did i mention the new roaster?

i got a new coffee roaster, the gene cafe. i've been using a stir-crazy/turbo-oven for several years, and while it's a fine roaster setup, and quite cheap (especially compared to the gene cafe), it had some shortcomings, particularly the fact that it had a meltable plastic driveshaft. I replaced the driveshaft with a metal one but didn't do a great job, and ever since, the roasts have been uneven.

i'm drinking my third roast on the gene cafe, and it's one of the best roasts i've ever personally done. it's a guatemalan bean taken to about city+. the aroma is syrupy with a hint of roast character. full bodied, chocolatey with a good amount of brightness, a surprisingly dry finish. nuttiness, roast, and chocolate in the finish.

delightfully complex!

in a related note, i got the new relay for the espresso machine, and it seems to be fixed now. i'll reassemble it soon, get some beans roasted up, and then descend into the madness that espresso brings to me. something to look forward to.