A lot of times people in the entertainment biz branch into different areas, like David Lynch. While I can’t say I’ve experienced many of his films or projects (I saw part of the Elephant Man), I have experienced his coffee. Distributed through Java Distribution, his brand of coffee is marketed as a fair trade, organic and delicious (and a portion going to the American Film Institute).
When they sent me out some beans to try and give some feedback, I was hesitant of coffee relayed through the same company that distributes Allegro Coffee. But I kept my opinions to the subconscious and sampled the coffee via french press, drip and siphon.
The drip produced a cup relaying roasted almond, caramel, smoked pork, pineapple, nutella and a light/medium body.The french press delivered a brew with cashew, almond, pear, pineapple, sage, cinnamon and vanilla all amidst a light to medium body.
The siphon also held a similar body with more notes of honey, caramel, roasted cashew and cinnamon. Overall, the coffee held no notes of bitterness and was delightfully fresh.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
I always find it pleasing when a great coffeehouse takes the place of a former, lackluster establishment. Hausbrandt once had a Philly coffeehouse that ran a decent leg, but after a while it fizzled. Following its closure, the former shell on 15th street remained abandoned.
Enter the phoenix of Elixr Coffee. Having just opened up in January (by a partnership that includes an Eagles' Winston Justice), this outfit moved in strong, distributing PT's Coffee out of Kansas and taking their coffee quite seriously.
I made my way over one leisurely afternoon to sample their wares. The interior is very homey, with a nice arrangement of furniture (with a lot of bar seating), and a tv playing barista championships while customers sip and work. I ordered a cup of the Finca El Molino, El Salvador via drip and an espresso (the coffee used for my shots was not named). The drip produced a light-bodied, honey-filled cup with some wheat, cherry, jasmine, almond cookie and sassafras (delicious). The espresso, pulled short with a marbled crema, sang of spicy cocoa, a prominent saltiness, lemon candy, whiskey, cookie dough and syrupy mouth feel (also quite good). The tea I did not note.
Elixr was the medicine that Philly needed. If you happen to be in the neighborhood, pop in.
Just wanted to publish a quick note on a new supporter to the Pure Coffee Blog, GoCoffeeGo. I scrawl this not to toot the proverbial cornet but to seek your assistance in making it truly a worthwhile endeavor. Simply explained, for every purchase made through the banner ad on the top right (or through the links of this post), the Pure Coffee Blog receives a small commission.
Thus, if you are looking for a great single origin coffee or a dynamic espresso blend, I encourage you to simply visit us here at the Pure Coffee Blog first and then make your way to GoCoffeeGo. Thanks!
It pains me when a coffee roaster/purveyor exclaims how great their coffee is, when in actuality it fails to pass for decent coffee when put to the test. This is a pain I experienced recently when the folks at St. Mary Market out of NYC very kindly sent me out a 1/3 lb of their Jamaican High Mountain Coffee to try. When I opened the bag, I smelled nothing except a stale fragrance and saw what could have once been a decent medium roast coffee.
As you might guess, all of the ensuing brews came out stale and hence, the original coffee might have been amazing but it seems that the roasting/storage/handling did not ensure its quality.
I brewed it first via drip and received a coffee with a little caramel, tobacco, fig and toast all in a light body.
The french press produced a cup with heavier tobacco, fig, caramel, oregano and a bit of pear. This cup had a heavier body.
The siphon denoted some caramel, pepper, oregano, graham cracker and popcorn amidst a medium body.
Thus, it seems that St. Mary Market might have a good coffee but because it was so stale when I received it, there's not much praise I can laud. Another Jamaican coffee that stalled when its rubber met the road.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
Las Vegas has a reputation for a lot of things but one of them has not been coffee. As a town that seems to live off of travelers, local places did not seem to take as easily as in other towns. This boded poorly for the prospect of good coffee, as the average coffee drinker is still satisfied with sub-par coffee that the big chains ever so happily pump out.
But in this coffee desert, I managed to find a distant oasis near the airport. I caught wind that Sunrise Coffee happened to serve Klatch Coffee, a superb coffee roaster from San Dimas, and the first chance I found, I made my way over.
I found Sunrise on the corner of a small strip mall in what seemed like a part of town that is just recently developing. Save for a tacky collection of paper back novels, the shop interior held a chic look with a slate wall, lots of interesting art and a overtly pleasing aesthetic.
The coffee was indeed Klatch, with a full rotation of their coffee as well as two espresso blends on hand. I had an espresso of the World's Best Espresso (voted so at the 2007 World Barista Championship) and a drip of their Rainforest Blend. The drip I had a mixed experience with, as my first cup was really stale and thus I asked that when they brewed a fresh pot, if I could have some of that instead, to which they ever so apologetically agreed. Thus my second, much fresher cup of the Rainforest Blend held notes of toffee, pepper, oregano and buttermilk amidst a medium body that didn't win me over yet proved decent (I've never had the blend before but it tasted a bit darker then a medium roast).
The espresso on the other hand was a juggernaut-in-a-cup that garnered my vote to its worldly superiority. The shots were pulled painstakingly well with a marbled crema, all conveying notes of sweet pound cake, white chocolate, a bit of ginger, vanilla and orange; overall, there was a nice bitter/sour balance amidst a staunch sweetness that made the cup shimmer.
The tea was free leaf (they offered bee pollen for your tea too, a sight I have never seen).
Aside from the stale coffee I was first served, I found myself happier then a man winning a hard million off his last quarter. If you make it into Vegas, take a detour from the strip to hit Sunrise Coffee.
