Dunkin' Donuts Coffee

Dunkin' Donuts Original Blend Coffee

Today I had to go to the appliance parts store to get a thermostat for my clothes dryer. Since I was headed into a part of town with several coffee shops in it, I decided to make a slight detour to get myself some coffee and reward myself.

I decided that I would go by Dunkin' Donuts and get a cup and a blueberry cake donut. This is a combination you can't beat with a stick. After I had consumed the donut, I decided to do a coffee tasting on the remaining coffee so here it is...

The aroma of the coffee has a very subtle smell of grass. Don't ask why, but that is what the undertone of it seems to be. The richness of this brew is targeted at mainstream America, not too strong and not too heavy on taste.

When tasting it, I notice a slightly bitter and salty mix. The body of it is medium, again, I think that the roasters knew what they were doing, as it is a perfect complement to sweet items, such as donuts.

The finish on this coffee has a sharpness to it that is like Dutch Bros or Gevalia - although I think it is a bit smoother than the Dutch Bros coffee.

Overall, an excellent brew - one that wakes up a lot of people every single day. Dunkin' Donuts has quite a bit of coffee information on their website, including brewing tips and a coffee glossary. They also have a slideshow on their website that covers, in some detail, how they get this great tasting coffee to you, the consumer. I hope you enjoy it.

May your next cup be the best!

Making Coffee With a French Press

How to Make Coffee With a French Press

When it comes to coffee, most Americans just go to Starbucks or some other coffee shop to buy their brew, while others use a drip coffee maker at home to get the job done. Then there are those of us that must have espresso, americano, or cappuccino - so we use the espresso machine at home.

That covers probably 85 to 90 percent of the folks out there (my estimate). That only leaves fifteen percent - or less - of U.S. coffee drinkers using the french press. That seems unusual for a device that was invented in France in the 1850's, and patented in Italy in 1929. Not only has this device been around for a long time, but it makes some of the best coffee you will ever taste - I'm serious!

One of the pastors at my church told me that coffee from the french press was awesome several months ago. Since I have a coffee blog and my job is to inform you about coffee, I decided I had to get a press and try it out. The thing that kept me from getting one over the years is that I thought it would be hard to use - quite the opposite is true - it is very easy to use, and not really that messy. So much for my complaints...

I started searching for a local solution to my need for a low-cost french press. I quickly found out that the local Walmart didn't have one in stock (according to the website). I did find several listed online that were available at the local Target stores. I targeted the Brazil, which is made by Bodum. This pot is a 8-cup unit. Note: these are 4 ounce coffee cups, so this particular model brews 32 ounces of high-quality coffee - just enough for my wife and myself to have a good cup in the morning...nice! I got out of Target for $19.99 plus tax - not bad for a great coffee maker.

Ok, so now to the preparation. I took the unit home, washed it up, set up my video equipment and proceeded to make my first french press coffee. Yes, you are watching me brew my first pot! Here are the steps I followed:

1. Heat up 34 ounces of water to between 195° to 205° Fahrenheit.
2. Add 1 heaping Tablespoon of Coarse ground coffee per cup to the pot (8 Tbsp).
3. Pour in the water - stop filling at about one-half inch from the top of the pot.
4. Stir with a plastic or wood spoon - remember, THE POT IS GLASS.
   
5. Let the coffee steep for 4 minutes.
6. Stir the coffee at the end of the 4 minutes, remove the spoon.
7. Carefully put in the plunger unit.
8. Press down slowly - take 10 seconds or so to do this - you will be rewarded with few, if any, grounds in your coffee.
   
9. Once you reach bottom, you are done. Pour up a cup and enjoy!
10. Suggestion - pour remaining coffee into a heat-resistant container to keep from over-brewing your remaining coffee.
11. Rinse out coffee pot and dry for next time.

That's it. Here is the video to show you how simple it is to make awesome french press coffee.

May your next cup be the best!

Coffee Mugs - Starbucks Red To Go Mug

Starbucks Red To Go Mug

I don't know about you, but I like to drink my coffee almost everywhere. I also like for it to stay hot, so I have spent my fair share of money on travel mugs.

The majority of travel mugs don't keep coffee warm for long, and are very often, not microwave or dishwasher safe. I am not sure about the reasoning for this. Coffee is a drink that is best served hot or warm, so why do so many of the cup manufacturers make and sell non-microwavable cups? In addition, most homes have a dishwasher. If you have a dishwasher, you most likely want to wash your cup in it to keep it sparkling clean and germ-free. So why are these two criteria ignored? Over the next few months I will review at least one coffee mug a week and give you my good bad and ugly about it. I will give you my unvarnished opinion on each mug and supply you with a link for more information or to a site to purchase the item.

Earlier this week I bought a Starbucks Coffee 12-oz. (STARBUCKS)^RED To Go Mug. This mug cost me eleven dollars, plus tax. It is designed to look like the traditional Starbucks take out cup, but it is not made of paper - it is ceramic and plastic. The ceramic portion of the mug is double-layered with airspace between the layers. This provides a noticeable insulating quality. The lid is made of a heavy plastic with a silicone seal that is held down by a 1/8 turn twist of the lower part of the lid. It seals well and I can state I haven't spilled a drop of coffee from this mug all week.

Because it is a double-layered ceramic container, the Starbucks Red To Go Mug has some weight to it. The only way I knew I was out of coffee was the fact that I tilted it up and had no coffee to drink.

Coffee mugs usually leave a certain amount of coffee in the cup because of poor lid design. This cup lets you get all but about half a tablespoon of coffee out when drinking through the lid. The cup is easy to hold. You do notice a little warmth since the cup's design does have some thermal leakage. The coffee stays warm for an hour or so, making it a better solution than the paper cup, and in the long term, a better choice for the environment. I wish it did keep the coffee hot for a longer period of time, but it is a trade-off. The cup is not dishwasher or microwave safe - although I think a lot of this has to do with the lid an its seal. You might want to contact Starbucks if you REALLY need these features.

One additional nice feature of this mug is that you can use it with the lid off if you wish. It is one nice looking cup.

Overall, I would rate this mug between 6.5 to 7.0 on performance. I really prefer a mug that keeps coffee hot longer and I would prefer for it to be microwave safe. A couple of notes here - I have tried pre-heating the cup by leaving hot water in it for a couple of minutes before filling and have noticed that it does extend the time that the coffee stays warm. I have also "cheated" and microwaved the cup with coffee in it for 30 seconds WITHOUT THE LID with no negative results - do this at your own risk - I don't know if there is a danger of the thing exploding or anything else.

Next week I will give you a review on another coffee mug - be watching for it. If you have a favorite mug or coffee that you want me to review, let me know by posting a comment on the blog.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

Starbucks Komodo Dragon Blend

Starbucks Komodo Dragon Blend

is an interesting coffee. Starbucks says that it is spicy - I differ and say it is more of a fruit-like flavor. At first I thought it was like apples, then I changed my mind and after a little more tasting, decided it was like peaches or watermelon.

I purchased a cup while I was in town taking care of business. I decided that a cup would be a good reward for me, so I went in, planning to get a cappuccino, but when I saw that they had Komodo Dragon Blend as a coffee of the day, I just had to get some. I was not disappointed.

Besides having a spicy or fruity taste, this coffee is very smooth to the last drop. Komodo is bold - but it is not as bold as Starbucks House Blend. It is full-bodied coffee with an excellent mouth-feel and smooth finish. If you serve this up with a little cream and sweetener it is as good a dessert as you can find. It is excellent stuff, I promise.

When selecting coffee for my home use, I try to find a coffee that has universal appeal. I want something I can brew as espresso or as Americano with equally good results. This is definitely a quality blend with a great taste from start to finish.

I will have to get some Komodo Dragon Blend as soon as I deplete my reserve of Sumatra Organic Reserve. (Any other coffee lovers out there that have over three pounds of coffee in their cabinets?)

As always, may your next cup be the best!

Dutch Bros Coffee

Recently I did a post about the awesome mocha drinks at Dutch Bros Coffee. Today I visited them again to get an Americano and to provide you with the details of the tasting.

Most coffee places just do a drip grind of their coffee, run it through a drip coffee maker and serve it up. This is not the case with Dutch Bros. They don't make drip coffee for their customers. Instead, they brew up a 4-shot Americano for their tall drink. Then they put the coffee into a cup that has a second one on the outside to serve as an insulator (Has anyone besides me had the little insulator sleeves fall off or get stuck in their coffee cup holder in the car?).
The drink I received was piping hot. The barrista even added my Splenda to the cup for me. This is part of the good customer service I have received from this coffee company. I was asked for my coffee card (10 drinks and the next one's free), which I surrendered to get closer to that free cup - did I say that I LOVE coffee discounts and freebies?

The americano I received was flavorful with a mild acidity that really would work well in a mocha drink. I now know why the mocha I got the other day was so good. There is a definite taste of chocolate in this coffee - without any chocolate being added. The brew wasn't overly sweet as my usual 2 packets of Splenda did not make the coffee too sweet - it was just right, and could not be any better. The "3 bean blend" that is used by Dutch Bros is very similar in flavor to some of Gevalia's coffee I have tasted. It does seem to be smoother, however. If you like Gevalia's coffee, you will really enjoy a Dutch Bros Americano.

If you have a Dutch Bros store in your area, I highly recommend them. If you don't, here is a link to the Dutch Bros website.

As always, may your next cup be the best!

Peru Chanchamayo by Starbucks Coffee

I got up this morning and decided that I wanted something different for my morning brew. I went to the local Starbucks and got a venti cup of their Peru Chanchamayo.

Peru Chanchamayo is classified as a medium roast. Coffee made with these beans is very smooth and satisfying. It only has a little acidity and is a coffee that I think would be an ideal brew for serving with breakfast. It would also be great for serving by itself as an after-meal treat. On the Coffee Tasting Wheel, Peru Chanchamayo would come up in the Mild category.

It definitely has a sweetness to it that I quickly noticed. I usually drink my coffee with Splenda. When I buy a large cup, such as the venti size, I put in 2 packets of the sweetener. For bolder blends, this is perfect. I found that with this Peruvian coffee - that 2 packets are too much sweetener. If you drink sweetener in your coffee, add the first packet, taste, THEN add more if you need it. At least the cup didn't taste like syrup from over-sweetening.

The aroma of Peru Chanchamayo could be characterized as a cross between chocolate-like and syrup-like. This only makes sense since this brew is mild and sweet in flavor.

If you like a quality, mild coffee, this is definitely for you. Starbucks usually has fairly strong coffee, but Peru Chanchamayo does not come off strong at all. It is excellent stuff - I know you won't be disappointed.

May your next cup be one of the best!

Quality is Important When Brewing Coffee

Quality is Important When Brewing Coffee. This is a fact that most coffee lovers will not deny. For the best quality Coffee, you should provide the best quality ingredients, then prepare them with quality tools, followed by quality brewing of the coffee.

It may sound difficult, but it is not. Following is the "formula" for awesome coffee:

1. Get quality beans
   
2. Use quality water
3. Grind with a quality grinder
4. Brew the coffee in quality equipment

Quality beans are a somewhat subjective item. You should select a coffee that you like the flavor of. Don't fall for the hype of commercials in the media, or your friends' opinions - choose what you like in a coffee. What is the taste you want from your coffee. Do you prefer dark roast, medium roast or light roast? Does a particular company produce coffees that meet your needs better than others. You have to be the judge here. A good example of this is my Mom. She always loved her Folger's coffee. That is what she liked, even after I tried for years to make her aware of other coffees that are available. That is what she wanted, so that is what she drank - all her life. I also know of some folks who will only drink Starbucks, or Seattle's Best, or Peet's, to name a few. The important thing here is to get quality beans to produce quality coffee.

Tap water can be used to make your coffee if it is of high quality and good taste. Bottled water is the answer in some parts of the country where the water is very hard or has a bad taste to it. Here in Fountain, bottled water is the best solution. One little note here - if the water you are using has too much hardness (minerals in the water), it can scale up and even ruin the boiler on an espresso machine or the heating coils on a drip coffee maker.

There are two important things related to grinding:

1. The fineness of the grind
2. The evenness of the grind

If you have a burr grinder, you can have coffee that is very evenly ground and can be as fine as you need, in most cases. My grinder didn't do well with espresso grinds until I modified it to do so - this voided the warranty, but it now grinds espresso and coarse coffee equally well. You can also do well with a small grinder. In the case of a burr machine, you will pay from 30 dollars and above. In the case of the small grinders, you are looking at twelve to eighteen dollars for a really nice one. Believe it or not, you can grind coffee in a blender, but the coffee grounds are not real consistent in size - and in this case - size does matter. You should have a fine grind for espresso, a medium grind for drip coffee and a coarse grind if you are using a french press.

The last item here is the brewing equipment. Every time I wear out a drip coffee maker, I end up replacing the dead Bunn coffee maker with another one similar to it. The advantage to this machine is that the water is always hot, so you get a coffee pot and hot water machine that dispenses 165° water on demand. (No, I am not affiliated with them, just know they make good stuff that I like - I won't lie to you here.)

In the case with espresso machines you can go with the steam-type or the pump type. The steam type is lower in cost and produces small amounts of espresso in batches. The hassle with these is you usually have to unscrew the boiler lid to refill for each batch. Because of the quantity of coffee lovers out there, individuals can get inexpensive pump espresso makers. Many of the home variety of pump machines seem to produce good coffee. They usually produce more crema than the steam machines, so the coffee they produce can be noticeably better in flavor. I have found that for the price, Hamilton Beach has a couple of nice pump machines for around seventy dollars. They do advise you to grind the coffee slightly coarser than espresso grind for the best results. The biggest problem I have had with the pump machines is that I tend to cause the pumps to fail. I think this is due to my heavy use of any coffee maker I have. Remember, these are not commercial-duty machines.

French press coffee makers are relatively inexpensive and those who use them to brew their favorite cup say there is nothing better to make that perfect cup of coffee.

I hope this information is helpful and that your next cup is as awesome as your last.

Peet's French Roast

The beans of this coffee look very much like dark chocolate. The beans are very nicely coverered with oil. They shine but the oil does not bead up into pools like it does on some coffees. When you open the bag, you are captured by a smell that is a sweet, burnt aroma - I would say it reminded me of incense made from flower petals. I would characterize it as sweet and smoky in layman's terms.

Every coffee has its characteristics and Peet's French Roast has a definite earthy quality that is very nice. The line on the package just below the type of coffee says it all - "Our deepest and most intense roast." The roast is definitely dark, rich and flavorful.

I drank my first cup of Peet's Coffee over a year ago. I got it at a Peet's store they had in Colorado Springs. I couldn't find the store on the Internet, so I called information - it was not listed. I guess it is safe to say the store in the Springs went out of business - there were three other coffee shops within a half mile of it - too bad - this coffee is good stuff. I got the beans I brewed up from Safeway. It appears that Safeway and King Soopers carry this coffee in the region around Colorado. I am not sure about other areas of the country. I purchased it for just under ten dollars for a 12 ounce bag of beans.

My impressions about this coffee are based upon me running it through my drip coffeemaker. This coffee is very smooth in nature and is ideal for coffee and espresso - a good all-around coffee. The mouth-feel is not as smooth as a medium roast, but it is smoother than most of the dark roasts I have tasted over the years. This is an ideal coffee to serve with breakfast. Any restaurant would do well to serve this with their meals. The result would be very happy customers.

You can't go wrong getting some of this coffee. I am certain you will be pleased with it. I hope this information has helped you and that your next cup of coffee will be as good as this one was for me.

P.S. Thanks to my Aunt Jodene for the idea on getting some of this coffee! I forgot how good this stuff was.

Dutch Bros - Awesome Mocha Drinks

A couple of days ago I had the pleasure of trying out a Mocha from Dutch Bros Coffee. I like mocha drinks, but I don't love them as some folks do. Buying the drink from Dutch Bros may have changed my view on Mocha and how good it really can be.

I purchased a "Caramelizer," which is a drink that contains Espresso, Caramel Sauce, and their special Dutch Chocolate Blend Milk. This was an awesome drink - full of flavor and very satisfying. This was my kind of drink, for sure.

I was informed that Dutch Bros was a privately owned company, with locations in the western states, specifically Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, California, Arizona and Colorado. They have a really neat concept on Franchising - they want employees to open their own stores. Train 'em in right, then give them the opportunity to run their own store - good thinking.

I have decided that I really need to go back and try some of their Americano in the next couple of days. With as much website development as I have been doing, it will help to keep me awake. I also have gotta try out the ER-911 drink (lots of caffeine and Irish Cream with something called Kick Me Mix). Just might be a good way to restart your heart...or so the drink's name infers!

Check out my next post - I promise to include a link to their website so you can get some quality beans. Until then, may your next cup be the best!