Blog – Page 2 – Freckles and Flat Whites

Single Origin versus Blend

My friend from Cape Town, Marguerite, who is also a huge coffee lover inspired this topic. She suggested I write about the difference between single origin coffee and coffee blends. Some of you may be thinking, what’s the difference? Or is Single Origin better than a Blend?

What is Single Origin?

Single Origin are beans from one location. These beans are typically more rare, as they are season dependent. Single Origin is unique in flavor and generally represents the location they are grown in.

What is a Blend?

Coffee blends are a mix of different beans from different locations. The flavor profile ends up being more consistent and well balanced, which is more appealing to majority of coffee consumers. A Blend also has a better chance of tasting delicious, if blended well. Not all Blends taste nice, I know this from experience.

Single Origin versus Blend

Single Origin

Here are a few Single Origins I’ve tried and love. From all these Single Origin coffees, each one is sourced from a single location and all have very unique flavor profiles. Almost exotic in flavor, that usually results in a bolder and robust taste.

Little Owl Coffee

This coffee is from Mario Jesus, Chota Peru
Notes of Cocoa, Cherry & Lime Zest

1A Coffee Roasters

This coffee is from Colombia, El Mirador
Notes of Raisin, Black Tea, Rich & Full Bodied

Valor Coffee

Freethrow coffee from Guatemala
Notes of Milk Chocolate, Orange Creamsicle & Caramel

Kestrel Coffee Roasters

Las Moris coffee from El Progreso, Guatemala
Notes of Tangerine, Peach & Caramel

Intelligentsia Coffee

Coffee from Colombia Pioneros De San Agustin
Notes of Golden Raisin, Apple & Molasses

Copper Door Coffee Roasters

Coffee from Brazil – Serra Negra
Notes of Pecan, Bakers Chocolate & Oak

Blends

With Blends, there is a more consistent flavor profile as the different beans from different locations end up complementing each other. Here are a few blends that I have really enjoyed. You will notice that the notes are very similar across all these blends, consisting of either Caramel, Chocolate or Fruit.

Corvus Roasters

Westerlies – Darker filter blend from Brazil, Colombia, Rwanda
Notes of Caramel, Walnut & Smooth

Roseline Coffee

Catapult Blend from Colombia & Ethiopia
Notes of Citrus, Chocolate & Caramel

Blanchard’s Coffee Roasting Co.

Banchard’s Blend from South America
Notes of Balanced, Cocoa & Caramel

Huckleberry Roasters

Sound & Vision Blend from Latin America & East Africa
Notes of Caramel, Chocolate & Fruit

Fuego Coffee Roasters

Bear Claw Blend from Brazil &
Notes of Milk Chocolate & Fruit

If you get stuck when buying coffee or are unsure of what bean you like the most, opt for a blend as a safer bet! I know the type of regions I now like my coffee beans to come from, so I tend to go more for Single Origin than Blends. Definitely mix it up and try beans from different areas to find what suits your tastebuds!

How to make Coffee Christmas decorations

I found these cute Christmas balls at Target in the Dollar Section/ Bulleyes Playground to make my own decorations. I have been thinking for a while now what I should do with them. Then I saw on Pinterest that someone put coffee beans in theirs. So here is a quick guide on how to make Coffee Christmas decorations.

Items you will need:

Christmas balls – Buy Christmas balls at Target or any other place that has them. These were $3 for 6.
Spray paint – I decided to go for a silver and I bought this from Home Depot.
Coffee – Get your coffee beans ready.
Newspaper/ magazines – use this to protect your surface when you spray paint.
Platic gloves, to protect your hands.

How to make Coffee Christmas decorations

Step 1: If you’re using spray paint, make sure you are outside. Lay down your newspaper/ magazines on a hard surface.

Step 2: Pat dry your coffee with a paper towel, incase they are a little oily. Take a handful of coffee beans and spray them with your spray paint.

Step 3: Leave the coffee beans to dry completely. I left mine for about an hour.

Step 4: Take the sprayed coffee beans and put them inside your ball decorations.

Step 5: Now your coffee christmas decorations are ready for the Christmas tree. Have fun hanging them in your favorite spot.

Atlanta Coffee Guide

I traveled to Atlanta over Thanksgiving to spend it with family. I haven’t seen any family in over 8 months, and I know many of you are experiencing the same. Despite everything going on in the world, we decided to still travel. This wasn’t a typical holiday and we didn’t explore as much as we normally would have, but I did manage to try some amazing coffee spots while I was there. I’ve created a small Atlanta Coffee Guide, I wasn’t able to try every spot, but hopefully I’ll be back again to grow this coffee guide.

My Atlanta Coffee Guide

East Pole

We stopped first at East Pole to grab a flat white after landing. This was an unexpected find, surrounded by warehouses is this beautiful coffee bar.

They don’t have flat white on their menu but their barista made a great one, perfect temperature and microfoam.

My flat white rating: 10

Land of a Thousand Hills

There are a few Land of a Thousand Hills coffee shops around Atlanta, and this cafe is in a beautiful old house in Roswell. It’s actually the original Land of Thousand Hills coffee house, which is super cool. You feel like you’re walking into a cozy little cabin as soon as you enter.

Land of a Thousand Hills focuses on creating job opportunities in Rwanda, only sourcing coffee beans from Rwanda and roasting it in Atlanta. ‘Drink Coffee. Do Good’ is their motto. They also don’t have a flat white on the menu so I asked for a latte in an 8 oz. Coffee was good, the microfoam could have been a little more velvety.

My flat white: 7

Valor Coffee

Valor Coffee is a vibrant coffee shop, true to their mission “To uplift people through coffee”. We stumbled on this coffee shop in Alpharetta. Really loved how busy this little spot was, with cool music playing and people chatting. Also love the vibrant packaging and design of this cafe.

Their cappuccino comes in 6 oz so I would say they do have a flat white, but on their menu it’s just called a cappuccino.

Coffee was fabulous, microfoam was delicious and, I love the energy of this place.

My flat white rating: 10

Dancing Goats

We decided to explore Ponce City Market the one day and when we got there most spots were closed, luckily we could grab a coffee from Dancing Goats. They serve Batdorf Coffee. Batdorf and Bronson coffee roaster has been around since 1986, focusing on Certified Organic, Fair Trade Certified, Bird-Friendly and Shade Grown coffees.

Love the Batdorf Coffee design on their takeaway cups, coffee was good, microfoam could have been a little more velvety.

My flat white rating: 7

Crazy Love Coffee

First love the name of this little spot. It’s a cafe and home decor shop. They have a gorgeous pink Christmas tree right now. Crazy Love Coffee shop opened their doors in 2017 and is a place to have a great cup of coffee and cozy spot to gather.

They also didn’t have a flat white on their menu, sadly I ended up with a very milky latte that wasn’t close to a flat white. So they need a little more practise. However, I bought a coffee shaped biscuit that was divine!

My flat white rating: 5

Xander Coffee

We stopped at Xander Coffee for a quick takeaway. This was an unexpected find while driving around Atlanta. I didn’t find too much information on this coffee shop but they did attempt to make a flat white for me.

The espresso was alittle weak but the microfoam was good.

My flat white rating: 6

Kula Coffee

Kula Coffee was our lost stop before heading back to Denver. Nested among office buildings, this little spot isn’t seeing much foot traffic so I’m glad we managed to make our way out there.

Kula Coffee has a social initiative called the Kula Project, where they empower entrepreneurs in Rwanda through a 15 month business fellowship.

Kula also didn’t have a flat white on their menu, so I asked the barista to make one in a 8oz cup. It was pretty good and the microfoam was smooth and velvety.

My flat white rating: 8

East Pole and Valor Coffee were my top two winners on perfecting the flat white. I hope you enjoyed my Atlanta Coffee Guide, leave a comment below if you have been to any of these coffee shops.

Bye for now Atlanta!

Le Creuset’s French Press Review and how to make French Press Coffee

My friends gave me this beautiful Le Creuset French Press in Carribean Blue for my 30th birthday. I know there are many mixed reviews of this coffee product, so I wanted to share my personal thoughts. I do love the look and style of Le Creuset, and have over the years grown our collection of their products in our kitchen. So here is my personal review on Le Creuset’s French Press and how to make French Press Coffee.

First a quick review on Le Creuset’s French Press

The Le Creuset French Press is made out of their premium stoneware, which is perfect for retaining heat and is dishwasher safe. Can I get a yay! Many other French Press products have to be hand washed, which is a pain, but the stoneware material makes it easier to clean.
I have the 34 oz / 1 litre french press, which is perfect for 2-4 cups of coffee. Ideal for after dinner coffee with friends and family.
Also this French Press, like many Le Creuset products, has a 10 year warranty. WHAT!
Overall, I do love this coffee product, but mainly for making coffee in larger quantities. For daily coffee making, I do still opt for my Hario V60, you can read my V60 blog post here.

How to make French Press Coffee

Pick your favorite coffee – ideally whole beans that are freshly grounded, but bought ground coffee will also work. If you are grinding your own beans, you will need to make sure they are coarsely grounded so not to go through the filter.
Measure your coffee – I don’t measure my coffee to the tee, so to make 2 cups I usually use 3 heaped tablespoons.
Boil water – first pour some boiling water into the French Press to warm it up, then pour the water out.
Add your grounded coffee in your French Press, 3 heaped tablespoons for 2 cups of coffee. Pour about 2 cups of boiling water into the French Press and let it brew.
Stir – Using a long spoon or stirrer, stir the water and coffee till mixed.
Let the coffee brew – I normally let my coffee brew for a few minutes, and if you want to set a timer, you can set it for 4 minutes.
Pour into your fav coffee mug – Of course, use your favorite coffee mug to enjoy your freshly brewed French Press. Top up with milk, almond milk, oat milk or leave it black.
And enjoy!

Let me know in the comments below if you are a French Press lover!

1a Coffee Roasters Review

I can’t remember who followed who first, but Brian aka “Holt Connections” and I became fast coffee friends over Instagram and he introduced me to Huckleberry one of my top favorite Denver coffee roasters. Him and his wife, Chrystal, are living my dream and have opened up their own coffee roaster called 1a Coffee Roasters in Wilmington.

This power-couple is focusing on using coffee as a force of good. I love how the name “1a” was their address in Finland and where their dream to start their own business began. I’ve been dying to try their coffee and had to wait for their new batch of coffee to be roasted. I bought all 3 of their Single Origin products as soon as I could, with a little family/ friends discount, thanks 1a coffee!

What I love about 1a’s mission is that they want to help make the world a better place focusing on sustainable development throughout the whole coffee supply chain. So here is my personal review on 1a Coffee Roasters, tasting their 3 Single Origin blends all light to medium roast.

Ethiopia – Nano Challa #8

Notes: Tangerine, Mulled Wine, Fruity and Juicy

First impressions: Super impressed with this bold flavor. I did get the sharp notes which is a result of the tangerine and fruity notes. I really like this Single Origin from Ethiopia.

My Rating: 9/10

Burundi – Nini Natural

Notes: Cooked Tart Cherry, Bright and Complex

First impressions: I’ve never tried Burundi beans before, but I got the Cherry Tart notes. This coffee roast was a little too fruity for me, so if you love a very fruity coffee, then you will love these Single Origin beans from Burundi.

My Rating: 6/10

Colombia – El Mirador

Notes: Raison, Black Tea, Rich and Full-Bodied

First impressions: I was super excited to try this Single Origin Colombia roast. I generally gravitate towards Colombia and Guatemala coffee beans. I first thought I was getting notes of almond, but that speaks to the rich and full-bodied flavor of this coffee.

My Rating: 8/10

Overall review of 1a Coffee Rosters

My clear winner is Ethiopia Single Origin, followed by Colombia and then Burundi. Honestly, really impressed with their beans. 1a Coffee Roasters is super young and small, so give 1a Coffee Roasters some love if you are looking to support small businesses.

If you like this review then you will also love my review on JavaPresse Coffee, you can read it here.

JavaPresse Coffee Review – My First Vlog

I decided to film myself trying JavaPresse Coffee for the first time.

If you like any of my JavaPresse Coffee reviews, you can use my Affiliate Link to buy your favs!

My thoughts on JavaPresse Coffee

“JavaPresse was born out of our passion to help people transform their coffee ritual into a meaningful moment… and it evolved from there.”
Raj Jana, CEO & Founder

Launched in 2015, JavaPresse mission is to improve the world for the better and focus on making happiness a reality. So I had the opportunity to try 4 of their coffee products, light, medium, dark and single origin coffee blends and here is my personal review:

Extra Mile Light Roast

Extra Mile Light Roast is JavaPresse’s Signature blend from Colombia.

Notes: Mild Citrus, Deep Chocolate and Juicy Mouthfeel.

First Impressions: Really surprised with how bold this light roast tasted. I got the notes of the Deep Chocolate, finished with the Mild Citrus.

Rating: 9/10

Happy Place Medium Roast

Happy Place Medium Roast is a blend of Guatemala and Colombia.

Notes: Praline, Mild Berry and Smooth Chocolate.

First Impressions: This is a very smooth medium roast. First sip, I got the Smooth Chocolate notes.

Rating: 7/10

Power Hour Dark Roast

Power Hour Dark Roast is also a blend of Guatemala and Colombia.

Notes: Dark Chocolate, Caramelized Sugars and Smokey Smooth.

First Impressions: Personally, I find dark roasts sometimes very intense. But the combination of notes really brings out the dark chocolate taste which makes this a drinkable dark roast.

Rating: 6/10

Rising Champion Single Origin

Rising Champion Single Origin is from Ethiopia – Nensebo, West Arsi and Sidamo regions.

Notes: Blueberry, Vanilla Bean and Almond.

First Impressions: I don’t normally like fruity notes but wow I was surprised with how much I liked the Rising Champion Single Origin. First sip, you’re hit with the Blueberry notes making it a very refreshing coffee to drink.

Rating: 8/10

I would definitely buy the Extra Mile Light Roast again, as I normally don’t go for light roasts but I liked how bold this coffee tasted. Then my second preference would be JavaPresse’s Single Origin Rising Champion, as I was pleasantly surprised with how refreshing the notes of Blueberry makes this coffee.

Overall, I am really impressed with all of JavaPresse Coffee beans and here is an Affiliate link to buy coffee from their site if any of the coffee I just mentioned interests you. Please note, that if you use this affiliate link, I do get a little something if you buy any of their coffee. Let me know what you think of their coffee if you buy any!

Read my previous blog post here.

Is a coffee subscription worth it?

With us all working from home on a more permanent basis, the need to have a high volume of coffee supply has become an important factor in my household. I have had a few times when I was on the last few beans and no new coffee on hand. So I decided to sign up for a monthly coffee subscription and share if a coffee subscription is worth it.

I have tried Native Coffee Club for 4 months now and I’m loving this subscription. Native Coffee Club was founded in 2018 by Jake and Margaret. Being new to Denver, I wanted to first support and second to learn about all the amazing new coffee roasters around Colorado. This coffee subscription, only partners with local Colorado roasters. As an added bonus, you get a free drink card to visit the coffee shop.

You can pick between a Single Origin ($22.99) or Blend ($19.99) Subscription, and you can have this delivered every week or up to every 8 weeks. If you don’t have a grinder, you can opt for your coffee to be grinder. So far I’ve tried coffee from Corvus Coffee, Color Roasters and Unravel Coffee.

There are many other coffee subscriptions out there and if you already know what you like, many coffee roasters offer their own subscriptions. But if you’re not sure what you like, I would highlighly recommend joining a coffee subscription, so you can try different coffees from different roasteries. Overall, I totally feel that having a coffee subscription is worth it. This is also a great Christmas present for someone who loves coffee.

Some other coffee subscriptions I’m aware of right now:

Other coffee subscriptions

Honey & Roses Coffee Co.

Honey & Roses Coffee Co. is a market place for coffee roasters in the United States, partnering with over 40 different coffee roasting partners. All coffee roasting partners have similar missions, focusing on fair trade, organic and ethically sourced coffee farming. I have used them a few times to order different brands but they also offer a subscription. You can read up more about Honey & Roses Coffee Co. subscriptions here.

Local Grind SA – for my fellow South Africans

Local Grind SA has just launched in South Africa, and was created to support small coffee roasters during the current pandemic. I haven’t yet tried them but a friend of mine has just started and it sounds like it’s going great so far. You can find out more about their subscriptions here.

Aeropress – How to use it and make perfect coffee

There is definitely no shortage of coffee brewing tools in my home. I’m basically collecting different brewing products, it’s becoming an obsession. When I saw the Aeropress, I was very confused with all the different gadgets and parts, it seemed very complicated. There’s about 8 parts instead of 2 for the normal French Press. But after learning how to use the Aeropress, it became super easy to use. This is my personal review on the Aeropress and how to use it and make the perfect coffee everytime.

First what is the Aeropress? Similar to the French press but a more no fuss coffee brewing tool. It was invented by Alan Adler who wanted to make the perfect cup of coffee consistently.

Steps to making the perfect cup using the Aeropress

Boil your kettle, I’ve read a few other posts that say you should leave the kettle for a minute after boiling then use it
Assemble your Aeropress, place the filter in the filter cap and screw it onto the Chamber
Put your mug on the scale, and add the chamber onto the mug
Put the funnel on the Chamber and use the scoop to add the coffee
Finely grind beans and weigh about 15 grams/ 1 scoop for 1 cup of coffee. If you want to make 2 cups, use 30 grams/ 2 scoops
Then pour the water in till it gets to the first line, and stir the coffee with the stirrer
Continue to pour the water till it gets to the number you want, I usually go to the top number, to make 2 cups
Then put the plunger on and press until you have even amount of coffee between 2 cups
Follow with topping up with more hot water
Total brewing time should be around 2-4 min.

Benefits of using the Aeropress compared to the French Press

Way easier to clean – just screw off the lid, and push out the coffee into the bin
Can take it anywhere with you – it’s light and durable, made from plastic so won’t break. Camping no problem!
Makes amazing coffee in seconds – recommended to brew 4 minutes, but if you can’t wait you can just pour the water over the coffee and press.

Aeropress items

Filters
Chamber
Plunger
Filter cap
Filter holder
Funnel
Stirrer
Scoop

You can read about my other coffee brewing tools here – The Best Coffee Products – Aeropress, Chemex, and Hario V60

Scottsdale and Phoenix Coffee Guide

Last week I traveled to Scottsdale for a mini vacay. This trip was planned to celebrate my birthday and it was also the first time I was back on a plane since March, which was super surreal. I’ve never been to Scottsdale and the best way to describe it is Mini LA.

I managed to try 5 different coffee shops while there, so I thought I would create a Scottsdale and Phoenix Coffee Guide. All the below recommendations are from other coffee lovers who follow me, so thank you to everyone who shared their favs.

I stayed at The Scott which I would highly recommend staying at, as it has a lot to offer and is really close to some amazing restaurants and coffee shops. The hotel wasn’t at full capacity which made getting a spot by the pool really easy.

I would say, The Canal Club in The Scott, needs to improve their barista skills. Tried to order a flat white, and after a few attempts asked for a cappuccino, which was a big disappointment, especially as they have photos on Yelp showing gorgeous flat whites with smooth microfoam. Their lack of coffee skills did make me explore the coffee scene in Scottsdale and Phoenix more, which was a positive!

Scottsdale and Phoenix Coffee Guide

Cartel Coffee Lab

Cartel Coffee Lab is really close to The Scott, only a 16 minute walk. I ordered a flat white and it was a really good one. I wanted to share a bit more about the brand and history but couldn’t find that information to share.

Flat white rating: 8

Berdenas

Berdenas is also really close to The Scott, quick 18 minute walk. I ordered a flat white and their avocado toast. I went back again for another portion of their avo and toast, it was that good. Loved the decor in this shop, it’s so bright and welcoming. Their flat white was delicious, using beans from Sweet Bloom Coffee, a roastery I really like and based out in Lakewood, Colorado.

Flat white rating: 9

Songbird Coffee & Tea House

Located in Phoenix, so it is a bit of a drive to get to from The Scott. Songbird Coffee & Tea House is in a beautiful historic house built in 1904. As a small business, they focus on supporting other small businesses, only sourcing their beans from Cortez Coffee Roasters in Tempe.

Flat white rating: 7

Sip Coffee and Beer

I decided to walk to Sip Coffee and Beer which was a 30 minute walk from The Scott. Sip Coffee and Beer was born in 2014 and focuses on community and bringing people together. I decided to order their Cold Brew with Almond milk. The brew was very fruity in taste, which I don’t really like so I found the cold brew a little too light in taste with notes of fruit. But I can see the appeal of this spot and how bustling it can be.

Cold brew rating: 6

Maverick Coffee

I was really excited to try Maverick, and walking in I saw they had a Flat White on their menu. I thought, yes this is going to be a good one, but I wasn’t paying attention and instead got a latte. I could taste that the coffee was good so if you are a latte lover, then you will like their coffee. Or maybe they might think a flat white is a latte!?

It was also in a 12 oz cup, where a typical flat white should be around 5-8 oz. Anything more than an 8 oz is considered a latte. I did write a post about the difference between a flat white and cappuccino. You can read the post here. Maybe I should include a latte definition!

Flat white rating: 5

Spots to eat at and menu recommendations:

These are some of my other fav spots we ate at and wanted to give a shout out to:

Grimaldis – Amazing pizza, I had their Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Franco’s Italian Caffe – Romantic Italian Date, also order one of the Chef’s specials
Berdenas – Perfect Avocado on Toast
The Montauk – Amazing mimosa

This was really a week to switch off and drink as much coffee as possible. I love going to new places and finding the best spots. My fav was Berdenas, Cartel Coffee Lab, Songbird, Sip and Maverick.

Leave a comment below if you have been to Scottsdale or Phoenix before and if you’ve been to any of the places I’ve just mentioned.