When it comes to starting the day, there’s nothing better than coffee. When it comes to kicking off the evening, there’s nothing better than bourbon. When you’re looking to marry the two, there’s no better…
The post Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Aged Coffee first appeared on Cool Material.
We don’t want to get too big-box discount store about it, but if you’re anything like us, conversations prior to the morning coffee just shouldn’t happen. We are incapable of functioning properly in the AM…
Since many of us are still home, we decided to do some digging to find useful products to help stay productive, occupied, entertained and fit while you’re At Home. You should absolutely be supporting all…
Whether you’re talking Gore-Tex Chuck Taylors, Timex collaboration watches, or some of the best chore coats out there, the Carhartt Work in Progress line has always produced some of the best versions of the classics.…
Whether it’s cars, watches, travel adventures, clothing, wallets or interesting pieces of art, there are a lot of things we argue about in the Cool Material office. But inevitably, the most heated arguments always end…
Seasonality is everything in coffee. So when it comes to choosing the best beans to brew at home, our recommendation is simple: just look to what’s new. Here, three fresh batches from some of the country’s best roasters — Merit, Huckleberry and Blueprint.
One of the first harvests from a brand new coffee washing station in the heart of Ethiopian coffee country, Merit’s latest is a lightly sweet, bright and floral tribute to coffee’s most-loved origin. Best brewed pour-over.
Origin: Jimma Zone, Ethiopia
Roast Level: Light-Medium
In her first year on the competitive coffee roasting circuit, Huckleberry’s head roaster Shelby Williamson took America’s top prize: the U.S. Roasting Championship. This new bag, a Trade exclusive, grows for years on Gitwe, a mountain in Africa’s Eastern Rift range before harvest. The roaster’s tasting notes include peach, graham cracker and tangerine.
Origin: Muramvya Province, Burundi
Roast Level: Light-Medium
The best way to understand the enormous effect processing has on beans is to try a coffee that’s undergone natural processing. Grown on the slopes of Mount Elgon in Eastern Uganda, Blueprint’s just-harvested medium roast is the perfect place to start. The beans boast huge sugar and acid content, making for a fruit bomb of a bag (Trade describes it as “deeply reminiscent of your favorite berry-flavored cereal”). The beans are harvested from three coffee plant varietals, including SL34, one of the best plants for coffee quality in the world.
Origin: Kapchorwa, Uganda
Roast Level: Medium
Great coffee used to be exclusive to the oldest and most hip coffee shops. Their precise measurements and techniques demanded lines and served up Instagram-worthy lattes. The problem? These drinks aren’t cheap. Luckily, you can…
Asobu is a tastefully designed insulated coffee maker that, besides brewing delicious java, does one thing other pourover setups can’t – it keeps your wakey juice hot and fresh for up to 12 hours.
Featuring a double wall, stainless steel copper-lined insulated carafe with a heavy duty stainless lid to seal in heat, the coffee maker allows you to enjoy your brew for longer and take it to picnics, barbecues, work, or wherever it is you’re going. A heat-resistant borosilicate cone-shaped glass forms the upper brewing section, a collar section allows for safe handling even when hot, and a double wall micro-mesh stainless steel filter creates a perfect brew without the need for flimsy paper filters.
Holding up to 32 oz (1 Liter) of coffee, Asobu comes in four flavors: Black, Copper, Silver, and Burgundy.
Almost as tough as the Coffeeboxx, the Makita CM501D Coffee Maker is a rugged java maker designed for worksites. Even better, it uses the same rechargeable Li-ion, slide-type batteries found in Makita’s cordless tools.
The compact appliance weighs in at 3.3 lb and is compatible with both coffee packs and instant coffee. Depending on the battery used (10.8, 14.4, or 18 V), it can make up to 5.3 cups of coffee per charge.
Available in teal or crimson red, the CM501D is complete with a handy large handle that can be folded, while the battery, charger, and steel mug are sold separately. The only inconvenient is that you’ll have to import it from Japan if you want one.
