Colombian coffees are low on my list of favorite regions. That preference has been tested since I joined Trade Coffee. This is my third installment from them, from Anodyne Coffee, and the second coffee from Colombia that has surprised me with its flavors.

This is currently what I’m drinking… mostly. I still have a subscription to Angel’s Cup Coffee, which sends me blind samples, helping me to refine my palate enough to determine origins and even regions of the coffees I try. That has been a very helpful resource for me.

But Trade Coffee sends me full bags instead of samples. And most recently, this coffee from Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. has been very impressive.

When I received this bag, I wasn’t sure what they meant by the name ”Anodyne.” Fortunately, they put a series of definitions on the back of the bag. Adjective: 1) Capable of soothing or eliminating pain. 2) Relaxing. Noun: 1) A medicine that relieves pain. 2) A source of soothing comfort.

Sounds like they have a high view of the medicinal properties of caffeine!

Regardless, their coffee was an excellent example from a region that may be growing on my little by little. I have stated before that Colombian coffees are not high on my list of preferential coffees to drink. And yet, this is the second roaster that has challenged that opinion.

This particular coffee is a washed bean from the Santander region of Columbia, from Hacienda La Pradera. I tried various methods of brewing as I worked through this bag, and found that my Hario V60 pourover produced the most pleasing results.

Aroma

I was surprised to noticed little to no smell from this bean, especially upon opening the bag. It was a little underwhelming, and I expected it to be the first of many disappointments that would confirm my opinion of Colombian coffees. As I brewed it, though, a subtle, pleasing citrus smell appeared.

Flavor Notes

That citrus smell translated into the taste as well. Dominant flavor notes were lemon and dark chocolate, with lighter hints of a berry and even a touch of grape, although the grape was more in the feel of the coffee rather than the taste. This was a very bright coffee, with a definite acidity that was classical citrus. There was a light bitter aftertaste that hit the back of the mouth, especially when I used a Chemex to brew this. When I used the V60, that bitterness disappeared, and it was much sweeter.

Balance and Mouthfeel

This is where that grape really shone. You know that feeling on the palate when you eat a grape, that is kind of a dry feeling? That’s the sensation this coffee left in the mouth, and it was incredibly pleasant. It was a very smooth cup, and well-balanced.

Brew Methods

I used the Chemex, Hario V60, and a Beehouse dripper to sample this coffee. Each cup was brewed at a 1:16 ratio, with a starting weight of 25 grams of coffee each time. The Hario V60 was by far the best option for brewing this coffee.

Overall Notes

Initially, I started off with my Chemex with this bag. I expected to be disappointed, like I am with so many Colombian coffees. However, when I shifted to the V60, I was once again surprised by this region. It kept its flavors consistently from the beginning of the bag through to the end. And the packaging is beautifully designed. This was an excellent bag of coffee, and I look forward to more from Anodyne in the future.

I’m going to rate this coffee as a four star right now, and only because it didn’t impress me across all the different brewing methods I tried. Had it presented the flavors in the Chemex that it did in the V60, it would rank all the way up to a five star coffee. It was a pretty close call for me, but I think it’s justified.

All in all, a very pleasing cup of coffee from Anodyne.

The post What I’m Drinking: Anodyne Coffee, Colombia La Pradera appeared first on JeffRandleman.com.

You may know that I’m a pretty big fan of coffee. I began this journey many years ago after having the opportunity to visit a coffee plantation in Costa Rica. Over the years since that time, I have explored and learned a lot about this amazing drink.

I have also discovered several amazing coffee resources, tools, roasters and more. I hope to share many of these resources with you, and even more as I discover new things myself. With that in mind, I’m starting a something new that will be a regular part of things around here. I’m calling it, What I’m Drinking.

Through these articles, I will share with you my current coffee, and what I think of it. I’m not planning on overwhelming you, but you can expect to see something along these lines once or twice a month.

Right now, I am enjoying a bag of beans from Ritual Coffee in San Francisco. In the inaugural episode of Random Ramblings, I talked about a coffee subscription service that I have joined, called Trade Coffee. This coffee from Ritual is the second installment from that subscription: Los Gigantes, from Huila, Colombia.

And I am very impressed with it. I have tried it various ways, but keep coming back to the Chemex for this particular bean.

Aroma

Right out of the bag, the aroma is incredible, with immediate associations with dark chocolate. As it brews, that smell deepens and becomes a little more complex.

Flavor Notes

This is a very bright cup of coffee, with a level of citric acid that reminds me of lemon. It’s sweet and tart at almost the same time, and has a hint of that dryness that comes from cranberries. The dark chocolate aromas carry over to the flavors, especially as it cools off a bit.

Balance and Mouthfeel

This seemed to be a very balanced coffee, although it was a bit more acidic in the Hario V60 than it was in the Chemex. With a smooth, bright feel, this coffee lingered on the palate, and left me craving more.

Brew Methods

I used the Chemex, Hario V60, and an Aeropress to sample this coffee. Each cup was brewed at a 1:16 ratio, with a starting weight of 25 grams of coffee each time. The Chemex turned out the best results.

Overall Notes

Most of the time, I think Colombian coffees are overrated. Maybe it’s the fact that so many different mass producers source from there, I don’t really know. Whatever the case, I’m just not all that excited about Colombian beans. However, this bag from Ritual was almost enough to make me rethink that opinion. It was excellent, roasted to a perfect City Roast level, and maintained the incredible flavors that Colombian beans can be known for.

I give it a full five star rating. And now, I think I’ll brew another cup.

The post What I’m Drinking: Ritual Coffee, Los Gigantes appeared first on JeffRandleman.com.