We’re back to Hatch again, this time with Gamma. This is another from their Foundation series, and is designed mostly for acidic, sweet, almost juicy espresso. This is a blend, rather than a single origin.
I forgot to take a picture of the bag before throwing it out so here’s a picture from their website instead. My bad.
Roaster: Hatch (Markham, Ontario, Canada)
Origins: Central America, Ethiopia
Process: Washed
Roast profile: Medium
Roaster’s notes: Floral, citrus, caramel, dark chocolate
Espresso:
These are first and foremost roasted for espresso, and I would definitely agree with that. I get strong notes of chocolate and citrus on this one, almost tastes like chocolate covered oranges. I’ve found going for a classic 1:2 ratio to work best with these. Nice acidity, noticeable chocolate without being overbearing, just a well rounded cup in general. For what it’s worth, my wife, who doesn’t usually like straight espresso, enjoys these straight. She’d still prefer an americano but has a good time as-is too.
Filter:
These aren’t really designed for filter, and you can tell. It’s not bad by any means, but it’s just not quite on the same level. I’ve found it really easy to go too sour with these, it was more finicky to get a good taste out of them than the other offerings I’ve tried from Hatch. This is in stark contrast to espresso, where I nailed the grind size on my first go, and even after messing with it for fun, I was never disappointed. When I did get a good grind size for filter, I mostly got chocolate and citrus, which is a nice pairing, and led to a very pleasant cup. It did taste a bit roasty for me, though, despite only being a medium roast.
Overall, excellent espresso beans, mediocre filter beans. I’d buy them again for use in espresso and would recommend them for that, but I’d pass on them if I wanted filter coffee.