2014 Coffee Innovator: Stone Creek Coffee Roasters

I thought about writing a piece on the coffees which really impressed me this year. Then I thought, who really wants another end of the year list. Instead I want to talk about the coffee company I think took coffee to another level with the public this year.

For readers of this blog, this won't come as a surprise. Stone Creek Coffee took the world by storm this year. This Milwaukee based coffee roaster is not just serving great coffee, but they created a learning environment for their customers, so they have a deeper appreciation for the beverage they love.

I first became aware of Stone Creek at this year's CoffeeCon in Chicago. I walked by their booth and was drawn in my the wonderful smell of their coffee. They not only gave me a cup of a coffee, they discussed the history of the coffee, how it was roasted, etc. They were nice enough to give me a bag of coffee to take home and try out. I did, and a Coffee Bromance was born.

Stone Creek offers a weekly tour of their roasting facility and coffee labs. I've been on roasting plant tours before, but this one was different to me. While there was a time frame, the woman who took us on the tour never rushed us, and did not end the tour until all our questions were answered. She also pulled a mean espresso.

Tours are only part of the educational process at Stone Creek. This year the roaster decided to make their coffee an educational tool. In the summer, they sold a special box set of coffee, the first of a new trend for them. The Guatemala San Sebastian Box Set was all one coffee, but processed three different ways. The set came with detailed descriptions of each process. Through this, coffee lovers can taste the difference a wet, dry, or combination process can do for a coffee.

Stone Creek also offers classes so the public can learn more about the beverage they love. For instance they offer Intro to Espresso Theory and Intro to Small Brew Methods. It's clear Stone Creek wants coffee to be a participatory venture.

The success of this company can be attributed to two main people: Owner Eric Resch and Director of Coffee Christian Otto. These two are not only roasting excellent coffee(and trust me I drank a lot of it this year), they are pushing the envelope in how we learn and appreciate coffee. They would tell you the success of the company is a group effort, and all the employees are part of that. Agreed, but without these two setting the standard and raising the bar this company would be just another roaster.

My bromance with Stone Creek Coffee was a coffee highlight for me in 2014, and I look for a long happy relationship with them. Kudos to Stone Creek for being such an innovator this year. Keep up the outstanding work.

www.stonecreekcoffee.com

Charlie

Coffee Review: Coffee Exchange Mel's Private Stock Decaf

I was all set to talk about the coffees I loved over the year, and then I had one more entry to really think about. As you know I had a heart attack in July, so my coffee consumption is augmented by decaf. The problem is finding decaf that actually tastes like coffee. We can put a man on the moon, hack our way to stopping films from being shown, but we can't get decaf to taste like coffee???

Well.....I found a decaf that I think comes REALLY close to the coffee taste.

Coffee Exchange in Providence has been around for 30 years. They are one of the few coffee roasters in Rhode Island. By the looks of my two visits to their store, they are very popular. One thing to note, and I like this. Coffee Exchange has WiFi; however, on Saturdays between 10a-5p, they turn it off, due to the busy nature of the store. Kudos to them.

I was trying to decide which coffee to purchase, and Nicola helped me. He is very knowledgable about the coffee, and I trusted his judgement(for knowing him all of a few seconds). I bought a Peruvian coffee and Mel's Private Stock Decaf.

Here is the backstory on this decaf from Coffee Exchange:

During the late '70s, early '80s Mel, Rose, Charlie and Bill Fishbein were in another (cookware) business. We sold coffee by the bean, but there wasn't a whole lot of decaf available. All the decaf that was available seemed to taste like decaf. And Sanka. So with a couple of Chemex automatics, a half dozen clipboards, and a supply of what was available in Swiss Water Process decaffeinated coffees, Mel began blending coffee in his basement. The Goal: find a decaf that tasted like "REAL" coffee. The Result, (after five years of testing): Mel’s Private Stock - Decaffeinated™. Mel's has been our decaf house blend ever since, brewed daily 30 years at Coffee Exchange.

I asked Nicola what kinds of coffee are used in this blend. He told me this is a closely guarded secret and couldn't be shared. He did offer info on the various roasts used. It appears there is a mixture of lighter and a more Vienna Roast in the mix. He told me many decafs are french roasted and it spoils the coffee flavor people want. 

I brought the beans home, and made some with the French Press. Secret or not, this is a decaf that tastes like real coffee. It has a nice body, hints of chocolate, and no burnt taste to it. This is a smooth cup of java. I loved this decaf. Mel did an outstanding job, and this is one of those decafs that if you served, people would be hard pressed to know it was decaf. 

Did I mention this is an outstanding decaf?

If you need to lessen caffeine in your life, I recommend buy Mel's Private Stock. I promise you won't be disappointed. 

http://www.sustainablecoffee.com

Charlie

Oh Chemex! We Will Miss You

Today we say goodbye to our trusty Chemex. It met an unfortunate accident and broke. Curse you glass, why are you so fragile?

While we mainly use our French Press, we do enjoy the Chemex and it's loss is a sad one. I know we we will find another one at some point. This one was our first. I got it at CoffeeCon in 2013, so it's been with us a while.

Sigh!

Charlie

Coffee Review: George Howell Coffee Costa Rica Tarrazu

I first heard about George Howell two years ago when I prepped for my first CoffeeCon. To remind everyone George Howell is a true pioneer in specialty coffee. He founded the Coffee Connection in Cambridge, MA in 1974. His business grew, until he sold the cafes to Starbucks. He has spent a lifetime roasting, brewing, studying and talking coffee for decades. I had to honor to listen to him at the 2013 CoffeeCon and was blown away.

So as I was buying coffee the other day, I saw George Howell Coffee and knew I had to try it. It's a bit intimidating to review coffee from someone I consider a master, but here it goes.....

I chose the Costa Rican on purpose, as I have great fondness for the coffee there, and have spent time in the region with the farmers. According to George Howell:

Sweet, medium to full bodied lively yet smooth coffee with a fine milk chocolate and nutty nougat flavor with a dash of fruit suggesting peach. A light roast coffee perfect for drip.

We didn't use the drip, we used the French Press. So here is what I found. There is quite a bit of chocolate in this coffee. It's not a dark chocolate, very much the milk chocolate indicated. The gives the coffee a very smooth taste. There's nothing bitter about it at all. The peach part is vague, but you can get a hint of it. I actually tasted a more apricot taste. There is a bit of tea-like quality to this coffee. Mark was concerned that it was brewed to weak, but I explained a light roast won't have a dark color in the cup. This is one of the best coffees I've had from Tarrazu. Howell has done an outstanding job with it.

Don't let the smooth taste fool you. This coffee packs a punch and will wake you up. On our Cher Scale of Strength, this is a 10. Cher is slapping the HELL out of Nicolas Cage and telling him to "Snap out of it!!!"

Mr. Howell can add more to his already impressive coffee resume with this coffee. Well done.

www.georgehowellcoffee.com

Charlie

Sugar Cookie Coffee - I'll Pass

Let's be clear about something......food flavors should not be a part of coffee. I just wanted to get that out of the way. The rest is a coffee rant......

Dunkin Donuts is touting Sugar Cookie and Snickerdoodle Lattes this holiday season. CoffeeMate is pushing Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough "Cream". What's next a fruitcake frappe?

When the farmers who cultivate and grow our coffee sell their beans, I know they aren't saying, "Man this will go well with Sugar Cookies in a latte." I promise you they aren't. You all have heard me rant about flavored coffees before. This just seems different, because food flavors are now invading coffee.

And no, I don't want the bandwagon du jour bacon to ever be in a coffee cup.

Now, don't get me wrong. During the holidays I like my once a year eggnog latte, or a peppermint mocha. And who knows, that may all be the same thing to you, but come on - cookies IN coffee?

Stop the madness. Don't encourage these fiends. Retake coffee, and say no more cookies in the cup!

Charlie

Coffee Review: New Harvest Papua New Guinea Kimel Peaberry

Hello everyone! As you might be aware, Mark and I have been involved in a move to Providence, RI. We are here now, and I am ready to get back to my coffee life. I appreciate your patience as I get settled into our new home.

This morning, our coffee is again from New Harvest, a Rhode Island roaster. This time, we are drinking a single origin, Papua New Guinea Kimel Peaberry. The coffee comes from the Kimel Plantation. A workforce of over 400 people live on the estate and work to provide this coffee. The plantation provides not only housing, but educational and medical facilities. They use and maintain clean water in the area. This is a sustainably good coffee plantation, which in my opinion gets good marks for taking care of their people and land.

The coffee is a light roast. According to New Harvest:

Remarkable body and a clean cup, with notes of cherry, raspberry and milk chocolate.

When I drink Asian coffees, I often taste a earthy taste that doesn't agree with me. Typically it's in Sumatra coffees, but now and then it appears in PNG coffees. Not so here. This coffee is bright and very clean. The initial taste is a bit of the fruitiness New Harvest mentioned. The mouthfeel and aftertaste is where you get a strong sense of the chocolate.

When I bought this coffee in their downtown Providence location, I also ordered a cup of coffee. I asked about the coffee I ordered, and all the barista would tell me was it was a house coffee. That seemed like a generic term, and to be honest, the coffee tasted a bit generic. This coffee I like quite a bit.

On our Cher Scale of Strength, this is a light roast that will wake you up. This is a 7 out of 10. This is Cher giving her son in "Mask" his wake up call.

I certainly will be finding other Ocean State roasters, but again I am recommending you give New Harvest a try if you haven't.

www.newharvestcoffee.com

Charlie