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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: Marley Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Mystic Morning
Rating: 3+ [see key]
My second coffee from Marley Coffee was an Ethiopian and Central American blend called Mystic Morning. Having seen strong reviews of this blend and having had my share of similar blends, I was curious to see how Marley would perform when it came to a dual-continent blend.
The coffee looked a bit on the dark end for a medium coffee but it wasn't so dark as to be out the medium range. I sampled the coffee via drip and french press (my siphon was out of commission when I was reviewing this coffee).
The drip produced notes of spicy apple, a little bit of nutmeg, oregano, whole wheat bread, bourbon, a little grass and candied plum. A decent infusion with a mellow body and a small sting of darkness.
The french press held a bit of dark cocoa, apple, pumpkin bread, a little oregano, bourbon and some honey on the end. A similarly mellow coffee but with a little more expression in the flavor accents.
All together, it seemed the central american-esque flavors of the coffee (earthy and honey) came out over the brightness usually associated with east African coffees. I can't say I was floored with the overall flavors but Mystic Morning wasn't a bad coffee either (just a little spicier then I would have liked). I also have a sneaky suspicion that this coffee was not fresh (I mentioned a similar concern in my review of their Jamaican Blue Mountain, as I got both shipped from Cooking.com). So, at best, this was a slightly stale version that tasted fair or at worst, a fresh version that didn't sample so well.
Either way, give Mystic Morning a whirl if you're looking to give it a gamble.
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: Vancouver, WA
[Devine Rd location]
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]
If the city of Portland doesn't have enough coffee for you, cross the river into Vancouver, Washington. Making up a good chunk of the Portland metropolitan area, Vancouver not only boasts being the original Vancouver (the BC one was incorporated 29 years after Washington) but it also holds its share of good coffee.
My only visit due to my short time in town was River Maiden Artisan Coffee. A coffee entity located both in the downtown and in a small strip mall (off Devine Rd), they boast Stumptown coffee and a Clover. I chose the Devine Rd locale for proximity and upon arrival, found the cafe in a lackluster tan building with the boring character flowing inside to a cafe with little pizazz in its drop ceiling, fluorescent lighting and run-of-the-mill furniture (I know atmosphere isn't everything...but it is something).
As for my order, I ordered an espresso of Hairbender and Stumptown's Colombian La Esparanza. The clovered Colombia was smooth, with flavors of chai, cinnamon, molasses, pound cake, sesame and a little butter with a fleck of cayenne (a great cup of coffee). The espresso held notes of spicy lemon, cocoa, bit of pepper, cloves and a subtle brightness, all amidst a well-pulled shot (i.e. a decent espresso). The tea I did not note.
To say the least, River Maiden held good coffee but not so much an alluring ambiance. Thus, especially if you frequent Vantucky, roll on in to River Maiden.
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What does "Mugged" mean?
Subject: Marley Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Jamaica Blue Mountain
Rating: 3+ [see key]
Though I can't say I know a lot about Bob Marley, I definitely did not peg him as a potential coffee farmer. Yet apparently, to carry on his dream, his son Rohan runs the coffee company Marley Coffee. While I'd never really heard of it prior, when the folks at Cooking.com offered to send me a pound or two to review, I felt the coffee sounded like something worth checking out.
The first of two coffees I sampled was their Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee. Always an expensive coffee due attention it garnered for little bitterness and smoothness (much of it goes to Japan), I was curious to give it a jab, as Jamaican Blues can be either decent or amazing (and rarely worth the big price tag).
Upon first interaction, the coffee had little aroma and seemed overall to be a little old. To test Marley's medium roast JBM, I sampled it via drip and french press (my siphon was out of commission).
The drip produced a coffee with notes of honey, baked pear, butter, granola, little grass, little soft pretzel and a little sunflower seed. Though the coffee did not prove as fresh as I would have hoped, it proved to be a good, mellow coffee.
The french press reaped granola, honey, little more of a tart pear, butter, tad darker in flavor, and a bit of vanilla and milk. This brew was a little heavier.
As it might seem obvious, I think had I ordered the coffee straight from Marley Coffee versus going through Cooking.com, I might have had fresher coffee. Thus, if you're looking for a fair Jamaican Blue Mountain, try Marley Coffee.
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: Portland, OR
[Albina location]
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]
Of my list of coffeehouses to visit, Albina Press of Portland has sat on there for a long time. I remember reading blog posts (like this) extolling the place for great use of Stumptown coffee and serving as a strong icon of Portland coffee.
Finally I made my visit a few months passed and I hit the cafe at a nice lull where there was no booming crowds. The cafe sits on a corner in North Portland surrounded by an open, residential atmosphere where one wouldn't mind having a home. Within, the Albina is quite large, with several sections throughout, all with nice wood floors and lots of light.
As for my coffee, I purchased a french press of Stumptown's Guatemala Finca El Injerto and an espresso of Hairbender. The Guatemalan produced a coffee brimming with honey, wheat grass, apple juice, black tea and a smidgen of rose (a deliciously smooth coffee). The espresso, pulled short with nice crema, held notes of lemon, strong tea, tobacco, caramel, raspberry, cocoa and sassafras (a well-extracted and tasty espresso). The tea was Yohalem-Ilsley Medicinal Teas and Stumptown.
Yet another cafe I would love to be in the neighborhood of. If in Portland, swing by Albina Press.
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Company: Smartcup
Product: Xpress
Rating: 3+ (translates to "good")
Quite often I think of how to make travel with coffee easier. At one time, I remember packing a small suitcase of coffee paraphernalia for long trips, using many devices not designed for life on the road. But over the years, I've consolidated down my travel kit to a plastic conical pourover, filters and a portable grinder. And even though I'm not really in want, I'm always on my the lookout for a better kit.
Recently, I caught notice of the Xpress by Smartcup, a single-use french press that utilizes a normal disposable lid with a tulip-like filter that sits poised, ready to be pushed down by the accompanying, golf tee-like plunger. Following the easy directions (I did not add cream or sugar) that were very similar in method to a normal french press, I tried out the Xpress a couple of times and below I bare my thoughts.
The pro was that the filter worked pretty well, even when I removed the lid and poured the coffee into another cup (more on that below). The design allowed it to catch the majority of the grinds, leaving only a few to be caught in sipping.
The cons were double. The first was the overall design flaw that the grinds were stuck in the bottom, doomed to over-infuse your coffee. The second was that by the time the coffee was at the 3 minute mark, it was still too hot to safely drink; it took an additional couple minutes to be at a drinkable temperature and by then, the coffee was over-infused.
The only solution to the two cons was to pour the coffee into another cup at the 3 minute plunge time (to do so, I simply plunged as instructed, but then removed the lid, reinserted the plunger and carefully poured the hot coffee while keeping pressure on the plunger). While it was a little extra work, the Xpress did a good job in transfer.
Thus, I would have rated the Xpress lower had it not proved worthwhile as a disposable french press (i.e. as an all-in-one coffee brewer and cup, I do not recommend it). If you're looking for a portable means of infusing coffee only, give the Xpress a go.
note: product was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
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