Just Charlie

A digital commonplace for a Regular Guy called Charlie Pharis

Month: January 2016 (page 1 of 1)

January 25, 2016 / 0 Comments

Part of Me…

Confused Signal

Stef via Compfight

Part of me wants to cry a lot of tears.

Part of me wants to write a “Dear ____” letter. Not to get involved in anybody’s business, but to say thanks for the good parts and get clarity on the bad.

Part of me wants to stay away.

Part of me wants to stick around and see what happens next.

Part of me wants to say it’ll be OK.

Part of me wants to say, “Wake up, grow up, quit messing around, and get on with your life!”

Part of me wonders why.

Part of me says it’s really not my concern.

Part of me says yes it is.

Part of me wants to help.

Part of me wants to know what happened.

Part of me wants to get over the possibility.

Part of me is glad I never had to do this in the age of social media.

Part of me hopes somebody else comes along, if that’s the way.

Part of me wants to reach out to one, part to the other.

Part of me wants to gather both together.

Part of me is grateful.

Part of me is confused and angry.

Part of me doesn’t know what to do next.

Part of me says it’s not up to me.

Part of me doesn’t want to see it end.

Part of me is relieved.

Part of me wonders what might have been and still might be.

January 20, 2016 / 0 Comments

Home Roasting Update…

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I  tried roasting the first batch of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans on Monday. As I reported, I’m almost certain my popcorn popper never got hot enough for a good roast. Also, after a little more research, it seems the poppers with the screens in the bottom of the chamber (like my first one) are not as suitable as those with solid chambers with vent holes around the sides. So, I’m in the process of procuring another popper.

Anyway, I kept that first batch, although I wasn’t satisfied with the roast. I just ground that batch and did a pourover with my little Bee House ceramic dripper. Ground the beans at medium with my burr grinder. Water at precisely 204º F. Used 26 grams of ground beans. Four minutes brew time. 400 grams of water. The ground beans assumed a mushy consistency in the dripper, and I didn’t get a steady drip and flow as I poured the water into the filter. This may be due to the inconsistent roast.

The resulting cup of coffee is kind of dark amber-brown in color. The taste is not terrible, not great. I’m not sure at this point whether that is a function of the bean or the roast, but I’m leaning toward the inconsistent roast for this as well.

Bottom line for Batch #1: It’s not the satisfying cup I’d imagined when I first started playing around with the idea. I’m hoping the next popper will make a better showing of the roast.

Remember, friends: Life Axiom #4: Life is too short to drink bad coffee.

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