

Once you start finding out about the peculiarities of coffee, you undoubtedly will find that the rabbit hole gets deep. I have come to love the craft of making a tasty cup of coffee, and that there is much more to it than finding a good bean.





I personally like fruity coffees. They have flavors I might describe as being tangy with notes of tomato, and even citrus. I’ve made cups of this for friends, and it’s hit or miss, you don’t find these flavors in a typical coffee shop so it can catch people off guard. Certainly something to try. This bag specifically is from a place called Cartel Coffee Labs here in Scottsdale, Az. It’s way too expensive, but coffee is one of the things I don’t mind splurging on, as the satisfaction of enjoying a great cup of coffee really adds to my day.





I find that consistent flavors are best achieved by weighing out the beans, that way you take the guesswork out of measuring. I have a little cup I like to drink out of for this blend, and with 12 grams of coffee in it, it’s pretty strong.







Pouring the beans into my Hario hand grinder.





Grinding the beans by hand takes a little elbow grease but not having to rely on an outlet on the wall to take care of this is satisfying. I feel more involved in the process, and more invested in my cup.





I absolutely adore using the Aeropress coffee maker, it’s pretty much the most efficient way I’ve ever seen to make a cup of coffee, and while I love doing a French press, or pour over style too, this is something I’ve been doing a lot to great success. I also add a pinch of salt, as it helps bring out the tangy notes a bit more.





I boil the water, and let it sit for about 30 seconds or so before measuring it out and pouring it into the Aeropress for maximum control.







3 minutes seems to be a good sufficient amount of time for the flavors to transfer to the water.



I end up stirring it for the first minute or so.







And then since the filter is too big for my little cup, I put it back into my measuring cup for an easier transfer to the final product.



A tasty cup of coffee, hand made to my specifications, so delicious :)