Sunday, April 28, 2013

Mugged: El Chupacabra [Happyrock]



Subject: Happyrock Coffee Roasting Co.
Mugged: El Chupacabra
Rating [see key]: 3+


Naming coffee blends remains always an interesting task. Most of the time, roasters either stick pretty close to convention (breakfast blend, french roast, etc) or pick something completely inane (like Sam's Super Summer Fist Pump). But every now and then, a roaster will pick something that actually foots the bill of creativity and effective description.

Take Happyrock Coffee's El Chupacabra blend. A coffee recently sent out to me, I found the name at first a little scary for a coffee blend, being that chupacabras are rumored to be creatures of the night that suck the blood of livestock. But putting my mental associations to the side, I took the coffee for a spin in my pourover, french press and siphon.

The pourover doled out notes of cocoa, rye bread, tobacco, honey apple and a little cola, all within a sweet, medium body with a bit of a bitter kick on the end.

French pressing the coffee gave the beast girth, with this infusion proving heavier and more laden with tobacco flavors, along with remnants of butter, apple with skin, cocoa and cumin. A sweet brew still but much more of bitter presence.

The siphon was a medium-bodied coffee full of apple with skin, minestrone broth, chile powder and cumin. A heartier brew with bitter sweet highlights.

Thus, this coffee truly lived up to its name as a "dark" brew with a "bite." If you're looking for a full-bodied coffee with sweet aspects and a bitter kick on the back end, try out El Chupacabra.


note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback. 

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