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Old 10-21-2013, 04:55 PM   #1
Mad Dawg
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Barrel-aged......coffee beans?

Yep.

Quote:
A new perk for connoisseurs

Houston coffee roaster introduces barrel-aged beans


By Greg Morago
October 21, 2013

In the increasingly complex world of coffee making, Richard Colt put it very simply: A good cup of coffee starts with a good coffee bean. "You can't fix a bad bean," said co-owner of Java Pura Coffee Roasters.

What coffee roasters such as Houston-based Java Pura are doing these days with the good beans is what's driving the high-end specialty coffee market. And the nifty spin that Java Pura is giving its already rarified Costa Rican beans is something almost entirely unique in the boutique coffee business.

They're aging them in oak. Colt and his partner, co-owner Fielding Cocke, got the idea to mature green coffee beans in used wine barrels for a period of time before they hit the roaster. Cocke, an oenophile, asked his friend Robin Lail of Lail Vineyards of Rutherford, Calif., to provide Java Pura with two French Oak barrels - one used to age Cabernet Sauvignon, the other Sauvignon Blanc - for their initial experiment in barrel-aged beans. The partners weren't sure exactly what qualities the barrels would impart, and whether they'd enhance the beans.

But after several months of experimenting with the volume of beans put in the giant casks and the amount of time the raw beans spent in wood, the partners found a sweet spot. The result is the release of Java Pura Barrel Aged Series, a new line of coffee that the company hopes will jolt the java market. Java Pura, which already sells its roasted whole beans at Central Market, is introducing the limited-edition Barrel Aged Series at Central Market on Monday for $14.99 for a 12-ounce bag. It's also available at the business headquarters at 5250 Gulfton, No. 4G.

While barrel-aged coffee beans may sound strange to some, it makes perfect sense to wine aficionados and coffee enthusiasts. After all, good coffee and good wine are the result of skilled and knowing labor, influenced by climate and terroir, handcrafted to bring out the best flavors and aroma.

"What's great is that it doesn't overpower the coffee at all - just nuanced by a little oak and perhaps a little wine," Cocke said. "We know there will be people who will love it. It's got the mouth feel, body and oak notes. It's a wonderful sensory experience."

The partners admit that barrel-aged beans might not be everyone's cup of coffee. In fact, they were prepared not to like it themselves. But they were impressed with their initial results.

"The oak notes in the mouth and the pungent high notes of sauvignon blanc aroma were amazing," Cocke said. "The red was a different experience altogether. There was a deep richness in the mouth and subtle notes on the nose."

Peter Giuliano, a spokesperson for the Specialty Coffee Association of America, said he knows of only one other coffee business experimenting with barrels (Dark Matter, a Chicago roaster working with bourbon barrels).

"It's very unusual so I'm not sure you could call it a trend," said Giuliano, director of the association's annual symposium trade show and conference. "I guess what is a trend is roasters getting more involved with their coffee and doing things to try to increase the sensory value of the coffee."

Giuliano said the association promotes coffee excellence, especially the artisan aspects of coffee roasting such as Java Pura's efforts. "Coffee people are creative people," he said. "It's culinary exploration."

With its new products, Java Pura is adding another layer of craftsmanship to the already heady art and science of coffee roasting. And the company plans to experiment with other casks to flavor coffee, including a beer barrel from Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Other casks - sherry, port, cognac, bourbon - might also find their way into Java Pura's headquarters.

"This is in the embryonic stage of this type of product," Cocke said. "The possibilities are endless."

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My first reaction was , but after a little consideration, they might be able to achieve something good, say, with sherry or cognac barrels. Now, I'm not a huge fan of Costa Rican beans to begin with, and I damn sure ain't paying 15 bucks for a 12oz bag of their roast, but it's interesting in an abstract way...
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