Classic Italian espresso with some good dark chocolate notes, smoke, and complexity. Walnut hit mid-palate. Medium blackberry note. Good crema, nice mouthfeel. Not bad overall.

Cupping Method:Espresso at Caffe Dello Sport in Boston's North End.

Methodical's Play Nice is the special ice coffee at Revival this month. Has some good characteristics, smooth, some balanced red berry/citrus acidity. It's a bit too earthy for me on the back half of the palate where the chocolate more hits.

Seems like a versatile blend you could use as espresso, pourover, and drip as well.

Cupping Method:Iced coffee at Revival.

Just had 40g and two cracks and got kind of the same result. It's a bit funky and I do get the watermelon and tamarind but the acidity is a bit flat. I was happy to drink this, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to buy it. There's some complexity and good mouth feel just not quite the brightness.

Cupping Method:92C, 17:1 on v60

A pleasant but not stand out cup from a roaster where most of the other beans I've had have been excellent beyond expectations. I got a nicely balanced cup with some clean notes, black tea, ruby red grapefruit, currant, and a slightly herby. Perhaps slightly floral in the iris range. I was happy to drink this, but probably wouldn't go out of my way to buy it.

I think this coffee is solid but not really worth the price. Luckily I didn't pay for it as I picked up a 40g sample in exchange. It's subtle like most Bolivian coffee I come across in general with a smooth mouthfeel with a slight vanilla creaminess. It's very slightly tropical and has bit of tang you could say is in the orange citrus range, but not quite crisp enough to elevate the coffee.

Cupping Method:17:1, 93C brought out a bit more flavor on the v60 than the 18:1, 92C.

Super tea like but heavy mouthfeel/body. White flower though not dominant, more jasmine but doesn't hit you over the head. A carefully treated coffee but probanly not what I would buy. It's balanced but no single fruity note jumps out. Maybe somewhere between red grape and black cherry. Sort of a gesha version of a lot of Bolivian coffee I've seen, smooth, nice mouthfeel but a bit short of a killer acidic note.

Cupping Method:I got this from Bean Archives. 92C, 17.5:1 ratio in v60.

A nice cup that drinks similar to your normal Ethiopian heirlooms but perhaps a heavier mouthfeel which is a plus. Black tea, a lot of natural sweetness. I couldn't get a lot of acidic brightness but there's a Ribena (blackcurrant drink) like sweetness and mouthfeel. There's an odd note mixed in with tea that is almost squash like but minimal.

Slightly weird looking lot with a tad uneven looking roast and a possible couple of quakers.

Cupping Method:I got this coffee from Bean Archives. 92C and 18:1 was best.

This canned cold brew delivers a mild sweetness with notes of caramel and brown sugar, paired with a touch of acidity that adds some interest. There's an initial chocolate flavor, but it feels a bit flat and doesn't develop much. A faint raspberry hint and a subtle lemon water note contribute to a cleaner finish. While it's nice to find a canned cold brew with some brightness, the overall flavor lacks depth and complexity. It's a decent option from a micro roaster, but not particularly memorable.

Cupping Method:Got this at Caruluzzi's in Danbury, CT and drank on car ride to NJ. A bit pricy at $5.49.

Very sweet, very smooth Cometeer that has their standard syrupy mouthfeel. Strong caramel, maraschino cherry, and red apple notes. Nothing stands out here but it's a solid cup hot or iced.

Cupping Method:Cometeer capsules while staying with family in LA

Clean and crisp, this canned cold brew drinks more like a traditional iced coffee than an espresso. It has a light body, with no real complexity and no single flavor note that stands out. Still, it is very refreshing and definitely checks the chuggable box.

The best way to describe it is like high quality spring water mixed with a strong chocolate forward Central American batch brew from a good cafe. It does not impress with complexity, but it satisfies as an easy drinker.

Cupping Method:I picked this up at Sprouts Organic Market in Studio City, Los Angeles. Interesting to see a NC brand make it all the way out here.

A micro/nano roaster espresso that has some interesting flavor notes. Like, blackberry, and tamarind are bright acidity notes. Might be too acidic for traditional espresso drinkers but not me. Structurally for me this espresso a bit too earth forward which washes out chocolate and also dominates the finish. That might seem harsh. I'm giving it a 4 here because the fruity notes are so enjoyable.

Cupping Method:Doppio at Coffee Fix in Studio City

Clean canned cold brew that has a mouthfeel more like regular cold brew than nitro, lacking any real creaminess. Lacks a single winning taste characteristic.

However, it's very refreshing and checks the chuggable box. Best way I can describe it is sort of tastes like a high quality spring water mixed with a strong, good quality chocolate forward Central American batch brew from a nice cafe.

Cupping Method:I got this can at Sprouts Organic Market in Studio City, Los Angeles. Interesting a Florida brand made it here!

Solid cold brew, the middle of the road type that has broad appeal. Smooth with chocolate lead, low-ish acidity. Lacks a secondary winning note but very drinkable. Good on a hot dayin Leucadia!

Cupping Method:Bump in Leucadia

Funky looking compostable pod that works just fine in a traditional K-Cup. This is a solid and satisfying, if a touch nondescript decaf. It's dominated by a dark chocolate note with a decent amount of sweetness and is very smooth. It's perhaps very slightly nutty, but generally lacks a secondary characteristic.

I took it down to the pool when my kids were swimming at night and it was satisfying. It exceeded my expectations for a cup of hotel decaf. Bonus points for at least being more environmentally friendly than a regular K cup.

Cupping Method:Hilton Garden Inn K-Cup (Carlsbad, CA)

Well for one thing despite coming out of a nitro cold brew tap at The Hive in Marina del Rey, it was regular cold brew. It annoys me when roasters get big and their distribution networks don't care or represent the brand well. The cold brew itself was solid with a lot of chocolate notes and perhaps a slight peanut. It's very balanced and smooth. It lacks a winning acidic note but is smooth enough to be enjoyable.

Cupping Method:At The Hive in Marina del Rey

Clean, unassuming gesha that drinks smooth and sweet but lacks a standout flavor note or bright acidity. White grape and sweet orange are the notes I got.

Cupping Method:Got the coffee from Bean Archives. 17:1 at 94C on V60 was my best cup.

A weird week for me at a family event drinking all sorts of old-school classic roasts the older folks drink. Trying to embrace it.

After a Trader Joe's maple yestreday, today, I'm drinking a Café du Monde Coffee and Chicory.

Verdict...not bad! smooth and surprisingly well-balanced character. This distinctly New Orleans blend melds roasted coffee with ground chicory, a tradition that dates back to the Civil War and is still beloved for its bold yet approachable flavor. I occasionally sneak in a New Orleans style coffee at Blue Bottle.

On the palate, you're greeted with a rich, roasted body and an almost velvety mouthfeel which is impressive for an inexpensive dark roast. The chicory adds a grounding earthiness and a slight woody bitterness that complements rather than overwhelms. The combo works. There's a gentle, smoky sweetness too, reminiscent of dark caramel or toasted marshmallow that lingers pleasantly.

Brewed strong, it carries the weight to stand up to milk or condensed milk (as served in a traditional café au lait) or Vietnamese coffee, yet it remains smooth enough to sip black. While specialty coffee purists (including me) might find it less nuanced, Café du Monde offers a nostalgic, comforting flavor with genuine depth at a really good price point.

Cupping Method:French Press

I don't really know how to grade flavored coffee but I'm a guest at a vacation this week so trying to be polite and laidback. This flavored TJ's is what everyone is drinking. I like it better than run of the mill flavored coffee and prefer it over general hotel coffee. It's very smooth and the maple flavor is clean and doesn't seem super fake.

Clean, smooth straightforward roast with classic Central American chocolate, caramel, and citrusy notes (exact roaster notes). I think the citrus is probably more the orange juice that's a bit overripe and needs a bit more acidic bite. Has a pleasant, full bodied mouthfeel with a slightly syrupy texture.

I think a lot of folks who like lower acidity would be fine with this as an every day drinker though I think it lacks a standout characteristic.

Cupping Method:Played around on the v60 with different temps but got about the same. Drinks well at all temps.

A weird roasted lot with some borderline quakers and some unevenness. Small beans, slightly funky. First cup wasn't great but second was better. Slight strawberry, caramel, light citrus. Funky. Identified it as a natural Rwandan as it was similar to something I had a local Rwanda roaster a few weeks ago (but this was not quite as good).

An interesting cup that I enjoyed after some work but wouldn't go out and buy.

Cupping Method:Leaderboard Season 18, Coffee #5

I liked this coffee on the 3rd try after 2 pretty mediocre cups. It's a bit of a weird roast with some overly dark beans (at least relative to the others).

But I did get a nice orange/cranberry thing on the last cup. Maybe rose hips. I got something between hoppiness/grapefruit in all cups, which was at best a neutral note.

Cupping Method:Leaderboard Season 18, Coffee #3

Leaderboard Season 18, Coffee #2.

First cup with pretty weird, woody with some squash/mushroom character.

Took a few tries but got to a solid cup. Citrus, cherry, oolong tea, a touch of chocolate without the weird notes. Couldn't get to anything really outstanding but end result was a good easy drinker.

Enjoyable and balanced, medium roast, coffee with nice natural sweetness. smooth milk chocolate is the main note with a light fruitiness in the blackberry range. It's a little bit short on brightness and complexity, and there's no winning secondary note but I think overall it's a solid crowd pleaser.

Cupping Method:Pourover at the Blue Bottle in Chestnut Hill, MA

Could be more here than I found. I tried both the recipe recommended by the roaster via Bean archives, and my standard v60.

I got a coffee that has an impressive tropical burst that falls a little bit short of being fully satisfying. It's just a hint of passionfruit and lychee then goes walnutty. It's sweet and perhaps lightly winey.

Didn't get it all to come together.

I like the structure of the mouth feel like this espresso. I think Starbucks semautomatic machines are well engineered for extraction.

There isn't really anything blonde about this espresso though. I think it's almost unusual to call it that. It is very bittersweet dark chocolate driven, with some earthiness. At a minimum it's a medium dark roast in specialty circles. While I think it is balanced in its own way complex, it's just missing a winning second note outside of the bittersweet chocolate.

Cupping Method:I had this as a double espresso at the Starbucks in Leominster. It's inside of a Target.

Suspect in terms of the quality of the beans and roast this is by far the best of the chains. Inside of Tatte I think they are probably brewing too hot to really get the character out. I do think it has a chocolate and blueberry sweetness. I don't get too much beyond that but it's smooth and very drinkable. I don't get too much acidity but enough fruitiness here to balance the cup out. Pretty solid cup for drip.

Cupping Method:Drop at Tatte at Waverly, Belmont, MA

Solid cafe roast with a good balance of characteristics and wonderful aroma. Doesn't have a standout trait for me. Good depth of a milk chocolate note, some brightness with a blackberry/cherry like acidity. The dark cherry is undoubtedly the most prominent. A bit of earthiness mid-palate that comes out muddy in some shots. My sense is the natural coffee in the mix here runs interference.

My wife was happy with the variety of drinks I made her, latte, ice latte, iced Americanos. So I think a solid cafe choice here.

Cupping Method:95C espresso on my La Spaziale. I got this coffee from my Trade subscription.

A friend sent me a variety pack of Cometeer and Big City was one of the roasts that came in it.

I save Cometeers for when I need a cup of coffee but people are sleeping so I can't turn on the grinder!

This is a solid French roast level coffee with low bitterness and a good level of natural sweetness. It's slightly smoky towards the end of the palate. The roaster's note of burnt sugar is pretty close. It's very drinkable with a nice mouthfeel, but without I think a real winning note shining through. Seems like something you would pick if you had a bunch of regular old coffee drinkers coming over and you needed something safe and neutral.

Cupping Method:Cometeer, hot

Pretty chocolate, slightly earthy, a little bit of prune. Fairly low on the acidity side. Pulls a really nice crema that is light but persistent. Good mouthfeel and a good cafe style espresso overall.

Easy to drink, smooth cold brew can with good chocolate note and texture. Lacking a secondary note for me, but will be a solid caffeine fix neutral enough to satisfy almost anyone.

Cupping Method:I got this can at the New Britain Museum of American Art.