Due to my brief hiatus from the blog, I will be featuring two coffees for this month’s Coffee of the Month. Both of these coffees are from roasters who have partnered with the Department of Brewology to create boxed sets which include coffee paraphernalia, brewing guides, and detailed descriptions of the coffee’s origins. What impressed me about both of these sets (there have been two so far) is the aesthetics of each item included. Each item was carefully chosen or designed to fit in perfectly with the Department of Brewology’s scientific theme. I also felt I got a lot more than what I paid for! For a little bit more than what I would pay for a bag of coffee I received a Department of Brewology print, stickers, a barista merit badge, and of course delicious coffee beans.
For the first box, Slate Coffee Roasters partnered with Department of Brewology to include their Ethiopian blend in the set. The blend consists of Slate’s Kilenso and Kochere coffees. This coffee smelled sweet and fruity right when I first opened the bag. The blend was unique, consisting of both a washed coffee and a naturally processed coffee which contributed to its bold yet sweet flavor. I really enjoyed this coffee and found it had a berry flavor with a grape aftertaste, but was still earthy, definitely best brewed with the Chemex. I typically, drink more single origin coffees, but now I will definitely be on the look out for other great blends to try.
The second box set came much sooner than I expected, only a few weeks after the first. I’m not sure that a second set was planned initially until the first st became so successful in the coffee community. The second box included coffee from The Barn coffee roasters of Berlin. I absolutely loved that the Department of Brewology partnered with an international roaster, providing U.S. based coffee fans an opportunity to try a roaster from abroad. This set’s paraphernalia differed a bit from the first in that instead of a brewing guide and in-depth story about the coffee farmers, the information was geared more towards introducing the roaster and included lots of stickers! There was also a Chemex canvas bag included, which I cannot wait to use to display my inner coffee geek. In terms of the coffee, I have tried it using the Chemex and Kalita Wave so far and have thoroughly enjoyed it using both brewing methods. The beans are single origin from Guatemala.and produce a coffee that is more tart than sweet. It is not particularly juicy, but the aftertaste has a clementine flavor.
Overall, I have really enjoyed these coffee sets because they have provided a new experience for coffee lovers. Social media explodes with pictures once the boxes arrive. There is not much better than receiving a coffee-related gift to yourself in the mail. Even opening the bag of coffee is fun, with a small string sealing the bag similar to a string which seals a manila envelope. I am really excited to see where the Department of Brewology goes with this series of partnerships and hope these sets continue. Be on the lookout on their webpage to find out about other offers or to join their listserv to keep up to date with any new partnerships.
The Coffee Code 