Visit Single Serve Coffee for the latest news on coffee pods, K-Cups, T-Discs, Keurig, Senseo, and more.
SingleServeCoffee.com Forums Single Serve Coffee is dedicated to single serve & one cup coffee machines, coffee pods, K-Cups, & accessories. Please visit http://www.singleservecoffee.com for all the latest single serve coffee news.
Posted: Mon Jul 16, 2007 12:37 pm Post subject: BigJack's K-cup hits and misses
Smash Hits
Van Houtte Eclipse- Yum! Dark and smooth and all you can handle. Sampling this coffee at my brother's house is the reason I bought a Keurig machine in the first place. Not for the faint of heart.
Coffee People Jet Fuel- CP's Eclipse clone. Great coffee. The contents of this k-cup also make a lovely shot of espresso when dumped into my Aeropress.
Green Mountain Kenyan AA- Medium roasted goodness, bold and intriguing. This is now my go-to K-cup when I need a hot, black cup of go-juice.
Green Mountain Dark Magic EB- To be honest, I prefer Eclipse and Jet Fuel. But this is pretty darn good and I'm a fan of GM's commitment to social responsibility- and their willingness to answer e-mails from annoying do-gooders like me seeking clarification on some issues involving coffee ethics.
Green Mountain Espresso Blend EB- This is a very nice espresso blend which hits the sweet and syrupy joy of a darker roast without tasting even remotely burnt.
Caribou Sumatra- Conventional wisdom says that dark roasting accentuates the flavors of Sumatran coffees- but many companies, including the big boys from Seattle, tend to over do it. Not Caribou! This manges to retain some of the distinctive undertones of the origin even while playing up the sweet and syrupy mojo dark roasting brings into play. Simply awesome.
Timothy's WiWilli- a wonderfully balanced coffee. It makes a fascinating glass of iced coffee. Plus it is fair trade, so you know the farmers got paid.
Green Mountain Caramel Vanilla Creme- I'm not huge on flavored coffee, but this is good stuff. If it were a tad stronger (or if I had a B60 and could drop 5oz cups) this could get addictive.
Green Mountain Fair Trade Autumn Harvest There are two ways to get achieve a balance. One is to start off dead center and stay there. The other is to hold two extremes into tension. Medium roast blends follow the first path, but this coffee aims for balance by mixing light roast and dark roast into a delicious blend which hits all the highlights along the roast spectrum without over-emphasizing any. Absolutely delicious black, it is also lovely w/ a splash or cream and a dash of sweetener. Just don't go overboard- the delicate nuances of this coffee can be overwhelmed quickly- especially for those of us w/ B40s who lack the small mug option.
Green Mountain Rain Forest Nut- Fair Trade This is the third offering in the GM flavor sampler box- which includes the Hazelnut and the French Vanilla. It is the only one of the three which actually bothers to cover new ground. I love Brazil nuts, and having that flavor in here with a hint of vanilla and caramel is a brilliant idea and it really does come across with that "buttery" sensation promised in GM's description. Well done!
Caribou Columbia Timana This is a very mild cup of coffee- but don't mistake "mild" for "tasteless." It is sweet, balanced, and easy drinking. I won't reach for this when I really need to treat myself to an indulgent coffee break, but when I'm occupied with reading, research, and sermon writing, this k-cup makes for a welcome companion.
Newman's Own's Special Blend EB Like GM's Autumn Blend, Newman's Own is not exactly a true "medium roast," but a blending of beans roasted to various degrees. This give a wonderful blend of earthy, fruity, and smoky flavors that balance one-another nicely. Plus, it is Fair Trade and Organic, so this is coffee with a conscience. Great stuff.
Van Houtte Kenyan Kilimandjaro This coffee knocked me out w/ its rich character- darkly roasted yet uniquely African- earthy and floral. I just found out it also comes in an extra bold version. You can bet I'll be checking that out!
Van Houtte French Vanilla Pure and simple, this k-cup gives you vanilla-flavored coffee, not a coffee-flavored vanilla drink. In my opinion, that's how it should be.
Diedrich Paradiso House At the first sip, this seems very, very similar to their French Roast- but as the taste lingers on my tongue, it softens and leaves a very sweet and pleasant finish.
Gloria Jean's Special Blend Very nice blend here with some hints of dark-roasting in an otherwise mellow mix.
Tully's Madison Blend I've had this before and don't remember caring for it. Perhaps I'm just in the mood, but I'm churning through a box of this pretty darn quick these days. It's just smooth and balanced and doesn't need a drop of cream or splenda.
Coffee People Donut Shop Last year, when I got away from the single serve scene, I started buying my coffee out in the morning. Those stops at Duncan Donuts soon lead to dark places and a steamy affair with all things fried and glazed. As I am diabetic and DD's Apple Fritter is, well, an apple fritter, we were star-crossed lovers. Fortunately, Coffee People sells a k-cup to sooth the heartache while I munch on Atkins bars during the morning commute. But Apple Fritter, just know... my heart, kidneys, and small blood vessels ache for you. Literally.
Green Mountain Sumatran Reserve EB- I originally had this as a b-side because brewed to the 8oz size in my B40, it seemed over-roasted. However, when brewed to 4oz in my new B70, I really dig this k-cup. I'm going to have to pick up some Caribou Sumatra again and do an a-b on the 4 and 6oz settings to see who wins in the end, but at the very least, I now see this coffee as a legit contender.
GM Donut Shop Chocolate Glazed Donut - Flavored coffees and I have a rocky past, but this little gem is a winner. Brewed at 8oz with some half-and-half and splenda is a nice mid-morning change of pace. Brewed at 4 ounces and matched with steamed and frothed milk and splenda and you've got a lovely little faux-latte that will save you a trip to the mermaid.
***Added 6/3/2010***Cafe Escapes Dark Chocolate Cocoa Rich, chocolaty, and velvety smooth, this is the best instant cocoa I've ever tried. On the downside, seven grams of sugar from both sucrose and glucose is a big hit for us diabetics and the ingredient list reads like a science experiment.
B-sides
Green Mountain Wild Mountain Blueberry- I loved the first three cups of this. Then the next couple were pretty good. And then I just didn't want any more. I might pick up a 5-pack once a year or so, but a box of this is more than I can handle- too much of a good thing.
Gloria Jean's Pumpkin Spice- Every fall the Mrs. wants pumpkin coffee. Just like the GM blueberry, the first few cups are heavenly. And just like the blueberry, it gets very old very fast.
Green Mountain 10%Kona Blend- just not enough Kona flavor for me. I'd rather pay more for a bigger Kona experience or skip it all together.
Green Mountain Columbian Supremo- If this came as an extra bold, I would move this to the hits list. The flavor is great- I just want more of it!
Green Mountain Hazelnut- The aroma of this k-cup while brewing is amazing. Straight-up black, this coffee retains most of that aroma, but the hazelnut flavor is lost. W/ a packet of sweetener, the hazelnut steps into the spotlight and shines. Add any dairy, however, and the party is over- there just isn't enough mojo here to stand up to large-scale additions. Then again, skipping the cream saves a few calories anyway.
Green Mountain French Vanilla Lately, I've been getting into more and more flavored coffees. This one is well balanced with a vanilla aroma sure to make so smile. This k-cup does not overwhelm the senses with an onslaught of vanilla flavor, but taken black or with just a single packet of sweetener, it makes for a very pleasant mid-morning pick-me-up. All in all, a nice effort- but there are better vanilla coffees out there.
Caribou Daybreak Morning Blend We often serve this coffee at church and when brewed strong enough, it is pretty good. As a K-cup, however, it's on the bland side. Still, as mundane as it is, it would be a step up for the "big can" coffee drinker in your life. For that reason, it avoids the Flops list.
Tully's Kona Blend This was better than GM's Kona blend. It is tasty: but like all Kona blends, the essence of the Kona coffee is just lost in all of this.
Diedrich French Roast This is a pretty good effort. There is a very pleasant smokiness and a nice, sweet character to this coffee. However, it was a bit thin for my liking.
Diedrich Sumatra I'll give them credit for not over-roasting this. In theory, that should allow the nuances of the origin to shine through. Unfortunately, this came off as, well, generic. I'm not a skilled enough taster to tell you what is missing in the profile of this coffee- I just know that other Sumatran offerings bring something to the table that this k-cup just doesn't.
Diedrich Columbian Meh.
Green Mountain Island Coconut This is a very nice flavored coffee- but like all flavors, I got bored after four cups.
Green Mountain Spring Revival I applaud GM's support of rebuilding Rwanda through coffee. And while I find this blend pleasant and drinkable, it is one of the least intriguing coffees from Rwanda I've ever had. I'm not sure what percentage of this blend actually comes from Rwanda or what varietal the co-op in question is growing, but I only detect a hint of the floral notes I would expect in a light or medium-roasted African bean. (I've had a few cups of Rwandan which make Kenya AA seem tame by comparison- rivaling Ethiopian beans for funky fun.) Professional reviewer and one of my heros Ken Davids disagrees with me and gave this blend a 90. I'd give it an 80- pretty good, but not great.
Flops
Tully's French Roast- I know people around here love this coffee, but it was like mixing Folger's French Roast with dish soap. I'd like to think I just had a K-cup from an errant batch, but I've tried it three times w/ samples procured from two different places.
Timothy's German Chocolate Cake- The flavors just don't seem to pull together for me. The wife liked it.
Timothy's Spanish Sol I had high hopes for this one- especially when I found three samples in my Coffee Whiz shipment along w/ the whole box I had ordered. The aroma is wonderful, but there is a strong presence I can only describe as bitter anise in the cup. Cream and sweetener only made that flavor more prominent. (I shudder to think what might happen if I used Stevia, which has a licorice-like after-taste, as a sweetener.) I like anise cookies with my coffee, but I don't like that flavor in my coffee. I hope someone out there does 'cause it's going on Kupster ASAP.[/u] _________________ K-cup reviews Pod reviews
Last edited by BigJack on Thu Jun 03, 2010 3:34 pm; edited 39 times in total
Joined: 13 Oct 2005 Posts: 3644 Location: ND, USA...help!
Posted: Wed Jul 18, 2007 4:27 am Post subject:
Yea...I think that German Chocolate should be buried in the backyard!
YUCK!
I can see by your review you live on the DARK SIDE.... _________________ Pete (Jolly) -
Forum Moderator
____________
Keurig: B130 ~ (2) B-50's ~ (1) B-60 SE
Cuisinart SS-1
2-Handpresso Wild/Handpresso DomePod (Portable Espresso)
1-Fresh Roast Plus 8 Coffee Roaster
GSI JavaDrip
Bodum French Press
He's one of those weirdos who like both dark and light coffee
Guilty as charged! I'm an odd duck. The coffee issue is only the tip of the iceberg so far as my weirdness is concerned. _________________ K-cup reviews Pod reviews
Ah, well, hang around here awhile, we'll have ya diagnosed in no time! _________________ Cafe My Bunn! ~~ Keurig B40 ~~ KitchenAid Compact 4-Cup Coffeemaker ~~ Keurig B30
I'm just like your wife in that every fall I MUST have some pumpkin spice coffee. First couple of cups are ECSTASY. Then it gets old. I never finish half of what I buy. Last fall was different, though: the Gloria Jeans at my local mall sells k-cups by the each. I bought 2.
Before single serve, my poor husband had to suffer-- because no matter how vigorously we cleaned the grinder, the next few pots would always be tainted with pumpkin/nutmeg/clove/cinnamon. _________________ current line-up:
the almighty Opod
My Little Red Senseo
Keurig B-50
Starbucks Quattro +blade grinder
just fyi - forum member kupokoffee - sells several k-cups by the each too @ their e-bay store - nice way to try new ones without having to but a whole box http://www.bethebarista.com
Last edited by wgm on Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:49 pm; edited 1 time in total
just fyi - forum member kupokoffee - sells several k-cups by the each too @ their e-bay store - nice way to try new ones without having to but a whole box http://www.bethebarista.com
He now has a regular website -- www.onekup.com. I just posted a "rave" about his customer service over on the etailers board.
I'm loving these reviews. Very helpful for a newbie to decide what to try.
Is there a printable list available somewhere of ALL of the various K-cups that are currently available? I'd love to have something where I could highlight the ones I want to buy again, cross out the ones I never want to see in my house again, and keep track of what I still haven't tried. (Some kind of fancy spreadsheet would be even better, but since I don't have the patience to put one together, just a list where I can scratch notes and use a highlighter would do the trick!)
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 4:31 pm Post subject: Wouldn't you know it....
Great list, but you missed one of my current favorites: Timothy's Columbian Dorado. It was out of stock at some resellers for a while and is now back to more availability. I had been rationing it and just ordered more. I prefer it to the Timothy's Columbian LeVerde and it is one of my two daytime cups along with Timothy's Kona Blend.
While I have always been on the dark side (darker the better), my K-Cups have led me to a growing appreciation for more medium roasts and sampling the nuances of single origin coffees.
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
