Dunn Bros. is another Dallas-area roaster/coffee shop that I’ve been meaning to try for a while. These beans came to me courtesy of my friend Vilma (thank you!!). I haven’t had a chance to visit the Dunn Bros. store in Addison yet, but I certainly will next time I’m in that area.
Officially, Dunn Bros. classifies their espresso beans as a medium roast. Light, medium, and dark roasts are not standardized terms in the coffee world – Starbucks’ medium is a lot darker than Dunkin’ Donuts medium, for instance. There are more specific terms regarding roast levels (City, Full City, French, etc.), which I am sure I will talk about more whenever I get into home roasting. These beans, in the Northern Italian style roast, are pretty dark in color with a slight sheen of oil on the beans.
These beans smelled very nice; I know it’s vague, but the best description I have is that it smells “like coffee.” An honest cup of coffee. Nothing frou-frou or complicated!
I tried these beans at a variety of temperatures and dosages. I think the best balance of flavors came at 200 degrees F, 16.5 g in a double basket. It tasted smoky and rich, not sour or bitter. I think these beans are great for those who prefer dark roast coffee, and for those who like to add milk/additional flavors. For drinking straight, I missed the fruit notes and complexity of Klatch or Stumptown (which are roasted slightly lighter), but if you don’t like fruity flavors in your coffee, Dunn Bros. is a great choice.
Summary: Perfect for dark roast fans; smoky flavor and finish.
From the roaster: Heavy and complex. A lot of sweetness with rich, creamy body, luscious acidity, and a crisp, sweet fruit, spice, and chocolate finish.
I learned to roast beand at Dunn Bros. It was a great experience. I was very good at “driving” the roaster.
Beans!
That’s so cool!! Someday I hope to learn to roast too but until then I’m enjoying the research.
It’s fun… but costly if you ruin a batch!