A very smooth roast that could use some brighter, fruitier acidity. Nice milk chocolate character, a touch of perhaps lemongrass at the end.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 pourover

A super interesting coffee that's funky and fun. For me, a bit too funky.

I pick up the watermelon, sort of in a watermelon jolly rancher format. There's a ton of a natural sweetness. I also get raspberry and plum. Smooth and clean ending.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 pourover, Day #24 of the Revolver Advent Calendar

I thought this cold brew was pretty solid but missing one element. It's nicely citrusy in the blood orange range, with a bit of a herbaceous note. While I wouldn't call it sour, the acidity washes out black tea/chocolate notes that would bring it balance.

Cupping Method:Cold brew can my wife bought from the Nitro Bar in Newport

I wasn't totally sure how to grade this one. While I'm a dark roast drinker, this is quite a unique one that some will find out of bounds. It's very smoky, very earthy, funky, and has a strong oak and cognac flavor. I can appreciate it even if it's not really my cup of tea.

The roaster at Those Coffee People is quite good and I'm confident that there's someone who will love this.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 and espresso

I felt like decaf while I was staying at the Marriott but had actually drank the pack of Royal Cup the Marriott gave me the night before. I noticed that the lobby had a Starbucks machine with Pike's Place Decaf so I gave it a shot.

It's not the most complex coffee, but it is nicely chocolate, nutty and smooth. The acidity is balanced and has a hint of orange. I'd say the nuttiness is probably the standout characteristic. It's hard to stop drinking once it cools off a little.

Cupping Method:Out of a bean-to-cup machine at the Marriott Courtyard, Hamilton Township, NJ

A solid cafe blend espresso. As a straight espresso sipper, a bit too earthy for me early mid-palate. Overall, good mouthfeel, balanced acidity, and good chocolate and walnut notes. Can't see why this wouldn't be a great cafe roast.

Cupping Method:This is my rating for an espresso from Hamilatte in Hamilton Township, New Jersey. They serve Eliaspresso pulled on a San Remo espresso machine.

Smooth, silky mouthfeel. A bit smoky, walnut, and black cherry. Really like the texture but missing one more flavor characteristics on the tart/fruity spectrum for this type of roast.

Cupping Method:Green Kettle Advent Calendar

I had some of Vic's Gingerbread Latte. She does it with very little syrup. It tastes good and fairly natural, but I wish you could taste the espresso (they use blonde roast rather than the darker one). Maybe that's the point.

I felt like an espresso during a work meeting at Starbucks Reserve in Manhattan, and the barista recommended the 2023 Christmas Blend pulled as a doppio.

I thought as an espresso, it was a bit nondescript but solid. Some earthiness, not good or bad. Blackberry acidity, a bit of nuttiness, and caramel. But didnt quite have the body despite a good crema. No complaints, a solid mid-afternoon espresso. I don't know there was any clear expression as a holiday blend as espresso.

Cupping Method:Starbucks Reserve near Chelsea Market, Manhattan

Had a solid cortado at Cafe d'Avignon. Milk foamed a bit flat but good flavor in the espresso.

Cupping Method:At Cafe d'Avignon in the Moxy Hotel in Flower District in Manhattan

I enjoyed this cup of coffee, although its not quite what Im typically looking for in an Ethiopian. It has an incredible aroma, with apricot notes to go along with cocoa.

Once brewed, this coffee has a very full bodied mouth feel. Chocolate and prune are what I get with a little walnut. Its naturally bittersweet.

While its fairly smooth for me structurally it didnt quite come together.

Cupping Method:Hario v60 from Green Kettle advent

Very interesting coffee, a bit funky. Good acidity throughout, naturally sweet. Just didnt quite come together for me. Got some interesting notes, black tea, persimmon, lemongrass.

Cupping Method:Leaderboard Season 12, Coffee #4. Once with Chemex, once with v60.

I drink different protein drinks a lot before workouts, and I've tried a few with coffee or coffee flavor when I want caffeine with it. My body handles coffee based caffeine well (better than the extracts), plus the coffee makes it tastes better.

This one's pretty good. It's a little too sweet for me but probably won't be for most people. The texture is creamy and pleasant and it's hard to detect the protein.

I prefer the plant based protein over the whey ones. It's easier on the stomach and more sustainable, although I can't really speak to the production process here.

The one downside...it doesn't have a bad aftertaste at all at first. But for me it takes a LONG time for it to go away without a lot of water or something else. Not sure quite why that is.

Cupping Method:I bought a bottle at Whole Foods in Cambridge, MA (Fresh Pond)

Completed the LaPods at the Subaru dealership I go to. This is a solid French Vanilla here, I'd say as good as the standard K-Cups. Clean flavor - coffee is chocolate forward but doesn't overwhelm the french vanilla. It's slightly artificial tasting but not too bad.

This is a really good cup of French roast coffee, especially given the circumstances here. I'm at the car dealership getting a flat tire repaired, and they have an Encore 29 automatic bean-to-cup machine with Peet's.

I think this Peet's French Roast has an exceptionally smooth texture and pleasing mouthfeel, making it a favored choice among those who prefer darker roasts. The French roast, in particular, is highlighted for striking a balance that appeals to certain tastes. The flavor profile of this Peet's roast is notably chocolatey, complemented by an appropriate level of smokiness. It is intensely bittersweet, the good way, similar to the qualities found in high-quality chocolate. That is driven by a really nice natural sweetness present in the beans.

For me, coffee offers a unique and satisfying sensory experience, especially for those who appreciate the nuanced characteristics of darker roasted blends.

Cupping Method:Encore 29 automatic bean-to-cup machine

Has the slightest chemical taste, but otherwise drinks light and smooth.

Cupping Method:I brought this to a school event after buying it at Whole Foods

A balanced, very chocolatey coffee that I thought drank smooth and simple. A good amount of natural sweetness. I'd like a bit more fruitiness/complexity but a lot of people will enjoy this roast.

Cupping Method:My friend made this for me with a Chemex

While not super interesting from the specialty coffee perspective, this is surprisingly good coffee for drip in the basement of a university. Good acidic balance, milk chocolate-ish with some citrus accent. Balanced and smooth.

Cupping Method:Einstein Bros serves Caribou Coffee

While not super interesting from the specialty coffee realm, this is surprisingly good coffee for drip in the basement of a university. Good acidic balance, milk chocolate-ish with some citrus accent. Balanced and smooth.

note: found out later this is Caribou

Cupping Method:In the Einstein Bros in the basement of the main at BU

Solid traditional cafe style Italian espresso. A bit nutty with spice. Lingering bitter/smoky note that is not unpleasant. Smooth with a nice mouthfeel.

Cupping Method:Pre-meal Doppio at Brelundi in Waltham, MA

I had this in an office waiting room. I actually just didn't read very carefully and this is one of the few times you will catch me drinking flavor coffee. Honestly not bad, tastes like hazelnut and maple syrup and I can see why people who like flavored coffee would like this. I think it needs more acidity on the back end to finish clean.

Alltown coffee is pretty good. This would be fine if I had to have it in a cafe but is really good relative to the other crap sold at gas stations in the northeast, which is crap drip, Dunks with very bad baristas, and over sweetened Starbucks bottles.

Anyhow, enough of the rant. This is a simple chocolate, fruity, nutty blend thats balanced and not bitter. Rock solid.

Cupping Method:A couple times at Alltown rest stops

Clean, delicious filter on the lighter side with nuttiness and a light citrus note. Clean black tea, almond.

Cupping Method:Drip from popcorn shop at Chagrin Falls

Good flavor, not too sweet. Mouthfeel is a B+ but very convenient.

Solid, super smooth dark roast. Chocolate, light acidity, but balanced and not bitter.

Cupping Method:AirBNB Keurig machine

Interesting espresso with floral and tropical notes but a bit too acidic. Could have been an under extraction as it was a quick pull after another shot.

Cupping Method:At Heartwood location in Beachwood, side by side with Birdseye

Black tea, very light lemon/melon acidity midpalate, a bit of funk, maybe grapefruit rind. Mostly smooth but doesnt quite come together and balance out for a five star for me.

Cupping Method:Chemex pourover, 207C. Coffee is part of JBC Fall Sampler.

Smooth, chocolate, just a touch smokey and a little bit earthy. Very nicely balanced. Could use a bit more acidity.

Cupping Method:K-Cup in an office waiting room. Standard Keurig machine.

I asked for a light roast pourover at Kubal and this is what they made for me. I confirmed Ethiopia Guji with the barista. This was very light and smooth. Acidity and flavor were both on the low side. Black tea, maybe a little hint of apricot or peach. This will be a good every day drinker for some.

Cupping Method:They didn't have the bag and these might have been the very last beans. The barista said since I asked for light this was the lightest recent roast that they had.

A really nice aroma out of the bag. Smooth with a little bit of spice. Other than that easy to drink and pretty neutral as chain hotel coffee is trending today. But a bit better than the norm.

Cupping Method:At Townplace Suites in Albany, NY. Accidentally made myself a decaf as I was sleepy!