We love pairing with Bay Area roasters and cafes to brew a solid cup of Joe. This week we met up with Marc from Bedfellows Roasting Company to try out his Kenya Karinga Offering. We had the opportunity to grab some freshly roasted beans from him which was a blast because as the beans degassed and matured past the roast we witnessed the flavor profile evolve. For coffee nerds, this is a pretty special treat.
For those not familiar with degassing:
When coffee is roasted, gases form inside the bean. After roasting, gases (mostly carbon dioxide) start seeping out of the bean. When coffee is a few days old and very fresh, a bulk of the carbon dioxide formed leaves your beans. During this time, CO2 escapes so quickly it negatively affects the flavor of your coffee by creating an uneven extraction. (If you’re interested in learning more about degassing stay tuned for next week’s blog post!) This degassing process is the reason roasters start selling their coffee a few days to a week after the roast date.
The Results:
We snagged Bedfellows’ coffee straight from the roaster and tried a cup every day through the bean’s maturation. As the roast degassed, we picked up bright and juicy pomelo, honey, cola and stone fruit. By day 5 these flavors were in full bloom. This is a great roast for folks who like a nice evenness between their acidity and rich flavors. We used Duo Coffee Steeper as its full immersion brewing process did a great job of pulling out these flavors as the roast matured.
Bedfellows supplies coffee all around the bay and does a monthly coffee subscription service. If you’re looking for a local San Francisco spot to try a bag, you can find them at Green Heart Foods in the Mission, and Piano Fight in the Tenderloin. Ready for a subscription? They just released their newest coffee for March’s subscription – a Peru that has nutty, soft citrus taste notes with medium body.
Check out this Bay Area find here: