Context: second cup of the day, late morning edging into commute; walking in ~6F cold with gloves, phone, and mug.
Mood: a little tired from yesterday’s caffeine and a late night, but settled and receptive.
Music: DOVS - muted, textural, 1990s Autechre-adjacent; steadying and inward-facing.
Aroma: earthy, grounded, slightly muted but inviting.
First sip: earthy and bold; immediately reassuring.
Subsequent sips: full-bodied and easy drinking, especially with cream.
Acidity: low but present; adds roundness rather than brightness.
Sweetness: chocolate-adjacent; softened by cream but still legible.
Bitterness: nutty, cocoa-like; restrained, functioning as weight rather than edge.
Body/mouthfeel: full; engaging across roof, surface, and sides of the tongue.
Aftertaste: nutty, chocolatey, lingering without dryness.
Overall: comforting, integrated, forgiving; a cup that supports thought rather than demanding attention.
Reflection: enjoyment and attentiveness matter more than purity. The cream lowers temperature and contrast without erasing character; in the cold and fatigue it reads as a stabilizing field rather than something to optimize.
Brew log
Easy Immersion plan with the switch closed for a ~2:30 steep.
Dose and water matched earlier cup; grind unchanged at 1.8.3 as baseline.
0:00 pour to full volume, valve closed.
2:30 valve opened; ~3:30 drawdown complete.
Straightforward drawdown with no stalling or channeling observed.
Added a small amount of cream after brew, softening edges and cooling the cup slightly.
Acidity: low overall, mostly felt at the back of the tongue.
Sweetness: thin in quality, reads as dark chocolate.
Bitterness: an edge, cocoa-like rather than roasty.
Body/mouthfeel: round weight with a watery texture.
Finish: short, sides of the tongue; overall expressive.
Overall: present and coherent without heaviness; flavor feels broad rather than pointed.
Reflection: less earthy than expected, anchored by dark chocolate. The uneven bed suggests late dribbles disturbed the surface; tightening the final pour toward center may help even extraction without losing the cup’s breadth.
Brew log
Easy Immersion plan with the switch closed for a 2:30 steep.
Dose split: 14.3 g Sojourner + ~1.7 g residual August blend.
Full preheat for brewer and mug via filter rinse.
Grind unchanged from yesterday; one bean dropped and replaced (~0.1 g correction).
Pouring stayed consistent, though late-stage dribbles likely disturbed the bed.
0:00 water in, 2:30 switch opened, ~3:30 drawdown complete.
Bed looked uneven with larger holes forming during drawdown.
