mitch236 wrote:Dan, I think a way to help us follow along would be to make a thread that the reviewers would promise not to ever read, where you would post the coffee being reviewed ... It would take trust of the reviewers ...

I won't peek; least ways, I've never peeked when I blind cup.

mitch236 wrote:Dan, I think a way to help us follow along would be to make a thread that the reviewers would promise not to ever read, where you would post the coffee being reviewed.

+1

Or more difficult to pull off, but a way to order the coffee and receive it blinded just like the reviewers.

I'm sure something could be arranged.

If an HB member is interested in being a guest reviewer, send me an e-mail subject "Favorite Espresso Blends 2012 - guest reviewer" (one per round at no cost to reviewer, as was previously announced). If you simply want to know the reviewed coffee so you can buy some (not blind), send me an e-mail subject "Favorite Espresso Blends 2012 - informal reviewer". If you want to participate as an informal (blind) reviewer, i.e., where your order is shipped out blinded as the others, send me an e-mail subject "Favorite Espresso Blends 2012 - blinded reviewer". To be clear, the last two options require the participant cover the cost of coffee + shipping.

Please include your real name and HB login. Thanks.

I'm not sure if the list is still "alive," but I'd be interested to know what people's opinions of http://orleanscoffee.com/ (Orleans Coffee Exchange) might be. This is a roaster in my local area that distributes fresh roasted beans to a plethora of New Orleans businesses (The best restaurants in the world shouldn't use anything less than the best coffee right?).

They also provide barista training, which is a big deal considering the dearth of quality shops in the area. If you consider the fact that most of the coffee you drank today first touched US soil here in NOLA, it's surprising there's not a more significant specialty coffee culture here.

I've tried a few of the cafes where they've trained and supply coffee, and my "less-than-qualified" palate has not been disappointed. They ship roasted coffee anywhere in the US, but only provide SO greens by pick-up. They will not sell their blends green.

Hey Jessy, how often do they roast and do they put the roast date on the bags. I looked over their site and saw a few that I would be interested in trying. I guess you wouldn't know since you live right there, but I was wondering how soon do they ship out the coffee after roast, I'm trying to figure out how long it would take to get to N.C. Most of the coffees that I've been ordering are from the left coast or mountain states and it usually takes 3 to 4 days to get here.

HB wrote:If you simply want to know the reviewed coffee so you can buy some (not blind), send me an e-mail subject "Favorite Espresso Blends 2012 - informal reviewer".

I just ordered the next round of coffee. If you would like to know the coffee so you can order it, please e-mail me as described above ASAP. Sorry, I won't have time to arrange blind reviews for others.

Awesome, reviews are coming up for #3, and from what I've read so far I really really want to try it.

+1
I enjoyed Jim's and Dave's reviews. I'm blinded (this time) and am enjoying guessing from the field of possibilities. And it does sound like a tasty espresso to try.

I'm not sure this is the right place to post this, but I'm doing so in the hopes that nominations for those considered next year might be influenced, at least in part, by the posts on this thread. Here are three favorite roasters in the Seattle area -

1. Velton's Coffee. Bansai blend and, more importantly, his Three Ravens Decaf. The Three Ravens is amazingly good and better than many other roasters caffeinated espresso.

2. Middle Fork Roasters, Seattle. They have several spectacular blends. One week last year I'd just been in Brooklyn where I was drinking Blue Bottle and enjoying it greatly. I arrived back home and pulled a shot of their Middle Fork Blend and, Ka-Bamm, it was playing almost the exact same notes as the Blue Bottle. High praise.

3. I've rediscovered Caffe d'Arte and, like another poster on this thread, I'm a believer. Complex, nuanced, wonderful. And the more subtle notes reveal themselves as you play with temperature and, of course, dose. Now that I've found the location of their roasting plant, where I can buy a pound of very freshly roasted coffee for about $10.50, I'm drinking it more and more.

What do you get from darte? I have only had one blend of theirs and it was over roasted char. Granted it was a Xmas blend, however it did put me off from trying anything else.