ODYSSEE Espresso | A few questions for Paul

Why the name Odyssee Espresso?

Paul: The first time I blended the Odyssee was for the 2010 Barista Championship in Hamburg. I focused on two things in particular. On the one hand, a distinct and interesting fruitiness, and on the other hand, a coffee that works both black and with milk. At that time, I wanted to lay the foundation for a sensory journey that would constantly reinvent itself over the course of harvest cycles. A journey, similar to Homer's journey, that knows no end. Today I feel that after 10 years, this journey has only just begun.

Here is a picture from the 2010 championships in Hamburg. That was the starting shot for my self-employment. And the first time the Odyssee Espresso was served...

Where did your inspiration for the combination of Odyssee Espresso come from?

Paul: I always select the coffees we buy and serve based on taste. That's the core of my work and thus also the inspiration for the Odyssee. Today, the blend usually consists of no more than two coffees. Strictly adhering to the premise that a blend only makes sense if it is more than just the mere addition of individual seasonal flavors. In other words, that the sweetness of one coffee supports the fruitiness of the other, thereby creating a complexity in the cup that would not be possible on its own.

In your opinion, why has Odyssee Espresso become a bestseller?

Paul: It's a coffee that is always different, never boring, and yet beautifully balanced. I never get tired of it, and the Odyssee is often a reference point for me. There are hardly any blends that can still captivate me over such a long period. That's probably also because it's somehow my baby. And I associate many beautiful memories from championships and the shop with it...

What makes it special?

Paul: Normally, you blend coffees to create a generic taste. Or to save costs and disguise inferior coffees. The Odyssee Espresso aims for exactly the opposite. My ambition for this blend is to always surprise anew and to highlight the sensory components. Ergo, to create a coffee that celebrates the diversity of coffee and does not submit to anonymous mass compatibility.


What taste description is typical for Odyssee for you?

Paul: Actually, there is no typical taste description. Basically, however, the cup is floral, balanced, and yet with complex fruit.


Give us a tip & describe how you prefer to drink your Odyssee Espresso.

You can basically brew the Odyssee Espresso as a filter coffee. As an espresso, however, the fruitiness comes through more beautifully. It is one of those coffees that can easily be brewed with a high brew ratio and extraction rate (see recipe). In fact, I also like to drink the espresso completely cold... Alternatively as a "Double Cortado". That is, a double espresso with an equal part of micro-foamed milk.

ODYSSEE Espresso | My current recipe recommendation

• Dose (amount of ground coffee in the portafilter): 14.5g
• Yield (amount of coffee flowing into the cup): 43g
• Time (time from start to end of extraction): 31 sec
• Temp (temperature of the brewing boiler): 93.5 degrees Celsius

 

Note: It may take a little longer for the espresso to start flowing. Depending on the grinder, the espresso should start flowing at around 13 seconds at the latest.
Currently in the Odyssee: 65% Keffa Bonga, 35% Uraga Gomoro