Thursday, September 12, 2013

Death Cups - An Excuse to Drink More Death Wish Coffee

(Image Taken from Death Wish Coffee Company's Facebook Page)


The best thing about Death Cups from Death Wish Coffee Company is that they give you a reason to drink more Death Wish Coffee (reviews HERE and HERE), not that you should have needed any in the first place. Since single cup brewers from Keurig and Mr. Coffee are beginning to become somewhat of the norm in the coffee world, it's understandable that the world's strongest coffee had to break into that marketplace. The idea of these cups breaking into the section of similar options at my local grocery store would be like the rebellious young buck trying to fit in with the dinosaurs at the country club. They couldn't handle it.

When I heard that Death Wish Coffee Company was coming out with individual serving cups, I jumped at the chance to give them a try. As usual, they didn't disappoint me. In contrast to the other companies that also offer their coffee in K-Cup form, Death Wish left their wonderful coffee untouched. These cups are a little fatter than what you might expect from the average package of cups. This approach is advantageous to the consumer because they know that the cup of coffee that's coming their way is strong as can be. After all, you couldn't call it Death Wish unless it jolted you awake and sent you out the door like The Flash.


The wonderful thing about Death Wish Coffee is that you're always left looking forward to the next cup. You could have had ten cups that day, but the eleventh cup couldn't come soon enough. You have to marvel at the fact that this company has come up with a way to engineer obscenely strong coffee in a way that makes you want to chug it down like water. The old brand of coffee that you drank will pale in comparison to what you can get from Death Wish Coffee. It's a scary proposition to think about drinking such a strong brew. When you begin to feel this fear, you just need to follow the Death Wish way and leap into it headfirst.

My Ideal Stash of Death Cups

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Zombie Dark - Coffee By David - Senoia Coffee and Cafe

Zombie Dark from Coffee By David is one of the most unique blends I've ever had the opportunity to taste. The name of the coffee comes from the fact that it's produced in Senoia, Georgia, one of the many sets used for the hit television show The Walking Dead. The producers of this coffee, David and Suzanne Pengelly, run a small cafe called Senoia Coffee and Cafe. On the television show, their establishment is referred to as Woodbury Coffeehouse.

The taste of this coffee is just as unique as the show that's its namesake. It has a smoky flavor with an herbal aftertaste that lingers long after you are done drinking it. I have a soft spot for any coffee that has herbal qualities. They combine the best of the coffee and tea worlds. This particular type of coffee takes everything to another level and adds even more unique flavors to the mix to produce an overall winning combination.

Coffee lovers of the world need not fret though. There are many other types of coffee available through Coffee By David. I haven't had the opportunity to try any of them yet, but I hope I get that luxury in the future. They are the embodiment of what I love about the little guys in the world of coffee. They have a passion for what they do and they want their customers to taste it with each cup of their coffee they drink.

You don't have to be a fan of the television series in order to enjoy this coffee. It's the perfect replacement for the blend that you have been buying every time you go to the grocery store. The advertising powers would like you to believe that your selection in the world of coffee is limited at best. With coffee roasters like Coffee By David on the scene, that notion couldn't be any further from the truth.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Stumptown Coffee Roasters - Hair Bender and Guatemala Finca El Injerto - Bourbon

Countless different coffee shops in the Portland, Oregon area can't be wrong. Stumptown Coffee Roasters makes a solid brew that's hard to come by anywhere else. When you get this bag, you will smell everything that they include on the little place card that's slipped into every bag. A lot of coffee roasters say that their coffee tastes like certain things when really each flavor that's involved in the equation is too minor to rise above the rest of the pack.

I had the luxury of trying out their Hair Bender and Guatemala Finca El Injerto - Bourbon blends. Each of these blends is complex enough to rise to the top of your list of favorite types of coffee. You will find that they are complementary to one another, but they have an assortment of differences that are only noticeable to people who have been drinking coffee for several years. This is not necessarily a testament to the high brow nature of Stumpton Coffee Roasters. It's more of an indication of their level of complexity.

As someone who has tested out two of the blends in Stumptown's repertoire, I am left entirely unsatisfied. They have an assortment of other blends in their inventory. If they're anything like what I have tried thus far, which I'm sure they are when you take into Stumptown's obvious dedication to quality, I know that I am in for a treat. I have been left feeling conflicted with each roaster I have the opportunity of reviewing. I want to revisit them time and time again like they're a nice, comfy bed that I don't want to leave the morning after a long night.

Stumptown is no exception. They are one of the best roasters in the nation. It's surprising that much of their popularity is relegated to the northwest part of the country. They do carry their cold brew product in Whole Foods across the country. You have the option of ordering their products off of their website as well. There's no reason that every coffee lover in the country shouldn't have at least one bag of Stumptown sitting next to their coffee maker.

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Madbrook Donut Company - Coffee and Donuts Together Again

I have the luxury of living near Madbrook Donut Company here in Layton, Utah. As a fan of donuts, I had to pay them a visit. I'm not the biggest fans of the donuts made by major companies based in other states. Utah only recently got Dunkin Donuts. We have some other donut companies nearby, but I have yet to go to them so I can't comment on their value. I was astounded by the fact that I had the option to try some delicious local donuts around the corner from where I live.

Madbrook Donut Company falls into a strange category because it offers everything under the sun. When you come into contact with a company that sells anything and everything, but they have the name of only one product on their marquee, you would think that company only does the thing that they advertise well. The same can't be said for this company. They are well rounded in every sense of the word.

I tried a mocha and latte drink. The mocha drink was infused with chunks of toffee, which is not usually my cup of tea, but they pulled it off in more ways than one. The latte drink that they sent my way was one of the best iced coffee drinks that I have ever tasted. I liked the level of strength of these drinks because I was more focused on the taste of them than anything else. They left a great aftertaste in my mouth and didn't make me feel too jittery.

The best thing about Madbrook Donut Company is that they have more than one location in the state. I haven't paid a visit to their Roy location quite yet. I hope to do so in the future. If they do things similar to how they do them in Layton, they are a treat to the area. I plan to revisit the Layton location in the future just to smell all of the great smells that come from their establishment.

The Daily Rise Espresso - Ogden Bound

The Layton and Ogden locations for The Daily Rise Expresso have been the subject of several of my reviews thus far (read about it HERE, HERE, and HERE). This review is another account of my visit to their Ogden location, except this one is told from an entirely different perspective. A business that's so dedicated to not only producing quality coffee beverages, but also treating their customers with utmost level of respect is deserving of as much attention.

Their Ogden location excels alongside their Layton destination. You have the option to walk right up to their window and make an order with one of their friendly baristas. I was encouraged by the fact that it seemed like their representatives recognized me from my various trips to their Layton location. Even if they were not familiar with me, they acted as if I was one of the family. The small talk that we shared was not forced like what I experienced when I want to other shops.

As a coffee drinker, I'm a huge fan of drinks that strike a precise balance between flavor and the strength of the coffee. Many times I have found that it's difficult for mocha or latte flavors to rise above the flavor of the coffee without turning the drink into something that tastes too much like either aspect. The Daily Rise strikes the perfect balance between flavor and potency. You are sure to find a drink on their menu that will become your next favorite.

Between the two locations, the race is pretty much a draw. The Layton location does have the roastery behind it, which produces some excellent odors when you drive up to order your drink and someone is in there doing what they do best. The Ogden location has a walk up window with a cluster of picnic tables around it. They have the drive up window as well for anyone who might be in a hurry. I would choose this spot as a place to bring some food and enjoy coffee among friends, both in the form of the people you bring as well as the people you bring there.


Saturday, August 24, 2013

Kicking Horse Coffee - Kick Ass Dark

Kick Ass Dark from Kicking Horse Coffee Company



I'm big about the name that a coffee company chooses to represent itself. Some of them are remarkable while others leave a lot to be desired. In the case of Kicking Horse Coffee, you can't help but remember what this company is all about. Don't think that this company is all about gimmicks though. I was lucky enough to be able to try their Kick Ass Dark creation, which is amazing in more ways than one.

The packaging that a coffee company chooses for its products makes a huge impression on me. When a company decides that it's going to break with the typical paper coffee bag mold, it's important for you to take notice. The coffee that goes into the package has to be great as well for the equation to actually make a difference. In the case of the Kick Ass coffee, you are in for a treat to say the least.

The beans themselves smell all sorts of wonderful. I'm normally not convinced at the quality of a particular kind of coffee simply because of how it smells. On occasion, you will come a cross coffee that smells great, but doesn't have the taste to deliver on what the smell of it is promising. This coffee is not one of those products. There are so many layers to the flavor of this coffee that it's hard to keep track.

You might be scared of a dark blend because of what you have tried before. A lot of dark blends have the tendency to taste burnt, which is understandable considering how long the beans have to be roasted before they reach this level. Kicking Horse Coffee somehow broke this mold and produced a type of coffee that's loaded with flavor, but smooth at the same time. These elements produce a can't miss combination.

Kicking Horse Coffee specializes in a variety of other products as well in all areas of hot beverages. If any of them are like their Kick Ass variety, I hope to have the opportunity to try them all. Don't let their location in Canada scare you away from ordering their delicious coffee. They sell their coffee on Amazon.com, which makes their coffee readily available to anyone across the world.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Coffee Bean Direct Coffee Roasters - Outstanding New Jersey Coffee

I lost my love for coffee by drinking countless cups of 100% Colombian from big coffee companies like Folger's and Maxwell House. I am not the person who likes coffee for the caffeine aspect of it. Granted, we all could use a boost in the morning and I am one of those people. On the other hand, I want to have something that tastes good while also giving me that boost. When I consumed the City Roast Colombian Supremo blend from Coffee Bean Direct Coffee Roasters, my mind was permanently changed.

The first thing that stood out to me when I received this blend was the packaging. I am used to the typical coffee bag that looks a lot like the following image:


The bag that I received from Coffee Bean Direct Coffee Roasters looked like this:


You might not think that the packaging on a bag of coffee makes any difference; however, first impressions mean all the difference in the world. The uniqueness of the bag I received made me want to peruse the contents within. I was not disappointed. The smell of this coffee told me right away that I was in for a treat. As the coffee brewed, the smell soon filled my house and increased my excitement level for what was to come. From the first sip to the end of my first cup, I knew that Coffee Bean Direct Coffee Roasters wasn't messing around.

Coffee that's advertised as being Colombian usually falls into the category of being unremarkable. This roastery took it to another level and could easily give any similar offerings from corporate coffee entities a run for their money. Since it is so common, people are more likely to have Colombian over any of the other daring flavors. I recommend that all of these individuals make the switch over from their corporate selection to something from Coffee Bean Direct Coffee Roasters.

This company interests me to no end due to the considerable amount of blends it has in its inventory. It is my personal goal to try every coffee and tea in their selection eventually. I mean, they have a maple bacon smoked coffee. Any coffee house that's capable of mixing two things I love together in the same bag is more than deserving of my attention. It doesn't stop there with all their enticing options. I recommend that you go over to their website and purchase a bag for yourself today. You will not be disappointed.