Unfussy, tasty cold brew. Fruity, easy to drink. Chocolate notes. Blackberry.

Cupping Method:Bought a can at Atomic in Beverly, MA

A very smooth coffee with balanced and tasty acidity. Green apple, strawberry, and lime. A little bit of black tea but also chocolate hints.

Cupping Method:Chemex pourover

A delicious dark roast decaf with a massive crema and great structure and balance. Syrupy mouthfeel, dark bittersweet chocolate. Clean finish that leaves you wanting more.

Cupping Method:At Eataly Boston after a big meal

Delightful holiday/winter blend; superbly smooth and naturally sweet, with distinct notes of chocolate orange, graham cracker, and a hint of holiday spice.

Cupping Method:At Nero in Concord, MA

A nicely roasted coffee that lands right in the middle of the road in a lot of ways for light roast. Smooth, easy to drink with very clean acidity. I get black tea, light raspberry, and just a hint of grapefruit.

Cupping Method:Chemex pourover. My friend brought me the bag from Madrid.

A smooth and balanced Colombian light roast from a roaster that was recommended to us from Madrid. I feel like Ive been having a lot of this clean, washed Colombian style in recent weeks but this one is notably easy to drink with a nice blood orange tinge at the end. I definitely pick up a hint of thinly sliced almond.

Cupping Method:Chemex pourover

A very tasty filter blend that is super easy to drink. Smooth and full-bodied, with notes of black tea, chocolate, and lemon.

Cupping Method:At Commongood in Waltham, MA

A very smooth pourover with a clean acidity in the green apple and grapefruit range. The grapefruit is light and pleasant and not the polarizing/rindy type. Same with the green apple - it's not so much that it's tart, just that the green apple flavor is very much there. It drinks more black tea at the front but there's note of chocolate in the linger. A very solid roast from Speedwell here!

Cupping Method:Pourover at Commongood in Waltham, MA

Note this is for the Groundwork Medium Roast version from this cooperative. There's a light roast listed on the site with different characteristics.

I like this Groundwork coffee, even more after using the QR code to read about regenerative organic. Groundwork is also a B-corp and every coffee I've seen from them is organic.

I thought this specific roast was great as espresso and good as pourover. I didn't really get much of the lemon/cranberry acidity in pourover. It was more smooth and chocolate with a light acidity. As espresso, it was more dynamic, with notes of very dark, quality chocolate, natural sweetness, and those cranberry/lemon hints. It had a full body and a lovely crema.

Overall for me this Groundwork Nicaragua Regenerative Organic Medium roast is a very nice one, very versatile, with high quality beans you can make almost any type of style with.

Cupping Method:Bought at Whole Foods - used as both espresso and pourover, multiple times each.

A super interesting, funky, tasty Colombian gesha. Tastiest for me when cool as the funk fades a bit. It's close to soy saucy when very hot but that's gone at warm. A lot of body here.

A big dark chocolate bittersweet chocolate lead with the strawberry wine and lemongrass clear and present mentioned. Some tropicality as well.

Delicious and hard to top drinking.

Cupping Method:Chemex pourover. Ordered from B&W.

This is a pretty good cup of coffee. Smooth, light, fruity, as a breakfast blend should be. A little bit nutty at the end of the palate with a very clean finish.

Cupping Method:At a Subaru dealership where they offer these

Pretty tasty. Juicy, cranberry, a touch savory, pretty full bodied with a long fruity/cranberry finish. Will be on the acidic side for some.

Cupping Method:Pourover. I got this roast as part of the JBC Fall Sampler (this was bag #7)

Full-bodied, naturally sweet coffee with heavy chocolate flavor and low acidity/bitterness. Caramel and nut are subtle but definitely there. A touch of citrus in the orange range balances things. Not what I personally usually drink but very nice.

Cupping Method:Pourover made from sample bag

A very nice cup - somewhat unique in the way it develops (a bit hard to explain). Super fruity like a tropical punch with a lot of natural sugar but also a little bit funky. Black tea platform. Takes a bit to fall in love with then it's hard to stop drinking.

Urban Remedy is a brand that has made a name for itself in the health and wellness scene, with its products frequently gracing the shelves of health stores, organic grocers, and Whole Foods. Today, I had the pleasure of trying their Shroom Coffee, a pretty unique concoction that combines cold brew coffee with the power of adaptogens like Lions Mane and Reishi mushrooms. It's also organic, gluten-free, dairy-free, and non-GMO lineup.

Conclusion: way better than expected!

The ingredients listed on the label include Cashew Milk (filtered water, cashews), Coconut Nectar, Coffee, Vanilla Extract, Lion's Mane Mushroom Extract Powder, and Reishi Mushroom Extract Powder.

My first impression of the Shroom Coffee was positive. It had a smooth and velvety texture, which is quite an accomplishment considering it's made with cashew milk and contains mushroom powder. The only minor drawback was a slight clumping issue, likely due to the coconut nectar, that persisted even after vigorous shaking. While this didn't significantly impact the overall experience, it's worth noting and not super visually appealing.

In terms of flavor, the Shroom Coffee delivered a pleasant surprise. It had a subtle sweetness, thanks to the coconut nectar and vanilla extract, without being overly sugary. There wasn't any hint of mushroom taste, htful pick-me-up.

Lion's Mane is renowned for its cognitive-enhancing properties, with studies suggesting it may support memory, focus, and overall brain health. Reishi, on the other hand, is celebrated for its adaptogenic and immune-boosting qualities, helping the body better cope with stress and potentially reducing inflammation.

At $7.99 per can from Whole Foods and a list price of $8.99 on their website, it's undoubtedly more expensive than your average coffee shop iced latte. However, the premium ingredients and the potential health benefits of Lion's Mane and Reishi Mushroom extracts may justify the splurge for health-conscious individuals.

Cupping Method:I bought it from Whole Foods in Cambridge, MA and drank it the next day.

Smooth delicious shot with really nice mouth feel and the type of linger that leaves you wanting more. Chocolate, blackberry, just a bit nutty. Probably splitting hairs to want a bit more florality/complexity as its tasty.

Cupping Method:Espresso shot at Green Kettle in Wallingford, CT

A nice light medium level roast with some breakfast blend characteristics. Acidity right up front and then chocolatey with a very nice clean finish. Hints of fresh strawberry (very subtle) and plum. A very good drip.

Cupping Method:From Pulley coffee bar in Chelsea Market

I had trouble finding the fruity/tropical notes here but thought this coffee was very delicious. For a lighter roast, a lot of body and natural sweetness. Black tea and just a touch of chocolate. Pineapple I get when cool but very light.

Cupping Method:I ordered AeroPress at the Heartwood Coffee in Beachwood

Complex, bittersweet chocolate, walnut, blackberry, lime. More fruity than floral. Lightish crema but good mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Heritage in Solon

I liked this holiday blend. For a roast on the medium side this is lively and has that a touch of holiday earth/spice character. A lot of natural sweetness and a full-body.

Cupping Method:Drip from Heartwood in Hudson, OH

This is a rotating seasonal. Had it when it was a Colombian single origin. Highly characteristic, super smooth with rich chocolate and a touch of orange to go with a bit of earthiness.

Cupping Method:At Heartwood in Chagrin Falls

Complicated Bolivian pourover with a slightly buttery, fill-bodied texture for a light roast. Black tea, fresh strawberries, melon. Fairly subtle. Id take more acidity on the back end but this is pretty tasty. Could be a bit odd to more traditional drinkers.

Cupping Method:Pourover at Heritage Coffee in Solon, OH

A really nicely structure house espresso with medium complexity and good flavors. Syrupy, nice mouthfeel. Notes of bittersweet chocolate, caramel, those tasty European breakfast cookies, and blackberry.

Cupping Method:At Phoenix location in Cleveland Heights. Was talking to barista about how much we hate Nickelback and didn't take picture.

Barista said this was their espresso blend and didnt seem to have any details. So while they had bags for sale I couldnt match it. Great medium dark roast. Balanced, caramel, bittersweet, a pleasant smokiness.

Cupping Method:At Tame Rabbit in Chagrin Falls. Honestly it was a bit of a mess there

Complex light roast with acidity and a touch of nuttiness and florality. I like acidic and this is close to the boundary but not quite over. Blackberry and lime in a wine like structure. Tasty for me but medium and up espresso roast drinkers will not like at all. Seems to make a fantastic latte.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Heartwood in Beachwood

Rich, smooth, caramel, bittersweet chocolates. Low acidity. A very well executed dark blend.

Cupping Method:Espresso on my A53 Spaziale, 95C temp extraction

A lovely, full-bodied Guatemalan that is very fruity/juicy. I get fresh plum, apricot, and a strongly brewed black tea. I want a little bit more complexity given the richness of the initial acidity. A very nice cup overall.

Cupping Method:Chemex pourover. Have a small bag from a JBC fall sampler.

I enjoyed this coffee both as espresso and pourover. I think it is actually better as espresso. As espresso it is fun and complex - clear florality, hints of bergamot and fresh strawberry alongside bittersweet dark chocolate.

As pourover, it drank very clean and smooth, with a touch of almond nuttiness mid-palate. The acidity didn't quite fully express itself, but it's a light lemon touch. I couldn't imagine anyone would be disappointed with it though.

Cupping Method:Espresso, 95C extraction in my A53 Spaziale. Hario v60 pourover.

Fabulous deep, chocolate and slightly fruity aroma. Spot on dark/French roast. Very chocolate, smooth, smoky, notably a touch spicy in the pepper range. Some cherry/blackberry acidity gives it balance.

Cupping Method:Espresso shot with my Spaziale A53, 95C temp

Very smooth cold brew with almost no bitterness. Its not weak - theres a chocolatey character and a mid-palate nuttiness, perhaps almond. The acidity is a bit low and Id prefer more but I think many will like this.

Cupping Method:To go cold brew from Jejes