Hosting a coffee tasting in your own home.

One of the most wonderful, interesting and glamorous things about the rare coffee business is the variety of coffee beans that we find from around the globe. It is also the most expensive and with incredible risk, since these are sold in minimum pounds and not samples, and green (unroasted). Our roaster, George, will only roast a minimum of twenty pounds so a new coffee is a commitment in capital, time and labeling. Research and reviews from others, faith and vision goes into every bean.

The green beans arrive and they must be roasted by someone who knows exactly what they are doing. George is my man and he tells me whether I have made a mistake or not. We have and we have also done beautifully. I am not Juan Valdez. I must rely on my partners to make sure I am doing things right. HOWEVER. Like my customers, when it comes right down to it, nothing will make or break the bean like what comes out of the cup.

Here is where the most entertaining and fun part of the coffee business comes in and the hard work pays off. You can enjoy this too. Go to www.rocketfuelcoffee.com, and hey, also include some of your other favorites if you must. Invite some friends over for dinner or dessert. Ask one or two of them to bring their coffee makers. If they have different kinds of coffee makers, such as a French Press, even better.

Have lots of cups. No big deal if it is a bag of styrofoam ones. The point is variety, not fine china. Have some milk and sugar if your guests want it. We are not snobs either. If that is how they like it, fine. But maybe they will get to take a swig black to compare? Have some paper and some pencils if they want to make notes. Cookies are good. Always good. And water to cleanse between varieties.

Bring out two coffees at a time and compare the two with half cup tastes, with a huge loud SLLLLUUUUUURRRRRP at the beginning of each. This is how the pros do it (And Jason Coffee is a grand slurper)!

Note that coffee tastes different from the slurp, to the tongue, to the throat to the aftertaste. Sound familiar? Yes! This is just like a wine tasting. And coffee tasters give their coffees a score just like wine too. So why not give your coffees a score out of 95 and pick your evening winner!

Note that not once did I mention price, variety, geography or bean. This is specifically based on your taste, your idea of flavor and delicious. That is why a coffee tasting evening is so much fun.

Enjoy and please let us at www.rocketfuelcoffee.com know how it went!

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