Fruddled Gruntbugglies

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  • Brewing Good Sumatra Arisarina

    Brewing Good Sumatra Arisarina

    • Beans: Sumatra (Arisarina Cooperative) – single origin
      • Roaster: Brewing Good Coffee Company (Savage, MD)
      • Origin: Sumatra, Indonesia (Aceh Tengah)
      • Roast level: Medium
      • Roast date: 5/21/2025
      • Purchase date: 5/25/2025 at BGCC in Savage Mill
        First cup: 5/27/2025
        Last cup: 6/4/2025
      • Process: Wet hulled; Varietals: Catimor, Typica, Timtim; Elevation: 1400-1700 MASL
      • Tasting notes: Chocolate, dried cherries, above average body and low acidity
    • V60:
      • 19g coffee / 300g water (1:15.8)
      • Ode: 5
      • Water at 95°C
      • Recipe: Single Cup V60 Pourover with size 2 cone, 36-40g bloom water and 50g pulses – finishes around 02:50

    This was my second time buying coffee from Brewing Good. To avoid the hassle of parking at Savage Mill, I stopped by during my Sunday morning bike ride, which was very convenient. I suspect it won’t be the last time I do that.

    I started at 1:15 and grind setting 4. After exclusively drinking fruity light roasts for the past month, this was quite the departure. It is really bold and roasty, with no noticeable acidity at all. The bag mentions that the roast is “a little darker than medium”, but I didn’t notice any of the burnt flavor that often turns me off to dark roasts. It has more than enough body at 1:15, and good flavor, but it starts to get a little bit overpowering around halfway through the cup. I suspect 1:16 will tone it down a bit, so I’m going to try that tomorrow.

    6/1: I have brewed several cups with 19g/300g (1:15.8) and grind setting 5, and they have been pretty nicely balanced compared to my first few cups, which tasted a bit over-extracted. The draw-down is super, super fast — it’s mostly finished brewing at 2:40 to 2:45, even with the size 2 cone and a slower pour (5 pulses finishing at 2:10). The fast draw-down time, (relatively) coarse grind, and quick extraction are all very much in line with other Indonesian coffees I have brewed.

    6/4: Finished these up, and the grind settings I noted on 6/1 definitely produced the best cups. Recipe updated.

  • Spring Running Notes

    Spring Running Notes

    I am settling back into my regular running routine after a very travel-intensive April and early May. Last month, I ran a few times aboard our cruise ship, which had a 1/7 mile jogging track. One day, we were sailing into a strong wind, and with each lap, I would alternate between struggling against the wind and then being pushed along almost effortlessly. It was more interesting than my other option (running on a treadmill) but wouldn’t be my first choice when it comes to outdoor running. I think that if I ever became a long-term cruiser, I’d be looking to do my running on solid ground while the ship was in port.

    This past Thursday, I ran 7 miles in a misty drizzle. Conditions were similar to another run I took about a year ago, and I dressed very similarly to that day — in particular, I wore Vibram V-Runs with Tuli heel cups and no socks. It was a reasonably pleasant run, but unlike a year ago, I ended up with a blister on my right big toe. I didn’t even notice the blister until a day later after climbing, when I was walking around barefoot, and something felt a little “off”. So, it hasn’t really been an issue with my everyday activities. Even so, in spite of the relative comfort of running “commando” vs wearing toe socks and having them get waterlogged, I’m going to need to do something differently the next time I run in the rain. I’m just not sure exactly what yet.

    Ordinarily, this time of year is when my mileage starts to drop as the heat and humidity increase, but we have had an abnormally cool week leading up to Memorial Day. Today, it was in the low 50s when I embarked on my Saturday morning run, so I took advantage of it and ran 15 miles, which is a PR for me for distance. I had initially planned to stop at 13.1, and later at 14, but I kept going because I felt pretty good. I think I did a decent job pacing the run, averaging 11:11 per mile. I made sure to hydrate the night before, and I ate 3 pieces of egg bake before the run, and a Protein Plus bar at mile 6 or 7. I stopped once at mile 7 for a pebble in my shoe, and once at mile 11 to refill my water bottle. I covered some new (to me) ground, running out past Timbers at Troy golf course to Lyndwood, and back past Rockburn Park to Belmont. I wouldn’t want to do that on a weekday (or a very hot day), but it was a nice loop that facilitated a 15-mile run without the need to repeat any sections.

  • Paddle Notes

    Paddle Notes

    Today was my second time on the water this year. My goal every season is to get out once a week, but I have yet to achieve it, mainly because I don’t like going out when it’s extremely hot. As a result, most of my paddling tends to be in May-June and September-October. We’ll see how the rest of this year goes.

    Today, I went to Homeport Farm Park in Edgewood and paddled on Church Creek. I typically try to get there once or twice a season. Noteworthy is that instead of my kayak, I used the inflatable stand-up paddleboard that I bought for Cathy in December 2023. It is an AquaGlide Cascade 11′ which I bought on closeout at REI. It was our first time using it anywhere except the pool. 2024 was a bust, because I left the board out in the sun by the pool while it was fully inflated, and it sprung a leak in the seam. I was able to repair it with HH-66 vinyl adhesive (link to helpful video), but didn’t get around to that until late fall, so this year was my first opportunity to take the board out on the water.

    Inflating the SUP with a hand pump can be tiring. As the pressure increases, it gets harder and harder to operate the pump, due to the increased resistance. The optimum pressure for the board is around 14-16 PSI, but by 10 PSI, I’m ready for a break. If we end up using the board frequently, it may make sense to invest in an electric pump. For local trips, I bought a Yakima SUPDawg roof rack mount, and I tried that out for the first time today. It was easy to use, and did a nice job keeping the board secure up on the roof. To avoid bursting seams, I transported the board at around 10 PSI, and finished inflating it when I arrived at the launch. Then, I let some air out of it before driving home. I don’t think I’d want to transport it on the roof for long distances (e.g. to the shore) but the SUPDawg does seem to work really nicely for shorter trips, and it saves time on days when I’m on the clock (which, TBH, is most days). Plus, if we ever buy a non-inflatable board, we have a way to transport it.

    It took a little while to get comfortable on the board. At first, I was really shaky and a little panicky. It also took some time to figure out how to paddle straight. It’s nothing like paddling a kayak. I did fall off once, when I made the rookie mistake of paddling into shallow water. The skeg hit a submerged log, the board stopped suddenly, and I lost my balance. Lesson learned: in shallow water, kneel on the board. I will say that it’s much easier to get back on the board than it is to get back into a kayak. No paddle float or bilge pump needed!

    All in all, I paddled around 2 miles. By the time I was finished, I was able to paddle straight and steer the board where I wanted, and I could smoothly transition between kneeling and standing. I really enjoyed myself, and I’ll probably try to do this more often this year. The board is a crap-ton lighter than my roto-mold kayak, which my back appreciates, especially this time of year.

  • Inaugural Paddle of 2025

    Inaugural Paddle of 2025

    It was a slightly late start to paddling season this year — by this time last year, I had already been out 3 times. I’m not complaining, though, because we had a good excuse, namely, our trips to Europe and Utah. We’re back to the daily grind for a while now, and paddling was high on my priority list for this week. My initial plan had been to go yesterday, but I had some issues getting out the door (misplaced wallet) so I ended up going running instead, but I left the kayak on the car in hopes that I could go today. The only thing that potentially stood in my way was the weather, with rain and wind predicted all day long from a slow-moving system coming up from the south. Too much rain and wind would have kept me inside, but this morning, the conditions were pretty good, with just a steady drizzle, light winds, and comfortable temperatures in the 60s. After taking care of a few things at home, I set off for my favorite weekday morning launch, namely, Solley Cove Park in Anne Arundel County, which was completely deserted this morning. This may seem surprising, but while I’ve dealt with sprinkles and occasional cloudbursts while paddling, today was the first time it rained the entire time, from arrival to departure. Everything went smoothly, though. I wore swim shorts and a long-sleeve rash guard with my NRS paddling jacket. I also used a spray skirt to keep rain out of the kayak interior. I bought the skirt 3 or 4 years ago, and I think this was only the second or third time I’ve used it. It did a great job keeping me dry, so much so that I don’t think I’d want to be without it in conditions like this. The only thing I was really missing was something to cover my head, but with the mild temperatures, I didn’t mind my hair and face getting wet. Any colder, and it might have gotten uncomfortable. I debated wearing a rain jacket (which has a hood) instead of the paddling jacket, but I think I made the right call. I may look to pick up a wide-brim waterproof hat at REI or somewhere that I can use in these kind of conditions, as I think my “face sucking” neoprene paddling hood would have been overkill today.

    I paddled just under 6 miles, going out to the end of Tanyard Cove and back, and then south on Marley Creek to Brewer’s Island, around the island, and back to the launch. I had a steady drizzle for most of the paddle, with a few brief heavy downpours. The wind kicked up once or twice, but was mostly a non-factor. I didn’t see another soul out on the water. All in all, it was quite enjoyable, and I’m really glad I came out.

    Solley Cove Park has a sandy soft launch that is great for putting in, but not so good for taking out. There’s a concrete berm separating the sand from the pavement, which keeps me from backing my car onto the sand (good), but reloading from there is awkward, and the kayak and car always end up coated with sand. Today, it occurred to me for the first time that it might be easier to take out from the adjacent concrete boat ramp. After disembarking, I could use my cart to wheel the kayak up the ramp and onto flat ground for easy, sand-free reloading. Seems like a great idea on paper, so I’m going to try it next time.

  • Kings Peak Light Roasts

    Kings Peak Light Roasts

    • Roaster: Kings Peak Roasters (Salt Lake City, UT)
    • Purchase date (both bags): 5/4/2025 at Kings Peak (412 S 700 W, SLC)
    • Bag #1: Sundial Peak (blend)
      • Origin: Central and South America
      • Roast level: Light
      • Roast date: Unknown (likely late April 2025)
      • First cup: 5/9/2025
        Last cup: 5/23/2025
      • Tasting notes: Cocoa, milk chocolate, citrus, dried fruit
    • Bag #2: Ethiopia (single origin)
      • Region: Gedeo (Yirgacheffe)
      • Roast level: Light
      • Roast date: 4/25/2025
      • First cup: 5/11/2025
        Last cup: 5/26/2025
      • Tasting notes: Grape, berries, passion fruit, jasmine, & honey
      • Process: natural dry fermentation; Elevation: 1950-2200m; Varietals: Wolisho & Dega
    • V60:
      • 20g coffee / 300g water (1:15)
      • Ode: 3
      • Water at 99-100°C
      • Recipe: Single Cup V60 Pourover with 36-40g bloom water and 6 50g pulses
        • #1 – with size 2 V60, finishes 03:00-03:10
        • #2 — with size 1 V60, finishes 02:55-03:05

    I decided to combine these two into a single post, as they’re both light roasts, and at least initially, I’m brewing both with the exact same method and parameters.

    I really like both of these. As of this writing, I’ve only brewed one cup of the single origin, but it had a very nice balance of acidity and sweetness. I’ve had a few more cups of the blend, and it’s got a bit more of a fruity twang to it (reminded me a bit of Clumsy Girl) and is overall very drinkable, if not as complex. That’s about what you’d expect from a coffee that is sold as a breakfast blend. I was a little bit surprised that the bag didn’t have a roast date on it, but it’s possible that the beans they blended together were roasted on different dates.

    I’ll be alternating between these two until I use them up, so it will be interesting to see how my opinion of them evolves over the next couple of weeks. For now, I think I slightly prefer the single origin Ethiopia beans, but that could change tomorrow!

    5/14: So far, no changes to water temperature or grind for either of these. I’ve taken to brewing both of them with 6 pulses of 50g water (vs 5 pulses of 60), which has produced longer draw-down times and better extraction with the Sundial Peak blend. The single origin beans didn’t really need any tweaking, but since they draw down slowly, I’m now brewing them in the size 1 V60 (which speeds up the draw-down) and compensating by adding the extra pulse. I haven’t noticed an appreciable difference in how the cups taste.

    5/23: I finished the Sundial Peak blend today. The last few cups were dominated by nutty/chocolate flavors, without much hint of fruit or acidity. Overall, I really enjoyed this. I’ve been thinking about keeping a list of out-of-town coffees that I’d like to revisit at some point (maybe a separate list for local coffees as well). It’s a bit challenging, because memories of how a specific coffee tastes tend to fade over time, and it can be hard to compare something I drank several months ago to something I’m drinking right now, unlike (say) keeping a list of favorite geocaches, where I can go back and relive each experience via my logs. But were I ever to start such a list, I’d definitely put this on it.

    5/26: The single-origin Ethiopia beans are now gone as well. Both of these were top-notch, but I do think this one has the slight edge — definitely my favorite coffee of the year so far. When can we go back to SLC?

  • Benchmarking

    Benchmarking

    I enjoy hunting for NGS Benchmarks. The hobby started with geocaching, because geocaching.com used to include a database of benchmarks along with an easy way to log benchmark “finds”. Around 2022, though, the powers that be at geocaching.com decided to drop support for finding and logging benchmarks. They way they handled it left a lot to be desired (a topic for a different post), but as a business decision, cutting benchmarking loose made sense: the code base that supported benchmarking was undoubtedly aging and difficult to support; the benchmark database (a one-time snapshot of NGS data taken circa 2001) was out of date and impossible to properly update; and the number of people who logged benchmarks was very small relative to the entire population of geocachers. I was part of that minority, though, and I stopped logging benchmarks for about 2.5 years, but now I’m looking to take it back up.

    All in all, I logged 134 benchmarks on geocaching.com. Before they pulled the plug and deleted all my logs, I was able to save them by writing a (really ugly) script to scrape them from geocaching.com, and I now have an offline copy of all of my benchmark logs, including photos. My goal is eventually to post these on lpaulriddle.com, but they need a little bit more clean-up first. I also have all of my recoveries saved in GSAK (a Windows-based geocaching database), but as GSAK is end-of-life and no longer maintained, I don’t look at it as a long-term solution for tracking recoveries. Instead, going forward, I’m thinking about posting my benchmark recovery logs here. My plan is to create a “benchmarks” WordPress category, and create a blog post for each recovery. For the post title, I’ll likely use a combination of the benchmark PID and name. In the post itself, I’ll include the usual photos I take of the mark and its surroundings, along with a link to the NGS datasheet, and my log detailing the find.

    There’s also the question of how to find nearby benchmarks, now that they’re no longer listed on geocaching.com. Each cache page used to include a link to search for benchmarks near the cache. It was a little bit klunky, as there was no benchmark map, but it worked. I can also go to the NGS site, search for marks by county or latitude/longitude, download all the datasheets as a text file, convert it to GPX format with a tool called NGS_GPX, and then load the GPX into Cachly or my Garmin GPS to view the benchmarks on the map. This method is still possible, but kind of a pain, and hard to do without advance planning. My recent searches have turned up 2 websites that show benchmarks on a map:

    Both of these sites include benchmark coordinates and quick links to NGS datasheets for each mark. It remains to be seen whether either site is mobile-friendly. In the field, it would be very handy to see the map on my phone along with my current location. At the very least, I’ll need a way to easily pull the benchmark data into an app like Cachly so that I can navigate to the marks, e.g. by copying and pasting the coordinates. I will see how it goes and report back.

  • LO0996 SALT LAKE CITY ST CAPITOL DOME

    LO0996 SALT LAKE CITY ST CAPITOL DOME

    PROGRAM = datasheet95, VERSION = 8.12.5.19
Starting Datasheet Retrieval...
1    National Geodetic Survey, Retrieval Date = MAY 10, 2025 19:10:37 EDT
 LO0996 ***********************************************************************
 LO0996  DESIGNATION -  SALT LAKE CITY ST CAPITOL DOME
 LO0996  PID         -  LO0996
 LO0996  STATE/COUNTY-  UT/SALT LAKE
 LO0996  COUNTRY     -  US
 LO0996  USGS QUAD   -  SALT LAKE CITY NORTH (2017)
 LO0996
 LO0996                         *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
 LO0996  ______________________________________________________________________
 LO0996* NAD 83(1994) POSITION- 40 46 38.60782(N) 111 53 17.53048(W)   ADJUSTED
 LO0996* NAVD 88 ORTHO HEIGHT -  1391.    (meters)     4564.    (feet) SCALED
 LO0996  ______________________________________________________________________
 LO0996  GEOID HEIGHT    -        -16.748 (meters)                     GEOID18
 LO0996  LAPLACE CORR    -         14.43  (seconds)                    DEFLEC18
 LO0996  HORZ ORDER      -  THIRD
 LO0996
 LO0996.The horizontal coordinates were established by classical geodetic methods
 LO0996.and adjusted by the National Geodetic Survey in November 1997.
 LO0996
 LO0996.The orthometric height was scaled from a topographic map.
 LO0996
 LO0996.Significant digits in the geoid height do not necessarily reflect accuracy.
 LO0996.GEOID18 height accuracy estimate available here.
 LO0996
 LO0996.Click photographs - Photos may exist for this station.
 LO0996
 LO0996.The Laplace correction was computed from DEFLEC18 derived deflections.
 LO0996
 LO0996. The following values were computed from the NAD 83(1994) position.
 LO0996
 LO0996;                    North         East     Units Scale Factor Converg.
 LO0996;SPC UT C     - 2,271,421.566   467,227.817   MT  1.00003419   -0 14 55.2
 LO0996;SPC UT C     - 7,452,155.59  1,532,896.60   sFT  1.00003419   -0 14 55.2
 LO0996;UTM  12      - 4,514,425.280   425,049.570   MT  0.99966914   -0 34 48.5
 LO0996
 LO0996!             -  Elev Factor  x  Scale Factor =   Combined Factor
 LO0996!SPC UT C     -   0.99978448  x   1.00003419  =   0.99981867
 LO0996!UTM  12      -   0.99978448  x   0.99966914  =   0.99945369
 LO0996
 LO0996_U.S. NATIONAL GRID SPATIAL ADDRESS: 12TVL2504914425(NAD 83)
 LO0996
 LO0996                          SUPERSEDED SURVEY CONTROL
 LO0996
 LO0996  NAD 83(1993)-  40 46 38.60752(N)    111 53 17.53042(W) AD(       ) 3
 LO0996  NAD 83(1986)-  40 46 38.59646(N)    111 53 17.52137(W) AD(       ) 3
 LO0996  NAD 27      -  40 46 38.78981(N)    111 53 14.75312(W) AD(       ) 3
 LO0996
 LO0996.Superseded values are not recommended for survey control.
 LO0996
 LO0996.NGS no longer adjusts projects to the NAD 27 or NGVD 29 datums.
 LO0996.See file dsdata.pdf to determine how the superseded data were derived.
 LO0996
 LO0996_MARKER: 87 = DOME
 LO0996_SATELLITE: THE SITE LOCATION WAS REPORTED AS NOT SUITABLE FOR
 LO0996+SATELLITE: SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS - July 08, 2012
 LO0996
 LO0996  HISTORY     - Date     Condition        Report By
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 1962     FIRST OBSERVED   CGS
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 1966     GOOD             CGS
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 1973     GOOD             NGS
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 1980     GOOD             NGS
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 20030921 GOOD             USPSQD
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 20060616 GOOD             GEOCAC
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 20100816 GOOD             GEOCAC
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 20110330 GOOD             GEOCAC
 LO0996  HISTORY     - 20120708 GOOD             GEOCAC
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION DESCRIPTION
 LO0996
 LO0996'DESCRIBED BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1962 (JCC)
 LO0996'STATION IS THE CENTER OF THE HIGHEST PART OF THE UTAH STATE
 LO0996'CAPITOL DOME.  IT IS LOCATED ABOUT 1 MILE NORTH OF THE CENTER
 LO0996'OF SALT LAKE CITY.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (1966)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY COAST AND GEODETIC SURVEY 1966 (RKB)
 LO0996'THE STATION WAS RECOVERED AS DESCRIBED IN GOOD CONDITION AS
 LO0996'DESCRIBED IN THE 1962 DESCRIPTION.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (1973)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1973 (JRS)
 LO0996'THE SALT LAKE CITY STATE CAPITOL DOME 1962, WAS VISITED AND
 LO0996'RECOVERED AS DESCRIBED IN 1962.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (1980)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY NATIONAL GEODETIC SURVEY 1980 (DRM)
 LO0996'STATION WAS RECOVERED AS DESCRIBED.
 LO0996'
 LO0996'AIRLINE DISTANCE AND DIRECTION FROM NEAREST TOWN
 LO0996'DOWNTOWN SALT LAKE CITY.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (2003)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY US POWER SQUADRON 2003 (RTK)
 LO0996'RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (2006)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY GEOCACHING 2006 (CB)
 LO0996'RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION.
 LO0996'THE CAPITOL DOME IS UNDER RENOVATION THIS DATE.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (2010)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY GEOCACHING 2010 (GAH)
 LO0996'ITALIAN RENAISSANCE REVIVIAL BUILDING TOPPED WITH OLIGOCENE QUARTZ
 LO0996'MONZONITE (FROM LITTLE COTTONWOOD CANYON IN THE WASATCH RANGE), COPPER
 LO0996'COVERED NEOCLASSICAL DOME (AFTER BRAMANTE'S TEPIETTO IN ROME) AND
 LO0996'CUPOLA TOPPED BY A SMALL BALL, 301 FEET TALL FROM GROUND FLOOR, 285
 LO0996'FEET FROM MAIN FLOOR TO TOP OF COUPOLA.  ORIGINALLY DEDICATED OCT 9,
 LO0996'1916.
 LO0996'RESTORATION AND SEISMIC UPGRADE MENTIONED IN 2006 REPORT WAS COMPLETED
 LO0996'AND BUILDING REOPENED JAN 4, 2008.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (2011)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY GEOCACHING 2011 (BRB)
 LO0996'RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION.
 LO0996
 LO0996                          STATION RECOVERY (2012)
 LO0996
 LO0996'RECOVERY NOTE BY GEOCACHING 2012 (RFC)
 LO0996'RECOVERED IN GOOD CONDITION.

    Log: Recovered in good condition while walking around Salt Lake City as we wait for our son’s climbing competition to start. We had our Lyft drop us off at Temple Square, and from there, we took the steep uphill walk to the capitol. We were short on time, but were able to check out the visitor center and take a few photos of this very impressive building.

  • Kross Costa Rica Finca Las Lajas

    Kross Costa Rica Finca Las Lajas

    • Beans: Costa Rica (Finca Las Lajas)
      • Roaster: Kross Coffee Roasters (Chania [Crete], Greece)
      • Origin: Costa Rica (Alajuela – West Valley)
      • Roast level: Light
      • Roast date: TBD (early April 2025)
      • Purchase date: 4/15/2025 at Kross Coffee Roasters in Chania
        First cup: 4/28/2025
        Last cup: 5/8/2025
      • Process: Honey; Varietal: Caturra; Elevation: 1750 MASL
      • Tasting notes: Raisins, hazelnuts, citrus (moderate acidity)
    • V60:
      • 20g coffee / 300g water (1:15)
      • Ode: 2
      • Water at 99°C
      • Recipe: Single Cup V60 Pourover with 36-40g bloom water – finishes 02:40-2:45 with size 2 V60, 2:30 with size 1 V60

    This was the only local coffee roaster I ran across during our 2-week Mediterranean cruise. There may have been others, but after buying this, I didn’t look any further, as I had limited suitcase space. Coffee beans are more expensive in Greece than the USA for sure, as I paid €18 (around $20-21), and the bag is only 250g, or roughly 9 ounces. That works out to about $26-27 for 12 ounces, which is around 30-40% more than I’d expect to pay for this grade of coffee in the US. I can’t complain, though, as everything is more expensive in our current geopolitical climate. The coffee itself is exactly as described on the box. Roast level isn’t mentioned, but the beans are obviously light roasted based on their color. Taste is nutty and fruity with an acidic finish. Quite nice overall.

    5/9: I finished these up yesterday. This was a little bit more on the fruity/acidic side than I tend to prefer, but I still enjoyed it. Next up is another pair of light roasts that I picked up in Salt Lake City.

  • Early April Run Notes

    Early April Run Notes

    The weather early this spring has been like a roller coaster: warm and humid one day, cold and windy the next, rinse, repeat. We’ve had 3 days where it has gotten up into the 80s, followed by a couple of days in the 50s and 60s, and today we were back up near 80. Next Tuesday night, there’s a chance we might have a freeze. Welcome to April in Maryland!

    Today was the first run I’ve taken in high humidity this year. Something has been dogging my runs over the past couple of weeks. While I haven’t really had a sensation that I was struggling or “hitting the wall”, my average pace has been off by 45-60 seconds/mile, and my energy has been lower (including with other activities like biking and walking). By all accounts, today figured to continue that trend: I’m stressed out and anxious about several things (long story); I slept poorly last night; and weather and schedule conspired to prevent me from running until 1:00pm. Morning is my preferred time of day to run, and for some reason, I always feel a little bit “off” when I run later in the day. Surprisingly, though, today’s run felt great: my energy and form were good, and I finished at a respectable 10:45/mile, which is a good 15 seconds/mile faster than any of my more recent runs, and in line with what I would call my “baseline” speed for this kind of weather. Running is a great way to beat stress: when I get anxious, I develop a “fight or flight” response, which really gets my adrenaline going. Running burns off all of that nervous energy and releases endorphins, which calm me down and improve my mood — a win-win all around.

  • Zeke’s Black & Orange Blend

    Zeke’s Black & Orange Blend

    • Beans: Black & Orange Blend
      • Roaster: Zeke’s Coffee (Baltimore, MD)
      • Roast level: Dark (7/8)
      • Origin: Brazil, Colombia
      • Roast date: 03/24/2025
      • Purchase date: 03/29/2025 at Green Valley Marketplace (Elkridge, MD)
      • First cup brewed: 03/30/2025
      • Tasting notes: “Nutty notes of liquor and baker’s chocolate / medium acidity”
    • V60:
      • 21g coffee / 300g water (1:14.3)
      • Ode: 4
      • Water at 90°C
      • Recipe: Single Cup V60 Pourover with 60g pulses- finishes 02:40-02:45

    I’m finally all caught up with coffee notes. I’m actually still near the beginning of this bag. As I remember, I’m going to try to start noting the date I brewed my first and last cup of each bag along with roast and purchase dates. That will give me a better sense of freshness to correlate with my notes, and also an idea of how long it takes me to go through bags in general.

    It had been a couple of months since I last had a dark roast. I used to just assume that immersion (e.g. French/AeroPress) was always going to be better with dark roasts, but my usual V60 method has worked out fairly well for the last couple of bags I’ve brewed. This one is no exception. As I typically do, I went with cooler water and a slightly stronger ratio than I typically use for medium/light roasts. The first few cups have been smooth, roasty, and not overly bitter — pretty much how I like dark roasts to taste. I may end up having to freeze some of this if I can’t finish the (1lb) bag by middle of next week, so it will be interesting to see how that works out.