Review: The Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company Wintersleep
(2022) On deep, dark, cold winter nights, a quick trip outside provides the seasonal aromas of enjoyment. Fireplace smells and pure cold air have us heaving in lungfuls of the season, our favorite. When the snow flies the indoor aromas can be just as enjoyable as the gurgle of the coffee pot or kettle bring us closer to that next cup of rich, warm, satisfying coffee. Right at the beginning of the coldest snap of the season, a mystery person - we’ll call him Caffeine Stig - eluded the creakybottombracket.com office door camera to drop off what he said was his favorite coffee of all time. He brought a couple other coffee roasters to us, so we listened.
The Great Lake Coffee Roasting Company celebrates their humble beginnings in a garage near Detroit, Michigan. If we thought we were in a cold snap, who knows what the wintry weather was like between Lake Huron and Lake Erie. With their wonderful-smelling coffee bag of Wintersleep in hand, we marveled at the simplicity of using a standard bag, but utilizing a card slot to identify the bean. We even found it useful to store the scooper when not excavating the bag. With frost delicately lining the windows, and no chance for a walk that day, we got to brewing.
The beans are small and light brown, almost delicate. They hop out of the bag. They bounce off the grinder hopper. These variety dark roast beans from Peru are almost excited to make the next steaming cup. According to Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company, the beans come from a minimum 1,650 meters (5,400 ft) above sea level, making them some of the highest beans. The grind came out a fine brownish copper powder and we set to the second part of brewing.
After a quick brew, the cup poured the same copper/ brownish color. Once slightly cooled, and with anticipation to add warmth to the day, the first sips were served up. Dark roast fans looking for a roast dominated by tastings of chocolate, this is your brew. Sip after sip installed satisfaction as the lingering flavors left little acid to reckon with. Sip after sip led to empty mugs which led to more pots. Then anticipation of racing heart rate and post caffeinated anxiety went from minute to minute then across the hours. This is the dark roast that goes down smoothly without leading to tremors and nervousness. Could Wintersleep be a dark roast that is consumed all day?
It is no coincidence the Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company bag of Wintersleep went faster than most beans. It is an enjoyable roast that leaves one feeling satisfied during the cold winter days. With the city of Detroit being associated with American motorsports, maybe getting Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company delivered by a Caffeine Stig was just the right combination.
