Review #49: Lost Dog Coffee

Name of Roaster: Lost Dog Coffee (roasted by Lexington Coffee Roasters) Location of Roaster (City, State, Country): Shepherdstown, WV

Name of Roast: Mexico El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve Type of Roast (Light, Medium, Dark): Medium

Origin of Beans: El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, Sierra Madre de Chiapas, Mexico Price: $14 (8 oz.) Brewing Method (Drip, Chemex, AeroPress, etc.): Chemex Time Between Purchase and Brewing (Ballpark is fine): 7 days Aroma: Chocolate cake, oak bark, kindling, rich dark chocolate, and brownie batter are all noted when opening the bag. The grind reveals bright chocolate, strawberry jam, crisp edged Oreo cookie, and a slight graham. The pour reveals light brown sugar, caramelizing sugar, a tinge offresh honey, and sharp dark chocolate.

Flavor Profile: The coffee enters in two waves, with the first high on the palate and sneaks to the back of the tongue before falling, and the second remaining low on the front quarter of the tongue. Starting with the soft, lush, delicious chocolate note and similar aromatics and lacking any sort of bitterness, the next flavor found is rich and earthy, making one think of thick, black earth in a moss-covered forest. The sides of the tongue pick up acidity, but it's a rounded red fruit juice mixed with burnt orange peel; an acidity that blends well with the primary, dominant chocolate note. As the coffee cools, a syrupy quality develops that coats the tongue while the flavor hovers in the middle of the palate. Toasted nut appears above a mixture of apple, cranberry, and fig, while a slight baking spice persists on the finish that is reminiscent of baked apple pie. Overall Impression (What did you think of it? Anything else we should know?): Dynamic and confident, with a profile that will pair well with many breakfast items and a body that will mix with milk for those inclined, we are big fans of this roast and would recommend it highly to anyone who happens to find their way to Shepherdstown, WV. An extra perk is if you arrive on Sunday morning, when the historic downtown has a lovely farmer's market.

Additional notes: The baristas at Lost Dog Coffee told us that the shop does not do any in-house roasting, opting instead to get their beans from a variety of outside roasters. Per the baristas, the beans we reviewed today were from Lexington Coffee Roasters, a roastery in Lexington, VA, of whom the baristas spoke very highly during our conversation. Needless to say, we want to ensure that Lexington Coffee Roasters is on the list of anyone traveling along Interstate 81. A link to Lexington's website is below for those who prefer to order from them online. Final Score (1-10, with 10 being the best cup of coffee in your life): 8.4. Where to Buy: Lost Dog Coffee / Lexington Coffee Roasters Looking to do a review of your own? Hop over to the Community and get to it!