Ever heard of a Bro ‘Spro? How about a Facemelter? This post caught my eye on the front page of the /r/coffee subreddit earlier today. Ben Schott, a contributing columnist from the New York Times, put the below image together depicting various terms, phrases, and monikers used in local coffee shops across the United States.
The image below is a thumbnail to the full image, which can be viewed at the original article here. If you get stuck behind the NYT paywall, click on the thumbnail below for the full image.
A little over a year ago I wrote about how music is integral to what I dubbed “the coffee experience.” What I’ve found since then has only reinforced this belief. I’ve created a Spotify playlist that I have aptly named “Coffee.” It’s great to brew to, and I’ve found that it’s a great playlist to simply chill out with. There’s all kinds of music: everything from pop to more obscure folk. I’ve embedded it below, or you can go straight to it on Spotify here. Listen in and share with friends!
Since starting this blog, I’ve run across many different types of coffee shops, roasters, and enthusiasts. Very few of these folks, if any, have been boring, and nearly all have been excited about their company and product. The ones that truly stand out in my mind have something different than excitement, however. These people talk about coffee differently than the others – it’s not simply a business to them. And coffee isn’t just a commodity to be consumed and traded for cash. Rather, they use words like “collaboration,” “community,” and “uncompromising vision.” I include myself in this group of people who see coffee differently than simply a way to wake up in the morning. It’s a passion, and it’s an acknowledgement that when people work together they can truly create something beautiful.
Chilmark Coffee Company is one such company. In fact, those three words used above are pulled straight from Chilmark’s website. They’re all about pulling together experts together to perfect every stage of making a great cup of coffee.
You’re not going to find a bunch of coffee gizmos and gadgets on Chilmark Coffee Company’s website. As they put it,
We aren’t selling you 30 different coffees and all kinds of accessories you can actually buy locally at your neighbors family owned store; we’re giving you an invitation to our select breakfast party; let’s say it’s part of a starter kit for a new day.
You can buy Chilmark bag-to-bag, or you can hop on their 6-month subscription service for $30 a month. You’re hard-pressed (pun totally intended) to find a better subscription deal than this online.
The Coffee
Chilmark Coffee Company sent me two coffees. Their Costa Rica: Tarrazu Asoproaaa, an estate coffee, and their Honduras: Seydi Argueta, a Certified Organically produced, Fair Trade coffee.
I tried the Costa Rica in my Clever Coffee Drip Brewer, Aeropress, and french press. After brewing in the Clever the coffee gave off a rich butter nut smell. It had a full taste, and the richness matched that of the scent. In the Aeropress I noticed the flavors tended to pop a bit more – the chocolate really poked through here. As was expected, in the french press the cup was overall more full bodied and heavy. This medium-roast was a very well rounded coffee, and I found I immensely enjoyed it regardless of the brew method.
The Honduras was my favorite of the two, and it actually produced the best cup of coffee I’ve ever made with my Clever. The grounds had a very bright smell to them, and when they were extracting a sweet aroma filled the entire room. The Aeropress seemed to not pull quite as full-bodied a cup as the Clever, but that could have been due to some over extraction on my part. The coffee has bright initial notes, like lemon, and it finished with a nice spark on the the tongue as well. In the French press the cocoa and caramel notes really came through, though the bright citrus was still evident to some degree.
Final Thoughts
I feel honored to have reviewed Chilmark Coffee Company. They represent everything that is right in the coffee community right now. They’re in it to make a quality product, and to make sure all parties along the way get fairly treated. Their commitment to excellence makes them stand out, and I highly recommend their coffee.
