- Posted by jbviau
- Sat, 04/21/2012 - 00:00
A week without new coffee
I just realized that this is the first week of 2012 during which I didn’t receive any new coffees! Well, unless you count single-serve. A shipment of Fratello coffee pods from the Coffee Artisan did arrive Monday, and a box of Brooklyn Bean aftermarket k-cups I won in a Facebook contest showed up today, but my usual Sun. night/Mon. morning order for whole bean didn’t get placed for a variety of reasons*, which meant that my usual Weds./Thurs. delivery never occurred. I’m sure the mailman was scratching his head! At the very least he must noticed a little more spring in his step than usual.
You won’t see me shedding any tears though. My PT’s B-Ville House Drip (loving it!) is only into week 2 of its post-roast existence, and there are a few other half-bags of light-roasted African coffee staggered behind it—Ceremony’s Ethiopia Kochere entering week 3 and Kuma’s Burundi Gacokwe approaching 4 weeks—to keep me entertained as they age.
Frankly, as far as coffee is concerned, I’m feeling spoiled. I truly don't need any new brewing apparati or gear whatsoever. If anything, I’ve got too many options for making coffee at my fingertips. It might be time to thin the herd somewhat, get back to basics. The problem is that I’m a curious person by nature, someone who takes pleasure in experimenting with the latest toys, despite the fact that there are always discoveries to be made with older ones already on hand.
To resolve this tension, and with the goal of more fully appreciating what I have, I’m considering imposing a personal moratorium on gear-related purchases. Of course, almost ironically, in order to work toward that greater appreciation I’d require more coffee. After all, the Aeropress is not enough of an objet d’art to enjoy simply by gazing upon it. Same goes for my other brew methods—even the Dracula-esque Eva Solo! These beasts need to be fed.
Thus, my brief whole-bean coffee drought will soon come to an unceremonious end. Order placed. To all of the USPS employees who will shortly sort and handle the 5 separate packages heading my way, I offer humble gratitude and, perhaps, a heady whiff of degassing beans.
*For example, my ROASTe Prime had expired, and I couldn’t figure out how to renew. Scott helped me find a work-around while he looks into what’s going on.












REVIEWS & COMMENTS
@HOONCHUL
jbviau | Mon, 04/23/2012 - 22:32Yup, consider that tragedy averted (see my most recent blog post)! Three bags arrived today alone.
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TRULY
hoonchul | Mon, 04/23/2012 - 12:00It would have been truly tragic if you were completely out of coffee but glad to hear that some are on the way. I always get fuzzy feeling inside when I open a package containing my beans.
@GMANJENKS
jbviau | Mon, 04/23/2012 - 11:03Ha! I've had success with that approach in the past. Sold off my Hario hand mills, the Esatto, etc. The problem now is that I like what I've got too much to part with it!
@BROSEPH
jbviau | Mon, 04/23/2012 - 11:01That Kuma Burundi was very nice, especially when brewed in my Beehouse. Since you seem to enjoy pourover, I think you'd enjoy it. Seems like a quality roaster based on my limited sample of one coffee. I've got a different "clean" Sumatra on order from Velton's. Please let us know if try Kuma's Tano Batak!
@ERICBNC
jbviau | Mon, 04/23/2012 - 10:57Congrats on the successful itch-scratching! When does your new machine arrive? Re: having the bases covered, that's an understatement. ;)
I THINK A BETTER SOLUTION
GmanJenks | Sat, 04/21/2012 - 10:59I think a better solution for your plethora of brewing gear is a sale of infrequently used items, not a moratorium on new purchases, purge and try new. (Maybe not such a good description, sounds very similar to some eating disorders).
WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE
broseph | Sat, 04/21/2012 - 08:32What did you think of the Kuma offering? I was just about to place an order with them. The Sumatra sounds interesting...(a clean Sumatra! what a novel concept...)
WELL ERIC YOU WILL HAVE TO
intrepid510 | Sat, 04/21/2012 - 01:50Well Eric you will have to post some pictures of that little beast when you get it or should I call it a beauty?
YUP
EricBNC | Sat, 04/21/2012 - 01:18Before I got the QM Silvano I struggled with the choice between that awesome machine and the La Pavoni lever - I scratched that itch this week so my gear acquisition is in hibernation too for the near future - I think I have the basics covered...