I had another go at getting my grinder burrs aligned properly. So it's back to a reliable espresso blend to figure everything out again, which this time is Pathfinder from Origin.
Today it's decaf, because I can't seem to keep regular coffee in the house since I got a gaggia classic.
I'm really struggling with anything darker than a medium roast, it seems. I enjoy the sour, fruity espresso from a light roast, but it's not as good for milk drinks. Meanwhile the darker roasts are a little more charcoal than I'd like in an espresso.
The beans are decaffeinated prior to roasting through one of several processes. Wikipedia has a good overview, and of course James Hoffmann has a video.
Same ol iced latte with ...well maybe I better not admit the beans lest I should be banned lol. I've been trying to get to a low fuss, simple, repeatable drink. Timed dose. Timed pull. Comes out basically the same every time and it tastes decent so that's good enough. I will get back to fussing around with things later. Just not feeling the desire to do so lately. Perhaps I will get a bag of Red Bird Espresso (which is pretty much just how I like espresso beans) when the current beans run out.
No shame in appreciation of the repeatable. It’s hard to justify the roulette of variables even on a good day. My other bag is lavazza for days I don’t want to struggle