Coffee Review Peet's Ethiopian Super Natural

I've been on a Ethiopian tear of late, but that is because a lot of the coffees from that region are now available to buy. Lucky for you there are lots of good Ethiopian coffees out there.

Today I'm going to talk about a company, a coffee and a barista named Melissa. Peet's is known more on the left coast of the U.S. Peet's was founded by Alfred Peet in Berkley, CA in 1966. What an amazing time that probably was. The nation's campuses were full of debate on the Vietnam War. It was in the beginning or the Peace Movement, where hippies ruled the day. Sex, drugs and Rock n Roll was the mood. In the middle of all this was a simple coffee roaster creating come great roasts.

Today Peet's is known for it's high quality coffee and terrific service. This brings me to Melissa. The other day I was in Harvard Square in Cambridge. It was a bitterly cold night, and I dropped into Peet's to use their rest room...and to get a cup of decaf. One of the displays was a series of gold foil bags with the words "Ethiopian Super Natural" written on them.

Melissa was the barista at the counter. She is a fun loving woman, with wisps of purple of streaks in her hair, and various piercings. In my mind, she is the perfect person to ask, if this coffee is any good. "Do you like blueberries," she asked. I do. She went on a two minute spiel about the goodness of this coffee. While this went on the barista behind her was shaking her head no. I laughed, and said, "If this coffee is all that, why is your friend shaking her head no?" Melissa laughed too, and told me her co-worker was such a liar. Truth be told(in case Peet's reads this), no one as lying. This is the fun, playful attitude at Peet's. I bought the the bag of beans and told Melissa if I didn't taste blueberry I was coming back. She told me if I didn't taste the blueberry she would refund my money. Challenge accepted.

According to Peet's:

Processed by age-old natural methods, sun-dried beans burst with wild blueberry sweetness, complexity and unforgettable richness.

In this case the Super Natural is not referring to a coven of witches brewing coffee, but to the process of the beans - natural. It's a dark roast coffee.

When I opened the bag, immediately I was hit with the aroma of blueberry. It was like a merger of coffee and blueberry pie. Ok, who cool is that? Score one for Melissa, this coffee has blueberry.

I have tried this coffee two ways; Chemex and French Press. Melissa told me it was an awesome French Press coffee. Here I disagree with her, I preferred it in the Chemex.

Either way you brew it, this is an incredible coffee. Blueberry is where this coffee starts. Many Ethiopian coffees have a tea like quality to it. This one is more substantial than tea, but I got a tea sense to it. The dark roast brings out a lot of smokiness to it, which in this case works very well.

Sometimes, a larger coffee company doesn't offer the quality of roasted coffee a smaller company can do(Starbucks). In this case, I rate this as an excellent coffee. This is something I would recommend for breakfast, with a bit of granola and yogurt, or after dinner, with a pastry.

On our Bean Scale of Strength, this is a 3.5 our of 5. It's a strong coffee, ready to wake you up, without punching you in the face.

Peet's has something special, not only with this coffee, but with employees like Melissa. Hey Peet's give Melissa a raise....or at least a special something to thank her.

www.peets.com

Charlie

Coffee Review: Dave's Ethiopian Sidamo

A few weeks ago I introduced you to Dave's Coffee, a Rhode Island coffee roaster. I went back to get more coffee, and this time of the coffees that were available for sale, I asked the barista what she would recommend. She told me she loves the Ethiopian Sidamo. She gave me a several reasons as to why she liked it, but the bottom line was, she loved the taste.

According to Dave's Coffee website this coffee:

chocolate dipped apricots and plums come to mind... and across the pallet. a well balanced coffee that delivers and stimulates. roasted chocolate notes with a slight almond undertone. awesome finish that leaves you crisp, clean and fresh.

When you first sip this coffee, you are overwhelmed with that chocolate/apricot flavor immediately. I've had other coffees which describe this, but this is an intense flavor that comes at you right at the start. The roastiness of this coffee comes as you have the coffee in your mouth and swallow. The roastiness makes this a mellower coffee than when you first sip it. 

Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee, and if this is the kind of coffee that had at the beginning, it's no wonder coffee took off. This is an outstanding cup of coffee. This is a coffee you can have morning, afternoon, or after dinner. It's very versatile. 

Is it strong? This is medium roast, which on our Bean Scale of Strength is 4 out of 5 beans. It's mellowness is deceptive as this coffee packs a punch.

In a year of terrific coffee drinking, I place Dave's Coffee on any list of must have coffees, and this one in particular is one you should be drinking. 

www.davescoffeestore.com

Charlie

Honor Cafe

Paris is my favorite city in the world. While I've been there five times, it's been far too long since my last visit. When I did visit, there was very little coffee culture in the city. Cafes were not specialty coffee oriented then. I'm happy to see that is changing though.

This morning I'm reading about Honor Cafe.

http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/09/honor-cafe-paris-outdoor-coffee/?ref=food

Daniel and Angelle Warburton look like they are creating something unique in a city where the bar on unique is always raised. I wish them all the best in the world as they start this venture. Bon chance!!!

www.honor-cafe.com

Charlie

Coffee Battle

This morning I decided to have two different coffees and do a comparison. We'll call this "Coffee Battle." The battle is taking two coffees, brew them in the same manner, same amount, drink the same way, and do a comparison for the better coffee.

Our first two contestants....

In this corner is Honduran High Mountain from Simply Enjoy. Simply Enjoy is a "premium" brand from the Stop and Shop grocery chain. This is a medium roast blend of coffees, of which the package says is 100% Arabica Honduran Coffee.

In the other corner is Guatemala Casi Cielo from the mega-coffee company Starbucks. This is also a medium roast, but a single origin from the Anigua Valley Region.

First up the Simply Enjoy. This coffee is a bit darker roasted than the package indicates. The flavor is a nutty, chocolatey taste. It's clear this is not a freshly roasted coffee, but that didn't detract from the decent flavors this coffee has to offer. It's a pretty strong coffee, which will wake you up in the morning.

Starbucks blend is a bit mellower than it's roast profile indicates. This has a more citrus and chocolate taste. Because it's a limited edition, you can taste the freshness of it. The mellowness didn't detract from the strength of this coffee. This is also a HELLO WAKE UP coffee.

From a taste preference, Mark preferred the Simply Enjoy, which surprised me. He thought his first sip was "Mmmmm." That "Mmmmm" was missing when he drank the Starbucks.

As for me, I liked them both equally. This was also surprising. I do think the Starbucks uses a higher quality bean, as they have a direct relationship with the farm which produces this coffee. Simply Enjoy just had a nice taste. Do I think any of them are superior? No, but for a nice morning cup of coffee, I think you can't go wrong with either one.

If the money is an issue - go with the Simply Enjoy, as we bought 10oz for $7.99. Starbucks was 8oz for $8.69. You get a bit more for your money with the Simply Enjoy.

So in this Coffee Battle, we give a slight edge to Simply Enjoy.

Charlie

Double Shot

In December, I was reading The Daily Coffee News, and I saw an article about Matt Viser of The Boston Globe, and his column called "Double Shot." Typically Mr. Viser writes about more political activities, and reported on the Romney campaign for the newspaper in the last presidential election. I started to read his work, and I was hooked.

Viser is a man who, like me, is a lover coffee. He enjoys learning about coffee, and sharing what he learns. One of his more common postings is about how various people in the Boston area take their coffee.

It's very rare for a newspaper to focus on coffee. For a time The New York Times had Oliver Stand write specifically on coffee, but no more. So I am very appreciative of what Matt Viser is doing.

I've had the pleasure of exchanging some emails with Mr. Viser. Yes, I actually wrote a fan email. I'm a coffee geek who gets star struck, what can I say. It isn't often I write to people whose work I admire. I wanted him to know how much his work, and column is appreciated.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/specials/coffee

What I like about Viser's work specifically is he isn't coming from a place of pretentiousness. Sometimes coffee writers can come off as know it alls and snobby. Mr. Viser writes with an everyman attitude, and it's clear he is a student of the bean. He wants to know as much as he can, and take readers on his journey of discovery. In short, he is a man after my own heart.

I encourage all of you to read this column.

Note - If Matt Viser is reading this....you need to try the following: Stone Creek Coffee, out of Milwaukee;  New Harvest Roasters and Dave's out of Providence; and Bee Coffee Roasters from Indianapolis. I promise you will love these coffees.

Charlie

Coffee Review: Coffee Exchange Guatemalan Chajul

French Roast coffee is always marketed as a dark roast, strong, and full of flavor. Most of the time I think it just tastes burnt. Rarely do I encounter a French Roast that doesn't taste like the roaster burnt it and calls it French. Then there is Coffee Exchange, here in Providence.

I recently bought their Guatemalan Chajul. Here is what Coffee Exchange says about their coffee:

The Guatemalan Chajulense American Roast is medium bodied with a sweet aroma and lemony aftertaste, with the French Roast version reminiscent of dark chocolate and brown sugar. Chajul is in the Ixil region of Guatemala, where The Coffee Trust, founded by co-owner Bill Fishbein, concentrates its sustainability efforts in education, healthcare, food security, economic development and capacity building. With the devastation visited on this community by La Roya, the Coffee Rust disease ravaging Central America, to which Chajul has lost 75% of it’s coffee, a major effort is under way by The Coffee Trust and Cooperative Coffees as well as Coffee Exchange, to help Chajulense coffee farmers get through this terrible time with uprooting bad plants and replanting Roya Resistant coffee plants.

This morning, I brewed some in the Chemex. This is normally not how I brew a first time coffee, but I did this morning. When I opened the bag, I smelled a dark chocolate aroma for sure. As I ground it, I smelled it even more. 

Tasting it was quite the experience. I wouldn't say I got the lemony aftertaste, but there was a hint of fruitiness to it. No this roast was heavy on the chocolate and brown sugar. It was a sweeter coffee than I expected. There was no burnt taste at all. Oddly, I would say this was an intense and smooth coffee. That's not a normal combination. 

On our Bean Scale of Strength, this coffee is a 4 out of 5 beans. It's a strong coffee which will get you going. I had a cup and a half, and I was ready for my run this morning. That's pretty strong.

For people in New England, and especially in Providence, go to Coffee Exchange. They are roasting some really good coffee - every day. 

http://www.sustainablecoffee.com

Charlie

Bean Size

In the last few weeks I've noticed something which concerns me. Those who are more in the know can certainly chime in. Beans I'm buying seem to be smaller than I typically see. Specifically, I refer to coffees originating from Central /South America.

From the various roasters I've bought from, I'm noticing smaller beans. Is this a climate change issue? Am I just picking coffees which are having a smaller than normal size? The first time it happened, was with one of the Allegro blends. Then I noticed it happening with the La Colombe, Stone Creek and Dave's(I got a Brazilian decaf from them).

Is this something coffee lovers should be concerned about? I know we should be concerned about climate change in general, as it's creating disease, and forcing some farmers to grow in higher altitudes. Can anyone out there shed light on this?

Charlie

Coffee Review: Dave's PNG

My search for coffee in the Rhode Island/New England area is an ongoing process. Yesterday I stumbled upon some coffee, I almost missed. Tucked away in a pretty cool neighborhood on S. Main St. in Providence is Dave's Coffee. I almost missed it, because as I was looking for the cafe, I went by it.

Dave's is a certified organic coffee roaster. According to their website, they use a 12 kilo drum roaster, which can roast 30 lbs of coffee. When things are humming, they can roast 700 lbs of coffee a day. This would be the definition of small batch roaster.

The staff could not have been nicer as I was trying to decide what to order. The woman at the counter told me they had a special - 2 bags of coffee for $20. With a blizzard approaching,  I thought it was good to stock up. I got a decaf and a Papua New Guinea. This morning I made the PNG.

This coffee is a medium/darker roast. Upon first sip, I tasted chocolate and a bit of citrus. Like a good many coffees from that part of the world, there is an earthiness to it, but it doesn't overwhelm. In this case, the earthy quality gives this coffee a richness I didn't expect.

This is a pretty strong coffee. On our Bean Scale of Strength, this is 3.5 out of 5. It will wake you up, but won't punch you in the face.

This is an excellent coffee, which I enthusiastically recommend. Sometimes you have to search for a gem, and Dave's is a gem.

Their cafe was delightful. I'm only sorry I was just passing through. This is a fun, laid back place to chill. The staff could not have been nicer.  The guy making Mark's Soy Cappuccino was talking to everyone like he'd known them for years. This is a place where no one is a stranger, and everyone is a friend.

I've been very lucky in Providence, in that I have found not 1, not 2, but 3 excellent coffee roasters. This may be the secret of Providence, it's really a coffee roasters' hub, and no one has known it. Seek out Dave's and get some coffee.

www.davescoffeestore.com

Charlie

Coffee Review: Stone Creek's Ring of Fire

This is one of the more interesting coffee reviews, because I find the story of this coffee so interesting. This blog's 2014 Innovator of the Year was Stone Creek Coffee of Milwaukee. One of the reasons I gave them that honor was the way they have educated the coffee public about the science of coffee. Through that science, they have roasted some amazing coffees.

In January, I got an email that owner Erich Resch and Director of Coffee Christian Ott were heading to Guatemala and Costa Rica, not only to visit farmers, but understand more the science behind the coffee. I was intrigued, and pour over every email I got.

Here is a piece Otto wrote on the company's blog about the pH of the soil used on one farm in Guatemala.

http://www.stonecreekcoffee.com/blog/main/1968/Why_were_curious_about_the_pH_of_soil.aspx

As they went on their journey, Ring of Fire was released. Of course I had to try it.

This coffee comes from Finca San Sebastian in Guatemala, and is raised at 2000m. That is about the highest elevation coffee has been grown. It's a much colder climate, and according to Christian Otto, "Colder temperatures cause the plants and cherries to mature more slowly. To be precise, it slows down respiration, which yields to higher concentrations of sugars and acids." Because of the higher concentration of sugars and acids, what flavors does that bring out?

This morning, I brewed the coffee in the French Press. First sip, I got an amazing lemon taste. If coffee could have a lemonade flavor, this did. Stone Creek says in addition to the lemon, there is a melon and caramel taste. The melon is the aftertaste. The caramel is a rich taste in your mouth. In fact, this is a rich coffee.

On our Bean Scale of Strength, this is a pretty strong coffee - 4 out of 5 beans. To be honest though, the smoothness of the coffee almost fooled me, but this is a strong coffee. It doesn't slap your face, but you know if you have had it.

When I started this blog, I wrote that coffee is both science and art. Stone Creek, time and time again prove my point, that the science behind a coffee, can create something that is artistic and really takes hold of your senses. This coffee is yet another great one from Stone Creek. This is a seasonal offering, and I urge you to get some before it's gone.

www.stonecreekcoffee.com

Charlie

My Favorite Time of Day

The kitchen is dark and quiet, and then flick, the lights go on, and I am ready to start the day. Making the morning coffee is my favorite time of day. I'm willing to bet some of you feel the same way. We all have a ritual or way to make our coffee, and that is really what gets our day started.

First I fill the kettle with water. We have a Bonvita Kettle, which does a great job of heating the water to the ideal coffee temperature. While the water is heating, I get the coffee ready. Some people weigh coffee. We have a coffee scale, and sometimes I use that. I typically though can eyeball the coffee and then I put it in the grinder. If I used a French Press, I do 4 quick grinds, because you don't want a fine grind with the French Press. If I use the Chemex, I do 5 quick grinds. 

Once the water is done, the fun and magic begin. No matter which process, this is my routine. I pour just a little of the water to get the grounds moist. This allows the coffee to bloom. I don't pour additional water for about 10 seconds. Then it's a slow pour, in a circular motion. If I'm using the Chemex, I pour to a certain point, and then let the coffee drip into the carafe. Once that is done, then I pour more.

If I am using the French Press, I slowly pour the water in, and when I am done, I let the coffee sit for 4 minutes. Once the time is up, I stir it a bit, and then I put in the plunger. If the plunger goes down easy, I know I ground the coffee correctly. If it is struggling a bit to go down, then I ground the coffee too fine. 

I pour the coffee in the cups, and put the Splenda and Cream in. Then I head to the bedroom. Mark gets his coffee on his night table and then I put mine on my table. Then we can both drink to our heart's content. The first sip lets me know if it is: 1)good coffee, 2) did I do everything correctly, 3) I'm in coffee heaven. 

I think rituals like this are a nice part of our lives. They are something we do for us, and that's why it's such a pleasurable experience. I like focusing on the coffee, because it allows me to just be in the moment at the start of the day. I don't have to worry about anything. 

Now....I suggest you go make your coffee, and take it easy and sip away.

Charlie

Coffee Review: Allegro's Blend No. 4

This is one of the more interesting named coffees - Blend No. 4. It makes me wonder what blends 1-3 were like. Allegro, the coffee arm of Whole Foods is successful at being a coffee company, within a larger company. That isn't always easy. I am enjoying learning about their coffees though.

In the case of Blend No. 4, this is a blend of East African and Guatemalan coffees in a darker than usual medium roast. Allegro says:



Syrupy and deeply sweet.

The naturally bright and fruit-forward coffees of East Africa and Guatemala are roasted at a slightly darker level in this powerhouse blend, creating a richly satisfying coffee.

Allegro needs to hire someone a bit better to describe their coffees. That told me next to nothing. There is a sweetness to this coffee, where the fruit nature of the East African coffees comes through. The Latin part of the coffee, gives it more of a mocha like flavor. It makes for a very interesting combination that I like quite a bit. 

Last week I reviewed a La Colombe coffee. It isn't fair to drink and review this coffee after having one of the best coffees I've had, because comparisons come to mind. While this is a good coffee, I can't put it in the realm of a great coffee. It's like the QB went for a date with Marcia, and now they have to take out Jan. 

Still this is a very nice coffee. On our Bean Scale of Strength, this is a 3.5 out of 5 beans. It's pretty strong, and will wake you up in the morning.

www.allegrocoffee.com

Charlie

Coffee Economics

We usually don't think about this as we drink our coffee, or sip or latte, but what is the real cost of that drink? Yes, you just paid between $2.00-$5.00 for your beverage, but you know that is not the true price of the drink. After reading a few articles and surveys on this, here are some costs, based on the averages of what I found:

Drink          What You Pay          What it Cost          Profit

Latte               $3.35                         $0.77                $2.58

Drip Coffee    $1.90                         $0.56                $1.34

Vanilla Latte  $3.75                          $1.02               $2.73


If you buy a bag of whole bean coffee(or ground, but I would rather you grind your own), you generally pay between $10-$18 a bag(note that is not per pound - not all companies sell coffee by the pound). The coffee roaster/company buys their coffee at wholesale, so they may pay between $7.50-$10 per pound(average).

For the record, I tend to drink more coffee that I purchase and brew at home, than going to a coffee house. The reason being it will be far cheaper for me to make my own coffee than to go to a local Starbucks. Depending on the coffee I buy, my cost per cup is in the $0.30. That's a great savings over going to the local coffee house a few times a day. Attention K-Cup lovers - your cup of coffee costs about $0.60-$0.70 per cup(not saving much there). If you drink a traditional grocery store canned coffee, your costs are even lower.

Now, let me be clear, I am NOT saying we all need to brew coffee at home and stay away from the coffee house. No no no..... I bring this up, because I think it helps coffee lovers understand what they are paying for.

Coffee companies have a lot of overhead. Rent, payroll, marketing, utilities, all the things that go into a business all cost money. My suggestion is if you are trying to save money, brewing at home is a good option. Otherwise, do what some people I know do, create a coffee budget and stick to it.

I've had friends tell me they think I spend a lot on good coffee, but in reality, that money is a savings over what I would spend if I went out every day.

Something to think about.

Charlie

Coffee Review: La Colombe Brazil Blue Diamond

Yesterday I wrote about a company which sets the bar low for its coffee. Today I write a company which sets the bar high - really high. La Colombe is known for two things: co-counder Todd Carmichael and his around the world coffee adventures, and great coffee. Until this morning I had never had La Colombe coffee.

Brazil Blue Diamond is part of the Workshop single origin coffees. It comes from the Cerrado Minero  region, at 800-1300 meters. It's a Catuai varietal, which was created to be a stronger plant, which could withstand harsh weather conditions. It's a pulled natural process, which means that the coffee went through both a wet and dry process before it was roasted.

La Colombe describes the coffee as.....

Snickers bar, full body, tobacco, layered sweetness

I brewed the coffee in the French Press. As it was brewing I smelled something very sweet. My God, it really did smell like a Snickers Bar. As I took the first sip, I got the immediate tobacco flavor. It wasn't too smokey, but I knew what it was in an instant. The mouthfeel of this coffee has a lot of semi-sweet chocolate in it. This is one of those cups of coffee, that the moment you first sip it, you smile, and you don't want to stop sipping it. 

This coffee is amazing! The cupping notes are simple, but this is a complex coffee, which just tastes wonderful. You want to have another cup, because you want to be sure you drank what you just drank.  

It's a strong coffee. This is a bugle call as the sun comes up. On our Bean Scale of Strength, this is 5 beans out of 5 beans. 

Todd Carmichael's "Dangerous Grounds" serves as a great marketing tool to get you to try La Colombe, but this is a coffee that doesn't really need his adventures to promote it. La Colombe has roasted what I think is one of the best coffees I've had. This company is on my list of coffee companies I will order more from. 

www.lacolombe.com

Charlie 

Setting the Bar Low

This week I read an interesting article about Cumberland Farms, a New England change of gas stations/stores and their coffee. The article details the company's newest marketing approach, specifically, how they go head to head with "coffee giant" Dunkin Donuts.  It seems that in blind taste testing between the coffee they serve, and Dunkin Donuts Original Blend, 50% of the drinkers chose Cumberland Farms, or had no preference.


From the article:


“We couldn’t be happier with the results and feedback from this taste test, and it proves our longtime belief that you don’t need to sacrifice great taste to get an affordable cup of coffee,” Cumberland Farms CEO Ari Haseotes said.

http://dailycoffeenews.com/2015/01/09/coffee-purveyor-promotes-blind-taste-test-with-a-50-percent-failure-rate/

Really? 

Now, I've not had the pleasure of trying the Cumberland Farms coffee. Typically I get gas station coffee if: 1) I have only 99 cents in the bank, or 2) I need some bad coffee to slap me awake. Yes, I understand DD coffee is a God in this region, though that mystery still alludes me. But let's take a look at the findings again. 50% said they EITHER preferred the Cumberland Farms or had NO preference. That's a win? 

Mr. Haseotes has set the bar a bit low for his coffee. How much do you want to bet the number of drinkers that preferred his company's coffee was 15%? Now, maybe it's just me, but I would think you would want your product to do better than 15%-50%? This isn't standardized testing after all.

I may need to check out this coffee, and maybe do my own test taste. Hmmmm.......

Charlie

Coffee Review: Allegro's Blue Nile Blend

One of the best coffee assets a coffee lover has is Whole Foods. While the grocery chain is pricey, their coffee is in line with most specialty coffee roasters. They carry several specialty roasters, but they also carry Allegro, which is Whole Foods' coffee roaster. I've had Allegro Coffee many times, and have reviewed their coffees previously. Today I am reviewing their Blue Nile Blend.

Blue Nile Blend comes from a few different coffees from Ethiopia. On their website, Allegro is not very descriptive of the coffee:



Intense berry and spice notes.

From Ethiopia, the birthplace of Arabica coffee, naturally sun-dried beans from many diverse regions are blended to create this complex coffee.

It's a medium roast, which once I brewed and tried in the French Press would say is on the lighter end of the medium spectrum. According to Whole Foods this coffee was roasted a couple days ago. Since Allegro has a roasting facility in the New York City area, I believe this got right out of the roaster, onto the truck, and into the store. It is a fresh coffee.

As I sip the coffee, I do detect the spice notes. There is a brightness to this coffee, which gives it that spicy kick. The berry flavor is more subdued. I would disagree that it's "intense." In fact, the whole coffee has a very mild flavor and taste to it. It's not an overpowering coffee at all. 

On the Bean Scale of Strength, I would say this is 2 beans out of 5. It's not tea like, but it also doesn't shake you awake in the morning. In fact, I might recommend this as an afternoon coffee. Something you could have around 3 in the afternoon, which might perk you up at work, but not keep you up all night. 

I like this coffee, but I felt like I wanted more from it. This is one of those moments I wish I could talk to a roaster, and find out what they thought, and how did they arrive at this blend and roast. 

wwwallegrocoffee.com

Charlie

La Colombe - the Anticipation

This week I will be trying a coffee roaster I've had my eye on for a while - La Colombe. These days most people know La Colombe for the TV work co-founder Todd Carmichael does on "Dangerous Grounds." The show follows Carmichael as he travels in some of the most dangerous parts of  the world in search of excellent coffee.

La Colombe is more than a vehicle for a reality show. Along with Jean Philippe Iberti, the two men created La Colombe and unveiled their first blends in 1994 in Philadelphia. Their coffees are served in some of the finest restaurants and hotels in the world. Chefs who understand they need excellent coffee paired with their food, seek out their coffee.

This week a Brazil Blue Diamond will make its way to my home, and I am already anticipating this. Yes, this is like Christmas to me. This is why I'm a coffee geek. I'll detail the coffee in my review, but I will tell you this is a coffee comes is a Catuai variety. Catuai is a smaller tree, a hybrid, which was developed to be stronger in the face of the elements. What coffee growers have found it is a pretty sweet coffee. Coffee isn't always thought of as sweet, so I think this will be interesting to try.

So come on delivery man.....get that coffee here!

Charlie

New England Coffee Hunt

Evidently I have now tried Rhode Island's two coffee roasters. There is still much of New England for me to try. Barrington Coffee has been recommended to me, though they have a coffee which costs $180 a lb. I think I'll try one of their cheaper alternatives. Other than that.....I'm on a hunt.

What I'm finding is coffee houses who sell coffee from various roasters. That's fine, and I'm happy to try those. I really want to focus on coffee roasted here in the region, and unique to the region. In Indianapolis, I was spoiled with some pretty incredible coffee roasters. So the adventure begins in earnest.

For readers who are in the New England area, please let me know what your drink, or any suggestions you may have. Greatly appreciated.

Charlie

Bulletproof Coffee

Have you tried Bulletproof Coffee? Do you know what I'm talking about. Seems the new trend in the coffee world is to try Bulletproof Coffee. Take one cup of coffee, add 1-2 teaspoons of butter instead of cream or milk, and you have Bulletproof Coffee.

The claims on this coffee are it promotes weight loss and mental clarity.

I can't speak to the so-called benefits to this. I can speak to coffee though. This sounds disgusting, and a way to ruin a perfectly good cup of coffee. I would think there would be an oily, slimy-ness to the coffee. As for the taste, I like butter, but not in my coffee. I want my coffee to be coffee. The most adventurous I can be with coffee, is a bit of soy creamer in my cup.

Now, I admit I am being closed minded to this. If some of you have tried it, I would be willing to post your thoughts on this drink. You have a long way to go to convince me that coffee and butter are a good tasting combination.

Charlie

Coffee Review: New Harvest Coffee Winter Blend

Many roasters roast a special roast they sell only during the holiday season. In my mind a holiday roast should be a robust, strong, something to really take chill away from you on a winter's morning. It should not be in any way, shape or taste tea like and bright. I want it to taste strong and wake me up.

Today we ventured to New Harvest Coffee Roasters Roasting Facility in Pawtucket, RI. Located in the Hope Artiste Village, this roaster is one of two roasters in RI(or so I'm told). I've reviewed another one of their coffees prior to our move here. I was interested to see how I would like another of their coffees. We got their Winter Roast before they sold
out.

According to New Harvest:

A robust blend: Bakers chocolate, toasted walnut, and a hint of orange sweetness.

I brewed it in the French Press when we got home, as Mark really wanted a cup of coffee to wake him up. This is a darker roast. I specifically wanted a darker roast as we have been on a light roast kick of late. Once it was done brewing, I poured a cup, sat down and took a sip. There is a strong chocolate/nutty flavor. I was hard pressed to find the hint of orange. More than anything I smiled as I sipped my coffee. I really liked this coffee.  Good thing this is a Winter Roast, because this is the coffee I want if I am snowed in for a few days.

On our Bean Scale of Strength, this is 5 out of 5 beans. This is the strong coffee Death Wish Coffee wishes they could be. This one wakes you up, and insists you have a good morning - gosh darn it.

New Harvest is running out of this holiday offering, but if you can get a back or two - do it. This is a really good cup of coffee.

www.newharvestcoffee.com

How to Shop for Coffee at the Grocery

You're walking through your neighborhood grocery store, and you come to the coffee aisle. Oh my goodness there are packages and packages of coffee. You see Starbucks, Folgers, Eight O'Clock, and more independent varieties. Almost all the coffees are ground. Some are whole bean. How do you choose?

First of all go for the whole bean coffee. Now this works better if you have a grinder at home, so make sure you have one. Whole bean though makes for a better cup of coffee. The theme you will read here is fresh. You want the coffee to be as fresh as possible.

Check the bag to see if there is a roasting date or a sell by date. The farther you are away from the sell by date the better. The closer to the roasting date, the better. Coffee's freshness has a limited life. Grinding it speeds up that life. You only want to grind the coffee when you are about to brew it.

Today is January 2, 2015(see how I got the year right). So if the sell by date on the bag of coffee has a date on it within the next month or so - pass. That is old coffee. It won't taste as good. In fact, in some cases it may taste stale.

Now, some grocery stores still have grinders there for you to grind the whole bean. Again, I say invest in a grinder for the home. Unless you are about to brew a bag of the coffee, there is really no reason for you to grind it at the store.

There are a lot of coffees in the store....which one to get? Well there I can't really help you. I can tell you what I stay away from(Folgers and Maxwell House). I have gotten Eight O'Clock coffee, which in a pinch is ok. If you can find a Starbucks whole bean, I suggest that, again check the dates on the bag. My feeling is Starbucks will be the fresher coffee on the shelf.

If I get coffee at the grocery, I like to go to a place like Whole Foods, which will have their Allegro Coffee, which is good, as well as local roasters. I promise you the coffee in those stores will be much fresher and tastier than at the local grocery.

Still don't believe me? Try this out, get a bag of an Allegro whole bean coffee,  grind it and brew it, along with a cup of Folgers. Now you tell me which tastes better.

Charlie

Coffee Review: TOMS Rwanda Roast

Coffee and good deeds go hand in hand. There are a lot of coffee roasters out there who provide a lot of good for those in need. Typically though their good works are far better than their coffee. Now and then you encounter roasters who can pull off the double; they do good works with good coffee.

In 2006 Blake Mycoskie was traveling through Argentina. While visiting a small village, he encountered children with no shoes. From this experience, he created TOMS which, for every pair of shoes they sold, a pair would be donated to someone in need - One for One.

The company started with shoes, but as they have grown, they have branched into the eye glass business, and are now selling other items. This includes coffee. TOMS Coffee is under the direction of Master Roaster Angel Orozco who found Cafecito Organico, but there is another partner in the roasting - Allegro, a subsidiary of Whole Foods.

Because the company is based on the philanthropic endeavors, when you buy coffee from TOMS, the sale of one bag of coffee provides a week of clean water for someone in need. That is an awesome stat when you think about it. That bag sitting in my cupboard will provide someone clean healthy water for a week.

TOMS has limited roasts at this time: Rwanda, Malawi, Honduras and an Espresso. This week I found TOMS at Whole Foods, and noticed they only whole bean on the shelf was Rwanda, so I got some.

According to TOMS:

With crisp citrus notes that blend into the flavors of red fruits, the Rwanda Roast features a unique, sweet acidity in a medium body. A finely brewed cup features a bright, persistent flavor followed by a long, sweet finish.

This coffee is a light roast, and I made it first with a Chemex, then the French Press. The red fruits TOMS refers to are Plums, but they also say there will be a hint of Apricot. The citrus is a lemon essence. As I drank this, I totally got the Plum and Apricot. The lemon, not so much. I thought I got a nutty taste in there as well. There was a nice smoothness to this coffee. 

If I were pairing it with food, I would suggest this for a brunch, with lots of scones, coffee cakes, or other baked goodies present. It blends well with things like that. You guests will like the coffee.

For 2015, I am going to rate the coffee differently than in the past. Strength will be on a 0-5 Bean scale. 0 being not strong at all, to a 5 which will slap you in the face - hard. TOMS Rwanda is a 3 bean coffee. You get a hint of strength, but not enough to keep you up at night. 

I liked this coffee. I thought it was a really good cup of java, and I will purchase more of TOMS in the future. This is a case where the coffee IS just as good as the cause. I encourage you to seek it out and enjoy.

www.toms.com

Charlie