Pakt Coffee Kit – Gear Review

All-In-One Set For Brewing Coffee On The Go

$189

by Nick Stiverson

Pakt, un-Pakt. The kit includes: (L-R) (top) Bean Container, Travel Mug, Kettle (base not pictured), (Center) Collapsible Cone Dripper, Measuring Scoop

I’m a sucker for portable coffee gear, to the extent that I have to exercise every bit of restraint I possess when I see a new travel brewer hit the market. And yet, I own a lot of them. When I first saw the Pakt Coffee Kit pop up on a crowd-sourcing platform a couple of years ago I was stoked, but I hesitated when I saw the almost $200 price tag; fortunately their campaign reached its goal without me. A friend of mine backed the campaign though, and he kindly offered to let me borrow his to test it out even before he had the opportunity to do so himself.

Continue reading “Pakt Coffee Kit – Gear Review” →

Brandywine Coffee Roasters: Scary Coffee to Drink In The Dark 3

Coffee in a tiny, forgotten graveyard on a foggy day? Yes, please.

Halloween is my absolute favorite time of the year, and clearly Brandywine Coffee Roasters feel the same way. Each season they send out a fleet of coffees, subscription boxes, teas, shirts, art prints, and other coffee-related paraphernalia, which for coffee fanatics helps to make the transition from summer to fall. Every item features incredible artwork designed by resident artist and drummer Todd Purse. Their coffee bags are silk screened by hand and stamped with a wax seal that makes each bag unique, and something worth holding onto (I keep all of my bags and boxes from them!) 

Continue reading “Brandywine Coffee Roasters: Scary Coffee to Drink In The Dark 3” →

Cleveland Coffee Part 1: Rising Star Coffee Roasters in Hingetown

Roaster: Rising Star Coffee Roasters

Coffee: Marta Rubi

Origin: Tolima Colombia

Process: Anaerobic Natural

Flavor and Aroma Notes: Aromas of orange candy, Fruity pebbles, strawberry rhubarb. Flavor notes of peach tea, tropical fruit punch.

When I’m planning to travel I always seek out local coffee roasters and record stores. I keep a list on my phone so I’m not sitting on the side of the road pleading with Siri to direct me toward coffee only to have her suggest the nearest Starbucks. In Cleveland, Ohio there is no shortage of coffee spots, and many of them are highly acclaimed. It’s hard to make a choice based on Google reviews, so I reached out to the hive mind of my favorite coffee group on Facebook, a 2,100+ member Chemex-focused group whose members span the globe. Phoenix Coffee and Rising Star Coffee Roasters came up most frequently and received the most enthusiastic praise, so I set my course.

Continue reading “Cleveland Coffee Part 1: Rising Star Coffee Roasters in Hingetown” →

All about the Chemex Coffee Maker

The Chemex is a beautiful coffee maker. It is crafted in a single piece of specialized glass that imparts no foreign flavors into your favorite cup of brew, and it is wrapped in a wood sleeve secured with a leather tie. The chemex has been made in this elegant, minimalist way since it was invented in 1941 by Dr. Peter Schlumbohm.1

But none of that is very important. What is important is that it makes amazing tasting coffee. The sweet sloping angles of the carafe combined with the patented double bonded CHEMEX® filters makes a clean cup of coffee that is perfect for highlighting coffee’s delicate, fleeting flavor notes and for filtering out its bitter notes.

Pro tip: We recommend going for the bleached paper filters as the unbleached ones can impart paper flavors into your coffee even with moderate pre-rinsing.

Hyperion Coffee Co – Erick Bravo Finca El Chaferote

Roaster: Hyperion Coffee Co., Ypsilanti, MI

Origin: Huila, Colombia

Process: Washed/Special Prep

It’s not often that you see hops as a cupping note in coffee, and it’s even less frequent that you see a specific hop variety listed, but Hyperion boldly claims Mosaic Hops—one of my favorite varietals—as a tasting note on the label. Fans of craft beer will likely gravitate toward this bag as India Pale Ale lovers everywhere recognize Mosaic for its vibrant tropical fruit and dark berry notes, an attribute which captivates the palates of coffee drinkers and hop heads alike. As a bartender at a craft beer brewery by trade, knowing hops and being able to distinguish between them (and there’s a lot) is part of my job, and I have to wholly agree with their claims. 

Continue reading “Hyperion Coffee Co – Erick Bravo Finca El Chaferote” →

Stay Golden – Holiday Blend

I had some orders get hung up in transit and arrive late, but this Deck The Halls holiday blend from Stay Golden is still cheerful and bright. Everything I’ve had from @staygoldencoffeeco has been excellent, and this cozy blend is no exception!⁣
⁣
P.S. Pic 2- When Holiday coffee arrives after the holidays, we do what we can for those great pics, i.e. my discarded Christmas tree awaiting disposal in the driveway.

Onyx Coffee Lab- Ethiopia Worka

Here’s another one from the past Summer that I neglected to post. This incredible Ethiopia Worka from @OnyxCoffeeLab was perfectly balanced and beautiful. I liked it best in the Chemex, but it also made an amazing shaken iced coffee, highlighting the acidity and brightness. The packaging is on another level, too—the simple but elegant bag was hiding in this textured, embossed box that is begging to be filled with trinkets and keepsakes. Onyx is one of the best roasters in the US (and probably world)—if you haven’t ordered from them yet, it’s time to remedy that— I just ordered more. ⁣

MáQUINA Coffee Roasters – Ethiopia Bombe

Roastery: MáQUINA Coffee Roasters⁣
Origin: Ethiopia Bombe
Process: Washed
Brew method: V60, Chemex, Aeropress
⁣
I had never heard of Pennsylvania’s MáQUINA Coffee Roasters until last week, but after trying this Ethiopia Bombe, they’re a permanent blip on my coffee radar. This is a huge, juicy coffee with tons of floral and tropical notes and a medium body and mouthfeel. It fares well in every brewer I’ve tried it in so far, from V60 to Chemex to Aeropress, and even tastes great iced. I’m stoked to try more of what MáQUINA has to offer. ⁣

Sparrows Coffee – Kenya Kiandu

Roastery: Sparrows Coffee 

Origin: Kenya Kiandu

Process: Washed 

Roast Profile: Light Roast

This is the first coffee I’ve had from Sparrows, but I’m totally sold. Absolutely massive aromas of maple syrup that were so full and heady that my daughter thought I was making waffles when brewing it in the Chemex. There are no flavors or scents added to this coffee, all of the aromas are natural coffee aromas brought out from the roast process.

Continue reading “Sparrows Coffee – Kenya Kiandu” →