Mugged: Black Medicine

Coffee Mugged: Black Medicine
Rating [see key]: 5+


The prepackaged iced coffee craze seems to be at full tilt. More than ever a thirsty iced coffee seeker can find a bottle, growler or keg of iced coffee at a local coffee purveyor so to grab their favorite chilled java for consumption at a much later date.

Yet despite the growing trend amongst great roasters, I have not had a lot of great bottled iced coffee. Many times the bottled brews are something that demands the aid of ice, and sometimes even ice does little to disperse a repugnant aftertaste. Thus when I heard about a bottled iced coffee from California called Black Medicine, I can't say I had high hopes for great flavor when they offered to send some out for review. But of course, I put my thoughts aside and put on my objective lenses to give each of the three bottles a thorough assessment.

It turns out that this blend of three different light-to-medium roasted origins (currently two Ethiopians and one Guatemalan) brewed hot-then-cooled made for an ice coffee that is hard to beat. The Black Medicine actually tasted great, with flavors of oatmeal stout, lemon, orange peel, roasted peanut and a touch of banana, making for a smooth and bright coffee with no funky aftertaste. To be fair, the coffee does have "added Vitamin C" so it's not really a truly pure coffee and so it's hard to say how much of the brightness comes from the additive. Nonetheless, the coffee goes down sweet whether one prefers to sip it over ice or drink straight from the bottle.

While there's tons of prepackaged iced coffee out there, take confidence that there are a good chunk of great options like Black Medicine. Grab a bottle at your participating retailer (especially if you're out in their neck of California) or online.


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

CC: The Warehouse Cafe

Subject: The Warehouse Cafe
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Jersey City used to confuse me. When I was a wee lad, talk of JC came up between two adult relatives and as they bantered, Jersey City was conveyed to my spying ears as the NJ version of New York City (I don't recall what caused this dot connecting; it just happened). My young mind thought that it was amazing that there were two huge metropolises right across from one another. But then again, at that time I was also convinced that there was a live dinosaur buried in the backyard of my friend's house. 

Years later, my perspective on Jersey City has changed for the better and my love of this Jersey haven has grown. Not only is it a city full of history but it's got a lot of little nooks worth a visit. One particular operation to catch my eye as of late was the Warehouse Cafe, a coffeehouse located on the lower level of a historic warehouse that now contains some swanky lofts. The space is actually above street level, providing a nice patio, and with the aid of their large windows, it all seems to blend beautifully inside to the cozy, well-outfitted interior. 

The coffee comes from Intelligentsia, consisting primarily of a custom house blend and Black Cat. With my decision predetermined for lack of choice (sometimes a good thing), I had a cup of the house via drip and an espresso of Black Cat. The drip served notes of tomato, shortbread, lime juice, nougat, cider and a bit of bay leaf, making a for a medium-bodied, well-balanced coffee. The espresso, pulled to a medium volume with brownish-tan crema, held notes ginger, coriander, cocoa and a little spring mix salad; all together a good infusion of Black Cat. 

As for places I will probably refrequent, I can add the Warehouse Cafe to the short list of NJ establishments serving coffee worth drinking.  Next time you happen to be in lovely Jersey City, take a stroll over to the Warehouse.

  

CC: ReAnimator Coffee Roasters

Subject: Reanimator Coffee Roasters
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


First impressions are a bit of a red herring. I often tell one of my favorite friends that when I first met her during a job interview, I had written her off as a snotty and demanding person by the end of 45 minutes in the same room. Of course, I turned out wrong and years later, her tribe and mine both are fond cohorts.

The misleading nature of first impressions goes for businesses as well. For example, the first time I made the acquaintance of ReAnimator Coffee Roasters was in a cozy Thai restaurant in South Philadelphia outfitted with sub-par coffee equipment. Another friend and I were enjoying a leisurely and delicious lunch when I glanced to their drink area and made out what I later learned to be a bag of ReAnimator Coffee. Not liking coffee with Thai food, I passed on the coffee but I recall my brain making an unconscious frowny face on the brand.

But like most ill-conceived notions, that frowny face quickly turned into a gaping smile with my first real interaction with ReAnimator. Then after my second and third positive run-in with ReAnimator, I became convinced that this then new-to-the-scene Philly coffee roaster was destined for greatness. Thus, when the first ReAnimator brick-and-mortar shop opened this past autumn, I was all too excited to try out their wares in their own house.

Located at one of the five points of the intersection along with Loco Pez and Cedar Point Bar and Kitchen, ReAnimator Coffee adds a much-needed caffeine haven to the area. Walking through the front door at the building vertex, I sauntered through the minimalistic interior past various tables and chairs until I reached the gorgeous, custom concrete counter at the back. After some brief barista banter, I ordered an espresso and a pourover of their Ethiopia Kochere. The espresso, pulled short with brown crema, smacked of blood orange, chocolate nibs, some lime zest, sage and a touch of Wheat Thins, making for a bright and delicious infusion. The pourover version of the coffee proved sweeter and more mellow, with notes of honey, peaches, candy caramel, wheat cracker, birch and kale within a medium body.

Needless to say, I had a field day at ReAnimator. Make ye your way to Fishtown for some great coffee. 

CC: Dub Pies

Subject: Dub Pies
Location Visited: Manhattan, NY
Free WiFi ? : I think not
Rating: 5+ [see key]


Pie has to be one of the single best mediums for conveying flavor. I can think of few items that tempt me and often allude me more than sumptuous pie delights like salty honey walnut, peach ginger and fresh, no-syrup-filler apple pie. And of course, I stand with the masses whose love for pie is seemingly only eclipsed by the inability (due to finances, geography or both) to get great piece all the time.

Yet for all the wonders of pie, America has not the fervent love for meat pies that our Aussie and Middle Earth (aka New Zealand) counterparts kindle. Sure we have chicken pot pie and shepherds pie, but how many of us have had a steak mince pie or a thai chicken curry pie? Not nearly enough of us. And to battle this pie-lessness, Dub Pies of NYC beats the war drums of their pie march upon the urban landscape around them. 

One evening, I was able to make it out to their Greenwich Village shop for a savory pie before heading on my way home. To my surprise while ordering, not only do they bear great pies but also a love for great coffee. Sporting Counter Culture Coffee, I decided to order an espresso of the Espresso La Forza (a more traditional, southern Italian-style espresso) and a drip of Kenyan (I failed to note the specific origin). The espresso, pulled a short-to-medium with a light brown crema, unfolded notes of vanilla, lemon, sugar, bittersweet chocolate and a touch of pepper; definitely full of traditional flavor though it seemed it was pulled a bit hot. The Kenyan metered out a great infusion of apricot, chocolate cake, sweet Hawaiian rolls, berries and light sage, making for a smooth and bright cup. 

Thus, not only did I sate my ravenous pie lust but I also had a great coffee experience. Delay not a dub-ious second; round up your kin and make a trip to a Dub Pies location next time you're in town (be on the lookout for the trucks!) or if ye reside local, get it delivered.

Mugged: Citron and Poire [Le Palais Des Thes]

Subject: Le Palais des Thés
Teas Mugged: Le Citron and La Poire
Rating [see key]: both 4+

Having recently finished up a weekend at the NYC Coffee Fest, I am always amazed at how much of the coffee and tea industry involves flavoring. Of course flavored coffees I forcefully embargo, and syrups rarely pass through my lips (I try to keep my sweetener intake low), but natural flavoring in teas seem to be the one instance where an additive to the medium has some legitimate ability to add some quality flavor without using harsh chemicals or sugar.

Recently, I took some tea from Le Palais des Thés for a spin, trying out their Le Citron (Lemon) and La Poire (Pear). Both teas are flavored and each claims natural flavorings and refreshing results. I sampled each tea according to the brew recommendations on the product pages. 

The Le Citron smacked of lemon candy, cherry blossoms and cake, followed by a strong backbone of Sri Lankan black tea. While the taste of lemon was more akin to a sugary lemon concoction than an actual lemon, the tea all in all proved light and tart with some fairly solid qualities.

The La Poire also had a sweet, albeit more subtle, candied quality of fruit about it (in this case pear), along with notes of lemongrass, chardonnay and flecks of a deep green tea. Complete with marigold petals, this tea makes for a pretty sight and a decent brew.

While, I can't say that these two teas were my all-time favorites (I usually prefer my fruit flavorings from a fresh source), they each made for a fairly refreshing cup of tea. For a taste of France, check out these as well as the numerous other tea options on the Le Palais des Thés website.

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