Review 10: Starbucks Medium Colombia

Source: Starbucks 'Medium'
Date: 11 May 2014
Country: Colombia
Beans: Arabica
Preparation: Cafetiere

Nose of grounds: Rich, nutty, even
Colour of brew: Deep, dark brown
Nose of brew: Earthy/leaves, but pretty faint
Early flavours: Light, nutty
Finish: Short, punchy finish

Tasting notes:

While people have been divided sharply into camps with many decrying Starbucks' methods of expansion and sourcing of coffee, as well as their tax-avoidance methods, I've always been a happy Starbucks customer if only because I like the taste of their coffee. I could, and probably will, write plenty of articles on their various different coffees but for today I'm focussing on the pack I bought on a whim a while ago.

The grounds (from a freshly opened pack) had a wonderful balanced aroma to them and promised much in terms of flavour and depth. The main note picked out was nut, but not so that the coffee itself was lost.

On brewing, however, much of this was lost. I brewed about 11g of coffee in the standard small cafetiere pictured, and left it for four minutes after stirring. I was a little disappointed with how weak the flavours were in the final brew - which certainly looked strong enough. There were fairly subtle hints of earthiness on the nose; almost forest aromas, which translated into even fainter flavours. The coffee develops on the palate a little, but then fades away rather quickly.

I will almost certainly have to make up this brew again with less water or more grounds, but on the whole this wasn't what I would call 'medium'. However, that's not to say that it was bad at all - as promised on the pack, the flavours are balanced and the coffee is really drinkable. This would be a great breakfast coffee for the weekend.

Coffee maker's notes:
Growing on some of the highest coffee farms in the majestic Andes mountain range gives this coffee remarkable balance. It's medium-bodied and rich with juicy undertones and a crisp, nutty finish.