I've been roasting my own for several years, but it's an outside event
for me, and the weather has been lousy here in DC, so I'm turning to
commercially roasted whole beans. I've had experience with TJ's roasts
(French Roast and Double Dark), but would like to back down the scale
a bit (the shiny, oily surface is made up of the oils that makeup the
flavor; when you get to French and darker, you are losing flavor in
place of something else).

Has anyone tried any of the choices lower down the roasting scale than
French Roast? If so, what did they name it? - MIke

On Feb 16, 4:43 am, Michael Horowitz > wrote:
> I've been roasting my own for several years, but it's an outside event
> for me, and the weather has been lousy here in DC, so I'm turning to
> commercially roasted whole beans. I've had experience with TJ's roasts
> (French Roast and Double Dark), but would like to back down the scale
> a bit (the shiny, oily surface is made up of the oils that makeup the
> flavor; when you get to French and darker, you are losing flavor in
> place of something else).
>
> Has anyone tried any of the choices lower down the roasting scale than
> French Roast? If so, what did they name it? - MIke

As I sit here I'm drinking a Costa Rican medium-dark roast from Joe's
called "Tarrazu." It's tastes pretty good: it's a lot less heavy and
acidic than Joe's darker dark roasts. It's possible that it may be
too "medium" for your tastes - as a taste reference, I find Joe's
Italian roast or the "Bay Blend" to be like drinking dissolved
charcoal. Joe's also has a Nicaraguan variety that's a medium dark
(I've not tried it and I don't remember the name).

Jim

Jim

On 16 Feb 2007 05:01:16 -0800, "JRB2" > wrote:

>On Feb 16, 4:43 am, Michael Horowitz > wrote:
>> I've been roasting my own for several years, but it's an outside event
>> for me, and the weather has been lousy here in DC, so I'm turning to
>> commercially roasted whole beans. I've had experience with TJ's roasts
>> (French Roast and Double Dark), but would like to back down the scale
>> a bit (the shiny, oily surface is made up of the oils that makeup the
>> flavor; when you get to French and darker, you are losing flavor in
>> place of something else).
>>
>> Has anyone tried any of the choices lower down the roasting scale than
>> French Roast? If so, what did they name it? - MIke
>
>As I sit here I'm drinking a Costa Rican medium-dark roast from Joe's
>called "Tarrazu." It's tastes pretty good: it's a lot less heavy and
>acidic than Joe's darker dark roasts. It's possible that it may be
>too "medium" for your tastes - as a taste reference, I find Joe's
>Italian roast or the "Bay Blend" to be like drinking dissolved
>charcoal. Joe's also has a Nicaraguan variety that's a medium dark
>(I've not tried it and I don't remember the name).
>
>Jim
>
>Jim

Jim - I've noticed they tend to lean to the darker roasts; I'll stay
away from the Bay Blend on your recommendation but will run out and
see if I can get the TArrazu. I didn't notice on the containors if it
stated things like "medium-dark roast". Did you spot that or was that
an observation after opening the can? - MIke

On Feb 16, 6:48 am, Michael Horowitz > wrote:
> On 16 Feb 2007 05:01:16 -0800, "JRB2" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >On Feb 16, 4:43 am, Michael Horowitz > wrote:
> >> I've been roasting my own for several years, but it's an outside event
> >> for me, and the weather has been lousy here in DC, so I'm turning to
> >> commercially roasted whole beans. I've had experience with TJ's roasts
> >> (French Roast and Double Dark), but would like to back down the scale
> >> a bit (the shiny, oily surface is made up of the oils that makeup the
> >> flavor; when you get to French and darker, you are losing flavor in
> >> place of something else).
>
> >> Has anyone tried any of the choices lower down the roasting scale than
> >> French Roast? If so, what did they name it? - MIke
>
> >As I sit here I'm drinking a Costa Rican medium-dark roast from Joe's
> >called "Tarrazu." It's tastes pretty good: it's a lot less heavy and
> >acidic than Joe's darker dark roasts. It's possible that it may be
> >too "medium" for your tastes - as a taste reference, I find Joe's
> >Italian roast or the "Bay Blend" to be like drinking dissolved
> >charcoal. Joe's also has a Nicaraguan variety that's a medium dark
> >(I've not tried it and I don't remember the name).
>
> >Jim
>
> >Jim
>
> Jim - I've noticed they tend to lean to the darker roasts; I'll stay
> away from the Bay Blend on your recommendation but will run out and
> see if I can get the TArrazu. I didn't notice on the containors if it
> stated things like "medium-dark roast". Did you spot that or was that
> an observation after opening the can? - MIke- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Mike - You're right about Joe's leaning towards very dark roasts -
it's what I call the "Starbuck's Effect." The roast type was printed
at the bottom of the front label on each of the varieties I
mentioned. My Joe's has them on the bottom shelf.

On Feb 16, 5:48 am, Michael Horowitz > wrote:
>
> Jim - I've noticed they tend to lean to the darker roasts; I'll stay
> away from the Bay Blend on your recommendation but will run out and
> see if I can get the TArrazu. I didn't notice on the containors if it
> stated things like "medium-dark roast". Did you spot that or was that
> an observation after opening the can? - MIke

As far as I can recall TJ states the kind of roast on the labels.
Although there are a lot of French and darker offerings -- gotta be
responsive to the customers -- they still carry several marked Dark
and Medium. On the one I currently am using the "Dark Roast" note is
at the bottom of the front panel. Checking another old can lying
around I see the description "roasted to a medium dark" is on the side
panel description. -aem

On Feb 16, 12:58 pm, "aem" > wrote:
> On Feb 16, 5:48 am, Michael Horowitz > wrote:
>
>
>
> > Jim - I've noticed they tend to lean to the darker roasts; I'll stay
> > away from the Bay Blend on your recommendation but will run out and
> > see if I can get the TArrazu. I didn't notice on the containors if it
> > stated things like "medium-dark roast". Did you spot that or was that
> > an observation after opening the can? - MIke
>
> As far as I can recall TJ states the kind of roast on the labels.
> Although there are a lot of French and darker offerings -- gotta be
> responsive to the customers -- they still carry several marked Dark
> and Medium. On the one I currently am using the "Dark Roast" note is
> at the bottom of the front panel. Checking another old can lying
> around I see the description "roasted to a medium dark" is on the side
> panel description. -aem

Some TJ's have a poster, next to the coffee grinders, which says a bit
about the roast of each of their coffees.

I may be in the minority here, but I love TJ's "Ultra Roast"
Sumatran. Too bad they haven't had it recently.

"Kyle" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Some TJ's have a poster, next to the coffee grinders, which
> says a bit
> about the roast of each of their coffees.
>
> I may be in the minority here, but I love TJ's "Ultra Roast"
> Sumatran. Too bad they haven't had it recently.
>
>
>

Here's a link to a Trader Joe's PDF about their coffees:

http://www.traderjoes.com/Attachment...e_brochure.pdf

--
barry in indy