Clean, sweet, straightforward with a pleasant mouthfeel. Some orange, some grapefruit. Maybe pomelo? Has green and black tea notes for me. Perhaps lemony and slightly boozy note in the finish. I enjoyed the citrus tea feel overall but I don't think I'd be running out to buy a whole bag of this one.

Cupping Method:17:1, 92C on v60. Roasters Pack Advent Calendar.

Comforting, enjoyable cup with milk chocolate, light caramel, and citrus. Sweet and clean. Doesn't have a standout trait but pleasant overall.

Cupping Method:Roasters Pack Advent. 17:1, 92C in Hario v60

Heavy on the chocolate and raw walnut up front but with a crisp orange mango on the back side. My wife thought it was bitter but I enjoyed it.

Cupping Method:Revolver Advent Calendar. 17:1, 93C on Hario v60

Here's a clean rephrase that keeps your voice and stays editorial and concise:

A clean, smooth, and straightforward roast with classic Central American notes of chocolate and caramel, alongside a muted citrus character. The citrus reads less as brightness and more like slightly overripe orange juice, missing a sharper acidic edge. The cup has a pleasant, full bodied mouthfeel with a lightly syrupy texture.

This would suit drinkers who prefer lower acidity as an everyday coffee, though it does not offer a particularly distinctive or standout trait.

Cupping Method:Bean Advent Day 11. 17:1, 92C with Hario v60

I can understand why my wife liked this a bit more than me, it has a smooth, clean mouthfeel she really likes. I like the sweet orange note here, and a hint of brown sugar.

This was a pretty ragged looking lot with tiny but mixed sized peaberry beans, but I think the roaster did a good job here.

Cupping Method:Came from Roasters Pack Advent Calendar. 17:1, 93C on v60.

Clean, citrus, light strawberry. Not a standout but a pleasant cup. Smooth mouthfeel, chocolate, caramel (skor bar note).

Cupping Method:From Roasters Pack Advent

Solid Central American. Nothing too sexy. Low acidity, lightly citrus, lemon water, grapefruit and maybe a touch satsuma. A hit of caramel mid-palate. Smooth, medium mouthfeel. Clean, simple finish. Slightly nutty. Didn't get much chocolate and I think it's more tea like. Enjoyable but not one I'd go out and buy.

Cupping Method:Bean Advent Calendar. 93C, 17:1 on v60

I think this is a solid Brazilian offering but you see why it's dropped off a lot specialty menus. Slightly earthy, nutty, and funky, it has a bit of grapefruit acidity and oolong character. It's a good character representation.

Cupping Method:Bean Advent Calendar. 93C, Hario v60, 17:1

A solid coffee that has some of the classic Central American notes. Caramel, lemon zest, and milk chocolate. It doesn't have a standout note to me. Good mouthfeel and pleasant sweetness.

Cupping Method:Roasters Pack Advent Day 8. 17:1, 92C on the Hario v60

Only noted grade. From Roasters Pack Advent.

Milk chocolate. A little thinner than usual Cometeer syrupy sweet. I get raw almond and orange. It's a solid offering, mid pack in terms of Cometeers.

Cupping Method:Just added water. Hopping around the Cometeer Advent.

This Cometeer pod is a good, dependable dark roast option, though it lands a bit lighter on the signature Cometeer syrupy sweet smooth mouthfeel. The cup shows solid depth in its chocolate core, supported by a gentle nuttiness and an easy sweetness that reads clearly as raisin. A faint smoky edge adds structure without pushing into harshness. Overall it is non controversial and very easy to drink, the kind of pod you can reach for without thinking too hard. That said, it does not quite bring the extra intrigue I look for in dark roasts. Compared with some of the more compelling Cometeer offerings, this one feels a little safe. I would have liked either a touch more spice or a cleaner fruit presence and acidity to sharpen the profile and give it a bit more lift.

Cupping Method:Just added water

Grade only. Drank during meeting.

Clean, citrus, light strawberry. Not a standout but a pleasant cup. Smooth mouthfeel, chocolate, caramel (skor bar note).

Cupping Method:From Roasters Pack Advent

I'm continue to drink these "alongside" my nephew in LA as we both have Cometeer advents. Intelligentsia Black Cat has a reputation as one of the steadiest, best quality controlled espresso you can find in the mass market. I think this Cometeer pod is good. If anything, it has less of the syrupy/sweet/smooth Cometeer pod mouthfeel. It has solid depth of the chocolate note and is lightly nutty and sweet. It's pretty non-controversial and easy to drink but I think there are more interesting Cometeer pods, and I'd rather have a shot of the Black Cat espresso. That said my nephew loved it and he's more of a regular Cometeer drinker1

Solid Mexican. Nothing too sexy. Low acidity, lightly citrus, lemon water, grapefruit and maybe a touch satsuma. A hit of caramel mid-palate. Smooth, medium mouthfeel. Clean, simple finish. Didn't get much chocolate and I think it's more tea like. Enjoyable but not one I'd go out and buy.

Cupping Method:17:1, 93C in the Hario v60

Solid, simple espresso with good depth of chocolate note. Vienna/dark feels about right for the roast level. Slightly nutty, and earthy. Acidity is background/neutral in the sweet orange range. Pleasant medium crema and mouthfeel. Pleasant chocolate note on finish. Wouldn't say it is a standout, but a solid house roast.

Cupping Method:Actually did a quad espresso at Saucy Brew Works in Orange! Very caffeinated now, ha ha ha ha!!!

Hampton Inn lobby decaf is a pleasant surprise for a hotel setup. In the cup it comes across light and easy, with a soft caramel sweetness up front and a faint lemongrass note that adds a little lift without turning sharp. The body is on the thinner side, but it stays clean and sweet rather than watery, and there is no harsh, burnt finish that decaf can sometimes carry.

Compared with the typical Marriott lobby brew, this feels noticeably more considered and drinkable. It is not going to rival a good cafe decaf, but for a complimentary hotel option it is comfortably above average and genuinely enjoyable.

Cupping Method:Hampton Inn, Albany, New York

Solid espresso, good crema. Dark but not uber dark.l. Very French in style if you know what I mean! Only slightly smoky. Well pulled with crema. Had to ask for ceramic in the back as they only had large cups. Chocolate note is great. Limited/no acidity fruit. Finish is smoky and just ok for this type of espresso. Medium sweetness mixed in the smoke note. Generally well-balanced and not controversial for a dark roast. Bread is fabulous so will give them benefit of the doubt.

Chocolate with a little smoke, natural sweetness in the ripe plum range. Fairly satisfying dark roast. Has a slight woody/rubbery note but not enough to ruin a solid cup.

Cupping Method:Compass by Capital One Center in DC

My wife loves this coffee. I can see why, it's clean, simple, sweet, and balanced. I think it's good but couldn't get a standout cup. Sort of a muddled fruitiness and one-note.

Drinking the dark roasts in my Cometeer advent calendar.

Cometeer rarely misses, but this one lands a bit flat. I've enjoyed the Houseplant and especially the Red Bay dark roasts from Cometeer recently, both offered more presence and depth than this Snow Day Blend manages. I scored the Houseplant a 4.0 and the Red Bay a 4.5. I'd give this one a 3.8 or so so I rounded up.

The Snow Day cup is smooth and balanced, true to Cometeer's reputation, yet it lacks the spark that makes their best offerings stand out. Although it's billed as a dark roast, it drinks more like a medium-dark: mellow, polished, and easygoing. Dark roast drinkers may find themselves wishing for a bit more smoke or boldness, but instead you get something clean and smooth that focuses on the chocolate note.

The mouthfeel is the classic Cometeer silky, slightly viscous, and satisfying. Flavor-wise, there's a mild cocoa note up front, a hint of toasted nut (somewhere between peanut and cashew), and a clean, almost neutral finish. Some fruitiness flits in and out but never really takes shape, the other Cometeer capsules have had more.

Compared to the Red Bay dark roast, Snow Day feels simpler and more restrained. It's not bad, just unassuming. A comfort cup rather than a conversation starter. As you can probably tell, I'm generally a Cometeer fan, and while this is a decent cup of coffee, it lands towards the bottom of their capsules.

Cupping Method:Just added water.

The Houseplant x Cometeer dark roast delivers a smooth and balanced experience, though it lacks the distinct character that might make it more memorable. Despite being labeled a dark roast, I think it drinks more like a medium-dark, with a gentler roast profile that softens the edge typically expected from darker coffees. I'm not totally sure where this fits in as a dark roast drinker will probably want a bit more smoke/character.

At first sip, it's an easy, pleasant cup, the kind that satisfies without demanding attention. The hallmark Cometeer texture is unmistakable here: a silky mouthfeel with a rounded sweetness that glides across the palate. If you've had Cometeer capsules, you know what I mean.

There's a mild chocolate undertone that gives it a touch of warmth, followed by a faint nuttiness, somewhere between peanut and cashew that adds a clean finish.

Compared to the Red Bay Cometeer I had a few days ago, this Houseplant roast feels simpler and less adventurous. Where the Red Bay version offered complexity and a more dynamic flavor structure, the Houseplant cup leans toward comfort and familiarity. The fruit tones are subdued, perhaps a suggestion of red apple, but fleeting.

Ultimately, this roast is an approachable, easy-drinking coffee that showcases Cometeer's consistency and smooth delivery. It's the kind of cup you could enjoy daily without fatigue, though it may leave those seeking distinctive depth or intrigue wanting more.

Verdict: A well-made, polished coffee that prioritizes smoothness over complexity.

Cupping Method:Just added hot water. Part of Cometeer Advent.

I think Tatte uses a Gracenote roast. Gracenote is a roaster I've generally have very positive experiences with. Late in the day here at Tatte in Belmont, so I asked for a cup of decaf to go with my pastry. Looking around now I realize they don't keep brewed decaf, so they made me a decaf Americano. My verdict's a solid complimentary cup of coffee to a pastry. It's smooth and has a plum/prune fruitness. Perhaps there's some blueberry mixed in. It finishes with a sweet chocolate note. The complexity is low but it's balanced and satisfying.

Very fruity and apple forward with a tea background. A little similarity to Turkish apple tea, and quite different from most Kenyans. But just a bit flat and one note on the two brews I had. Fruit, without acidity, is a tad cloying.

Cupping Method:v60 at two temps, came out similar both times.

Super clean gesha with tea and sweet orange notes. Somewhat typical at this point for me in terms of the lighter/cleaner flavor for Bolivia. It's a very easy to drink coffee with a lovely mouthfeel, but lacks a winning note compared to some of the geshas from other origins.

Cupping Method:I got 40g and tried it twice. Tried hotter and fine the 2nd time around and still found the flavor notes fairly light aside from the tea.

Enjoyable convenience shot of espresso that probably tastes a bit more like diluted cold brew concentrate. Solid depth of the chocolate note. A touch of caramel sweetness. Medium mouthfeel, nothing espresso like. Acidity is bit non-descript, perhaps a touch plummy but I'd like to see more.

Nothing here I'd seek out but I's be happy to have this in the office over a Nespresso capsule. Compact form factor in recycled plastic means a case of 12 is barely bigger than a bag of coffee.

Cupping Method:I bought this at Debbie's in West Concord, MA.

This is a solid Ethiopian coffee that is well-balanced and smooth. Cantaloupe or honeydew along with a jasmine background are the most prominent notes. It's smooth and clean but lacking a brightness that's been making Ethiopian standout. It could be my slight bias against melon, which tends to be more sweet than bring bright acidity. The strength of the coffee is the sweetness, which is honeyed, smoothed and well-integrated and balanced through the palate..

Cupping Method:I had this coffee at Haute in Concord, MA. It's always been a Counter Culture shop. A lot of the times they make pourover too hot. I wonder if this coffee would benefit from a more delicate approach. Counter Culture is supposed to do a lot of barista training, but sometimes I wonder if that's fallen off.

Photo is of bag of coffee from store.

Unfussy, cocoa driven roast with classic Costa Rican notes. A little red apple, a little green apple. Touch of caramel. A little light body wise but along the lines of a classic Costa Rican. Solid every day drinker or cafe filter type.

Cupping Method:Pourover with Hario v60, 93C, 17:1, worked the best.

The Starbucks Sunsera Blend comes in packaging decorated with sunflowers that signals brightness and warmth. Starbucks describes it as their lightest roast yet, a blend of semi washed Brazilian and washed Colombian beans with notes of bright citrus and toasted almond. For specialty light roast drinkers it is important to set expectations. Starbucks Blonde Roast generally drinks more like a medium roast in the third wave world. So going in I expected something firmly in the medium category. It is clearly designed to be smooth, balanced, and broadly accessible.

The new Clover machines are a step forward from the earlier versions. Instead of brewing into a carafe the Clover makes a single cup at a time using a precise infusion and vacuum press system. From a drip perspective this means freshness because each cup is brewed to order with no coffee sitting on a hot plate. It also means greater control since the machines allow more precise temperature and steeping adjustments compared to standard drip brewers. Finally the metal mesh filter gives clarity by letting oils and fines into the cup which produces a mouthfeel somewhere between drip and French press. For blends like Sunsera the Clover method can highlight acidity and nut flavors more distinctly than batch brewed drip.

Hot the Sunsera Blend leaned toward balanced orange zest with earthiness and raw walnut. The orange character was pleasant but the earthy undercurrent leaned toward bitterness. For a specialty drinker that earthy edge may feel heavy handed although it is consistent with the Starbucks style which tends to emphasize bold flavors. As the cup cooled the profile shifted. The orange turned sweeter and the nut note softened into toasted walnut which smoothed out the bitterness and made the cup more approachable.

Grading this as a true light roast against the specialty coffee landscape would be unfair since it is not aiming for the high acid complex florals you might expect from that category. But as a medium roast judged with specialty standards in mind there are positives. The citrus character is clean and identifiable. The nutty backbone provides structure. The Clover brew method helps accentuate sweetness as the cup cools. The drawback is the earthy bitterness on the front end which may divide drinkers.

Medium roast drinkers who do not mind an earthy element will find this smooth and satisfying especially once it cools. Light roast drinkers will still see this as a medium but may appreciate the balance and the sweeter transformation later in the cup. Daily coffee drinkers looking for approachable brightness without the sharper edges of a true light roast will likely find this blend appealing.

Overall Sunsera is Starbucks most approachable Blonde yet with genuine citrus highlights and nutty depth. While it will not fool a specialty light roast purist the Clover machine brings out enough sweetness and balance to make it a respectable medium cup within the Starbucks lineup.

Cupping Method:Starbucks in Littleton, MA