Mood & Mind - Asheville, North Carolina - moodandmind.com

Mood & Mind is a company that has not seen the last of me. I am a person who enjoys variety and doesn’t just want to try one thing from one company. I believe that businesses are about more than one product they sell. There’s a reason why they have so many products in their inventory. Each product says something about them and all the products put together tell the whole story. I want to hear the whole story. I don’t want one piece of it. The story is so much more complex when you’re dealing with coffee or tea companies.

I enjoyed every single tea I received from Mood & Mind. Their teas are fragrant and taste even better than they smell. They have teas for calming you down and teas for picking you up. They even have an instant coffee drink that pulled off the impossible. It made me want to drink something with instant coffee for the first time in my life. From the moment I tried this concoction, I made it a point to mix it with every cup of coffee thereafter. This mixture produced a cup that was like a mocha coffee with some spice undertones. I found it to be quite addictive.

I love doing business with companies that sell a wide range of a particular product. Mood & Mind fits the bill as a one stop shop for tea lovers. They have their teas and accessories like their travel cup, which I love, and their Tea Man tea infuser, which I also love and have a hard time getting away from my children. I would love to tell you about some of their other products, but I haven’t tried them. I would love to do so and turn that experience into a follow-up piece.

I don’t write reviews with the idea of them being one shot profiles in mind. I aspire to follow companies throughout every step of their progression. I feel like there are great things coming for Mood & Mind. I’m hoping that the support they receive grows exponentially going forward. I know that I will be paying attention to what they do regardless of whether they decide to establish a long-term relationship with me. You should check them out right away if you haven’t done so already. Pick up a bag of tea or two. Their products make wonderful gifts at any point during the year.

On Chain Restaurants/Coffee Shops and Your Freedom of Choice

I hate going to chain restaurants because they’re not accountable. Their corporate structure diverts any pressure away from decision makers to people who work in the individual locations. These individuals might have the best of intentions, but they’re not given the power to solve any real problems. Corporate demigods make halfhearted efforts to please people who are unhappy with them. We take these advances hook, line, and sinker, filling out their feedback forms and getting lost in their endless phone banks in the hopes that something productive will happen. Nothing ever happens and we’re left as unhappy as we were when the process started.

Why do we keep returning to these places? They have perfected a formula that maximizes their profits, which is understandable since they’re running businesses; however, this formula can be reached with sacrificing the quality of the product in the process. That’s not something that most chain restaurants are interested in doing. They feel like their product is high quality, even if the public is saying otherwise. Their bottom line is telling them that they’re doing great, so that’s the only thing they worry about. We make it so they don’t have any other worries.

We need to stop complaining about businesses online and start taking our business to the independent restaurants that need it. The same goes for coffee shops. Instead of going to Starbucks, you should go to an independent coffee shop and buy a cheaper, higher quality cup of coffee. Every major chain restaurant or coffee shop started as a hole in the wall place struggling to gain footing. We complain about not having alternatives when there are so many alternatives around us. If we don’t like Starbucks, we could go to another coffee shop and make them the new Starbucks.

I would never say I hope for the downfall of all the major chains. I go to them from time to time because there are so many around. You can’t drive down the street in most cities without tripping over a handful of Starbucks locations. That’s how they get you. Major chains know that you’re strapped for time, so they crowd the landscape until you see far more of them than their competitors. Look beyond the hoard of cookie cutter establishments and go off the beaten path. Never rest or settle until you have an experience that makes you a satisfied customer.

Sweeto Burrito - Riverdale, Utah - sweetoburrito.com

Sweeto Burrito and I have a complicated relationship. I had no knowledge of them prior their opening in Riverdale, Utah, a city that was once around the corner from where I lived. I jump at the chance to try anything new, especially when it comes in the form of something I enjoy eating or drinking.

I followed their Facebook page leading up to opening day. I was surprised to find out that they were having a first come, first serve event to introduce themselves to the public. I went to their event way before it was set to open. I arrived to find a parking lot full of people and cars 30 minutes to an hour before they were set to open their doors. I am a patient guy, so I thought I could squeeze in. I didn’t care if I had to wait for a long time. I was in it for the long haul.

I walked up to their door. Before I could reach for the handle, a woman on the other end opened it for me. She asked if I was here for the event and I told her that I was. She first says that the wait was between 30 minutes to an hour. I have waited that much before, so I didn’t care. I told her that was fine. An annoyed look came over her face. She quickly said “Well, we’re full in here” and told me that I should return on opening day.

I was livid. I went to their Facebook and bombarded them with all sorts of negative comments. I went overboard. I have a tendency to do that. I am trying to get better at that, but that’s another matter altogether. I just feel strongly that any company who sets out to serve the public should treat the public with a tremendous level of respect. I felt disrespected and I wanted them to know that. They got the message.

Their reply was very nice. They wanted to make it right and offered to provide me with lunch at no cost. I took them up on their offer and came back shortly after their location finally opened. I kind of liked what they gave me. I vowed I would come back later on.

A few months later I returned to order some of the other items on the menu. The food was wildly inconsistent, leaving my mouth confused in the process. I was left to struggle with the idea of coming back for a third visit or ditching the idea of Sweeto and me reconvening in the future. I forgot about this dilemma until my wife brought up the idea of getting one of their breakfast burritos a little while after that.

This is where things went south. My wife was not pleased with what we got from this visit. I liked it and became a fan of Sweeto because of it. I stopped going there because the people around me didn’t share this notion. I have this thing where I can’t bring myself to order food from a place when I know that I’m the only person who’s going to be eating it. I want to eat with other people.

I would love to open a formal line of communication between myself and Sweeto Burrito to initiate a formal review. We got off on the wrong foot and my past actions were regrettable. I am hoping that we can put these times behind us and become great friends going forward.

Hopped Up Coffee - Fort Collins, Colorado - hoppedupcoffee.com

Hopped Up Coffee from Flat Hat Coffee and Old Town Spice Shop completely changed my world. Naturally, as someone who has a coffee blog, I have tried more types of coffee than I can count. Most of the coffee I've tried smells, looks, and tastes like how I think coffee should smell, look, and taste. That all changed the moment I opened my first bag of Hopped Up Coffee. For one, the grounds had more of a Tea look to them with several different ingredients thrown into the mix. It didn't smell like coffee either. Regardless, I forged on and made a pot.

Before I go any further, I want to outline the only objection I have about Hopped Up Coffee. The bags in the box I received were too small. It only allowed me to enjoy this unique experience for a short time. Drinking this coffee is like watching a good movie that comes to a screeching halt, leaving you with nothing but rolling credits and disappointment. The only difference is that you have the option to watch the movie again. The same can't be said for when you slug down every bit of the coffee you have in front of you.

I don't fault the makers of Hopped Up Coffee for this issue. They make a great product and I hope to establish a stellar long term relationship with them. That being said, I do not recommend buying Hopped Up Coffee in the smaller size if you're buying it for yourself. The sampler pack is perfect as a gift. If you get someone you care about this sampler for Christmas, you definitely need to recommend that they level up if they like it.

My favorite flavor in the sampler pack was the Black IPA. It had the boldness I like and all the interesting flavors that come with this type of coffee. The other flavors were fantastic as well. I went through the whole sampler in three days.

Hopped Up Coffee is a testament of why you should venture into the world of coffee with an open mind. There will be some things that will challenge your preconceived notions of what should be. And that's good. You should never go too long without having your firmly entrenched ideals thrown on their head. You never know what you will experience until you get up the courage to venture outside of your comfort zone.

Weed Coffee Roasting - Weed, California - weedcoffeeroasting.com

I enjoyed Weed Coffee Roasting for one of several reasons. First, the way the bags were lined up in the box was very eye catching. I know that seems weird. After all, the way bags are lined up in a box shouldn't matter. Much more emphasis is placed on the quality or look of the products themselves rather than how they're presented. I think that's wrong. I think more companies need to go out of their way to make their products look better and not just in the packaging.

I have mentioned several times that I love the way a product's packaging looks. I feel like it's awesome when a company chooses to perfect their products in every sense of the word. Every company needs to approach their business in this way. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many companies have sent me products with some of the most creative designs I have seen anywhere and not just in the world of coffee.

When I opened the box that contained their products, I was greeted with the most magnificent smell. I always know I'm in for a treat with a certain type of coffee by the way it smells. Out of all the kinds they sent me, I liked their XX Mud variety the most. The smell of that coffee was so bold I had to crack the bag open and brew myself a pot immediately. The resulting coffee was so dark it was almost demonic...but in a good way. I was flying high for the rest of the day after drinking a couple more cups.

As I opened bag after bag, I was taken into a world of wonderful tasting, smooth coffees. I didn't know what to think going into testing their coffee. I had never heard of Weed Coffee Roasting before. I wish I had heard about them sooner. I would've had more time to indulge myself and make their coffee a more prominent part of my life.

I continue to savor what's left of the package I got from Weed Coffee Roasting like it's the last coffee they will ever make. I don't know how much longer it will last. What I do know is I will enjoy every minute of it. I hope that I can establish some sort of relationship with Weed Coffee Roasting and this review is just the first in a series of many.

The Fancy Accent Tea Company - Grayland, Washington - fancyaccentteas.com

The Fancy Accent Tea Company was one of the few companies that left me wanting more. They sent over a sampler of a number of their flavors. I was worried when I picked out my first blend. The bag felt light and only had a small amount of tea in it. I dipped it into some hot water. The resulting tea tasted great, but it was dreadfully weak. The same thing happened with all subsequent tastings. I had to resort to combining several flavors into the same cup to get tea that was anywhere close to how strong I like it.

Apparently, The Fancy Tea Company has a loose leaf option, which would have been better for this review. Rather than taking a hard stance and saying negative about this company, I am going to render this review inconclusive. This means that I made a good faith effort to test this product and my results were underwhelming due to the lack of materials I had available. I hope to revisit this company if they’re willing to send more materials for a subsequent review. I understand if they refused to do so. It took me a long time to come to this conclusion because I felt that this company deserved that respect.

I apologize to The Fancy Tea Company for being unable to make any declaration regarding their product. They are ran by some of the nicest people I have ever come across. I blame myself for not being specific enough about what I needed to complete my tests. I like to leave the decision making process up to the companies I’m contacting. Perhaps that was a mistake. In the future, I will specify which products I want and the quantity I need of each of them. I don’t like doing this because it makes me feel like I’m being bossy.

This post is not the last you will hear from me about The Fancy Tea Company. I never reach out to the company with the idea of doing anything other than completing a review I’m happy with. This doesn’t mean that I’m incapable of delivering a bad review of a company. On the contrary, I am nothing but 100% honest with every word I put on the page.

I will denounce a company if they’re worthy of being denounced. The problem is that everyone in this industry knows what they’re doing. This puts me in a position where I am tasked to describe various shades of excellence. I feel like The Fancy Tea Company is just as excellent as many of its competitors.  

Baltimore Coffee and Tea

I have a thing for coffee and tea superstores. They have such a wide range of products and each one has taught me a great deal about this world. My luck with each of them has varied.

Coffee Bean Direct maintains regular contact. I've reviewed their coffee on several occasions and I'm currently working on reviewing some of their teas. I adore relationship I've had with them and I'm hoping it continues for as long as possible.

Fresh Roasted Coffee was receptive at first. I wrote a review about their coffee and sent it to them. They didn't give me any feedback on the review. Since that time, I have received no word from them. I am disappointed. I would love to re-open dialogue and re-review their coffee while also covering their various teas.

That brings me to Baltimore Coffee and Tea. This company has so many different products that they could be the superstore of all superstores. Normally, I fling messages off to any and every company. I approached things differently with them. I didn't want to blow this opportunity.

I'm not sure how much time actually passed before I wrote Baltimore Coffee and Tea. It seemed like forever. I fired off a message to them, expecting that it would be a long time before I got a reply. My wait wasn't too long, but it was long enough for me to forget about my original message.

I was ecstatic when I got a reply. They were suspicious as many companies have been in the past. I did my best to ease their mind. It must have worked because I later got a message from the president of Baltimore Coffee and Tea. I never knew that it'd be the last message I'd receive from their president and the company as a whole.

The message from their president centered on what products I was interested in. I replied with a list. No response. I kept sending messages periodically to make sure they knew that my list was a series of suggestions, not demands. It was no use.

I'm despondent over the fact that things have gone so poorly with Baltimore Coffee and Tea. I'm not sure what went wrong. I'm interested in doing whatever I can to fix it. You can add them to the list of companies I will never stop writing about, even if they don't give me the time of day.

Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters - Bishop, Califorinia - mtwhitneycoffee.com

Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters is a rare breed among their counterparts in the coffee industry. They take all the money they have left over after their expenses are paid to help children in Africa. You might think that a company that decides to operate this way would cut corners, but that’s the furthest thing from the truth when it comes to Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters. The effort they put into their coffee is tremendous, creating a scenario where consumers are motivated to purchase coffee not only because the coffee is great, but also because the money that’s spent on it goes towards a good cause.

A lot of time has passed since I tried Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters coffee or communicated with anyone who works with them. Companies like theirs are the main reason why I like to establish long-term relationships with the companies I cover. A coffee company evolves so rapidly over the course of a since year, let alone two or three years. I like to keep my coverage of coffee companies up-to-date. In order for that to happen, I have to revisit to revisit a particular company from time to time. I love seeing the way these living, breathing creative organisms work to take what’s already great coffee and make it better.

I have no hesitation in throwing my complete and total support behind Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters. They have the all-around excellence that I look for in companies I would categorize as my favorites. Their inventory is not as stacked as what you will find with other coffee companies. Normally, I would cite that as something they improve upon, but Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters is a different breed. Every type of coffee has a story to tell. If a single type of coffee has an interesting story, there’s no need to add more to the mix.

Any time I come across a coffee company that produces some excellent brews I take a look at their social media following. In the case of Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters, their following could best be described as meager. That’s unacceptable. They deserve to have people chomping at the bit to fill their cupboards with Mt. Whitney Coffee Roasters beans. I don’t think that this article will get them there. What I do know is I will continue to sing their praises and tell anyone and everyone who loves coffee about the great things they’re doing. 

Nossa Familia Coffee - Portland, Oregon - nossacoffee.com

Nossa Familia Coffee has undergone a great deal of changes since I was introduced to them a number of years ago. When I came upon them, they were a fine organization that was capable of producing some of the best coffee in the business. There was something about them that seemed wholesome and down to earth. They still have these aspects to their organization that are very approachable; however, the years have been good to them. Their current web presence has a bit of slickness to it that enhances the solid aspects that drew me to them in the first place.

I enjoy any company that puts as much attention into the way their products look as much as how their products taste. I have seen many companies who have taken advantage of the same red, black, and white color scheme Nossa Familia Coffee uses. I will hand it to them for having some of the best looking bags of coffee in the business. If I didn't already know their coffee was tasty, I would want to reach for one of their bags. I know you would feel the same way if you decided to seek them out.

I would love to have the opportunity to see what Nossa Familia Coffee is like today. I am sure that their craftsmanship has only improved since their paths have crossed. I do not have any specifics regarding the actual flavor of their coffee. I do remember that it was exceptional and I enjoyed every moment I spent drinking it. The earlier version of The Coffee Encyclopedia was a disaster in every sense of the word. My notes from the round of testing I performed on their coffee fell by the wayside and became less and less coherent over time.

I regret the issues I have caused in the past with the coffee companies with whom I have interacted. The New Coffee Encyclopedia is a much different animal. Any company I’m working with now should find solace in the fact that this entity is something that’s headed for better things. I will re-engage Nossa Familia Coffee in the coming days in the hope they will come back to my side. I would completely understand if they didn’t. Regardless of the outcome, I’m 100% confident in giving them my wholehearted endorsement. They’re among the best coffee companies this industry has to offer and well worthy of your attention. 

Waffle Love - Throughout Utah - waffluv.com

Although Waffle Love does not fall under the topics of coffee or tea, I wanted to take a break from my regular coverage to give them a shout out. Since they’re an up and coming organization with multiple food trucks and a brick and mortar location in the middle of downtown Ogden, Utah, I am well aware that they will probably not pay me any mind. I don’t care. I want to open up another part of this site where I review and profile things that could easily be coupled with coffee or tea. Breakfast items like the ones served at Waffle Love definitely fit within this category.

What’s so great about Waffle Love? After all, waffles are something that so many of us have enjoyed throughout the years. We might have had them so often that we feel like there’s no need to have them other than every so often for no meal other than breakfast. Waffle Love makes it a point to turn everything that you know about waffles on its head. They have worked and tested each of their waffles to make sure that they’re absolutely irresistible from the first bite to the last.

I will be the first to tell you that they have achieved this feat. I attended an event just last night. To my delight, there was a Waffle Love truck stationed in the parking lot. I went over there and ordered something. While I was waiting, there was someone else standing beside me. I had never met this person before in my life, but they made it a point to tell me “Man, these things are so good they should be outlawed.” What followed was a rather spirited conversation about our shared adoration of all things Waffle Love.

I regrettably have not tried much of Waffle Love’s menu. I fully plan on doing so. Perhaps I’ll even get one of their menus and mark off which items I order every time I visit. Eventually, my checklist will dwindle and I’ll have to come up with excuses to start the list all over again. I have it on my list to make my way to their restaurant. I’m hoping I can establish some sort of communication between myself and them. I like to go into a place where the people are aware of me. It makes the dialog much more productive than what it would be if I were to come in as a stranger.

Here's a link to Waffle Love's Facebook for your consideration

Lake Missoula Tea Company - Missoula, Montana - lakemissoulateacompany.com

I was eager to get in touch with Lake Missoula Tea Company when I found out they were located in one of my favorite cities. I travel to Montana every year and the fact there’s such a great tea company up there and I haven’t been to it is astonishing to me. I fully plan to remedy this problem the next time I’m in the neighborhood. In the meantime, I would like to tell you how much I enjoyed trying their teas. When I pick a tea that’s just right, I want it to have several layers to it and smell so good that I’m excited to drink it.

Each bag of tea from Lake Missoula Tea Company was better than the last. After opening several bags, I thought I reached the end of their selection. I was surprised when I looked on their website and found they have dozens of other fantastic varieties.  I talked with someone from Lake Missoula Tea Company about something called purple tea. I didn’t even know that purple tea was a thing. I want companies like that in my rolodex, not the companies who take the weakness of my taste and encourage and enforce it.

I recently had a cold and I tried their Beat the Snot Out of You allergy blend. As I drank it, I was reminded of the tea my mother used to make me when I was younger and feeling under the weather. I looked forward to this tea every time I got sick because I knew that it would boost my mood at least for a little while. I feel the same way about this tea now. I’m currently hoarding the small amount of this tea I have left. I dread the idea of running out.

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not enlightened when it comes to tea. I started this project as someone who was all on board with coffee and unreasonably opposed to tea. I couldn’t pinpoint the reason why I stayed as far away from tea as I could. Usually, if I have negative feelings, it’s based in some sort of undesirable experience. I had the hardest time figuring out why I avoided tea. Anytime this has happened I’ve determined that these irrational feelings are more the result of a lack of understanding than sound reason and logic.

I appreciate companies like Lake Missoula Tea Company for enhancing my appreciation of tea while also broadening my knowledge of the various types that are out there. This review encompasses a small section of the teas they offer. I like to tell the whole story of a company instead of taking some of their products and using them as a means of interpreting what the entire organization does. I get that it probably seems redundant to review one type of tea after another. I prefer to approach things differently than all the other coffee and tea reviewing blogs. I want to invest my time and talents and treat these companies as well as I feel like they need to be treated.

There doesn’t seem to be a magic bullet when it comes to covering a company the right way. My goal here is to have reviews that propel companies into the stratosphere because each one of them deserves that status. I do not have that power yet, but I would like to have it one day. I have received many messages that question the way I review coffees and teas and that’s fine. I am neither a specialty taster, nor someone who has all the information about everything that’s brought to my intention. The arrogance that comes with both of those ways of thinking is appalling. That’s why I love Lake Missoula Tea Company.

Missoula is a city that’s not large or small. It’s more in the middle. You won’t have a hard time finding something happening in this city. Occasionally you will run across some crowds, but they’re not as intimidating as the ones you find in bigger cities. I’m well aware of the fact that not everyone will have the opportunity to get to this part of Montana. If you want to know what Missoula is like, order a few packages of tea from Lake Missoula Tea Company. Their tea will transport you onto the humble streets of Missoula and sit you in a cozy little shop on Main Street. 

Here's a link to Lake Missoula Tea Company's website for your consideration