2011 in Coffee
That’s 49 bags (probably around 30 pounds) of glorious, caffeinating goodness. Over the past year I tried to catalogue all of the coffee I brewed, and while I probably missed a few bags here and there, this is a pretty representative sample of what kept me percolating in 2011.
It was a great year for tasting and learning. Local spots like Porto Rico Importing Co. and subscription services like Craft Coffee and Tonx provided the opportunity to try different coffees from all over the world. I started the year dead set on dark roasts, but as my brew technique improved I started to appreciate the complexity across the gamut. For months, every new coffee I tried I’d declare the best in the world.
Coffee of the Year
Looking back over the year, was there a single stand out? You bet!
I’d like to say this was a difficult decision, and while more than a few exceptional coffees hit my cup, none came close to the El Salvador Finca Montery Bambu from Tonx. The Coffee Adventures review of this coffee pretty much sums it up for me:
I enjoyed this coffee more than I can put words together to describe this feeling.
The aroma alone convinced fellow developer Bob Patterson to give coffee a second chance. To paraphrase his reaction, “I had no idea coffee had actual flavor”.
I thought I’d have this whole coffee thing figured out in no time, but, just like so many great pursuits, the deeper you go, the more you realize you still have to learn. It’s been a lot of fun experimenting, learning, sharing and of course, enjoying a year full of coffee.
