Coffee For Less Blog

Have you ever had someone take a sip of your freshly brewed coffee just to spit it out while uttering “That tastes just like Jet Fuel!”? No? Okay, well my early experiences using an old school coffee pot and about two tons more ground coffee than necessary went something like that. Until now I had always considered it a coffee put-down but after tasting Coffee People Jet Fuel, maybe I had it all wrong. Clearly my coffee had its faults but if it ever tasted half as good as this catchy sounding blend I would have been pretty satisfied with myself.

Okay, right off the bat – the packaging had me curious. With a name like Jet Fuel you know it’s got to be dark and strong and even the funky packaging is a selling point for me. I love the retro looking jet and even the color combo on the k-cup package itself. With the phrase, “Attention ground control.  This full-bodied XX bold coffee packs a punch,” you know you are in for something a bit out of the ordinary.

I don’t know exactly what I was anticipating the first time I tentatively tried this blend but I know where my mind went immediately after the first sip, “wow that is one good cup of coffee.” Sometimes I feel like a very detailed or more complex blend but when I want a simple, very dark and super bold flavor, Jet Fuel fits the bill perfectly.

The way I see it, this isn’t necessarily the type of coffee you would fire up in the Keurig for a group of people who you are entertaining. It’s more like the go-to blend in your secret stash of will-this-work-day-ever- end coffee.

If you are someone who enjoys a dark cup of coffee with a bit of cream or milk to lighten up the taste, Jet Fuel lends itself well to a creamer but as far as adding sweetener, I feel like it takes something away from the already naturally sweet taste. The overall flavor is a mix of chocolate and citrus flavor that is perfectly balanced and not too complex. And the caffeine…oh boy the caffeine! If you are not tolerant of buzz producing blends, this is probably not your cup of joe. Me on the other hand…total caffeine addict and without this awesome Coffee People blend, my head would probably be banging on the desk my 3:30 each and every afternoon.

Timothy’s has been a leading name in coffee for over 40 years and once you try the Nicaraguan blend you will understand exactly why that is. This smooth medium blend single serve coffee flavor is full bodied with a naturally wonderful taste. It’s sometimes hard to put into words why I love certain blends far more than others so here are some of the elements broken down that in my opinion makes Timothy’s coffee some of the best beans in the business.

Arabica Beans: So before I really started developing any sort of taste for coffee what-so-ever I honestly didn’t get what all the fuss surrounding Arabica beans was about. If you are still not convinced that Arabica beans are the best thing to ever be brewed into a cup it’s definitely worth trying it out for yourself Arabica beans are known for their high quality and rich flavor and for me they are never a disappointment.

Organic: The word “organic” has become somewhat of a buzz word these last few years but the way I look at it is this, if I am given the option of choosing something that has been grown with tons of chemicals that are not only unhealthy for my body but the planet as well or a coffee completely naturally grown, it’s a no-brainer. I’m never quite sure if it’s just because I feel better about my organic selection but I always think organic blends even taste better. In this I am not alone however, I have had many of my coffee loving friends sing the same praises of organic coffee blends.

Fair Trade: Along the same lines of enjoying a cup of coffee that is fair to the earth, fair trade coffee also assures that those who painstakingly tend to each coffee plant are also taken care of too. This social movement has fortunately caught hold in the coffee world as well as many other plant producing industries. Aside from making sure that the working conditions for farmers are up to par, fair trade practices also take care to make sure that these farmers are fully compensated while promoting the economy.

I know I say this about a lot of different coffee blends, but when can I say? Perhaps I’m just fickle or completely in love with coffee. Whoever said you have to pick just one? Next time you feel like trying a new k-cup choose the Nicaraguan blend and you will find another to add to your extra bold and super tasty coffee favorites.

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice Without Breaking Your Diet

Nothing says Autumn like pumpkin pie spices. Cinnamon is the flavor for Fall. Nutmeg is the spice that tastes of Autumn days, and cloves bring to mind the warmth of an Autumn hearth. These spices embody the taste of the season’s traditional desserts, and those traditional desserts make up a lot of the weight gain that happens every Fall. Now you can enjoy the delicious flavors of Fall without nearly the calorie count of these desserts thanks to Green Mountain Seasonal K-Cups.
Green Mountain Fair Trade Organic Autumn Harvest K-Cups make a smoky and delicious cup of coffee. They are composed of a blend of light and dark roast organic coffee beans, giving it the sweetness of light roast coffee and the smoked, earthy taste of dark roast coffee, all blended into a delicious unity. To this diverse coffee flavor, Green Mountain Coffee Autumn Harvest has added cinnamon and nutmeg to give this smooth blended coffee the spicy flavor of Autumn. This coffee has full flavor and excellent quality thanks to the standards to which Green Mountain Coffee holds its organic coffee lines. In my opinion, this is a September-October coffee thanks to being a smooth transition from the light, bright flavors of Summer to the smooth and spicy flavors of Fall.
Now, as the days start getting colder and shorter, I want something with more punch. I want a steady, full flavor that has some kick to help me get moving in the morning and keep my eyes open in the now dark afternoon hours. That is going to be Green Mountain Coffee’s Pumpkin Spice coffee. It has a medium roast brew enhanced with cinnamon and pumpkin. Green Mountain Coffee Pumpkin Spice K-Cups are available for my K-Cup single cup coffee machine, so I can enjoy this luscious coffee whenever I want it, never having to commit to an entire pot of flavored coffee. This one is really good on ice with some half and half or vanilla flavored creamer. Talk about dessert!
These two tasty coffees are only available seasonally, and the K-Cups are a limited time offer. I would move quickly if you like these flavors because they are not going to last.

Caribou Coffee is the second largest distributer of gourmet coffee behind Starbucks, which has sat comfortably in the number one spot for quite some time. I love Caribou Coffee and truth be told, I really love the endearing story behind the company’s creation.

The story goes that in 1990 two newlyweds (John and Kim Puckett) were on a trip in Alaska’s Denali National Park when they had this vision for a coffee company that they would build together. Only two years later, the couple had saved enough money to open their first coffee shop in Minneapolis and while the company wavered, the couple had a happy ending when they were able to make a sizeable profit selling their controlling interest in the company.

Today there are over 400 stores and in 2005 it became a publically traded company with its headquarters in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota.

If I had to choose one favorite from Caribou, I would have to go with the signature Caribou blend. It was my first introduction to the company since, as a general rule, I like to start with the signature or what the company is best known for and in this case, I was not disappointed.

One of the first things I noticed on the packaging was a seal that said “Rainforest Alliance Certified.” If you are not familiar with this term, it’s a non-governmental organization whose goal is to protect biodiversity and ensure livelihood through fair and proper farming practices. This is one worthy cause and for a company to adhere to the strict ethical practices required for certification; I praise and admire the commitment.

The aroma produced during the brewing process was the next note worthy attribute that caught my attention. It’s rich and spicy fragrance carries over perfectly into its overall smoothness and finish. The Caribou Blend is a slightly darker medium roast coffee with a pleasantly earthy, woodsy type flavor to it. The natural spice mixed with hints of fresh berries, results in a pleasant and smooth after taste and rich body.

Caribou Blend gains even more points with me for the fact that its available in a single serve K-Cup. If you have not yet made the transition over to the Keurig craze yet I whole heartedly recommend it. I use mine every day and continue to be satisfied with the perfect cup of coffee that is brewed in half the time and with little, to no, effort on my part. Just set the K-Cup in the holder, close to top and select the size. It’s rare that things in life are as easy as they sound but making and enjoying a cup of Caribou Blend…well it’s as easy as that.