Caribou Coffee Reindeer Blend

Rating:

Normally I am not a fan of Caribou Coffee. When I say that most people i know think I am insane. To them, the faux wood lodge interior and carmel infused drinks makes them yearn for a rustic land far from the burbs of Chicago.

Caribou Coffee tries hard to be the anti-Starbucks. The Eddie Bauer to the Starbucks Abercrombie & Fitch.

That being the case, I tend to avoid Caribou as much as I avoid Starbucks. However, a few days ago I awoke to find a small package of Caribou Coffee Reindeer Blend on my kitchen counter — a surprise from my wife.

As I read the label — Heavy – Spicy – Caramely

Mixed emotions filled me — on one hand I was touched that my wife had brought me this unexpected coffee gift — on the other hand, it was Caribou coffee.

But I decided in the spirit of the upcoming Christmas season that I would keep an open mind and see what exactly this blend would bring to the table.

As the label promises, this blend actually does have a hint of spice in its aroma. This smell isn’t revealed until it is brewed, to me it has a slightly orange and cinnamon smell to it, almost like mulled spice.

The “caramely” claim on the package no doubt comes from the longer roasting time used on this blends coffee beans. Longer roasting times cause a sugar caramelization to occur inside the beans.

I have always found such a roasting plan to give the coffee beans more of a burnt taste, but some people seem to enjoy the longer roast times.

That being said, this coffee is not overly acidic, has a great aroma (woke my wife up from a sound sleep), and does have hints of spices. If you are looking for a holiday blend, this is definitely an option.