The Coffee Guy

Here are some pics I snapped while there.

World-class baristas and roasters. Excellent coffee brands collaborating. Lessons on how to brew great coffee. Heaven? No, but close. I’m talking about Coffee Common.

Coffee Common brings together world-class baristas and roasters with shared values, to create unique experiences that introduce people to the nuanced joys of exceptional coffee. We believe that great coffee is, at its best, a collaboration of an empowered coffee farmer, an artisan coffee roaster, a dedicated barista, and an enlightened consumer. We believe that great coffee requires study, experimentation, craftsmanship, and humility.

When I heard Coffee Common was coming to New York City, I immediately marked it on my calendar. I’m going to college about an hour north of NYC, and this was the first widely-publicized coffee event that I’ve heard of coming to the city in the recent past. Needless to say, I’m super stoked.

Coffee Common was hosted in London in July and from the pictures and videos, it looked to be a huge success. It’s on again – this time being hosted at “A Startup Store” on Tenth Avenue and 19th St. in the Big Apple. It’s taking place this Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, which means day 1 has already come and gone.

I’m making the short train ride over on Saturday and will be spending nearly the entire day learning tips and tricks on how to make exceptional coffee from some of the best in the industry. While there, I’ll take pictures and video and will do a recap post upon returning. I’m looking to not only expand my abilities, but also to meet some great people and share the joy of our mutual passion: superb coffee.

Coffee Common is being hosted by Google+, and as a result they are posting livestreams, or “hangouts,” through that social media service. What does that mean for you? You can join in on the fun all throughout this weekend! Check out the streams on Coffee Common’s Google+ page, here.

Also, follow my twitter (@BoiseCoffee) for regular updates on the event, as well as pictures throughout the day on Saturday.

Stay classy!
The Coffee Guy

I came across the blog “We Hunt & Gather” through the writer’s twitter page after he followed me. The title of his most recent post sold me the minute I read it. I asked him if I could reblog it, and he gave me permission. Below you’ll find the entire post, and a link to the original. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

The Coffee Guy

PRESSING MATTERS: TIPS FOR USING THE AEROBIE AEROPRESS

For a month now I’ve been the proud owner of an Aerobie Aeropress, that strange, over-sized syringe like coffee brewer. I had been weighing up buying one ever since the coffee shop I worked in started stocking them, but I couldn’t bring myself to purchase such an ugly piece of plastic. I don’t think it helped that every time I had to demonstrate how they worked to a customer, the penis-enlarger scene from Austin Powers replayed through my mind.

Finally I gave in and with the Aeropress in one hand and a bag of freshly roasted coffee beans in the other I headed home to brew my first cup. Despite the internet being awash with good reviews for the product, and there even being a World Aeropress Championship, I was still surprised at just how good the results were. In fact I think you’d really struggle to brew a bad cup.

I’m not going to give any specific recipes or instructions here, as there are plenty out there, (nods to the internet’s horizon line) and to be honest I change my method pretty much weekly. Besides, being able to experiment with how you brew is half the fun of the Aeropress.

Instead I thought I’d share a few tips that I’ve picked up.

Invert It Brewing with the Aeropress upside down with the plunger in and the filter cap off means that you can have more control over the brew time. You dictate when the coffee starts to drip through the filter, letting you brew for longer.

Brew with Water First Brewing a cup without putting any coffee in heats up the Aeropress, rinses the filter of chemically tastes and heats the mug up – the perfect preparation.

Get the grind right Despite the box saying repeatedly that it makes espresso style coffee, you shouldn’t use coffee ground for an espresso machine. Instead use a grind slightly coarser than filter. A finer grind will result in a stronger brew whilst coarser will give you a weaker one.

Re-use the Filter Each filter can be used several times, just rinse off, place back into the Aeropress and push the plunger down on top, keeping it flat whilst it dries. When you come to use it next you won’t even need to rinse it again.

Source link: http://wehuntandgather.tumblr.com/
View the original post here.

When it comes to roasting, the majority of the world’s coffee is roasted at a high temperature for just a few minutes. The problem is, one roast does not fit all beans.

At Kohana, we recognize, even revere, the fact that each type of bean has its own flavor characteristics. Using a technique developed in Hawaii, each Kohana bean is slow roasted based on these characteristics.

That’s great, but does Kohana’s tendency to “go against the grind” of coffee society pay off? (See what I did there…?)

I first got in contact with the folks from Kohana on Twitter. We’d talk from time to time, tossing back and forth quips and coffee lingo. As time went on and I began doing more reviews for coffee shops outside of Boise, Kohana Coffee would often cross my mind as a brand that I would love to review. For some reason I never got around to it – until a few weeks ago.

The folks from Kohana Coffee were more than friendly, sending me a bag of their Antigua Belle Carmona – a medium roast. Here’s the description of the coffee I received, from Kohana’s website:

One of Guatemala’s premium Antiguan coffees from Hacienda Carmona, a small estate located between the Agua and Acatenango volcanoes. With a rich full body and bright medium acidity, it is mildly sweet with flavors of caramel and cacao. Nicely aromatic fruit fragrance and a clean finish make this a special coffee you will enjoy….

One difficult aspect to reviewing coffee  is that there is not any objective way to tell someone what coffee is good and what coffee is bad. Often, I’ve found that certain coffees taste great in a mocha, while others are best when consumed as straight espresso. When I’m trying new coffee I like to put it into as many different types of drinks as I can. Not only does this give me an overall sense of the diversity of the coffee, but it allows me to find the way to enjoy that specific coffee the best.

After putting Kohana Coffee’s Antigua Bella Carmona through my “varied drink” test, I found that there was one cup that I simply couldn’t get enough of. Creating an Americano out of the Antigua and enjoying it with a little cream, as simple as that sounds, was absolutely heavenly. On one particular day I drank three cups of the Antigua this way. The more I had it, the more I loved it.

The coffee itself is a solid medium roast – definitely not one that will leave you wanting. Strong fruity notes reverberate throughout the entire process of crafting a cup of coffee from the Antigua, the strongest stage being grinding. Every time I would grind a batch the entire room would fill with the savory scent. These smells transfer nicely into the finished product, giving the coffee a lighthearted and carefree taste. Don’t be confused though, this is not a “light” coffee in the truest sense of the word. Strong notes ring through as well, giving the brew a rich undertone that will jar one to reality if consumed in the morning. It’s safe to say that the Antigua Bella Carmona is a versatile coffee. Its deliciousness can be enjoyed morning, noon, or night. I would strongly suggest Kohana’s Antigua Bella Carmona to both the coffee connoisseur and the casual consumer alike. Buy it here.

One other aspect of Kohana Coffee that’s well worth pointing out is their great website and social media outlets. Their website is more than just a store – it actually has a surprising wealth of information regarding their coffee, and coffee in general. For instance, check out their brewing tips here. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter as well.

I can’t wait to try more coffee from Kohana Coffee! If slow roasting is wrong, I don’t want to be right.

The Coffee Guy

More and more I find myself admitting that the coffee experience has less to do with the coffee, and more to do with the experience. Now don’t get me wrong – there is most definitely a difference between good coffee and bad coffee. However, if you’re like me, you’ve probably had a delicious cup of Joe nearly ruined by terrible customer service or other extraneous factors unrelated to the actual taste of the coffee.

The coffee experience is nearly as complicated as coffee itself. A great cup of coffee has the perfect balance of depth, warmth, richness, and taste. On the other hand, a great coffee experience could be a mixture of having a friendly barista, timely service, great pastries on the side, or even just the atmosphere of the coffee shop as a whole.

It could even have to do with music.

Music permeates the very fabric of our society today: movies wouldn’t be the same without the rich scores that accompany them, couples make and re-live memories through “their song,” and social media has brought the chance to be a self-made musician to the garage of every man, woman, and child.

I’ve found that music plays heavily into my coffee experience. Often, I drink coffee while attempting to accomplish some other task: whether that task is homework, work, or just goofing around online. I tend to listen to music while I do those same things, and because of this simple fact I end up listening to music and drinking coffee at the same time fairly often.

A couple of weeks ago I began to notice that I tend to move towards listening to certain genres of music while participating in this “task-coffee-music” ritual.

After a few days of processing this realization I put together a relatively short playlist which I aptly titled  “Coffee” in iTunes (link at the bottom of this post).

Bands on this playlist include:

• Oasis
• Mae
• Jason Mraz
• Jack Johnson
• Mumford & Sons
• Sherwood
• Shawn McDonald
• Coldplay
• The Beatles
• Ingrid Michaelson

It’s a super chill playlist filled with popular songs, virtually-underground songs, alternative artists, and, overall, a very relaxing tone.

This music has proven to be incredibly beneficial in creating a great coffee experience for me – it highlights each delicious note that the brew in my mug gives off.

Do you find that you listen to certain types of music while drinking coffee? Share your favorite artists and songs in the comments!

The Coffee Guy

[iTunes link to my playlist here]

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!

Grabbing the metro card that my relative graciously lent to me, I boarded the bus, then the train and headed into Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Right on the border of Washington D.C., Old Town Alexandria is the antithesis to nearly everything that makes our nation’s capital city famous. The hustle and bustle of the city is replaced with a quite calmness reminisce of small town America. The only similarity Old Town Alexandria shares with D.C. that I can see is the number of historical sites worth seeing. In fact, Old Town boasts being the “3rd oldest historic district in the nation.” Check out more here.

While I was sitting on the bus, I sent out a quick tweet from my personal account that I was headed into Old Town. One of my followers replied that he has several friends that live in the area. I took the opportunity to ask if he knew of any great local coffee places. He asked a friend and got back to me, saying that Misha’s is a popular local joint. That, ladies and gentleman, is the power of social media.

I found Misha’s on my iPhone and set a course for it as soon as I got off the train. After only a couple blocks of walking I had arrived.

Walking in, I was greeted by three things immediately: the delicious smell of coffee, the sounds of jazz music, and the color red. The entire interior of Misha’s is painted in a not-quite-dark red, close to an earthy tone. It fits the character of the shop great, and a chill mood was immediately set for me. I took a quick look around as I entered and saw several people reading the paper or a book, talking , and sipping brews. The barista greeted me with a pleasant smile, and I asked for a second to look at the menu. Eyes drifting upward, I quickly noticed that the menu is made entirely of refridgerator magnets! Check the pic to see what I mean. Cute.

After giving the menu a once over, I decided to go for a mocha. After a couple of days with nothing but drip coffee to satisfy my palette, I decided to go big. The barista pulled my shots with ease, and in no time a steaming cup of chocolate and espresso goodness was standing before me. My first sip was prefaced by a good amount of milk foam. Though I’m generally partial to whip cream on mochas, this was a great touch.

The mocha was very good. My only complaint is that there was a layer of chocolate syrup on the bottom of my cup. Although sometimes inevitable in a mocha, mine wasn’t as chocolaty as I would have liked. Hindsight being 20/20, I should have stirred my beverage before grabbing a seat.

Misha’s tagline is “The best coffee you’ll ever have.” Though I can’t say I completely agree with this claim, their coffee is darn good. People have left plenty of tips on foursquare, and it’s clear that the community loves hanging here.

Next time you’re in the Washington D.C. area, I definitely suggest stopping by Misha’s. Not only will you enjoy the atmosphere of Old Town Alexandria, you’ll love the coffee and the community.

The Coffee Guy

The Haas Coffee Collective is a part of the Haas Design Collective and is located in Cape Town, South Africa, specifically in the Bo-Kaap. Cape Town is known for it’s coffee scene, and Haas is most definitely a fine addition to that scene.

I haven’t visited Haas. I found out about them through Twitter, and I’m glad I did. The Haas Collective fuses art and coffee in a building as unique as the experience it suggests. Perhaps their website says it best.

the recently launched ‘haas coffee collective’ is an extension of ‘the haas design collective’. our coffee beans are selected from relationship farms across the world. both single origin and blended coffees are sold freshly packed under the ‘haas’ label. all our coffee beans are roasted in-house to ensure the production of a superior quality coffee.

In addition, Haas serves “Kopi Luwak,” the world’s most expensive coffee. It runs for about $80 a cup, and is apparently incredibly delicious (though not for the faint of heart). The process of creating Kopi Luwak coffee is…shall we say, interesting.

I’m very impressed with Haas. They sent me two single origin coffees: “The Mysterious Gentleman,” a complex Guatemalan coffee, and “The Famous Jailbreak,” an Ethiopian coffee that is rather sweet. Haas has style down to a tee, and all it takes is one glance at the labels that Haas puts on their bags to know this.

It should be noted that Haas is partners with Strictly Coffee who themselves make it clear that roasting coffee is “not simply an action, but a meticulously evolved art.” I couldn’t agree more. Haas is proud of this partnership, noting that Strictly Coffee is “crucial” to them.

The coffees themselves were both delicious. The Mysterious Gentleman proved delicious in both drip coffee and Americanos. A strong initial note was incredibly welcome, and the complex symphony that followed more so. The coffee is aptly named, as the taste reminds me of something…well, something mysterious.

I enjoyed The Famous Jailbreak most in lattes and mochas, though straight shots and Americanos didn’t disappoint either. The slightly sweet Ethiopian single origin coffee was greatly complimented by lightly frothed milk. Sitting down with a cup of The Famous Jailbreak while reading a book, magazine, or blogs on my iPad proved to be the best approach to enjoying this coffee.

How can you get your hands on some coffee from Haas? The easiest way is to contact them using one of the phone numbers or emails on their website. Although the prices of their coffee aren’t advertised, their website notes “all prices on request and goods shipped worldwide.” Mention that you heard about them from BoiseCoffee!

I’m not sure what it is about coffee that breaks barriers, lightens the burden of a heavy day, and brings people together. Whatever the reason, I highly suggest that next time you’re looking to put a delicious cup of Joe in your mug, you turn to the Haas Coffee Collective.

The Coffee Guy

Right: Coffee fields at Reggie's Roast. Bottom Left: Reggie himself

There’s nothing like fresh coffee, and I was very excited to be getting just that from Reggie’s Roast.

Reggie’s Roast is both Farmer and Roaster – we own and operate two farms in the Blue Mountain Coffee growing region of Jamaica where the coffee is processed under strict guidelines in compliance with the Jamaica Coffee Industry Board’s standards, then exported to our roasting facility in Linden, New Jersey where it is meticulously prepared and shipped as fresh as possible for your palate’s pleasure…we ONLY roast when you order!

When I received the coffee, I was blown away. Not only did RR send me three bags of coffee, the packaged was personalized as well! A note from Reggie himself, a pamphlet about the company, and a pen were all included in the package. On top of that, Reggie wrote in his note “All are ground to French Press (I read about the single cup press you use).” That is, he took the time to read up about me and my blog! Before the coffee bags were even opened I was sold on the service alone.

I was sent three different blends of Reggie’s Roast: GOLD 100% Jamaica, the Blue Mountain Irie Blend, and the Rasta Blend. Each was delicious, and I found I enjoyed each in a different way.

The GOLD 100% Jamaica coffee is Reggie’s Roast signature product. On their website they hail it as “one of the rarest arabicas in the world. Excellent body with an intense aroma.” They are spot on regarding the aroma. It is one of the most delicious smelling coffees that my nose has ever witnessed! Cracking the bag open immediately filled the entire room with the golden smell. I tried the coffee both in my aeropress and in my french press. I definitely prefer it in my french press – the taste is indeed mild and slightly sweet and I found it fit better in a cup of pressed coffee. The word that hits me must about this coffee is “solid.” The taste is unrelenting and bold, yet the coffee itself is definitely mild. It’s the perfect morning coffee, providing a strong foundation to start off your day.

Reggie’s Blue Mountain Irie Blend stuck out to me the least of the three coffees – but that’s not to say it was bad by any means. In fact, I rather enjoyed it in both espresso form (through my aeropress) and as french press coffee. It smells slightly less solid than the 100% GOLD, yet definitely smells smoother out of the two. The same can be said of taste: while the 100% GOLD could be analogous to a foundation, the Blue Mountain Irie Blend is the tile or hardwood laid on that foundation. This coffee would be the perfect lunch brew – not too heavy, but still delicious.

The final coffee that Reggie sent me is the Rasta Blend. Complete with red, yellow, and green label, this coffee stuck out to me the most out of the three. The Reggie’s Roast website says the Rasta Blend is “our tribute to Jamaica’s own Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley…” I’ve always found Bob Marley’s music to be incredibly versatile: it can cheer me up when I’m having a bad day and it can also be the perfect complement to a beautiful, sunny, spring afternoon. Versatile is definitely the word I would use to describe this coffee. It smells the sweetest out of the three, and it was delicious as black coffee, french press with cream, cubano shots, a mocha, and a straight Americano. It has a beautiful taste full of flavor and electricity. My favorite drink using the Rasta Blend was definitely the mocha. The chocolate went perfect with the already original flavor and provided the perfect balance. I’ll definitely be purchasing another bag of this in the near future!

I am extremely impressed with Reggie’s Roast. As a reviewer, they treated me with respect and definitely honored me with their personal interaction. I highly recommend their coffee (especially the Rasta Blend!).

Their mission statement?

Socially Responsible Company committed to the Fair and Dignified Treatment of our Partners; whilst ensuring that those we serve receive a Truly Valued Product!!

You can find Reggie’s Roast on their website, twitter, and facebook.
Website: http://www.reggiesroast.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReggiesRoastCoffee
Twitter: http://twitter.com/reggiesroast

The Coffee Guy