Tuesday, 26 July 2016

Johnny Depp -- Amber Heard's Gonna Ruin My Credit

Johnny Depp believes he can't get a fair shake in his courtroom showdown with Amber Heard until his lawyers grill her in a deposition -- and if that doesn't happen it could cost him dearly. Depp's team was in court Tuesday for an emergency hearing…


It's third time lucky for RISCO Group at the PSI Premier Awards 2016

It's third time lucky for RISCO Group at the PSI Premier Awards 2016


RISCO Group, the leading manufacturer of end-to-end solutions for the professional security market, is celebrating after its success at the recent PSI Premier Awards 2016, held at Brocket Hall in Welwyn Garden City.


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Espro Press Maker Files Infringement Claim Against Simpli Press Maker

espro press patent
Espro Inc., the Vancouver, B.C., creators of the Espro Press brewing device and other home coffee accessories, yesterday filed a lawsuit alleging patent infringement against California-based Made Simpli LLC, makers of...

CNN MOST-WATCHED NETWORK OPENING NIGHT DNC...


CNN MOST-WATCHED NETWORK OPENING NIGHT DNC...


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Conrad Murray -- I Didn't Kill MJ ... Blame His Other Doctors! (TMZ LIVE VIDEO)

Conrad Murray still insists he didn't have a hand in Michael Jackson's death -- despite his guilty conviction and 2 years in jail -- and even believes he wasn't the worst doctor in MJ's life.  Murray was on "TMZ Live" to talk about the new…


Monday, 25 July 2016

50 Cent -- Good Luck Getting a Hit from Diddy! (VIDEO)

50 Cent threw enough shade to keep Diddy cool for a few months when he begged a packed Scottsdale club to rattle off the Bad Boy honcho's last hit track. Let's just say there were a lotta crickets inside INTL Nightclub over the weekend.…


Jerry Rice -- Gives Topless Lap Dance ... At Lake Tahoe Party (VIDEO)

Someone call Chippendales ... 'cause the greatest WR of all time stripped out of his shirt to give a crotch-thrusting lap dance at a party over the weekend ... and TMZ Sports has the footage. Jerry Rice was at an event for the American Century…


Peet's Joins the Cold Brew Arms Race with Three RTD Products

peet's cold brew
A year after transitioning from hot-brewed over ice to cold brew for cold offerings in its cafés, Peet's Coffee today announced it is launching a line of RTD cold products....

Locksmiths & Their Clients: The Importance of Clear Communication

Locksmiths & Their Clients: The Importance of Clear Communication


Evander, who offer a 24-hour emergency locksmith service across the UK, share tips for communicating clearly with customers.


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HIGH HEAT ALERT: DNC DAY 1...


HIGH HEAT ALERT: DNC DAY 1...


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Sunday, 24 July 2016

Dallas Cowboys -- Team Bus Involved In Fatal Crash ... 4 Dead

The Dallas Cowboys team bus was involved in a fatal two vehicle crash Sunday afternoon in Arizona ... leaving 4 people dead. Officials confirmed the Cowboys bus and a van collided on U.S. Highway 93 in Western Arizona. No Cowboys players were on…


Katt Williams -- Arrested for Battery on a Woman (UPDATE)

2:40 PM PT -- Katt has been arrested for misdemeanor battery.  He's currently in custody with bail set at $20,000.Katt Williams is currently sitting with cops as they investigate allegations the comedian punched a woman ... TMZ has learned. Law…


Saturday, 23 July 2016

Ben Affleck -- Surprises 'Batman' Fans At Comic-Con

Ben Affleck wasn't in full Batman gear but it didn't matter when he surprised thousands of fans at Comic-Con. Affleck, who is directing and starring in the next installment of the franchise popped into a panel with fellow DC directors David Ayer,…


Friday, 22 July 2016

Beyonce -- Pulls Race Card in 'Lemonade' Lawsuit

Beyonce's adamant she didn't rip off "Lemonade" from a film about a depressed white guy, and she says the proof is right there in her visual album ... about a proud black woman. Beyonce just filed docs which call Matthew Fulks' lawsuit bogus ...…


Video: Roasting by the Power of the Sun (Or Not)

solar coffee roasting
Sure, any old coffee roaster with a deep commitment to environmental sustainability, the ability and stamina to pursue grant money and other sources of funding, and a willingness to wrestle...

VIDEO: GUNMAN OPENS FIRE...


VIDEO: GUNMAN OPENS FIRE...


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Hillary Clinton -- Visits Pulse Nightclub and Victims' Families (PHOTO GALLERY)

Hillary Clinton paid her respects and read dozens of memorials Friday at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. The presidential candidate delivered a bouquet of white roses before sitting down with the families of the 49 mass shooting victims. She also…


Thursday, 21 July 2016

Peter Thiel -- I'm Proud to Be Gay, Proud to be a Republican (VIDEO)

PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel delivered a few lines at the Republican National Convention Thursday that were met with a surprising and even shocking reaction from the crowd. Thiel is the first openly gay speaker at a Republican convention who…


NBA -- How's This for a Bathroom Break? We Won't Play All-Star Game in Charlotte

The NBA is officially saying goodbye to North Carolina ... the 2017 All-Star Game will be moved to a state more friendly to the LGBT community. The catalyst for the decision ... the North Carolina law that requires people to use bathrooms that…


NBA -- How's This for a Bathroom Break? We Won't Play All-Star Game in Charlotte

The NBA is officially saying goodbye to North Carolina ... the 2017 All-Star Game will be moved to a state more friendly to the LGBT community. The catalyst for the decision ... the North Carolina law that requires people to use bathrooms that…


New Roasting Company Tastier Hopes to Win with Awesomer Approach to Accessibility

Tastier.1
The ranges of coffee knowledge, brewing equipment ownership and brewing acumen are wide and deep among consumers - so much so that a natural chasm tends to develop between the worlds...

Wednesday, 20 July 2016

Brandy -- Record Label Fires Back ... You're Washed Up, Don't Blame Us

Brandy's record label just clapped back, saying the singer has no business comparing her contract to slavery ... since it's been more than a decade since she dropped a hit. A rep for Chameleon Entertainment CEO Breyon Prescott tells TMZ ... Brandy's…


Groundwork Coffee Opening Multiple Portland Shops After Tin Man Acquisition

groundwork coffee
Los Angeles-based organic roaster/retailer Groundwork Coffee Co. is entering fertile new coffee ground in the Pacific Northwest, preparing three new shops for late summer or fall openings in Portland. The company...

Klay Thompson -- I'm NOT DATING 'Graffiti' Chick ... She's A Friend Of A Friend (VIDEO)

Klay Thompson says he is NOT DATING the L.A. Rams cheerleader who tagged her name on the NBA star's patio ... she's just a friend ... of a friend.  Social media blew up this week after Cherise Sandra posted a picture of herself…


Tuesday, 19 July 2016

Garry Marshall -- Dead at 81

Garry Marshall, who created and produced some of the biggest shows in TV history including "Happy Days," "Mork & Mindy" has died. Marshall was a prolific and successful TV producer.  His credits almost stretch a mile ... "Laverne &…


Mill City Roasters Expanding its 'Focus on the Roast' Competition

Focus on the Roast mill city
Following a successful inaugural event in 2015, Minneapolis-based Mill City Roasters is this year expanding its Focus on the Roast competition, hoping to encourage collaboration and the exchange of ideas among home roasters and commercial...

Brock Lesnar -- Fails 2nd Drug Test ... On Day of UFC 200 Fight

Brock Lesnar tested positive for a banned substance on the DAY OF UFC 200 ... this according to the UFC.  The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency notified the UFC that a sample collected on July 9th tested positive for the same substance that was found in…


Monday, 18 July 2016

'A Lighter Shade of Brown' Rapper DTTX -- Dead at 46

Bobby Ramirez -- best known as rapper DTTX from A Lighter Shade of Brown -- died Monday afternoon after lying in a coma for 11 days.  Ramirez was found unresponsive July 7th on a scorching Vegas street.  His family tells us when paramedics…


'Cyborg' Santos -- Screw My Skull Fracture ... I Want to Fight in 3 Months (Video)

Despite the large painful dent in his forehead, MMA fighter Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos says he's wants to fight again ... IN 3 MONTHS!!!  We spoke to Santos' ex-wife Cris "Cyborg" Justino -- who says she spoke with Santos today and insists…


California Roaster Taylor Maid Farms Acquired by InHouse Fund

taylor maid farms coffee
Longtime California organic coffee roastery Taylor Maid Farms has been acquired by InHouse Ventures, a boutique investment fund extending from the Healdsburg, Calif.-agency InHouse, which specializes in branding in the natural foods...

Sunday, 17 July 2016

Kanye West -- Busts Taylor Swift with Secret Recording ... She Calls 'Famous' a 'Compliment'

Kim Kardashian just unloaded on Taylor Swift, posting audio of a conversation Kanye West secretly recorded in which he reads some of the lyrics of "Famous" to Taylor -- in particular having sex with her -- and she calls it a…


Will.i.am -- Stop Killing Cops (VIDEO)

Will.i.am thinks Boosie's got it all wrong ... the answer to police brutality is not killing police -- it's creating a community rooted in respect. We got the hip hop musician Sunday at the South Central Community Center and he was quick to point…


Saturday, 16 July 2016

Lady Gaga -- The Growing Pains of A New Driver (PHOTO GALLERY)

Lady Gaga has only had her driver's license for a few weeks but she's already gotten a crash course in getting pulled over. Gaga was cruisin' The PCH in Malibu Friday when she got pulled over. It's unclear exactly what Gaga did to warrant the stop…


Friday, 15 July 2016

UFC's Mark Hunt -- Demands HALF Of Brock's UFC 200 $$$ ... He's A 'Cheater'

Mark Hunt is FURIOUS over Brock Lesnar's potential failed drug test ... DEMANDING half of B.L.'s UFC 200 winnings ... or he's bolting the UFC. Hunt laid it all out on his website Friday night ... saying, "I've told Dana I want half of Brock's…


Firstbuild's Prisma Machine Vacuums Cold Brew Steep Time Down to 10 Minutes

Kitchen_251394964_Prismo2
The convenience of bottled RTD cold brew coffee is one of its most compelling features, particularly among consumers familiar with the many hours it takes to make it in the...

Scott Eastwood -- So Fast, So Furious on Miami Beach (PHOTOS)

Scott Eastwood can't stay out of hot water.  Eastwood's down in Miami shooting 'Fast 8' and made the most of a break from filming by taking a dip in the ocean during a break. He came out dripping head to toe, but kept his shades bone dry.…


Thursday, 14 July 2016

Rihanna in Nice During Terror Attack (PHOTO)

Rihanna was in Nice -- preparing for a concert -- when a terrorist shot and drove over more than 70 people ... TMZ has learned. Rihanna is scheduled to perform in the French city on Friday night, but that's all up in the air in the wake of…


Nossa Familia Rolls Out Bottled Japanese-Style Iced Coffee

nossa iced
Portland, Ore.-based wholesale and retail roaster Nossa Familia has rolled out its first bottled RTD cold coffee product. The stubby, screw-topped 10-ounce glass bottled Iced Coffee is a hot-brewed, flash-chilled drink...

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

ESPYs -- NBA Stars Take Stand Against Violence (VIDEO)

Carmelo Anthony did exactly what he promised he would, and got 3 other NBA superstars to help him open the ESPYs with a powerful speech addressing the recent shooting tragedies in America. 'Melo, Chris Paul, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James all stood…


Steph Curry -- Warrior On The Water (PHOTO GALLERY)

Steph Curry can't stop taking 3s even while on vacation in Maui.   He's on break after losing the NBA championship to Lebron and the Cavs, but still has the Warriors on his mind ... just check out the jet ski.  Steph's…


Deadline Approaching for the 13th Annual Roaster of the Year Competition

roaster of the year
The submissions deadline for the Roast magazine 2017 Roaster of the Year competition - honoring leading coffee roasting companies from throughout North America for the past 13 years - is July 29,...

New Yale Platinum 3 Star Cylinder achieves highest security standard

New Yale Platinum 3 Star Cylinder achieves highest security standard


Leading lock specialist, Yale, has launched its new Platinum 3 Star Cylinder, designed to provide superior strength against known cylinder attack methods.


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Tuesday, 12 July 2016

Rich Homie Quan -- So Sorry I Dissed Biggie

Rich Homie Quan is pleading for forgiveness after his Biggie disaster during the VH1 "Hip Hop Honors." The rapper says, "I assure you that I never intended to disrespect Biggie Smalls. I have long respected his work and his contribution to…


Nick Jonas & Demi Lovato -- Concert Venue Evacuated

Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato's New Jersey concert was nearly cooked when cops cleared out the arena for a suspicious package. They're playing at the Prudential Center in Newark Tuesday night, but around 3 PM ... police evacuated all staffers inside…


Coffee Farmworkers: The Next Step, from Research to Action

Photo by Julio Flórez, 2015. Coffee triangle, Colombia. Courtesy of the SCAA.
(editor's note: This is the third post in an ongoing series in which members of the SCAA Sustainability Council will be addressing their current work, while sharing opportunities and insight for coffee industry...

Monday, 11 July 2016

Bradley Cooper & Irina Shayk -- Wimbledon Tears Due to Pollen ... Not a Fight (PHOTOS)

Bradley Cooper and Irina Shayk didn't have a heated argument that drove her to tears ... she just needed some Claritin ... according to people who know them, anyway. The longtime couple made headlines at Wimbledon when TV cameras caught…


Draymond Green Arrest -- Allegedly Slapped Heckler in Bar (VIDEO)

Draymond Green was getting the business from a guy outside a bar when he finally had enough and allegedly struck the guy ... according to witnesses.


The Master Locksmith Association warn schools to lockdown on security over holidays

The Master Locksmith Association warn schools to lockdown on security over holidays


When school ceases for the summer holidays, security diligence should not, say the Master Locksmith Association.


Theft, vandalism and arson attacks are common occurrences in school buildings during the holidays, but with adequate planning and security measures in place, risks can easily be minimised.


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Study Finds Living Wage Gap for Workers in World's Biggest Coffee Region

coffee plant farm
As the conversation surrounding living wages develops throughout the world - applying to fast food in the United States, textile manufacturing Bangladesh, or any segment in which wage-earners struggle to access...

Sunday, 10 July 2016

UFC Sold for a Fortune

The UFC has been sold ... TMZ Sports has confirmed ... and the sale price is around $4 billion. UFC sources told us entertainment and sports talent agency WME/IMG will be the new owners. The company head, Ari Manuel, will wield a lot of power over…


Cristiano Ronaldo -- Injured, Sobbing, Out of Action for Championship

2:50 PM PT -- Portugal wins 1-0!   Ronaldo also came back out to cheer on his team for their win during extra-time.A sobbing Cristiano Ronaldo was carried off the soccer field on a stretcher Sunday after an injury dashed his hopes of leading…


Saturday, 9 July 2016

Derek Jeter & Hannah Davis -- MARRIED!!

Derek Jeter and Hannah Davis are MARRIED ... tying the knot tonight in front of friends and family at a Napa Valley resort!! Jeter, 42, married Davis, 26, at the Meadowood Napa Valley Resort in St. Helena, California. People first reported the…


Public Enemy's Prof. Griff -- I Don't Know Dallas Cop Killer!! (PHOTO)

Public Enemy's Professor Griff is shutting down rumors he and Dallas shooter Micah Johnson were pals ... saying a photo of the two shaking hands was only a one time thing. Social media exploded with the image Friday after the pic…


Friday, 8 July 2016

Lamar Odom -- Files Divorce Docs ... Umm, Exactly What She Said

Lamar Odom just filed his response to Khloe Kardashian's divorce petition ... and it shows the exes are lockstep when it comes to this breakup. In the docs, obtained by TMZ Sports, Lamar lists the exact same date of separation as Khloe did --…


Burt Jenner -- It's A Boy! (PHOTO)

Caitlyn Jenner just scored another grandchild -- her oldest son, Burt Jenner, is a dad ... but someone beat him to the punch on handing down his name. Bodhi Jenner was born Thursday weighing 9 lbs 4 oz. It's Burt and his…


Café Grumpy Releases Cheery Take on Bottled Cold Brew

grumpy cold brew
Brooklyn, N.Y.-based Café Grumpy has joined the ever-widening field of contemporary craft coffee purveyors launching a bottled, RTD cold brew product. The 11-year-old roasting and retail outfit - which was...

Thursday, 7 July 2016

Anderson Silva to Fight Daniel Cormier at UFC 200

Daniel Cormier has a new opponent for UFC 200 and it's Anderson Silva ... TMZ Sports has confirmed.  After news broke Wednesday night that Jon Jones failed his drug test and was pulled from the July 9th event, Dana White and company…


Marley Coffee Plans to Settle with the SEC, Rohan Marley Steps Down

marley coffee
Jammin Java Corp, which does business as Marley Coffee, has issued a letter to shareholders saying it has entered into a consent with the federal Securities Exchange Commission to settle...

Anderson Silva -- Jumps the Gun ... No Decision Yet on Cormier's UFC 200 Opponent

Anderson Silva is boasting he's the one who was picked to replace Jon Jones in the UFC 200 fight against Daniel Cormier, but our UFC sources say no decision has been made. We're told there are 3 contenders for the spot and Silva is indeed one of…


Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Jon Jones -- FAILS DRUG TEST ... Out of UFC 200

Jon Jones hit the self destruct button ... again.  The UFC superstar has failed a drug test and has been removed from his fight against Daniel Cormier at UFC 200.  Daniel Cormier has already weight in saying -- "More than anything, just…


HACKED: DNC Readies Warning On 'Trumpocalypse'...


HACKED: DNC Readies Warning On 'Trumpocalypse'...


(Top headline, 1st story, link)



Specialty Coffee Retail Price Index Jumps 8.1 Percent in Q2

Image courtesy of Transparent Trade Coffee.
The Transparent Trade Coffee project has released its Specialty Coffee Retail Price Index (SCRPI) for the second quarter of 2016, finding an 8.1 percent increase over the Q1 index price,...

Tuesday, 5 July 2016

Learning from Sumatras

I've been cupping coffee professionally for less than a year. Ken Davids first hired me at Coffee Review last August, given that my background in food and wine writing, as well as in academia, seemed a good enough calling card to dip into the world of coffee. But, of course, in order to properly do this work, I would need to be trained in cupping, the rigorous sensory evaluation of coffee. While I've long enjoyed my favorite coffees prepared relatively carefully at home, mostly as pour-overs, I had never turned my attention to coffee in as precise a way as I had learned to focus on wine as a sommelier and wine writer. I quickly came to learn that coffee is at least as complicated as wine and perhaps more nuanced in its sociocultural intersections. This month's cupping of 27 Sumatras for our July tasting report underscored my first early lessons, as well as opened up a whole new quadrant on the flavor wheel for me.


It's the Processing


My first attempts at cupping with Ken and Jason Sarley, our resident Q-grader, left me feeling, at turns, confident and completely at a loss. “Yes, I get dark chocolate, orange zest, and an aromatic wood akin to fresh-cut cedar, but where is this floral note the two of you are waxing poetic about?” are the kinds of thoughts I had on a daily basis. “And why do you refer to this coffee's acidity as 'brisk,' as opposed to 'bright'”? With wine, I was often concerned with grape varieties over all else, as varieties tended to be the greatest predictor of how a wine would ultimately taste, followed by origins with their distinctive terroirs. But with coffee, it seemed almost immediately that processing method was a first-step key to unlocking the mysteries of the end product. Of course it was clear that the impact of tree variety is crucial to understanding coffee, but the ability to approach coffee critically for me seemed to start with an awareness of the influence of processing, or the varied and complex procedures through which the skin and pulp of the fruit are removed from the beans and they are dried.


In my first months at the cupping table, I had the good fortune to experience coffees I'd never have been exposed to if left to my own devices: exotic varieties like Sudan Rume, expensive Panama Geshas, and many natural-process Ethiopias, a penchant for the likes of which, arguably, distinguishes hard-core coffee aficionados from the average coffee- drinker who has developed an affinity for a more narrow range of coffee styles. Dried blueberry? Rye whiskey? These are aromas and flavors I had never associated with my breakfast beverage, yet here they were, plain as day, in my cup. Conversely, I experienced the more familiar wet-processed Colombias and Costa Ricas in terms of previously undetected subtleties: levels and types of sweetness, associations with various fruits and nuts, and degrees of intensity, in both aroma and flavor. And chocolate. Almost always chocolate, whether crisp roasted cacao nib, rich fudge, or one of many variations in between.


Sumatra's Unique Wet-Hulling Process


The majority of the Sumatras we cupped for this report were wet-processed using a method particularly associated with Sumatra called “wet-hulling” or giling basah in the local Batak languages. Traditional wet processing involves removing the skin and soft pulp of the coffee fruit from the beans via either fermentation and washing (the traditional method) or by machine-scrubbing, in either case leaving the coffee bean encased only in its inner parchment and silver skin as it is dried to roughly 12.5% moisture. The coffee is stored “in parchment” and the dried, crumbly parchment skin is only removed from the beans when they are ready to be shipped. In wet-hulling, however, the parchment skin is removed in the middle of the drying process, when the beans still have a high moisture content, often as high as 40%. Although this small difference between conventional wet-processing and wet-hulling may seem trivial, it appears to result in a striking difference in cup character, promoting an array of aroma/flavor notes that range from outright musty or mildewy in poor quality wet-hulled Sumatras to the engagingly intricate, humus-like sweet tobacco and tropical fruit notes that show up in the very finest wet-hulled Sumatras, seven of which we review this month.


Although the bag copy and websites for some of the Sumatras we cupped used alternate terms for the wet-hulling process-“semi-washed” was the favorite, although “semi-dry” showed up as well-we at Coffee Review understand that the terms semi-washed and semi-dry are best used to describe other processing methods in use in other parts of the coffee world (in Brazil, for example). For us “wet-hulling” or giling basah best describes this unusual Indonesia processing method, and whenever we were able to confirm that this processing method had been used to produce a coffee we reviewed, we applied that term.


Of course, as we often point out at Coffee Review, coffee producers the world over are experimenting with processing methods from other parts of the world that do not reflect traditional local practices. In the case of this month's 27 Sumatras, in addition to traditional wet-hulled samples, we also cupped two natural-processed samples (beans are dried inside the entire fruit), three conventionally wet-processed samples, and four “honey” processed samples (the skins are removed, but the beans are dried with at least some of the fruit pulp still adhering to them). This last method, called “honey” in Central America, is also sometimes called “semi-washed” in Brazil, adding to the confusion around the latter term.


All Sumatras, All the Time


At any rate, this month's cupping of Sumatras for our July tasting report deepened my appreciation of processing method as a primary contributor to what a coffee will taste like, and also awakened me to the vast range of possibilities conscientious farmers and mill operators can contribute to the complexity, nuance and distinction of coffees through processing variations.


Before this exercise, which spanned several weeks and 27 coffees, I had cupped only a handful of coffees from Sumatra, the huge, westernmost island of Indonesia, none of them particularly impressive. The positive Sumatra descriptors I first identified included moist pipe tobacco, dried pineapple and a suggestion of spicy smokiness that my co-cuppers deemed not associated with the roast, but with the green bean itself. And so I went into this month's cupping with a stereotype about Sumatras that was debunked by the depth, range and unequivocal sweetness of the finest of the samples we cupped.


In Coffee Review's tasting report on wet-hulled Sumatras last year, Ken described Indonesia's most popular processing method, giling basah or wet-hulling, as often resulting in “elegant earth.” In my wine lexicon, this conjures Cabernet Franc, often described as rustic, savory, herbaceous, and even green-vegetal, descriptors that can be a compliment, or not, depending on the quality of the particular Cab Franc. Many Cab Francs, unblended, are also described as the opposite of “clean:” funky, earthy. Until this cupping, I associated all Sumatras with this deep earthiness, which, in fact, is a bit of a stereotype. Like Cab Francs, many Sumatras express an elegance, to borrow Ken's term, that transcends the lesser Sumatra coffees I'd casually encountered before.


The Coffees


The most common adjectives the three of us noted in our cupping of the best wet-hulled coffees (seven of the eleven samples reviewed here were wet-hulled, ranging in score from 92 to 94) were pipe tobacco, various tropical fruits like mango and coconut, richly savory tamarind and, perhaps the biggest surprise for me, lush floral notes we associated with lilac and honeysuckle. Occasionally, fresh humus or decaying moist leaves would appear as descriptors, but in the best of these samples it was always in the context of rich, elegant sweetness.


Tied for the top score of 94 were Korean roaster Crescendo's Sumatra Black Panther and Klatch Coffee's Sumatra Lintong Mutu Batak. Both were subtly different but clearly characteristic variations on a Sumatra wet-hulled theme: The Crescendo Black Panther sweet and deep with mango and tobacco tones; the Klatch Lintong Mutu Batak brighter with pungent grapefruit animating the floral and tobacco notes. Among the wet-hulled Sumatras reviewed here at 93, the PT's Batak Nuali Sumatra was more zesty and savory, and the Panorama “Blue Bianca” more explicit in its sweet earthiness, though still complicated with fruit, tobacco and chocolate. The Taiwan roaster ICC's Lintong Blue Batak (93) added an intriguing cumin-like spice note to ripe fig and citrusy floral tones, and Old Soul's Sumatra Gayo “Adsenia” Triple Pick (92) was a particularly lucid wet-hulled coffee without the usual tobacco notes but rich with flowers and chocolate.


Along with the seven wet-hulled Sumatras, we review one fully dried-in-the fruit “natural”-processed sample, the 93-rated Crescendo Wahana Estate, an impressive example of the natural style with its lush sweetness, chocolaty fruit and understated hint of brandyish ferment. One conventionally wet-processed or “washed” sample, the Café Backstage Sumatra King Batak, made the cut at 92. It appeared to reflect in its crisp delicacy and gentle tartness the greater clarity we expect from conventionally wet-processed coffees.


Finally, we review two honey-processed coffees, both complex, interesting, but difficult to decisively generalize on by processing method alone. The 93-rated Taiwan-roasted Once N Café Etude Meriah Aceh King Batak could well read as a wet-hulled Sumatra, though more delicate perhaps in its sweet molasses-inflected tobacco and fragrant magnolia-like flowers. The King Batak Honey (92) from Studio Confluence (another Taiwan roaster) more clearly fits our processing method expectations: It is definitely crisper and zestier than the typical fine wet-hulled Sumatra, with nothing earthy or tobacco-like about it.


The post Learning from Sumatras appeared first on Coffee Review.

Rap Legend J. Prince -- Dwight Howard Needed 'Heart Transplant' ... To Succeed In Houston (VIDEO)

One of the most powerful men in music claims Dwight Howard's failure in Houston was cardiovascular ... saying D12 would've needed a "heart transplant" to win a ring in H-Town. TMZ Sports got James Prince -- you might remember him as the Houston rap…


Buddy Brew Opens Friendly Fourth Location in Tampa, More to Follow

Buddy Brew Coffee Tampa Fla
Coffee history can move quickly, making Tampa, Fla.-based roaster/retailer Buddy Brew Coffee something of a pioneer in statewide coffee scene, despite the fact that the company opened its first storefront...

STATE REFUSES TO SAY IF CLINTON, STAFF STILL HAVE SECURITY CLEARANCES...


STATE REFUSES TO SAY IF CLINTON, STAFF STILL HAVE SECURITY CLEARANCES...


(Top headline, 8th story, link)
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New CLIQ® Connect Offers Smartphone key activation

New CLIQ® Connect Offers Smartphone key activation

Security expert Abloy UK has launched its innovative new CLIQ® Connect technology that enables PROTEC2 CLIQ® keys to be activated through a smartphone.


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Monday, 4 July 2016

The Band Perry -- Concert Cancelled Over Security Threats

The Band Perry pulled the plug on a performance Sunday night in Delaware after two men made threats against the venue ... and they're still on the loose.  The incident went down at 3 PM  ... when two men walked into the Americana Bayside…


Justin Bieber -- Wakeboarding ... But Just Briefly

Justin Bieber has no shame in the wakeboarding game ... stripping down to his Calvins in the Miami sun.  The Biebs jumped off a yacht he and some buddies rented for some soft-core water sports.  That's how he rides.


ABUS make improvements to their 83 Padlock Range

ABUS make improvements to their 83 Padlock Range


As part of ABUS' continual product improvement the 83/55, 83CS/55 and 83WP/63s have all been upgraded to a 6 pin keyway offering greater keyed alike and master keyed flexibility through significantly more differs and further anti-pick security.


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NFL's Shiloh Keo -- Pleads Guilty in DUI Case ... Dodges Jail Time

Denver Broncos safety Shiloh Keo just pled guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge stemming from his arrest back in February ... but he won't spend any time behind bars. Keo -- who recovered the Patriots' onside kick during the AFC championship game and…


Amazon Has Started Selling its Own Happy Belly Brand Coffee

amazon happy belly
Amazon has quietly introduced its own coffee brand, called Happy Belly, promising online shoppers “artisan, small batch roasted blends like those found at your favorite neighborhood coffee shop.” The initial...

Sunday, 3 July 2016

Adrien Broner -- TSA Profiles Boxer ... As a Baller!!!

Adrien Broner has first world problems ... dripping in so much cash and jewelry at the airport, TSA needs reinforcements. The champ boxer was at the Houston airport, on his way to Rick Ross' MMG Weekend in Atlanta.  The scene is pretty…