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!

Sumatra Organic Reserve

Today we are taking a look at Sumatra Organic Reserve from Growers Trust by Beantrees.

This is a medium roast that is a USDA certified organic coffee. The folks marketing the coffee have labeled it aptly - Earthy, Fruity and Refined. The earthiness of this coffee is apparent when you smell the freshly ground coffee. There is an aroma that is akin to that of fresh earth or mature compost. It also has a rich aroma that arouses your sense of smell - even before you brew your first cup. I could also smell a slight ester scent in the freshly ground beans - this coffee appeared to be real winner.

The beans have small spots of oil on them, and the oil has an aroma that has an earthy quality that is smooth and relaxing. Despite the lack of a large quantity of oil, the espresso grind of this stuff is very dense and clings together like coffees with much more oil - very unusual.

I brewed up an Americano to try this coffee out, and is did not disappoint me at all. The medium roast that was used for this particular coffee is perfect. It produces a cup that should only be slightly sweetened, just so you don't miss out on the great taste of these beans. The mouth feel is smooth and relaxing.

This coffee is a good one to purchase if you are planning on having guests over for coffee and cake. I can't wait to try this with a slice of low-carb cheesecake or a bite of chocolate - it should complement any dessert because it is both smooth and rich in flavor.

I bought this in a one-pound package at Sam's Club for under four dollars. Since Sam's marks down products to keep the quality up, I am not sure if this is the regular price for it, or if it is a markdown. If it is the regular price, you have a quality, low-cost organic coffee that should please almost any palette. This is good for even the biggest fuss-budget, like myself.