Thursday 5 February 2009

The Ferrari of Coffee from The Coffee Bean Shop, Only Slower


I was really excited about the prospect of a coffee sample from The Coffee Bean Shop. I've recently reacquainted myself with good coffee - and they do sell good coffee, really good coffee that meets all my Fairtrade standards too. I bought myself a little stove-top espresso maker for Christmas and have been investigating different brands of Espresso since.

So when I saw my little package of coffee in the mail box, I eagerly ripped open the package. The aroma that seeped through the little brown paper package was mouthwatering. I scanned the label and noticed that I'd have to dust off a cafetiere - no problem. Then my heart sank.

It was like being given a Ferrari only to be told it had been fitted with a speed limiter set at 30mph: DECAFFEINATED.

Still, a review is a review, so three jugs later I can report that everything about this coffee oozes quality: the aroma, the flavour and the description on the website. But as Mrs C and I took mouthful after mouthful of the excellent quality brew we both shared the same expression that said:

"It's nice, really nice...it's just that, well....there's something missing."

No matter how good the Swiss Water Decaffeination process you can't get away from the fact that the caffeine pretty much makes the coffee.

So back to my little Bialetta Brika stove top espresso pot for me. But I think I might be tempted to see what the full power version of Coffee Bean Shop coffee is like - it promises to be pretty damn good.

9 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Good heavens! You learn something every day. I had no idea that Oldham people had even heard of coffee! I thought you still consumed gallons of porter, gin and small beer! Next you wll be claiming that some of you have investigated potatoes! The mind boggles.

Anonymous said...

Oi, Mr Yorkie Pud, we invented the chip you know!!

Mr C would you have felt the same if you hadn't noticed it was decaf before you sampled it I wonder!

I demand a blind taste test!

Crofty said...

Yes, well done Lisa, for pointing out the origin of the chip, though far be it from me to point out that there is a school of thought that puts the first chippy in Mossley - which is in Tameside.

Still, I'm not one for splitting hairs - blind taste test indeed.

Anonymous said...

The first chippy may have been in Tameside, but the first chip was fried on Tommyfield market, OLDHAM!!

;-P

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Chip on the shoulder for being Lancs?

Crofty said...

Oh, very good YP!

Anonymous said...

Oh and as for "splitting hairs" you need some to be able to do that. . . . .

tee hee. . . . go on you've missed me haven't you?!

Anonymous said...

oh dear you've started her off, she was on the roof all noght howling in the direction of Mossley, we had to get her down with a broom and the promise of an oven bottom chip muffin.

YP - we got all sophisticated when we nicked Saddleworth off of your lot lol.

anytime you want it back tho.... we're getting all lah di dah in Oldham nowadays because of their influence with these new fangled indoor lavvies and not keeping coal in't bath anymore. pah.

70steen said...

Love the 30mph Ferrari comparison... so glad I got the full fat, full caffeine hit coffee... I could spare a spoon or three if you fancy a 'hit' :-)