||ESPRESSO|| Counter Culture Coffee - El Salvador Finca Mauritania Pulp Natural Espresso

Coffee: Counter Culture Coffee - Finca Mauritania Pulp Natural Espresso
Price: $10.25/12 oz. + Shipping = $1.15/oz.
Year: 2008
Blend: Single Origin Espresso from Santa Ana, El Salvador
Roast: Slightly darker than they roast this same lot for drip/press coffee - probably just before second crack.
What they say: "An experiment by our roasting department has resulted in one of most delicious single origin espressos we have ever experienced. Roasted to the perfect pitch for espresso, this unique, very limited single origin espresso offers rich, round notes of dark chocolate, molasses, cherry, and licorice above a smooth, creamy body." Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES
Scores - 87, 87, 87, 87, 87

Crema: Quite dark in the cup, with a burnt sugar taste. I found the crema to be on the thin side overall.

Aroma: I found aromas of flowers and anise. I think less of the roast itself comes through in the aroma than in a typical espresso, making for a lighter, sweeter "nose."

Body: I found the body to be light overall, but not sharply bitter. Often times thin body means a poor prognosis for a shot of espresso - not the case here. While thin, the shot still goes down smooth. The sip lingers on the tongue, but more like a windbreaker than the down-blanket characteristic of many espressos.

Milk: I only had soy milk available for this espresso's tenure. The "lattes"were unexciting, but can't you say that about all soy-milk drinks?

Profile & Flavors: One thing to note is that I found myself able to pull this espresso very consistently, with only minor grinder adjustments. The major flavors I tasted were cherries and plums, with a bit of anise. I also tasted dark honey (the chunky, unprocessed stuff). Think about those chocolate covered cherries with the liquor that bursts out, but with less chocolate ... like biting off one end and eating the whole filling ... then tone the intensity down about half. Someone I was sharing this with made a comment that this espresso would be a great way to win over your regular coffee drinkers to the world of espresso. I couldn't agree more. The shots are not as big as traditional espresso blends. The Finca Mauritania is smooth instead of rich, tastes of fruit syrup instead of melted chocolate, and is sweet instead of smokey. If your typical espresso is a port reduction, this is a "coffee consommé," that being a concentration of all the flavors you might expect to find if you brewed this coffee in a press pot.

Pairings: Good dark chocolate is the perfect compliment for this espresso. I thought it might actually make a good breakfast coffee, so I tried it once in the moka pot, and made enough to get a small cup to sit alongside my chocolate chip pancakes. Success.

Buy Again? Again, my overall impression was positive. Compared to SO Costa Rica espresso I tasted earlier, I preferred this one for sure. That being said, I would probably only recommend this in two situations: 1) The SO aficionado, who wants to try any SO espresso worth trying; and 2) The lonely espresso lover looking for a way to slowly sway friends toward espresso drinking.

||ESPRESSO|| Counter Culture Coffee - Twin Cities Express

Coffee: COUNTER CULTURE COFFEE – TWIN CITIES EXPRESS
Price: $15.50/12oz + Shipping = $1.61/oz
Year: February 2008
Blend: Lem Butler’s custom blend with coffees from Brazil, El Salvador, and Ethiopia
Roast: Full City, no surface oils
What they say: “Counter Culture barista Lem Butler used this custom espresso blend to win his second Southeast Regional Barista Competition in three years. Rich notes of caramel, toasted nuts, and citrus dance atop a smooth body and a sweet, berry-like aftertaste.” Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES:
Scores - 87, 90, 88, 89, 89

Crema: Rich, dark brown crema with a toasted marshmallow flavor. More sweet than bitter

Aroma: Mostly sweet on the nose – almost floral. I also noticed a faint hint of fresh sawdust on the nose.

Body: Excellent body, very rich and smooth. I often consider how viscous an espresso feels in the mouth as a major determinant of body. It isn’t just the pull – some blends give a more syrupy character, and this is an amazing example of just how syrupy and rich an espresso can feel in your mouth. The initial sip is thick and rich, and the body never fades.

Milk: A very nice espresso to blend into milk drinks. I found myself consistently making some very interesting cappuccinos. The coffee flavor was not at all lost in milk, and the resulting
drink was very rich with flavors of cream and dark berries.

Profile & Flavors: Overall, this was a blend that I felt I was pulling fairly consistently by looking at the shots. Upon tasting, however, I found a wide variety in flavors. Some shots were very sweet, with orange and blackberry flavors predominating. Others I found a completely different profile, with brown sugar, butter, and nutty flavors. Yet others were a sort of complex medley that was difficult to define. Though the shots may have tasted different, they had one thing in common: they were all very rich, and all very delicious. I think not quite knowing what to expect out of each shot may very well have made me like this espresso even more. Overall, the most notable characteristic was the thick, rich body. The overall buttery, sugary backbone of the shots reminded me of dark nut brittle that hasn’t quite hardened.

Pairings: Come to think of it, some dark nut brittle would probably have been a great companion, though I cannot confirm this. I did find that the shot tasted great with dark chocolate pieces.

Buy Again? Yes, though I believe this blend was a limited time thing. Mr. Butler, if you come up with another espresso creation, I will certainly give it a go.

||ESPRESSO|| Paradise Roasters - Espresso Havana Reserve 2007

Coffee: PARADISE ROASTERS – ESPRESSO HAVANA RESERVE
Price: $20.95/14oz. + Shipping = $1.75/oz.
Year: 2007 (November)
Blend/Roast: Sumatra Lake Tawar + Panama Esmerelda Special. Roasted quite dark
Paradise says: “Working with our Espresso Havana as a starting point, we set out to create a top shelf and more refined version of this coffee's profile. Our Espresso Havana was designed to pair well with a fine cigar as well as offer the heavy mouthfeel and smoky tobacco-like tastes for those enjoying this blend without the aforementioned cigar. The results were even better than we had hoped for. This espresso pairs marvelously with cigars. It mixes well with milk but truly shines on its own. Intense and perfectly balanced body, acidity, and sweetness provide a wonderful backdrop for the complexity of flavors layered on that invites exploration. Cherry, brandy, tobacco, white pepper, chocolate, orange, and vanilla are all present. Enjoy espresso perfection while it lasts. Only 250 bags available.” Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES
Crema: Relatively thin, medium color, tastes earthy
Aroma: Lovely peppery and smoky aroma
Body: Full bodied, though not syrupy
Milk: Works admirably in milk for a unique cap or macc. I think it gets lost in a latte. A definite dual layered milk drink is made as opposed to a single new flavor. The chocolate and vanilla are still apparent, and make for a quality milk drink. But as the roaster says, it works better left to stand for itself.

Scores: 86, 88, 85, 86, 87

Profile & Flavors: Overall, this is a unique and complex espresso. Consistent flavors throughout: unsweetened chocolate and vanilla, with a smokiness in the aftertaste. Fleeting/changing flavors include: orange zest, tobacco, earth, brown sugar. The design of this espresso in indeed unique, and it comes through in the shots. Pretty finicky to pull overall. Considering the description, I was surprised to find that the tobacco and the smoky elements did not overpower the shot. It was actually a lot sweeter than I expected it to be. Though it is not apparent with each sip, one of the stronger flavors – when it is present - is actually orange zest. The tobacco and smoke are indeed there, but as I said, they seemed to be a basal flavor upon which other layers are added, and the “cigar” qualities rarely come to the forefront. The overall feeling is a bold espresso that has been tamed with sweetness. Almost like adding sugar without actually needing to do so.

Pairing: Given the specific mention of cigars by the roaster, I did indeed try the pairing. Before delving into that experiment, I want to briefly mention a couple pairings. Pieces of dark chocolate were the best compliment to this espresso. A solid combo. Another food to try is caramel popcorn. Pairings that did not go well: citrus fruit, pears, and cheese.
As for cigars: I decided to try both cigars and shisha with this espresso. Of course, choices in cigar are more varied than choice in espresso. I used a Padron 5000, mostly because I have always found these cigars to have a smooth smoke texture that shouldn't overpower espresso. The most predominant flavors I taste in this cigar are chocolate and coffee, which seemed good for this experiment. Of course, the 5000s are also one of my go-to cheap cigars (they cost about $4-5). I also tried smoking some home-made orange shisha in an attempt to pair flavors. On to the coffee itself. I think the underlying bold qualities of the espresso would stand up to most quality cigars, though the potent tobacco used at the end of many cigars is likely too strong for even the boldest of espressos. It was in this case. The flavors worked well with the shisha, likely due to the sweetness and smoother smoke. While the flavors worked in both cases, I am not sure the overall experience does ... at least not as well as the picture on the front of the bag of coffee beans would imply. I think next time I need to try wearing a better hat. But I digress. Espresso enjoyment is best but in terms of minutes. Cigar enjoyment is meant to be in terms of hours. And I am not convinced that a hot espresso will ever pair with cigars. Regardless, I certainly applaud the effort.

Buy Again? Well, considering they only sold 250 bags, this question is likely a moot point. I was excited to see them incorporate some of the Esmeralda into an espresso ... no it wasn't the record breaking auction lot, but it was an interesting blend. Again, it is obvious that Paradise sources their beans well. I enjoyed the experiment, but think I will veer toward their other espresso blends when re-ordering from Paradise.

||ESPRESSO|| The Roasterie - Super Tuscan Espresso

Coffee: THE ROASTERIE – SUPER TUSCAN ESPRESSO
Price: $9.11/12oz. + Shipping = $1.02/oz.
Year: 2007 (October)
Blend/Roast: Secret Blend; Medium – French roast. The Roasterie air roasts all their coffees.
What they say at The Roasterie: “Super Tuscan Espresso recently received a 90 on CoffeeReview.com. We are proud to say that this is one of the most complex and tasty espressos on the market. Like the famous wine of Tuscany, this top-secret recipe delivers a buttery-sweet, soft and mellow, full-bodied flavor that simply melts in your mouth. Connoisseurs may note hints of cocoa and a unique nuttiness, it peaks six days after roasting. Absolutely perfect for after dinner with sweets or cheese.” Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES
Crema: Thick, rich, pecan colored crema
Aroma: Smokey and caramelly
Body: Medium body with a lingering finish
Milk: Mixes well with milk. I think the sweetness of the steamed milk balances out the bitterness in the espresso very nicely. While this espresso is quite bold as a straight shot, it melts into quite a nuanced cappuccino, with chocolate and fruity flavors present.

Score: 86, 88, 89, 87, 87

Profile & Flavors: Talk about a good description – this espresso truly did peak between 6-8 days for me. The earliest pulls – those being in the first 2-3 days – were quite spicy to my palate. Peppery and bitter on the finish, with a very big flavor upfront that I could not quite specify. Over the next couple days, a definite smoky element emerged. Still spicy, but think toasted white pepper as opposed to black pepper. As the espresso peaked on days 6-8, that enigmatic flavor became more identifiable. I taste dark caramel. There were also hints of sweetness to the pulls. All the pulls had a definite bitter element to them. At first it was a little too much I think – like a shot of Campari. But as the caramel elements began to come through, the shots seemed to balance better. I also noticed that a touch of sugar can benefit this espresso. I typically do not use sugar in my pulls, but the bitterness of the blend along with how well it worked with milk made me try a couple pulls with sugar. Interestingly, fruity elements came forth and combined with the smoky flavors to create a unique shot. Think of grilled fruit. Extending the alchohol metaphor, these pulls reminded me more of Anisette than Campari. The best shot I had was a straight ristretto: smoke, spice, and caramel – in that order. The most unique shot I had was a regular shot with a dash of sugar in it. A completely inconsequential note is the striking red color of the coffee itself. It really almost looked like red food coloring had been added, which I have never seen before.
Parings: I think this espresso would work great after a hefty meal, and it will definitely please all your guests, whether they prefer milk drinks or a straight shot.

Buy Again? Not yet. I like this espresso because it has unique flavors to it, but I would like to sample other espresso blends - even the other blends at The Roasterie before revisiting this.

||ESPRESSO|| Counter Culture Coffee - Espresso Toscano 2007

Coffee: COUNTER CULTURE – ESPRESSO TOSCANO (CAFFE DULCE)
Price: $10.15/12oz. + Shipping = $1.05/oz.
Year: 2007 (February)
Blend/Roast: Brazil Ipanema "Dulce" + Sumatra Lintong + Sumatra Aceh Gayo; A wonderful espresso roasted and blended in the caffe dolce or "sweet coffee" tradition of Central Italy. Sweet and mild, with notes of caramel, hazelnut, and dark chocolate, Toscano has built quite a following of professional Baristas and home espresso enthusiasts alike.
What CC says: “Toscano has been a favorite of ours since then, its sweet dark chocolate and caramel notes are perfect for the cappuccinos and ristrettos we live for. Each year, as new coffee crops arrive, we reformulate Toscano so we are sure to get that special sweetness we prize in this coffee. We've recently reformulated the blend to emphasize the sweet chocolate notes that accompany Toscano's classic butter-caramel sweetness. We love chocolate and caramel in this coffee!” Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES
Crema: Pretty tan-colored crema. Not thick, not thin.
Aroma: Powerful toasted roasted aroma
Body: Thick and syrupy when dialed in
Milk: Strong enough for milk – but use at least full-fat or soy milk, because otherwise it just tastes like you are watering it down.

Score: 90, 87, 87, 89, 88

Profile & Flavors: Toasty, deep, bitter espresso that is quite nice when pulled right. Think dark as opposed to light. On the bitterness, think bitter chocolate as opposed to astringent. I found this espresso fairly easy to pull consistently. Make no mistake, this espresso is quite unique and quite good. Very nice chocolate flavor, and I would specify the caramelized flavors as toasted marshmallows ... very heavily toasted marshmallows. Makes a very solid milk drink, especially a mocha (if you are able to drink such things, which in this case, I am). When condensed into a ristretto, the shot is delicious, and indulgently dense, like drinking pure melted chocolate as opposed to chocolate milk.

Buy Again? Yes, but I want to try Counter Culture’s other espressos first before returning to this one.

||ESPRESSO|| Sweet Maria's Liquid Amber Espresso

Coffee: SWEET MARIA’S – LIQUID AMBER ESPRESSO
Price: $10.00/16oz. + Shipping = $0.83/oz.
Year: 2007 (April)
Blend/Roast: Secret: Dry-processed+Wet-processed+Monsooned (Arabica and Robusta);A Northern Italian style roast (lighter espresso roast, really a Vienna roast, stopped 30-45 seconds into 2nd crack), highlighting the following characteristics: Bold / Pungency, Power, Aftertaste
They say: “I wanted an espresso blend that was potent, sharp, intense; but without excessive mustiness, fruitiness, or earthy flavors. Extracted in a properly-functioning, clean espresso machine the blend produces a lot of crema, making the mouthfeel very thick and creamy. The sharp pungent bite to the blend is not bitter, and fades into a rich tobaccoy-milk chocolate aftertaste. In the Liquid Amber Blend there are hints of fruit, mushrooms, sweet smoke, caramel, and cream in the extended aftertaste. This blend works extremely well in milk drinks, meaning by that a true cappuccino (6-9 oz.) or machiatto." Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES
Crema: Very thick. Rich, red crema that does not dissipate for several minutes
Aroma: Toasty
Body: Body and viscosity are good, but the coffee is surprisingly thin for what your senses expect.
Milk: Again, it tastes like it would stand up better to milk than it eventually does. Still makes a nice cappuccino

Score: 87, 87, 90, 90, 90

Profile & Flavors: Fresh anise definitely comes through, making this a very unique espresso, that would work marvelously with a splash of anisette for an after-meal espresso. Other obvious flavors are the tobacco and smoke. The coffee is very bold and powerful, as intended – but considering how strong it is and how thick the crema is, the coffee itself seems thin. This is not necessarily a criticism, it just contradicts the senses a little bit. Imagine ordering pasta with a bold red sauce, but the waiter brings you something that looks like pasta primavera. Then you taste it, and it tastes like that bold red sauce – still what you were expecting, but a sensory mismatch nonetheless. The roaster attempts to get a pungent, bold espresso that is not bitter. I think this is exactly the source of the sensory mismatch. Many strong espressos rely on a strong bitter element. This espresso uses something else. The result is a cup that is less syrupy and not as bitter to the tongue. Unique indeed.

Buy Again? Yes – but try Sweet Maria’s other espresso blends first.

||ESPRESSO|| Counter Culture Coffee - Espresso Aficionado 2007

Coffee: COUNTER CULTURE COFFEE - ESPRESSO AFICIONADO
Price: $10.00/12oz. + Shipping = $1.13/oz.
Year: 2007 (October)
Blend/Roast: Blend not known (Brazil + Ehtiopia Harrar?); Relatively lightly roasted, Northern Italian style espresso blend and roast. Requires slightly hotter pulling temperatures, near 203*F to extract its full potential sweetness.
CC says: “The Northern Italian espresso is a completely different animal than in the rest of Italy. Relatively lightly roasted; complex, delicate, and composed, many espresso devotees proclaim the Northern Italian style to be the quintessential espresso experience. When the modern espresso machine entered this milieu, the coffee blend of choice naturally reflected the Northern Italian taste: coffee flavors are balanced against one another; the natural sweetness of lightly roasted coffees offset their aromatic complexity and dance above a full-bodied foundation. The final product is a sophisticated and complex, and perfectly suited to the Northern Italiand espresso ristretto and the traditional cappuccino.” Read about it on their website

TASTING NOTES
Crema: Deep reddish brown, easily burnt crema. Thick and substantial crema layer with every cup
Aroma: Sweet and toasty aroma, like toasted marshmallows. Makes you think of s’mores.
Body: Creamy body that lingers in the mouth after each sip. Surprisingly dry overall.
Milk: One of the best milk-handlers I have ever pulled. Sweet syrupy notes come through like chocolate into a delicious latte or cappuccino. Perfect with any milk, from 2% to half and half.

Scores: 88, 97, 90, 88, 95, 90

Profile & Flavors: Semisweet chocolate is the most obvious flavor. Sweetness is apparent throughout, but difficult to assign an exact flavor. I taste dark cherries. This espresso is dry and nutty to the finish. Think of the skin on a hazelnut, naturally dry and almost salty, pulling out the sweetness of the nut. Very complex indeed, but very delicious. Just like they were trying to do, it seems that the Espresso Aficionado captures the quintessential espresso flavors: bitter, sweet, and almost winey when pulled properly. It can be a bit finicky to pull (note the fluctuance in scores), but when hit right, it is an extremely rewarding espresso (see 97!). A great everyday espresso, which earns extra points for its wonderful milk-handling ability.

Buy Again? Definitely. Perfect for everyday shots and for milk drinks. I actually prefer this to their ’07 Toscano (review coming).