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.
