Posted on March 20, 2002 - by deCadmus

Tasting Two Loons Coffee…

Today I’ve been tasting the coffees from the Two Loons Coffee sampler pack. In this segment, three of five. All coffees are drip-brewed with a Melitta filter cone.

Burundi AA [27/01/0028]
Tastes of strong black tea and tobacco… with an aroma that suggests bitter orange or bergamot. [Earl Gray coffee?] Its winey tones are a bit of a surprise ’til you realize its origins lie just next door to Kenya geographically. Medium bodied, most of its mouthfeel comes from its tea-like astringency. This coffee has a strong presence. Slightly musty undertones [not unpleasant really, think of monsooned coffees -- but without the head-filling numbness] and finishes with a bit of milk chocolate [a la Hershey's... with a bit of sourness to it.] This coffee could make for a superbly complex addition to an espresso blend. For brewed coffee, I’d recommend a press to bring out a bit more of its body, and to keep its acidity in check.

Ethiopian Longberry Harrar Horse [10/24/0055]
Harrars are famous for their blueberry tones, and this one’s got’em — they’re brilliant in its fragrance [the smell of the dry, ground coffee] and only slightly subdued in its aroma and in the cup. This Harrar has also got some spicy notes — a bit of cinnamon, a touch of clove lurk in this bright, earthy cup. Body? Nah. But that’s not the point, really — you don’t look for a chewy cup from Ethiopia. If you’re willing to sacrifice the berry just a bit, you’ll find some toasty chocolate at a darker roast, but that’ll also boost this cup’s slightly pungent finish. Press this one… when I brewed with a Melitta drip cone I picked up some “wet-cardboard” flavors that I can’t altogether blame on the filter.

Peru, Organic La Florida [30/186/1227]
This is a mild, quiet coffee. Its fragrance yields a bit of burnt cocoa, and a wee bit of bitter chocolate finds its way to the cup. No flavors are terribly dominant here… there’s woody notes and hints of fig, Its mild acidity makes for a dry finish that verges on ashy. Given the way this one sweats early in the roast, I’m left to think it’s not a particularly high-grown bean. Sure is pretty, though. ;)

That’s all for the moment… I think I’ve worn out my taster. Meanwhile, a minor program note… At one point today I entered the wrong URL for Two Loons. The result was, ironically enough, Two Loons For Tea, a complexly layered Seattle garage band. Happiness.