We had a lovely review from UK coffee blogger Clarkey Cafe. Daniel has been a Barista for around 4 years and a Barista Trainer and Coffee Expert for around 2 years - so he knows his stuff. Have a read below of his review of our Guatemalan coffee bag. We love the food pairing suggestions…
Introduction to the Guatemala Coffee Bag
First things first, lets talk about the coffee bag. Much like it’s leafy cousin, these little bags can be popped into your cup and brewed with hot water. It is a portable, easier to brew, and generally convenient coffee solution. The bags from New Kings Coffee are just that and host Fair Trade, organic ground coffee. This allows you to enjoy, technically speaking, a filter coffee without the mess and fuss!
As for the roast, I shall be exploring the region of Central America and the country of Guatemala. Bordering East of Mexico, the country provides a lovely range of flavours from their crop. It can range from complex and fruity cups to more chocolaty rich, spicey sweet, and even nutty cups. Guatemala offers it’s fair share of character with a plethora of growing regions.
THE TASTING
Before we can sample the fruits of the countries labour, we first must brew a cup. As per the guidelines given, simply pop a coffee bag in your cup, fill with hot water, give it a generous stir, and brew to taste for around 3-5 minutes. Once brewed, squeeze, remove the bag and you are done! You can add milk, sugar, or anything you fancy afterwards. For optimum extraction, an 8oz cup (227ml~) allows for all the flavour to shine through. You can add more water afterwards if need be.
Once you have brewed your cup, it’s time to slurp away! The tasting can be split up into four elements: Aroma, Acidity, Body, and Flavour. The aroma of the medium roast Guatemala is very smooth and enticingly sweet. The country’s fruity essence is apparent here. There is a crisp acidity with tantilising peaks of citrusy spice. This mingles with a smooth cocoa and rich body that carries velvety textures and layers of unfolding character to your taste buds. A wonderful combination. This will be more subtle the bigger the cup you brew, so keep that in mind.
As with any coffee tasting, there is always a good food pairing to go with it. Being a medium roast with underlying cocoa and unfolding sweetness, you have a few choices. Chocolate brownies add to the richness and smoothness of the cup. However, lemon cake can really bring out the sweetness and making the experience overall more brighter.
GREEN THOUGHTS
This would be a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the companies who set a good example. In the case of New Kings Coffee, the entire packaging unit is either fully recyclable or biodegradable. This includes the sustainable corn starch Biowebfor the coffee bags, to mailing the foil sachets back to the Bristol company where they have teamed up with TerraCycle to recycle them. A marvelous example for other companies and society in general to follow! If you want to learn more about TerraCycle, please visit there website.
Not only do they support a green initiative but, they also donate to the Grounds for Health charity with every box bought. Grounds for Health provide screening, treatment, and even training for the care of cervical cancer patients in developing countries. It is these developing countries that most coffee growing takes place. Combined with Fair Trade, it is a excellent combo of green heart care and just admirable to see the human spirit shine through. You can find more information on Grounds for Health here.
VERDICT
Overall, the Guatemala coffee bag by New Kings Coffee is a smooth and citrusy cup. As a medium roast, the cocoa body carries an elevation of flavours that unfolds with every sip. For those who might not like full bodied or intense flavoured coffee, it is a great choice. It is definitely an upgrade from your supermarket instant and made for those who don’t own a French Press or other brewing methods.
For the final verdict, I would like to rate this coffee bag 8 out of 10 beans. It is tasty and convenient solution to your coffee needs that takes you on a journey through Guatemala. The cocoa and sweet flavour can entice many coffee drinkers. It doesn’t have the raw character of a French Press or refined elegance of a Pour-Over but, as a portable, easy answer to coffee you can’t go wrong.
Thank you for reading this brew and review. For more coffee bag reviews, you can find them here. Until next time, keep your cups warm and your hearts warmer!
Shop Our Coffee:
1: https://newkingscoffee.myshopify.com/products/fairtrade-organic-dark-roast
2: https://newkingscoffee.myshopify.com/products/fairtrade-organic-medium-roast
3: https://newkingscoffee.myshopify.com/products/fairtrade-organic-light-roast
4: https://newkingscoffee.myshopify.com/products/fairtrade-organic-decaf-roast