Truman Cold Brew

  This is my second coffee from the folks over at Black Oak Coffee Roasters.    This is Meadow; an organic Medium Roast bean. I brewed this at my 1:12 ratio. Black Oak notes flavors of chocolate, caramel, and roasted nuts. This was a nice roasty, chocolatey cup. Smooth & sweet, noticed flavors of caramel & toffee as well. This was a nice straight forward cup of coffee. Next time I will probably go with my 1:8 ratio and add some cream.    Thanks again to Mckenzie & Black Oak Coffee for the great coffee. Go check them out:  blackoakcoffee.com

bbWhat we have here is a coffee from Switchbox Coffee. Switchbox is a specialty coffee roaster & cafe in Oakland Park, Florida. Their passion is quality from farmer to consumer & their goal is simple; craft the best cup of coffee.   This is their Ethiopia Nekisse. A natural from the city of Sidama. Produced by Ninety Plus. Switchbox notes flavors of floral, strawberry, cocoa, grapefruit. I brewed this at my 1:12 ratio. This is one of the best coffees I've had since starting this blog. Upon grinding the beans in my hario, I was floored with how fragrant the grinds were. So floral and fruity. Sweet cup. Very tropical & tart in flavors. I got pineapple, orange, kumquat. This coffee is candy! Not as fermenty as most naturals, but still there. Too sweet and bright not to be. This will definitely be on a "Years Greatest" list. Super yummy.   Thanks again to Switchbox for the amazing coffee! Definitely got check these guys out:  switchboxcof...

  Another great coffee from Onyx Coffee. Been a fan of theirs before I ever started this page/blog. Onyx does their magic down in Northwest Arkansas.    This is their Guatemala El Limonar Martinez. This is a honey processed bean from the Huehuetenango region. Onyx notes flavors of peach, fresh florals, raspberry, black tea, & sweet cream. I brewed this at my 1:12 ratio. This coffee was crazy fragrant. The aroma as I was grinding the beans in my hario was amazing! Floral peach tea is spot on. Super fruity. Berry. Citrus. This coffee was amazing. Will definitely be enjoying this again. Soon. Love what Onyx is doing.    Thanks again to Andrea & Onyx for the amazing coffees. These guys are great, go check them out:  onyxcoffeelab.com

  Today we have another great coffee from Blue Monarch Coffee. Blue Monarch is roasting some tasty beans right here in Kansas City. Even though they are relatively new to the scene, they are doing great things with coffee & their community.   This is their Limited Release Aged Guatemala. They were only able to secure a small lot of this coffee, so it went pretty fast. But no worries if you missed out before, they are taking pre-orders for more to be released today, March 14. This was a very interesting coffee. And the highest-grade coffee Blue Monarch has ever roasted. It won the Cup of Excellence award in 2011 and has been aging ever since. Blue Monarch notes flavors of berry, toffee, and smoky. I brewed this at my 1:12 ratio. At first grind, I got some amazing aromas of leather & tobacco. Such a smooth, syrupy cup. I also noted some butterscotch. Will definitely be brewing this again. Maybe at a stronger ratio, 1:8 perhaps. Thanks again to Ty...

 Right here we have a coffee from Circadian Coffee. Circadian was founded in 2016 in the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood of Indianapolis, Indiana.   This is their Peru Chanchamayo Highland, Direct Trade. Circadian notes flavors of brown sugar, cinnamon, with a buttery bright finish. I brewed this at a 1:12 ratio. This was a nice rich cup. Definitely got the notes of cinnamon & spice. Caramel and brown sugar sweetness. Toffee. Sweet nutty. Next time I brew this, think I'll go with my 1:8 ratio and add some cream with it.   Thanks again to Kelsey & Circadian for the great coffee. Go check them out:  circadiancoffee.com

  Here I'd like to give another review of some chocolate from Goodnow Farms. All of their bars are single origin. Much like coffee, they do that to herself thought the distinct flavor characteristics of that particular bean. They are currently in Peru sourcing new cacao, so go check that out. They are posting some interesting photos of the terroir and different cacao varieties.   I am currently enjoying their Almendra Blanca bar. Almendra Blanca literally means "white almond". And even though this is a very high cacao content, 77%, it has a much lighter color. This cacao is sourced from an 80-year old family farm in the Mexican state of Tabasco. These beans are given a short, gentle roast to highlight the naturally bright, fruity flavor of the Almendra Blanca bean. And this is a fruity bar. I tasted a nice florally citrus taste to the chocolate. Very nice. And again, the packaging on their bars is great. Heavy card stock outer wrapper. Nice gold letter...

  Tonight's coffee comes to us from 1000 Faces Coffee. 1000 Faces was established in Athens, Georgia in 2006. 1000 Faces has matured greatly over the past ten years & its professionalism and service are a testament to that growth. Still, they remain a seeker on a heroic journey, forever on a quest, searching for the great coffee boon to help retire place, people, and product to state of delicious well-being.   This is their Chelbessa. A washed Ethiopian. I brewed this at a 1:12 ratio. 1000 Faces notes flavors of peach, floral, black tea. Another tasty Ethiopian I can add to my book. This was a very florally aromatic coffee. Slightly citrus acidity. Definitely getting that peach tea vibe. Such a bright cup. What a great summer cold brew bean!   Thanks again to Jan & 1000 Faces for the amazing coffee. Looking forward to trying the other beans they sent. Go give these guys a look:  1000facescoffee.com

  Today's coffee is brought to us by Rosalind Coffee. Rosalind is based out of New York, New York.   This is their Los Lajones. A natural bean from Panama. An interesting fact I found about this farm, they are one of the very first farms in Central America which produce their entire crop using either the Natural or Honey processing method. And I love those types of beans. Rosalind notes flavors of strawberry, pineapple, creme brûlée, and french toast. I brewed this at my standard 1:12 ratio. This was an amazing coffee. So fruity and floral. Bright tart fruit. Very vibrant cup. Will brew this again soon!   Thanks again to Walt & Rosalind for the amazing coffee. Have a couple more of theirs to try, can't wait! Go check these guys out:  rosalindcoffee.com

  Today's coffee comes to us from Hatchet Coffee out of Boone, North Carolina. Hatchet got their name from a tool that has built homes, saved lives, journeyed continents. Fostered from passion for craftsmanship.   This is their El Salvador, Finca Pinares. Hatchet notes flavors of cane juice, toffee, & zest. I wasn't quite sure what cane juice was supposed to taste like, so looked that up. This was a sweet cup. Definitely some toffee, brown sugar notes. Tart lemon. Very smooth cup. Liked this a lot.   Thanks again to Jeremy and Hatchet for the awesome coffee. Go see what these guys offer:  hatchetcoffee.com

  Today's coffee comes to us from Tiny House Coffee Roasters. Tiny House is from Texas. They work very closely with the coffee farmers to ensure they get the true value for their product.   This is their Finca San José from Nicaragua. I brewed this at a 1:12 ratio. Might brew a little stronger next time, as I've found I prefer my chocolatey beans at 1:8. This was a very nice smooth coffee. Chocolatey. Roasty. Nice caramel sweetness. Little spice. This was great as a stand-alone single origin, and I bet this would blend well with an Ethiopian for a "cold brew" type blend.   Thanks again to Blake and Tiny House for the great coffee. Go check these guys out:  tinyhousecoffeeroasters.com

  Today I have one of two coffees from Bootstrap Coffee out of Saint Paul, Minnesota. Micah started Bootstrap in 2014 with no partners or employees, a 6-pound roaster, and just a handful of wholesale customers. Now with a few more people on board, his vision remains the same, roasting coffees he really likes and humbly serving them to us.   This is Bootstraps Burundi. A fully washed bean from the Gacokwe Washing Station Cooperative. Bootstrap notes flavors of apricot, fig, caramel, and lemon candy. I brewed this at a 1:12 ratio. I definitely got the dried fruit taste. Nice citric acidity going on. Brown sugar sweetness. Very nice.   Thanks again to Micah & Bootstrap for the great coffees. Go check out what these guys offer:  bootstrapcoffeeroasters.com

  Today's coffee comes to us from Dapper & Wise Roasters. Dapper & Wise roasts out of Beaverton, Oregon.   This is their Ethiopia Chire. A natural bean of the Mikicho & Setami varietal. Dapper & Wise notes flavors of dark cherry, strawberry jam, & pink apple. I brewed this at a 1:12 ratio. And here we have yet another fine Ethiopian. I love this region. Nice bright acidity. Nice crisp cup. Definitely got the black cherry tartness & sweetness. Very fruity and floral. Delicious!   Thanks again to Aubrey & Dapper & Wise for the amazing coffee. Also digging that simplistic bag design. Love the gold ampersand. Go check these guys out:  dapperandwise.com

  This is another amazing coffee from Switchback Roasters. My 5th I have reviewed of theirs. Switchback is roasting great beans out of Colorado Springs, Colorado.   This is their Kenya Thimu, from the Kirinyaga region. This is a washed bean. Switchback notes flavors of pomegranate, plum, and wildflower honey. I brewed this at a 1:12 ratio. Due to the bean being grown at such a high elevation, the coffee cherries are forced to develop more slowly, creating more sugars which lead to a much sweeter cup. And this was a mighty sweet and tasty cup. Dark fruits. A nice crisp acidity. These guys know how to source and roast.   Thanks again to the Switchback crew for the amazing coffee. These guys are amazing, check them out:   switchbackroasters.com

  Today's coffee comes to us from Whiskey Barrel Coffee. Whiskey Barrel is based out of Denver, Colorado. Whiskey Barrel Coffee is a small batch, hand crafted product that they are proud to stand behind. They guarantee that the Whiskey Barrel Coffee experience will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced before.   I got in touch with Golan & his crew on a recent trip to Colorado. My wife & our friend visited them at their place in Denver and were treated like royalty. We were able to try their nitro cold brew, which they sell around town. This was some of the best cold brew I've had. Their founder Tal cooked us up some Turkish coffee. We bought some dark chocolate covered bourbon barrel coffee beans. Was quite the visit.   On to the coffee. Golan suggested I not cold brew this version of their barrel beans, so I brewed it as a pour over. The beans they use for their cold brew are actually a blend of 'plain' beans & bourbon barrel ag...

  Today's coffee comes to us from Lumberjack Coffee out of Colorado Springs, Colorado. This is the second bean I've had from Ryan, and Ryan knows what he's doing. Another tasty coffee.   This is his Mexico - Chiapas Grapos Altura. A Fair Trade Organic bean. Lumberjack notes flavors of chocolate, grape, & dulce de leche. I brewed this at a 1:12 ratio. I found it to be slightly sweet, very full bodied. Robust. Chocolate & nutty. Caramel. Very nice cup. Bet this would also make a nice espresso shot & would be great as a pour over with some cream.   Thanks again to Ryan & Lumberjack Coffee for the tasty bean. Some great things coming out of the Colorado Springs coffee scene. Go check his operation out:  lumberjackcoffeeco.com

  Something a little different added in today. I have noticed a connection between the coffee & chocolate world, so I thought bringing in some chocolate reviews would be nice. Today's offering is from Goodnow Farms. They make all their single origin chocolate bars by hand on their 225 year old farm in Sudbury, Massachusetts.    The packaging is on point. Love the box. The bars are all hand wrapped with a foil inner wrapper to seal in the taste, and a beautiful outer wrapper made of heavy card stock. Will post a picture of the bars in my next review. So far, I have enjoyed their Nicalizo bar. This was a 77% cacao dark chocolate bar from Nicaragua. This bar was awesome. Goodnow notes flavors of grapes, raisins, and woodsy. The dark fruit taste was definitely there. And I loved the woodsy/earthy note as well. Excited to try the other 3 bars.    Thanks again to Tom & Goodnow Farms for the amazing chocolate! Go check these guys out...

  Today's coffee comes to us from Bidaar Coffee. What started as an idea to just roast coffee became more personal. They began to meet producers & farmers & heard stories. Stories they hope we all enjoy in every cup. Because at the end of the day, they are what they are: they are coffee people.   This is their Honey Rwanda. From the Gakenke district, produced by the Coko Station. Due to the extremely high altitude, and very unique processing method, the region produces a very small amount of honey-process beans every year. And Bidaar got their hands on a bit. This was a very unique bean. Bidaar notes flavors of raisin, caramel, citrus. This wasn't as sweet as most honey-processed beans I've had. But I definitely got the nice citrus acidity. Deep dark fruit. Cola. Nice syrupy body. Very nice cup.   Thanks again to Varin & Bidaar for the tasty beans. Go check these guys out:  bidaarcoffee.com

  Today's coffee comes to us from Black Oak Coffee Roasters. Black Oak is based out of Ukiah, California. I really like the typography they use for their logo design.   This is their Duomo Espresso. Duomo is a northern Italian style espresso roast. Medium-Dark. Not sure the bean or processing used, but this was definitely the darkest bean I've yet to cold brew. Brewed at my standard dark roast ratio of 1:8. This was a dark roast. Very deep, dark chocolate, woodsy. Was a nice drink, but a little too dark; not enough sweet for my taste in a cold brew. Maybe some could be used in a blend with a sweeter bean, like an Ethiopian. Will have to try this as a pour over this weekend. Bet it makes for a nice espresso shot.   Thanks again to McKenzie & Black Oak for the coffee. Excited to try the other bean they sent out. Go check these guys out:  blackoakcoffee.com

  Today we have a 2 for the price of 1 special! Two coffees from Onyx Coffee Lab. Onyx is based out of Northwest Arkansas.   These two coffees are the same bean, but processed different ways. I love this concept and wish more Roasters would do it. These beans are both Ethiopia Hambela Buku. One is a washed bean, the other a natural. This is the third year that Onyx has worked with the Hambela estate in the Guji zone of Ethiopia. They have visited the farm every year to date and have seen tremendous growth in quality, volume, and care for the community. This year the farm extended itself to become completely organic and has cupped extremely high. Onyx expects this to be a long term staple for them serving pristine high quality clean Ethiopians. On to the brews. I brewed both at a 1:12 ratio. The washed Onyx notes as having flavors of lime, jasmine, bergamot, floral honey, berries. I loved the orange citrus I tasted in here. Very nice tea-like body as well. V...