A couple years ago, I had the unusual pleasure of being able to actually review coffee for JFH. See, while the website runs on electricity and servers and all that good, techy stuff, I run differently. Like a sign you’d probably find on a shelf in Hobby Lobby might say – I run on Coffee and Jesus. 😉
I recently had the opportunity to sample some seasonal offerings from a Pennsylvania-based coffee company called Fresh Roasted Coffee. Sure, the name’s a bit on the nose, but who cares if the coffee’s fresh and delicious, right?
For Easter, FRC is promoting three limited edition spring flavors: Saturday Morning Cereal, Banana Cream, and Vanilla Horchata. We were sent all three flavors to sample, and I couldn’t wait to try them.
If you know me at all, Saturday Morning Cereal is naturally what I went for first. I’m a ground/drip coffee drinker. I’ve tried the whole beans to grind myself, and I’ve tried French press. But when your time is limited and you want something easy, drip is great – and just fine. (If you’re a little more of a coffee snob, don’t worry – you can get these coffees in whole bean form, too. No judging here… just don’t judge my drip preference either. 😉 )
I love Fruity Pebbles. It’s one of my favorite breakfast cereals. And Froot Loops are another favorite, but I’ve found they can be pretty inconsistent in flavor. (I’ve found Froot Loops with Marshmallows is more consistent and, honestly, scratches that nostalgic flavor itch I’ve been chasing since having the Ghostbusters cereal in the 80’s. ha!)
I like my coffee strong – I drink it black, and I tend to scoop in extra grounds to make sure the flavor is bold. I left my days of milk-and-sugar behind many years ago, so the challenge has always been to try to find a coffee flavor that is just plain delicious without needing to add a thing. (I’m still on the hunt for a really good decaf flavor for evening brews if anyone has a good suggestion!) I’m excited to say that all three of these flavors deliver in that department. The flavor is bold and rich. It’s exactly what I look for in a coffee.
Now, I typically drink a medium-bold standard coffee every morning (and sometimes again a bit later in the day). But I like a nice, rich, nutty, smoky flavor — something that’s bold and tasty without being bitter or tasting like pure, unfiltered gasoline. It’s not just about caffeine; it’s comfort in a cup.
So, for me, I usually do 3 scoops of grounds for 12 oz of coffee (2.5 scoops for 10, 4 scoops for 16). We have a Ninja hybrid coffee maker – which also does hot water – and we’ve been very happy with it.
Saturday Morning Cereal is fantastic. It tastes like liquid Fruity Pebbles – in the best way possible – with a coffee edge. If you’re hoping your flavored coffee tastes more like coffee than flavor (like some tend to), these are not that for sure. It’s a truly bold flavor. Heck, today, in a sleepy state, I accidentally only did 3 scoops for 16 oz and it was still positively delicious. The fact this flavor is limited time only, though, may be criminal.
Next, I tried the Vanilla Horchata. This one reminded me more of a vanilla-caramel kind of coffee flavor – with a dash of cinnamon mixed in. Sort of a chai flavor. I expected it to be as good as it smells – and it is good – but it might be a little too similar to other coffees I’ve tasted before to truly stand on its own. Either that — or it just isn’t quite my cup of tea… err… coffee. It made me want to return to the uniqueness – and pure fun – of the Cereal flavor.
Now, as a guy who generally does not enjoy bananas or anything that tastes like them, I kept putting off trying Banana Cream. I kept going back to the Saturday Morning Cereal and Horchata before trying Banana Cream.
My first sip was unfavorable. I even contemplated abandoning it altogether. But I pressed on. After a few more sips… I found I didn’t just tolerate it — I genuinely liked it! And as I type this to you now, I’m enjoying another hearty cup of Banana Cream coffee. It’s delicious. The banana flavor is strong – so if you want that, it has it – so I can’t figure out exactly why I love it. It’s also got a really nice smoky flavor (and an almost syrup flavor too, but not really?). It has a decent aftertaste, although very banana-y, and a solid coffee flavor.
Now, I also have to say that the flavors do linger on the palate a bit – maybe the Horchata more than the others (I feel like there was one day I had it earlier in the day, and kind of still tasted it a little on my palate after dinner hours later. ha!) The aromas of these coffees also linger – in a good way. My 15-year-old is not a coffee drinker, and he gets excited when I brew these. I mean… if my kitchen smells like any of these flavors all day, I’m good with that. Like, as I type this, the aroma of the Banana Cream is soothing.
Bottom line? These three flavors are a win. If I had to rank them, I’d say Saturday Morning Cereal is my favorite, then Banana Cream (which still surprises me), and then Vanilla Horchata.
I’m grateful to have discovered Fresh Roasted Coffee — and they’re officially on my radar going forward. Check out these flavors and all they have to offer at freshroastedcoffee.com!
