The folks at Starbucks love their seasonal offerings. In the past I have reviewed them as better than their usual roasts. With Summer comes their latest offering - Brezza. Starbucks describes Brezza as a "new light-bodied coffee is as easygoing as its Italian translation would suggest. A medium-roast coffee with notes of fresh herbs and sweet lemon. Brezza is a juicy, elegant, cheerful blend-wonderful hot or iced." So clearly this is a coffee which is roasted for hot or iced use. Today I made it in the French Press.
When I opened the bag I got the aromas of herbs, and a strong fruitiness. I thought for a medium roast the beans looked a bit dark. Starbucks is known for over roasting their coffee, so I thought this might have a burnt quality to it. According to Starbucks, Brezza is a blend of Colmbian, Papua New Guinea and East African coffees.
As I took the first sips I noticed no burnt taste. At the same time I didn't notice much flavor. Mark thought he got some earthy chocolate flavor. I didn't get that. I let the coffee sit a moment, then I came back to it. This time I tasted something - I got a caramel like flavor, with a dash of lemon and a strong sense of herbs.
To be honest, I don't know what I think of Brezza. It's initial taste was tasteless to me, but then it came together. I like to taste something right off the bat. I have a strong sense that this coffee works much better iced, as it needs time to sit and let the flavors "stew" a bit. I may give it a try that way. Rumor in the coffee world is it's the bombdiggity as an iced coffee.
It's not the strongest coffee in the world. I would give it a 5 on our Cher scale. This would be a playful punch Cher might have given Sonny on the variety show.
Brezza ia in Starbucks for a limited time. I'd be curious what others think.
Charlie
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Sunday, May 11, 2014
Coffee Trends
The National Coffee Association(NCA) has released their annual coffee consumer report. This is sort of the State of Coffee. With Coffee Rust spreading, and coffee prices rising, what is the average consumer doing? What are the trends?
Coffee consumption is up, according to this report. Gourmet coffee is on the rise as 34% of adults are drinking the good stuff. Now in fairness, the NCA says, "Gourmet coffee beverages consist of espresso-based beverages, and regular coffee made with gourmet beans." Daily Coffee News interprets this as anyone who drinks an Arabica-based coffee beverage.
Soft drinks lower man on the totem pole. 61% of the adults are drinking coffee, while 41% consume soft drinks. Daily gourmet coffee drinking is highest in the age 25-29 demographic. The kids are drinking coffee. 42% of them are sipping a coffee beverage. The folks at the retirement home are drinking less coffee(wait until I get there).
Hispanic-Americans drink more coffee than any other ethnic group(48%). This is not totally surprising, considering Latin America is a source for most of our coffee. I was struck that Caucasian-Americans only rank at 32%. To be honest, I thought that figure would be over 50%.
Regrettably, single-serve coffee makers are still on the rise. 50% of those surveyed had coffee from a single-serve brewer within the last day. 15% said they own a machine, which is up 12% from last year. 25% of those who don't own a single-serve brewer plan to do so within the next six months. Convenience is pushing away costs, the environment and quality. Sigh.
Harris also has polled on coffee. Their findings were also interesting. Millenials have grown up in the coffee era, and 66% of those folks will go out of their way to get good coffee from their favorite coffee house, as opposed to the convenience of other coffees(gas stations?).
What I found a bit disturbing was the popular coffee brands. The tops three in this survey were(in order): Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Bagels and Starbucks. Please tell me these are not the places the Millenials are running towards.
So it looks like coffee consumption is chugging right along. Maybe some better coffee education can save some folks from mediocre coffee.
Charlie
Coffee consumption is up, according to this report. Gourmet coffee is on the rise as 34% of adults are drinking the good stuff. Now in fairness, the NCA says, "Gourmet coffee beverages consist of espresso-based beverages, and regular coffee made with gourmet beans." Daily Coffee News interprets this as anyone who drinks an Arabica-based coffee beverage.
Soft drinks lower man on the totem pole. 61% of the adults are drinking coffee, while 41% consume soft drinks. Daily gourmet coffee drinking is highest in the age 25-29 demographic. The kids are drinking coffee. 42% of them are sipping a coffee beverage. The folks at the retirement home are drinking less coffee(wait until I get there).
Hispanic-Americans drink more coffee than any other ethnic group(48%). This is not totally surprising, considering Latin America is a source for most of our coffee. I was struck that Caucasian-Americans only rank at 32%. To be honest, I thought that figure would be over 50%.
Regrettably, single-serve coffee makers are still on the rise. 50% of those surveyed had coffee from a single-serve brewer within the last day. 15% said they own a machine, which is up 12% from last year. 25% of those who don't own a single-serve brewer plan to do so within the next six months. Convenience is pushing away costs, the environment and quality. Sigh.
Harris also has polled on coffee. Their findings were also interesting. Millenials have grown up in the coffee era, and 66% of those folks will go out of their way to get good coffee from their favorite coffee house, as opposed to the convenience of other coffees(gas stations?).
What I found a bit disturbing was the popular coffee brands. The tops three in this survey were(in order): Dunkin Donuts, Einstein Bagels and Starbucks. Please tell me these are not the places the Millenials are running towards.
So it looks like coffee consumption is chugging right along. Maybe some better coffee education can save some folks from mediocre coffee.
Charlie
Thursday, May 8, 2014
Coffee Rust
This week the NY Times reported on the scourge of the coffee world - coffee rust.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/business/international/fungus-cripples-coffee-production-across-central-america.html
This fungal infection of coffee plants is hitting Central America hard, and has been for over a year. Combined with drought conditions in Brazil, coffee production is less than years past. This is a main reason coffee is trading higher on commodity exchange boards. You can also expect to see coffee prices go up.
The only way now to combat Coffee Rust is to uproot and burn the plants. This is wiping out the livelihood of millions of people around the world. The rust mostly affects Arabica plants, which is the coffee most coffee lovers enjoy. It's the higher quality coffee. Robusta seems to be fairly resistant to this. Some have expressed the concern that this will alter how we drink coffee. Meaning we may look more and more at Robusta coffees.
Sprudge has shared some pretty shocking facts about Coffee Rust.
http://sprudge.com/11-facts-about-rust.html
It looks like troubling times ahead for the coffee industry. One questioned raised in the Sprudge article. Are we willing to pay more for coffee if it means some of that money can go into research to combat Coffee Rust? I'm not sure.
Charlie
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/06/business/international/fungus-cripples-coffee-production-across-central-america.html
This fungal infection of coffee plants is hitting Central America hard, and has been for over a year. Combined with drought conditions in Brazil, coffee production is less than years past. This is a main reason coffee is trading higher on commodity exchange boards. You can also expect to see coffee prices go up.
The only way now to combat Coffee Rust is to uproot and burn the plants. This is wiping out the livelihood of millions of people around the world. The rust mostly affects Arabica plants, which is the coffee most coffee lovers enjoy. It's the higher quality coffee. Robusta seems to be fairly resistant to this. Some have expressed the concern that this will alter how we drink coffee. Meaning we may look more and more at Robusta coffees.
Sprudge has shared some pretty shocking facts about Coffee Rust.
http://sprudge.com/11-facts-about-rust.html
It looks like troubling times ahead for the coffee industry. One questioned raised in the Sprudge article. Are we willing to pay more for coffee if it means some of that money can go into research to combat Coffee Rust? I'm not sure.
Charlie
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
Coffee Rant: Room for Cream
Today I got coffee to go at a non-Starbucks establishment. The barista asked me if I wanted room for cream. I did. She handed me the cup, and asked, "Is that enough room?" It was!
Now this may not seem like a big deal to you, but I get REALLY upset when I ask for room for cream at Starbucks, and they fill it all the way to the top. If I'm in my car going through the drive through, this means coffee will spill, and I usually feel something hot and wet on my leg as I drive.
If I'm inside and ask for room, then I find I have to dump some coffee out before I leave the store. If I don't, then the hot and wet feeling on my leg will happen.
Come on Starbucks...room for cream does not mean fill it to the top so it spills through little drinking hole. I know there is no universal measurement for the room part, but doesn't common sense tell you that you shouldn't fill it to the top? I mean really.
Baristas who may read this, might I suggest actually leaving room for cream?
Thanks.
Charlie
Now this may not seem like a big deal to you, but I get REALLY upset when I ask for room for cream at Starbucks, and they fill it all the way to the top. If I'm in my car going through the drive through, this means coffee will spill, and I usually feel something hot and wet on my leg as I drive.
If I'm inside and ask for room, then I find I have to dump some coffee out before I leave the store. If I don't, then the hot and wet feeling on my leg will happen.
Come on Starbucks...room for cream does not mean fill it to the top so it spills through little drinking hole. I know there is no universal measurement for the room part, but doesn't common sense tell you that you shouldn't fill it to the top? I mean really.
Baristas who may read this, might I suggest actually leaving room for cream?
Thanks.
Charlie
Monday, May 5, 2014
Coffee Review: Stone Creek's Milwaukee Blend
Yesterday I reviewed Stone Creek Coffee's Garden Blend, which I came away amazed. The problem is how do you review another one of their coffees after that kind of review? In this case, you block out one, and focus on the current one.
Today we are drinking their Milwaukee Blend. I don't live in Milwaukee, but I will hazard a guess that this is one they serve a lot in their coffee houses; however this is NO Pike Roast(thank goodness).
When you open the bag, there is a smokey aroma that hits you hard. You would think this means the coffee will have a smokey flavor. It doesn't.
This blend is Typica and Bourbon, from Africa and South America. It's been washed and sun dried. It's a bit of a darker roast, but not a dark roast. The darker roast promotes a fuller body. Stone Creek says the notes are Chocolate, spice and dark fruit. I get the Chocolate. It's not a creamy Chocolate, but it isn't a bitter Chocolate either. Imagine a fine dark chocolate with a hint of bitter. The spiciness hits you at the start, and not as much at the finish. Dark fruit? Not sure if I got that.
Down to business..... If you're going to name a coffee after a city, I assume there is something you get in the coffee, which describes the place. Milwaukee is a pretty working class town, that endures some long Winters, and has a lot of fun in the Summer. This is a great heading to work coffee. Maybe you're meeting Laverne and Shirley at the beer company, and you need a cuppa joe. This is it. This is a wake you up coffee. This isn't a dainty cup you serve the ladies at bridge. It could be a night of poker though, but I know at poker night...it's beer.
On our Cher scale, this is a 10 - slapping Nicolas Cage and telling him to "Snap outta it."
I really like this coffee. Gosh darn it Stone Creek is 3 for 3 in their coffees I've had. They are the real deal, and the coffee world needs to know more about them.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Today we are drinking their Milwaukee Blend. I don't live in Milwaukee, but I will hazard a guess that this is one they serve a lot in their coffee houses; however this is NO Pike Roast(thank goodness).
When you open the bag, there is a smokey aroma that hits you hard. You would think this means the coffee will have a smokey flavor. It doesn't.
This blend is Typica and Bourbon, from Africa and South America. It's been washed and sun dried. It's a bit of a darker roast, but not a dark roast. The darker roast promotes a fuller body. Stone Creek says the notes are Chocolate, spice and dark fruit. I get the Chocolate. It's not a creamy Chocolate, but it isn't a bitter Chocolate either. Imagine a fine dark chocolate with a hint of bitter. The spiciness hits you at the start, and not as much at the finish. Dark fruit? Not sure if I got that.
Down to business..... If you're going to name a coffee after a city, I assume there is something you get in the coffee, which describes the place. Milwaukee is a pretty working class town, that endures some long Winters, and has a lot of fun in the Summer. This is a great heading to work coffee. Maybe you're meeting Laverne and Shirley at the beer company, and you need a cuppa joe. This is it. This is a wake you up coffee. This isn't a dainty cup you serve the ladies at bridge. It could be a night of poker though, but I know at poker night...it's beer.
On our Cher scale, this is a 10 - slapping Nicolas Cage and telling him to "Snap outta it."
I really like this coffee. Gosh darn it Stone Creek is 3 for 3 in their coffees I've had. They are the real deal, and the coffee world needs to know more about them.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Coffee Review: Stone Creek's Garden Blend
For me the coffee process begins when I open the bag and smell. When I opened this bag, I smelled a roasted vanilla. If you roasted Vanilla Beans, I swear this is what the aroma would be. According to Stone Creek this coffee has flavors of Vanilla, Dried Grapefruit and Creme Brûlée. As an admission, I picked this coffee, because Creme Brûlée is my favorite dessert. When I ground the coffee, I got the notes of grapefruit.
This coffee is a blend of African and South American coffees. There's Red Bourbon, Castillo and Caturra blended. The coffee was fully washed with a patio drying process. It's a medium roast and has a medium body and a lighter brightness. As usual, we made this in the French Press.
Let's cut to the chase how is this coffee? This is an outstanding coffee! Yes, I got the Creme Brûlée right off the bat. There is a sweetness, creaminess to this, just like the dessert. It's a rich flavored coffee, without it being a flavored coffee(ugh). It's a well-bodied coffee. This is the coffee you want to sip slowly, like it's an indulgence. I swear it's so good, if Mark asked me to go brew another pot, I would tell him we need to save it.
This coffee is deceptively strong. It's there, waiting, and then it pounces on you after you drink it. On our Cher scale, this is a 7.5. This is Cher defending putting her son in a public school in "Mask" strong.
This is one of the best coffees I've had since I started this blog - period. The folks at Stone Creek have something special going on. Two out of two coffees have been amazing. We will soon see if it's a three-peat.
www.stonecreekcoffee.com
Charlie
Friday, May 2, 2014
The Reality Hits
I read this article yesterday about how a farmer who was attending the Specialty Coffee Assoc. of America(SCAA) convention last weekend, wandered into a Starbucks and got an education in money. He related to members of a panel discussion that the $4 latte is the price of labor for one day at this farm.
http://dailycoffeenews.com/2014/04/30/farmworkers-the-coffee-industrys-ethical-blight-and-a-pr-disaster-in-waiting/
Think about that for a moment. $4 for one day's worth of labor. Then think how coffee is trading around $2.15 a lb on the commodity exchanges(which is high these days). That $2.15 is not necessarily what farmers are getting. They most likely are getting less.
I have to imagine that as more and more farmers come to understand how much their coffees are selling for, they would want better prices for their coffees. Of course this would mean you and I would have to pay more for our coffee.
For the record, coffee is trading higher these days due to drought situations in Brazil, and other ecological issues like leaf rust outbreaks around the world.
The reality is coffee farmers are not being paid nearly what their product is worth. This is why I like fair trade and direct trade practices. Typically coffee companies which trade with these methods are encouraging better coffee production, and providing better dollars for the coffee. Some companies invest in the communities if farmers can produce consistently high quality coffee.
In the meantime, I feel a good many of these workers are being exploited for our coffee enjoyment. We as coffee lovers can keep encouraging better trade practices, and patronizing the companies who do right by the coffee farmers.
Charlie
http://dailycoffeenews.com/2014/04/30/farmworkers-the-coffee-industrys-ethical-blight-and-a-pr-disaster-in-waiting/
Think about that for a moment. $4 for one day's worth of labor. Then think how coffee is trading around $2.15 a lb on the commodity exchanges(which is high these days). That $2.15 is not necessarily what farmers are getting. They most likely are getting less.
I have to imagine that as more and more farmers come to understand how much their coffees are selling for, they would want better prices for their coffees. Of course this would mean you and I would have to pay more for our coffee.
For the record, coffee is trading higher these days due to drought situations in Brazil, and other ecological issues like leaf rust outbreaks around the world.
The reality is coffee farmers are not being paid nearly what their product is worth. This is why I like fair trade and direct trade practices. Typically coffee companies which trade with these methods are encouraging better coffee production, and providing better dollars for the coffee. Some companies invest in the communities if farmers can produce consistently high quality coffee.
In the meantime, I feel a good many of these workers are being exploited for our coffee enjoyment. We as coffee lovers can keep encouraging better trade practices, and patronizing the companies who do right by the coffee farmers.
Charlie
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