Sunday, May 29, 2011

Crazy Goat Blend - klatch Coffee - California

 Mural In Boulder City, NV


Preparation:   Mr. Coffee Maker

Scores:  Scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being excellent

Aroma:  2
Balance:  3
Flavor:   2
Smoothness:  3

Likes:

Dislikes:
    Bland
    Sour aftertaste
    No Flavor
    Watery

Summary:  Ok..... I tried this medium dark roasted coffee twice and both times I really didn't like it.  It lacked flavor, in fact there was no flavor!  I would even choose a light roast over this if it was flavorful!  I am being generous with a 3 for the overall score.  The name of the coffee was the only thing unique and exciting.  I detected no aroma and or fragrance that was noteworthy.  There was a long sourness on my palate that definitely was not a pleasant experience.  Then, I tried adding cream and sugar.  This helped in the fact that I at least had the flavor of cream and sugar.  Not my cuppa coffee!!!  Blah, or should I say Baa....Baa....Baa!!!!!!
 
Overall score:   3

Monday, May 23, 2011

Columbia, San Agustin - Sight Glass Coffee - San Francisco, California




Preparation:   Mr. Coffee Drip

Scores:  Scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being excellent

Aroma:  9
Balance:   8
Flavor:   9
Smoothness:   8

Likes:
     Aroma
     Intense Flavor
     Freshness
     Sweet and Spicy
     Fruity

Dislikes:
   

Summary: Douglas brought me these freshly roasted coffee beans direct from Sight Glass Coffee in San Francisco.  The roasting date is May 12th and that brings a big smile to my face!

This coffee is comforting and spicy with mild notes of grapefruit at the end.  The flavor is outstanding.  Now this is a great coffee!  It is a light to medium roast and it bites.  It is intense and very bold.  The citrus finish gets my salivary glands working overtime as it is long on palate.  A  great Latin American coffee to have in the afternoon to pick you up and see you off. 

Keep your eyes open if you are looking for this small vintage coffee bar and roastery.  It is nestled in at 270 Seventh Street, San Francisco, CA.  I think the coffee and beans are on the expensive side, but worth the trip if you have a true coffee affection! 

Very enjoyable and highly recommended!  Thanks Doug!

Overall score:  9

*** Do you know that the sight glass is the viewing window into the drum where the coffee is roasted? 

Saturday, May 14, 2011

The Intrigue of Coffee Acidity

It doesn't take much to get my old stomach churning and a high acidic coffee will do the trick quicker than anything.  So, I equate a high level of acidic coffee with a burning unpleasant feeling in my gut.  I don't think I am alone, but there are many coffee lovers that find coffee acidity a highly valued quality.  There is a fine line, though.  Sourness is an extreme acidity and is considered a coffee defect.

Without acid, coffee will fall flat on your palate and taste dull.  The acid gives coffee a dry and bright flavor and usually is the first sensation on your palate when tasting.  A little acid really is a good thing!

Coffees high in acidity are generally from Central America and East Africa.  Some high acidic coffees that come to mind are from Guatemala, Costa Rica and Kenya. There seems to be a correlation between acidity and coffee grown at very high altitudes and in mineral rich volcanic soils.  Coffee from Brazil, Sumatra and India generally have a naturally low acid content.  They are from lower grown regions and when they are moderately roasted they will be very pleasant and flavorful.  (As long as the beans are not burned this is usually a great cup of Joe)

The acid content of a coffee also depends on the roasting degree.  A darker roast will generally have less acid.  Dark roasting is the most efficient way to kill the acidity and also mask it.

There are many ways to reduce acid by adding chemicals and compounds.  I personally am not interested in drinking coffee that is not natural. 

In summary, for those of you that can tolerate a high acid content I applaud you because you can enjoy some awesome coffees from around the world and keep an open mind on their quality.  I am intrigued by coffee acidity and the complexity it adds to the whole cupping experience.


Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Diesel Dark Roast - Atomic Cafe - Salem, Massachusetts

 



Preparation:  Cuisinart Drip

Scores:  Scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being excellent

Aroma:    6
Balance:   8
Flavor:   8
Smoothness:   8

Likes:
    Dark
    Pleasantly Smokey
    Full Bodied
    Spicy
    Low acidity

Dislikes:
    Weak Fragrance and Aroma

Summary:   Good Day!  Yes, it is a good day.  I started off mine with Diesel Dark Roast and now I am ready to rev up my engine.  I purchased these dark beans online (free shipping) from GoCoffeeGo.com.  They arrived in a timely fashion and freshly roasted.  Awesome!  When I opened the bag of beans for the first whiff I was disappointed.  I really had to stick my nose in the bag to get a good take on the fragrance.  I admit I was hoping the beans would fill the room with an intoxicating coffee bean smell.  But, the coffee itself after brewing was bold, dark and rich which more than made up what was lacking at the start. I noted delicate smokey undertones and a long zingy finish on the palate.  This coffee would be wonderful served at a late morning meeting, book group gathering or in my case, with my Realtor that has yet to sell my house!

The low acidity will keep you coming back for a refill and that will ensure you won't run out of fuel (gas) all day!



Overall score:  7+

Monday, May 2, 2011

Sumatra - Colorado River Coffee Roasters - Boulder City, Nevada



www.crcoffeeroasters.com


Preparation:  Cuisinart Drip

Scores:  Scale of 1 - 10 with 10 being excellent

Aroma:   10
Balance:  8
Flavor:   9
Smoothness:   8

Likes:
    Savory
    Dark
    Bold
    Nutty
    Sweet
    Crisp

Dislikes:

 

Summary:  What a gem of a find!  If you plan to drive to Las Vegas or visit Hoover Dam you will be very close to Boulder City.  It is a quaint friendly little town with lots of history and worth the stop.  I stumbled upon a little coffee roaster shop while walking down Nevada Street.  It is nestled in next to Milo's Cellar and Inn and if you walk too fast you might miss it.  I also ran into this guy:


Okay, back to the coffee.  I bought the Sumatra:  Aceh Pantan Lues whole bean coffee.  It had a fabulous roast date of April 25th!!!  Yeah!!  You know how important roast dates are! The description on the bag says this coffee has under-tones of wildness and earthiness and the beans are prepared by a small-volume group of farmers in the Pantan Lues area.  (?)  It is 100% Aceh coffee and on the bag it says that it is cleaner and less gamey than most Sumatras.  They also describe this coffee as having a "wonderful sweetness with hints of cedar and vanilla."

This coffee was a true treat and nice surprise.  The beans are dark and have one of the top ten aromas I have experienced so far.  There is a sweetness that is full

Friendly Staff

and decadent, but the salty savory nutty flavor shines through at the same time.  There are no smokey or ashy tones and it has a wonderful crisp finish.  This coffee is one to serve to anyone you want to impress.

Overall score:   9

* Note:  The coffee I was served by the fellow up above was this same coffee, but it did not taste as good from his coffee pot compared to the cup I made at home.  Who knows why?


Boulder City Sidewalk View

This place was two doors down and featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives