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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: Oren's Daily Roast
Coffees Mugged: Nicaragua Cup of Excellence Los Achiote
Rating: 4+ [see key]
Given the constant coverage of coffee in New York City these past years (such as $12 cups of coffee, Westerners bringing their roasting operations east, etc.), it's easy to forget about places that have been in the area for much longer then New York's late-coming obsession of quality coffee.
I got a shipment from Oren's Daily Roast, a coffee company that's been around since the 1980s and remains a place that I've managed to miss in my occasional rushings around the city (busyness tis a poor excuse). Of the brace of coffees sent, I spun the proverbial wheel of destiny (I spin it for such occasions) and began with Oren's Cup of Excellence from Nicaragua Los Achiotes.
I kicked it off with a filtered brew of the coffee. The result displayed a saucy, rock candy, IPA-ish coffee with bits of caramel, nougat and some wheat grass. A good cup with a bit of a bitter aspect.
The french press was darker, producing a whiskey-esque bitterness and sweetness, some dark chocolate, a little hops, a little grass (less then the drip) and a tiny bit of tea rose. More bitterness and a heavier body in this infusion.
The siphon birthed a more of a caramel, bran-like child with the sauciness of the drip as well as the flavors of wheat grass, nuts, hops and grapes. The least bitter and smoothest of the three methods.
Overall the coffee held to a good quality, though it didn't really strike me as Cup of Excellence level product (for me, the bitter and saucy facets weren't the most enjoyable). Nonetheless, if you're aiming to try one of Oren's Daily Roasts, take a crack at this COE from Nicaragua.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Boston, MA
Free WiFi ? : no
Rating: 6+ [see key]
Regardless of all the hype, Cambridge is one happening scene. I've been to the area several times and each time I find something interesting.
This trip, it was specifically Harvard Square and a very conveniently-located coffeehouse called Crema Cafe. Positioned right off the T stop in a simple concrete building, this teaming cafe seemed to be quite the local hotspot (especially with the warm weather). Walking through the open front, the cafe opens into a skinny but tall space with the counter to much of the left, a loft in the back and despite an abundance of quality furniture, a pretty packed joint.
Crema serves up George Howell's various brews, of which I had a cup of the Costa Rican La Minata (drip) and their house espresso. The La Minata had characteristics of a bright, juicy apple and a little guava complimented by dark chocolate, roasted tomato and a light oregano. A smooth coffee with a beautiful combination of flavors. The espresso, pulled splendidly short with a nice head (aka crema) and velvety body, held deep chocolate, raspberry, sugar cookie, rum and a tinge of tobacco on the back. Both coffees really represented not only great coffee but good mastery of methods. The tea is free leaf.
Given the delightful experience at Crema, Cambridge remains a favorite haunt when I hit old Boston town, with Crema now on the list of reasons to return. Thus, if you happen to be in the area, give Crema a stir.
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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: Don Francisco's Coffee
Coffees Mugged: Sumatra, Breakfast Blend, Espresso and Decaf 100% Colombian
Rating: Espresso is 1+, and 2+ for the rest [see key]
Sometimes when people send coffee for a review, they include unexpected other coffees. Sometimes it's pleasantly welcomed and other times I scratch my head. This most recent shipment from Don Francisco's contained four bags I definitely wasn't expecting of pre-ground coffee that left me puzzled (why would you send pre-ground coffee for a review?). Were the coffees not completely bereft of freshness when they reached me, those coffees actually could have been tasty. Alas...
Thus, wanting to be transparent and a good steward of that which I agreed to do (review the coffee they sent), I made the task of reviewing the four coffees via drip and french press (as it was pre-ground to a finer setting than I would use with my siphon, I left these coffees out of the glass bulb) as fast as I could from the time I unsealed the packing...and here's the long and short of it.
The Sumatra, via french press, produced a dark cherried cup with a good bit of bitterness and a weak body. The drip produced less dark of a cherry, some walnut and less bitterness.
The Breakfast Blend drip held nutty notes, bits of apple, jasmine, a tinge of fig and lingering darkness. The french press held more of a darker taste, some cherry as well as the fig and jasmine.
The Espresso via drip was dark and bitter with but a little black currant showing some brightness. The french press was lighter, with less darkness and less currant. By far the least flavorful of these four coffees.
The 100% Colombian Decaf in drip form held some almond, bright apple and a smooth texture. The french press was a little darker, with the same apple and almond.
Overall, I would venture that for pre-ground coffee, three of the four weren't half bad (the Espresso was really lackluster) though I still don't understand why people still buy coffee chopped for them (it's like buying apples pre-sliced).
Thus, while I can't recommend these coffees, I would venture to try Don Francisco's whole bean offerings.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: Kahve Koffee
Coffees Mugged: Verona Blend
Rating: 3+ [see key]
As sad as it may seem, when I see a coffee with an Italian name, I become slightly trepidatious of its quality. That's not because I hate Italian coffee; it's simply that all of the Italian coffee I've crossed has been either massively over-roasted or extremely stale (too many poor roasters trying to cash in on the rich and reputable coffee history of Italy).
Thus, I freely admit that when I received a pound of Kahve Koffee's Verona Blend (I assumed named for the northern Italian city of old) I almost rolled my eyes. Opening the bag displayed a mixed coffee blend of medium to medium-dark roasts (the website spouts that it mixed light and medium roasts).
But my infusions of drip, french press and siphon disintegrated some of my concerns. The french press did produce a bit of a darkness but it held a lot of complexity. There was bits of granola, peanut butter, light cocoa, garlic pepper and an overall sweetness. The darkness seemed to favor the front, the nuttiness the middle and the sweetness on the end.
The drip produced a cup that had a combination of tastes more similar to Dr. Pepper. The coffee was a little less dark and held tinges of granola, cocoa and garlic pepper. The sweetness was a bit stronger here and overall, this brew was much smoother.
The siphon was akin to the drip, similar in its Dr. Pepper taste and its facets of cocoa and nuttiness. There was some vanilla here and though the darkness was still present, it seemed to move to the back and display more subtlety.
Kahve's Verona overall made a good impression but the bitterness plus a mediocre quality made this coffee only so-so. Thus, I wouldn't go as far as to say that Kahve has reconciled my skepticism of Italian-named coffee blends, but its helped me on the road of hope (note that I have nothing against good Italian coffee...just the bad stuff bringing down Italy).
If you are on the lookout for a decent Italian-dubbed coffee blend, sample Kahve Koffee's Verona Blend.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Cleveland, OH
[East 9th Location]
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]
Driving on a massive road trip, you tend to make stops where you know people. I mean, why waste a perfectly good geographical anomaly when someone you actually enjoy spending time with is a stone's throw away?
Well, I can vouch that my one colleague knows how to capitalize on such opportunity. While driving through Cleveland, I mentioned the idea of a needed coffee stop and he countered with the prospect of his father making a stop into said coffeehouse to meet us for coffee. Not one to complain of such a heart string tug, we agreed upon a place called Phoenix Coffee for the rendezvous.
Now Phoenix Coffee was no blindfolded pick; of Cleveland's coffee scene, it seems that Phoenix was a well-respected place to grab decent coffee. The East 9th location we arrived at moments later after a little mapping; a nondescript brown brick building situated in the city proper of Cleveland, the coffee shop had little to separate it except some signage and a row of windows on one wall. Upon initial sighting of the interior, it struck me as a place that had been around for awhile as the decor was red and vintage, but not so much in the hip way (turns out they've been around since the early 90s).
With the father not arrived yet, I proceeded to order myself a cup of their self-roasted (Phoenix roasts their own coffee) Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and a double espresso. The Ethiopian was a bright coffee with a bit of a saucy flavor and a dark body; it seems that it was a little stale but beyond that, it didn't hold a whole lot of distinct flavors (maybe a bad infusion). The espresso fared little better, with a blond shot pulled short that held an initial bitterness, some sweet cocoa and vanilla with a bit of peach making a brief showing. The shots proved to have a little too much bite and while I can't say it was horrible, I would say it could stand to improve. The tea is free leaf.
After I had finished my drinks, I went outside to move the car as we had managed to earn a parking ticket (they are quick in Cleveland) and meanwhile, the father-of-the-colleague arrived. They talked and bonded and upon my arrival, I had missed the whole experience all together (*tear).
As for Phoenix Coffee, it was a decent coffeehouse that I feel may have been a poor experience that day based on micro factors (barista skill, time of day, etc) but nonetheless, tis no excuse. Hopefully my next visit will prove better.
If you're in Cleveland and in need of decent coffee, try out Phoenix.
What does "Mugged" mean?
