Those of you who know me know that if I am making coffee at home, I can be picky about it. As a matter of fact, it is the rare day that I brew coffee I did not roast myself. I like my coffee just so, and I know how to make it that way from roast to brew. When things are a little slow on the roasting front, however, I will give other coffees a shot.
Recently a friend from Ohio called me to say she was just leaving her favorite farmer’s market and had picked up some coffee from her favorite roaster, Flying Rhino. In fact, she mentioned ManhattanRoasts to the owner, who insisted she take another bag of coffee to send to me. A few days later I had a fresh batch of Flying Rhino’s “Rockin’ Rhino Blend” and another of their “Jungle Jive Espresso.”
The first thing I noticed when I opened the Rockin’ Rhino was how dark it was. I have been so oversaturated with dark, burnt beans in my life, which have lost all their sugar and instead are just a bitter mess, that I am very biased towards a medium to lighter roast. Furthermore, I am always a little suspect of blends (Rockin’ Rhino is a blend from three different regions), usually preferring a single origin for a much more straightforward taste. Still though, I ground my usually amount, tossed it in the french press and brewed up a batch. What I found was surprisingly delightful.
Flying Rhino did a great job roasting this coffee. It is dark, but just taken to the point that the sugars are at their highest, and the bitterness is not yet revealed. But because of the roast profile, rather than a brightness, this coffee has a deep smokey flavor that penetrates all the way through to your sinuses. The company’s description of Rockin’ Rhino as “deep, rich, [and] velvety” is spot on. This truly is a coffee that makes you want to sit back, stare out the window, and wonder when you will get to have your next cup of delicious coffee. The only thing odd about this coffee is the name. It certainly does not make me feel like Rockin’ out like a brighter coffee might, I think “Mysterio Rhino” would be my choice moniker for this deep roast.
Thanks to Emilie and to Flying Rhino for helping me get ahold of this coffee. You can find Flying Rhino online at flyingrhinocoffee.com where you can read about their coffee or contact them to place an order.
