Ethiopian Harrar Roasted by Kustom Coffee

I'm not usually a fan of dark roasts. I feel the beans' natural flavors get masked which will in turn rob me of joy. Not cool.

But this Harrar is different, or at least the way that Arka over at Kustom Coffee has roasted it. What I'm about to share are my notes on the coffee. Just a collection of feelings. Almost like a memory of a past event.

Smelling the coffee pre grind and even post grind, my nose is instantly working hard. Some crazy things are going on. I can't yet pinpoint it but my interest is piqued.

Steeping seems to take hours as the intriguing aroma has my senses firing overtime. This coffee is going to be interesting to say the least.

The coffee is finally poured into my cup.

As I bring the cup in close for a smell, I get feelings of old, dark wood. Kind of like the hard wood floor in an old cabin. On the surface and to the uninterested, it's old and rough looking. But if you take even a moment to inspect closer and appreciate the craftsmanship, it's warm, inviting and smooth.

I take my first sip.

[This is what my minds eye is seeing.]

Photo by Mackeson

I'm in the Pacific Northwest. Vancouver perhaps. It's early morning and light is starting to penetrate the thick wood. Last nights rain still clings to the leaves and bark of the trees, glistening in the morning sun.

I'm sitting on the porch of my cabin which much like this coffee is old and rough to outsiders but to me, it's a well weathered refuge. I just got done an early mountain bike ride or a run through the trails. Something to get the limbs warmed up. I'm sweaty but not tired.

I realize that as I hold this cup of coffee, watching the steam rise into the crisp cool air and I'm completely relaxed.

This coffee enhances my senses.

The darkness of the trail compliments the moss more than ever before. I can almost hear earthworms moving, as if they have a morning routine of their own. I realize I'm over thinking things and laugh.

This is good livin'.

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I wrote this review for my friend Arka over at Kustom Coffee. See the original post on his blog.