Brewpoint's espresso delivers a well-balanced cup with red apple, blackberry, and earthy flavor notes. The bright acidity enhances the experience, complemented by a smooth mouthfeel. I didn't get the notes. The roasters suggested really but I enjoyed it overall. The medium crema, while initially present, dissipates a bit quickly.

Cupping Method:At the Brewpoint shop in Elmhurst

This Haitian organic coffee delivers a beautiful dark roast with an archetypal craft roaster appearance. Dark but no oily sheen, signaling it's just shy of being an artisan dark roast dark roast. On the grind, the aroma is stunning, with rich notes of chocolate and a nutty undertone reminiscent of peanuts and pecans.

As espresso, the chocolatey depth takes center stage, complemented by hints of walnut and a touch of smoke that gently lingers on the back of the palate. The crema is medium, contributing to a smooth mouthfeel with low acidity. While not particularly complex, its smoothness and approachable profile make it a coffee that many will enjoy (or prefer).

It's very well-priced on Five Five's website for an organic coffee with a less-seen origin.

Cupping Method:Espresso worked best for me at 95C.

Hard not to like this coffee though I did notice that on the website it was like $38 a bag. I'm probably expecting a little bit more wow for that.

I thought it was pretty straightforward chocolate, orange marmalade, a lot of natural sweetness, and smooth to point of being chuggable. Nice aroma of sweet milk chocolate on the grind. Very visually appealing beans with an nice color and even roast.

Cupping Method:Hario v60, 18:1, 92C. From the PDX Advent.

Kind of an oddball looking roast that made me question the quality. However, this roast is exactly as described. It's a smooth chocolate flavor with very bright citrus and Rainier cherry notes. The acidity is pretty bright and the overall mouth feel is smooth with no bitterness. It's a very good easy drinker with great acidity.

Cupping Method:I got this in the PDX advent calendar, though I think it is a widely available Stumptown coffee. 92C, 18:1 on Thursday ol' v60.

Silky, smooth Brazilian natural. A little bit of nuttiness is nice. It has a little bit of plummy acidity and a nice chocolate finish. i'd classify that's an easy drinker but a good one.

Cupping Method:V60, 92F, 18:1 v60. From Revolver Advent.

Full Cycle Blend is a medium roast crafted for espresso with a smooth and balanced flavor profile. As an espresso, it features notes of blackberry jam and subtle raspberry, finishing with a touch of raspberry chocolate truffle. Medium but stiff crema contributes to mouthfeel. The acidity is well-balanced, complementing the overall smoothness, making it a strong café espresso blend. it doesn't quite have the standalone complexity of some of the recent espressos I've had, but this one seems very versatile.

Accidentally brewed as a pour-over the first time, the coffee revealed a different side, with chocolate and sweet orange notes coming forward and a pleasant acidity. Its versatility and layered flavor make it a solid addition to the PDX Advent lineup!

thought this coffee smelled a little bit, dusty and wet doggy. however, none of those notes reallt came out in cup. This coffee had exceptional mouth feel and pleasant fruitiness. I did it had two different temperatures, but I did get red apple white grape and prune in both. I liked the lower temperature 197F where I got some tangerine and watermelon.

Cupping Method:Leaderboard Season 16

A relatively straightforward Guatemalan, but with really good depth of flavor and mouthfeel. My notes were milk chocolate, honey, peanut, and red apple. not too far off from the roasters, even though it was a blind tasting!

Cupping Method:Leaderboard season 16. Made with standard v60 prep.

Appealing chicory aroma on the grind. Complex coffee with a lot going on. Funky and interesting. I get bit of chocolate, but also a strongly brewed rooibos. Guarana and honeydew funk. And maybe something like banana pudding? Cool and unique coffee though maybe not something I would want every day.

Cupping Method:Revolver Advent Day 6. 92C, 17.5:1 on the Hario v60

A lovely medium bodied/medium acidity coffee that drink like chocolate and blackberry jam. A good deal of natural sweetness. Lovely and easy drinking.

Cupping Method:From PDX Coffee Calendar. 18:1, 197F on Hario v60.

I personally thought this was pretty good although my tasting notes didn't really match up at all to the roasters. I got a more traditional canyon with some blackberry, red fruit, smooth mouth feel. this was from the revolver advent so I feel like sometimes some of the details get lost in the translation with the cards and I couldn't find a lot of the detail on the specific coffee so I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt and just grading it like a normal Kenyan.

Cupping Method:Hario v60, 18:1, 198F

Leaderboard season 16, blind tasting.

My wife loved this coffee. I really liked it. I just don't think it rose to very high heights. Reminded me a bit of a holiday coffee (but I was drinking it in October).

Chocolate, walnutty, orange marmalade, very clean. A lot of natural sweetness and very nice mouthfeel. One of the better light roast Indian coffees I can remember having.

Cupping Method:v60, 18:1, 197F

I totally missed adding my writeup for this one.

This Ethiopian espresso from Swerl makes an immediate impression with its sweet chocolate aroma wafting from the bag. When pulled, it produces a light-to-medium crema. It's not the type of espresso that needs a thick crema.

The flavor profile is peach-forward, sort of the tart but sweet early season ones, layered with a prominent Earl Grey tea note that adds depth. Its brightness shines through in the acidity, yet it stays well-balanced, avoiding any harshness. The mouthfeel offers moderate complexity, leading to a clean and refreshing peach tea finish. A great choice for those who appreciate a bright, nuanced espresso with just the right touch of sweetness and finesse.

Cupping Method:almost exclusively as espresso. A bit too late for my wife's preference for lattes so I basically drank a whole bag by myself. Came from Revolver website.

Red is the name of the game with this one with the notes.

In a year rich with excellent Pink Bourbons, this one from Wonderstate stands out as a beautifully executed coffee, though not quite the pinnacle for me. Its bright acidity and vibrant notes of red fruit and rooibos tea provide a lively and refreshing experience, with watermelon sweetness and delicate honeysuckle florality adding depth and elegance. It's easy to drink but doesn't quite finish with a flourish. Overall I do think Wonderstate has skillfully highlighted the varietal's unique qualities here.

Cupping Method:First coffee in Season 16 of Leaderboard. Blind tasting. v60, 197F, 18:1 ratio.

Cheated a little bit on the Advent as it's November 30th...

As someone who typically avoids blends (Dear Francis is known for its blend and subscription service), this roaster has been somewhat off my radar. I was happy to see it featured on the first day of the PDX Coffee Club Advent calendar with a unique roast.

I really enjoyed this coffee; it's an easy drinker with notes of black cherry and sweet orange. Three-quarters of the way through, I noticed a hint of grapefruit zest, followed by a smooth finish. There's a lot of natural sweetness and a very pleasant mouthfeel. I also think there's a touch of jasmine florality.

I hadn't tried the Catisic varietal before, so I looked it up on World Coffee Research. Catisic is a coffee variety developed by the Salvadoran Institute for Coffee Research (ISIC) through a cross between the Timor Hybrid 832/1 and Caturra. This breeding aimed to combine high yield potential with disease resistance, specifically against coffee leaf rust. In terms of flavor notes, Catisic typically has bright citrus or floral acidity, a smooth medium-to-full body, and prominent sweetness, often featuring caramel, chocolate, and fruits like red apple or berries. Depending on the processing method, these beans can highlight either clarity and crispness in washed versions or richer, fruit-forward characteristics in natural or honey-processed versions, resulting in a balanced and well-rounded cup that reflects the unique terroir of Guatemala.

Cupping Method:198F, 18:1, Hario v60

I've had this blend twice in Portland. I'd say that as a New Englander, the donut shop blend thing is real, and there's an expectation for what is should taste like. Smooth, nutty, naturally a touch sweet. This hit it on the head. I especially like the peanutty touch with a rich chocolate lead. Works awesome as cold brew as well.

Sweet with a nice smooth mouth feel and a slightly hoppy citrus note. There's lots of citrus here grapefruit, tangerine, and good acidity. Slight white wine note 3/4 of the way through. There's probably more exciting anaerobic ferments out there, but this one is a nice drinker.

Cupping Method:20g sample, 197F, 18:1 v60

I realize that I never got my notes for this roast in. I've seen a number of Nensebo coffees rank highly or raved about, so was excited to try this one.

The best attribute here is the mouthfeel, which is super smooth and borderline chuggable. It has a honeyed sweetness and a subtle peachiness. I think it has a very slight jasmine floral, but pronounced as other Ethiopians. I think this fits pretty well with what I've been seeing from the other John Smalls. It's a very carefully treated coffee where the mouth feel is quite evolved.

Cupping Method:197F, 18:1 Hario v60. just had 20 g from an Airworks dime bag.

This Coffey Co. roast is satisfying and well-rounded espresso blend with excellent depth in its chocolate flavor and layers of complexity that make it stand out.

Notes of blackberry bring a bright fruitiness, balanced by a natural sweetness that leans slightly toward maple syrup. A subtle touch of smoke and spice adds nuance, making the profile intriguing yet approachable. Pulls a nice stiff medium crema even after de-gassing, giving it a nice mouthfeel. Medium in complexity. Some complexity and well-balanced.

The roast level leans slightly darker than a typical third-wave medium espresso, aligning more with the style you'd expect from a skilled local craft roaster. This balance makes it highly versatile, shining in milk-based drinks like lattes, where its sweetness and depth remain prominent.

For me this is a really nice find.

Well-balanced and clean dark roast decaf. Chocolate, roasted walnut, and a bold, smoky finish. The rare good dark roast decaf!

Cupping Method:They made it as pourover at Gelato Fiasco in Portland, ME

Didn't have high expectations for this one but it's quite good. very chocolatey with definitely a honey sweetness. Blackberry/strawberry acidity with good brightness for a medium roast. Very comforting for a breezy November Maine day.

Cupping Method:Drip from Onggi in Portland ME

Tasty well balanced espresso with both good dark notes and bright acidity. Chocolate, walnut, baking spices, red apple, and blackberry. Nice mouthfeel and good mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:At Double Great Coffee in Portland ME

Thickly texture, complex medium dark roast with big cream. Spicy, a bit creamy, syrupy, with blackberry, earth, walnut, and tamarind. A fun one.

Cupping Method:Double espresso in the Esselon Cafe in Hadley, MA

A well balanced coffee with wonderful mouthfeel. IMHO, it's a little bit short for an Ethiopian in terms of brightness of acidity. I get the disco marmalade moniker. It's very sweet with a jammy mouth feel and does have a slight sweet orange character to it as opposed to the usual Ethiopian stone fruit. It also feels a bit more blended in than the distinct notes. Sometimes you get with Ethiopians where there's tea and then there's peach. Very enjoyable.

Cupping Method:I got a sample in a trade and made it 197F, 18:1 with the Hario v60.

I had this as cold brew at the Praxis coffee Airstream. I thought was a nice choice for cold brew. Very well balanced with brown sugar and citrus notes. Chocolate notes on the lead. Nice brightness in the acidity, which is not always present in Mexicans.

Dark chocolate lead. Bright acidity mid-palate with like tamarind, and blackberry. Solid crema, good complexity. Linger is the 80% dark chocolate that is a little tart. A very good light-medium roast espresso.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Revival Kitchen in Lexington, MA. Served with sparkling water.

An appealing chocolate forward cafe style espresso with great depth in the chocolate character. Very versatile for warm and hot drinks and a tasty espresso. Pulls a stiff medium crema. There's a little bit of plum and nuttiness. Lots of natural, sweetness, and overall quite enjoyable.

Cupping Method:I got this coffee with four other espresso from Revolver. I used it as a versatile espresso for doing many things.

A really good espresso on the lighter side with chocolate notes, blackberry, lime, and hazelnut. Carefully served with sparkling water. Maybe a little bit unfair to compare after the incredible espresso I had the day before and another roaster. This was quite good though.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Estate cafe in downtown San Antonio

Delicious without being individually sensational in anyway. Tasting notes are spot on. Watermelon funk. Slight hint of that Yemen earthy note 3/4 palate. Brown sugar, caramel. Goji berry but not in a bad way. Maybe butterscotch and chrysanthemum. Very unique and fun.

A Mexican coffee offers an unexpected depth that sets it apart from more typical profiles. The sweetness immediately brings to mind blackstrap molasses, giving it a a rich, almost syrupy base for a lighter roast poruover. What makes this cup especially interesting is the subtle presence of ripe stone fruit, maybe peach or apricot, which intertwines seamlessly with the molasses-like sweetness. Unlike the brighter, more distinct stonefruit flavors often found in Ethiopian coffees, here the fruit notes are more subdued and harmonize with the deeper, spiced tones reminiscent of molasses—think cloves, cinnamon, and a hint of ginger.

Well-balanced and smooth, this coffee is very drinkable, with enough complexity to keep you coming back for more. It's a great option for those looking for a richer, spiced profile with just a touch of fruit.

Cupping Method:Pourover at Estate in San Antonio