Tag: walking

Context

Out on a walk: wet sidewalks after overnight snow, pink morning light, and a little less cold than recent mornings.

A bit warmer than normal lately; carried the mug bare-handed comfortably, just barely.

Wore ice walkers, but did not need them.

Listening

Valeria Szervansky and Robert Cavaye playing Schubert’s “Characteristic March” piano duo. Jaunty, steady, almost horse-like in its rhythmic click.

Brew Notes

• Added cream (continuing the cream habit for this older roast).

Observations

First sips brought little ticklish waves on the tongue, like tiny pulses moving in and out.

The mouthfeel felt shape-driven and physical: little pyramids and egg-like forms bumbling around on the taste buds, as if a heterogeneous mixture were rolling through the sip.

The listening and walking synced with the cup. The march’s jaunty click helped pace each step and sip.

Reflection

I keep reaching for the word complex and feel frustrated by it.

Right now, the better task is focus: narrowing the language lens so each note names one concrete sensation instead of collapsing everything into that one broad word.

[ cup2 · wednesday · walking · weather · cream · listening ]

Context

• Walking out the door a little early.
• About 17°F, clean cold air, sidewalks well scooped.

Listening

Isaac Albéniz, Iberia Suite, played by Claudio Arrau on piano.

That opening space in Evocación landed well. One sip, one breath, one phrase.

Brew Notes

Measured 300 g of water before preheat. Preheat draw ran high and left the brew short of target.

Timer start was nearly missed again, like cup one, but caught within about two seconds.

Simulated RDT this time: a few water droplets on the beans, then a quick shake before grinding.

Observations

Grounds aroma report

earthy, like a chicken coop —🦄

Tasting

First sip was delicious and dense, with a perfume-like aromatic note reminiscent of those old potpourri pine cones in mall gift shops.

Third sip was deeply satisfying. Complex bitterness in the aftertaste, balanced by a gentle sweetness.

A bit of a small pucker sensation at one point near the back of the tongue, and it feels structured, not harsh.

Still reaching for the word cinnamony, but it is not quite right.

Reflections

Cold, still morning air through the nose, then a warm sip in presence. Arrau playing Albéniz brought a deep belly relaxation on exhale.

A wider tasting vocabulary would help. Sometimes biochemistry language would fit what is happening in the cup, but plain language may be better when the notes stay honest and specific.

[ cup2 · water/purified · walking ]

Observations

• 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.

[ parable · sojourner · cup2 · walking · cold · dovs · switch · immersion ]

Observations

• Tasting notes — cup 2 (walking tasting).
• Overall impression: subtle, gentle, well-balanced; quieter than expected.
• Intensity: low–medium; noticeably paler than Parable Mocha Java.
• Sweetness: soft, diffuse sweetness that lives on the edges of the tongue rather than the center.
• Bitterness: present but restrained; slightly elevated by late-contact drips after drawdown.
• Acidity: muted; no sharp point or spark.
• Body: light, a bit airy; no weighty mid-palate.
• Finish: clean, slightly dry; fades rather than resolves.
• Temperature effects: held warmth well due to preheated mug/brewer; flavors opened gently as it cooled.
• Contextual perception: tasted while walking in deep snow just after sunrise (~6°F); crisp air sharpened awareness but did not amplify flavor.
• Comparison anchor: less assertive and less directional than Parable Coffee Co. Mocha Java.
• Meta-note: palate feels unvectored — no clear axis to push sweetness, acidity, or bitterness along.

Brew log

• Preheated the Patagonia mug and brewer to hold warmth for the walk.
• Allowed late-contact drips after drawdown to finish before heading out.

[ walking · quiet · snow · cup2 · morning · tasting ]

Observations

• Walking outside.
• ~10°F.
• Pink and purple on the horizon.
• Listening to the final minutes of Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3.
• Eyes watered while drinking.
• Then Bach: Partita No. 2 in C minor.
• Wanted to sit down and play.
• The cold sharpened everything.
• The coffee felt grounding against the music — less about flavor notes, more about staying present in the body.

Brew log

• Outdoor brewing, wind shielding with the mug.
• Longer drawdown from cold air.

[ cold · walking · music ]