Review #140: Grand Coffee Roasters

Name of Roaster: Grand Coffee Roasters

Location of Roaster (City, State, Country): San Francisco, CA

Name of Roast: Ethiopia Gedeb

Type of Roast (Light, Medium, Dark): Medium Origin of Beans: METAD Agricultural Development, Gedeb District, Ethiopia Price: $20 (12 oz.) Brewing Method (Drip, Chemex, AeroPress, etc.): Chemex Time Between Purchase and Brewing (Ballpark is fine): Eight days Aroma: Rich chocolate brownie, fresh baked devil's food cake, cocoa, and slight brioche crust show upon opening the bag. On the grind, baking spices, bright raspberry and pear, cocoa nib, and saltine are noted. Bright raw cane sugar, hot caramel, and light brown sugar are found on the pour.

Flavor Profile: The coffee has a palate entry with medium-to-full body that hugs the roof of the mouth and latches on to the tip of the tongue. Black tea, lemon, pink peppercorn, fresh cut basil, slight jasmine, and burnt orange peel are noted, with a clean finish that coats the roof of the mouth with black tea aromatics and notes of lemon and white tea on the tip of the tongue. A touch acidic, but warm and inviting. The sides catch sharp lime and muddled orange, and apricot shows more as the coffee cools.

Overall Impression (What did you think of it? Anything else we should know?): We found this to be a delightful change from the chocolate-heavy coffees we have recently been sipping (although we loved those, as well). We paired the cup with an almond croissant, but we believe this coffee could be had on its own, and likely it would be best with a savory item or crusty buttered bread..

Final Score (1-10, with 10 being the best cup of coffee in your life): 8.2.

Where to Buy: Grand Coffee Roasters