6 June 2011

Bocamonte Medium Ground Coffee [@bocamonte] [By @Cinabar]


I buy a fair amount of coffee, and its packaging has until now ranged from paper/plastic bags through to glass jars and metal tins, but I have never seen coffee packaged this beautifully before. It’s quite a statement, but this coffee’s packaging isn’t simply something just to hold coffee, this is luxury at its best.


Before even brewing this coffee it is clear that Bocamonte takes its coffee very seriously. Inside the fabulous looking box are glass vials each filled with fresh coffee and sealed. There is also an additional strange sachet inside the coffee which isn’t intended for consumption, it contains an oxygen absorbent pouch to keep the coffee fresh. I make my coffee in a large cafetiere, and poured two vials into it. The sachet stayed firm in the vial, but there is a note in the packaging saying that if it does fall into boiling water accidentally that it does not interact with the coffee and can just be removed.
I added water that was just short of boiling to the cafetiere, stirred and waited a good four minutes before taking the plunge. The coffee was a very dark caramel in colour, and looked rich and inviting.
The flavour had lots of definition, and the Costa Rican beans shone through. The taste was milder overall than I was expecting, but still very aromatic. I was pleased that the flavour was so smooth, as there was no edge of bitterness like some coffees have, the whole cup was just easy drinking.
This coffee is perfect Sunday afternoon coffee, flavoursome but smooth. It gives you that last bit of luxury before the end of the weekend too. My dad was over when I was trying it. He is fussy about his coffee, and has before now had coffee so bad in a restaurant that he got up and tried to explain to the staff how they were using their machine incorrectly... yes I was there, and yes it was an “embarrassing dad” moment. He had a point though, he ordered an espresso and received what looked like a shot of rather watery Americano. I’ve been to the restaurant next door with my brother who has ordered an espresso and ended up with milky coffee (!) Italy this is not!
Anyway as I was making the drink, my dad was busy reading all the literature and ensuring I was making it correctly. Thankfully when we were finished he confirmed that he had really enjoyed the coffee, agreeing that it was mild but still flavoursome and enjoyable. This was my brother thoughts too when her tried it.
However something strange happened while I was drinking this coffee the last time, Spectre asked to try it too. He is a known coffee hater, and I don’t think I can remember him choosing to drink any coffee in the last ten years. I let him have a sip from my mug, I had no intention of pouring him a cup and wasting this precious drink on an infidel – lol. He tasted the coffee, and seemed to really like it. He asked if he could have his own mug. I froze for a moment, I was genuinely shocked, he is not a coffee drinker and this was unknown territory. I eventually conceded and poured him a mug, in order to not look like a selfish cow, despite not actually wanting to share! He loved the coffee and easily finished his mug and had a top up too. He said it tasted smooth, mild but somehow real. It was how he thought coffee should be and not like the rubbish stuff I usually drink. He also asked me to make sure I make enough for him next time I brew up. I am totally gobsmacked by this result, I have put up with years and years of Spectre telling me coffee is essentially tar in a mug and now he actively wants to drink the stuff. What can I say, this is coffee is so good it can convert non coffee drinkers - wow.
By Cinabar
Linky to their website: http://www.bocamonte.cr/store/catalog/index.php

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I'm with Spectre! I recently ran across Bocamonte for the first time; a friend received it from CR as a gift. I have never been a coffee drinker, but the box looked so enticing I tried a sip: it was milder than other coffees I have tried but it tasted, well, more like coffee should. I wouldn't mind a second try... don;t know if it's going to happen, though.