Blend-off!

Well, look what we have here!

Yes, I went a little crazy ordering blends. I blame PT’s B-Ville House Drip, which despite appearances is almost gone. When I pulled the trigger on it originally, I’d needed a break from light-and-bright single-origins, and man did it ever deliver. Now I find myself going through a blend phase (these things seem to be cyclical). Time for a blend-off to see if any of the three somewhat arbitrarily chosen newbies—all roasted 4/20/12— can beat my memory of the reigning champion in terms of cup quality!


First, the competitors:

PT’s B-Ville House Drip – “Our direct trade House Blend combines Central and South American coffees to create the perfect blend for drinking all day long. It is an incredibly smooth coffee that has great balance with notes of sweet milk chocolate. The cup has a nice depth and complexity that rounds out with a brown sugar sweetness.”

PT’s John Brown Blend – “Our surly, activist blend: a serious, polished coffee with a bold heart, rich character and spicy notes resembling sweet pipe tobacco and dark chocolate.”

Paradise Blend – “Paradise Blend coffee is our house blend, designed to be enjoyed by all. Brought to a Full-City roast, this coffee is medium-bodied, bright, and balanced. Its hints of roasted nuts, cocoa, coffee fruit, and sweet spices will delight a broad range of tastes.”

Joe Bean Blend – “Caramel, warm, toasted nut, chocolate, orange zest.”


As for the competition format, I think I’ll use the Aeropress + DISK Fine and try the last three in a single day (probably 4/25). Or would the Clever be better? Not sure it matters. I’ll crack the bag on each immediately prior to grinding so there won’t be any sort of freshness factor in play.


Which worthy non-espresso blends did I leave out? We could always arrange a blend-off 2.0...