mm » Coffee

Is Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee Worth $45 a pound?

mark — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:42:56 +0000

About 3 weeks ago I had the worst cup of coffee imaginable – whole beans from the local supermarket and just unbelievably bitter. So to get over my coffee PTSD I decided to spring $45.55 (incl. shipping) for a pound of Jamaican Blue Mountain. I ordered it from Coffee Bean Direct. It arrived on time and in great condition. The bag is pictured on left. Whole beans, already roasted.

My first cupping was, I must admit not as impressive as I thought it would be. I didn’t grow wings. Angels did not sing.

I drink my coffee black with no sugar or cream. I grind whole beans in a regular old $10 grinder and use a french press. I’ll use 2 tablespoons of beans for 1 cup and let it brew for anywhere from 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on how rushed I am.

After drinking blue mountain for a little more than a week now I am on the fence. It’s great coffee. There’s no bitterness and it has a wonderful mild flavour. But it doesn’t quite have that $45.55 feel to it that I was hoping for.

I usually get my coffee from Peets. Don’t bother with the supermarket stuff. Get it from the Peets store because it’s better quality, more selection and they clear out old stock after 10 days – and probably send it to the supermarkets. Peets Major Dickenson is almost as good as blue mountain. The bean quality, which I think is really important, is great with both coffees. Peets has one or two dull or smashed beans but on the whole they look almost as good as Blue Mountain.

So I want to be able to say: Blue Mountain is all I drink because it’s the only real coffee. But it’s only about twice as good as Peets and 10 times as good as SB.

Seattle’s Coffee Gods (and goddesses)

mark — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:31:43 +0000

A few minutes ago Taylor at Umbria in Pioneer Square poured this masterpiece. We were both snapping photos – it’s the best fern she’s ever poured and the first time I’ve ever seen a double fern in real life. If you’re still mindlessly stumbling into starbucks, give Umbria (or Zeitgeist or Elliot Bay Bookstore) a try in Pioneer Square.

The best coffee houses in Seattle

mark — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 06:08:55 +0000

Courtesey of Sam Tingleff on the Seattle Tech Startup mailing list, here’s a map of the best coffee houses in Seattle:

http://tinyurl.com/2y657u

And here’s the list:

	Uptown Espresso 525 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 728-8842 more info » 525 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 728-8842 more info »
	Caffe Ladro 600 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 282-1549 more info » 600 Queen Anne Ave N Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 282-1549 more info »
	Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Co 2200 N 56th St Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 545-4277 more info » 2200 N 56th St Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 545-4277 more info »
	Verite Coffee 1101 34th Ave Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 709-4497 more info » 1101 34th Ave Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 709-4497 more info »
	Cupcake Royale 2052 NW Market St Seattle, WA 98107 (206) 782-9557 more info » 2052 NW Market St Seattle, WA 98107 (206) 782-9557 more info »
	Fuel Coffee 610 19th Ave E Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 329-4700 more info » 610 19th Ave E Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 329-4700 more info »
	Tougo Coffee Inc 1410 18th Ave Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 329-2869 more info » 1410 18th Ave Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 329-2869 more info »
	Caffe Umbria Retail 320 Occidental Ave S Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 624-5847 more info » 320 Occidental Ave S Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 624-5847 more info »
	Cherry St Coffee House 103 Cherry St Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 621-9372 more info » 103 Cherry St Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 621-9372 more info »
	Essential Bakery 2719 E Madison St Seattle, WA 98112 2719 E Madison St Seattle, WA 98112
	Fuel Coffee 2300 24th Ave E Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 328-0700 more info » 2300 24th Ave E Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 328-0700 more info »
	Caffe Vita Coffee Roasting Co 1005 E Pike St Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 709-4440 more info » 1005 E Pike St Seattle, WA 98122 (206) 709-4440 more info »
	Victrola Coffee 413 15th Ave E Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 568-2086 more info » 413 15th Ave E Seattle, WA 98112 (206) 568-2086 more info »
	Top Pot Doughnuts 2124 5th Ave Seattle, WA 98121 (206)

Panama Esmeralda

mark — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 16:36:50 +0000

I picked up a bag of Panama Esmeralda coffee at Peets yesterday. It’s expensive, but this morning I made a cup in my french press using my usual method and it’s the best cup of coffee I’ve ever tasted. Usually I don’t buy into the whole ‘berry notes with a hint of whatever’ analysis. But the citrus in this coffee is incredible.