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