November 2009

UPDATE: Their site is now up and running.

Newhall Coffee Roasting Company was kind enough to send me some of their fresh roasted beans to try, but as I originally wrote this review, their website appeared to have problems and now it’s down altogether.

It’s a shame, too, because this Patriot blend of theirs is good.  In fact it’s very good, though the flavor is not complex.  It’s a mild, low-acid delicious coffee with a strong undercurrent of dark chocolate.  That sums it up right there.

Mild, delicious, with strong coco notes.

Everyone I’ve had sample it has said the same thing.  “I like this one.”

Created specifically to honor Americans in military service, a portion of the proceeds of this blend go toward sending coffee to those on active duty.  From their website (when it was up):  “In honor of American Patriots serving this great country, we have created the Patriot Blend. These Patriots deserve our support and that is why with your purchase of this bag we are sending free coffee to an active duty military man or woman as a ‘Thank You’ for their service. It may seem like a small thing, but a little ‘cup of moral’ goes a long way for Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, and Marines away from their home.”

The plan apparently was that, when you logged into Newhall Coffee’s website, you would actually be able to read letters from the troops that have already received some of this free coffee.  The letters weren’t there, though, and when I contacted Newhall Coffee about this, they stated there was a problem with their web development partner.

I feel for them about that, because like I said, as I write this their website is now down completely.  Hard to send traffic their way if their website is down!  But try it anyway, it might be up later:  www.NewhallCoffee.com

I hope it does clear up.  Having your website down really sucks.

Anyway, thank you to Newhall for sending some very groovy coffee, and also thank you for showing America’s Armed Forces some support!

It’s November, 2009.  And every November it’s National Novel Writing Month, or as those in the know call it, NaNoWriMo.

What does that mean?  It means there are over 70,000 new or seasoned novelists banging away at their keyboards in a frenzy this month, all trying to make the goal of writing at least 50,000 words before Midnight, November 30th.

Some are fueled by pure inspiration.  Others are fueled by alcohol or other substances.  A small percentage are fueled by tea.  But most, as is my impression, are fueled by coffee.

I’m a writer.  I know a lot of writers.  Just about all of us drink coffee like maniacs.

And this year, my own personal coffee of choice for banging away at my new novel, is this one:  Buddy Brew’s Brazil Cerrado.

It’s a perfect writer’s coffee.  They know my tastes pretty well, and fired these babies up to a full city roast.  Dark, husky, bold and smoky, it brews up black like the darkest typewriter ink, and the flavor features wonderful milk chocolate undertones and finishes with high walnut notes.  It’s so fresh that in my French Press it fizzed like seltzer when I poured the hot water in.  No joke, it was like a science experiment.  My friends, when you get a coffee that does that, you know you have some seriously roasted-day-before-yesterday coffee.

No coffee in the world tastes better than coffee roasted day-before-yesterday.

And to me, nothing fuels a manic tumbling word spilling writing session like fresh, strong coffee.

Not only do I declare the Brazil Cerrado a groovy brew, I hereby personally endorse it to be considered as the official NaNoWriMo coffee.  Not that this means anything – Dave at Buddy Brew has no idea I’m doing this – so don’t expect a discount if you all rush over there and place orders.  Do expect, however, some outrageously awesome coffee.

Here is a company that is going full blast with its internet marketing.  It seems every type of coffee they roast has a separate brand and its own URL.  No matter which URL for which brand you type in, though, they all lead you to BigCityCoffee.com.

I have liked everything they’ve sent me, but I have to tell you right now, this one I absolutely love.

Rich milk chocolaty tones dominate this smooth, mild coffee — so much so, I can’t find any other words to describe it.  Rich.  Milk chocolaty.  Smooth.  Mild.

Extremely delicious.  A winner.

If it tastes this good pre-packed and pre-ground, I can only image how delicious the fresh roasted beans would taste.  Because you know they sell it that way, too.  And, come to think of it, I won’t imply imagine it.  I’ve just put it on my “things to buy” list.

This is most definitely portion pack groovy.  I would go so far as to say that this has to be the best coffee I have ever tasted to come out of a portion pack.