Initial Thoughts (based on the name alone, and before my first sip):

Ahh…the end of winter.  Light, yet bright (do they still make those lightbright things, with the plastic pegs?), smooth, and hopeful.  A warm cup of optimism.

The Description:

Revive your senses.  A balanced and sweetly aromatic blend with a sparkling finish.

The Aroma

Sweet and fruity.  I’m thinking grapes, and berries (or is a grape a berry?), with just a hint of spice.  Spring Revival Blend is nothing I’d consider intensely aromatic, but it’s pleasant enough.

Drinking it Black

Not bad…not bad at all.  Here we are two years in, and I’m still not a black coffee drinker (probably never will be), although I’m definitely a dark roast kind of guy.  Spring Revival blend is smooth, exceptionally so.  Probably as smooth as anything I’ve tried recently, which admittedly isn’t much (it turns out when you don’t review coffee for a bit, your supplies dwindle).  It’s mildly acidic, with a light, bitter-free finish that lingers a bit without souring.  For more than a few of you, I suspect this one will play just fine without cream and sugar, especially if you like your medium roasts a little on the lighter side.

With Cream and Sugar

While Spring Revival Blend will never be my favorite cup, it makes for an awesome, awesome warm weather, Friday-feeling kinda coffee.  It’s light, sweet, with an almost whipped (frou frou coffee) kind a feel, without the risk of your friends calling you a sissy.  Think iced coffee, but without the ice in there watering it down.  Oh…and unlike ice, it’s hot.  Yeah.  I really like it.  Score it a B or a B+.

Final Thoughts

This is normally the part where I sum it all up and tell you why you should be whatever cup of coffee I’ve just reviewed (even if I’m telling you it’s so awesomely bad you have to taste it to believe it).  But since I’ve already pretty much said all I need to say, how about I leave you with this bit of background info on this delicious blend (which serves as reason enough why you should give Fair Trade Spring Revival Blend a try – and yes, I copied and pasted this directly from Green Mountain.  I didn’t write a word of it.

Coffee in Rwanda: A story of survival and revival

Spring Revival® Blend offers sweet aromas, balanced flavors, and a compelling story of hope. The floral top notes of this Fair Trade Certified™ blend come from Rwanda, a country still recovering from a brutal civil war. With this delicious Limited Edition Seasonal coffee, you join us in supporting Rwanda’s economic revival, and small farmers who are producing extraordinary beans.

In the Gikongoro Province of southwestern Rwanda, vibrant coffee fields are reawakening after years of lying dormant. High altitudes, rich soil and predictable rainfalls created a perfect microclimate here, but years of conflict and political unrest had made it nearly impossible to get coffee to market. Today, a partnership of growers, roasters and governments is producing exceptionally fine coffee, and hope for a more peaceful future.

Our connection to Rwandan coffee began in 2002, when we hosted a group of farmers in Waterbury, VT. They toured our roasting facility, participated in cupping, and explored ways to connect with U.S. consumers.

Our head coffee buyer, Lindsey Bolger, then made the first of six trips to Rwanda to train farmers in cupping and sensory evaluation. She helped train them to detect defects and understand the quality expectations of the demanding specialty coffee market. In 2008, Lindsey’s protégées were asked to be judges for Africa’s first Cup of Excellence® coffee competition. Their participation was a dramatic illustration of Rwanda’s meteoric rise on the international coffee scene.

Today, Rwanda is one of the hottest origins in specialty coffee, with a well-deserved reputation for high-quality beans. Fair Trade prices are allowing farmers to make a living off their small plots of land.

We are proud to work with the Clinton Global Initiative, TransFair USA, the Cordes Foundation, and the hardworking, small farmers of Rwanda to bring you Fair Trade Certified™ Spring Revival® Blend.

Shameless Plug

In addition to their own coffees and teas, Green Mountain stocks coffee from Caribou, Tully’s, Newman’s Own, and now (for my Canadian brother’s and sisters) Timothy’s.  They also offer their unique Cafe Escapes lineup, as well as their Donut House Collection.

You can save $2 ($2.50 for a limited time) off every box of Green Mountain coffee you buy through their Café Express programs; which helps ensure that you never run out of delicious Green Mountain Coffee.

Stuff the FTC Wants Me to Say

Neither myself or anyone else at Qwowi.com received any compensation for this review and any recommendations made within.  Green Mountain doesn’t pay me to say nice things about their coffee, which is probably good, because I don’t always say nice things about their coffee.  Just because I like it doesn’t mean you will.  I make no promises or guarantees as to what your own experience with Spring Revival Blend (or any other Green Mountain Blend) will be.

Earlier this week I told you about Green Mountain’s new Travel Mug Sized K-Cups. While the feedback I’ve heard about that has been extremely positive (people really want a bigger cup), I’m not actually much of a travel mug guy myself. The thing is, I’ve got just short of a 1 hour drive to work every morning, and as I probably don’t need to tell you, long drives, and a giant mug full of coffee aren’t always a good mix. I’ll leave it at that; no further explanation necessary I presume.

What I am excited about, however, is Green Mountain’s other new releases, revv™ and revv pulse™. If I’m reading the details right, these new offerings kick up the caffeine beyond that of your everyday cup, to give you an extra boost without the need to add a ton of sugar.

Here are Green Mountain’s descriptions of the new offerings:

“Shift into a coffee that ignites your senses. revv K-Cups® are packed with 100% Arabica coffee to create a stimulating cup of rich body, smooth balance, and high-octane energy, so you can supercharge your day without extra sugar or calories”.

“revv™ packs more rich, smooth coffee into every K-cup®, so you can super-charge your day, without extra sugar or calories. Take a bold move forward. Launch into life with revv™”.

It sounds to me that revv™ is exactly what Keurig users have been screaming for; a seriously hardcore cup of coffee that kicks you flush in the teeth, or at the very least, something to jump start the morning and help lift the morning haze.

revv pulse™, as a famous TV chef might say, kicks it up a notch.  They’ve taken coffee, and sort, kinda, blended it with an energy drink…or at least the kind of ingredients you might find listed on an energy drink’s can.  Here’s how Green Mountain describes it:

“Nature’s original energy drink just got turbo charged. revv pulse™ boosts alertness without compromising on taste. Ginseng and Guarana are natural additions to revv’s high-performance power”.

“When you need to revv it up and keep it going, reach for revv pulse ™. revv pulse gives you a boost without compromising on taste. Ginseng and Guarana are natural additions to revv’s high-performance power. Now you can get to the head of the pack, and stay there as long as it takes”.

Not two days ago I was explaining to my buddy Ken that I was going to have to down a 2nd cup right quick because the first one didn’t take.  The new revv™ lineup looks like it can solve that problem, without having to drink 4 cups of coffee, or down a pound of sugar.  Either way, they’re definitely worth checking into.  I hope to have samples for review soon.

Through June 24th 2010 you can save $1.00 off every 22 count box of revv™ when you enter keycode IGNITE-REVV at checkout.

Café Express members will get an additional $1.00 off your member discount.

A Trip Back In Time

I like to talk about the dawn of K-Cups like it happened right about the time the dinosaurs disappeared, or maybe as if their arrival coincided with the microwave.  The reality, of course, is that the K-Cup and the awesome machines that make them haven’t been around all that long, but nevertheless…please indulge my history lesson, regardless of how inaccurate the timing might be…

Centuries ago long after the last Tyrannosaurus Rex took his last breath, the Neanderthals used archaic tools (like a Mr. Coffee brewer or a French Press) to brew their coffee.  But lo! Cameth the Keurig brewer, which in addition to brewing a great cup of coffee, also freed up more time for all the hunting and gathering that was going on.  While there was much rejoicing (dancing and singing and whatnot) in the caves for days, there was but one, single complaint that persists to modern day; “I like my Keurig, but the coffee is too weak on the larger settings”.

Finally…A Solution

Like I said, my timing might be off a little bit, but regardless of whether we’re talking about eons, centuries, or just the last 5 years ago, just about every Keurig owner has complained about the crappy cup of coffee that come from brewing on the largest setting.  Of course, there were workarounds.  Most people I know brew 2 K-Cups per 1 travel mug.  It’s not the most economical solution, but it works.  What if I told you there was a better way?  Would you send a check or money order (if you would, I’ll send you my address)?  My friends, it’s a pleasure for me to let you know that there is in fact a better way.

Remember that package I (my wife) got last Friday?  Well that package contained 3 boxes of Green Mountain’s new Travel Mug Sized K-Cups.  That’s right…TRAVEL MUG SIZED K-CUPS.  No more drinking weak coffee.  No more “brew 2 get 1″ for the road.  Nope…those days, like dinosaurs and cavemen are gone.  Simply pop in one of the new travel mug sized K-Cups.  Set your brewer to its largest cup setting.  Press brew.  Wait 15 seconds or so, and you’ve got a delicious, full-sized (and that’s really what we care about) cup of totally awesome Green Mountain Coffee.  That’s pretty sweet (even if you like your coffee black), right?

A Web Exclusive

For now at least, Travel Mug K-Cups are available exclusively on the web (no running down to your local Bed, Bath, and Beyond to score a box).  Nope, you can only get these online from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters.  The first run of the super-sized K-Cups are available in 3 varieties; French Roast, Donut House (awesome), and Breakfast Blend.  A 22 count box will set you back $13.95.  Of course, if you’re a subscriber of Green Mountain’s Cafe Express (and you probably should be), that price drops to $10.45 per box.

In addition to their own coffees and teas, Green Mountain stocks coffee from Caribou, Tully’s, and Newman’s Own.  They also offer their unique Cafe Escapes lineup, as well as their Donut House Collection.

You can save $2 ($2.50 for a limited time) off every box of Green Mountain coffee you buy through their Café Express programs; which helps ensure that you never run out of delicious Green Mountain Coffee.

Apart from the general tediousness that comes with the holidays, I’ve just wrapped up a year long project at my day job.  I’ve also been spending quite a bit of time helping to get the doors open at Tark’s Indoor Golf in Saratoga Springs, NY.  The good news is the holidays are over, my project goes live just about the time this post publishes, and Tark’s is open and business is good.  I guess it’s about time I sat back and enjoyed a cup of coffee.

Initial Thoughts (based on the name alone, and before my first sip):

Tree Hugger?  Seriously?  What the heck is Coffee People thinking?  Nothing screams good coffee like images of filthy dancing hippies with their beards, dreaklocks, and rotten body odor.  Nevermind snarly, dirt-crusted, yellow toenails protruding out of a pair of raggedy old Birkenstocks.  Does this come with a free tie-die shirt?  Yeah…pour me a cup of that.  I can’t wait.

The Description:

Wrap your taste buds around this chocolaty medium roast coffee with sweet berry notes. Certified Fair Trade and Organic.

The Aroma

This certainly doesn’t smell like body odor.  Simply divine coffee aromas with more than a hint of sweet berries.  I think I’m about to cry.

Drinking it Black

I’m not tasting any toe nail here.  I’m not seeing any remnants of mangy beard-hair either.  Instead what I’m tasting is an outstanding medium body coffee that absolutely coats the mouth.  It’s chocolaty with perhaps just a hint of berry (just like I said).  It’s certainly not overly sweet though.  Quite frankly, I’m taken aback.  I’m pleasantly surprised.  There’s not much else to say, except that Coffee People’s Tree Hugger is absolutely brilliant.

When I think of "Tree Hugger", I think of this guy...and that's not cool.

With Cream and Sugar

I seriously have no idea what to write here.  How does one describe perfection.  Silky smooth, outstanding medium roast flavor; sweet nectar of the gods, it doesn’t get better than this.  All I can offer is a cautionary note…don’t over sweeten.  Oh, and my brother found out Christmas day, check the date on your half and half, or cream, or whatever it is you pour into your coffee.  Curdled cream will ruin any cup of coffee, even one as good as this.

Final Thoughts

When I found out Coffee People discounted Berry Blast, I was really, really close to send them a DM on the Twitter to let them know that we weren’t going to be friends anymore, but then the released Tree Hugger, and now I think I’d follow them into a forest fire.  Lest I mislead you, I should be clear that Tree Hugger is not a replacement for Berry Blast.  The latter was a berry flavored coffee, the former offers only a delicious hint. Tree Hugger simply pacifies the rage I felt over losing one of my flavored favorites.

Of course, what you should take away from all of this is this; Tree Hugger is nothing short of the best new K-Cup blend of 2009.  I’d actually go so far as to say it’s one of my 2 or 3 favorites of all, and might even supplant Tully’s Kona blend as the single greatest K-Cup experience of my life.  Of course, it’s been so damn long since I’ve actually had Tully’s Kona, I’d be hard pressed to declare a definitive winner.  The point is, Tree Hugger is the single best blend Coffee People offers (yes, better than Donut Shop).  Moreover, it’s one of the 2 or 3 best blends (in this guy’s opinion anyway) available for your Keurig today.  Don’t buy a box, buy a case.

Shameless Plug

It seems like a lot has happened over at Shoffee since I last wrote a review.  Their small Facebook following has grown to a massive 1700 loyal customers strong.  Any why not?  It seems like just about every day, Joe is giving something else away.  Quite frankly, I think watching his Jets win has made Shoffee Joe a little light headed, so why not take advantage before the Jets lose and he comes back to his senses.

It goes without saying that Shoffee offers the most complete selection of K-Cups (like Coffee People Tree Hugger), brewers, and accessories anywhere on the web.  Shoffee’s prices are among the best you’ll find anywhere, and that statement doesn’t even take into account Shoffee’s Cup of The Week website, where every week a different box of K-Cups is available for not much more than a venti latte at Starbucks.

Not all that long ago, Shoffee spun up their Perk Points Plus program, which basically pays you back in Shoffee points each time you order from Shoffee.  It’s just one more reason why Shoffee is The Web’s Favorite Coffee Shop.

While you’re here on Qwowi Coffee, check out all of the K-Cup Reviews in my personal K-Cup Challenge.

Stuff the FTC Wants Me to Say

Neither myself or anyone else at Qwowi.com received any compensation for this review and any recommendations made within.  Shoffee does not yet have an affiliate program (why Joe, why?), so I don’t make anything even if you make a purchase through Shoffee.com. I am not employed by Shoffee (or Coffee People for that matter).  I did get some free coffee (for sampling purposes) out of the deal, which is nice, but that’s is 100% the extent of it.

Down the road I might engage in a head to head Donut Fight, but for today I’ll focus solely on Green Mountain’s Donut House Coffee.

The Description

Donut House Coffee feels familiar from the very first sip. It’s the easy-going, bold, dependable cup you enjoy every day.

If you’re lucky, the best cup of joe is right around the corner. You can pick up your brew and a dozen to go. The rest of us rely on the Donut House Collection—K-Cups with rich, bold flavor and a little kick to get you going. Good, straightforward coffees that will remind you of the days when you knew what to expect and were never disappointed.

The Aroma

A bit smokey, perhaps a bit nutty.  Nothing overly sophisticated.  What can I say is that it steams with really swell coffee smells…just like the old man in the paper hat used to brew.

Drinking it Black

Let me droop a couple of adjectives on you; smooth & crisp.  I rate Donut House Coffee as a solid medium roast.  Definitely not light, but far from dark like Espresso Blend or Double Black Diamond.  What I’m really enjoying about this blend is its straightforward nature.  I don’t have to try and cleverly describe fruit notes, or florals, or anything else exotic; and that’s the point – this is old fashion no-nonsense coffee like they used to make in the corner donut shop, well, back when there was a corner donut shop – before the giant corporate coffee machine steamrolled your favorite mom and pop.  Donut House Coffee is coffee like it was before the man took over.  It’s simple, but it’s really, really good.

What’s more, I’m not tolerating it black, I’m enjoying it black.  I’m not sure that’ the first time this has ever happened, but it sure has been a while.

With Cream and Sugar

It’s still smooth, and it’s still crisp.  It’s slightly nippy too, which I really like (because I didn’t have to sacrifice any smooth to get there).  What can I say, I’m really enjoying this one.  It’s so relaxing to sip coffee without the fear of missing some faint hint of raspberry or pine nuts, or anything else of that ilk.

Final Thoughts

Like I said at the beginning, I’ll save the big picture, head to head donut fight for a later day.  What I will say is that Donut House Coffee is the best new blend I’ve had in quite some time.  If you love a sophisticated, complex, multi-faceted coffee experience, Donut House Coffee probably isn’t for you, but if you’re all about a simple, straightforward, cup of coffee, then I can’t recommend enough that you buy a box or few of Green Mountain’s Donut House Coffee.

Shameless Plug

As you might expect,  this installment of the K-Cup Challenge was sponsored by Green Mountain Coffee.  Just so we’re clear, they send me coffee, they don’t make me say nice things about it (check my other reviews and you’ll see that I don’t hold back if I don’t like the beans).  Anyway…Green Mountain has everything for you or the coffee lovers in your life this holiday (or any other season).  They offer a full selection of Keurig Brewers, K-Cups, and an assortment of other really cool stuff.

Join Green Mountain’s Café Express program and you’ll save$2 off K-Cup boxes, $1 off coffee bags & 10% off everything else (including brewers).  There’s no fee to join, and you can bail out at anytime with no hard feelings (or penalties).  There’s no better way to ensure that you’re favorite K-Cups will be there waiting for you each and every morning.  Café Express is pretty much the ultimate K-Cup coffee club.

While you’re here, check out all of the reviews in QwowiCoffee’s K-Cup Challenge

I took a little extra time doing some comparisons with Santa’s Buzz.  It’s not that I don’t like Coffee People (quite the opposite actually), but let’s just say I don’t always trust them.  After the clever stunt they pulled during the last Presidential election (repackaging Donut Shop Coffee as both Obama and McCain blends), I keep a guarded eye (and tongue for that matter) for any sort of Coffee People relabeling shenanigans.   I’m happy to report that Santa’s Buzz is most definitely not Donut Shop Coffee (of course, it could be one of their other blends – so they could still be shenanigating/shenanigatizing me), but whatever it is, it’s still pretty darn good.

The Aroma

I’m trying hard here to find something meaningful to say about the aroma.  Sorry…I’ve got nothing.  It’s smells plenty fine – good actually, but at the end of the day (or brewing cycle anyway), it just smells like coffee.  Santa’s Buzz isn’t what I’d call an aromatic standout, but it’s far from putrid either.

The Description

A jolly blend of outstanding world coffees – smooth and bold to keep you buzzing all season long. Keep out with cookies for Santa Claus!

While I might question that wisdom of setting out a cup of coffee for Santa knowing that it invariably will get cold by the time he arrives, it doesn’t make any less sense that leaving out a glass of milk which will invariably be warm by the time he arrives. My suggestion: leave Santa a K-Cup and instructions for using your Keurig Brewer (in case he doesn’t have one at home). It might also be helpful to let him know where the cream and sugar are. You might also want to have some fat free half and half and Splenda in the house as well. Give Santa some options…that’s really all I’m saying

Drinking It Black

Before really savoring the flavor, I had to make sure Santa’s Buzz isn’t Donut Shop.  It’s not.  If you’re interested in a head to head comparison, my take is that Santa’s Buzz is a little bolder, perhaps a bit more spicy, and definitely not as sweet.

As with the aroma, there isn’t a whole lot that ultimately stands out about a cup of Santa’s Buzz.  I use the word balanced when I don’t taste an abundance of chocolate, or fruit, or spice, or anything else.  Santa’s Buzz is very much balanced.  Like Santa himself, it’s an even-tempered brew.  What I really like is the total lack of bitterness or unpleasant flavor on the tongue or in the back of the throat.

With Cream and Sugar

Some disclosure about my sugar tasting; like Santa himself, I could stand to lose a few pounds myself these days, so I’ve cut back a little bit on the sugar, so light and sweet isn’t as sweet as it used to be.  That said I like the rich, darker-than-donut flavor.  As I said whilst drinking it black, it’s not as sweet as Donut Shop, but what you do get is something with a little more bite.

With the cream and sugar added, I’m feeling a lot of dark chocolate and caramel here.  Of course, that could just be the leftover Halloween candy talking.  Whatever it is, it’s now espresso-like without a trace of bitterness.

Final Thoughts

I’m not going to lie to you here.  Santa’s Buzz is not my favorite of the Holiday Seasonal.  Having tried Santa’s Buzz, Gloria Jean’s Holiday Traditions, and Green Mountain’s Fair Trade Holiday Blend, I’m solidly in the Green Mountain camp.  Of course, I’m an East Coast guy, and Green Mountain is an East Coast company, so my taste buds might be biased.  Still, I’d highly recommend giving Santa’s Buzz a try.  Whether you’re looking for a hint of holiday flavor, or just looking to mix something new into your K-Cup rotation, Santa’s Buzz is definitely worthy of a few cycles of your Keurig Brewer.

Shameless Plug

This installment of The K-Cup Challenge is sponsored by Shoffee.com – The Web’s Favorite Coffee Shop.  You will find just about everything you could ever want to put in your Keurig Brewer (including Santa’s Buzz) at Shoffee – and you’ll find it at the right price too.  You should also check out Shoffee on Facebook.  On Shoffee’s fan page you’ll find K-Cup news, special deals, and you’ll learn what the other 1200+ Shoffee fans are drinking and loving.

While you’re here, check out all of the reviews in Qwowi Coffee’s K-Cup Challenge.

The Description

A flavorful coffee with undertones of milk chocolate and caramel

The Aroma

Chocolaty, with the faintest hint of pine.  Reminds me a bit of what I call the Caribou smell.

Drinking it Black

I love it when the flavors I taste hold true to the description.  I’m definitely getting a lot of milk chocolate flavor here.  Maybe not as much caramel, however.   Maybe it’s just my mind settling in to the notion of the holidays, but I think I’m tasting that same hint of pine that I smelled.  Yeah…I’m definitely drinking a tree.  It’s subtle though, very subtle.  I like it.

In terms of drinkability, it’s relatively mild, and drinks easy black.  Acidity is relatively mild, and there’s barely a trace of bitterness.  I can’t imagine I’ll ever reach the point where I prefer my coffee black, but Holiday Traditions is certainly manageable with nothing added.

With Cream and Sugar

After cream and sugar are added, the chocolate and caramel flavors become even more pronounced.  You can’t help but breath them in as your mouth moves closer to your cup to take a sip.  I’m still tasting the slightest of something else…still pine?  The finish is caramelly.  So if you’re keeping track at home it goes chocolate, pine, caramel.  At least that what I’m getting out of it.

Over the course of several cups I’ve learned that Holiday Traditions is one of those blends that terribly easy to over sweeten, so take it easy with whatever form of granulated crystal you use to soften your coffee up a bit.   For what it’s worth my wife does not like Gloria Jean’s Holiday Traditions.  She doesn’t like caramel, and consequently, probably wont’ be drinking this one again.

Final Thoughts

I’ve been accused of more or less having it out for Gloria Jean’s.  While there have been a couple (and it’s only been 2, I think) GJ Coffee’s I really liked, Gloria Jean’s is far and away my least favorite of the K-Cup manufacturers.  Maybe it’s my east coast tongue not always agreeing with a west coast coffee, but whatever it is, it seldom sits right with me.  My take on things is that  GJ’s does a really good job with the non-flavored stuff, but flails and fails with flavored coffee, and unfortunately (at least as far as I’m concerned), Gloria Jean’s makes a lot of flavored coffee.

Past experience aside, I generally like Gloria Jean’s Holiday Traditions blend, but…(yup, there’s a but) if there is a knock on Gloria Jean’s Holiday Traditions, it’s that even though it’s not a flavored coffee, it tends to drink like one.  It has an almost hot chocolate-like quality; a mocha without explicitly advertising as much, and at times the caramel finish is more than I enjoy.  While mostly that’s not a bad thing, there seems to come a point before  the bottom of every cup where I’ve simply had enough, and where I find myself wishing I was drinking something else.

My bottom line is that while Gloria Jean’s Holiday Tradition is ins’t a bad way to kick of the holiday season, I’m thinking, at least for me anyway, there are better winter blends.  For those who enjoy a surplus of chocolate and caramel flavors in their coffee, this one should prove popular.

Shameless Plug

Like some many of our samples, our winter care package came from our good friends at Shoffee.com.  I could tell you about Shoffee’s great prices, incredible selection, or their ever-growing reputation for outstanding customer service, but why take my word for it?  Visit Shoffee on facebook, and you’ll find over 1000 fans and customers who are rabid about their coffee, and equally as devoted to buying from the Web’s Favorite Coffee Shop (that’s Shoffee).  Shoffee can most definitely hook you up with a box or ten of Gloria Jean’s Holiday Traditions, or just about anything else you Keurig Brewer desires.  Also check out their Cup of The Week site for a special deal on a special box of K-Cups each and every week.

While you’re here, check out all of the reviews in my personal K-Cup Challenge.

If you follow Shoffee on Facebook at all you already know that there’s been a fair amount of buzz…well…buzzing around the release of Timothy’s new Kahlua original. Of course, the truth of the matter is that Timothy’s is in fact, NOT the original Kahlua blend K-cup (that distinction belongs Coffee People’s now discontinued Kafe-Lua blend), but whatever, I guess it is the only Kahlua flavored K-Cup currently available, and that’s definitely something.

As they often do when they get something new in, my friends at Shoffee rushed me off a box, and after taking the weekend to sample a few, the truth is I’m still somewhat conflicted, but that’s not going to stop me from writing a review.

Description:

Explore Your Curiosity with an extraordinary new coffee experience. Timothy’s World Coffee, in collaboration with Kahlua, the world;s number one coffee liqueur, presents the new Kahlua Original Coffee Keurig K-Cup. The Kahlua Original Keurig K-Cup offers a distinctive coffee tasting experience that it is sure to stimulate the palate in an unforgettable way. Timothy’s Kahlua Original is the first ever liqueur branded K-Cup available in the market (<– That’s sort of not true). It is packed in single serve portion packs, specifically formulated for use in Keurig Single Cup Brewing Systems.

Aroma

True story: I popped a Kahlua cup in the brewer, hit the magic button that makes the coffee happen, and then meandered off to the bathroom.  When I returned to the kitchen the first thought I had was: is there a skunk in my back yard, and did I leave the back door open?  My wife, on the other hand, came down the stairs and said “what did you make, something smells really good”.  So you might say that the initial reviews were mixed.

I brought in my buddy Ken for a 3rd opinion.  His take was that it smells a little hazelnutty.  I’d add musty to that description.  So basically, it’s one vote for smells really, really good, and a combined 2 votes for skunk nuts.  Subsequent brewings have me backing off the skunk thing, but I’m sticking with a little musty, and overall, I don’t like the stench one bit.

Drinking it Black

There’s no way around it, sampled black, it tastes like a flavored coffee, and by that I mean artificial.  There’s and acrid burn that settles in the back of the throat that I find generally unpleasant.  Cream and Sugar will help with that, but we’ll get to that in a moment.  As for the actual flavor – I’m not getting it.  My recollection of Kahlua it’s a sweet, coffee-like liquor that teenage girls like to drink with milk.  At best, there’s only a hint of that flavor here, but it really is only a hint.

After several cups, I’m sticking with nutty as the prevailing flavor.  Nutty with throat burn.  Bummer.

Cream & Sugar

I’ve learned a little bit over my last 1.5 years of K-cuppage.  One bit of wisdom is that that cream and sugar go a long way towards fixing that which tastes artificial without them.  This certainly holds true for Tim’s Kahlua blend.  Not only is my throat not burning nearly as much, but the Kahlua flavor is a bit more pronounced, and I’m actually starting to enjoy it a bit.  With cream and sugar added, the caramel and vanilla notes from the Kahlua emerge, and there’s a body to this blend that feels almost silky on the palette.  Yeah…it’s better this way.  Much less of a bummer, albeit without the teenage girls.

Final Thoughts

As much as  I don’t like drinking it black, I do like drinking it sweet.  I have no doubt Timothy’s Kahlua will be popular with just about anyone who used to be a teenage girl.  As you can imagine, I receive more coffee than my wife and I can actually drink.  The end result is that we get to drink a lot of good coffee, but we’ve got enough volume that we can offload the stuff we don’t like (like anything with Pumpkin in the title) to unsuspecting friends (some of whom, it turns out, actually like pumpkin).  So really, the true measure of how much I actually like a particular blend is whether or not I drink the entire box.  With Timothy’s Kahlua, I think it’s safe to say that I won’t be giving the rest of the box away, but I won’t be drinking it black either.

Finally, while I do think that Timothy’s Kahlua blend is very good (but only with cream and sugar), it’s worth mentioning that if banished to a dessert island where all I could drink was Kahlua flavored coffee, based on a 1 year old recollection – I’d choose Coffee People’s Kafe-Lua.  Of course, that’s been discontinued, so for now anyway, Timothy’s is the King (actually, Queen would be more appropriate) of the Kahlua K-Cups.

Shameless Plug

For better or worse, much of the K-Cup Challenge wouldn’t be possible without great sponsors like Shoffee.com; the web’s favorite coffee shop.  Visit Shoffee for all of your K-Cup and brewer needs.  You should probably all check their Cup of the Week site for great deals on a different box of K-Cups each and every week.  Finally, become a fan of Shoffee on Facebook and join the over 800 other loyal customers.  There’s no better way to keep up with all things K-Cup.

While you’re here check out all of the reviews in QwowiCoffee’s K-Cup Challenge.

Here’s the thing about pumpkin pie; why, when you have a myriad of other fruity pie fillings (lemon, cherry, blueberry, apple, etc. etc), equally appealing non-fruit options (chocolate cream springs to mind), would one ever want to eat a “pie” with a previously-masticated texture made from a freakin’ gord? Is anyone out there eating squash pie, or zucchini pie?  Quite frankly the Halloween/Thanksgiving double-whammy of tradition has  us eating pumpkin sludge when we could be enjoying real pie.

So with an honest disclosure about my feelings for pumpkin pie, and an equally honest acknowledgement that I have no idea what the hell I’m doing here, let’s get right to it
.

PUMPKIN FIGHT!

Introduction

Before we get to the comparisons, there are a couple of things that hold true to all 3 varieties. First and foremost, in my opinion, it’s really not worth drinking any of the 3 varieties black. We’re talking about coffee modeled after a dessert. They crave sugar, and while you’re at it, add some cream too, you’ll be happier for it. In fact, none of the 3 offer all that much in the way of pumpkin flavor until they’re sweetened up a bit. For the most part, spices prevail until sugar coaxes out the pumpkin.

The differences between the 3 are as vast as the differences between pumpkin pie recipes. Each is unique, and which you find to be the best, may largely depend on which spices you like to taste in your pie.

Aroma

Timothy’s Perfect Pumpkin
There is, to be sure, an initial smack of nutmeg.  That said, once you move past that, you’re left with a fairly pleasant smelling cup of coffee.  While it’s not overly pumpkin like, it does offer the most traditional coffee-like aroma, and I like it.

Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice
There is an abundance of spice notes at work here.  As with Timothy’s, a pumpkin smell doesn’t really materialize, but cinnamon and nutmeg are both present.  From a purely aromatic perspective, this one tickles the nose more than the others.

Gloria Jean’s Pumpkin Spice
Aromatically, the spices are much more balanced than they are in the actual flavor.  The spices aren’t as overpowering as they are in Green Mountain’s, and there’s a bit more pumpkin in the mix.  I also detect some subtle citrus notes, which if nothing else, make the aroma slightly more interesting.

Winner: Gloria Jean’s

Drinking Them Black

As I said, I wouldn’t advocate drinking any of the 3 black, but, since that’s how we do…well, it’s what we’re going to do.

Timothy’s Perfect Pumpkin
If I was going to limit my thoughts to a single word, it would be NUTMEG. Fresh out of the brewer, the nutmeg flavor is almost overpowering. If you like nutmeg it’s great. Me, I’m not a nutmeg guy, in fact, I’ve been known to spit out my wife’s meatballs (no double entendre there) over too much nutmeg.

While I wasn’t impressed by the nutmeg flavor, there’s no arguing the solid medium roast body (and hint of actual coffee flavor).  As I’ll be saying with all of the others, there’s not much pumpkin flavor to be had here.  Did I mention the nutmeg?

Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice
For my money Green Mountain’s entry offers the most balanced flavor.  It’s not nutmeg heavy, nor is it cinnamon heavy.  That’s not to say I don’t taste both, along with perhaps just a hint of pumpkin.

In terms of body, it’s the only 1 of the 3 listed as a light roast (the other 2 are medium roasts).  I don’t notice any major differences in body between the 3, and the Green Mountain offering is certainly not the weakest of the 3.

Gloria Jean’s Pumpkin Spice
Pumpkin perhaps, but there’s not a doubt in my mind, the spice they’re talking about is cinnamon.  At least that’s the first flavor sensation that hit my tongue.  Cinnamon followed by a bitter, nutmeggy finish, but mostly cinnamon.

As far as body is concerned, Gloria Jean’s is by far the lightest of the 3.  The same holds true for the flavor.  Apart from nose-tickling cinnamon spice, there’s really almost no flavor here.  My wife says it tastes like dirty water.  That might be a bit harsh, but a better question might be, why the hell is my wife drinking dirty water.

Winner: Green Mountain

With Cream and Sugar

Timothy’s Perfect Pumpkin
In my estimation, it’s still  more spice than pumpkin, but the cream and sugar help to cut what is otherwise an overpowering nutmeg flavor.  When all is said and done you’re left with the most coffee-like of the 3.  Perhaps the downside is that there still isn’t a ton of pumpkin to be had.  On the plus side, it actually tastes like coffee.

Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice

From a flavor perspective, it tastes as much like pumpkin pie as any liquid probably can (except for maybe a blender full of pumpkin pie).  There’s plenty of actual pumpkin pie flavor to go around without tipping the scales one way or another toward cinnamon or nutmeg.  Even though I’m most definitely not a pumpkin pie guy, in terms of how well it succeeds at its goal, this one is very well executed.

Gloria Jean’s Pumpkin Spice

Cinnamon is still the prevailing flavor, even after cream and sugar are added.  Perhaps there’s a bit more pumpkin flavor, but really, I’m still feeling the cinnamon.  What I do like about Gloria Jean’s (and this is admittedly abstract), there’s a texture to it that gives it somewhat of a pumpkin pie feel – and that’s really cool.  Unfortunately it’s also has the most bitter finish of the 3, and the decidedly not cool.

Winner: Green Mountain

Final Thoughts

With it’s well-balanced blend of spices, and accurate pumpkin flavor, it’s abundantly clear (to me anyway) that Green Mountains Pumpkin Spice is the runaway winner. Those of you looking for steaming hot pumpkin pie in a cup need look no further. Nobody (at least nobody with access to a K-Cup manufacturing plant) is doing Pumpkin any better.

As with anything else, there’s room for some personal preference here. While not my favorite of the 3, Gloria Jean’s might be a better fit for those who prefer their pumpkin pie a bit on the cinnamony side. In fact, throw out the pumpkin altogether, and it qualifies as a fine representation of cinnamon spice coffee (if you wanted to go that route).

Finally, the initially nutmeg-heavy Timothy’s Perfect Pumpkin offers the most muted flavor (after cream and sugar are added). That may sound like a bad thing, but there’s something to be said for making a pumpkin blend that tastes a bit more like, dare I say, coffee.  While it’s not the most well executed in terms of “pumpkin”, it’s the one I would drink if the K-Cup universe was limited to these 3 offerings.

Shameless Plug

QwowiCoffee’s Pumpkin fight was sponsored by the Web’s Favorite Coffee Shop, Shoffee.com.  Check out Shoffee for all of your K-Cup needs.  They offer a huge selection, and great prices.  They’re also fully stocked (as of this writing anyway), with all three of the varieties discussed here.  On a side note, you should also check out Shoffee’s Cup of the Week site for big discounts on a new variety of K-Cup each and every week.

While you’re here at QwowiCoffee, check out all of our reviews in the K-Cup Challenge.

As is usually the case around here, my friends at Shoffee rushed me out a box of Timothy’s Original Donut Blend as quickly as they possibly could.  Given all the interest in the new blend, I was as eager as everyone else to try it out (and of course post a review).  Much as I’m sure lots of readers would like me too, I’m not going to do a head to head comparison to the afore mentioned Donut Shop Coffee.  Well, let me rephrase.  I’m not going to do a comparison in this post, but check back soon for the first in a new series I’m going to call the K-Cup Showdown.  Oh…and as an enticement to bring you back to read that post, we’re going to give away a case of K-Cups (2 boxes each of Timothy’s Original Donut Blend, and Coffee People’s Donut Shop Coffee).  Today, however; is all about Timothy’s, so let’s have at it.

What it Says on the Box

Actually, the box says pretty much the same thing as the description (see below), but what the box also says (or implies anyway) is this:

“If America really does run on Dunkin, and we paint our box look as much like their logo as possible people will most definitely associate the two, because let’s face it, lots of people complain that Dunkin Donuts coffee isn’t available in a K-Cup, so why not suggest (mostly through the use of familiar colors) that our new Donut Blend is as close as you’re going to get (at least in terms of box color) to Dunkin Donuts.  Any heck, if the box looks like an actual Dunkin Donuts, then the coffee must taste the same, eh?”

At least that’s what I got out of it.

The Description

Timothy’s Original Donut Blend™ will conjure memories of simpler days. This inviting cup of coffee is a nostalgic trip to the days of traditional donut shops, where freshly brewed coffee was a staple. Smooth and bright, with good body and a clean finish, Timothy’s Original Donut Blend™ is not just another cup of coffee… it’s one of life’s simple pleasures. So sit back, relax and celebrate simplicity with a familiar favorite!

Aroma

Smoky with a sweetness that straddles the line between caramel and dark cocoa.

Drinking it Black

Right out of the gate (it’s track season here in Saratoga), what impresses me most about Timothy’s Donut Blend is that although it’s listed as a mild roast, it’s not lacking for either body or flavor.  There’s absolutely nothing watered down about this coffee.  When piping hot, it’s the smokiness that’s most prevalent.  There’s a noticeable acidity that plays a little nippy on the tip of the tongue and eventually the cheeks.  Sensations in the mouth aside, there isn’t anything overly noteworthy about the flavor.  My initial impression was that Timothy’s Donut Blend is a good cup of coffee, but lacks any distinguishing characteristic to set it apart from the handful (ok, several handfuls) of perfectly drinkable K-Cup coffees.

What I do like about Timothy’s Donut blend is that as it cools it mellows and the flavors change dramatically.  Once the coffee has gone from hot to warm (and even to cool) fruit notes (specifically berries), and dark cocoa flavors take over.  Again, it’s all perfectly good – and again, surprising flavorful for a mild roast, but it’s really nothing spectacular, or even special.  That said, it does make for a perfectly good, easy drinking cup of coffee, which is probably what Timothy’s was trying for (if the box is any indication).

With Cream and Sugar

When cream and sugar are added, it becomes much more noticeable that Timothy’s Donut Blend is in fact a mild roast.  As with drinking it black, there isn’t a whole lot that to convince me that Original Donut Blend is going to qualify as an all-time K-Cup classic.  Rather than waste anymore time trying to fill up this space with words, and sentences finely crafted to artful express that Timothy’s Original Donut Blend, black, cream and sugar, or otherwise, makes for a perfectly ordinary cup of coffee – and not much else, what’s say I just move on to my final thoughts and wrap this thing up.

Final Thoughts

Why it may seem otherwise (based on what I said above), I actually quite like Timothy’s Original Donut Blend.  For me the issue is that it doesn’t quite live up to either the hype, or Timothy’s own description.  Granted, Timothy’s probably isn’t responsible for all the wild anticipation.  Given how almost universally revered Coffee People’s Donut Shop Coffee is, expectations were extremely high that the Timothy’s offering would be every bit the classic.  I give Timothy’s all the credit in the world for even having the beans to put the word “Donut” on a box of K-Cups.  Coffee People’s is a tough act to follow.  Perhaps I was hoping Timothy’s would attempt to replicate that blend (or dare I dream, improve upon it).  The description does read like my north of the border friends had every intent to do just that (in spirit, if not in flavor).

The suggestion is that Original Donut Blend is a throwback to a 1970-something (the golden age for donut shops in my life) corner donut shop, where an old guy in a paper hat would pick your donuts while a graying woman would refill your cup, and give a kid a couple of holes on the house – the kind of place my parents took me to every Sunday after church.  Unfortunately, I’m just not drinking that vibe.  For better or worse, everything about Timothy’s Original Donut blend screams modern donut shop – the kind of place where your coffee is poured from an over-sized aluminum holding tank, and the cranky woman behind the counter gives you a dirty look if you have the audacity to order a sausage, egg, and cheese on a croissant (and serves it on a half-frozen english muffin out of spite).  Timothy’s Original Donut Blend is born from the kind of place where the awnings are pink, orange, and teal, and a dozen donuts will set you back almost $10.  It’s easily drinkable, perhaps even familiar, but my sense of things is that it simply isn’t what it wants to be.

Shameless Plug

This review, and pretty much every installment of the K-Cup Challenge, is just one guys opinion.  I’ve been disagreed with more than once, and that’s cool, in fact I seldom suggest you simply take my word for it.  What I’d encourage you to do is go to Shoffee.com, buy a box of Timothy’s Original Donut Blend, and try it for yourself.  I have a sneaking suspicion that it will have no problem winning its own set of devout fans.

For all you Tweeps out there, you can follow both Shoffee and QwowiCoffee on Twitter.  Shoffee also has built up one heck of a Facebook following too (maybe it’s because of the exclusive deals offered to fans).  No matter how you do it, make sure you stay up to date with Shoffee (the web’s favorite coffee shop).  From sampler and mystery bags, to unbeatable prices, nobody delivers K-Cups (and related supplies) like Shoffee.