The Review
Developed especially for 2016, our Easter Sunrise Blend is roasted to a secret formula. While we can't say exactly what beans are used, we sampled a lot of coffees before we found a particularly special Ethiopian coffee that lends a lot of brightness and fruit tones.
Roasted Beans:
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Choir Monk: This is a great looking blend! The beans look lighter, and I can tell that there is an Ethiopian coffee -- the fruity smell alone gives it away! Lay Monk: I can smell hints of raisin as well as floral tones. Brother Roaster put a lot of thought and effort into this roast; I saw him carefully prepare some prototype blends before settling on this one. It looks very good! |
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The Tasting:
Choir Monk: I am looking forward to tasting this coffee! I know from experience that Ethiopian coffee can be hard to blend well, as its flavors sometimes do not go well with other coffees.
Choir Monk: Here are my thoughts on the Easter Sunrise Blend:
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Aroma: Complex and pleasant. Chocolate, vanilla and a hint of fresh-baked bread. Acidity: Rich and smooth. Aftertaste: Sweet milk chocolate and raisin. Body/Mouthfeel: Full-bodied and slightly wild. Complexity:Excellent complexity - berry, wood and chocolate notes were all evident to me. Darkness: Medium. |
Choir Monk: Ethiopian can be a hard coffee to blend, but Brother Roaster pulled it off again this year with the Easter Sunrise Blend.
Lay Monk: I'm glad you like it! I thought that it was very nice too. Here are my notes:
Aroma: Complex, with notes of malt and grapefruit.
Acidity: Excellent acidity; not as pronounced as last year's blend, but perhaps more complex.
Aftertaste: Sweet and enduring. I noticed pleasant woody and fruity notes.
Body/Mouthfeel:Medium to full body.
Complexity: Very good! Fruity notes including grapefruit and blueberry, and a wonderful sweet malty note.
Darkness: I would say medium-light.
Conclusion:
Choir Monk: A good breakfast coffee is hard to master. It needs to be bright, without being sour, and invigorating, without being bitter. I think the 2016 Easter Sunrise Blend fits all the categories of a great breakfast coffee.
Lay Monk: That is very true! It's amazing to think we are already on our 5th Easter Sunrise Blend! Each year is an improvement upon the last, and I hope to enjoy it for years to come!
Choir Monk:To sum up:
Delicate, invigorating and rich, the Easter Sunrise Blend for 2016 is our most complex breakfast blend yet. Bittersweet grapefruit, ripe blueberry and sweet malty-chocolate. The aftertaste is profound, with pleasant notes of smoky caramel.
