I love going to local coffee shops and picking up bags of freshly roasted beans. I also love ordering beans from other small businesses.
But, let’s be honest. Sometimes life happens, and suddenly you’re running low on coffee and also in a crunch for time. This is what happened to me recently as I found myself on a Target run. As I wandered down the coffee aisle I was pleasantly surprised by some offerings. Brands such as Counter Culture Coffee, Blue Bottle Coffee, and Intelligentsia were on the shelves.
After browsing my options, I ended up settling on a bag of whole beans from Counter Culture. It was their Apollo coffee from Ethiopia. On the bag it said it had tasting notes of the citrus, floral, and silky nature. So, with nothing to lose, I bought a 12 ounce bag for $12.99. I considered being able to pick up diapers for the little one and coffee for me in the same trip a success.
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Coffee from Counter Culture
Counter Culture was one of the first roasters that I really fell in love with years ago. I remember trying an Ethiopia natural processed by them that tasted so much of blueberries I couldn’t believe it. I remember the first time I saw one of their bags in Target, I did a double take, cause I couldn’t believe it. They’re also one of the first roasters that introduced the widely popular “coffee tasters: flavor wheel” which has helped to describe coffee ever since. I’ll always have a soft spot for them, since they have such a dedication to quality coffee and education.
The following morning, I prepared myself a pour over. Just upon opening the bag I could smell the citrus notes, but what was also a pleasant surprise was a pistachio, creamy aroma. After grinding the beans in my hand-held Porlex coffee grinder, I made a pour over with my Kalita 185. I have to say, the smell of the coffee brewing was absolutely amazing. As I poured the water with my gooseneck kettle, the aroma that filled my kitchen made me feel like I was in a coffee shop. The citrusy, bittersweet aroma notes filled the room.
And then it was time to taste it. The first thing I noticed was how bright the brew was. I almost thought of tropical passionfruit when I took my first sip. Bright, yet creamy, and then what followed was zesty, floral notes that lingered on the palette. It was incredibly smooth. As the coffee cooled (because if we’re being truthful, it’s rare when a cup of coffee is piping hot from start to finish, #dadlife) the floral notes were even more prominent. I want to say citrus blossom came through, because there was the brightness of the citrus, yet, it was balanced by the floral notes.
So, the moral of the story is: it’s possible to pick up amazing beans when you are crunched for time. We will continue to keep our eyes open for these convenient finds, and you will be the first to know about them. Until then, cheers!
