SingleServeCoffeeReviews.com

Boy do I like these offers!

The folks over at AlpineValleyCoffee just listed one heck of a deal going on right now through March in celebration of the NCAA Tournament.

 They are offering free shipping, a whopping $1.50 discount per box, PLUS 20 free k-cup samples with each order of 6 boxes or more of 24 / 25 pack k-cups.

To get this offer you need to use the coupon code MM28 during checkout.

Here's the k-cup deal as they list it:

• Free Shipping
• 20 Free K-cup Samples
• $1.50 off per box
  

I for one have enough k-cup coffee at the moment, but I'm heading over there today to take advantage of this deal anyhow!

Heck, I figured it out and they are not only giving you free shipping, but are giving you a total savings of around $21.95 (and that's without shipping included yet! I bet the free shipping saves you another $7 - $9 on top of that!)

I love this time of March! Let the madness begin.

 

 

If you're the kind of coffee lover that gets into flavored coffee, you really should try out Gloria Jean's Irish Creme k-cups. Besides, what better way to celebrate St. Patrick's day than with a nice warm cup of Irish Creme!

I myself love the smooth creamy taste of Irish Creme ... and to be honest, I'm not a big "flavored coffee" kind of person. But there is something that can't be beat about that perfect cup.

I for one will be celebrating today with a cup of Gloria Jean's Irish Creme. I hope you will to! Drink a cup for me while you're at it.

There are certain Timothy Coffees that I totally enjoy - but Timothy's Hazelnut (a long ago favorite) has been replaced by Green Mountain's Hazelnut Dark coffee K-Cups.  But for those who prefer a lighter hazelnut K-Cup coffee, Timothy's Hazelnut will fulfil the need.

Timothy's Hazelnut definitely catches the nose with a nutty (pure Hazelnut) aroma.  The taste though does less to the senses.  For me, the coffee was a small bit bitter and I only tasted a lit hazelnut flavor.  As with most flavored K-Cup coffees Timothy's Hazelnut is a medium roast (the Green Mountain Hazelnut is an exception being a dark roast.)  According to Timothy's website the Hazelnut has, "a luscious combination of roasted hazelnut and French vanilla cream. Perfect for dessert! Our best-selling flavored coffee."  Maybe for me, I was expecting a pure hazelnut and the tinginess of the vanilla cream caught me off-guard.

Regardless, Timothy's Hazelnut is popular among many K-Cup lovers (although I suggest these people give Green Mountain's Hazelnut Dark a try.)  I have spoken to a few people who have surprisingly converted to Green Mountain's version even though they still love many other Timothy K-Cups.

What do you think?  If you have tried both Timothy's Hazelnut and Green Mountain's Hazelnut Dark - which one did you prefer?  Write me a comment below.  Love to hear your opinion.     

Green Mountain's Dark Magic Extra Bold K-Cups are extraordinarily BOLD!   In my opinion, Dark Magic K-Cups taste as bold as Green Mountain's Double Black Diamond K-Cups and comparable to Coffee People's Jet Fuel.  But based on the roast profile comparison shown - the Double Black Diamond is a darker roast although the   taste profile of the two is almost identical. Check out my review of Green Mountain's Double Black Diamond K-Cups.

As I brewed the Dark Magic K-Cup coffee though I could sense the deep roasted coffee from its heavy, intense aroma.  Yet I knew it was a powerhouse when I dropped a few teaspoonfuls of milk in the cup and the coffee remained dark brown - even a few more drops and the coffee barely turned a caramelly brown.   Now that's a deep, dark coffee!

Green Mountain defines their Dark Magic K-Cups as, " Spellbinding complexity. Deep, dark and intense. Enjoy our most popular Extra Bold coffee."  I agree wholeheartedly with the "deep, dark and intense" since my milk -adding test proved all three characteristics were true for this K-Cup.  The aroma was intense, the taste was what I expect from a dark roast and the overall experience was intensely BOLD.  The Green Mountain Dark Magic is also available in decaf.

Now - how does it compare to Double Black Diamond?  I think it is a toss-up.  If I was eager to try a really dark and seriously bold coffee, I would reach for either one and be pleased by both.  What do you think? If you have tried both of Green Mountain's big and extra bold K-Cups: Double Black Diamond and Dark Magic - which one do you think fulfills the dream for a truly deep, dark and intense coffee?

Until next time - enjoy a perfect cup of coffee! 

Caribou Coffee came on the K-Cup coffee scene fairly recently although they have been an outstanding coffee roaster for quite some time.  Second behind only Starbucks, Caribou Coffee has a unique brand image and excellent coffee varieties.

Caribou Coffee Company is a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ with ticker symbol (CBOU.)  According to Google Finance...

"As of December 31, 2006, Caribou has 464 coffeehouses, including 24 franchised locations. The Company has coffeehouses in 18 states and the District of Columbia and international markets, including 193 coffeehouses in Minnesota and 62 coffeehouses in Illinois. Caribou also sells its products to grocery stores and mass merchandisers, office coffee providers, airlines, hotels, sports and entertainment venues, college campuses, and the Company licenses third parties to use the Caribou Coffee brand on food and merchandise."

In Cincinnati, Caribou has a few coffeehouses which visit often mainly because they have some outstanding dark roasted coffee and they offer free wireless Internet if you purchase a cup of coffee (whereas at Starbucks you have to PAY for access even with buying their expensive coffee!!!)  

Caribou Coffee follows social responsibility like Green Mountain and takes care of the environment.  It's pretty cool.  According to www.cariboucoffee.com, the company...

In addition to buying Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade and Organic certified coffee, we partner with local community efforts as a part of our sustainability program. For every pound of coffee we buy, we allocate funds to support agriculturally and socially responsible initiatives in coffee-producing communities around the world. We continue building clinics and schools and investing in reforestation efforts, water-cleaning and similar programs.

As you may imagine, if you are an international coffee roaster, you are pretty much obligated to buy Fair Trade coffee to some degree but I believe some companies go the extra step beyond their social obligation. In my opinion, Green Mountain and Caribou Coffee are two examples of going beyond just the necessary of social responsibility.  But they have reached an exemplary status without sacrificing the great taste of coffee.

 

Caribou Coffee offers a number of exceptional K-Cup coffees including the following:

• Daybreak Morning Blend
• Columbia
• Fair Trade
• Caribou Blend
  
• Caribou Blend Decaf
• Sumatra
• Sumatra Decaf
• French Roast 
  

I personally like the Caribou Blend and the French Roast.  Caribou Coffee is unique although I wish they also packaged as a K-Cup their Reindeer Blend at least during the Holidays and the FireSide.  They are incredible.

I recommend buying a K-Cup pack today. You won't be disappointed.