CoffeeCon Selfie #1

Cheryl in Chicago is clearly dreaming of a BIG cup of coffee, and tickets to CoffeeCon.

Don't forget to email your selfie entries to javarunner1962@yahoo.com by April 3.

Charlie

What's a Weiner Melange?

Some coffee drinks we've never heard of, some we have. All are pretty darned tasty though.

Charlie

Speakers at CoffeeCon: Marysabel Caballero

When you attend an event like CoffeeCon, you get to attend lectures and classes presented by leaders

in the coffee world. This year, the farmers and growers will be represented by Marysabel Caballero. Along with her husband, Moises Herrera, they are continuing a coffee farming tradition going back to  1915 in the Marcala Region of Honduras.

Their farm is known not only for producing coffee, which regularly scores his in Cup of Excellence competitions, but also for the sustainable nature of their farming, and what they give back to the community. They hire local workers, produce electricity for a nearby health clinic, and provide funding to two area schools.

The farm is known for its constant work at developing new, sustainable ways to grow coffee. In 2012 they cut back some of their shade trees to allow light in, which killed a fungus issue they had. At the same time other trees were planted to cut down on wind which was breaking trees in the area. They use filtered water and no pesticides, which is better for the environment when the water gets back into the ground.

Coffee companies like Stumptown and Counter Culture have not only bought beans from Caballero and Herrera, they have helped introduced varietals to them, which they have had great success with.

What a great opportunity to learn from one of the best at producing coffee. Go to http://coffee-con.com/ticket-page/ and remember to type in JavaRun to get $2 off the price of tickets, or enter my selfie contest for a chance at two free tickets.

Charlie

Selfie Your Way to CoffeeCon 2014

A few weeks ago, Ellen DeGeneres made Twitter history with the most GLAM selfie ever. You know the one; it had Meryl Streep, Bradley Cooper, Brad Pitt, Ellen, and countless more. Selifies are the thing these days. Lord knows I stay with the times, so here's the deal...

Selfie Contest Time!!!!!

I have a pair of tickets to CoffeeCon 2014 in Chicago on April 12. I would LOVE to give a pair away. I'm going to make you work for it though. All you have to do is send me a selfie with you and coffee. Clearly it doesn't have to look like what you see here. In fact, I'll burn this photo at some point. I'm looking for something which involves you, coffee, and a bit of humor. Put your thinking caps on. When you have the selfie ready to send, email it to me at javarunner1962@yahoo.com. A blue ribbon panel of judges(me, Mark, our dog) will review all the photos. You have until Thursday, April 3, at 11:59pm to send those in. I will post all entries on the blog. Decisions of the "judges" is final. Winners will be notified by email.

Start posing, and may the best coffee lover win!

Charlie

More Than Coffee at CoffeeCon

Need another reason to go to CoffeeCon 2014? Music. Come on, you can't really have a coffee event without entertainment.

For more fun videos go to https://www.youtube.com/user/CoffeeConEvents

For tickets to CoffeeCon 2014 Chicago go to - http://coffee-con.com/ticket-page/

When you use promo code JavaRun, you get $2 off your ticket.

Charlie

Another Microwave Rant: Good Lord!

This morning, as I read the world wide internets, I came across this "well-meaning" quote form a person responding to a question, "Is microwaved coffee good?"

" find that I can rehabilitate a ceramic mug o' joe with a couple of minutes in the nucleator, being careful to avoid bringing to a boil. Since I take my coffee black, no sugar (as the good Lord clearly intended) no worries about long-chain milk proteins turning to muck."

"As the good Lord intended?" Honey, if you want coffee the way it was meant to be enjoyed, you would keep it away from the microwave oven. The"good Lord" intended for a farmer to carefully cultivate and grow coffee cherries, which when harvested at the peak time, are developed into green beans. Then the "good Lord" created the roaster, which, also done correctly will create that wonderful coffee, you should grind, and brew in any number of ways you should.

The "good Lord" made the microwave for your Lean Cuisine, which is pretty lame fake food to begin with. He/She did not want you to destroy the HECK out of the coffee the wonderful farmer grew so you could enjoy. Back away from the microwave with you coffee!!! I beg you.

Coffee in a microwave, re-heated, destroys the taste of the coffee. Time and heat are the enemy of coffee. So if you are taking an old cup of what's left in the pot and re-heating it, you are making a sad situation worse. Brew some more coffee. Coffee is one of the cheapest things you can enjoy in life. the "good Lord" wants you to enjoy it fresh. If you want it black, fine. If you want a bit of sweet and dairy in it, the "good Lord" won't strike you down. So use the creamer if you want. 

Arrrgh...... Good Lord!

Charlie

Review: Coffee Brake Company Colombian Supremo

The coffee house is not always in a trendy area. It isn't always swathed in green and white logos. Sometimes, the most surprising coffees come in places you don't expect.

On a daily basis most commuters who use Allisonville Rd. in Indianapolis, don't know Coffee Brake Company exists. They should. The coffee house sits in a strip mall, between a check cashing place, and a Big Lots store. It's a small place, not too many tables, but you can tell you are in a coffee
roasters domain.

Coffee Brake Co. is owned by Rick Purvis. He is also the roaster. When we lived closer to his place, we used to go in, but now we are further away, and aren't always in the neighborhood. Well it's time to make the effort to head in more often. I stopped by yesterday to look at what he had available. Mark didn't care for the Costa Rican coffee as much as I did, and I thought I should have an alternative for us this week.

When you walk in, immediately to the right are all the roasted flavored coffees. No thanks, I'll pass. To the left is the real stuff. That's what I'm looking for. After a few minutes, I make my choice - Colombian Supremo. I asked Rick when the beans were roasted. He told me last Friday. Excellent, they freshness is still there.

This morning I made some in the Chemex. For the average drinker, Colombian Supremo is what the 100% Colombian coffees you see in the grocery want to be. Of course, they aren't the deal. This is the deal. This is a full bodied coffee, full of flavor. It has a roasty flavor I like quite a bit. There is bit of a bite too it, not mellow.  I felt there was a slight mocha-ness to the coffee.

On our Cher Scale of strength 1-10, this coffee is an 8. Imagine Cher giving Jack on Will and Grace a slap in the face, after trying to prove she is, in fact, Cher!

Coffee Brake Company is 6215 Allisonville Rd. in Indianapolis. I couldn't find a website, but you can like them on Facebook. You may not be in the neighborhood, but you should seek out this place.

Charlie

Review: Allegro Coffee Costa Rica Dota

I have written about my experience in Costa Rica before. So I am always excited to have a coffee from the region I visited. Today's coffee is from the Tarrazu region. The Dota Co-op is one of the leading coffee co-ops in the area. It's also one that I visited, and met the farmers who grow for it. Allegro Coffee sells Costa Rica Dota through Whole Foods.

This is a light roasted coffee. When I made it in the Chemex, it almost looked like a dark tea. It didn't taste like tea though. Allegro says this coffee has notes of chocolate and honey. I got the chocolate from it. The aftertaste though had a more nutty, not honey flavor.

This is a very satisfying cup of coffee. I think people get fooled by light roast coffees. If done right, there is more caffeine punch in a light roast, than in a dark roast. That is the case here. On our Cher scale, this is an 8, meaning a typical slap in the face to Sonny, most likely on a night he did something stupid.

Whole Foods carries a lot of interesting coffees by Allegro, and you should check them out. Do what I do though, check the bag for a roast or best by date. In this case I picked one which was best until the end of June. Freshness in the coffee can make all the difference in your cup.

Charlie

CoffeeCon Special Offer

CoffeeCon in Chicago is coming soon, April 12. It's going to be a day of fun, learning and, of course, COFFEE! What if I told you it was possible to get a discount on tickets? Readers of this blog get a $2 discount on CoffeeCon tickets.

Go to.....

http://coffee-con.com/ticket-page/

When you go to checkout, you will asked if you have a coupon. The code you use is JavaRun. Once you enter that, the $2 discount will be applied. Easy!

FYI.....if you are hoping to go for free....a contest will be coming soon. Keep an eye out for it.

Charlie

A Very Special Day: World Down Syndrome Day

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. In a world which can sometimes seem cruel and unkind, I'm so glad there is a day observed worldwide, which recognizes the special gifts and wonderful nature of people with Down Syndrome(DS). It's also a day to highlight the fact there are many things people with DS CAN do. There was a time when people with this syndrome were institutionalized, or lebotomized, or just hidden from view. So while we may not think special days like this matter, they do.

Daily Coffee News has highlighted an event for today which I'm thrilled to know is out there. Spanish coffee company Cafento is organizing a barista competition for people with Down Syndrome.

http://dailycoffeenews.com/2014/03/20/down-syndrome-barista-competition-returns-in-four-regions-of-spain/

Prior to the competition, the baristas have 5 days of training where they can hone their skills in latte art.  Last year 21 baristas competed. Cafento is developing more of these events around Spain, and they are to be commended for it.

Sometimes it's not the special events which highlight what people with DS can do, sometimes it's just the day to day activities. In a recent article for Carroll Magazine, Anne Blue wrote about Erin Baldwin, a woman who struggled in a group home environment. Frustrated with her situation, her parents brought her home, and eventually figured a way for Erin to work, be productive, and do something terrific - roasting coffee.

http://www.carrollmagazine.com/articles/the-beans-of-empathy.html

Erin is the Chief Coffee Roaster for Furnace Hills Coffee Company. She and her life coach work together to roast coffee three times a week. Their goal last fall was to roast about 200 lbs of coffee a week.

www.furnacehillscoffee.com

Opportunities like the barista competition, and roasting in coffee companies, are growing for people with DS. So many want to work and prove what they can do. The coffee world can expand those opportunities. I encourage coffee houses, roasters, etc, to look into hiring people with DS. I promise you won't be sorry you did.

Charlie

French Press R.I.P.

It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of our French Press beaker. It happened around 8:05am EST today. While in the midst of preparing coffee, I noticed a bowl was about to fall off the counter. I attempted to prevent the fall. In doing so the French Press collided with the sink/counter, broke and left this Earth. Those on the scene were emotional and crying over the beaker. I pronounced it dead fairly quickly. Burial was in the nearest garbage can.

French Press is survived by Chemex and Breville Drip Coffee Maker. Search is now underway to adopt a new beaker.

Charlie

Review: Death Wish Coffee "World's Strongest Coffee"

For a couple of months I've been reading about Death Wish Coffee. They bill themselves as "The World's Strongest Coffee." I was intrigued by this. After all, just how strong could it be? During my research, I read that in a 12 oz cup of this coffee, there is 600 mg of caffeine. For comparison, the average cup of coffee has over 200 mg of caffeine. So you assume you are going to get bitch-slapped with this coffee.

The company's website is fun to look through. They give you fair warnings about the strength of the coffee. They have videos talking about their coffee, and how they roast it. Truly, by the time you drink the coffee, you are prepared. This coffee is also a top seller on Amazon, so you know they sell their coffee, and people like it.

 That's a lot of hype for the coffee, so I took the Death Wish Challenge. My 1 lb bag arrived last week. A black, sinister looking bag with skull and cross bones greeted me as I opened the box. So I got the message, this is coffee with an edge.

This morning, I made the coffee in our French Press, our standard brewing method these days. I opened the bag, and the immediate aroma I got was a typical french roast smell. Now, I am not a huge French Roast guy. Now and then I get some, and the initial aroma is not my most favorite thing. I ground the coffee, and the initial aroma lessened, it didn't hit me hard like when I opened the bag.

Because of all the warnings, when I stirred the coffee in the press, I feared the spoon would disintegrate like they do in cartoons when they mix poison. The spoon was fine. The coffee was a deep black in the press. Soon I was pouring our cups.

In tasting the coffee, the most surprising thing is how mellow the taste is. Usually French Roast coffee has a strong taste, sometimes a stale taste. This didn't at all. Death Wish uses Robusta coffee, and not the typical Arabica. I had read this and was excited, because I have not knowingly had Robusta coffee. In many circles Robusta is viewed as inferior to Arabica, for many reasons.

So the coffee has a mellow taste, but what was a I tasting? There is a faint taste of chocolate to it, a bit of nuttiness. I'm not tasting fruitiness. In this case strong is not translating into the taste. The strength is how you feel during and after drinking it. I'm very aware this is a strong coffee. I have a buzz, but it didn't slap me in the face. On our Cher scale 0-10, this is a 10. Nicolas Cage is being slapped in the face, and being told to "snap out of it." This is Moonstruck!

Now that I've confirmed this is a strong cup of coffee, do I like it? Not an easy answer. I give it a qualified yes, for a couple reasons. First, the mellow taste has surprised me. I expect strong coffee to taste strong, and this didn't. That's not a bad thing, just unexpected. Second, I appreciate a smooth cup of coffee, and this tastes smooth to me.

What I wish though, was the coffee tasted more interesting. I would like the flavors to come out a little more. I felt like I was working hard to figure out what I was tasting, and I like to have the flavors there, once they are in my mouth. I thought too much about what I was tasting, and I felt it should have been right there.

All in all, I think this is a nice coffee, and I do recommend it to folks. Be warned though....it is very strong. One cup should do you for the morning.

Charlie

Review: Kris B's Wonderful Rwandan Coffee

I have known my friend Kris for many years. I'd count, but I only have so many fingers and toes. We went to Indiana University together. I had the honor of being part of her wedding party. She and her husband Mike have three wonderful kids. There are two things Kris and I share: our love of running and our love of coffee. Kris takes her love of coffee a bit further than I do. She roasts her coffee at home. Every now and then she is kind enough to share some of that coffee with me.

Today I wanted to review one of the coffees she recently gave me, because you home roasters out there need to try this. Kris gets her coffee from Sweet Maria's. I believe every home roaster is familiar with the company. If not go to www.sweetmarias.com to learn more.

Last week Kris gave us a small bag of Rwanda Kivu Kanzu. According to Sweet Maria's, this coffee comes from the southwestern part of Lake Kivu in the Nyamasheke District. The coffee goes through wet or washed process.

From the website:

This year's lot of Kanzu is more fruited than last, and with an elevated sweetness both aromatically and in cup profile. The dry fragrance of light roasts have a nice scent of cherry juice, light brown sugar, and apple butter with cinnamon and all-spice. Dark roasts have a sweet cocoa powder smell along with toasted caramels. Pouring hot water brings up an amazing mix of fresh caramel and dark fruits, like plum and raisin. Breaking the crust reveals a sweet smell of praline nut and vanilla bean. The cup is juicy, flat out. Flavors of sweet citrus and developed sugars are propped up by 'hefty' body. At City+ there's a rich caramel flavor as well as panella sugar, with an ever so slight floral nut in the cooled cup. Pulpy citrus flavors emerge as well, which is balanced out with a clean, malic acidy. Full City roasts produce more of a layered chocolate profile, along with apple and pear. The finish is sweet like brown sugar, and has a density that is like red honey.  

So how did Kris do with this coffee. This was a wonderful coffee. There was a brown sugariness to the coffee. I know she didn't over roast this coffee. At first I thought it might be too light, but no, she got it just right. Mark and I have spread this coffee out over a few days, because we didn't want to finish it. Alas we will.

On our Cher strength scale, this is not a strong packs a wallop coffee. This is one that hits you a bit later. If you've seen the great Pee Wee Herman's Christmas Special, you know that once Cher leaves the playhouse, only then does Pee Wee realize she was there....DUH. This is a DUH....I got you. We'll call it a 6.5 out of 10 for strength. 

Kudos to Sweet Maria's for finding and developing this coffee. Kudos to Kris for roasting it perfectly and providing an excellent cup of coffee.

Charlie

The Ground Up - Follow Up

Last week I wrote about filmmakers working on a documentary on Second Chance Coffee Company. They needed $2,000 to make their film a reality. I'm happy to tell you they have raised the money needed.

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-ground-up

This is great news, as it will highlight a very good company who produces not only excellent coffee, but provides work to people who really need a second chance in life. Good work people.

Charlie

Tip Your Barista

At a time when we as a country struggle with economic issues such as: unemployment, income inequality, health care, just getting through day to day, it's important to understand that the baristas who serve the java are working hard, and not because the money is outstanding. Dedicated baristas, in the U.S. at least, appear to be either slinging coffee because they love it, or because they need the money.

Why am I bringing this up? Lately I've thought a lot about the work baristas do, and as I frequent various coffee houses, and see what all they have to do on a daily basis, I thought about the work in terms of the compensation. So I started reading up on this topic.

Last year Alex Bernson of Spridge.com wrote a detailed piece on barista wages. Things to note: Australia on average is where you want to work(maybe), the average barista Down Under makes $33 an hour. In comparison, American baristas average $10-11 an hour. Of note, baristas in this country are more dependent on tips to supplement that income. 72% of the money earned by baristas here is from salary. The rest is tips. Don't head to Malaysia to work. Their baristas average $4 an hour.

What dictates the salary? Mostly cost of living drives what you are paid. In the U.S., the baristas who make the most, live in the larger urban areas, such as New York, Los Angeles, or Chicago. This makes sense. Each of those cities are pretty expensive places to live, so you would need to make something. In the Sprudge survey though, baristas in NYC are making around $14 an hour. Have you been to New York? It ain't cheap there.

If you haven't worked in food service, I can assure you it isn't easy. There is constant cleaning to do, preparing food and drinks is on going. There is a lot of bending, stooping, standing on your feet. This is physical stuff folks. So to make a living wage isn't easy for the barista. Not every coffee house offers health insurance, and trust me these folks need it for the work they do.

Clearly those who are dedicated baristas love what they do. A good many of them we get to know, and are happy to see when we head for our lattes. My call to you is to make sure you are tipping these folks. They do a lot to make sure you are enjoying your coffee. Show them some love back.

For more on Bernson's article - http://sprudge.com/barista-income.html

Charlie

Company Spotlight: Just Coffee Cooperative

About a year ago I was introduced to Just Coffee Cooperative, based in Madison, WI. To be honest, I don't know how I stumbled upon them, but once I saw the "Runner's High" coffee, I knew it was a combination of the two things I love: running and coffee. I ordered some, and fell in love with their coffee. Just who is Just Coffee Cooperative though?

Originally Just Coffee was started out of a concern for the farmers in Chiapas, Mexico. At a time when coffee prices were extremely low, the folks at Just Coffee thought they would introduce the coffee to others, in hopes area roasters would roast and sell the farmers coffees. Seems that was a more difficult process than originally thought, and the members of the cooperative realized they would have to be the ones to roast and sell the coffee.

One thing Just Coffee strives NOT to be is the typical business. Bicycle delivery, appearing at farmers markets, protests, etc. are not the standard operating procedures. The one thing Just Coffee is most proud of is their transparency when it comes to the coffee they sell.

You can trace everything about the coffee you purchase from them. You will learn where the coffee comes from, the price paid for the coffee by Just Coffee, balance sheet for the cooperative. Pretty much anything you want to know about the coffee and the company, Just Coffee shares with its customers.  Coffee can be a mysterious business when it comes to providing information on prices paid to farmers. Trust me the farmers are not millionaires. I know as I read about the coffee I purchased, it gave me a deeper appreciation for what the coffee farmer has to go through just to make a living for his family.

The best news though, is the coffee is terrific. It would be one thing if this was just another socially conscious coffee, but it's REALLY great coffee. So the reluctant coffee roasters have learned their craft well, and are producing a product that the farmers they deal with would be proud of.

Get to know Just Coffee Cooperative - http://justcoffee.coop

Charlie

So What's Your Major? Coffee

This week the coffee world has been buzzing about news from the University of California Davis(UC Davis), that they have created a Coffee Center. No, I don't mean a really big cafe at the student union. I mean a research center where you will be able to learn more about coffee.

http://ffhi.ucdavis.edu/initiatives/coffee-center/coffee

According to UC Davis:

The UC Davis Coffee Center brings scientific inquiry to the quality, health and sustainability of coffee. Our goals are to increase value at every step of the coffee pipeline, to ensure safety and quality of the global coffee trade, and educate the next generation of coffee scientists.

The center will be open to students and the coffee industry.  The university also listed several topics they hope to address with this center:

Coffee genetics Natural fermentation of coffee berries Analytics of coffee composition, structure, and function Sensory aspects of coffee Coffee as potential prebiotic

Metabolic aspects of coffee consumption Coffee engineering: optimizing processing, value, and sustainability Education for undergraduates, graduate students, and industry Social and cultural life of coffee

I'm hoping degree programs will follow. After all who wouldn't want a coffee degree?

Charlie

The Ground Up

Last year I wrote a piece on the Second Chance Coffee Company, known for their I Have a Bean Coffee. In addition to the wonderful coffee they roast, Second Chance provides opportunities to felons out of precision to gain skills and get jobs they need. Without such opportunities, the likelihood of their returning to prison is pretty significant.

Now there is work on a documentary about this company, their mission, and their coffee. The filmmakers need help seeing the project through. I'm contributing, and I hope you will too.


http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-ground-up

Charlie

Review: Larry's Beans 3 Moon Peru

The other day I was at the local EarthFare(which is an all organic version of Whole Foods). I saw a coffee which caught my eye - Larry's Beans. I hadn't heard of them, and I looked through the bags to see what might appeal to me. I came upon 3 Moon Peru. As I always do in stores, I look on the package for a best by date. This gives me an indication of the freshness of the coffee. I still had a year, which was the longest of coffee I looked over.

Larry's Beans is the kind of company I like. They are only interested in products which don't harm the planet. So they use only organic, or shade grown coffees from around the world. They are all about being good stewards to the planet.

http://www.larrysbeans.com/business-practices/our-story

I was excited to try the coffee. It comes from the Cajamarca region of Peru, which is a chief growing area in that country. According to their notes, this coffee offers a combination of chocolate and vanilla flavors, with a hint of spicy "earthiness." I will agree for the most part. The vanilla was not apparent to me. It's a medium roast coffee, which I like. They explain they roasted it just prior to second crack.

How strong was it for a morning coffee? On our Cher scale, it was a 6. This isn't a love tap of a coffee, but it isn't slapping the crap out of Nicolas Cage. Imagine Cher shaking Bob Hoskins in "Mermaids" and you have an idea how strong this coffee is.

In the end I liked this coffee, but I felt it had more promise. Maybe if I drank it sooner after roasting? Maybe if they pulled just after second crack? I found I wanted to love it, but in the end I just liked it.

I'll get more from Larry's Beans, because I have a sense they have a coffee, I will love.

Charlie

The Coffee Community

One of the things which strikes me as I continue my coffee journey, is the sense of community within the coffee world. I have found this in running, and I think it's true in coffee, when people share a passion, there tends to be a strong bond. As I meet roasters, baristas, coffee lovers, I am struck by the friendliness they have, and the eagerness they have to share their coffees and their love of coffee.

Yesterday I "met" The People's Roast via Twitter.

http://www.thepeoplesroast.com/

Now, what introduced us was a giveaway they are offering. What it did for me was introduce me to a new roaster, so I explored their website. Their mission is pretty clear. They not only sell coffee, but they help you learn how to roast their coffee. Whoever the person was I Tweeting with, was very kind to share their how to videos on roasting coffee.

As I watched the video, I could feel the passion for coffee coming through. Never underestimate the power of a popcorn coffee roasting video.

My friends at JJ Coffee Roasters, I met at CoffeeCon last year. They are just a couple of guys who love what they do, and want to share it. The best part is I get to catch up again with them at CoffeeCon in April.

BJ and Andy at Bee Coffee Roasters are another duo I have met in the last year, who just blow me away with their knowledge, and their willingness to share that with their customers. They want their customers to know that the coffee they are ordering is more than that drink you dunk a donut in.

I've read coffee blogs from all over, and the common theme is we all love coffee, and we all want to share that love with each other and beyond.

Don't be mistaken, there is still a competition out there for the coffee dollar. All these people want to succeed at selling coffee. It's just they view things more out of the box. They form associations, learn from each other, share their knowledge. Bottom line though is the coffee community knows as they share their knowledge and bond with the public, their businesses will succeed.

Charlie

Review: Once in a Blue Moon

There is the old saying, "Once in blue moon." That typically means something as rare as a blue moon appearing is going on. In the coffee world, once in a blue moon, is when you find a coffee that tastes like joy in a cup. Blue moon for this review is referring to Hubbard and Cravens Bali Blue Moon Organic.

In the past, the only Indonesian coffee I have had has been Sumatra. I'll be frank, I'm not a fan of most Sumatran coffees. There is an earthiness that bothers my stomach. It just doesn't appeal to my senses either. Hubbard and Cravens, after an issue I recently had there, was very kind to give me some coffee. It was recommended that I try the Bali Blue Moon Organic. I was a bit leery based on my feelings for Sumatra, but I thought why not. One of the best coffee decisions I have made.

I made some on the French Press for Mark and me yesterday. As I opened the bag, I smelled a sweeter smell, but not sugary sweet. It was a floral sweet, combined with a vanilla like aroma. Once I ground the coffee, the aroma was even stronger.

My first taste was without anything. No earthiness. I got a vanilla like, but not like an opened bottle of vanilla. It was a faint taste. There was no earthy quality to it like the Sumatras. This is a smooth coffee, full of body. For the second cup, I added the usual Splenda and Soy Creamer. Still tasted what I did before, and felt the soy actually enhanced what I experienced.

Mark and I both smiled as we drank this. I think it's a good sign when the people drinking the coffee are smiling about it. Right? We agreed this is one amazing coffee.

Now on our Cher scale of strength, this is not a strong coffee from a taste standpoint. It's a mellow one. Imainge Cher's character in Mask, giving her son, played my Eric Stolz a motherly hug. I felt a hug with this coffee. It's a 4.5 on the strength scale(1-10).  Yup...I love this coffee. I give it high marks. I expect to see this one on my year end list of best coffees for 2014.

Well done Hubbard and Cravens. This coffee is a Bali High!

Charlie

Coffee Memory: The Roaster

If you haven’t been to a coffee drying area or roasting facility, you need to do this once in your life. It’s one of those experiences which your senses will thank you for. There is nothing spectacular looking about any of these facilities(usually).

When I was in Costa Rica in 2008, we went to a local coffee cooperative, and outside the coffee beans were drying in the sun. What struck me first was the visual sensation. All these beans laid flat, looking green. I hadn’t really experienced coffee in this form. Typically I had seen it as dark beans, or what was poured into my cup. This was visually fascinating to me, and I took it all in.

The second part was the aroma of the place. The smell came from inside where the coffee was being roasted. When you walking into a roasting facility, you are hit immediately with a strong coffee smell.  It almost knocks you out, because it’s so strong. Now, not only could we see the dark colored beans I was used to, but the smell of warm coffee permeated everywhere. I wanted a cup of coffee right then and there.

When you watch coffee being roasted, you are seeing the roaster take care to make sure he isn’t over or under roasting the coffee. He/she is keeping an eye on the color, listening for first crack, and constantly checking the coffee in the roaster. It’s like watching an artist create a painting or sculpture. Again, what a great scene for the eyes.

Finally, we got to sample some of the coffee. Later we would go through a cupping, but in this instance, we were given a cup of coffee. With everything I experienced, I had a greater appreciation for what was in the cup. I took my time, smelled the coffee, and then took some gentle sips, so I could get a full sense of the flavor. I must have done something wrong, because I wanted seconds….and thirds. J

Some roasters offer customers an opportunity to tour roasting facilities. I highly suggest doing this. Once you do, you will never drink a cup of coffee the same way.

Charlie