Uncategorised – Page 17

Percol Fairtrade and Organic Latin America Arabica Coffee

The folks at Percol came up trumps and delivered the Judges a box of freebies – one of every single Percol. (Thanks Niomi!) This is the first then of a Percol Marathon we’re going to have to do over the next few weeks. First things first – when you see all of them together you really can’t tell the difference – the packaging all looks like a scene from Predator. All jungle-y and, let’s face it, a bit tacky. No continental style and sophistication in sight. This one looked great on arrival, a nice froth on the top. But there’s a weird taste to this one – and a very long lasting after tase. It’s just a little bit too “sharp” – if there is such a thing. Mind you, having read the side of the packet they are claiming “grapefruit” – which is sharp as hell. Why the hell would you want a f*cking grapefruit in your cup? That’s a trait they need to engineer out of this one, not boast about. It’s still OK though, just above the average at 6/10

Percol, Strength 3

Percol Fairtrade and Organic Latin America Arabica Coffee Read Post »

Morrisons Fairtrade Italian Blend Coffee

Let’s get to the point. It’s awful. Which is a shame as the packaging looks good – just the way we like it. But the smell is of ashtrays and the taste is like eating an egg box that’s been used as an ashtray. There’s no depth of flavour at all either – you really need to spoon it up to even get to the heady heights of an ashtray. Best avoided really – it scores badly – though not as badly as some other ash-tray classics – as at least I could finish the cup. This must be some cheap Robusta beans in here – no mention of Arabica on the packet. Boo. (4/10)

Morrisons, UK

Morrisons Fairtrade Italian Blend Coffee Read Post »

illy Espresso Dark Coffee

After our last illy scoring a 9/10, this one was stacked up to be even better. I mean, it’s a dark roast this time, which must equate to a strength 5 on the usual coffee strength scale. It’s been a problem though, as usual with espresso super-fine grinds. If you do it as you’d normally do it, it will blow the top of your head off in a caffeine and powder OD catastrophe. So much so on the first cup I wasn’t all that partial. So over the next few cups we toned it down a bit, coming down to 5 spoons (from 6) for the 3 cups. By the end it’s pretty good – but still not quite what I was hoping for. It’s chocolatey, dark, and not a whiff of a logan berry. I suppose it’s more economical in that you need less coffee than the medium roast (for the same piss taking price!). Great though it may be, it scores down again one point for expense, and another for the fact we just couldn’t get it right. (8/10)

Illy

illy Espresso Dark Coffee Read Post »

Sainsbury’s So Organic Peru Coffee

We’ve had this one a while and put off the making of it. Why? The packaging. My God it’s dull. We want our coffees to draw us in with silvers and golds and feel all continental-like, but this one looks like a packet of grass seed. When we finally do crack it open, it does what it says on the tin. Smooth and mellow is right enough – there’s a really punchy flavour without being too overpowering, and every time we’ve made one it’s come out trumps. I don’t think you can get this one wrong – it would easily round off your cafetiere cock-ups and still deliver. Not quite strong enough for me – but then it’s not meant to be. But one definitely to dish up at home after your dinner party with confidence that they’ll all like it, and it will turn out ok. (8/10)

Peru, Sainsburys, Strength 4

Sainsbury’s So Organic Peru Coffee Read Post »

Marks and Spencer Espresso Coffee

This is a real bad boy. It’s ground super espresso fine, which means it’s very hard to get your weights and measures right. So much so, the first two of these we had were as fierce as a Tiger with it’s manhood in a vice. Don’t go near it. But despite the skull cracking power, the underlying taste still came through. We knew that deep down this was a good ‘un. But it took three failed cups to get the dosage right before we finally got the taste of the real deal. And let me tell you, it’s a trooper. One of those coffees that can take any amount of milk without becoming too sickly. It would probably make a good Latte, if you’re that way inclined. Once again though with the M&S’er, the difficulty in getting it right is the only thing to detract from a top score from this Judge…9/10

Marks and Spencer, Strength 5

Marks and Spencer Espresso Coffee Read Post »

Blasõn Jaltenango Chiapas Coffee

One of the judges has managed to sort himself a nice little Mexican Señorita. Now, the rest of us have never met her, so it could have just been a cover story for his frivolous nights spent on Hampstead Heath. But then, low and behold, he disappears for two weeks and turns up with a real life Mexican coffee, thus adding indisputable weight to the “Señorita story”. What ever the truth – we’re having the coffee. It’s all new – a bigger packet (340g) and super coarsely ground. There’s no real smell when we open the pack – which doesn’t bode well. It just smells like cheap coffee. The usual dose in the pot gives as an un-drinkably weak cup. So much so, all I could taste was the milk, so I left mine. We tried again: stronger. Still no cigar. One last chance today – and I took charge of the pot and really loaded it up. EIGHT spoons f’chrissakes! That just about nailed it – we can finally taste coffee. But it’s still a washout – there’s no depth of flavour and there’s plenty of aftertaste, due to us having to make it so strong. They claim some acidity – and that fruityness is just about there – but it’s disguised under several layers of mud. It’s a holiday coffee, let’s face it. Presumably you can buy it near Hampstead Heath. (4/5)

Blason, Mexico

Blasõn Jaltenango Chiapas Coffee Read Post »

Marks and Spencer Colombian Coffee

Arriving at the office first thing on a Monday morning we find that the carpets have been cleaned over the weekend. Now they didn't seem that bad last week, but the assault on the nose this morning was like the Charge of the Light Brigade armed only with lemons. It seems that if you run out of carpet shampoo, Lemsip makes a good alternative. This coffee is claiming a "fruity acidity" – yet this morning everything has a fruity acidity. This is not a good neutral environment for a Judge. So it comes back out over the next few days – and it proves tricky to get right. Even though were sure we make it exactly the same each time, one is foamy, one is heavy and dirty tasting and one is even light and creamy. How can it vary this much? The final one though comes good. There's plenty of depth of flavour and no after taste at all. But still no sign of the fruit. Not one I'd rush out and buy again, but perfectly fine. (6/10)

Colombia, Marks and Spencer, Strength 4

Marks and Spencer Colombian Coffee Read Post »

Lavazza Qualita Oro Coffee

This one has been a real puzzle. First time round it had a creamy taste to it. Like it was crying out to be made stronger. It was also quite sweet tasting – I was definitely thinking that this is a coffee for girls. Then every time we’ve made it since it just got more bitter – now is this a part of the aging process? Can it change that much, over 2 days, kept in a sealed tin? Or is it some kind of reaction to us emptying the stupid vacuum pack out into the uber-cool Illy tin? Whatever, I needed a tiny bit more sugar to make this to taste for me. In the end though, it’s a 7/10 while you’re drinking it, but it does have a bitter after taste, which pegs it down to a 6/10.

Lavazza, Strength 4

Lavazza Qualita Oro Coffee Read Post »

Grumpy Mule Organic Bolivia Cafe Femenino Coffee

The first one of these was exactly as they described it. Creamy. I don’t know how this happens, but it was definitely a sickly sweet, milky brew. Now if that’s your thing, then all well and good. But it’s not mine and I had real trouble finishing the first one – it was scoring a 4/10. They also claim a lingering finish – and they’re not wrong. The taste just doesn’t go away. It Kinda Lingers. So for this afternoon I broke the rules, went to 7 spoons for three cups and held back on the milk a bit. This time we get something which has lost it’s creamy-ness for sure, and for me is more palatable. But as ever when having to spoon a coffee up to high strength levels to mask its failings, there’s a price to pay. It’s slightly harsh with a bit of an aftertaste. This coffee is nothing more than OK. It actually tastes like a cheapy – yet in our local deli it’s a whopping £4.50 a pack. All in all then, a lowly 6/10.

Bolivia, Grumpy Mule, Strength 3

Grumpy Mule Organic Bolivia Cafe Femenino Coffee Read Post »

Illy Espresso Medium Roast Coffee

We've been putting off this one for some time on the grounds of cost. How can anyone justify £6.13 for a standard pack of coffee? It would have to be phenomenally good. Errrr – it is. From the moment you hold the sturdy tin with its brushed aluminum lid in your hand, you know it's gonna be good. The lid unscrews with an engineering precision – this is not just any old Ikea storage jar. Inside, the coffee is again sealed with a ring pull membrane, which opens with a satisfying rush of air. As far as coffee packs go – this is as good as it gets. We've done two cups today and both are packed full of flavour and somehow feel fresh. Like the coffee is straight out of the roaster. There is definitely a hint of the "floral note" they claim on the tin – maybe slightly citrus even. The grind is very fine – which means some care is needed to press it down slowly, otherwise you could end of with a mouthful of grinds. All in all – it can't be faulted. But sorry – it cant get a 10 score – at over six quid a tin it's just crazy money. It's more of a gift package than an every-dayer. Come on Illy – make us one in a standard vacuum pack for half the price and we'll be on it everyday. Until then it's a 9/10 from this Judge.

Illy, Strength 3

Illy Espresso Medium Roast Coffee Read Post »