bold beans

[tankin_tummy]

Hi all,

I was wondering what origin bean is best to brew a very bold, full bodied cup of coffee. Currently I like to use Etheopian dark roast as that is the boldest I found. Niceraguan is pretty good too, not as bold but has a nice bitter-sweet almost cocao like taste. Is there any origin that makes the absolute-most-bold coffee? I like to use a moka pot and coffee press

 

[poison]

Short answer: no, there is no one most bold bean.

Long answer:

1) Taste is subjective. Some people associate stanky ass burnt/french roasted beans with 'bold'; others might consider 'bold' something else altogether.

2) You mention origin. Ethiopia doesn't have a typical flavor profile, necessarily. It may in very general terms, but when you consider the same coffee, grown on the opposite side of the hill may taste significantly different, imagine how different it would taste in another region, or totally different country? And that's not even touching variables in weather/conditions from year to year.


So, you'll just have to search more, try a lot more beans, and see what you like. I do hope you're buying fresh roasted (roast date on bag), high quality beans. Tell me where you live and I bet I know a roaster nearby, or...internet it.

 

[expat]

The other poster is correct, there isn't a "boldest" bean. But I know where you're trying to go so give something like a Sumatra Lintong a try. It is very earthy. I think you'll like it. You also might like to visit SweetMarias dot com and read about the coffees from Indonesia and see if I'm on the right track for you.

 

[tankin_tummy]

Yes, I've visited sweet marias before but never bought anything. I currently buy from a local roastery a few blocks from my house. They roast their beans on site. I love earthy flavoured beans... that's what these ethopian taste like. I guess there would be a broad range in that country, such elevation differences. For some reason I like all of the African beans that my local roaster has. I don't care too much for french though.

 

[eldub]

No such thing as french beans. I'm guessing you mean you don't like french roast. (Dark roast)

lw

 

[tankin_tummy]

I believe the Ethopian beans I've had were Yigarechef (I forget how it's spelled!), never tried other Ethiopian, those were the only Ethiopian they have.

With regards to French.... yes I guess it's a roast, I always thought the name implied the bean origin (all the while I thought "how can they grow beans in France?").I guess the only "French" roast I've tried is from Starbucks and they taste burn't. Although Starbucks I hear is on the cheap end of good coffee so maybe they burn their darker roasts. My local roastery only numbers the roast (1- mild, 2-regular 3-medium dark 4-dark 5-carbony), they don't use words like city, full city, French, etc. The beans I like most is from a 4. I've never heard of a carbony flavour... does that just mean it tastes burn't lol?

And what number would a French roast be on a scale of 1-5?

 

[eldub]

Light French might be roasted to 440* and dark French up to 480*. Anything in between could also be called a French roast. That would make it typically a 4, imo. I'd call 440* roast full city and 480* burnt so 460* would probably be the point I'd take it to for those who insist on a dark roast.

You are wasting good beans when roasting most single origin offerings in the 4-5 range. At that point, most everything starts tasting the same, imo. The flavor imparted by the roasting process overpowers the natural characteristics of the individual beans.

To wean yourself from dark roasts, sample a few single origin offerings at a lighter roast level (2-3 on your scale) that are naturally low in acidity. Nicaraguan, Sumatran and Peruvian might be places to start.

 

[bcotten]

Try a Sumatra Mandheling. Earthy, huge bodied coffee (generally). Find a Grade 1, Double Picked coffee and you should be happy with it. Like others have said, "bold" is a sketchy word but it sounds to me like you are thinking of a heavy bodied coffee. If that's what you are looking for, Sumatra Mandheling is probably a good place to start.