Toddy Style Iced Coffee at Thump

Seriously, YEAH! I saw on Thump's website last week that they were starting to serve Toddy Style Iced Coffee. I had never heard of Toddy style...wait, scratch that...I have but only when it comes to drinks with Rum in them. "He" had, of course, and launched into informing me all about the cold brewing process and how it is the "ONLY" way to drink Iced Coffee. In doing a little of my own research it seems there are a few different ways to brew up your own concoction of the coffee extract and different schools of thought on mixing it. Basically, the idea is that you brew the coffee "cold" instead of hot. One site suggests grinding up some beans, mixing it with water, and letting it sit overnight in the refrigerator. You then drain the mixture and voila--you've got Toddy extract! Mix the syrupy, strong concentrate with water, add some ice, and you're drinking a true Iced Coffee. They say that as it reduces the coffee's acidity it makes it easier on the tummy. "He" said the caffeine is also supposed to be less. Very cool! You can also try using a French Press with cold water. I'm guessing you'd have to play around with the brewing times to find the right one for you, though.

Now, we haven't experimented with our own yet but rest assure that "He" is well on his way to finding THE perfect Toddy-style concentrate maker. We will report back once that happens.

I being the truly impatient one had to head down to Thump to give this newfangled (to me anyways) coffee a try. I ordered up a small size and gave it a taste. Yummy! It is strong so those of you who are used to drinking Iced Caramel Macchiato's at Starbucks are probably going to want to add sugar to it. Do your best not to go crazy though...trust me on this one. I opted for a splash of cream and not quite a packet of the Raw Sugar just to bring out the sweetness in the coffee. Personally, I thought it was great and probably one of the best iced coffee's I've ever had. You could actually taste the flavor of the coffee beans which is not usually the case in other iced coffees. There is a definite sweetness on its own and it's smoother than a baby's butt. Not that I've licked any baby butts in my time...just sayin'. Admittedly it took a little getting used to because of the strength yet keep an open mind and keep tasting! "He" came home and was able to get a sip in before I drank it all, and thought it was excellent. Granted, the ice cubes had melted by then so it was more watered down than it was when I first got it. Eh, no matter.

The one thing I forgot to ask was what type of beans they're using for the cold-brewing. I know they've got a few new ones featured so shame on me for not getting the goods. Next time...I promise!

Run, don't walk, as I don't know how long they'll be serving this up for. I'm hoping at least through August and maybe into September. Tell 'em we sent you and then let us know what you think!

Ito En does Coffee in a bottle

Pretty bottle, isn't it? Makes you want to crack it open and sample the Japenese goodness within and think of simpler times. First I should preface all of this by saying that Ito En makes some of the best bottled teas I've had. Their Jasmine rocks, as does their Hojicha (which I can't find on their website), and are two of my absolute favorites. So when I saw a bottled coffee from them I figured it was worth trying. Of course part of me has a hard time relating Japan with espresso, but nevertheless it drew me in.

On first sip I will say it's pretty watery and a tad weak in the coffee flavoring. To me it tastes like the Starbucks bottled coffees (not the Iced Coffee, mind you). Too sweet, not enough coffee punch, but not bilge water either. The can does say it can be served either hot or cold but the thought of heating up an already cold coffee beverage never crossed my mind, so I didn't try it that way. Maybe it would've been better. Er, maybe not.

Supposedly it is freshly brewed Brazilian and Tanzanian coffee beans in the French Roast style. Well, me and French Roast don't particularly get along as usually the beans are annihilated in the roasting process. Not if it's done right, mind you, yet it often times isn't. Especially when it's "commercially" roasted. Those nasty cigarette smelling coffee beans we got from Costco were French Roast. They are to this day beyond oily which is surprising to me as one would think ALL of the oils were burnt out of the beans in the burning (roasting) process, yet there it is - leaving nasty residues all over everything it touches. I curse them everytime I use them and yet I'm too cheap to replace them. At least they don't smell as bad as they used to. Notice I said AS bad. They still stink.

Where was I? Ah yes, coffee in a can.

I'd pass on this one. Again, it's not horrible or nasty, but it ain't good either. I think I'll stick to the teas from Ito En. They've got those down pat.

Balay

Famous for their Bubble Tea (which I adore), Balay also serves up espresso, and since I was downtown the other day I figured I'd try a cappuccino. From what I could tell the brand they use is Caffe D'Arte, which is one I was unfamiliar with. I will say that the cappuccino was made very well. A tad too hot, yet the foam was nicely done, the milk blended well with the espresso, and the size was good. I wasn't a big fan of the espresso, though. It was a tad too strong/heady and had a taste that I can't place but one that I wasn't crazy about. While it definitely was not bad, it wasn't my favorite. So I will stick with their fabulous Bubble Teas and maybe try the cappuccino again at a later date. Could've been bad beans.

BibiCaffe - "the bubbly espresso"

I saw some of this at Newport Market and finally picked one up to give it a go. I will admit that I had misgivings from the get-go but tried it with an open mind. After all, it is actually made and imported from Italy so it has to be at least a little decent, right? Famous last words. Typically I will try just about any cold coffee drink at least once. Many of them taste the same to me...crappy coffee, sweet, and not like something I'd want to drink again. Although, I hate to admit that I actually like Starbucks Iced Coffee in a can. While I'm not a big fan of the "can" taste, I like the drink itself. ssshhh...don't tell anyone! Where was I? Ah yes, BibiCaffe. So I cracked open the bottle and took a sip. I can't say that I enjoyed that first one, or the second, or even the third. Something about it seemed, I don't know...wrong. There was a definite espresso taste yet it was carbonated. A tad too sweet for me, yet even that wasn't the problem. No matter how many times I tried it, I couldn't get past the fact that there were bubbles in the coffee. I can deal with cold coffee but...bubbly? I thought I could enjoy it. I was wrong.

"He" tried it and said it tasted like CocaCola Blak. I could see that. The website describes it as: "a sparkling espresso drink with hints of vanilla and caramel. One taste and you’ll know BibiCaffè is in a class by itself. This distinctly refreshing and versatile beverage offers a great-tasting alternative to existing coffee and energy drinks."

hmmm...I don't know about all of that now. I definitely did not like it and "he" was neutral about it, but at least we gave it a shot. I think I'll stick to my espresso being non-carbonated from here on out.