Coffee: Just Brew It

My Final Coffee Blog Post

2011-07-24T07:49:00.003-04:00

Okay, I'm still in love with coffee...just not enough to blog about it. I will keep this open for anyone who wants to read the reviews of the coffee shops or coffees that I had already evaluated. But, for the future, I have other interests that are consuming my time and attention.

I still blog.

If you want to read my sales blog, go here

If you want to read my Bible blog, go here

Alas, all good things must come to an end. Feel free to hit me up, though, at any of my social networking sites, to talk about coffee. I'm still very much into it. But, I've found other things to specialize in as far as blogging. If you want a great resource for coffee reviews, go to http://www.coffeereview.com/. If you want to hang out digitally and talk about coffee with others, go to http://www.baristaexchange.com/. Long live the bean! Live long and percolate! Yadayadayada. That is all.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Columbia (Grocery)

2011-04-28T07:34:00.001-04:00

When perusing the coffee aisle at your local grocer, you are likely to see this coffee nestled amidst the Starbucks selections. Starbucks' Columbia coffee, considered a medium in flavor intensity, is just about as close the the Everyman's coffee as it gets. It is smooth and light, perfect for a caffeine jolt in the morning without the risk of confusing your taste buds with too much complexity. This coffee is grown at an elevation of about 6500 feet and Starbucks recommends it with "Pecan pie and a window seat."

Tasting: Aroma***; sweet honey and light mahogany. Acidity***; balanced, some gentle biting on the sides of tongue. Body**; light and smooth, lingers gently and faintly. Flavor***; very nutty with slight hints of orange.

I recommend this to anyone looking for just a basic cup of Joe. It is lightly roasted and goes down easy. Good all-day coffee and would probably be decent over ice.

Keurig Revisited

2011-04-20T18:06:00.001-04:00

Okay, so I broke down and bought a Keurig. Months ago, I wrote a post about how substandard Keurig is due to the coffee in the K-Cups being pre-ground and what not. Now, I'm eating my words. I don't know how they do it, but my Keurig Elite makes the coffee taste like it's just been roasted and ground. I'm VERY impressed.

I liked most of the coffees that came with the K-Cup sampler. Caribou's were especially good. The Tully's blends weren't that great. I also bought the 'My K-Cup' accessory, so that I can freshly grind my own coffee to use. It doesn't work as well, though. It tastes diluted compared to the K-Cups.

For my first week of owning the Keurig, I used it exclusively. When I finally got around to using my press again, it was like I was drinking coffee and falling in love with it again for the first time. Nothing beats a press! Now that I've acclimated to the machine, though, I use it about half the time and my press the other half. I will always prefer to sit down and enjoy a French press of my choosing but I've got to admit that it's nice to be able to grab a decent cup of coffee to go when I don't have the time.

Coffee Review: Stauf's Coffee Roasters' India Monsooned Malabar

2011-04-12T14:39:00.001-04:00

Stauf's is the first roaster I have encountered so far to offer coffee from India. Of course, specialty coffee is no stranger to the country. In the past view decades, India has become an increasingly more dominant region in the world of coffee. The phenomenon of monsoons in India gives India an edge that no other growing region in the world can duplicate. Long ago, when coffee was exported from India via sailboats, the humidity of the monsoon season would cause the beans to turn from their natural green to a strange shade of yellow. Customers got used to this and now, even today when quick delivery of beans does not allow the humidity to take effect, beans from India are expected to be yellow. Now, beans harvested during the monsoon season of May and June are intentionally "monsooned." They are lain, for periods of 5 days, in buildings specially designed to allow for the humidity to naturally work into the beans. This process allows the traditional color and flavor of Indian coffee to be preserved. Most of the high-quality coffee from in India is grown in the southern peninsula, particularly in Kerala state (Malabar) and in Tamil Nadu state.

Tasting: Aroma***; heavy earthy scent peppered with sharp spices. Acidity*; very little. Smooth and well-rounded. Body*****; heavy layers cake on the tongue and leave an enduring aftertaste. Flavor***; dull mint, buttery cream, slightly sweet, and heavily spiced.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good Asian coffee. It has all of the characteristics with perhaps not as much of the harsh earthy undercurrents of a Sumatra. Great dinner coffee. Good for fall and spring seasons.

Stauf's Coffee Roasters in Columbus, Ohio

2011-04-08T07:22:00.001-04:00

Stauf's Coffee Roasters in is a micro-roaster headquartered in Columbus, OH. It has been around since 1988 and services wholesale, retail, and mail-order customers country-wide. Stauf's uses Arabica beans from over 20 different countries and roasts its coffee to order on gas-fired roasters. Its main retail outlet is located in the Grandview Heights district near Ohio State University, but it also services Cup O'Joe and MoJoe stores throughout Columbus, along with many other coffee houses throughout the country.

Stauf's has probably the greatest amount of floor space that I've seen in a coffee shop. Upon entering the doors, I was immediately impressed with the atmosphere. The shop was divided into two sides: a retail area and a dining area. I entered into the retail side and was impressed by the array of merchandise. There was so much brewing equipment along the wall to my right (coffee makers, french presses, grinders, accessories, etc.), that it made Bed, Bath, and Beyond look like a dollar store. There was a large table in the middle with Stauf's branded merchandise including hats, shirts, mugs, and tumblers.

Immediately ahead was an enormous display of too many bins of coffee to count, behind which was an area for baristas to measure and grind the beans. Some of the coffees included Tanzaia, Zimbabwe, Kona, Yemen mocha, India monsooned malabar, Kenya AA, Nicaragua SHG,Guatemala SHB, Costa Rica Terrazzu SHB, Java Estate, Brazil Santos, Papua New Guinea, and Stauf's famed proprietary Baba Budan Blend.

As I entered the dining area to my left, I noticed about 20-25 tables, at which a diverse range of clientele were eating lunch and talking vibrantly. There was some nice coffee house music playing overhead, nice vintage decor, and beautiful hardwood floors. It seemed like a great place to hang out and socialize for anyone from a 15 year old teenage hipster to a middle-aged corporate professional. Fairly crowded and a very conversational vibe.

The menu was pretty full for a coffee house. I was a little late to see the breakfast offerings but the kitchen did serve breakfast. For lunch, it offered: house, caesar, and spinach salads, black bean, turkey bacon, and italian sandwiches, as well as wraps, croissants, paninis, and grilled cheese. Also, there were of course the coffee house classic pastries: bagels, muffins, scones, cheese cakes, coffee cakes, cookies, biscottis, and several vegan offerings. The coffee menu included classics like espresso, americano, cappuccino, french press, and machiatto, in addition to specialty drinks such as Milky Way, Almond Joy, Buckeye, White Chocolate Latte, and Oregon Chai, and cold drinks such as iced lattes and Chillers (blended beverages) including mocha, caramel mocha, peanut butter mocha, vanilla, caramel, and chai flavors.

What I had: I had to try it. I got a french press of the Baba Budan Blend. It was magical--one of the top blends I've ever tried. It was a full-bodied dark roast blend with heavy notes of cocoa and honey, subtly spiced and earthy, smooth, creamy, and balanced. I also had a House salad containing mozzarella cheese, Roma tomatoes, and Portabella mushrooms topped with citrus vinaigrette. For the road, I grabbed a Flex-Fit (greatest hats ever) Stauf's branded cap and a half pound of whole bean India Monsooned Malabar coffee for a future tasting.

I cannot recommend Stauf's highly enough. If you live in central Ohio and do not visit regularly, shame on you! If you're going to be in the area, please stop by! It was an amazing experience.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Tribute Blend

2011-04-03T08:13:00.001-04:00

Starbucks Coffee's Tribute Blend is yet another commemorative coffee. Joining Pike Place Roast, Thanksgiving Blend, Christmas Blend, and Anniversary Blend, among others, Tribute was introduced to mark a special occasion. In this case, that special occasion is Starbucks' 40th anniversary. Yes, Starbys is now middle-aged.

Tribute blend is perhaps the most diverse, powerhouse blend that Starbucks has ever created. It combines 4 different coffees: Sun-dried Ethiopia, Aged Sumatra, Papua New guinea, and Colombia. These coffees have been used in premium promotional coffees sold throughout the company's history and have been brought together in this blend.

Tasting: Aroma*****; powerful! Explosions of tangy tangerine, cinnamon, and spices. Acidity***; mild. Somewhat of a punchy bite on the sides of the tongue. Body*****; very heavy. Lingers thickly on the palate, envelopes the mouth, and leaves a dominant aftertaste. Flavor***; very subtle hints of lemon, oranges, nuts, and spices. Overtaken by the darkness of the roast.

I recommend this coffee to anyone who enjoys darker roasts like "Italian" or "French," or anyone who enjoys Asian coffees. The Aged Sumatra and Papua New Guinea really come through in this coffee!

Starbucks Climbs the Green Mountain

2011-03-11T08:10:00.001-05:00

Perhaps the biggest news in coffee was unveiled yesterday and, of course, I had to say something about it. For a couple of years now, Keurig (owned by Green Mountain Coffee Roasters) has been slowly introducing us to the idea of single-serve coffee with its now famed K-Cups. Many popular roasters, including Caribou Coffee and Gloria Jean's, have gotten on board and offered up their coffees to the K-Cup format. One stubborn roaster, however, has up until now resisted that trend. That roaster is none other than Starbucks.

Undoubtedly, Starbucks has been aggressively expanding it's portfolio over the past few years. In the last decade, it has established a heavy presence in grocery stores with it's ready-to-drink Frappuccinos and Double Shots, created a line of ice cream for the same venues, and dramatically improved the food offerings at its retail outlets with products such as oatmeal and breakfast sandwich. Just two years ago, Starbucks introduced its wildly successful Via ready-brew line, changing the public perception of instant coffee. Starbucks, for better or for worse, has become more and more mainstream-seeking to appeal to a broader and broader customer base.

The one niche coffee market Starbucks has struggled to enter is the single-cup market. Starbucks tried to get in with the a line-up in Kraft Foods' Tassimo T-discs, but it just never caught on like Keurig. At the beginning of the month, Starbucks ended a 13 year agreement with Kraft Foods, leaving them a free-agent in the single-cup niche. What was Howard Schultz (Starbucks CEO) going to do? Would he try to introduce Starbucks' own proprietary Single-cup brewing system or would he swallow his pride and get on board with Keurig like everyone else?

Yesterday, the answer became clear. There will now be a Starbucks K-Cup. This truly could be revolutionary to the industry. In all likelihood, Starbucks, Green Mountain, and consumers alike will all be winners from this agreement. Perhaps it is even enough to get this old laggard to get himself a Keurig for the moments when there is no time for a press.

Website: http://www.coffeejustbrewit.blogspot.com

Coffee Review: Intelligentsia Coffee's Classic Black Cat Espresso

2011-03-02T07:44:00.002-05:00

Intelligentsia Coffee, headquartered in Chicago. is one of the most prestigious roasters in the United States...and perhaps even the world. It has roasters and corresponding coffee houses in the Chicago and Los Angeles metros. Mike Phillips, a winner of multiple US Barista Championships, is one of Intelligentsia's long-time baristas.

Intelligentsia's Classic Black Cat Espresso, part of its Black Cat Project designed to create the worlds best espresso, is Intelligentsia's staple blend. It is made from beans in Brazil and Tanzania grown from an altitude between 1125 and 1800 feet above sea level. It is grown on the same farms through Intelligentsia's Direct Trade agreement with regional producers.

Tasting: Aroma****; powerful scents of buttery spice and roasted caramel. Acidity*; little to no acidity. Smooth and balanced. Body***; medium, well-balanced with a silky texture lingering lightly on the back of the tongue. Flavor*****; intense notes of honey, juicy apricot, and sweet tangerine.

I recommend this coffee as a nice mid-day coffee or, obviously, as espresso. Its silky texture mixes perfectly in a latte or cappuccino. However you brew it, you can't go wrong with this coffee. Intelligentsia's reputation proceeds it.

Coffee Review: Caribou Coffee's Daybreak Morning Blend

2011-02-26T08:26:00.002-05:00

Daybreak Morning Blend is one of Caribou Coffee's long-time staple blends. It is a Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee and is rated at an 86 on Kenneth Davids' "Coffee Review." Daybreak's lighter roast and lively personality makes it a good year-round morning coffee as well as a great blend for the summer. Daybreak is also available in K-Cup form for the Keurig.

Tasting: Aroma***; mild scent of roasted almonds and strong aroma of sweet florals. Acidity****; powerful biting sensation on the sides of tongue. Body**; very smooth,washing over the palate with only the slightest coating. Flavor*****; intensely flavored citrus notes overtake this coffee, giving it a full mouth-feel. Complementing the citrus notes are light touches of nuts and honey.

I recommend this coffee to anyone who enjoys citrusy notes in his coffee. Many African coffees will fall into this category. This coffee is also very similar to Starbucks' Shade Grown Mexico. Fair summer coffee. Fantastic breakfast coffee.

Christmas in February

2011-02-11T07:12:00.003-05:00

Okay, so to be honest, I'm simply writing this post because I haven't done a coffee blog in eight months. I haven't, unfortunately, had the pleasure of trying any new coffees or visiting any new cafes due to other priorities in life eating up my time. I still plan on continuing posting coffee reviews, cafe reviews, and rants on the coffee world when opportunities arise.

That being said, this entry does have a theme. I am drinking Starbucks' Christmas Blend right now. I know, it's been six weeks since Christmas. I fell for a buy one pound, get one free deal. What can I say? I'm a sucker. Nevertheless, I think February is still a good time for the Christmas Blend--or any coffee like it.

The Asia/Indonesia region offers the best coffees for the wintertime. It's 9 degrees outside right now where I'm living and there is nothing like waking up to the heavily layered, heartily full-bodied, subtly spiced notes of Starbucks' Christmas Blend. It's hot chocolate for the coffee lover. It sharpens the senses and warms up the soul to face the blistering cold outside. Perhaps I'm being overly poetic but try it yourself and see what you think. Pick up a Starbucks or Caribou Sumatra. If you're in the Cleveland area, Phoenix Coffee's Mediterranean blend is phenomenal. Basically, anything heavily-bodied, somewhat darkly roasted, and lightly spiced is the perfect coffee for winter. Give it a try.

Coffee Review: Archer Farms Nicaraguan Maragogype

2010-06-25T07:18:00.002-04:00

Background: Nicaragua is one of those rare origins in the specialty coffee market. Primarily, its beans are average in quality and thus used for blending. The top Nicaraguan beans, however, are good enough to market as single-origin. Due to political turmoil throughout the past few decades, not unlike many coffee origins, distribution of Nicaraguan coffee has been inconsistent. Nevertheless, the specialty coffee industry has been taken with beans specifically from the Jinotega, Matagalpa, and Segovia regions of Nicaragua. Archer Farms' Nicaraguan coffee, Maragogype, refers to a particular species of bean discovered in Nicaragua in the 1880s--typically called the 'elephant bean' due to its unusually large size.

Tasting: Aroma*****; fragrant florally and burnt cocoa aroma rolls out in powerful layers. Acidity**; low acidity for a Central American coffee, with some mild biting on the sides of the tongue. Body***; medium-bodied with some faint lingering on the back of the palate. Flavor***; unmistakable spice and nuttiness topped with soft milk chocolate notes.

I recommend this coffee to the casual coffee drinker. It makes a good house coffee and its aroma alone is enough to wake you up in the morning.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's 3 Region Blend

2010-06-18T07:23:00.003-04:00

Background: "If Magellan were a coffee lover, this would be his blend," says Starbucks of its latest seasonal promotion coffee. The 3 Region Blend, not surprisingly, is a pre-roast blend made up of beans from three specified origins: Tanzania, Papua New Guinea, and Guatemala. While Guatemala is a staple origins in many of Starbucks' featured coffees, Tanzania and Papua New Guinea are rarities for the company. Altogether, the blend creates a flavor much akin to yet somewhat heavier than Starbucks' summer Gazebo blend. Indeed, I can personally vouch for the amazing iced coffee that 3 Region Blend creates. Hopefully, this idea is something that will resurface in Starbucks' future.

Tasting: Aroma***; subtle florally aroma with slight syruppiness. Acidity**; very slight biting on back undersides of tongue but generally smooth. Body****; very syrupy body lingering heavily at first but diminishing within seconds. Flavor*****; intense array of flavors including predominant punchy citrus notes along with cocoa, spice, dark berries, and earthy sweetness.

I recommend this coffee as either hot or iced in the summer. It's heavy enough to hold its own for Sumtran lovers but punchy enough to satsify those who prefer African coffees.

Archer Farms' Costa Rica Terrazu

2010-06-11T07:03:00.002-04:00

Background: Costa Rica Terrazu is perhaps the finest growing region in the world. In addition to being one of the most technologically advanced origins, twelve percent of the entire population of Costa Rica is employed within the coffee industry. Costa Rica is also the home of the Cosecha de Oro, a famed international contest hosted by the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica with the intent of bringing the origin's best coffees to harvest. The winners are put up for auction and purchased by some of the finest specialty coffee traders in the world. Many of these winners, in the past, have come from Terrazu. Archer Farms' Terrazu coffee is probably one of these cheapest on the market.

Tasting: Aroma****; powerfully creamy lavender with a hint of spice/mint and cocoa. Acidity***; some mild biting along the sides and tip of the tongue. Body*****; heavily creamed body lingering profoundly on the back of the palate. Flavor****; butter cream, cocoa, subtle mint, and light berries.

I recommend this coffee to anyone who enjoys fine coffees. It is one of Target's staple Archer Farms coffees and carries quite a bang for its buck.

Mugsies Coffee House in New Wilmington, PA

2010-05-29T20:05:00.007-04:00

Background: Mugsies is nestled in the downtown district of a small community in western Pennsylvania about 60 miles north of Pittsburgh. It caters to a hybrid customer base of college students from the fairly prestigious Westminster College and rustic local farmers. On weekends, the relatively small cafe can often be crammed, as the shop regularly features several local musicians such as Adrienne Nightingale, David Bailey, and Randy Niles. For several years, Mugsies has served as a central hub for its community and has even drawn customers from surrounding communities such as Sharon, Mercer, and New Castle.

The Store Ambiance: I visited Mugsies on a Tuesday afternoon in late May--probably not the ideal time to get a good feel for the atmosphere, but it was the best I could manage. I entered through the back of the store via the parking lot. The front of the store (pictured below) can be seen from the street. As I walked through the narrow hallway into the cozy cafe area, I noticed the row of merchandise along the wall to my left. There was quite an impressive array of branded Mugsies merch, including t-shirts, tumblers, and pens. Also, there was whole bean coffee, a variety of teas, and CDs and books from local artists and authors. Along the wall on either side of the cafe hung pictures with themes ranging from music to coffee to rural neighborhoods. At the front of the store was a large glass facade and a small stage upon which bands played (at times other than Tuesday afternoons presumably). In the center of the cafe were about seven or eight small tables with chairs for dining. Along the walls of the cafe were some comfy chairs for lounging. To my right as I stepped into the cafe was the counter/espresso bar. The woman taking my order was friendly and open to conversation. On the walls behind the counter were two to four menu boards listing all of the items available for sale. The other customers in the cafe were more representative of an old-time diner than a chique coffee shop--many of them being older. I only saw one of the ten to fifteen customers using laptop and I sat down beside an Amish man. The conversation in the cafe created a quiet murmur conducive to a relaxing afternoon reading the magazine I'd brought with me.

The menu: The items available at Mugsies were those typical of a community coffee shop. The coffees on house, roasted by Wolf Creek Roasters in Grove City, PA, were decaf, dark roast, pecan flavored, and Costa Rica Terrazu. Also on the coffee menu were: shot in the dark, cafe au lait, cappuccino, cafe au breve, espresso, machiatto, americano, latte, and mocha breve. Other non-coffee beverages were: Italian soda, Italian slushie, soda, water, fruit tea smoothie, frozen hot chocolate, red bull, Arizona iced tea, chai (many varieties), smoothie, tea, etc. Flavors available to accompany beverages were too many to take down but a few were: banana, blackberry, coconut, almont, praline, Irish cream, white chocolate, caramel, and French vanilla. To eat, Mugsies also served traditional coffeehouse menu items such as paninis, salads, bagels, muffins, and cookies.

What I had: I had two items from the menu. As has become my custom, the first item was a cup of coffee. I chose the Costa Rica Terrazu they had on house. I have never been disappointed by a Costa Rican coffee and the roast that Mugsies offered was no exception. It was smooth with light acidity, a medium body, and deep notes of buttery cocoa with light creamy berries. I'd never heard of Wolf Creek Roasters but I'd highly recommend them if the Costa Rican is any indication of their other work. The second menu item I chose was a cappuccino made with whole milk. The espresso-to-milk ratio was a little less than I had expected it to be but the beverage was nevertheless crafted fairly well. There was a light foamy texture on top and the flavor was smooth and buttery. A good solid cappuccino.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's 'Red' East African Blend

2010-05-25T07:24:00.002-04:00

Background: Starbucks joined the 'RED' campaign to fight AIDS in Africa nearly two years ago. Selling merchandise from gift cards to tumblers, Starbucks also came out with an East African blend coffee to support the program. A percentage of the sales of all the Starbucks 'Red' products goes to support research and treatment of AIDS in Africa. The gift card is a reloadable card that gives a percentage each time it's used. The 'RED' blend coffee is reminiscent of some softer Ethiopias and Kenyas, creating and African blend palatable for the everyday consumer.

Tasting: Aroma*****; sharp scents of sparkling pine and sweet honey, layered with punchy orange. Acidity***; some gentle biting along the back undersides of the tongue. Body***; a smooth, well-balanced body lingering somewhat on the back of the tongue. Flavor***; a myriad of subdued flavors including orange, lemons, black berries, and sweet honey.

I recommend this coffee as a good introductory African coffee. Also, obviously, anyone who buys with a philanthropic intent will benefit from this purchase.

Coffee Review: Archer Farms' Tanzania Peaberry

2010-05-09T09:11:00.002-04:00

Background: Tanzania is one the premier emerging markets of coffee production in Africa. Next to Kenyan and Ethiopian, Tanzanian coffee is the African coffee that is probably most likely to show up in a specialty coffee outlet. Most coffee in Tanzania is grown in the northern part of the county in the hills of Mt. Kilimanjaro. The 'Peaberry' in 'Tanzania Peaberry' refers not to a region but rather to a manner in which the coffee cherry grows. Normally, two seeds grow within the cherry. The 'peaberry' cherry is the exception, with only one seed growing within the fruit. The result is probably the cutest coffee been one can lay eyes on. Most 'peaberry' coffee comes from Tanzania as the country has a vast supply of this exceptional breed of coffee.

Tasting: Aroma***; light florally aroma; chamomile, daffodils. Acidity***; mild biting on the back undersides of tongue. Body***; smooth, balanced body lingering faintly and lightly on the tongue. Flavor****; a wild, punchy sensation full of tangerine, sharp honey, and mild grapefruit.

I recommend this coffee to African coffee aficianados. Tanzania Peaberry is the next step in winy intensity beyond Kenyan coffee.

Coffee Review: Angel Falls Coffee's Java Taman Dadar

2010-04-22T08:04:00.003-04:00

Background: Java is one of the many Indonesian Islands located in the Asia/Pacific region of the world. Coffee from Java--in addition to that which is from Moka--forms the classic coffee blend 'Mocha Java.' Indeed, when the Dutch first planted Arabica trees in Java in the early 1700s, Java was the world's leading producer of beans. Then, a rust disease all but wiped out an industry that could not be revived until modern-day. Coffees from Java--like many other Indonesians--have a tendency toward heavier bodies and dirtier flavors. Some of the more popular origins within Java are Jampit, Blawan, Kayumas, and Pancur. Angel Falls' Java Taman Dadar is located on the Ijen Plateau in Eastern Java and is one of the company's heavier coffees. Originally, Angel Falls Coffee Company in Akron, OH began as a primary importer of Venezuelan coffee beans, as the founder himself is Venezuelan. When Venezuela's president restricted the export of coffee, however, Angel Falls lost its uniqueness. Nevertheless, it still has many fine coffees to offer any coffee enthusiast.

Tasting: Aroma****; intense hints of sparkling mint and creamy floral notes. Acidity**; some subdued biting on back undersides of tongue. Body*****; cakes heavily on palate and remains, leaving a dirty, filmy aftertaste. Flavor***; mostly heavy earthiness, some hints of spice, honey, and dark berries.

Coffee Review: Archer Farms' Bolivian Carrasco La Reserva

2010-04-15T08:15:00.003-04:00

Background: Historically, Bolivia has not been a very sought after origin. It wasn't until the late 1950s until serious coffee production began in Bolivia and it wasn't until 2005 that Bolivia entered the specialty coffee market with Cup of Excellence competitions. Located in South America between Peru and Brazil, Bolivia lives in the shadow of more prized regions. Nevertheless, it is an emerging market and deserves strong consideration from coffee lovers. Archer Farms' Bolivian roast is one of its seasonal coffees sold in classy tins for a somewhat steeper price (but still relatively cheap). The Carrasco la Reserva is located in the La Paz region of Western Bolivia, in the high mountains. Though not certified organic, coffee from this region is grown using predominantly organic methods.

Tasting: Aroma***; smoky with hints of chocolaty sweetness. Acidity*; no recognizable bite on the tongue, very smooth. Body****; very heavy, lingering on the back and caking across the palate. Flavor***; very charred/ashy with faint hints of buttery caramel and even fainter notes of dark berries.

I would recommend this coffee to anyone interested in heavy coffees. Though located nowhere near it, this coffee reminded me of a French Roast Sumatra--a very dirty and clingy coffee with an ashy aftertaste. Try it if this strikes your fancy.

Coffee Review: Archer Farms' Organic Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

2010-04-11T07:14:00.002-04:00

Background: Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and perhaps has more invested in its quality than any other country. Traditional coffee ceremonies are held by Ethiopians, who make coffee consumption a part of their everyday lives just as much as coffee production is vital to them as a means of obtaining cash. Yirgacheffe, located in South Central Ethiopia, is one of Ethiopia's finest and most distinctive growing regions. Processed almost always using the wet method, the sharpness of the fruity flavor notes are removed leaving a rounder and softer fruitiness behind. Yirgacheffes, along with Harrars, are typically grown on small plots using traditional methods and therefore are more likely to be certified organic than others in Ethiopia. Archer Farms' Organic Ethiopia Yirgacheffe is one of its staples in its line of Organic coffees sold in the cream colored bag.

Tasting: Aroma****; pungent florally aroma with a deep sweetness. Acidity***; balanced with some gentle biting on the middle undersides of tongue. Body***; round with faint and light lingering on the back of tongue. Flavor*****; intense notes of melong and deep berries with hints of dull citrus-like lemon and creamy honey.

I recommend this coffee to African-coffee aficionados. It is the finest African coffee I've yet tasted and takes a developed palate to fully appreciate its depth. Also, I recommend Archer Farms' version specifically to those on a budget. Target's premium brand has some interesting selections for very low prices, this definitely being one of them.

Angel Falls Coffee: Akron, OH

2010-04-02T07:47:00.005-04:00

Background: Founded by native Venezuelan and master coffee roaster Rafael Oletta, Angel Falls Coff ee began as a primary source for quality Venezuelan coffee--as well as other single-origins and specialty blends. Nearly five years ago, however (the website, last updated 2005, still lists Venezuelan coffee for sale), Hugo Chavez in Venezuela outlawed the export of coffee. Therefore, the only thing Venezuelan about the coffee shop now is its name and the fact that it sells (delicious) El Rey Venezuelan chocolates. The shop itself, located on market square in Akron, OH, is open Monday through Thursday from 7am to 10pm, Friday and Saturday from 7am to midnight, and Sunday from 9am to 10pm.

Store Ambiance: The patio outside of Angel Falls Coffee has plenty of seating as much of the area along the strip of local shops is reserved for Angel Falls. As you walk in, 80s and 90s pop music is playing through a system linked with http://www.slacker.com/, an online music source. Immediately inside the entrance is a wrap around coffee counter straight ahead, a wall of merchandise to the left, and the cafe/dining area through a doorway to the right. Two servers, both male and in their thirties-forties, were shuffling around behind the counter. On the counter was an assortment of El Rey Chocolates. As the counter wrapped around toward the left-back of the store, there was a display case of whole bean coffee from a variety of regions. On the wall to the left was first a counter of books and memorabilia from local authors and celebrities and then further back a shelf-bay of full leaf teas. As I walked through the doorway into the dining area, I was perplexed by the intended mood of the shop. There were several comfy chairs (some cloth, some leather) mixed and matched with a few tables and sofas. There was a large treasure chest being used as a coffee table. On the wall, there was everything from a giant picture of an abstract Dalian dragon painting, a vintage black and white family portrait, and album covers from singers such as Doris Day and Bette Middler. There was a large bookshelf with books about art and history on it, as well as some children's books on the bottom shelf. The room was small--no bigger than an average family room--but cozy enough.

The menu and my selection: The menu was a little less impressive than I had imagined it to be--but there were some rather unique options. First, there was what Angel Falls called the Volcane Hot Chocolate--which was made with any of the available El Rey Hot Chocolates and steamed half-and-half. They also had smoothies, available in flavors such as cherry, mango, strawberry banana, and kiwi-banana. They had freezes in flavors such as mocha, mint-chip, mocha peanut butter, and flavor creme. They also had coffees, teas, iced teas, hot chocolates, chai, Italian soda, steamers, cortadas, french presses, coffees au lait, espresso, cappuccinos, lattes, and mochas. One cool option they had was to substitute rice milk for regular. I decided to get a small cup of the Colombia Mesa de los Santos coffee. It was lightly roasted, medium-bodied and highly acidic, with notes of sharp hazelnuts and juicy light berries. I also got a double 12 oz. latte with rice milk, just to see what it was like. The rice milk did not carry the espresso well and the beverage was very light on the tongue. The espresso itself had a mild honey sweetness to it.

I recommend Angel Falls Coffee to anyone who lives nearby and is looking for a quiet place to kill some time. The espresso was pretty good and the selection of whole bean coffees was worth the visit.

Peaberry's Cafe: Canfield, OH

2010-04-01T09:15:00.003-04:00

Background: Peaberry's Cafe and Bakery opened in 1993 in Canfield, OH, having since opened a second location on the Youngstown State University campus. The cafe uses Crimson Cup coffee, a wholesale coffee shop consulting company and roaster out of Columbus, OH, for its coffee and espresso beverages. Chris Cole, the owner and operator, is a self-professing coffee aficionado with his own coffee blog that also functions as a blog for his company. The main cafe is opened from 6am to 8pm Monday through Thursday, 6am to 10pm on Friday, 7am to 10pm and Saturday, and 8am to 6pm on Sunday. It is a popular gathering place for local business professionals as well as students--especially in the mornings.

Store Ambiance: Peaberry's is the typical, classy, hometown coffeeshop--arranged like my Panera Breads that I have visited. Popular folksy, light rock is playing as you walk past the outdoor eating area and into the lobby. There are two entrances, to the left leads to the cafe/dining area and bakery and to the right is the espresso bar and checkout counter--as well as a few tables and comfy chairs. Between the two entrances is a pathway connecting them, where the tidy condiment bar stands. The seating area is spacious, with a private room in the far back and a elegant fireplace creating in the main area creating a rustic feel. Along the wall next to the private room is a display featuring whole bean coffee from various roasters including Crimson Cup, Zoka, Longbottom, Jersey Shore, and Big Bend, as well as tumblers, t-shirts, espresso cups, and other Peaberry merchandise. Next to the merch-wall is the bakery counter where the freshly-baked pastries are displayed and the baking operations can be somewhat seen in the back. At the espresso bar end of the lobby, where I sat in a plush leather swiveling comfy chair next to a collection of classic novels from Balzac, Dickens, Twain, Austen, etc. as well as some books on coffee, the server greeted me pleasantly, informing me about the free refill that came with my purchase. The coffee was served from a set of Bunn aluminum pour over coffee dispensers. The espresso was ground and brewed freshly. The menu boards were a cream color with a brown font--making me thinking of coffee as I made my purchase. Along the counter stood some syrups, boxes of Crimson Cup tea, and a display case of some pastries. As I sat in my chair and read, I was able to see the traffic going by outside of the large window facade beside me.

The menu and my selection: The menu in the espresso bar side of the lobby (there was a large dining menu in the bakery including salads, paninis, etc.), contained four major sections: 'Specialty Beverages,' 'Frozen Peaberry's,' 'Blended Fruit Smoothie,' and 'Chilled Peaberry's.' The 'Specialty Beverages' included the Latte, the Cappuccino, The Vanilla Bean Latte, the Cafe Breve, The Caramel Temptation (Peaberry's signature drink), the Amaretto Mocha, etc. The 'Frozen Peaberry's' menu contained blended drinks such as the Frozen White Chocolate Mocha and the Frozen Peppermint Hot Chocolate. The 'Blended Fruit Smoothie' portion contained smoothies such as Wild Berry, Peach, and Strawberry Banana. The 'Chilled Peaberry's' portion contained Iced Lattes such as the Iced Raspberry Mocha and the Iced Temptation as well as Iced Chai Lattes and Iced Brewed Tea. There is also a small coffee menu consisting of a regular brewed, a decaf brewed, and a flavor of the day. I chose, for my two purchases, the Caramel Temptation and the regular house coffee (Crimson Cup's Armando's Blend). The Caramel Temptation was essentially a caramel latte. The espresso was light and smooth with caramel notes accented by the buttery caramel flavoring. The coffee was a balanced blend with little acidity, a medium body, and clear vibrant flavor notes of buttery almonds and walnuts.

I highly recommend Peaberry's Cafe and Bakery. It is very conducive to social gatherings, but also provides elusive seating for studying and such. Certainly, there is no coffee shop like it within a twenty to thirty mile radius at least. Check it out for sure!

Would You Like Some Cheese with That...Coffee?

2010-03-29T06:59:00.004-04:00

Traditionally, wine and cheese pairings have been staples of culinary connoisseurs. Recently, I have gotten into learning about artisan cheese. Surprisingly, there is a niche market out there for pairing coffee with cheese. The Pacific Northwest Cheese Project, an artisan cheese co-op in the U.S., has been one of the many contributors to this culinary endeavor. Coffee is tasted or 'cupped' much like wine is, involving the same amount of sophistication and technique among professionals. So, though it may seem repulsive at first, why not try coffee and cheese?

The other day, I tried some Peru Chanchamayo (coffee) with some Wisconsin Cheddar (cheese). The results were bewildering. The sharp notes of the cheddar melted perfectly into the tangy tangerine notes in the Peruvian coffee. It was like the two were made for each other. Cheese and Coffee may take a while to catch on in both the mainstream specialty coffee and mainstream artisan cheese worlds. But my personal experience gave me an idea to log away for the future.

Coffee Lover's Library: Brewing Justice by Daniel Jaffee

2010-03-26T06:40:00.002-04:00

About the author, Daniel Jaffee, from the cover: "Daniel Jaffee is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at Michigan State University."

Summary: This book is probably the most comprehensive academic study of fair trade coffee. Though written from an explicitly anti-capitalist slant, Jaffee does provide an incredible amount of insight into the community and culture surrounding coffee production. We seem to have an unconscious notion that "the stork" or "the coffee fairy" just drops the green beans off in America to be roasted, but the actual situation is much more complicated. Jaffee lives in the Oaxaca region of Mexico for several years with the indigenous coffee farmers, painstakingly documenting his personal encounters as well as collecting information for the vast amount of statistical analyses he provides. In discussing problems of the fair trade movement, Jaffee tackles issues such as whether market-driven or social-driven fair trade is more beneficial to coffee farmers, whether it is a good idea for fair trade certifiers to lobby for multi-national corporation support, and whether or not consumers can trust the fair trade certification labels. In the end, Jaffee concludes that what is needed is an alternate system of fair trade--differentiated from the rest of the marketplace.

Copyright: 2007 by The University of California Press
Pages: 331

Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis
A Movement or a Market: A history of the roots of fair trade as a social movement and its evolution into a niche market for socially-conscious customers.
Coffee, Commodities, Crisis: A discussion of the local impact of coffee farmers from global price crashes in coffee and other commodities.
One Region, Two Markets: Jaffee recounts his experiences in the Oaxaca region of Mexico and his associations with farmers producing FTO(fair trade organic) certified coffee and farmers producing coffee for the 'conventional' market (everything else).
The Difference a Market Makes: An in-depth analysis of the minute differences in the well-being of farmers who produce FTO coffee and those who produce 'conventional' coffee.
A Sustainable Cup?: A discussion of fair trade, shade-grown, and organic certifications as well as the difficulties farmers encounter in meeting the criteria for certification.
Eating and Staying on the Land: A discussion of coffee as the most important cash crop, farmers leaving coffee production when prices are down, and immigration as a means to fight starvation.
Dancing with the Devil?: A review of the fair trade certification organizations attempts to gain mult-national corporate support and the problems in compromising on certification criteria in order to gain more popularity.
"Mejor, Pero No Muy Bien Que Digamos": An anecdotal review of the Oaxaca coffee farmers' opinions in regards to the costs and benefits of fair trade certification.
Strengthening Fair Trade: Jaffee's final plea to restore fair trade as a social movement and establish greater bargaining power in dealing with large corporations.
Acknowledgments, Appendix: Research Methods, Notes, Bibliography, Index

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Peru Chanchamayo

2010-03-23T08:57:00.003-04:00

Background: Peru is becoming an emerging force in South American coffees, overshadowed for much of history by Colombia and Brazil. Perhaps its most marketable quality is its innate environmental sustainability. It currently has more certified organic coffee than any other country in the world and has a large percentage of its producers under Fair Trade agreements. Starbucks' new Peru Chanchamayo, an addition to its seasonal brown bag line of coffees, is Fair Trade Certified, USDA Organic Certified, and Conservation International Certified. It is grown on the eastern slopes of the Andes mountains in central Peru--the "Chanchamayo" province--and collected from two separate coffee cooperatives: Tahuantisuyo and Sangareni. It is processed using the washed method, grown between 1,200 and 2,000 meters above sea level, and includes the varietals Bourbon, Criollo, and Typica.

Tasting: Aroma**; faint herbal aroma that dissipates as coffee cools. Acidity***; some quick and gentle biting on the back undersides of the tongue. Body***; a nice, round, medium body that lingers faintly on the back of the tongue. Flavor****; juicy sour tangerine with vibrant tobacco notes, sweet herbs, and light nuttiness.

I recommend this coffee, first, to anyone who enjoys a smooth and mild cup of coffee. Also, anyone who smokes may enjoy this coffee as an after dinner coffee with a cigar. Finally, socially-conscious coffee customers may want to purchase this coffee as it is sustainable in about every way imaginable.

Coffee Review: Caribou Coffee's Costa Rica Sombra del Poro

2010-03-23T08:33:00.006-04:00

Background: Costa Rica is recognized as one of the finest origins in the world, specifically for coffee coming from its famed Tarrazu region. La Minita, a famed estate from this region, produces only 289,000 pounds annually all of which commands very high prices. Other names to look out for include Juan Vinas, H. Tournon, Windmill, Monte Bello, Santa Rosa, Central Valley, Sarchi, Tres Rios, Alajuela, and Naranjo. Many of the producers from these regions are represented by the Specialty Coffee Association of Costa Rica, which organizes an internationally famed contest called the Cosecha de Oro for the purchase of the best Costa Rican beans. Caribou's Costa Rican coffee, a seasonal coffee, is grown in the region of Tarrazu in a biologically diverse environment shaded by poro trees.

Tasting: Aroma***; gentle fragrance of creamy, florally mint. Acidity***; balanced with some gentle biting on the front undersides of the tongue. Body*****; very heavily-bodied, laying thickly on the palate and leaving a creamy texture. Flavor****; deep notes of blackberries and creamy chocolate.

I recommend this coffee really to anyone who enjoys coffee. Though Caribou's may no longer be available, any Costa Rican Tarrazu coffee will probably do. It is a nice, balanced cup full of flavor and smooth texture.

Coffee Review: Caribou Coffee's Mocha Java

2010-03-23T08:16:00.004-04:00

Background: Mocha Java is one of those classic blends in specialty coffee. Originally referring to a blend of coffees from Mocha and Java, it has come to be known as a generic name for a blend that embodies similar characteristics--usually involving heavily-bodied chocolaty fruitiness. Many blends today do not specify and probably do not contain beans from either Mocha (in Yemen) or Java (in Indonesia). Caribou's Mocha Java blend is marketed as an exotic coffee, roasted darkly and described as sweet, heavy, and syrupy. It is one of the staple blends in the company's line-up and has become increasingly more popular over the years.

Tasting: Aroma***; very faint dark berries and clear, stinging dull mint. Acidity**; some gentle biting on the back undersides of the tongue. Body*****; thickly cakes and lingers heavily on the back of the tongue. Flavor****; highly pronounced light and dark berries with a hint of syrupy sweetness and dark cocoa.

I recommend this coffee for the adventurous--anyone who takes pleasure in complexity. Also, the coffee goes well with chocolate and probably any heavily-creamed pastry or dessert.

Coffee Review: Archer Farms' Burundi Kayanza

2010-03-23T07:50:00.004-04:00

Background: Burundi, although it has a rich history in coffee production dating back to the 1930s, has just recently become a staple of the specialty coffee industry. Even now, some may consider it a rare gem. As Burundi is an African country from which 96% of the coffee produced is of the Arabica crop, the coffee rarely tastes harsh and is almost always an intricate cup. Kayanza is a city located in northern Burundi, the region from which most specialty Burundian coffee is purchased. Archer Farms, Target's premium food brand, processes its Burundi Kayanza coffee at a washing station called Bwayi, near the Rwandan border. The station, the company claims, works tirelessly to ensure "top quality cherries, just compensation and traceability for specialty lots."

Tasting: Aroma**; very light with some faintly sweet floral notes. Acidity**; some slight and gentle on the tip of the tongue. Body****; very heavily bodied, layering thickly on the back of the tongue. Flavor***; subtle yet pervasive notes of blackberry and lemon.

I recommend this coffee to anyone who is not used to African coffees but wants to explore. The fruity flavor notes are not too intense to turn people away but neither are they completely absent.

What's the Difference?

2010-03-20T08:21:00.007-04:00

I have often been asked the question as to what the difference is between 'specialty' coffee and 'gas station' coffee. What justifies paying twice the amount at Starbucks as you do at Speedway? Isn't one cup of coffee the same as any other? My answer is a qualified NO! Although the higher price of some specialty coffees like Starbucks is certainly due to the psychological recognition of such brands as premium brands, 'specialty coffee' is more than marketing. There are some companies that simply put more into ensuring the quality of their coffees than other companies do. Essentially, there are three factors that contribute to the quality of coffee you get from a coffee shop.

The first step in achieving quality coffee begins at origin. Do you know where the coffee you are purchasing came from or does it just say something generic like "coffee" or "100% Arabica" on the package? How close can the coffee retailer pin-point the coffee's origin? By farm? By region? By country? By continent? Or none of the above? Why is this feature so important? Because if the retailer knows precisely where the coffee came from, the chances are greater for the quality of its harvesting and processing to be more clean-cut. The coffee beans actually come from a fruit and go through highly involved processes to be removed. Many factors attribute to the quality of the bean as it is being processed so it helps to know something of the quality standards held by the particular farm harvesting the bean. Some very high quality specialty coffee retailers, however, do not reveal the locations of the coffees in some of their blends so as not to give away the 'secret ingredient' to the blends. In order to ascertain the quality of blends, you must ask the retailer about its quality standards in the farms that it deals with or if it even knows what farms it deals with. There are objective criteria in measuring defects in coffee beans. Does the retailer even know where its coffee comes from or does it just advertise itself as the "finest coffee available."

The second step contributing the quality of a particular brand's coffee is the roasting. Coffee roasting is a very intricate process as the coffee bean is very delicate. A whole culture exists around the art and science of roasting, including a professional organization and a trade magazine. It is serious business. The level of investment in roasting determines the quality of the coffee that ends up in the cup (or on the shelf at the grocer) just as much as the level of investment in the processing of the coffee. If coffee is roasted carelessly, the quality is lessened. Underroasting can leave coffee tasting bitter and overroasting can leave it tasting burnt. When attempting to select a higher quality coffee, pay attention to what the retailer says about its roasting standards.

The third step contributing to quality coffee is how the coffee is actually brewed. Brewing coffee is simply extracting the flavor oils from the beans using hot water, but some brewing methods achieve this goal more efficiently and effectively than others. Most coffee shops brew their coffee using drip brewers. Although brewing through paper filters leaves much of the flavor oils behind, it is quicker to brew coffee in such a way. A french press, or press pot, is preferable but more time consuming. In this method, the coffee sits ground coarsely at the bottom of the pot, the pot is filled with near-boiling water, and then a mesh filter is plunged four minutes later thrusting the coffee grounds to the bottom and leaving the brewed coffee above the filter. Some specialty coffee retailers, like Intelligentisa in Chicago, brew coffee using only french presses. The more important metric of coffee quality, however, is the proportions of coffee to water used. The Specialty Coffee Association of America recommends 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to every 6 fluid ounces of water. Brewing a higher proportion of coffee to water yields a 'stronger' taste and brewing a higher proportion of water to coffee yields a 'weaker' taste. Most specialty coffee retailers, including Starbucks, follow the SCAA's recommendation. Other coffee retailers, like Dunkin' Donuts, Tim Hortons, McDonalds and Speedway, brew 'weaker' coffee--making is less expensive to brew but also more palatable to consumers who think coffee like Starbucks is 'too strong.'

The bottom line in quality coffee is that you will choose to drink coffee that you recognize as a reasonable price for your palate. In other words, in spite of the objective criteria mentioned above, the quality of the coffee is just as dependent on the person drinking it as it is on the company bringing it to market. Nevertheless, if you are consuming the coffee for more than just a quick caffeine buzz, I would advise you always to research what you are drinking.

USBC: Another Update

2010-03-19T12:48:00.005-04:00

Two more Regional Championships have passed since I've last commented on the United States Barista Championship. First, on the weekend of March 5-7, Jeremy Sterner of Peregrine Espresso in Washington DC won the Mid-Atlantic Regional Championship. Then, last weekend, Michael Phillips (name ring a bell?) from Intelligentsia Coffee in Chicago won the Great Lakes Regional Barista Championship. This weekend, the Northeastern Regional Championship, is the last regional before the Semi-Finals in Minneapolis, MN on May2-5. From there, the top barista in the U.S. will go on to compete in the World Barista Championship in London on June 23-25. Here's a breakdown of who you can expect to see in Minneapolis...and maybe even London:

MidWest Regional: Michael Marquard of Kaldi's Coffee
South Central Regional: Lorenzo Perkins of Caffe Medici
Mountain Regional: Greg Lefcourt of Ozo Coffee
Southeast Regional: Lem Butler of Counter Culture Coffee
Western Regional: Pete Licata of Honolulu Coffee Company
Mid-Atlantic Regional: Jeremey Sterner of Peregrine Espresso
Great Lakes Regional: Michael Phillips of Intelligentsia Coffee
Northeast Regional: March 19-21
Semi-Finals: May 2-5 in Minneapolis, MN
World Barista Championship: June 23-25

P.S. It has just recently been confirmed that the 2011 World Barista Championship will be held in Colombia!

Lemon Grove Cafe: Youngstown, OH

2010-03-18T07:09:00.005-04:00

Background: The Lemon Grove Cafe opened just months ago in August of 2009. Jacob Lee Harver, its founder, received the vision for his company when looking into his family's backyard pear orchard. Thinking it would be nice to have a lemon grove instead, he planted several trees and they flourished. Like his lemon grove, Jacob intends to transform downtown Youngstown into something new and provocative with his "cafe/coffee shop/bar/art gallery/performance space/community gathering spot." The cozy cafe is located at 122 W. Federal St., just down the street from the heart of the Youngstown State University Campus. The hours, catering explicitly to students, are 7 days a week 11am-4am. There is some kind of performance event that goes on virtually every night featuring local artists, performers, and thinkers.

Store Ambiance: The layout of the cafe is one of the most interesting I've seen. It is long and narrow with a small stage just to your right as you walk in at the storefront. Along the wall on the left is a collage of flyers for coming performances and other local events. Further into the 'corridor' on the left hand wall is a stream of artwork--most of which consists of Matisse-like impressionist style centered around themes of jazz to themes of deindustrialization. The cafe seating arrangement consists of a few tables in the front, some booths as you venture further back, and finally some comfy chairs and sofas in the far back. The bar is along the right hand wall just in front of the stage and a barista/bar tender stands wearing casual clothes ready to take your order. Hand-written menu boards are arched along the wall and a case of pastries lies just in front of the counter. The store is always buzzing the quiet murmuring of various conversations and at least three quarters of those sitting in the cafe are working on laptops. In the afternoons, Lemon Grove seems to function as a convenient workspace and in the evenings as a downtown party spot.

The Menu and my selection: In addition to being a coffee shop, Lemon Grove functions as a restaurant and bar. Therefore, there are salads, paninis, pasta dishes, and various beers. As the coffee menu goes, it is nothing less than conventional, offering signature beverages such as mochas, cappuccinos, lattes, macchiatos, and espressos. The on-hand brewed coffees are roasted by Phoenix Coffee in Cleveland, OH and are all Fair Trade Certified. On my visit, they were Guatemala, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe, and Timor. I had a cup of Timor. It was smooth with a round body only slightly heavy on the tongue, little acidity, and slight hints of dark berry and spice.

I recommend anyone who is in Youngstown, OH to stop by the Lemon Grove in order to get a taste of local culture. Though it has been there only months, it belongs to the community in such a way that it appears to have simply emerged from the landscape. Check out a blog posted by Tyler Clark, a local media professional, for more info.

Latte Art Exhibit A

2010-03-15T08:03:00.010-04:00

I find latte art fascinating. To a real barista, it is merely pencil sketching; but to me, an over-the-top wannabe, it is oil on canvas. The finesse with which a barista must operate is one that I can only aspire to. This morning, I decided to dabble with my Saeco Via Venezia espresso maker. The results are as would be expected from an amateur among amateurs. Please note that I used skim milk and Starbucks Gold Coast blend for my espresso. Oh, and all of these were achieved by 100% accident, but you can believe that I planned them with thorough artistic insight. The aftermath is as follows:

This one I call the dancing alien. It was my first endeavor. With this attempt, I had the best crema on my espresso and the best foam with my milk. That's probably how this turned out to be something vaguely cool. If you look in the center, you can see a face--something that all aliens have on their bellies (common knowledge). This alien appears to be doing the running man, though it could be some extraterrestrial break-dance technique that we earthlings have not yet picked up on.

This one I call cloud #1. It is my second attempt and looks like nothing but a white blob--a cloud, if you will. But hey, I think clouds are beautiful, don't you? This was the worst crema that I had as can be seen by the fact that there is virtually none visible through the foam. Go ahead and laugh, I'm proud of my cloud.

I must confess that I didn't see anything in this one at first. I just made such a colossal mess with it that I wanted a broader shot. When I looked at the picture, though, I realized I had made something extraordinary. This masterpiece I call 'Cat Peeing.' You can see the kitty's head poking out through the cup and its tail sticking out underneath. Behind the tail, you can see that this foamy cat didn't quite make the litter box.

Okay, so these pics aren't that impressive. I still had fun. I'm hoping to get better with practice--perhaps wishful thinking. If you want to see some real latte art, though, check out Phoenix Coffee's Blog. They know how to throw down!

Coffee Lover's Library: Uncommon Grounds by Mark Pendergrast

2010-03-14T06:54:00.005-04:00

About the author, Mark Pendergrast: from the cover, "Investigative journalist and scholar, Mark Pendergrast lives in Vermont. His other books include For God, Country and Coca-Cola, a new and revised paperback edition of which is available from Basic Books and Victims of Memory.

Summary: Uncommon Grounds: The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World is essentially a history book of several centuries told through the lens of coffee. If coffee had a memoir, this would be it. Told with an interesting mix of personality and objectivity, Pendergrast tells the story of coffees trek from Ethiopia to Arabia and then on to the rest of the world. Much is said about the coffee industry, from great historical disputes in coffee trade to the marketing tactics used by America's first corporate coffee giants. Coffee has had a lot of quirky and perky things to say over the past few centuries and Pendergrast has recorded them like a faithful scribe. Virtually any question as to why the coffee market has come to be the way it is is answered here. It is well worth the read.

Copyright: 1999 by Basic Books
Pages: 458
Cover Price: $18 in the U.S., $27.50 in Canada

Chapter-by-Chapter: Part One: Seeds of Conquest
Coffee Colonizes the World: A brief summary of coffee's trek from its Ethiopian origins to its place in society today.
The Coffee Kingdoms: A discussion of the historically exploitative cultivation of coffee in brazil, guatemala, and other Latin American countries.
The American Drink: A brief history of coffee in America with discussions on brands such as Chase and Sanborn and Folgers.
The Great Coffee Wars of the Gilded Age: A discussion of the historical roots embedded in the volatility of coffee prices in coffee trade.
Hermann Sielcken and Brazilian Valorization: A discussion of the global coffee market at the turn of the twentieth century with an emphasis on crisis in prices.
The Drug Drink: A review of the attack campaign against caffeine in coffee lead by figures such as CW post throughout the first part of the twentieth century.
Part Two: Canning the Buzz
Growing Pains: A discussion on the emerging coffee brands of the 1900s such as Hills Brothers and Maxwell House.
Making the World Safe for Coffee: A discussion of coffee during World War I, including the development of instant coffee and Colombian coffee.
Selling an Image in the Jazz Age: A review of coffee during the time of prohibition and the transfer of coffee from independent owners into the hands of multi-national corporations.
Burning Beans, Starving Campesinos: A discussion of the twentieth century plight of third world coffee farmers when prices were down and the market was flooded with excess coffee.
Showboating the Depression: A discussion of coffee in the age of advertising.
Cuppa Joe: Notes on the coffee market during World War II.
Part Three: Bitter Brews
Coffee Witch Hunts and Instant Nongratification: A review of the mid-1900s low quality, diluted, and cheap coffee flooding the market.
Robusta Triumphant: A review of coffee during the cold war and industrial changes leading into the late twentieth century.
Part Four: Romancing the Bean
A Scattered Band of Fanatics: A discussion on the roots of the specialty coffee movement including the stories of figures such as Alfred Peet and George Howell.
The Black Frost: A discussion on late twenieth century coffee origin revolutions, coffee crop plague, and global market changes.
The Specialty Revolution: A review of coffee as a premium social beverage throughout the 1970s and 1980s with discussions on Fair Trade and coffeehouse emergence.
The Starbucks Experience: The story of Starbucks and its effect on the coffee market and society.
Final Grounds: A discussion on the present and future state of coffee.
Appendix
How to Brew the Perfect Cup
Notes on Sources
List of Interviews
Acknowledgements
Index
Illustration Credits

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Guatemala Antigua

2010-03-11T08:26:00.002-05:00

Background: Guatemala is one of the most widely recognized countries for its high quality coffee. Some of the best regions are Coban, Huehuetenango, Atitlan, and--of course--Antigua. Almost all coffees from the Antigua region become internationally known for their amazing balance. Every thirty years in the Antigua region, volcanic eruptions occur making the soil richer and the coffee, therefore, more refined. Starbucks' Guatemala Antigua is very popular as a 'milder' coffee among its customers who prefer delicate balance to overpowering flavor characteristics. Also, customers are often attracted to the marketed smooth cocoa notes and recognize Starbucks' Guatemala Antigua as a naturally chocolate flavored coffee.

Tasting: Aroma***; a moderately intense lingering floral aroma rises from the cup. Acidity****; highly acidic. Biting on front and sides of the underside of the tongue. Maintains acidity as coffee cools. Body**; very little lingering effect. Some on the back of the tongue. Flavor****; subtle but intriguing. An array of nuts layered with milk chocolate and bright spices.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Verona

2010-03-11T08:19:00.003-05:00

Background: Starbucks' customer favorite Verona blend is a blend of blends. It is composed partly of Starbucks' Yukon Blend and partly of its Italian Roast blend. It is recognized as a hearty but sweet roast--comparable to Starbucks' Espresso Roast. Verona is among Starbucks' most popular coffees, being sold in Starbucks stores as well as in the grocery aisles. In the 1980s, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz took a trip to Italy and was inspired by the espresso culture that Starbucks would later seek to emulate. Cafe Verona is a blend reminiscent of Schultz's Italian experience. It is a good 'romance' coffee--notable for its sweet and refined texture.

Tasting: Aroma****; rich roasty cocoa and burnt caramel with faint floral notes. Acidity**; very slight and brief bite on the sides of the tongue. Body***; smooth body. Lingers but not heavily. Good balance. Flavor****; Intense notes of rich, dark chocolate, slight nuttiness, and a buttery smooth mouthfeel. Sugary with faint notes of marshmallow.

Do You Like Your Coffee Strong?

2010-03-08T05:02:00.006-05:00

There is a catch phrase in the vocabulary of the average coffee drinker that continually puzzles me. I can never quite figure out what exactly a person means when they refer to a particular cup of coffee as "strong." Someone will say, "I don't like their coffee. It's too strong." Someone else will say, "Give me something strong that'll wake me right up." Like these two expressions many of the contexts that surround the usage of the buzz word "strong coffee" are unrelated. One person says "strong coffee" and they are talking about one thing and another person says "strong coffee" and they are talking about something else. In order to clarify exactly what it is people are detecting in their coffee so as to classify it as strong or weak, let us consider few potential meanings of the expression.

Bitterness - Most likely this is what people are talking about when they say strong coffee. Bitterness can be in a coffee for multiple reasons and is generally not a desirable attribute. I define bitterness as the tart sensation that typically occurs on the top back of the tongue and induces somewhat of a gag reflex. It can mean that the coffee was either under or over roasted during the roasting process, that the beans themselves contained defects before roasting, that the coffee was brewed with a higher bean to water ratio than your palate is accustomed to. The Specialty Coffee Association of America recommends that desired ration to be 2 tablespoons of coffee to every six ounces of water. Starbucks uses such a ratio--as do many other specialty retailers. If you perceive this proportion as bitter, try adding a little hot water after brewing. If it's still bitter, chances are the coffee itself is not for you.

Caffeine - Some people request a strong coffee on the basis of their need for caffeine. In this case, the most obvious answer is to use a higher bean to water ratio. If you drink a cup of coffee with more coffee brewed into it, you will get more caffeine. However, this method might also increase the chances of bitterness perceived in the cup. In such a case, people would be right to assume more bitter (more heavily proportioned) cups of coffee to be more caffeinated. Yet, the level of roast may also affect the amount of caffeine present in a cup of coffee. Lighter roasts tend to be more caffeinated as it is believed that more caffeine is lost the longer coffee is roasted. Thus, high levels of caffeine may or may not be associated with "strong coffee."

Roast - Another aspect of coffee that may get it to be dubbed "strong" is the depth of its roast. Starbucks Coffee is noted both for its darker roasts (a reputation starting with Alfred Peet at Peet's Coffee) and the strength of its coffee. Darker roasts may evict the notion of bitterness though the actual taste sensation probably would not be classified as "bitter." Darker roasts have a smokier, more burnt impression on the palate. One might consider them to be more hearty or robust--definitely more aromatic. If you think it might be the roast making coffee either too strong or just strong enough for you, try a French Roast of a particular brand alongside another more mildly roasted blend of the same brand. If the darkness of the roast corresponds to what you were thinking by "strong coffee," you've found the answer.

Acidity/Body - The least likely reason people may dub a coffee strong or weak deals with the intensity of these two tasting attributes. The acidity refers to the stinging sensation on the sides of the tongue while the body refers to the weight of the coffee on top of the tongue. A highly acidic coffee may be perceived as sour--as it sort of makes you pucker when it hits the sides of the tongue. Some people may feel the "bite" of an acidic coffee and perceive it as strong. Likewise, a heavier-bodied coffee may be perceived as "strong" due to the lingering effect it has on the palate and the fullness of its texture. A heavy body takes over the mouth and sticks for hours. If either of these is the sensation you are getting in your "strong coffee," it most likely has to do with the specific coffee you are drinking and not the brand or brewing method.

Clearly, one can understand why I'm confused when I hear the expression "strong coffee." A coffee may be darkly roasted but have little caffeine. A coffee may be highly acidic but not bitter. A coffee may be highly caffeinated but have little body. There are so many meanings for "strong." So, please, if you have any decency, DO NOT ask if I like my coffee strong!

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Gold Coast Blend

2010-03-06T07:24:00.002-05:00

Background: Starbucks' Gold Coast Blend is a blend of Latin American and Asia/Pacific coffees. Introduced in 1987 to mark Starbucks' move into the Chicago market, Gold Coast is intended as a coffee to juxtapose th harsh, wintry weather of the Great Lakes region while maintaining the luxury of Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood. It is recognized, therefore, by customers as a bold yet elegant blend.

Tasting: Aroma*****; cripsy, roasty scent of deep, dark cocoa. Acidity****; bright, popping acidity from the front to back of the tongue, pronounced on the back. Body*****; lingers powerfully and smoothly. Aftertaste is just as good and consistent as immediate taste. Flavor*****; rich, dark chocolate with a truffled texture. Extreme notes of heavy cream and buttery caramel with layered herbs and spices.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Espresso Roast

2010-03-06T07:16:00.003-05:00

Background: Starbucks' Espresso Roast is its most popular blend, whether or not customers realize it. It is the coffee that is exclusively present in the company's lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, etc. Few people, however, enjoy the Espresso Roast simply as a brewed coffee. Typically, darker roasts, deeper and sweeter flavors, medium bodies, and light acidities make excellent espresso--and espresso from Starbucks falls in line with the conventions. An interesting thing to do would be to take a shot of espresso from Starbucks and taste it alongside a French Press to see if you can reconcile the flavors across the two different brewing methods.

Tasting: Aroma****; deep dark smoothly roasty aroma bursts heavily into the nostrils. Acidity***; powerful acidity for espresso, some biting on the sides of the tongue. Body***; smooth body lingering gently on the palate. Flavor****; clear flavors of burnt caramel, roasted nuts, and dark cocoa.

Slice or Dice?: Choosing a Grinder

2010-03-02T12:35:00.011-05:00

Those who are relatively new to the world of specialty coffee may be a little baffled by the intricacies of grinding. I've had customers who think that ground coffee is whole different kind of coffee than whole bean coffee. Rest assured that, when you purchase pre-ground coffee like Folgers or Maxwell House (or Starbucks or Caribou or Dunkin' Donuts for that matter), you are purchasing whole bean coffee that has merely been ground ahead of time for your convenience.

Any coffee expert will assure you, however, that such a convenience comes at a price. Pre-ground coffee has been equated to frozen food. Sure, it can still be used the same way and taste very similar to coffee that has been freshly ground, but it is just not the same. If you really want to enjoy your coffee, it is recommended to buy whole bean coffee exclusively and then grind it freshly each time you wish to brew it.

The obvious disadvantage to such an endeavor is the additional equipment necessary for grinding coffee freshly. Grinders can be expensive and--depending on the type--require periodic maintenance. Is it really worth it? If you catch an aroma of freshly ground coffee just before it brews, I think you'll think so.

So, you agree to get a grinder...but it doesn't stop there. It now comes down to a choice between essentially two types of grinders: blade grinders or burr grinders.

Blade grinders are much cheaper but do not grind the coffee in the most efficient manner so as to expose the optimum amount of flavor oils to the water for extraction. Blade grinders (much like blenders or food processors) chop the coffee beans up into little blocks, leaving flavor oils still trapped inside.

Burr grinders--while more expensive--are more efficient in the way they expose the flavor oils to water extraction. Rather than dicing the beans, burr grinders allow the beans to pass through a chamber of burrs that slice the beans (opening more surface area) as they pass through. Also, burr grinders typically have more grind settings (the more expensive have even more) that allow you to adjust the grind specifically to the method of brewing.

Blade Grinders are pretty much the same price ranging in retail from about $10-30, but Burr Grinders can be anywhere from $40-2000. A blade grinder can get the job done but, the more you care about quality in your coffee, the more you should consider switching to a burr grinder or buying a better burr grinder than you already have. To read some reviews on Burr Grinders and Blade Grinders alike, visit Coffeegeek.com.

***The above pictures are from left to right: The Mazzer Royal Burr Grinder for $1,799; The Rancilio Rocky Burr Grinder for $359; The Capresso Infinity Burr Grinder for $89; The Cuisinart Supreme Burr Grinder for $45; The Hamilton Beach Blade Grinder for $25.

USBC Update

2010-03-01T06:04:00.011-05:00

Yesterday, Pete Licata from Honolulu Coffee Company triumphed over baristas from Verve and Intelligentsia to become the Western Regional United States Barista Champion. The breakdown of the scoring is as follows:
1st Place- Pete Licata; Honolulu Coffee Co.: 705 points
2nd Place- Ryan Willbur; Intelligentsia Coffee: 681.5 points
3rd Place- Chris Baca; Verve Coffee Roasters: 655 points
4th Place- Jared Truby; Verve Coffee Roasters: 649.5 points
5th Place- Devin Pedde; Intelligentsia Coffee: 633.5 points
6th Place- Sara Peterson; Verve Coffee Roasters: 632.5 points

Keep up on the action at the USBC Website. The Next Competition is at the Meadowlands in New Jersey and will feature 22 baristas competing from cities such as Washington DC, New York City, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia. Here's a breakdown of the winners so far:

MidWest Regional: Michael Marquard of Kaldi's Coffee
South Central Regional: Lorenzo Perkins of Caffe Medici
Mountain Regional: Greg Lefcourt of Ozo Coffee
Southeast Regional: Lem Butler of Counter Culture Coffee
Western Regional: Pete Licata of Honolulu Coffee Company
Mid-Atlantic Regional: March 5-7
Great Lakes Regional: March 12-14
Northeast Regional: March 19-21
Semi-Finals: May 2-5 in Minneapolis, MN
World Barista Championship: June 23-25

Coffee Review: Caribou Coffee's Colombia Timana

2010-02-28T06:39:00.006-05:00

Background: Colombian coffee is probably most famous for its iconic Juan Valdez, the fictional coffee farmer used in ads that makes that trek down the mountain with his donkey to bring Colombian coffee to the market. Colombians take perhaps an excessive amount of pride in their coffee. The Colombian government once threatened a lawsuit against a cartoonist for humorously associating Colombian coffee with the drug trade. Also, when vehicles pass into Colombia, they are sprayed to prevent any foreign toxins from damaging coffee crops. From a consumer's perspective, Colombia is probably the most widely recognized origin in the world. If you don't know any other origin for coffee, you probably know of Colombia. Caribou's Colombia Timana coffee is one of its finest. It is from the southern state of Huila and is Rainforest Alliance Certified. In 2008, this coffee won the Consumer Report's Best Gourmet Coffee Award. By Caribou's own customers, it is heralded as one of the richest and smoothest cups they've tasted.

Tasting: Aroma**; very faint florally roasty fragrance that diminishes as coffee cools. Acidity**; surprisingly low for a South American coffee. Some popping on front underside of tongue. Body**; very smooth, leaves little presence on the tongue. Flavor****; sweet tangerines burst through this coffee, highlighted by faint nuttiness. Sweet and tangy.

Coffee Lover's Library: Coffee by Kenneth Davids

2010-02-26T05:19:00.011-05:00

About the author, Kenneth Davids: from the cover, "Kenneth Davids is the author of two other books about coffee, Espresso: Ultimate Coffee and Home Coffee Roasting: Romance and Revival. He teaches writing and history at the California College of Arts and Crafts and writes for a number of coffee industry publications and Web sites. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area."

Summary: Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying is probably the book most widely recognized as a classic in the specialty coffee world. It is has been published in five editions since its original publication in 1976--making it one of the most longstanding exhaustive coffee reference. Davids, who still heavily participates in the furthering of public coffee knowledge with his own website, offers in his first masterpiece a primarily historical perspective on all things coffee. He gives valuable background information on the origins, industry, roasting, brewing, rituals, and movements involving coffee. Many who have written on coffee since the 1970s have used Davids and this book specifically as a primary reference for their work. No self-respecting coffee enthusiast can go long without reading this classic.

Copyright: 2001 by St. Martin's Press, Paperback 5th edition
Pages: 279
Cover Price: $16.95 in the U.S., $19.75 in Canada

Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis:
Introducing It: A brief overview of the perceptions of coffee today, including those of the commercial market and those of the specialty market.
How It Started: A discussion on the legend of how coffee was discovered, the history of how it became a marketed commodity throughout the world, and the social impact of coffee over time.
Buying It: An introduction in to the market names for coffee and their roast and origin terminologies.
Tasting It: A discussion on the facts and fallacies of 'coffee tasting,' the basics of 'professional cupping,' the terminology associated with tasting coffees, and the aspects of 'bad coffee' that make it bad.
Tasting Place in It: An extensive introduction to the historical landscape, processing methods, market names, and traditional flavors of coffee origins as well as a brief discussion on blending and flavoring coffees.
How It Can Make the World Better: An introduction to 'cause coffees' such as 'Organic,' 'Shade Grown,' and 'Fair Trade,' and how they strengthen incentives for coffee farmers and broaden the horizons of the specialty coffee market.
Roasting It: A discussion on the equipment involved in roasting, the science and art of the roasting process, and advice for roasting green coffee beans at home.
Grinding It: Advice on storing coffee, grinding coffee freshly, different types of grinders, and fineness of grind for different brewing methods.
Brewing It: A plain review of how coffee is brewed (hot water, combination with coffee, separation from coffee), advice on how to brew coffee optimally, and a detailed discussion on the different methods of brewing coffee.
The Espresso Side of It: A discussion on the meaning and history of espresso as well as descriptions of the classic espresso cuisine (cappuccino, caffe mocha, caffe latte, chai latte, etc.) throughout the decades.
Espresso at Home: A detailed discussion (he has an entire book on this subject) on home brewing techniques, common contemporary espresso-based beverages, advantages/disadvantages of the major espresso machines currently on the market, and a glossary of espresso terminology.
Serving It: A discussion on the ancient rituals and ceremonies of serving coffee and the accessories involved in serving coffee.
Growing It: A detailed discussion on how coffee is grown, harvested, processed, cleaned and sorted, graded, and brought to market.
Celebrating It: A history and commentary on coffeehouse culture.
Staying Healthy Drinking It: A review of the historical health debates on caffeine in coffee as well as a discussion on decaffeinated coffees and the processes of decaffeination, pesticides used in coffee production, and the health elements of artificial flavorings.
Words for It: A glossary of coffee terms
Sending for It: A list of resources for purchasing equipment, flavor syrups, and--most importantly--quality whole bean coffee.
Those Who Know About It: A list of acknowledgments (the who's who of the coffee world, including some of the names behind the big names in the coffee business).

The Oatmeal Crusades

2010-02-24T07:41:00.008-05:00

On January 12, Caribou Coffee rolled out its line of "Handcrafted Oatmeal." From its birthplace in Minneapolis, MN, Caribou has done a pretty good job expanding throughout the meager two decades of its existence. Though Caribou may not yet hold the status of household name, its most recent launch reveals its intentions to lay hold of it. Just over one year ago, that other company--what's its name? Oh yeah, Starbucks--rolled out a line called "Perfect Oatmeal." While Starbucks has offered various toppings (fruit, nuts, and brown sugar) for its "Perfect Oatmeal," Caribou's "Handcrafted Oatmeal" is available in five flavors (classic, maple brown sugar crunch, apple cinnamon, cranberry orange, and very berry). Moreover, Caribou's launch, like that of Starbucks, includes "pairings" in which customers can receive discounts for purchasing the oatmeal with certain beverages. So what does all this mean to the specialty coffee market? By engaging in a game of Oatmeal Wars with Starbucks, Caribou has said, "Guess hat? I'm not the little guy anymore." More importantly, though, they have said to Starbucks, "Guess what? You're not the only big guy anymore."

By going head to head with Starbucks, Caribou has opened a level of the coffee market that has been somewhat mysterious as of late. Many people have been at a loss as to how to classify Starbucks. It doesn't quite belong with quick fix names such as Tim Hortons and Dunkin' Donuts, but it certainly doesn't reach the heights of names such as Intelligentsia Coffee or Stumptown Coffee Roasters. Starbucks has some quality roasted coffees and yet its retail outlets are run like fast-food chains. Until now, we've had to sort of dump Starbucks into one category or another. With Caribou Coffee creeping up and gaining market share, however, there seems to be a whole other level of the coffee market emerging--a middle ground, if you will. There now seems to be a continuum of "I just need my caffeine fix, man, so I can make it through the work day!" to "I just want to sit down and enjoy the culinary sensation of an excellently prepared cup of coffee!" Starbucks and Caribou together, along with other emerging middle-grounders such as Gloria Jean, are creating a market that says, "I need something quick to perk me up but with enough quality to make me feel sophisticated."

With middle-grounders like Caribou and Starbucks using such things as gimmicky Oatmeal to bring in customers, they are making their target market clear--the everyday people who just want some modest luxury (even if it's fake). Those of us obsessed with quality in our coffee may be concerned that the coffee, behind such promotions, seems to fade into the background. People care more about their "Frappuccinos" and "Coolers" than they do about the coffee. Our reactions, if you'll pardon the pun, may be rather 'bitter' toward these middle-grounders. When we make such accusations, however, we must be careful. We must remember the market that companies like Starbucks and Caribou are now occupying. It's unfair to criticize Starbucks customers for loving "Frappuccinos" and Starbucks for selling them. That is the business that Starbucks is in. The whole bean coffee of these middle-grounders, however, is still there for the time being. We must remember not to read "Cooler" or "Handcrafted Oatmeal" into the french pressed cup of Colombia Timana that we are leisurely drinking. The coffee exists in its own right and we'd do well to treat it with objectivity.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Kenya

2010-02-23T06:09:00.004-05:00

Background: Kenya is one of the most distinctive coffee origins due to its pungent winy flavors. There are generally two kinds of highly sought after Kenyan beans, Kenya Peaberry and Kenya AA. The 'peaberry' aspect of Kenya PB refers to the fact that only one bean comes from the coffee fruit instead of the usual two. The 'AA' is Kenya AA refers to the fact that 'AA' beans are larger than other beans given a lower grade (A, AB, etc.). The way in which Kenyan beans are brought to market is also fairly unique in that they are distributed exclusively by government-run auctions. Buyers come and offer their highest prices for the beans and whoever is the highest bidder for any particular lot gets the beans. Starbucks' Kenya coffee is a single-origin blend that is classified neither as AA or PB. Nevertheless, it carries the essence of Kenyan coffee. Starbucks uses the image of an elephant to represent the coffee, playing to the psychology of our cravings for something exotic. Kenya is a highly popular coffee among some of Starbucks' more adventurous customers. Indeed, Kenneth Davids, famed commentator on all things coffee, highly recommends Starbucks' Kenyan coffee in his classic Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing, and Enjoying.

Tasting: Aroma****; deep, dark, citrusy scent similar to that of a lemon peel. Acidity*****; sharp, intense, biting pressure on the lower undersides of the tongue. Body****; lingers smoothly on tongue but heaviness balanced by other variables so that it isn't overpowering. Flavor*****; the great jewel of Kenyan coffee. Complex winy flavors include intense grapefruit complemented by hints of sour lemon, highly acidic orange, grapes, and light berries.

The 2010 USBC...So Far

2010-02-22T10:16:00.007-05:00

The World Barista Championships (WBC) is the olympics of coffee and is held annually throughout the world. This year, the event will be held from June 23 through June 25 in London, England. The United States Barista Championship (USBC) is the regional qualifier for the U.S. and since I am an American (cliche?), I feel inclined to cover it loosely. Therefore, below are the dates of the competition for the U.S. regions still left to compete and the winners of the U.S. regional competitions for those who have already competed.

South Central Regional: Lorenzo Perkins of Caffe Medici
Mountain Regional: Greg Lefcourt of Ozo Coffee
Southeast Regional: Lem Butler of Counter Culture Coffee
Western Regional: February 26-28
Mid-Atlantic Regional: March 5-7
Great Lakes Regional: March 12-14
Northeast Regional: March 19-21
Semi-Finals: May 2-5 in Minneapolis, MN

Keep up with me on the happenings of barista championships. It's exciting!

Coffee Lover's Library: The Coffee Companion by Jim Thorn

2010-02-22T08:28:00.013-05:00

About the Author, Jon Thorn: from the cover, "Jon Thorn is a prolific food journalist working in London. He has written for a wide range of publications including A La Carte, Vogue, and Good Food Retailing, and has his own monthly magazine column on tea and coffee. He is the author of The Good Cellar Guide: How to Buy and Store Wine for Pleasure and Profit.

Summary: The Coffee Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide is the perfect book for those just getting started in the coffee world. It has the historical anecdotes, the preparation techniques, and the industrial insight to make anyone mildly interested in coffee an instant expert. The language is very readable and the narrative intriguing. Also, there are many full color photos, illustrations, and text boxes that make it worth the buy if you only have time to browse. I could not recommend this book more highly. It is a classic for the coffee enthusiast.

Copyright: 2006 by Quintet Publishing Limited, Paperback 2nd edition
Pages: 160
Cover Price: $18.95 in the US, $23 in Canada

Chapter-by-Chapter: Part One: The Story of Coffee
The Secret Spreads: Thorn recounts the journey of coffee from Ethiopia to Arabia in 575 AD and then to the rest of the world beginning in the early 1600s.
What is Coffee?: Thorn describes the botanical elements of coffee and then proceeds to describe in detail how the coffee is harvested, processed, and exported.
Tasting Coffee: Thorn describes how coffee is tasted by connoisseurs and introduces some of the professional terminology.
Roasting Coffee: Thorn describes how coffee is roasted by master roasters and introduces some of the professional terminology.
Grinding Coffee: Thorn describes how quality coffee is ground for various brewing methods.
Making Coffee: Thorn discusses the uses of different brewing methods (drip, french press, espresso) as well as the professional techniques of baristas in specialty coffee shops.
Buying Coffee: Thorn gives advice on what to look for when purchasing whole beans as well as how to handle and store them once purchased.
Coffee Around the World: Thorn discusses the culture of coffee and how it is consumed in Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, Africa, and the United States, as well as incorporating a brief discussion on the history and impact of Starbucks.
Part Two: Global Coffee Directory -- includes detailed information on how coffee is grown, processed, and marketed in the major coffee origins of the world.
Central America and the Carribean: Costa Rica, Cuba, The Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Puerto Rico
South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Galapagos Islands, Peru, Venezuela
Africa: Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Cong, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, St. Helena, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Asia: China, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Phillipines, Vietnam
Australia and the Pacific Rim: Australia, Hawaii, Papua New Guinea

At the end of his book, Thorn also includes a Useful Links page, including Institutions and Coffee Bodies, Sustainable and Ethical Coffee Organizations, Reference, Consumer Advice, Equipment Retail Sites, and Roaster and Retail Sites, as well as a general glossary of terms throughout his book.

K-Cups: The Ultimate Clash of Quality and Convenience

2010-02-20T07:13:00.005-05:00

In our increasingly faster-paced world, quickness and convenience are in greater demand for all of our products and services, not the least of which is our coffee. Enter the highly popular single-cup home brewing systems from Keurig and their accompanying famed K-Cups. The pods of pre-ground, pre-portioned coffee come from some of the most recognized roasters. Among the brands that produce K-Cups are Caribou Coffee, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Gloria Jean's. The benefits of brewing with K-Cups are obvious and beneficial to the busy or relatively uninterested individual. There is no grinding. There is no measuring. We save on hassle. We save on time. Keurig's own site suggests that is system "takes all the guesswork out of making a great cup of coffee."

I would clarify Keurig's self-promotion by insisting that K-Cups do take out all of the guesswork...but only of making a decent cup of coffee. Why? What's the problem? I've already said that K-Cups coffees are roasted by some of the best. I agree that the fineness of the grind is probably appropriate for its drip brewers. I would also assume that Keurig is knowledgeable enough to use appropriate proportions in its coffee pods. The problem arises with the freshness of the grind. Any pre-ground cup of coffee necessarily cannot be a great cup of coffee. The most intense flavor characteristics are released from coffee minutes after grinding so only freshly ground coffee can make an optimum cup. Most specialty coffee retailers will grind coffee for you as a courtesy but at the same time will suggest that you buy a grinder and grind it freshly just before use. It is not a difficult concept to understand. Chopping up fruit and vegetables ahead of time has the same effect. The sliced apples brown. The diced green peppers dry. The ground coffee stales. Those who are truly interested in quality coffee more so than in a quick caffeine fix should buy a grinder and purchase only whole bean coffee.

Now, my rant on freshly ground coffee being out on the table, I recognize that not all people care to the same extent about quality coffee. The level at which people are interested in coffee is probably a continuum rather than a black and white scale. Some people need their morning coffee fix but also enjoy an occasional leisure cup. For people that have one foot in both worlds, I recommend keeping a grinder with a small amount of whole beans in stock for their culinary endeavors. Starbucks and Caribou Coffee, among others, carry their whole bean coffee in as small of a quantity as a quarter pound (the equivalent of 12 six ounce cups when it is brewed. To sum it up, I recognize the demand for devices like Keurig's single-cup home brewing systems. Kenneth Davids, renowned coffee expert, even reviews K-Cups on his website. I also, however, do not want the general public to be deceived about the quality of the pre-ground coffee they are consuming. It is mediocre at best. What I would like to see in the future from Keurig is a single-cup grinder/brewer accompanied by the production of whole bean pods that pass through a grinder immediately before brewing. Who knows what the future will bring?

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Cafe Estima

2010-02-20T06:35:00.006-05:00

Background: Currently, Starbucks' Cafe Estima is the coffee giant's only Fair Trade Certified coffee. Indeed, the 'Estima' aspect of the name is a derivative of the word 'esteem,' indicative of the respect the blend shows to coffee farmers. A common misconception among consumers, however, is that 'fair trade' and 'Fair Trade Certified' are synonymous. It can and often does happen when coffee prices are high that more money is paid to farmers who are not under a 'Fair Trade Certified' agreement. Being 'Fair Trade Certified' merely guarantees a minimum price to farmers regardless of how the coffee prices fluctuate. For an academic discussion on the pros and cons of 'Fair Trade' coffee, read Daniel Jaffee's book entitled Brewing Justice and Jeremy Weber's paper entitled "Fair Trade Coffee enthusiasts should confront reality." (Can you tell which position each work takes?) Aside from the fair trade aspect of Cafe Estima, the blend is unique among Starbucks' coffees in that it is a blend of Latin American, Asian/Pacific, and African coffees whereas most Starbucks blends contain only Latin American and Asian beans. Essentially, Cafe Estima is a coffee from all around the world, a true slice of the available origins. For this reason, it is a good blend for anyone interested in coffee to start off with.

Tasting: Aroma*****; intensely smoky but somewhat camouflaged by subtle winy and florally scents. The combination somewhat stings the nose. Acidity***; powerful amount of acidity for such a geographically spread-out blend but an average amount overall. Just some mild biting along the sides and tip of the tongue. Body***; very balanced body. There is a faint lingering in the middle of the tongue but the coffee mostly washes down smoothly and rapidly. Flavor***; somewhat lacking. There does exist a clear, dull, roasty earthiness and very faint hint of winyness.

Phoenix Coffee: Coventry Road Cafe in Cleveland, OH

2010-02-19T07:26:00.007-05:00

Background: Phoenix Coffee was started in 1990 by Roaster Carl Jones in Cleveland, OH. In 1993, barista Sarah Wilson joined Phoenix and eventually married Carl, becoming Sarah Wilson-Jones, CEO and self-proclaimed 'Superbarista' of Phoenix Coffee Company. Today, Phoenix has a roastery located on Sinclair Avenue in Cleveland, as well as five cafe locations throughout the city. The product line includes single origin coffees such as Papua New Guinea Estate and Kenya AA, organic fair trade coffees such as OFT Bolivia and OFT Guatemala Huehuetenango, signature blends such as Blue Moon and Carl's Classic, over fifty artificially flavored coffees such as banana nut, chocolate rasberry, and irish cream royale. Phoenix also carries teas such as earl grey, lapsang souchong, japanese genmaicha, tung ting oolong, china jasmine, and an assortment of flavored teas including apricot, black currant, and vanilla. Phoenix also has a program in which it will send coffee 'hot off the roaster,' meaning the coffee most recently roasted whatever it may be for a set price. A large percentage of Phoenix's business is done with wholesale customers who operate cafes in northeast Ohio and throughout the U.S.

The Store Ambiance: I visited the Phoenix Conventry Road Cafe on February 16, 2010 and was impressed by cafes cozy, unassuming set-up. It was part of a large complex with other restaurants and offices surrounding it along the stretch of the street. As I entered, I descended a flight of stairs into the cafe leaving the windowed facade of the store a level above me. It was rather picturesque with the winter snow blowing outside as people passed by. As I approached the counter, I heard middle-eastern 'snake-charming' music playing, creating an exotic vibe to the store. There were two people working, both in their mid-twenties. One was a man with jeans, a t-shirt, and long dread locks pinned up behind his head. The other was a woman with short hair and one of those 'french artist' hats on her head. They both engaged in friendly banter and various tasks as I approached. As I thought about my order, I took the time to look around the cafe. There was a lot of seating room, probably twenty to thirty tables with two cushy chairs for each. There were two men in their late twenties sitting at different tables with earphones and laptops. On the walls were coffee bags from origins such as Mexico and Costa Rica, crayon drawings from local elementary school children, and a 'Phoenix Events' sign posting local news. All in all, the cafe seemed like a nice place to hang-out, socialize, study, and take a break from the blistering cold just outside.

The Menu: The menu was arranged in a set of panels inside what had once been used as window frames. They were posted on the wall behind the counter and had written on them in various fonts the available menu items. As teas go, Phoenix offered hot teas, iced teas, and 'Bubble teas,' some sort of foamy teas made with tapioca. The coffees being brewed were the house dark roast coffee called 'Blue Moon Blend' and its decaffeinated version in addition to the light roast of the day, 'Guatemala Huehuetenango. The specialty coffee and milk beverages included the cafe mocha (made with Toddy) and mocha light, the white mocha, the almond steamer, the cafe phoenix (made with espresso), the chocolaccino, the mocha swirl, the milky way, Our Own hot chocolate, irish cream hot chocolate, espresso macchiato, cappuccino, the Speedball (more intense mocha) and the Stuporball (more intense Speedball). On a shelf along the sides of the registers rested various jars with hand-written signs indicating the kinds of coffee that were in them. Resting on top of the registers was a pastry case with goodies including muffins, scones, cookies, and giant cinnamon rolls. Just below the pastry case was a refrigerated display case including drinks such as Nantucket Nectars and Maine Root fair trade sodas.

What I Had: I purchased two drinks. The first was a medium-sized (16 oz.) Blue Moon Blend coffee. The coffee was dark in comparison to most house blends. Its flavor profile was also more intricate. It had a sweet, florally, and roasty aroma, medium body with a smooth but lingering effect, biting acidity on the back of the tongue, and flavors of cocoa, roasty sweet buttery caramel, and slight orange-tangerine. I also had a cafe mocha. Phoenix's mochas, unlike many cafes, use Toddy--a cold water brewed coffee concentrate--instead of espresso. The result is a chocolatey coffee drink with less of a bite. It was smooth, light and creamy like milk chocolate rather than deep and edgy like mochas made with espresso.

Espresso Misconceptions

2010-02-18T08:16:00.006-05:00

There is perhaps no term more misunderstood in the world of coffee than the term 'espresso.' Since its creation at the turn of the twentieth century, espresso has been a unique and increasingly more popular method of brewing coffee. I will state it again for clarification--espresso is a method of brewing coffee. Although the precision, technique, and variables have evolved over time, espresso is still simply just a way to make coffee. Espresso is concentrated coffee grounds brewed rapidly and under extremely high pressure. The effect of these elements is a sweet, more robust, and more delicate version of coffee. Now that we know what espresso is, it may be a good idea to address what espresso is not. Everyone seems to have a notion of what espresso is. Here are three of the most common mistakes in thinking about espresso.

Misconception #1: Espresso=Caffeine
It is true that if you drink a eight ounce cup of espresso, you will get much more caffeine than if you drink a eight ounce cup of brewed coffee. However, espresso is not intended to be consumed by the cup but rather by the shot (1-2 ounces). A single shot of espresso contains about 75 milligrams of caffeine, about the same amount as in four to six ounces of brewed coffee. That means that if you fill up your 32oz gas station thermos with coffee, you are getting the equivalent of 5-8 shots of espresso! Espresso, in other words, does not carry the level of caffeinated intensity that one expects. A single shot is not going to send you bouncing of the walls...though four or five might. Most coffee shops, however, offer a decaffeinated version of espresso as well. Espresso is not merely about caffeine. It has a culinary quality that is meant to be enjoyed. Try espresso sometime for the flavor rather than for the boost.

Misconception #2: Espresso=Latte
The translation of the word 'latte' in Italy simply is milk. The concept of a caffe latte, in spite of its sophisticated persona, began and was perpetuated in America. The traditional Italian cappuccino consists of about 1/3 espresso and 2/3 foamy milk. The drink is never more than twelve ounces and is usually about six. By comparison, the typical caffe latte is 1/8 espresso, 6/8 steamed milk, and 1/8 dry foam. The size consumed usually ranged from twelve to twenty-four ounces. In other words, the American latte is a slightly less artful Italian cappuccino heavily portioned with milk and served in a bigger cup. When consumers unfamiliar with specialty coffee jargon order an espresso or a cappuccino, they are often looking for a caffe latte. They are looking for a twenty ounce cup of hot (usually flavored) milk with a hint of coffee flavor. Espresso, however, is merely the brewed coffee within the beverage.

Misconception #3: Espresso=Roast
This one is tricky. Most specialty coffee retailers will have a blend of coffee beans called 'Espresso Roast.' This idea simply means that they use this particular blend of coffee roasted in this particular manner in order to make their espresso and espresso-based beverages. Most 'Espresso Blend's are roasted darker, as the roasty aroma and robust flavor created by such a roast intensifies the espresso shot. So, technically, 'espresso' is a roast. However, one does not need to use an 'espresso roast' to make an 'espresso.' The way the coffee is roasted or blended has nothing to do with its compatibility with an espresso machine. Other darker roasted, heavier bodied, more intensely flavored coffees make good espresso as well. Starbucks' Gold Coast Blend, in my opinion, makes better espresso than its 'Espresso Roast.' By the same token, 'Espresso Roast's can be brewed by methods other than espresso. A press pot of Intelligentsia's Black Cat Espresso is more intricate in flavor profile than many non-espresso blends. The important thing to remember is that 'espresso' is first and foremost a method of brewing coffee.

The Toddy Alternative

2010-02-17T07:15:00.006-05:00

Just yesterday, I visited a Phoenix Coffee cafe in Cleveland, OH. Ordering a Cafe Mocha, I was shocked by the smoothness of the drink relative to Mochas I had tried at other coffee shops. Exploring the ingredients, I found the drink to consist of Phoenix's own house mocha sauce and a coffee concentrate that I'd never heard of called, 'Toddy.'

Research was in order. While 'hot toddy' is a term for a hot alcoholic beverage once believed to cure colds, the 'Toddy' that is used in Phoenix's mochas is something completely different. Patented in 1964 by inventor Todd Simpson, 'Toddy' is a really simply a coffee concentrate derived from a method of cold brewed coffee. This brewing method is achieved by steeping heavily proportioned course grounds in water for about twelve hours and then filtering them to produce a thick substance that can provide the base for blended coffee drinks, hot coffee drinks, or coffee drinks 'on the rocks.'

Today, Toddy is a trademarked business endeavor serving over 6,000 cafes in the United States--including those of Seattle's Best and Gloria Jeans. The key marketing stance of Toddy is its ability to remove one-third of the acidity in coffee through its cold brewing method. It claims to take the edge off of coffee and produce a smoother cup than conventional brewing methods. Clearly, from my own experience, the use of Toddy does take the 'bite' out of coffee drinks that traditionally use espresso. Some companies even use instant coffee for blended drinks because its solvent quality, but Toddy undoubtedly provides a better alternative. Look out for cafes that use Toddy and give it a try. You may be surprised.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Sumatra

2010-02-16T15:07:00.010-05:00

Background: Sumatra is possibly the most widely recognized coffee origin in Asia. It is an island, along with coffee origins Sulawesi and Java, located in Indonesia. Some Sumatran beans are regarded as the most heavily-bodied in the world--particularly those in the growing region of Mandheling. Other popular market names of growing regions in Sumatra include Lintong, Aceh, Ankola, Blue Batak, Gayo Mountain, and the famed Kopi Luak (not a region but a name given to the highly demanded and highly priced digested coffee of the Sumatran civet, or luak). Starbucks' Sumatra is what I will refer to as a single-origin blend. Its beans are located within the politically drawn lines of Sumatra but may come from a variety of regions (probably not Kopi Luak). The Sumatra of Starbucks is designated by the company as an 'Extra Bold' (probably in reference to the heaviness of the body) and is popular among customers who seek a 'strong' coffee, or something hearty and robust.

Tasting: Aroma*****; a deep and dull herbal scent like that of raw mint. Acidity**; very slight on the sides of the tongue but nearly neutralized by the heaviness of the body. Body*****; extremely heavy body, layering on the front to back of the tongue and lingering powerfully. Flavor****; while the earthiness and dark soil notes are intense, other mild flavors surround those notes such as peppery spice and grassy herbs. It's like drinking a garden.

I recommend Starbucks' Sumatra to customers who like their coffee black and thickly textured--the kind of customers who make fun of people who get blended coffee drinks and lattes. Starbucks' Sumatra is a very gruff, masculine coffee in personality--the unofficial coffee of lumberjacks, mechanics, and the like.

Coffee Review: Phoenix Coffee's Papua New Guinea Estate

2010-02-16T08:01:00.007-05:00

Background: Papua New Guinea is one of those hidden gems in the specialty coffee world. It is often overlooked by major brands which use Sumatra as their staple Indonesian coffee. Most of the coffee, therefore, comes from small plantations dispersed throughout the heavily-forested pacific island. Phoenix's Papua New Guinea coffee is marketed as a more affordable Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee, and the resemblance is clearly noticed upon tasting. PNG coffee, as it is called, has a dramatically different texture than the earthy rawness of its neighboring Indonesian origins. Tasted blindly, PNG may even pass as an African coffee.

Tasting: Aroma*****; sweet and sharp aroma bursts into the nostrils laden heavily with piney mahogany and light woodiness. Acidity***; some gentle biting on the front undersides of the tongue. Body**; gentle lingering on the back of the tongue. Lighter body than any Asia/Pacific coffee that I've tasted. Flavor*****; intense fruitiness. Sweet juicy orange with splashes of lemon and grapefruit accented with heavy, syrupy honey notes wash smoothly over the palate.

I would recommend this coffee to anyone who can't make up their mind between African and Asian/Pacific coffees. It has the most attractive elements of both, containing woody aromas and fruity flavors. It is one of the most intensely scented and flavored coffees that I've tried. Be prepared to be amazed!

What's Your Favorite Coffee?: The Inflated Significance of Brand

2010-02-16T07:40:00.002-05:00

What's your favorite coffee? How do you even answer that question? If you're like most people and you are asked what kind of coffee you prefer, you will answer with a brand name. Recently, a friend and I were engaged in conversation about Starbucks and he made the comment, "I don't really like Starbucks. Dunkin' Donuts is my favorite coffee." As I've unpacked this sentiment of the past few weeks, I've realized a common thread in the coffee preferences of the ordinary consumer. Most people equate a type of coffee to a brand of coffee. If you ask most people to list five kinds of coffee, they will probably say something along the lines of Folgers, Maxwell House, Starbucks, Eight o' Clock, and perhaps Dunkin' Donuts. The problem is that, especially with Starbucks and more high-end roasters, the brands themselves roast a variety of coffees all of which are unique in and of themselves. If you say you like Dunkin' Donuts better than Starbucks, which Starbucks coffee have you been drinking? Ethiopia Sidamo? Guatemala Antigua? Sumatra? Each of these coffees, though roasted by the same company, are completely different. The kind or type of coffee should speak more to the coffee's origin than to how it is marketed.

That being said, while I do think the brand is slightly overrated in the perception of quality coffee, the roast profile of the coffee does have a fairly significant bearing on how the coffee tastes when it is brewed. The finest beans from the most exclusive regions of the world are worthless if roasted improperly. Phoenix Coffee in Cleveland roasts all of its coffees to a medium 'full-city' roast (just a little darker than average). Peet's coffee in California is famous for all of its coffees being roasted darkly. Starbucks from Seattle is, perhaps unfairly, notorious for the same reason although its spectrum of roasts is broader than most people realize. Mass market coffee brands like Folgers and Maxwell House are roasted very lightly, bringing out little flavor. The lighter roasts, however, are what the typical coffee drinker is used to. Yet, even Folgers and Maxwell House have what they call a 'French Roast,' which is coffee jargon for an extremely dark roast. The point is that, while each brand has its own trademark roasting trends, it is unfair to lump such a diverse range of coffees together as one kind simply becausw they all have the same logo on the package.

If you are interested in a particular flavor of coffee but don't know how the different origins translate into the stuff that ends up in your cup, here's a brief summary of the coffee flavors of the world. Typically, Latin American coffees are roasted fairly lightly. If you don't like dark, roasty notes in your cup, a Latin American coffee is usually a safe bet. As far as the flavor goes, many Latin American coffees taste faintly nutty, lightly crispy, and smooth with subtle hints of cocoa. Some of the most popular Latin American origins are Colombia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico. African Coffees are probably the most unique. They are roasted anywhere from medium to somewhat dark. The flavors in African coffees are usually fruity, with winy hints of citrus, dark and light berries, and sometimes even dark chocolate. Some of the most popular African origins to look out for are Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Yemen, and Burundi. Asian/Pacific coffees are the kinds of coffees that you either love or hate. They are typically roasted anywhere from medium to extremely dark. The weight of the coffee is heavy on the tongue and the flavor is usually very earth, with hints of grassy herbs and pungent flowers. Some of the most popular growing regions in the Asia/Pacific area are Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Papua New Guinea, and Hawaii. Whatever kind of coffee you prefer, make sure you're making the decision based on the bean and brew rather than on the packaging and promotion.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Rwanda

2010-02-16T07:30:00.007-05:00

Background: Most of us are familiar with its recent history of brutality rather than its coffee. However, since the 1990s genocide, coffee has played a vital role in the rebounding of this war-torn economy. Starbucks in particular has given Rwanda a boost in just the past few years with its construction of the Rwanda Farmer Support Center and its addition of a strictly Rwandan coffee to its seasonal single-origin brown bag line. Rwanda is one of the western most countries in East Africa and thus its flavor profile is slightly different than that of famed origins like Kenya and Ethiopia. Rwandan coffees tend to be richer in texture but more subdued in intensity. Starbucks' Rwanda coffee is a single-origin blend as there are as yet no popular marketed names for specific growing regions in Rwanda's infant coffee economy. The beans, however, are grown specifically within 1,600 and 2,000 meters above sea level and are processed using the washed method. Over the years, coffee enthusiasts should expect greater and greater coffees from Rwanda.

Tasting: Aroma***; subtle hints of brown sugar and dull spice. Acidity***; some mild biting on the lower tip of the tongue and lower far back of the tongue. Body***; smooth but present body lingering temporarily on the back of the tongue. Flavor***; clear sense of sweet orange with small hints of rich light berries.

Most people are not used to African Coffees. I would recommend Starbucks' Rwanda to someone who is unfamiliar yet interested. It has the classic elements of African coffees but is less intense and more conducive to the casual palate.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Pike Place Roast

2010-02-16T07:18:00.007-05:00

Background: There is probably more to say about Pike Place Roast (not pronounced 'Pike's Place' or 'Pike's peak') than any other of Starbucks' coffees. It is a Latin American blend created in 2007 and marketed as a coffee that represents Starbucks' history. Starbucks originally opened in 1971 as a wholesale coffee stand located within Seattle's famed Pike Place Fish Market. Over the past few decades, Starbucks has evolved to become a ubiquitous luxury coffee brand for the masses. Pike Place Roast, in reality, represents the future of Starbucks more than its past--being a milder blend more conducive to the average American palate. In 2007, Pike Place replaced the House Blend as the in-store house coffee in all of Starbucks' retail outlets. If you go to Starbucks and ask for a cup of coffee, chances are that Pike Place Roast is what you are going to get. There have been mixed reactions amidst the customers of Starbucks as to the quality of Pike Place Roast. Some customers complain that Starbucks is selling out while others insist that it is about time Starbucks has a coffee that is 'drinkable' for everyone. If you are used to drinking mass-market pre-packaged blend coffee brands such as Folgers or Maxwell House, you are probably looking for something along the lines of Pike Place Roast when you visit a local cafe.

Tasting: Aroma*; very little scent except for a slight roastiness before it cools. Acidity***; balanced bite on the middle sides of the tongue. Body**; virtually no weight, slides of the tongue cleanly without lingering. Flavor***; clear notes of mixed nuts accented with very faint butter cocoa.

I would recommend Pike Place Roast to the casual coffee drinker. Just want a 'cup of Joe?' Pike Place is for you. There is nothing exceptional in it, but it is a smooth cup amenable to virtually any palate.

Coffee Review: Starbucks Coffee's Mexico Chiapas

2010-02-16T06:51:00.005-05:00

Background: All Mexican coffees come from the southern part of Mexico and the famed Chiapas region is the southern most part of the country, bordering Guatemala. Chiapas coffee is also marketed under the names Tapachula and Huixtla, cities surrounding the region. Chiapas coffee is the highest grown coffee in Mexico and on of the highest grown in the world. The elevation shields the crop from the elements and produces a sturdier and less corrupted bean. In other words, the higher elevation reduces the risk of there being any defect in any given cup that you drink. Starbucks' Mexico Chiapas coffee is grown at an elevation of 1,000-1,300 meters above sea level. It is produced on the Santa Teresa and Guadalupe Farms, using the varietals (bean subspecies) catuai, caturra, and bourbon. For several years, Starbucks has been sporadically bring the Chiapas coffee into it's stores and has just this year added it to its seasonal single-origin brown bag line (including Colombia, Brazil, Arabia Mocha Sanani, Sulawesi, Rwanda, and Peru). Starbucks customers who enjoy its Organic Shade Grown Mexico or Guatemala Antigua may want to give this gem a try.

Tasting: Aroma***; faint florally aroma dashed with some roasty cocoa and light nuts. Acidity*****; burning and lingering bite from the tip of the tongue all the way to the back. Wakes up the palate like no other coffee that I've tasted. Body***; well-balanced weight, gliding gently over the tongue and lingering briefly. Flavor****; complex flavor arrangement of light and dark nuts, light and dark chocolates, and faint herbs.

I recommend this coffee to anyone who is used to Latin American Coffees (mild or medium coffees often used for gas station coffees or house blends at specialty roasters) but is ready to take it to the next level. It has a very lively kick which makes it perfect as a breakfast coffee.

Wake Up and Taste the Coffee: My Tasting Guidelines

2010-02-15T00:48:00.003-05:00

Coffee has a reputation for being nothing but liquid caffeine. While I recognize the need for coffee as a stimulant and intellectual motivator, the vast majority of people in our world today overlook the culinary aspect of coffee. Most people douse their coffee with enough cream and sugar to make the flavor in the actual coffee irrelevant. There exist, however, unique flavor profiles across the different origins of the world and across the different roasters who bring them to market. As I taste origin coffees and blends that I acquire from various roasters, I will be recording my tasting notes on this site.

Tastings are very subjective. Your palate may read something completely different in the coffee than mine does, because coffee is such a complex material. Nevertheless, there are distinct characteristics in coffee from various origins. Latin American coffees tend to contain bright acidity, East African coffees are noted for their winy tastes, and Indonesian coffees are famous for their heavy-bodied earthiness. But just a word of caution: take my advice with a grain of salt. Taste the coffee for yourself.

My tastings are conducted using a 34 oz press pot. I usually drink the coffee for one to two weeks to get a feel for it and then concentrate on the taste characteristics for my final evaluation. I realize that my tastings are remarkably different than the professional 'cuppings,' but my interests are in how the cup of coffee will taste when it is brewed on a day-to-day basis for the average, every day coffee drinker.

My scoring method is not conventional by any means. I am not rating the 'best' and 'worst' coffees, because I believe that such assertions are far too subjective. The 'quality' of the coffee, in my opinion, is always determined by the individual who drinks it. I am merely interested in describing the coffee and highlighting its characteristics.

The four criteria I judge the coffee by are aroma, acidity, body, and flavor. Aroma is, to state the obvious, how the coffee smells. It is most pungent before the coffee cools. Some common descriptions of coffee aroma are smoky, florally, grassy, spicy, winy, and woody. Acidity refers to the 'bite' the coffee has on the tongue. It is usually recognized as a tanginess felt on the sides and tip of the tongue. If the coffee makes you pucker, it is probably very acidic. Body refers to the heaviness of the coffee on the tongue. Heavier-bodied coffees feel thick and sticky on the tongue, often lingering for a while rather after the coffee is swallowed. If you drank the coffee ten minutes ago and can still feel it caked on your palate, it probably had a heavy body. Flavor refers to what the coffee tastes like. Some coffees contain an array of flavors and some very few. Some are obvious and some are subtle. Some of the most common flavor notes in coffee are chocolate, citrus, berries, nuts, earthiness, herbs, and caramel.

I give each of these categories anywhere from one to five stars, one being the least intense and five being the most. Again, the intensity of any given category is not necessarily an indicator of its quality. Most Sumatras have very low acidity and high body while most Guatemalas have very high acidity and low body. These ratings are merely descriptive. I hope you benefit from my tastings as much as I do.