Take Courage

Sharing the Coffee

Webster’s dictionary defines, to share as, dividing or using with others. It may be me, but I think that sharing coffee helps make the whole drinking experience better. We had another opportunity recently to share some Newhall Coffee (www.newhallcoffee.com) with some friends at a dinner party. When we were invited I asked the host if I could bring some coffee and my Chemex coffee maker. He likes coffee so he was all for it.

I took an Ethiopian Harrar and a Tanzanian Peaberry along with my Chemex and grinder. The plan was to make one batch in an auto-drip, then another in the Chemex. We would drink it and talk about it and compare the flavor of the different brews. The good thing that I found out was that no one there had ever tasted coffee from the Chemex. They were all familiar with an auto-drip and most have had coffee from a French Press. This was going to be fun.

We started with the Tanzanian Peaberry. We brewed it in the auto-drip and 10 cups in the Chemex. It had a nice aroma and was slightly acidic. The taste seemed to go over the whole tongue, but leaves quickly. As I started to make the coffee people were spread out through the kitchen, dining room, family room and outside on the deck. As the aroma started to go throughout the house more people came into the kitchen. The Chemex drew a lot of attention.

As the coffee began to cool in the Chemex (www.chemexcoffeemaker.com) the guests wanted more of that and less of the coffee from the auto-drip. One man standing and looking at his cup said, “Man, this is good coffee.” It was beginning to cool and there were comments about the slight change in the taste. There were comments like, “slightly roasty, a little tart, bittersweet, and light.”

I did something similar with the Ethiopian Harrar and the taste from the Chemex was preferred over the auto-drip. This coffee had a milder aroma and a smooth, darker roast flavor. It also had subtle fruity and earthy undertones. Different conversations were going on through the kitchen and dining room, but when people made their way back for more coffee they chose the Chemex again. Of the two coffees we had after dinner the Tanzanian Peaberry was the overall favorite.

At these coffee tasting parties I am trying to give a brief overview of tasting coffee and trying to help others see how easy it is to make good coffee from whole beans. I also want to teach others about how many good coffee roasters there are. With the Newhall Coffee there is the added benefit of sharing about their “coffee for a cause” (www.newhallcoffeeforacause.com). They are trying to raise 1 million dollars to help win the fight against leukemia. They also have Operation Gratitude where they have donated over 4 million cups of coffee to service people in combat.

In the future I hope to tell you more about Newhall Coffees and their “coffee for a cause.” The coffees that we tried and shared at our friend’s party were good. They desire to make a difference in world by helping others. If you want to drink coffee and make and help make a difference we would encourage you try these coffees. We received these coffees for free and offer objective feedback. Until next time remember to stop and enjoy the coffee and conversation.

Much GRACE and peace to you,

Bill and Kim

Romans 15:13; Psalm 34:1-10