!
6:58 PM #current-menu: They do use different yeasts but no fruit.

2026-09-12

1:36 AM #current-menu: Disagree, fomo everyone please!
1:36 AM #current-menu: Not possible to do logistically, plus many coffees aren’t available by the time your sub ships anyway.
1:37 AM #current-menu: Only 1 ticket for Lost Origin cuppings left if anyone is waiting to buy.

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naomi (car7iern)

2026-09-11

11:15 PM #current-menu: We (they) will be doing some recipe testing over the next week or so in the cafe before final menu is set! Motorspro was discussed, but we didn't test today, since it will need to be done on a decent

2026-09-13

5:40 PM #current-menu: Wait was <@908458585728630836> supposed to announce something about this....
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5:41 PM #current-menu: Soft launching with select coffees for now, <@929785307237326878> had one of the first ones today
6:01 PM #current-menu: Hahaha we have bigger beakers arriving tomorrow, to match the vessel we use to make aeropress (the Z1s just don't fit on 400ml beakers)
6:01 PM #current-menu: But the tea carafes have been handy to have! Multipurpose lol

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-------------------

GPT-5.6 Thinking Summary

seylance2897

On Ecuadorian coffee quality and nuttiness, argued that several variables may be interacting: climate change, elevation, seed/genetic separation, and tree age. He said newer, higher-elevation plantings and more intense genetic separations seem less nutty to him, while older famous plots may show more nuttiness; he was relatively confident that younger trees tend to produce higher-quality coffee, but explicitly said he lacked good data on maturation-time changes and the effect of stumping.
Praised the consistency of very small coffee deliveries he had been tasting, saying they were unusually variety-forward and distinctive enough that he could identify them easily on a blind table. He contrasted that with some exceptional producers whose current style simply is not what he personally wants right now.
Recalled older Cruz Loma coffees from roughly five years earlier as extraordinary, including one lot he had blended, while emphasizing that present-day preference does not imply the producers are not excellent.
Described experimenting with blends of different processing methods from the same farm, especially in Panama where the same Gesha lot may be available as natural, anaerobic washed, held-cherry, and multiple honey levels. He framed side-by-side cupping of these process variants as both highly informative and exhausting.
Questioned the stated varietal separation of some Saraguro/Ecuador lots, suggesting that outside Soledad some may actually be field blends without producers fully realizing it. He said he would bet Manuel Dota was mostly Mejorado and Victor Dota mostly Sidra.
Said eucalyptus is a recurring "dead giveaway" for Sidra to him, while adding that imperfect varietal identification does not bother him much when the coffees are excellent.
On Typica Mejorado, stated that it was intentionally crossed in a Nestle laboratory in northern Ecuador and later taken from the lab and distributed through Ecuador.
Briefly noted after a production cupping that Susan's coffee was very good on the Thursday production table.

lancehedrick

Organized a 13-bowl cupping on September 7, covering that week's roasts of Kambarare, Diana Pink Bourbon, Guiliar Pink Bourbon, and Alejandrina SL9 alongside prior roasts including Kamavindi Gesha and SL, Victor and Manuel Dota, Hector Londono, William Ortiz, Putushio, Raro, and Esayias. He kept notes but was hesitant to post them publicly because isolated comments - such as a note about one roasty sample - could be stripped of the live cupping context.
Continued testing a single-pour filter approach but said he still could not equal what he gets from an Orea 01 or V60. His best cups were around 82-85C, often with a small kettle bloom before using the drip-assist device; a roughly 3 bloom, lid on, then the remainder at 30 seconds was his most successful general pattern.
Said he would not intentionally reach for that single-pour method yet despite some good cups, because the extra steps defeat the simplicity he was seeking. He encouraged experimentation in the low-80C range even though the brewer loses considerable heat.
On filters, strongly preferred xBloom papers over Kalita papers and had bought them in bulk since xBloom's release. He also liked newer orange Abaca filters and thought they might replace his older T90 stock because they perform well and are somewhat more sustainable.
Diagnosed large brew-time swings as potentially coming from how filter papers were wetted and how strongly they suctioned to the brewer wall, rather than from coffee outgassing.
Praised William Ortiz's Chiroso harvests as unusually consistent and singled out David Berrio's later harvest, Arley, and the second Duber release as processed Colombian coffees with surprisingly little herbality. He also noted that high-elevation processed Peruvian coffees had shown cup variance and mentioned the possibility of moving cherries to lower elevation for processing.
Gave a detailed position on astringency: lighter roasting leaves more polyphenols, but he argued that newer evidence does not support polyphenols as the direct mechanism of literal astringency. He instead pointed to phenolic-rich melanoidin fractions appearing more strongly at higher extraction, while stressing that the practical prescription is the same: if the cup tastes astringent, extract less.
After reviewing a newer 2026 paper that had been raised in discussion, he said it was good evidence but did not alter his brewing advice. A coffee may also have high inherent astringency potential, but raising extraction when astringency is already present is generally the wrong direction in his framework.
In water discussions, said he personally prefers AC to Third Wave Water and usually enjoys water in roughly the 30-50 range, though the exact parameter was not specified in the captured text.
In the September 11 cupping, was especially enthusiastic about the African coffees. He described Diana Alviz's Pink Bourbon as very Kenya-like and reminiscent in quality of Servio from earlier in the year, while saying one washed Ethiopian coffee differed from very clean, floral examples such as Danche 1st/2nd and Banko because of its unusual acidity.

opp4004

Took a pragmatic stance toward defects and sorting: he rarely hand-picks roasted coffee beyond obvious rocks or green beans, preferring to judge what the roaster actually sold. If a coffee tastes bad, he simply stops buying from that roaster rather than treating consumer defect-sorting as an obligation.
Used Albino/Saulo as an example of green-coffee variability. One brew had little of the intense woody character others reported and instead showed tropical fruit, florals, and a positive lactic quality; he argued that bag-to-bag inconsistency can be severe enough that a roaster's QC samples may genuinely miss a problem.
Suggested Albino and Abraham showed a "more heat early" roast character consistent with green coffee that had lost moisture or aged, while remaining uncertain about the exact cause and blaming bad luck in logistics rather than asserting a definite roasting failure.
Gave extensive tasting notes across the week. Juan Jose Huillca Lot Y-3 SL9 stood out for oily texture, jasmine, kaffir-lime-like acidity, white-tea elegance, and magnolia; Anibal Sanchez's La Siria Gesha was somewhat too developed but complex, with Lotus cookie, green tea, berries, jasmine, bergamot, lime, and white peach; Genezard Perez SL9 showed Meyer lemon, mangosteen, dragon fruit, aloe, and green banana.
Raised an interesting regional perception difference around SEY's roast style: recent "underdeveloped" complaints seemed much more visible in the English-speaking discussion than in Korea. He speculated about water and preference differences, noting that Korean enthusiasts often like very light coffee and comparing the current ultra-light-roast debate to arguments around Nordic roasting roughly six years earlier.
Was especially enthusiastic about Gerald and Kambarare. Gerald reminded him of the "real Kenyan" profile that drew him into specialty coffee, with buttery texture, deep Taiwanese oolong, hibiscus, gooseberry, and intense umami; he said it was close to the Kenyan flavor many industry people have been trying to recover for years.
Explored several unusual Geshas and Ecuadorian coffees. A Big Sur coffee initially smelled potentially funky but brewed as a highly complex, fruit-forward cup with rose, white wine, white tea, orange blossom, melon, and mango. Noria Lot 4 Gesha showed sugarcane sweetness, mango, magnolia, eucalyptus, lychee, and oolong; he called Noria the best producer in CVM.
Offered brewing advice that partly diverged from Lance's simplified astringency rule: he said astringency can arise at either very low or very high extraction, and if a cup is clearly underextracted - thin texture, mostly aroma - he would raise EY. One tactic he recommended was grinding coarser for stability while increasing water temperature to recover extraction.
Was extremely positive on Danche 2nd, Gerald, and the September subscription more broadly. He called Danche 2nd the best Chelbessa-area coffee he had tasted across roughly 25 examples and described it as a recovered "classic Yirgacheffe" profile with intense bergamot, gooseberry, oolong, and lemon-jelly notes.
Showed continuing interest in Kenyan varietal separation, asking whether SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11 from estates such as Kamavindi or Gerald could be separated into a comparative set. His own separated Ruiru 11 experience was poor, but he remained interested because he thought better producer quality could change the result.

dougssg

Had relatively few captured messages this week, so the available points are narrower than for the more active posters.
Mentioned receiving frozen doses of 2024 Sophia specifically so it could be cupped alongside the current year's coffee, implying an interest in direct vintage/harvest comparison under controlled conditions.
Prompted another participant to explain what was currently happening in Kenya, indicating active interest in contemporary Kenyan production rather than only cup descriptions.
Clarified in a current-menu discussion that certain coffees use different yeasts in processing but do not involve added fruit.
Joked in favor of creating FOMO rather than suppressing it during a subscription/menu discussion.
Explained that letting subscribers choose or coordinate coffees differently was not logistically feasible, partly because many coffees are no longer available by the time a subscription shipment goes out.
Flagged scarcity around an event, noting that only one ticket remained for the Lost Origin cuppings.

naomi (car7iern)

Naomi had only a few captured messages this week, all centered on cafe/menu implementation rather than coffee tasting.
Said the cafe would spend the following week or so recipe-testing before the final menu was set, indicating that service recipes were still provisional.
Mentioned that "Motorspro" had been discussed but was not tested that day because it needed to be evaluated on a suitable setup; the captured text cuts off before the full condition is stated.
Said a new offering or workflow was being soft-launched with select coffees first, and that one person had already received one of the earliest examples.
Explained an equipment constraint: larger beakers were arriving because the Z1s do not fit on 400 mL beakers used with their AeroPress preparation.
Added that tea carafes had been useful as multipurpose vessels during the interim setup.

Cross-thread takeaways

The strongest recurring technical disagreement concerned astringency. Lance's practical rule was to lower extraction whenever a cup presents as astringent, grounded in newer work questioning polyphenols as the direct mechanism. opp4004 allowed for a second case in which a thin, aroma-heavy, unstable brew may actually need higher extraction, recommending coarser grinding plus hotter water to stabilize extraction while increasing EY.
Varietal identity and separation came up repeatedly across Ecuador and Kenya. seylance2897 questioned whether some Ecuadorian "single-variety" lots are actually cleanly separated and used eucalyptus as a Sidra marker, while opp4004 wanted more explicit separation of Kenyan SL28, SL34, Batian, and Ruiru 11 to understand what each contributes.
Several participants were chasing older or "classic" origin signatures rather than simply novelty. Gerald and Danche 2nd were repeatedly praised for evoking historically recognizable Kenyan and Yirgacheffe profiles; opp4004 explicitly framed them as flavors the industry has partly lost and been trying to recover.
Processing complexity was treated as both an opportunity and a risk. seylance2897 described intentionally blending different process expressions of the same Gesha lot, Doug clarified that some menu coffees use different yeasts without fruit additions, and multiple tastings distinguished clean, herbal, funky, and fruit-driven outcomes from processed coffees.
Green-coffee and logistics variability remained an important explanatory theme. opp4004 emphasized bag-to-bag differences, moisture/age effects, customs delays, and the possibility that QC sampling can miss defects; seylance2897 also mentioned lots stuck in Miami customs, while Lance noted cup variance in high-elevation processed Peruvian coffees.
Brewing discussion leaned toward lower-temperature, lower-extraction approaches for very light coffees, but not dogmatically. Lance's most successful single-pour tests sat around 82-85C and he repeatedly reinforced "extract less" when astringency appears; opp4004's counterpoint was that an underextracted, unstable brew can need a different intervention.
The week combined high-end sensory enthusiasm with unusually concrete operational detail: frozen harvest comparisons, subscription fulfillment constraints, customs delays, menu recipe testing, vessel compatibility, filter batch differences, and ticket scarcity all appeared alongside tasting notes and origin/variety discussion.

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