March 12, 2016 2 min read

Easter Sunrise Blend Coffee

 

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:

 

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!
 

Easter Sunrise Blend Roasted Coffee

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:

Sun risings over the ocean   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.