Java Bean Plus Review

Java Bean Plus describes themselves as “Wholesale custom roasted coffee” with “freshness guaranteed.” Their focus is to offer the highest quality product with the most informative customer service currently available.

One of the banner’s from JBP’s website

I’d like to start off by saying that my experience may have been unique due to two factors: first off, I’m not a customer. Java Bean Plus generously sent me three samples of their coffee for this review. The great thing is that they were kind enough to send them for free. Unfortunately, this means I didn’t get to interact with their customer service department – I’ll talk about that in a bit. The second reason my experience with Java Bean Plus was probably unique is due to the fact that this review is long overdue. Being a part-time blogger and a full time student, it’s taken me far too long to get to this post. I’d like to publicly thank Java Bean Plus for their patience with me!

Those two points aside, I feel as though Java Bean Plus is worthy of a quality review because of their clear dedication as a wholesaler.

On their website they list three points that set them apart from competitors:

1) Unlike many other coffee and tea suppliers, we don’t compete with our customers. We will not sell to individual consumers for home use

2) We aim to ship all orders within 24 hours. We understand the importance of your order and your need to maintain a fresh stock of coffee and tea for your customers

3) We are dedicated to quality and service. If you are not satisfied with your order please call or e-mail us and we will be sure to refund your purchase

The Snapshot
Java Bean Plus’ website feels cold and calculating to me, robotic even. There’s not a sense of community here – it’s simply an online store. Browsing around and looking for various coffees feels like a generic experience. “Freshness guaranteed” doesn’t sound like a rallying cry to me, it’s actually the bare minimum of what I would hope for from a quality coffee supplier. That being said, their promise of providing information to small business on a case by case basis seems like it would be indispensable to a local coffee shop trying to get on their feet.

What JBP lacks in the overall feel of the website, they make up for with their clear focus on the customer. Small businesses reign supreme: JBP will allow you to pick bag colors, use a label you design, and customize a variety of other factors. “Customer Service” is a link that appears on the top right of every page on the website. You can contact them by phone, email, form on the website, or even by sending a letter to their address. In small business little things make a huge difference, and it seems like Java Bean Plus hit the nail on the head in this regard.

 

The Coffee
Java Bean Plus’ website is full of different headers and menus used for shopping for different regions, roasts, and types of coffee. They sent me three coffees: the Guatemala Antigua, Mexico High Growth, and Costa Rica Tarrazu.

The Guatemala Antigua had a rich flavor, but not a very full mouthfeel. It was definitely the most mild of the three, with a low acidity. The flavor was constant, and each sip provided wave after wave of deliciousness. While I’ve never licked a tree in my life, the word “dogwood” came to mind as I sipped the brew. Take that for what it’s worth!

The Mexico High Growth was straight up bitter the first time I brewed it. High acidity gave it a poor aftertaste that I wasn’t a big fan of. After using both my Aeropress and Clever to brew various cups, I realized it was actually a very complicated coffee. Something must have been off in the brewing process for my initial taste test that muddled the notes and caused the coffee to taste bad. I gave it a chance and came away with another opinion. The coffee itself smells fresh, like tilled soil with hints of fruitiness and some flowers. In that sense the acidity definitely peeked through and gave it a  unique zing. While I initially didn’t like the coffee at all, I ended up appreciating it the most out of the three.

The Costa Rica Tarrazu had a rich, carmel-esque smell when I brewed it. On my initial taste, the first word that struck me was “depth.” The coffee had an earthy mid not with a bright aftertaste, leaving your tongue dancing and waiting for the next sip. There were definite hints of oak.

 

Final Thoughts
Java Bean Plus isn’t something I would recommend to the average consumer – which is a good thing. They aren’t trying to cater to the average consumer. Instead, they are trying to bring good, quality specialty coffee to businesses that will cater to the average consumer. And quite frankly, they are perfect in that regard. Their website may not be the flashiest on the web, but it is functional, and it is easy to find coffee in. I found their coffee to be delightfully delicious.

The thing that I love most about a great cup of coffee is that it is the result of the combined efforts of people from all over the world. Everyone from the grower to the barista has a say in how the final product will turn out. I am happy to say that Java Bean Plus does their job in that process well.

The Coffee Guy

Find Java Bean Plus here:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

TONX Coffee Does a Beautiful Thing

When talking about coffee with friends I often hear two things regarding purchasing good, quality coffee.

(1) What’s good and where do I buy it?

or

(2) It seems too difficult to buy good coffee. I’d rather just buy a can or use kcups.

I acknowledge the positions of anyone who has given or contemplated either of these responses. The truth is, unless you live near a Stumptown or Dawson Taylor it is a chore to get great coffee. Don’t get me wrong – this is a chore that, in my opinion, is well worth the effort (unlike sweeping. Let’s be real here – the floor is just going to get dirty AGAIN). The problem is that for many people ease-of-purchase trumps great taste in the everyday situation. If you can purchase a can or bag of coffee while buying groceries, it makes far more sense to kill two birds with one stone. Right? “Fine – let all these hipster baristas go out of their way to buy marginally better coffee, I’ll stick to my “sub par” brew that tastes just fine, thank you very much.”

I completely understand this attitude. The problem is, you no longer have that excuse.

TONX Coffee solves this “ease-of-purchase” problem by delivering fresh roasted, amazing coffee straight to your door. And not only that, they time it so that as your bag is beginning to run low, a new one is already on the way.

What is Tonx?

Tonx wants you to drink good coffee. We are a small team of coffee fanatics dedicated to becoming your best option for getting the best beans for brewing at your home, your office, or your batcave (if you are Batman). We think coffee can and should be both great and approachable. We sweat the fussy details so that you don’t have to. We aim to always be delightful in your press, aero, cone, chemex, hario, or clever coffee making device.

from http://tonx.org

Tonx has a great system set up. You pay $38 a month, billed every four weeks. You get a 12oz bag of coffee every two weeks (roasts differ from week to week). You can pause at any time. You can cancel at any time. That’s it.

Say goodbye to stale coffee that sits on your shelf or in a can. Tonx mails your coffee right after it’s roasted so that you get the freshest possible cup. And if you’re a regular (or more than regular) coffee drinker like me, 12oz of whole bean coffee is the perfect amount for two weeks.

I recently got the opportunity to try Tonx out for myself, and I was super impressed. Not only was registering incredibly easy, but when it came time for me to pause my subscription, there was absolutely no hassle involved. I logged in to their site, and pressed the “pause” button and I was good to go. But what about the coffee?

I received a Tanzania Mpito roast which was described on the bag as “deep, delicious, cooperative, and delightful.” I found each of these adjectives to be apt descriptions. One of the biggest things that stood out to me as I opened Tonx’s signature rectangular art-influenced packaging was the smell. The coffee had one of the richest smells that I’ve had the pleasure to behold. If you love coffee you know that there’s nothing like the buttery rich smell of fresh roasted coffee, and this was absolutely no exception.

I brewed this coffee mostly using the inverted brew method in my Aeropress. After learning a thing or two at Coffee Common last month, I felt more than equipped to brew a tasty cup of Tonx Coffee. The Tanzania’s description was dead-on: I experienced the coffee as having a dense deep flavor that had elements of both complex brightness and simple clear notes. I enjoyed several cups with homemade biscotti, and this only added to the experience. I also tried the Tanzania Mpito in a mocha with “shots” pulled through my Aeropress. Chocolate proved to give the deep flavor of the Tanzania some great accents, and I enjoyed every last drop.

Tonx sold me from the very beginning: registering on their website was simple and straightforward. Their presentation with the packaging and reading pamphlet that was provided was exemplary. Finally, and most importantly, the coffee was amazing.

For a lot of people, driving to a cafe or roaster that sells great specialty coffee is too much of a hassle. Tonx coffee solves this dilemma by delivering the cafe experience to your front door.

After doing a little bit of math, check out what I discovered:

• 1lb of coffee (16oz) makes about 30 cups of coffee. This means a 12oz bag of Tonx coffee will make 22 and a half cups, but let’s call it 22 to make it easy.

• Since Tonx is sending you a 12oz bag every two weeks, and billing you every four weeks, you are paying $38 for about 44 cups of coffee. (That provides you with 1.57 cups of coffee per day, by the way).
• Divide it out and you’re paying $0.86 per cup of coffee.

• If you were to buy 44 cups of similar-grade coffee from a quality cafe at $2 per cup (which is a low estimate if you want any espresso drink), you would be paying $88. In this case, Tonx would save you $50 a month.

• If you were to instead buy a $2 cup of great-tasting specialty coffee every day for four weeks, you would spend $56 a month. In this case, Tonx would save you $18 a month.

No matter how you cut it, Tonx Coffee is doing a beautiful thing. Help them help you and sign up now.

Or, at the very least, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

The Coffee Guy

Organo Gold and Marina Hina

I’m not a fan of instant coffee. If I drink instant coffee I only do so as a last last last resort. In fact, about 90% of the time I’d rather not drink anything as opposed to drinking instant coffee. Starbucks Via is probably my one exception to this rule; even then, I always hesitate before opening one of their packets and ask myself “do I really want to do this?”

When I contacted Marina Terwilliger to do a review of her coffee, I had never heard of Organo Gold. However, I frequently am on the lookout for different kinds of coffee sources – whether they are local coffee shops or online stores. This seemed like a great way to branch out and try something new.

On her website – marinahina.com – where she sells her products, Marina says:

Starting with a couple things I’m passionate about, health and sewing, Marina Hina hats and coffee was born. Enjoy the sunhats designed and handcrafted in Hawaii and the the coffee brought to you by Organo Gold.

While her “SPF Sun Hats” section has yet to go live, the coffee portion of her website is very much up and running. The brand she is selling? Organo Gold. Like I said, Organo Gold coffee was foreign to me – I had never heard of it and because of this, decided to do a little research before I received my review sample.

The front page of Organo Gold’s website boasts quotes like “Change your coffee, change your life” and “The coffee that makes you feel good.” Their about page goes on to explain:

“Organo Gold is on a mission, spreading the knowledge of Ganoderma to the four corners of the world. By using the cost effective network distribution system to deliver these Ganoderma products, more of every dollar is shared with our growing Organo Gold family world-wide.”

That’s all fine and dandy, but what the heck is Ganoderma, and why does this about page sound like a philosophy textbook?

Basically, ganoderma is a type of fungi used in various types of eastern medicine. It is said to have anticancer effects, protect against radiation-induced damage, and also have antioxidant effects (according to Wikipedia).

Essentially, Organo Gold is coffee infused with ganoderma extract, made available in an instant-packet form factor. The idea is that it is coffee that is good for you. More than that, Organo Gold is the type of thing that you can sell from your home to your friends and family if you are interested in becoming involved with their company.

Here at BoiseCoffee we are all for health benefits, invigorated immune systems, and life longevity. That being said, this is not a health blog, and I’m not here to tell you whether or not Organo Gold will change your life. What I am here to do is tell you whether or not their coffee tastes good and is enjoyable. So, when I opened my first packet of Organo Gold instant latte, that’s exactly what I set out to discover.

I received three types of Organo Gold products from Marina: Gourmet Cafe Latte, Gourmet Cafe Mocha, and Gourmet Black Coffee.

When I opened the latte packet I found a brownish white powder with no visible hint of the ganoderma extract that existed within. When I combined this powder with hot water, then kicked back to sate my curiosity, I was initially not impressed. The beverage had an earthy, mildy sweet taste, but in no way resembled a latte. Looking at the ingredients I found that there was indeed some kind of dairy in the powder, but any taste remotely resembling a latte was not to be found. However, I found that the drink got better as I drank it. By the end of the beverage I was enjoying it – not because it tasted like a latte, or really even coffee, but because it had a very coffee-esque quality: it was an acquired taste. Once I got used to the initial shock, I found that the drink was actually enjoyable.

The mocha was similar in this regard. The mocha packet contained much more powder than did the latte packet. I mixed it with the same amount of hot water, however, and it proved to be the correct ratio. Upon tasting, the drink revealed itself to not be very sweet. Or, at least, it wasn’t as sweet as I expected it to be – an expectation that existed mostly because it carried the “mocha” monocher that I generally associate with something sweet…like, say, chocolate. It was, however, initially more tasty than the “latte” flavor, and I think that had to do with my expectations being better met. It was a much closer drink to the title that its packet professed. In consistency it was slightly creamy, but clearly water based. Initially it actually kind of felt like a mocha was in my mouth, but quickly the watery taste set in after the initial impression had run its course. Towards the end the mocha was actually quite good. My last gulp left me desiring just one more sip, which is definitely a good thing.

In both the mocha and the latte there was a foreign taste present. I can only assume that this belonged to the ganoderma extract. It wasn’t exactly bad tasting, nor did it necessarily detract from the overall flavor of the drinks. Yet it was definitely present, and definitely not coffee.

It should be noted that 30 minutes after drinking the mocha I got what can only be described as a huge caffeine rush. I’m not sure if this was a combination of doing Physics homework at 1am and drinking coffee, or if the coffee just has a high caffeine content. It was glorious for getting work done, however.

I have little to note about the black coffee. It had a much better initial taste than the latte. Again, I think that’s because my expectations were better met. It too contained the foreign taste of the praised fungi, but proved to be the beverage that stood out least to me – for better or worse.

Overall I have to admit that Organo Gold was much better than I initially anticipated. I was expecting gross instant coffee and what I got instead was an entertaining beverages that left me desiring more at the end (and possibly even had health benefits). People who are hooked on instant coffee would find Organo Gold to be a happy alternative to their favorite brand. Those who aren’t, and prefer traditional brewing methods, may not appreciate Organo Gold for what it is but will also not necessarily be let down by its taste or consistency. I recommend that these people try the mocha flavor if they are looking to branch out.

Health-focused people may also find value in the supposed benefits that Organo Gold has as opposed to a typical instant coffee brand.

Me? I’ll stick to my french press and espresso, but keep Organo Gold in the back of my head in case I ever find myself in the position where I’m shopping for instant coffee.

If you are planning on purchasing Organo Gold, please do it through Marina Hina’s store here.

The Coffee Guy

P.S. Marina does her own writing about coffee here. Check it out!

Up Close and Impersonal: how CoffeeAM.com smashed my preconceived notions

The coffee business is an extremely personal business. Unlike traditional fast-food restaurants or specialty chains (like Jamba Juice, for instance) there’s a certain expectation in regards to the service a customer receives at a coffee shop. Whether it be a stand, store, or full cafe, emphasis is put on quality, service, and atmosphere. I would argue that nearly half of the overall coffee experience happens outside of the cup.

That’s exactly why I was a little hesitant to do a review of CoffeeAM.com. I’m not able to post pictures of their store because, well, they don’t have one.

That being said, I did reach out to them to do the review, and they kindly obliged. I asked them to send me coffee that could characterize and represent their company well. The day I received the package from them was like Christmas. Carrying it back to my room, the sweet aroma of coffee leaked out like a sweet perfume.

Opening the box, I removed not one, not two, not even three, but four bags of coffee. (All links lead to their respective ordering pages on CoffeeAm.com)

• Costa Rica Reserve
• Sumatra Black Satin
• Organic Mexico ‘Altura Tollan’ *Fair Trade*
• Maple Bacon

CoffeeAM.com's Twitter image

Yes, you read that right folks. Maple Bacon. Like when you pour maple syrup out of your Mrs. Butterworths bottle, watch it pool on a short stack of flapjacks, then cascade over the sides covering the delicious thick-fried bacon below. It even smells like that.

After about a week of sampling, field-testing, and enjoying, it’s become clear why CoffeeAm decided on these four. The Costa Rica Reserve is a lighter roast, the Altura Tollan is a medium roast, the Sumatra Black Satin is a dark roast, and the Maple Bacon…well it’s a treat I guess.

Each of these blends exceeded my expectations. Because there was no “coffee experience” packed in the package, my review is limited only to the contents within each bag of coffee. In the end, however, if you order from CoffeeAM.com, that’s exactly what you’ll be getting.

The Organic Mexico ‘Altura Tollan’ is, as I mentioned before, a medium roast. With earthy undertones and a sharp taste, I would classify this as a great morning coffee. Definitely not dark, this isn’t going to kick you in the gonads as soon as you wake up. That said, it’s no light weight. When I tried it in my French Press mug I found there to be some great singing notes at the end of each swig.

The Costa Rica Reserve is a light roast, though that doesn’t keep the taste from being distinct and delicious. In fact, I think it has a richer taste then the Altura Tollan, being smoother as well. Simply by smelling the grounds I can tell that this would be a great fit as a dessert coffee. It has the perfect taste to wash down a delicious bite of cheesecake, or spoonful of cobbler.

The Sumatra Black Satin is, as its name suggests, a dark roast. On my initial tests I didn’t find the taste to be as biting as the Altura Tollan, however the aftertaste definitely reveals what you’re truly drinking. It’s a very flavorful coffee, not burnt as one might suppose. In comparison, if the Costa Rica Reserve is a guitar, and the Altura Tollan is a piano, the Sumatra Black Satin would be an organ or bass. Dark, but rich.

Finally, the Maple Bacon. I’m not going to lie, this was the first coffee I tried. As soon as I opened up the box and saw this label, I tore the bag open and used it in a fresh pot of drip coffee. Having been on an “Epic Meal Time” YouTube binge lately, I was more than interested in what taste phenomena would be held in a cup of Maple Bacon coffee. It didn’t disappoint, for the most part. While I could detect a hint of meaty goodness smelling the grounds, after brewing a cup those greasy undertones were all but lost to the maple overtones. Still, the coffee was a decent flavored blend. Although the website doesn’t specify the roast, I would suspect it to be a light-to-medium roast. Not that it matters much. After all, it’s Maple Bacon. If you get the chance, give this a try – if nothing else, just to say you did.

Although I may have gone into my review of CoffeeAM.com with some hesitation, I am happy to say they did not disappoint. Their coffee is quality, and they have a wide range. My only problem with recommending them to you is that they are not a local coffee shop. You will not be supporting your local family of coffee roasters by buying from CoffeeAM.com. I am a firm believer in buying local, and because of that I am going to strongly recommend that, if at all possible, you do so. If, however, for whatever reason you find yourself unable to buy local, or you live in an area that is overgrown with sub-par chains, give CoffeeAM.com a try. Their website is very intuitive, and it’s pretty easy to find coffee that is highly rated by other drinkers.

Founded in 1993, CoffeeAM.com is the world’s largest online gourmet coffee & tea company. We roast, blend, and flavor all of our own coffees as well as blend and create our own line of gourmet teas. To ensure outstanding quality, all of this is done under one roof, right here in our home office warehouse.

CoffeeAM.com About page

Do you have experiences with CoffeeAM.com or other online coffee businesses? Comment and share your thoughts.

The Coffee Guy