Review #90: Grind N' Crepe / Rick's Roasting Coffee Co.

Name of Roaster: Grind-N'-Crepe / Rick's Roasting Coffee Co.

Location of Roaster (City, State, Country): Occoquan, VA / Fredericksburg, VA

Name of Roast: Morning Rush Type of Roast (Light, Medium, Dark): Dark Origin of Beans: N/A Price: $9.75 (8.8 oz.) Brewing Method (Drip, Chemex, AeroPress, etc.): Chemex Time Between Purchase and Brewing (Ballpark is fine): Fifteen Days Aroma: Tearing open the bag, we noted dark chocolate, a touch of smoke, chocolate cake, and a hint of mint. Warm milk chocolate, baking spices, and crisp chocolate brownie showed after the grind. Toffee, spearmint, wet stone, and a touch of refined sugar were noted on the pour.

Flavor Profile: The coffee had a mid-palate entry that moves to the center of the tongue and emanates from that central point. Light bodied and ethereal, the coffee feels as though it is floating on top of the tongue, as compared to coffees that coat or envelop the palate. Notes of pine, cedar, and the roast note dominate, with the sides of the tongue picking up sharp lemon. As the coffee cools, dark chocolate appears underneath, along with toasted pecan. The finish is long, acidic, and has almost a cooling, menthol feel.

Overall Impression (What did you think of it? Anything else we should know?): We picked this up at a café in Occoquan, Virginia, named Grind N' Crepe, and the bag notes that the coffee is roasted by Rick's Roasters Coffee Company, which is based in Fredericksburg, Virginia. The coffee flavors are reminiscent of your standard, no-frills café coffee, which means that this is a coffee that almost requires pairing or mixing with milk. That stated, the coffee makes sense for the cafe, which focuses on crepes. That is to say, when having the coffee in concert with a sweet breakfast item, the coffee is more palatable. We paired it with both vanilla-flavored wheat and charcuterie, and both improved the experience of the sip.

Final Score (1-10, with 10 being the best cup of coffee in your life): 6.5. Where to Buy: Grind N' Crepe Looking to do a review of your own? Hop over to the Community and get to it!