inaugural blend

The inaugural Bold Brew Roasting Co "house blend" is called "The Elephants Danced".

Now, let's be clear, coffee at its finest should be enjoyed from a single estate. After all, you wouldn't expect Bill Harlan to blend his fine Oakville wine with a crop of grapes from the Russian River. People don't pay $1000 for a bottle of Harlan Estate wine to get a hodge-podge of grapes. They want the terrior that Mr. Harlan has carefully cultivated on the slopes there in ol' Napa Valley.

In fact, perhaps my favorite cup of coffee is a pure batch of Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. Wow, what a wake-up call! It is pure brightness, light in the mouth, full of citrus and orange spice, with an acute nutty chocolate finish. I'll gladly chill the left overs, pour it cold and naked into a glass at the end of the day, and get a rush of refreshing goodness that would beat the best cup of tea. Holy cow.

But alas, on the path to #drinkcoffeenaked, most folks like a heartier blend that is not so pronounced in one direction. Complex is the Yirgacheffe, but perhaps to distinctive for all.

So, we blend. And to be frank, blending is best for espresso where you need a certain "pow" for the coffee to not be overpowered by our friend, milk. In the espresso-based drink, the last thing you want is a milky, coffee-weak contraption that requires a shot (or 4) of hazelnut to make it drinkable (not speaking from experience of course).

So what is "The Elephants Danced"? It is a blend grounded in the Yirga -- so light & flavorful, I can imagine the sun rising over East Africa & all the creatures dancing at the thought of their bright morning cupping. And why the elephant -- well, they are a signature of Africa of course. But you say, "they are far from light & elegant & bright - they are heavy, saggy, plodding, and dull". Well exactly Sherlock. If you add a bit of weight to the Yirga, you give it a bit more weight, punch, and earthy goodness from the likes of Brazil or Indonesia. And to give it a splash of the tweeners, you toss in for good measure a dash of Central Am or Rwandan. Enough punch to be an elephant, but still enough Yirga to make even a 5 ton elephant dance a little ditty.

And there you go.

Of course, you can always request a single origin. Your choice.

For more on blending, here is a fun page to read from Sweet Marias.

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Drink coffee naked -- its liberating.
Yours truly,
Cream & Sugar