Black Rifle Coffee In My Crosshairs!
Updated: Apr 20, 2020
Black Rifle Coffee Company's AK Espresso Review, Workflow, and Extraction Video
BEAN SPECIFICATIONS

Roaster: Black Rifle Coffee Company
Coffee: AK Espresso
Type: Blend
Roast: Medium
Origin: Colombia, Brazil
Flavors: Dark Chocolate, Hazelnut, Citrus
TEST RESULTS

Black Rifle Coffee is a Veteran owned company. I'm a retired disabled Army veteran, so I felt like it only made sense that I give this roaster a try and see what's what. Straightaway I can tell by the smell that this roast is closer to a dark roast than a medium roast. It was also immediately evident that this is a classic Italian style espresso, and not a new school specialty style espresso. I personally enjoy both old school, and new school styles, as long as they are done well. I checked all over the bag but I could not find a roast date. However I did find an expiration or best by date of Feb 21st 2021. So based on the best by date, this espresso was already over a month old! I gotta say I was disappointed to see this, as I was under the impression that they roasted fresh to order. Regardless I decided to give it a try anyway, and crossed my fingers hoping I could still pull somewhat of a decent shot. After much trial and error, I was eventually able to get a few passable extractions. Due to the darkness of this roast I decided to use a VST basket in an attempt to bring out some acidity and toasted nutty notes. Surprisingly for a darker roast the flavor profile wasn't bad. First and foremost is a deep sweet chocolate flavor that carries from beginning to end, Then after bringing the temperature down to 198F I was able to get a very light roasted hazelnut flavor with a hint of orange citrus. This roast is at it's best in milk based drinks since the powerful chocolate notes pull through just about any quantity of milk. If you're a fan of lattes and other heavy milk based drinks, and you love a classic chocolate bomb, then this is the spro for you!
EXTRACTION SPECS
Espresso
Basket: 18g VST
Weight In: 18 grams
Weight Out: 30 - 36 grams
Temp: 198F
Extraction Time: 30 sec
EQUIPMENT & TOOLS
Niche Zero Grinder: https://www.slowpoursupply.co/niche-zerohttps://www.nichecoffee.co.uk/
Niche Zero NFC Disk: https://nichespares.com
VST 18 gram Precision Filter Basket: https://store.vstapps.com/products/vst-precision-filter-baskets
Orphan Espresso - IPANEMA Tall Aluminum Portafilter Dosing Cylinder: https://www.orphanespresso.com/OE-IPANEMA-Tall-Aluminum-Portafilter-Dosing-Cylinder_p_2540.html
Decent Espresso Tamping Cradle: https://decentespresso.com/cradle
WDT Tool from Londinium: https://londiniumespresso.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=211
ALSAINTE Distributor 58.5mm: https://www.amazon.com/Espresso-Tamper-Distributor-58mm-Dual/dp/B081X9N9Z3/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=alsainte&qid=1586021500&sr=8-1
The Force Tamper 58.5mm Flat Base: https://www.espressoparts.com/the-force-tamp-58-5mm
Breville Dual Boiler 920XL: https://www.breville.com/us/en/products/espresso/bes920.html
notNeutral LINO Espresso Cup: https://www.notneutral.com/lino-espresso.html
Acaia Lunar Espresso Scale: https://acaia.co/products/acaia_lunar
if you'd like to show your support by purchasing a bag or two, please click the photo below!