Welcome to a new series of sorts, where I’ll be going through different beans as I try them and giving my thoughts and opinions on their flavour profile, roast degree, whether they’re better for espresso or filter, and more. There will be several posts in pretty quick succession as I go through what I currently have on hand, and then I’ll make new posts just as I buy new bags I haven’t yet tried. This series was requested by @viral.vegabond@piefed.social so thank you to them for the suggestion! I think it’ll be fun.

For the first episode, I’ll be reviewing a bag you may have seen me post a lot recently, Supernova by Hatch. I’d like to say at the start that I’ve been having a lot of fun with these beans and they get my full recommendation for espresso, and they make pretty good filter too.

Now to get into it.

Roaster: Hatch (Markham, Ontario, Canada)
Origin: Brazil
Process: Natural
Roast profile: Medium
Roaster’s notes: Berries, praline, baker’s chocolate

Espresso:
Preferred brew ratio - 2.2:1 (18/40)
This is where these beans really shine, in my opinion. They’ve become my favourite espresso bean, actually. I don’t quite get praline through this brew method, but the berries and chocolate are heavy on this one in a very pleasant way. I’ve mentioned it before but it literally tastes like I’m drinking dark chocolate covered berries. Every time I make a shot with these beans I’m surprised it’s as good as it is, and I go in with high expectations. Interestingly, I get lots of floral notes on the nose, which I don’t taste at all, and isn’t listed in the tasting notes. It’s got a long finish and isn’t harsh in any way. This is probably what I’d give someone who wanted to try espresso for the first time.

Filter:
Preferred brew ratio - 16:1 (15/240)
While I prefer these beans for espresso they do make a decent filter cup too. I feel like these were probably designed to be filter-first because I really do agree with their notes, it’s just not my preference. Berries right away, developing to praline and finishing with chocolate. Light acidity, nice sweetness, very little roast flavour, overall a very pleasant, balanced cup. I just can’t shake the feeling that every time I do a pour over with these, it’s an espresso shot that could’ve been made instead.

Overall, this is a very nice bag that I’d recommend and will definitely be buying again. If you’d like to order these online, you can find them here.