Holderness Coffee Roasters Hunkute | From the veteran coffee couple behind Coffee Culture in Corvallis, Oregon, Holderness launched as its own standalone retail brand just two weeks ago, bringing the line out of the Willamette Valley coffee house and into the regional market. From the Hunkute village in Ethiopia’s Sidama region, which is home to over 2,000 coffee bean farmers, the single-origin beans are fully washed and sun-dried before they are roasted at the wine country locale. In the cup, the coffee is delicate and aromatic, almost in the vein of black tea in body but bold fruit flavors and cheerful acidity confirm the blend is coffee true and true, with a sweet and pristine finish.
Choice Organic Teas Marsala Chai | Seattle’s Choice Organic Teas has bolstered the organic tea movement since 1989 and continues to maintain the title of North America’s top-selling exclusively certified organic tea maker. The teas are even made in a certified organic facility where Green-e Certified, wind-powered renewable energy certificates are purchased to offset all of the facility’s electricity. Give yourself a pat on the back for drinking such a mindful tea when sipping on the Marsala Chai, a blend of Indian-sourced organic Assam black tea and organic cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, clove and black pepper. As advertised, the Chai is rich, spicy and malty, furnishing your insides with a warming and soulful presence.
B. Fuller’s Mortar & Pestle Kava Koko | Tucked behind the Lenin statue in the quirky heart of Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, B. Fuller’s handcrafts artisan tea blends and educates the curious about the marvels of modern apothecary. A short visit to the miniature storefront could elicit a conversation over tea samples about tea’s herbal influence in maintaining phsyical and emotional health, as well as an olfactory sensory analysis of the available blends. The Kava Koko, a house-made herbal concoction, centers around the kava root base, a plant from the South Pacific sporting active nervine agents that aid in relaxation. Just two more ingredients are added to the mixture: organic cacao nibs from nearby Theo Chocolates and peppermint, both for flavor and stimulation. A bold, sweet and soothing, this is a winning cuppa to enjoy after dinner.
DOMA Coffee Roasting Co. Good Coffee | Some of the best business plans start in a garage: Apple, Disney, Hewlett-Packard and DOMA Coffee Roasting in Post Falls, Idaho. Founded on great coffee and environmental stewardship, DOMA uses an eco-friendly roaster that conserves 80 percent natural gas over a traditional coffee roaster among many other preservation practices, including the “clean water makes good coffee” concept behind the organic Good Coffee roast. In a partnership with global clean water advocate Waterkeeper Alliance, proceeds from 12-ounce can of coffee’s sales go straight to keeping local waters clean. The dark roast blend brings depth to the toasty and cocoa qualities, with black cherry and fig flavors to round out the cup’s slightly bitter finish.
