Introduction
Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Earth Organic Coffee Medium Roast
It is a universally accepted fact that coffee rules our wakeup time. We want it fresh, rich and clean finished. We want the caffeine to give us the much
required kick and wake us up on our way to work. Our morning cuppa is sacred to us. But, what you sometimes get is a cup of coffee loaded with insecticides
and fertilizers that were sprayed on the crops for profit. It does not get any more natural than Cafe Don Pablo Gourmet Coffee. While
growing this coffee in the Marcala region of the Honduras, no chemicals are used. It’s a high altitude region where fewer insects are present, so no
insecticides are necessary. The fruit cherries of the coffee bean are composted and used as fertilizer along with vermiculture. To prevent any bug
problems, peppers are planted as a natural repellant. Its gourmet coffee is at its best organic avatar.
Features
Name
: Subtle Earth Organic
Certification
: Organic
Country
: Honduras
Region
: Marcala
Importer
: Burke Brands LLC
Crop Year
: 2015
Grade
: Strictly High Grown (SHG)
Roast Degree
: Medium to dark
Agtron
: 53/68
Flavor
: Smooth milk chocolate, with tones of honey, caramel and cocoa.
Product Dimensions –
5.5 x 4 x 11 inches – 2 lb
Shipping weight
– 2 pounds
The coffee is very dense, and has depth of flavor. It is roasted just right to bring out its characteristic natural flavor. Added to its rich flavor is a
mild sweetness. The coffee is roasted fresh, after it is ordered, in multiple batches 30 to 60 kilograms at the manufacturer’s facility in Miami. So, you
get Marcala beans with the best American roasting technology. The importer is a family of coffee growers and roasters; they are laser-focused on quality.
Since they deal in bulk organic produce and have an innovative business model, they can capitalize with a competitive price and added value to the
customer. Their fair trade practices also protect the original region where they are grown.
Honduran coffees aren’t known for being the best, but if you want to go with a certified organic coffee at a good price, then Honduran coffee may be just the ticket. Since this coffee is directly brought into the United States specifically for roasting you can find this coffee for much cheaper than other certified organic blends. They small batch roast the coffee and don’t use water quenching, which is good. Water quenching can degrade coffee quality and even contribute to the growth of molds and other fungus. By using numerous small batch roasters Don Pablo is able to ensure coffee house quality.
Don Pablo fresh roasts coffees prior to shipping which helps ensure freshness. These beans were from Amazon and were still very fresh.
Pros
- 100% organic certified coffee
- The bag is well designed: There is a valve that allows gas to escape, which means the coffee remains fresh and has a long shelf life.
- Easy to brew with any machine whether it is a French Press, Keurig brewer, Espresso machine or a Percolator.
- Has a long shelf life and stores well due to the good packaging.
- The flavor is rich and full bodied, bodes well for coffee lovers.
- With a competitive price tag, it is a good value for money product.
Cons
- Nowhere on the package has it been labeled Fair Trade.
- Hoduran coffees are typically un-remarkable. It is smooth, but not too flavorful
- This product was sold as a Medium Dark roast but some customers found it too strong roasted for their taste.
- Roasting date is not mentioned on the packaging.
- Some customers found the coffee not dark enough.
- The beans were too oily, which meant they were roasted too much and all the essential caffeine had been roasted away from the beans.
- The advertising was not honest and did not deliver on its promise of quality and price.
- There is no aroma when the coffee is being brewed.
Verdict
Cafe Don Pablo Subtle Organic Gourmet Coffee
A quick web search showed this coffee had been reviewed around 1,000 times on various sites. It has an average rating of 4.6 out of five stars. 90% of the reviewers had no complaints and rated it between four and five. Five percent of the reviewers rated it average with three stars. A total of five percent rated it below average or poor. Coffee is always judged as a matter of taste, so it is natural for some taste buds to find it weak and for some to find it too strong. Coffee is a strong indication of personality, so some customers want their coffee to have a great aroma that fills up the house while brewing and some are not particular about it. Such factors have been at work while stating the disadvantages of using this brand. However, for organic produce lovers, it is a great buy as organic coffee, if consumed daily, can greatly bring down your exposure to food contamination. This product stores well which indicates its gourmet quality. For gourmet coffee lovers, who want to go the organic way, this is a great start.
