Mugged: Java Bean Plus

Subject: Java Bean Plus 

Mugged: Various

Rating: 4+ for Mexico and Guatemala
3+ for Costa Rica [see key]

Most coffee that you get at a coffeehouse you can also get direct from the roaster on the internet. But what if coffee roasters sourced only through their wholesale accounts, empowering each coffeehouse to be a more exclusive source for their patron's coffee? No matter your view on middle men and proprietary blends, the concept is certainly intriguing and not very common in the coffee world.

Coffee provider Java Bean Plus is one of the few coffee roasters I know of that sells their coffee exclusively through their wholesale accounts. Since I've never had a drop of their coffee before, I was curious to give three of their light roast coffees a whirl. They sent out their Mexico High Grown, Guatemala Antigua & Costa Rica Tarrazu; all of which I sampled via drip, french press and siphon (except the Costa Rica via siphon, as my siphon decided to break prior to its occurrence).

The Mexico High Grown drip produced notes of whiskey, honey, wheat cracker, a little fresh peanut and malt within a medium body; a deep but sweet coffee. The french press demonstrated wheat cracker, corn flakes, molasses, parsley, fig and some prune on the end with a lighter body; a deep wheat and sweet brew. The siphon relayed a slight whiskey, honey, cracker, heavy malt and a medium body, painting a deep, smooth and slightly sugary cup. Overall, a sweet coffee with nice notes of wheat and deep fruits.

The Guatemala Antigua drip smacked of life cereal, bran, a little cream, celery and a pinch of salt and plantain, all together making a smooth and sweet coffee with a bran shadow. The french press held glazed doughnut, prunes, spinach, salt and life cereal which was similar to the siphon that gave sweet wheat notes, life cereal, spinach and a bit of salt. In the end, a decent full coffee to sip with cereal.

The Costa Rica Tarrazu was the darkest of the three, with a noticeable but slight presence of oil on the beans. Its drip sang of malt, heavy root beer, mint, sirloin lemon pepper and sweet cream on end; a heavy bodied infusion that held a good deal of pepper and savory qualities. The french press, proving much smoother than drip, parried with root beer, cream, lemon with less pepper and some fig. As I didn't get to try out the siphon on this one, I had to go off the drip and french press in that this coffee held more savory and peppery notes then I would have liked.

While I found the Mexico and the Guatemala palatable coffees with nice flavors, I wasn't as big of a fan of the Costa Rica given it's darker qualities. Thus, if you're a coffee business looking for a decent coffee roaster who will never sell alongside you, give Java Bean Plus a go.


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

Mugged: Cafe de Chiapas Medium Roast [Chiapas Farms]

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Subject: Chiapas Farms
Coffee Mugged: Cafe de Chiapas Medium Roast
Rating: 4+ [see key]





Mexico always seems to be cast in a negative light. You hear about drug overlords, poverty and illegal immigration but rarely do you hear of positives.

Recently, I received a pound of organic coffee from Mexican farm company Chiapas Farms. At first I thought it was just a small operation, with a couple families offering coffee but it turns out that the outfit is quite mammoth and aside from coffee, they offer a plethora of produce as well. For their coffee, they claim to buy directly from a cooperative of Mexican farmers (direct trade) and if it is so, that's at least a step into the positive.

As for the coffee I received, it had bits of a bean sheen and an overall dark brown color (a little dark for a medium roast). I brewed up the coffee in the usual three methods: drip, siphon and french press.

The drip held notes of almond, nougat, caramel, cream, a little rhubarb and a smidgen of squash and prune. The coffee was smooth and had less bite then I expected for the roast level.

The french press gave a stronger coffee, with a darker cocoa, potent almond, cherry, lemon pepper, saltines and a little bit of grass and caramel on the end. A more potent brew for sure.

The siphon demonstrated more like the drip, with caramel, cashew, a faint grass, toasted wheat, apple, mead and a bit of cream. A mellow brew that was much akin to the drip.

While I can't vouch for their dark roast, Chiapas Farms medium roast held some decent flavors and was pretty solid. If you need a cup of direct trade, organic coffee from Mexico, give Chiapas Farms a whirl.



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