I have gone from being an observer and spoiled drinker of coffees from Standout Coffee during 2020 to becoming part of Team Standout and still spoiled a drinker when I joined Standout Coffee as a co-owner of the company.
Taking my last blog post about how I rate and value coffee I want to share my top 3 list of coffees produced by Standout Coffee during 2020.
Here is my top 3 list!
- Kambera Natural from Ninety Plus
One big challenge a coffee has is to taste as good as the aroma is. This issue is very true when it comes to coffees that are slightly darker, you open the bag, either it's a pre ground from the grocery store, or you just ground your beans at home, the aroma is usually very good! Then when you brew the coffee the bad flavors, burnt tastes and bitter notes shine trough.
When it comes to the supercharged, super-experimental processed award-winning hyped coffee Kambera from Ninety Plus it follows the above mentioned statement but in the other order. The flavor is all over the place, is it good or bad, that's up to you to experience, one thing that I and many others can relate to it's super intense, like a cherry liquor infused balloon that just popped right under your nose.
When you brew it lives up to the hype of winning world championships year after year. The taste palette of this coffee is so intense, complex and wonderful with dark chocolate, maraschino cherry and plum all over the place
- Gesha Village LOT 78 (as espresso)
I am a lucky owner of a Linea Mini from La Marzocco combined with a EK43s from Mahlkönig and brew all of our coffees as espresso at home and filter when I come to work and this natural processed gesha 1931 variety is just a fresh, vibrant and floral bomb with all the taste notes still intact. You find orange blossom, pineapple and oolong tea in this espresso.
If this was a year of coffee competitions I would probably compete on this Ethiopian gem.
Read more about the coffee in our historic section that you find here.
- La Palma y El Tucan Natural Gesha
I've read about the hype and my colleague Alexander talked so much about the quality of this coffee so my expectations was sky-high when I brewed this coffee for the first time. This evaluation was spot on. The flavors, taste balance and tactile experience fulfilled my first half of my valuation of a cup of coffee. The coffee ticked all the boxes when it comes to expectation, knowledge and interest. This coffee is so outstanding that it with a good margin takes a spot on my top 3 list.Â
If I had to break out one thing in this cup that shine the most it's the acidity. I've never had a cup that clean, vibrant and intense when I evaluate the quality of the acidity. We still have some beans of this coffee if you want to try this for yourself.Â
Tell us what's your best coffee experience this year, all coffees included?