Ethiopia Dry-Process Birbissa

As I think I have mentioned, there is very little information on "optimum roast profiles" out there. Searching the internet will find tidbits, but it is still a DYI affair for the most part. If I had to sum up the conventional wisdom such as it is, it would be this:

• Keep roast times below 14 minutes or so
• Slow start/fast finish is better than the reverse
• There are three main segments of the roast:

1. The drying segment, from start to about 300 degrees, should be about 3-5 minutes (longer for light roasts and shorter for dark roasts)
2. The segment from 300 degrees to the start of first crack should be as rapid as possible to avoid woody flavors
3. From the onset of first crack to end of roast should be 3-5 minutes. Shorter for drip and longer for espresso

Got all that?

Let's have a look at this roast of Ethiopia Birbissa:


Under 14 minutes? Check.
5 minutes to dry? Check.
Fast ramp to first? Maybe.

Pretty good against the "standard" if I do say so myself. Too bad I totally spaced out during the roast and forgot to lower the heat when I originally wanted to, but in the end it seems to have worked out. I wished I had pulled it a bit sooner since the roast got a bit darker than I had intended, but so be it.

The aroma in the cup was amazing. Pure, pure blueberies all the way. This is really the first coffee I have had that has been so distinct in one berry note, though I jave had many others with grape, strawberry, etc. Very nice. The taste follows suit, but the acidity was lower than I wanted, either due to the coffee or the roast - I am not sure. The body was syrupy and overall this was a nice dry-process cup, but nothing that exciting, IMO.