Review #53: The Boy & The Bear

Name of Roaster: The Boy & The Bear Location of Roaster (City, State, Country): Redondo Beach, CA

Name of Roast: Don Mario Type of Roast (Light, Medium, Dark): Medium Origin of Beans: Jerico, Antioquia, Colombia Price: $18 (12 oz) Brewing Method (Drip, Chemex, AeroPress, etc.): AeroPress Time Between Purchase and Brewing (Ballpark is fine): Fifteen days Aroma: Rich, soft chocolate ganache, brownie batter, baking spice, fresh baked molasses cookie, and a hint of orange are found when opening the bag. The grind opens up the baking spice and adds cinnamon along with a touch of strawberry jam while keeping the palpable softness of the chocolate. On the pour, the nose finds molasses, dark brown sugar, and slight white cane sugar.

Flavor Profile: The coffee is bright on the entry while showing viscosity. The sip hangs in the front of the tongue while simultaneously coating the roof of the mouth in a lush, vibrant dark chocolate. Meanwhile, a warm spice floats underneath the chocolate, perking up the tongue. The mouthfeel is rounded and full, yet lightweight, belying the heft of the aromatics. The edges of the tongue pick up acidity, with flavors touching on lemon and mandarin orange, while the tip of the tongue picks up tropical fruit, such as mango, guava, and papaya. When combined with the bright dark chocolate and hints of raspberry and orange in the middle of the tongue, a bouquet forms that results in a wonderfully balanced cup.

Overall Impression (What did you think of it? Anything else we should know?): We found this coffee to be exceptional, far exceeding our expectations for a single origin Colombian roast. The coffee is wonderful on its own or paired with a variety of breakfast items. Additionally, the rich chocolate notes likely would find a complement in the addition of milk to the cup. We highly recommend it to anyone passing by either of The Boy & The Bear's shops. Notably, we picked our bag up at their newly opened Culver City location, which is rather close to LAX for those seeking a fix directly before or after a flight. Final Score (1-10, with 10 being the best cup of coffee in your life): 8.7 Where to Buy: The Boy & The Bear (Los Angeles, CA, or Redondo Beach, CA) Looking to do a review of your own? Hop over to the Community and get to it!