I’m reviewing coffee from all around the world for the rest of the semester, so you guys don’t have to.

Coffee beans may seem like a niche market that doesn’t have much variation considering they all just make coffee in the end. But that is actually not the case. There are over one hundred and twenty types of coffee plants that each produce a unique bean specific to that plant.

Most coffee beans fall into two main categories: robusta or arabica. On top of that, there is regular (caffeinated coffee) or decaf (non-caffeinated coffee). Decaf coffee is a great option for those who love the taste of a good brew without the jitters that may come along with it, or even for those who may have already had enough caffeine on a certain day and want more coffee. 

I was always fascinated by the “family tree” if you will, of different types of coffee. Since I was fifteen, I decided I wanted to try as many types of coffee as possible. Following that, I have tried over a hundred different beans all in the same format, standard black coffee (also called drip coffee). There are many aspects that can make a coffee stand out. Taste, strength, smoothness, and aroma are just some of the aspects that I review when looking at a certain bean. 

One of my favorite beans that I have tried, which will also be the coffee I review today, is Holler Mountain by Stumptown Coffee.

This organic blend has been a favorite since day one. It’s got the complex profile to pour a great espresso yet the versatility to serve as your daily cup of drip. I first tried this blend in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida almost two years ago at a small local coffee shop known as Black Bear coffee. But It wasn’t like a typical coffee where I noticed its standout features when I tasted it. I really fell in love with this blend by the aroma it gave off. Before the barista even handed it to me, I could smell the coffee, and it was hands down one of the best smelling beans I have ever smelled. Its deep scent seems to seep down to your soul and surround you with the South American roots that it hails from. The taste includes hints of berry jam, citrus, and caramel which Stumptown Coffee Roasters tries to fit into the blend. The experience of drinking Holler Mountain can best be described as intimate. It is a personal and familiar experience that can bring up memories from grandma’s house with the hints of berry jam and caramel and then it flushes your mind with waves of summer due to the citrus flavor coming in strong. These beans are amazing, and I highly recommend them to any person who enjoys drip coffee or espressos. 

-Taste: 8.5/10, I personally enjoy the berry jam and citrus hints along with the caramel flavor, but I feel as though there could be a little more of the true coffee flavor in the blend. If you do not enjoy the flavor that is included in the blend then Holler Mountain beans may not be for you.

-Strength: 5.5/10, this is a perfect daily driver. I don’t ever feel like these beans produce a brew that is too strong, but I still feel like the strength is adequate enough for a coffee.

-Smoothness: 7/10, the coagulation of the flavor present in these beans offer a great deal of smoothness, but I have had smoother beans and I feel like sometimes you can really get a separation of the flavors.

-Aroma: 10/10, like previously mentioned the aroma given off by Holler mountain beans is one of the best I have smelled. The hints of berry jam and caramel really do appear in the scent and I am in love with brewing these beans because of the aroma.