Wolfgang Puck Chef's Reserve Medium Roast

This is the second Wolfgang Puck pod coffee I tried and like the first, it's a pleasurable experience. It's fairly bold for a medium roast, with a good straight up coffee flavor. It's firmly middle of the road as far as it doesn't get too bitter or have that sweetness you get from heavier roasts. Good aroma with enough zing to put a spring in your step without bowling you over. A good decent cup of coffee.

Brewing is very straightforward, single cup insert, with the press and latch. No need to wet it first. Water level 3 single cup button does the trick. (Water level 1 double cup is too weak for this pod.)

It is on the pricey side, but you do get 18 pods in a box and the flavor is well worth it.

Melitta European Indulgence - Classique Supreme

In general I've been fairly pleased with the Melitta European Indulgence coffees. This is the exception. It's a decent cup of coffee, but that's it. Nothing special, just ordinary. It is on the richer side if you brew it on the one cup setting, but overall the flavor is nothing to get excited about. A typical bitter aftertaste, but not displeasing.

The pods are pretty full, and pushes the press n lock method to the max if using the one cup insert. I used a 2 cup insert with a folded coffee filter on top to add some needed pressure. A decent cup is made with the water level 3 on the one cup setting. For those who like it not so strong, the water level 1 with the 2 cup button will work for you. I did that on the days I just wanted more in my cup. 18 pods in a box make it a pretty good buy, but there are more flavors in this line I will buy again before this one.

Reunion Island Sumatra Ketambe Dark

Reunion Island is another premium brand that is a little more pricey than some, but they do have 18 pods in a box.

The Sumatra Ketambe Dark is a heavy brew, with a nice, bitter feel. Doesn't have that sweetness you get from an Italian roast nor that deep roastyness, but it does offer an alternative to the typical dark roast.

It sounds like an oxymoron, but it has a light-heavy taste. Has the feel of a deep dark roast, but the flavor is more "toasty" than "roasty" if that makes any sense at all.

It certainly packs a punch. The pods are packed tight with coffee and I regularly used water level 1 on the 2-cup setting. Water level 3 on the 1 cup setting works well too, especially if you are more of an espresso drinker, but if you're wanting more of a fuller cup the first way works for me. If you're not such a strong coffee drinker the higher 2-cup settings may work for you. During one of my experiments, that I do with every new brand I try, I managed to make a fairly weak cup and the flavor still shone through. So I'd say this is a fairly durable flavor the Reunion Island folk crafted.

I like it, not my fave by any means, but an overall enjoyable off-beat cup. Great for a tastebud reboot if you have grown tired of your standard fare.

I brewed it reliably with the 1-cup insert using the wet, press and latch method. I even skipped the wet a few times, but I feel I'm probably stressing out the Senseo's mechanics when I do that.

Melitta - Love at First Sip

Love at First Sip makes a fairly pleasurable cup of coffee. It's not super bold, but does have a medium-intense flavor. The fresh nutty aroma is pleasant and the flavor, while not overly complex or robust, makes a very decent cup.

So far I've really enjoyed the European Indulgence line by Melitta. I like this one less than the others I've tried in the line, but that is not to say this is not a great cup of coffee. I like things super intense and robust and Love at First Sip takes it down a couple notches.

For someone who prefers a medium roast coffee, Love at First Sip would be a fine introduction to more intense flavors, without pushing them over the edge.

Brewing is best with the wet, press and latch method. It is strong enough to use the water level 1, 2 cup setting and for more intensity, the water level 3, 1 cup setting.

Marley Coffee - Jamaica Blue Mountain Gourmet Medium Roast

Well I really want to like Marley Coffee. It's organic, Fair Trade Certified and run by Bob Marley's offspring. And it's from beautiful Jamaica. But every time I have a cup of Jamaica Blue Mountain I feel like I'm drinking a more complex, gourmet version of Maxwell House. I suppose all you medium-light roast fans may enjoy it, but it lacks the bottom-end kick I love about dark roasts. I gave it a fair shake, I drank the entire box of 15 pods and I must say it did grow on me a bit. At first I really didn't like it, but now as I sip the last cup I find it tolerable, equal to or better than a decent diner coffee. Describing the flavor is difficult. It's soft, with a slight acidic aftertaste on the edges of your tounge. The flavor is very gentle, if you overdo the sweetener it will overpower the coffee flavor. Definitely a light-weight's coffee. If you put cream in it I don't know if you'd have any coffee flavor left.

The best brew method for me was the ol' wet, press and latch method, water level 3, single cup button. Do not attempt to brew with a dry pod in the Senseo.

Cafe Classics Kona Blend

This stuff is not bad at all. It has the mellowness of kona and enough solid coffee flavor to show some strength. I'd call it a medium roast. Now this is nothing like real 100% kona, but it does hint at some of the nice aspects of kona to it. Round, soft flavor, a unique flavor that you don't usually find in your average cup-a-joe.

I know I'm always toting my preferences for strong, bold coffee, but true kona is my exception. After drinking gallons of it in Hawaii many years ago, I've been looking for that experience again. Most "kona" coffees you can find are really blends, not true 100% kona, and don't offer the same experience at all.

Off the island kona gets quite expensive and it probably goes stale quite fast, since I've not had the same kona experience since being on the big island.

Overall, Cafe Classics Kona Blend is a satisfying cup; good for those mornings that you're not looking for a kick in the head, but a relaxing, sleeping in late, kind of morning.

Brewing is best by using the single serve insert, wet the pod first, press and latch, level 3 water on the single cup button.

Wolfgang Puck Provence French Roast

 

This stuff is a couple bucks more expensive than most, but considering the taste and the fact that there are 18 pods in a box, it's well worth it.

These are good and strong, have a great bold flavor with an acidic bite similar to espresso and give you a kick in the head that keeps you coming back for more.

Yeah, I liked these. Only good way to brew this to wet the pod (you MUST wet the pod) in the single serve insert. Press hard and latch. I'm sure I'll eventually break my machine doing that, but it really is the only reliable way to brew a good cup. Using the double insert allows the water to flow around the pod and using the folded filter for pressure method still doesn't produce as good a cup as the "press and latch" method.

This stuff is strong enough that even I will occasionally use the low water level on the two cup setting. Usually, and for a good strong cup, the high water level on the single serve setting will do the trick.

Happy sipping!

Donut Shop Classics - Cinnamon Coffee Cake

I love cinnamon coffee cake, so trying this flavor was a must for me. When my Aunt and Uncle would come to visit us, my Uncle, who was a very early riser would run down to the local bakery and get fresh "Crumb Buns". We'd wake up to these still-warm breakfast delicacies on the  kitchen counter and Uncle Chuck would be nowhere to be seen, usually off to the local airport to hang out with his pilot buddies.

That experience is what I always think of first when I see "coffee cake". Mmmmm. I even like the pre-packaged big name-brand versions too, so Donut Shop has a lot to live up to here.

Well, like most flavored coffees, I find they all have a very similar flavor, despite their name differences. This one is no exception. Overall taste is similar to the other Donut Shop Classics I've tried, but it does have a subtle cinnamon flavor and a certain innate sweetness.

Now I don't know what flavoring agents they use in flavored coffees, or how the flavoring process works, but the impression I'm left with, based on the flavors I've tried so far, is that one particular ingredient is used in all of them and  little bits of the "defining flavors" are added to give it it's name.

So once again, I'm not wild about this stuff. It's ok for a change of pace, but not something I'll go out of my way for. Definitely not a "gourmet" coffee, but that's not what you'd expect from a "donut shop" coffee.

Brewing is simple, using the single pod insert, level 2 or 3 water and the 1 cup brew.

Café Classics - Classic Extra Bold

This is the first Café Classics pod I've tried. Average price for a 15 pod box. Made by National Coffee Roasters who also make the Donut Shop pods.

The Classic Extra Bold (Italian Roast) is not a bad cup if you can brew it right. Took a bit of experimenting with  the Senseo and after half a box I got it down.

When brewed properly, it is a nice bold cup, similar to a typical Italian roast with some bitter and a touch of sweetness. Not spectacular, mind you, but a decent drink.

First off, you MUST wet the pod first. For some reason if you don't do that with these pods you get a cup of weak tea. Use the 2 cup insert. These pods are too fat for the single cup insert. Use the "coffee filter for pressure" technique. (Fold a typical drip coffee filter into a hexagon about the size of a pod and place on top of the pod.) Set the water level to 3 and hit the 1 cup button. If you can deal with it a little weaker use the water level 1 with the 2 cup button.

Viola! A good deal of work, but a decent bold cup of joe to start your day off right.

Melitta Blanc et Noir

Now this is a great cup of coffee! I think it's my favorite pod so far. It's got a deep bold flavor, an innate sweetness you feel in the center of your tongue, with that roasted bitter feeling along the sides and tip of your tongue. It's not over the top bold either, it's profile is pulled back a bit. Probably due to the "Harmony of Light and Dark Roast Coffees" mentioned on the box.

This is my second box of Melita "European Indulgence" coffee pods and this seems to be emerging as my favorite brand. I had tried "Buzzworthy" earlier and enjoyed that too.

Another bonus Blanc et Noir is the fact that the pod itself is packed pretty full. I didn't have to do any crazy tricks get a good brew. Just use the 2-cup insert and either the 1-cup waterlevel level 3 setting for an extra flavorful/strong cup or use the 2-cup water level 1 setting for a slightly more mellow cup. Either gave a great coffee experience. I do like to wet the pod first, it seems to help get it going, but dry worked fine for me too.

The price is pretty good too, less expensive than the premium brands and you get a whopping 18 pods per box! I will be getting this again, and will be trying more from the "European Indulgence" line.

Melitta Dark Roast

No problem brewing here, these pods are made for the Senseo. I suspect these are the same pods as the Senseo Dark Roast pods, in Melitta packaging. The package is nearly identical to the Senseo packaging.

Now I know I wasn't too keen on the Senseo Dark pods, so I don't know if they are growing on me or if this is in fact not the same stuff, but I rate these a notch above the Senseo version. Still not excited about them, but make an ok cup. Better than diner coffee but not by much.

The price was good, especially for 18 pods.

Marley Coffee - One Love

So I got me some more Marley Coffee mahn. Dis time I try de One Love flavor mahn.

Enough of the cheezy Jamaican accent already.

So one of Bob Marley's kids has this gourmet coffee company and it's all organic, sustainable, helping the local economy/environment etc. etc. That's pretty cool. It's pricey too. I reviewed Lions Blend earlier.

One Love has a different, subtle flavor. Really hard to describe. It has the slight bitter aftertaste like you get from bold coffees, but a warm spicy-ness that is more interesting than satisfying. I know that doesn't say much does it? I've gone through the entire 15 servings in the box and still can't really describe the flavor. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. It's just "ok" as far as my preference goes. Not sure if I'd get it again.

Brewing in the Senseo was a bit challenging. Too small for the 2-cup insert, the only way to use it is to put it in the single serve insert, wet it, let it soak in so it gets spongy, then press down the top hard while pressing the lever. Don't blame me if you break your machine.

I tried using the folded coffee filter technique in the 2-cup insert both on top and under the pod and I got a cup of weak tea every time. The "press and latch" with the wet pod is the only way to do it.

There is plenty of coffee in these pods so if you like a milder cup, the lowest water level setting with the 2 cup button makes a decent cup. I like it stronger, so the high water level setting with the 1 cup button did the job for me.