-------------------
2026-09-28 to 2026-10-04

## Index

- [[#seylance2897|seylance2897]]
- [[#lancehedrick|lancehedrick]]
- [[#opp4004|opp4004]]
- [[#dougssg|dougssg]]
- [[#naomi (car7iern)|naomi (car7iern)]]
- [[#GPT-5.6 Thinking Summary|GPT-5.6 Thinking Summary]]

## seylance2897

No messages captured.

[[#Index|Back to index]]

## lancehedrick

### 2026-09-29
- 5:03 PM `#Brew-Along`: brew in the afternoon
- 5:41 PM `#Brew-Along`: brew in the afternoon

### 2026-09-30
- 12:30 PM `#espresso-focused`: the roast level does not allow a lots-of-crema style shot. impossible due to lack of heat application during roasting, which limits CO2 production and inhibits excessive crema production during espresso extraction. Best bet is to get it and pull with like 5 days off roast if possible to maximize crema, but even that will be minimal and will taste bad due to it being so obscenely fresh.
- 12:31 PM `#equipment`: love the tea animal
- 12:40 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: i absolutely despise the growing trend of using "burp" to convey opening a bag early
- 12:51 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: zuppa is a smelly gas that is emitted from people? wild!
  Also, it was not that serious. did not mean to cause offense. It was meant to be somewhat in jest.
- 12:53 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: did not mean to come here and start beef lol
  I have said this numerous times. i am a hyper visualize person and descriptive words cause like a visceral reaction for me haha
- 12:55 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: zuppa, since i don't speak italian, has never had any relation to soup for me. But also, soup can be pleasant. I have never experienced a fart or burp i considered pleasant ahhaha!
  
  Anyway, again, no offense meant. i thought the original sentence would have been met with a laugh react at worst lol
- 12:55 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: ANYWAY
- 12:55 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: gerald's coffee is amazing.
- 12:55 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: you will love it
- 1:01 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: sick!
- 1:02 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: also, only went with zuppa because i got thousands of people slamming me for making up soup (which obvi i didn't). The internet HATED soup. so, gave an alternative while not actually changing the essence since not mine to change.
- 1:08 PM `#filter-focused`: heck yeah. 80 can be solid with longer pulls and specific coffees. but i live in the 86-90 realm largely
- 1:08 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: correct! started as piss then went to soup
- 1:09 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: soup was way more tolerable to present online. but it riled up thousands upon thousands. and, because it was through me many got introduced, they assumed i came up with the term. So, instead of changing it as if i owned it, i just went italian like espresso and doppio, etc

### 2026-10-01
- 3:22 PM `#Brew-Along`: wheel of brewers
- 4:22 PM `#Brew-Along`: wheel of brewers
- 6:12 PM `#water`: <@361929925449482240>
- 6:12 PM `#water`: It finally happened
- 6:16 PM `#water`: I'll put ppm as CaCO3:
  Total GH: 23
  Total KH: 12
  
  Broken down (again as CaCO3):
  Ca: 17
  Mg: 6
  Cl: 13
  K: 2.7
  Na: 25.2
  SO4: 4.2
  HCO3: 11.6
- 6:17 PM `#water`: There is 2.61ppm of Silica but no CaCO3 equivalent.
- 6:26 PM `#water`: Nah made the numbers up
- 6:26 PM `#water`: 😅
- 6:27 PM `#water`: [attachment only]
  Attachments:
  - [Screenshot_20261001-172711.png](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1496537650968920074/1555254795231563897/Screenshot_20261001-172711.png?backend=b2&ex=6ac3cfe6&is=6ac27e66&hm=360103d21fa1ef4703a9ba09b644497b70fc0374ac1a04f01067677e7526f53c&) (image/png 1080x2404)
- 6:27 PM `#water`: Nah they're there. Just not many hahaha
- 6:28 PM `#water`: As far as what makes a diff. Lead, arsenic, etc I guess hahaha
- 6:35 PM `#water`: lol I forgot chlorides like an idiot
- 6:35 PM `#water`: I meant to type that one in. Going to edit. 
  I didn't wanna confuse people unfamiliar with reports hence posting all the numbers as CaCO3. Forgot Chlorides ugh
- 7:04 PM `#water`: Ugh the one I posted Doug sent today. Lol

### 2026-10-02
- 9:29 AM `#current-menu`: 28% extractions only. No exceptions.
- 5:15 PM `#current-menu`: Guess I'm bringing out the Gabi one pour for that good good EY
- 7:42 PM `#Brew-Along`: OmakaSEY?

[[#Index|Back to index]]

## opp4004

### 2026-09-28
- 6:31 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I had Big Sur’s Thunguri NH (Natural Heavy), roasted on September 1st. It had a somewhat funky character before, but the coffee I had today felt much more refined and well put together. Overall, I’m getting a very yellow-toned flavor profile. There’s a honeydew-like sweetness, the aroma of bergamot, a creamy texture, and florals reminiscent of ginger blossoms. As it cools, I’m also getting something like a citrusy perfume. I’m really looking forward to seeing how it develops from here
- 4:57 PM `#origins-and-producers`: With a coffee like Chorso Bule, I actually think “silky” is a better description than “creamy” for what I’m experiencing… Haha, this is why coffee is so difficult. Even if we’re experiencing the same thing, we might describe it in completely different ways
- 5:00 PM `#origins-and-producers`: Anyway, as Christopher mentioned, I think other factors—especially roasting—probably have a bigger influence than altitude. For example, Harmufo(last year) doesn’t come across as creamy at all, and some of the high-altitude coffees from Guji can actually have this almost rooibos-like character, without creamy

### 2026-09-29
- 2:47 AM `#origins-and-producers`: As we were talking about above, the most recent coffee I’d actually describe as “creamy” was Ibonia. I haven’t really gotten that character from SEY’s recent Ethiopia.
  
  I looked through my notes to see what other coffees I’d described as creamy before Ibonia, and it looks like PB coffees are the ones that come up most often—Octavio Rueda, La Palma, and Servio Botina, or Paxtle
- 2:51 AM `#origins-and-producers`: High-altitude coffee-growing environments are generally quite favorable for 74158, so it’s possible that what you were tasting was actually something similar. You should check out some of the high-altitude 74158s from Sidama, especially those grown above 2,400m
- 4:38 AM `#origins-and-producers`: Ethiopia is really difficult—that’s one thing I can say with confidence about Ethiopian coffee. If you want to explore the relationship between altitude and taste, I’d actually recommend exploring high-altitude regions in Colombia, like Nariño, rather than Ethiopia. Things like Castillo or VC from those areas could be interesting
- 5:40 AM `#origins-and-producers`: It really depends on the country. In Ethiopia, 2,000m is pretty normal these days, whereas it used to be considered high altitude. In Honduras, anything above 1,600m is already fairly high… Colombia is similar—Nariño and Urrao are high-altitude regions, but it’s pretty rare to find places above 2,000m in Huila. That’s why so many farms proudly call themselves El Mirador (“the lookout” or “high viewpoint”)

### 2026-09-30
- 5:49 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I’m going to drink a coffee that’s been through both aerobic and anaerobic fermentation, followed by thermal shock. Pray that I make it out alive 😨

### 2026-10-01
- 2:12 AM `#current-menu`: 👀
- 4:07 AM `#current-menu`: SAFO
- 4:12 AM `#current-menu`: Haha… Daniel Caro’s coffee is my favorite from the Caro family
- 4:16 AM `#current-menu`: Daniel is the only one from the Caro family whose coffees I like… all the others have that cedar note to me
- 4:18 AM `#current-menu`: Ah okay 🙏
- 4:18 AM `#current-menu`: So many Caro's in Anzá
- 2:34 PM `#current-menu`: Yes, that Alo. It’s the same Alo Coffee that’s said to have the best facilities in Ethiopia
- 2:58 PM `#current-menu`: El Mirador Gesha is incredibly beautiful and classic
- 2:59 PM `#current-menu`: But I think that price is a little too high
- 3:01 PM `#current-menu`: It’s usually around the time to  get samples, but it looks like Big Sur just pulled in the entire lot lol. Places like El Mirador are pretty famous for their quality, after all, and Pomarrosa is the same. I’m a little skeptical about Lucuma, though.
- 3:03 PM `#current-menu`: I’d just wait for Miraflores

### 2026-10-02
- 2:52 AM `#water`: Super intersting result
- 2:58 AM `#water`: There’s actually a water here that’s very similar to Sey's. The water itself tastes really good, but it’s pretty soft, so there’s a recipe that’s popular here where people mix in a small amount of deep-sea water lol. Usually around a 9:1 ratio. Deep-sea water really does have a lot of magnesium in it
- 4:10 AM `#water`: Back in the day, Nordic roasters—especially Coffee Collective—used to recommend water similar to what SEY uses now
- 4:21 AM `#water`: The water in that area is really harsh, so I assumed they were simply using softened water. But looking at Sey’s results, doesn’t it seem like there’s actually some intention behind the water profile?
- 4:26 AM `#water`: Lol, anyway, it’s an interesting result. I do have a water that’s pretty similar among the ones I have, but the silica is really high… I think I’ll run some water tests myself for the first time in a while
- 5:45 AM `#current-menu`: 🫡
- 6:12 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: [attachment only]
  Attachments:
  - [IMG_1922.JPEG](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1483078064119222384/1555432294397775942/IMG_1922.JPEG?backend=b2&ex=6ac3cc75&is=6ac27af5&hm=3d228657f9e9a74b3b06a5104318b724aabea98d3827fe496e1570a52e74a623&) (image/jpeg 1536x2048)
- 6:12 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I was considering getting a Z1, but it was just too expensive, so I decided to go with the OXO instead. Some of you may already know this, but I’ve used pretty much everything from the Tricolate Alpha through the V6, and I’ve also used every NextLevel brewer up to the Pulsar (well, everything before the ORB came out)… so I’ve been using this kind of brewing method for about five years lol. I’m pretty familiar with this style of brewing.
  
  Anyway, I did some experimenting, and the results were really positive, so I’m planning to keep using it. The recipe is pretty simple: 1.6.5 on the A4Z (I think I could probably go down to 1.5.5), water at 88°C, a filter sandwich with filters on both the top and bottom, and two pours to get to a 1:17 ratio.
  
  So, for example, I used 22g of coffee and did two pours of roughly 220g and 160g, targeting around 380g total. The flavors are coming through incredibly well. I’m getting lemongrass, lime, florals, pink guava, pomegranate, and something reminiscent of oolong tea.
  
  This is a really encouraging result. I’m genuinely excited about it.
- 6:15 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Yeah, no pumping, no tamp
- 6:15 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: water chamber
- 6:17 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I was so excited that I completely forgot all the details lol. The coffee I used was Duber Mejia. No tamping, no pumping—just pour water into the water chamber and let it flow through. It took a little over three minutes, I think...
- 6:18 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I think 14g would work fine too—i'd just have to adjust the grind size
- 6:20 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Feel free to call me lazy. I only tried this because I was too lazy to bother with pumping lolol
- 6:32 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: If you’re using 22g, wouldn’t that be about half the basket? I hadn’t really thought that far ahead lol
- 6:34 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Speaking of which, I tried 14g, and it’s a little less stable than 22g. I think I’ll need to go quite a bit finer than I expected. I’ll play around with the settings a little more and get back to you separately
- 6:35 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: For 14g, it took about 2minutes, while 22g took around 3 minutes, I think… I’ll make sure to time it again next time I brew 22g
- 7:01 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Oh, by the way, I got the idea for this approach from Woodchipping. Thanks to the recipe that inspired me
- 2:25 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I think it’s important to put a filter on top
- 2:29 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I think putting a filter on top can make the extraction much more stable by reducing the unevenness caused by the water falling directly onto the bed, as well as the agitation caused by gas escaping. Of course, since the ORB basket is pretty small, I’m not sure how much of a difference it actually makes in the end. But whenever I see an imperfect puck from a brew where I didn’t put a filter on top, it does make me think about it quite a bit
- 2:31 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Also, the water doesn’t fall evenly from the bottom of the water chamber onto the basket’s shower screen… Hopefully that gets improved at some point. (Chris, are you seeing this? lol) That’s another reason I add filter on top
- 2:33 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Well, there might be a slight difference since I don’t make the usual soup
- 2:35 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Of course, there might not be a huge difference from a sensory perspective… but having tried putting a metal filter on top as well, I can’t really say there’s no difference, at least in my setup. So I use one. I tend to notice the difference
- 2:38 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I start the second pour once all the water has drained from the water chamber
- 2:40 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: This recipe was actually inspired by “cutting a Tricolate in half”. A friend of mine cut a Tricolate in half, and the agitation was noticeably different with and without a filter on top. He said the taste was different too. ORB might be different, tho
- 2:48 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: The results are pretty encouraging, so I’m planning to test it a bit more. I’d tried it a few times myself, but I wasn’t happy with the results. Then I saw what woodchipping was doing and thought about it a little, and the results turned out pretty good

### 2026-10-03
- 6:00 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: [attachment only]
  Attachments:
  - [IMG_1925.JPEG](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1483078064119222384/1555791650712715446/IMG_1925.JPEG?backend=b2&ex=6ac3c9a2&is=6ac27822&hm=cd6631fe7a56e75129d4a66056c0fe659ddfd895238c9591abf4402f58033568&) (image/jpeg 1536x2048)
- 6:00 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Today’s “Lazy Pour” results.
  
  1. **William Ortiz Chiroso** — 22g, A4Z 1.6.5, 94°C, 3:50. It definitely comes across a little stronger than yesterday, with a thicker texture, though I feel like the separation between the aromas is slightly less distinct. That said, I really like the passionfruit-like character that comes through on the finish as it cools. I got white peach, lemon, florals, lychee, and something reminiscent of black tea, and passionfruit.
  
  2. **Edid Medina SL9** — 22g, 14Z 1.6.5, 91°C, 3:30. I felt like 94°C was a little too intense, so I lowered the water temperature to 91°C, but the first sip has a slightly grassy character. It develops similarly to the Wilson Alba I tested at 14g yesterday, but the flavor progression gets really nice as it cools. I’m getting mangosteen, florals, Creme de Banana, something like wildflower honey, and lemon.
  
  Tomorrow, I’m planning to change the grind setting to 1.7.5 and raise the water temperature back to 94°C
- 7:33 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I’m just testing a few different things. I wasn’t happy with the texture when the grind was at 1.5.5, and I knew raising the temperature would help, but I also knew the flavors would come out too aggressively, so I adjusted the grind and raised the temperature. Now I’m fine-tuning it again. I think another four or five tests should be enough to really dial in the recipe.
  
  Honestly, yesterday’s first recipe was the most stable, so I probably could’ve just tightened up the grind a little and raised the temperature slightly from there lol

### 2026-10-04
- 5:23 AM `#current-menu`: This could turn into a pretty long discussion, but as someone who’s been drinking all kinds of coffees, including SEY, for a long time, I’d say… things are probably as good as they can be right now. I miss VC, Castillo, and Pacas too, but the quality of those coffees just isn’t very good these days. You might get one or two exceptional ones a year at most.
  
  That said, the coffee market in Peru is growing even more rapidly, and new areas and regions are being discovered in other countries as well, so.. I'm just waiting 😉

[[#Index|Back to index]]

## dougssg

### 2026-09-28
- 2:43 AM `#current-menu`: What up discord! Sorry I've been MIA here. Got some great announcements coming this week, which will be very geographically limiting
- 3:59 AM `#current-menu`: Update for anyone who is interested- freeze distilled milk isnt especially good for pancakes.
- 6:55 AM `#current-menu`: I used some lemon juice to make it a freeze distilled buttermilk

### 2026-09-30
- 10:05 PM `#current-menu`: They are cute but somehow so much more work to pack
- 10:10 PM `#current-menu`: Doug Special Prep
- 10:22 PM `#current-menu`: Honestly the size just makes it more annoying. I can’t really explain it
- 10:23 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: I’m not sure what he teased BUT
- 10:23 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: It’s both a fan favorite and absolutely crazy hype IMO
- 10:23 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: It’s a coffee of the year contender, every year.
- 10:30 PM `#current-menu`: Doug special prep
  Attachments:
  - [IMG_1763.jpg](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1486021596815822848/1554953626835746877/IMG_1763.jpg?backend=b2&ex=6ac408ea&is=6ac2b76a&hm=383555d3ef198a88806107d7cea01077cf325580e1671c6d94403349937083b2&) (image/jpeg 1179x1615)
- 10:30 PM `#current-menu`: This isn’t what’s dropping today
- 10:42 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Every year. Alo white honey was an all timer for me
- 10:42 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Replied to the wrong thing
- 11:11 PM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Got any questions on this?

### 2026-10-01
- 1:08 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: You linked to the difluid?
- 1:59 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: Oh my bad I should scroll up next time lol
- 1:59 AM `#what-are-you-brewing`: That’s the one!

### 2026-10-02
- 5:41 AM `#announcements`: We are excited to share a first look at SEY Presents: In Good Company, a curated tasting series bringing together a collection of extraordinary coffees in select cities around the world.
  
  Centered on the #1 Grand Reserve auction lot from Finca Sophia, In Good Company is an opportunity to experience six exceptional coffees from producers including Finca Soledad, Alo Village, and Los Cenizos in an intimate setting.
  
  The series begins in Los Angeles on October 17, followed by San Francisco on October 18, Shanghai on October 25, and Seoul on November 8. Paris, London, and New York City will follow.
  
  Tickets for Los Angeles and San Francisco go on sale Wednesday, October 7 at 12pm EST. Additional details and ticket links coming soon!
- 5:42 AM `#current-menu`: Lets goooooo!
- 5:44 AM `#current-menu`: now lets go for real
- 5:44 AM `#current-menu`: sorry <@224084337807589376>
- 5:48 AM `#current-menu`: [attachment only]
- 5:49 AM `#current-menu`: ayyyyy
- 5:51 AM `#current-menu`: We'll actually have the finca sophia dialed in this time
- 5:51 AM `#current-menu`: Watch out, knowing Janesh and Thomas they'll each buy 6 tickets.
- 5:52 AM `#current-menu`: we definitely will have for sale
- 5:54 AM `#current-menu`: The alo is also incredible.
- 6:06 AM `#current-menu`: We'll be doing more than just In Good Company in Shanghai and in Seoul too!
- 6:10 AM `#current-menu`: i wish i could hang but i literally fly in saturday night and fly out sunday night to china
- 6:10 AM `#current-menu`: lol
- 6:11 AM `#current-menu`: <@189881407399657472> <@1106959163541696632> organize a dinner
- 6:11 AM `#current-menu`: you're even gonna get a <@839279408057024512> and <@952039663680512030> appearance
- 6:12 AM `#current-menu`: possibly <@522586445131677719>
- 7:12 AM `#current-menu`: really tried for Japan!

### 2026-10-03
- 12:24 AM `#current-menu`: Won’t be until probably December!

[[#Index|Back to index]]

## naomi (car7iern)

### 2026-09-28
- 3:10 AM `#current-menu`: Yes NYC tap is the best!!! We pre filter and carbon filter only I think? Correct me if I'm wrong @whoever knows better
- 3:10 AM `#current-menu`: SWorks 47.5mm
- 3:19 AM `#current-menu`: Motors was brewing at like 176 (80°) last week and that was a little bit of an impetus for us to be like maybe we should play with this. We've tried in the past with little success but I think we might play a bit with it
- 3:19 AM `#current-menu`: But for milk espresso (higher strength, more intense) that low of a temp isn't super optimal (for our customers palate)
- 3:19 AM `#current-menu`: So maybe somewhere in between idk
- 4:37 AM `#current-menu`: Im so disappointed
- 4:37 AM `#current-menu`: It's very good for pumpkin spice lattes tho
- 5:07 AM `#current-menu`: We gotta thaw all that milk next door but absolutely
- 3:08 PM `#current-menu`: No, washed!
- 3:13 PM `#current-menu`: Leftover from when it was in the 6 box subscriptions. Whenever there is just a little bit of coffee leftover, it comes to the cafe. That's how we end up with other sub/exclusive coffees (like Yabitu, Kamavindi Gesha, etc)
- 3:28 PM `#current-menu`: I'll probably switch it out for something else before the end of the week just to keep things rotating

### 2026-10-01
- 6:58 PM `#water`: We've actually had the water tested since this report! This report was the one we got done before SEY House in SD
- 6:59 PM `#water`: [attachment only]
  Attachments:
  - [IMG_6769.png](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1496537650968920074/1555262775314612326/IMG_6769.png?backend=b2&ex=6ac3d755&is=6ac285d5&hm=92bc1e834ae712f0826a5c0bc63fc43b5b39c1350ae32db540b97590a56ae9ad&) (image/jpeg 1206x1893)
- 6:59 PM `#water`: This is the most current report 🙂
- 7:01 PM `#water`: Not too much fluctuation but there are always gonna be some changes no matter when the report is done!

### 2026-10-02
- 2:50 AM `#current-menu`: I think last year we only had two (Arturo Paz and Moreno Family geshas), in previous years more pacas and geshas etc. 2024 had some really good pacas

### 2026-10-04
- 5:46 PM `#current-menu`: Unsure of ETA on Zero, will let you know when I do!
- 5:47 PM `#current-menu`: On featured filtered rn: Mate Matiwos and Danche (may put on Diana Alviz later today)
- 5:48 PM `#current-menu`: On espresso:
  Guiliar Cuéllar
  Alo: Bombe
  Dwight Yellow Gesha
- 5:48 PM `#current-menu`: Batch rn is Susan Meneses and iced coffee is Demeka
- 6:57 PM `#current-menu`: No I am unsure of the ETA!! Will let discord know when I know of any on the shelves or on the menu 🙂

[[#Index|Back to index]]

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

## GPT-5.6 Thinking Summary

### seylance2897
- No messages were captured from seylance2897 during the week.

### lancehedrick
- On September 30, argued that the very light roast level under discussion cannot produce a traditional high-crema espresso shot because limited roasting heat means less CO2 generation. He suggested pulling it extremely fresh - around five days off roast - if maximizing crema is the goal, while warning that it would still produce little crema and likely taste worse because of the coffee's freshness.
- Said his filter-brewing temperature range is usually about 86-90C, though around 80C can work with longer extractions and specific coffees.
- Strongly objected - partly jokingly - to the use of "burp" for opening a coffee bag early, explaining that highly visual/descriptive language gives him visceral reactions. He repeatedly clarified that he was not trying to start an argument.
- Explained the naming history around "soup"/"zuppa": the preparation was apparently first called "piss," then "soup"; after substantial internet backlash and people incorrectly assuming he coined "soup," he switched to the Italian "zuppa" rather than claiming authority to rename the underlying method.
- Praised Gerald's coffee directly, saying it was "amazing" and that the recipient would love it.
- Shared a detailed water profile on October 1, all expressed as ppm CaCO3 where applicable: total GH 23, KH 12, Ca 17, Mg 6, chloride 13, K 2.7, Na 25.2, sulfate 4.2, bicarbonate 11.6, plus 2.61 ppm silica. He later corrected himself after initially forgetting chloride.
- Joked about having invented the water numbers, then clarified they were real and that the report Doug had sent that day was the source. He noted that trace contaminants such as lead and arsenic could matter even if present only in small amounts.
- On October 2, joked that only 28% extraction yields were acceptable and mentioned bringing out the Gabi one-pour method "for that good good EY," suggesting active interest in pushing extraction efficiency.
- The Brew-Along posts were mostly brief prompts - "brew in the afternoon," "wheel of brewers," and "OmakaSEY?" - with little additional technical detail.

### opp4004
- On September 28, reported that Big Sur's Thunguri NH, roasted September 1, had become noticeably more refined with rest. He described honeydew-like sweetness, bergamot aroma, creamy texture, ginger-blossom florals, and a citrus-perfume note as it cooled.
- In a discussion of texture and altitude, said "silky" fit Chorso Bule better than "creamy," and emphasized that sensory vocabulary can diverge even when people may be perceiving similar qualities. He argued that roast style probably matters more than altitude alone.
- Noted that SEY's recent Ethiopian coffees had not struck him as especially creamy. Ibonia was the latest example he would call creamy, while past peaberry coffees such as Octavio Rueda, La Palma, Servio Botina, and Paxtle appeared frequently in his own notes with that descriptor.
- Recommended high-altitude 74158 lots from Sidama, especially above 2,400 m, for someone interested in that kind of profile, but cautioned that Ethiopia is a poor place to cleanly isolate altitude effects. For studying altitude versus taste, he instead suggested high-altitude Colombia - especially Narino, with Castillo or VC - because the comparison may be more interpretable.
- Gave country-specific altitude context: roughly 2,000 m is increasingly ordinary in Ethiopia, while 1,600 m is already fairly high in Honduras; in Colombia, Narino and Urrao are notably high, whereas Huila farms above 2,000 m are relatively rare.
- On the current menu, said Daniel Caro was his favorite producer from the Caro family and that other Caro coffees tend to show a cedar note he dislikes. He called El Mirador Gesha "incredibly beautiful and classic," but thought its price was too high, suggested waiting for Miraflores, praised El Mirador and Pomarrosa generally, and expressed some skepticism about Lucuma.
- Reacting to SEY's water data, observed that a local water available to him is very similar and that people sometimes blend it about 9:1 with magnesium-rich deep-sea water. He recalled that Nordic roasters, especially Coffee Collective, historically recommended similarly soft water, and inferred that SEY's profile may be intentional rather than merely the result of softening harsh local water.
- Developed a "Lazy Pour" recipe on an OXO-style brewer after deciding a Z1 was too expensive. His initial successful setup used Duber Mejia, 22 g coffee, A4Z 1.6.5, 88C water, filters above and below the coffee, two pours to about 1:17, and roughly 380 g water total. He reported lemongrass, lime, florals, pink guava, pomegranate, and oolong-like notes, with a little over three minutes total brew time.
- Emphasized that the method requires no tamping or pumping: water simply goes into the chamber and drains through. He found 14 g less stable and likely requiring a substantially finer grind; 14 g ran in about two minutes versus around three minutes for 22 g.
- Argued that a top filter improves extraction stability by softening the direct impact of water and reducing disturbances from degassing. He also criticized the chamber's uneven water distribution onto the shower screen. Subsequent tests on William Ortiz Chiroso and Edid Medina SL9 showed the tradeoff between temperature, grind, texture, and flavor separation; he planned several more iterations around 1.7.5 grind settings and temperatures up to 94C.

### dougssg
- Returned after being relatively absent and teased "great announcements" that would be geographically limited.
- Experimented with freeze-distilled milk in pancakes and concluded it was not especially good. He then added lemon juice to make a freeze-distilled buttermilk.
- Repeatedly referred to a "Doug Special Prep" in the current-menu discussion, while clarifying that it was not the product dropping that day. He also complained that the smaller format involved was somehow more annoying to pack despite being cute.
- Described an unnamed teased coffee as both a fan favorite and extremely hyped, calling it a perennial "coffee of the year contender." He separately said Alo White Honey had been an all-time favorite for him.
- On October 2, announced "SEY Presents: In Good Company," a curated tasting series built around the #1 Grand Reserve auction lot from Finca Sophia plus five other coffees, including coffees from Finca Soledad, Alo Village, and Los Cenizos.
- Gave the initial event schedule: Los Angeles on October 17, San Francisco on October 18, Shanghai on October 25, and Seoul on November 8, with Paris, London, and New York City to follow. LA and SF tickets were scheduled to go on sale October 7 at noon EST.
- Said the team would have Finca Sophia "dialed in this time" and that coffee would be available for sale. He also singled out the Alo coffee as "incredible."
- Said Shanghai and Seoul would include more than just the In Good Company event, but his own China schedule would be extremely compressed - arriving Saturday night and leaving Sunday night. He encouraged others to organize a dinner around the visit.
- Mentioned that they had seriously tried to include Japan but apparently could not make it work, and indicated that at least one later item being discussed probably would not arrive until December.

### naomi (car7iern)
- On September 28, said NYC tap water is excellent and believed the cafe only pre-filters and carbon-filters it, while inviting correction from someone more familiar with the setup.
- Mentioned a 47.5 mm SWorks component in the current-menu discussion, apparently in relation to espresso equipment.
- Said Motors had been brewing around 176F / 80C the previous week, which pushed the team to reconsider lower-temperature brewing. They had tried similarly low temperatures before without much success but were considering revisiting the idea.
- Drew a distinction between straight espresso and milk drinks: for the higher-strength, more intense espresso used with milk, temperatures as low as 80C were not ideal for their customers' palate, so she suggested experimenting somewhere between that and their usual approach.
- Explained that some unusual coffees on the cafe menu come from small leftovers from subscription or exclusive lots. Examples included Yabitu and Kamavindi Gesha. She said these coffees may be rotated quickly to keep the cafe selection changing.
- Clarified that one coffee under discussion was washed, not another process.
- On October 1, said the water had been tested again since the older report being discussed; the newer report was the current one. She characterized the differences as relatively small and noted that some fluctuation is inevitable between tests.
- Looking back at recent offerings, said the prior year had only two examples in the category being discussed - Arturo Paz and Moreno Family Geshas - while earlier years had more Pacas and Geshas. She specifically remembered 2024 as having some very good Pacas.
- On October 4, gave a concrete cafe menu snapshot: featured filter was Mate Matiwos and Danche, with Diana Alviz potentially coming later that day; espresso was Guiliar Cuellar, Alo: Bombe, and Dwight Yellow Gesha; batch brew was Susan Meneses; iced coffee was Demeka.
- Said she did not yet know the ETA for "Zero" and would announce it when she knew it was on shelves or on the menu.

### Cross-thread takeaways
- Water chemistry was one of the week's most technically substantive threads. Lance posted a notably soft profile - GH 23, KH 12, low Ca/Mg and bicarbonate - with Naomi clarifying that a newer test existed and only modest variation had occurred. opp4004 interpreted the profile as plausibly intentional and connected it to older Nordic-roaster water recommendations.
- Brewing temperature came up from multiple directions. Lance said he usually lives around 86-90C for filter but sees uses for 80C; Naomi said the cafe was reconsidering low-temperature brewing after seeing Motors at 80C, though she thought that was too low for stronger milk espresso; opp4004's Lazy Pour development ranged from 88C to 94C as he balanced texture, intensity, and clarity.
- opp4004 supplied the most complete experimental brewing sequence of the week: 22 g doses, roughly 1:17 ratio, two pours, no pumping/tamping, top-and-bottom filters, and iterative temperature/grind changes. His main working hypothesis was that the top filter improves evenness by reducing direct water impact and degassing disturbance.
- Coffee-origin discussion repeatedly resisted simple causal stories. opp4004 argued that altitude alone is a weak predictor, especially in Ethiopia, and suggested Colombian regions such as Narino for cleaner comparisons. Roast style, variety, and regional context were treated as at least as important as elevation.
- The menu conversation mixed nostalgia with realism. opp4004 missed older VC, Castillo, and Pacas offerings but argued that their quality is currently less reliable, while Naomi also recalled stronger Pacas representation in 2024. The implied consensus was that today's menu composition reflects available quality more than a deliberate abandonment of those varieties.
- SEY's major operational announcement was the In Good Company tasting series, centered on Finca Sophia's top Grand Reserve lot and additional coffees from producers including Finca Soledad, Alo Village, and Los Cenizos. Doug framed the series as both globally selective and broader than a single tasting in Shanghai and Seoul.
- Several users treated Alo as a standout: Doug called Alo White Honey an all-timer and said the current Alo coffee was incredible; opp4004 identified Alo as a highly regarded Ethiopian operation; Naomi listed Alo: Bombe on espresso at the end of the week.

[[#Index|Back to index]]