“City to City+: Complex sugars, fruited accents, malic acidity, white nectarine, big and juicy, syrupy sweetness and subtle chocolate at darker roast levels.” -Sweet Maria’s
Cupping results: Initially, there is little acidity, and there is a hint of fruit, but a definite juiciness in the mouthfeel. The flavors are well balanced, and the finish is clean, with a light black tea flavor.
As the cup cools, the sweetness has increased, and the acidity has brightened. The acidity has a hint of red apple tartness, and it balances nicely with the juicy body. The finish has a syrupy mouthfeel, and it lingers more as the cup cools.
This was the first roast and was targeted at a City roast. The next attempt will be targeted at City+/Full City, to see if the chocolate flavors emerge in the body, but as a first attempt, this was a good introduction to the lighter flavors. The roast was done in a Whirley Pop, with a low flame (gas stove), and was preheated to approximately 180 degrees celsius before the beans were added. After the temperature stabilized at 112 degrees celsius, it took a little over 8 minutes for the beans to reach first crack, which lasted 1.25 minutes, and allowed for a much more even roast. After first crack ended, the roast was allowed to progress for another 30 seconds before the beans were pulled. They were cooled with a strainer, agitated over an air fan to ensure they did not coast very much after being removed from heat. They reached room temperature within 3 minutes.
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Overall, this is a light bodied cup, but it definitely has a juicy body, balanced with a lingering, sweet, syrupy finish. The acidity doesn’t really appear until the cup cools. I can see this as a cup that can be enjoyed any time of day, it is light and flavorful.