Guatemalan French Roast

Guatemala Fancy SHB - Medium Roast: Full in body with slight acidity.
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Voted #1 by LA Times!!!

French roast brews, sip for sip
By Amy Scattergood, Times Staff Writer
September 20, 2006

"EVERYONE had skipped their morning cup of Joe, and the natives were noticeably restless. That was the scene as The Times tasting panel convened recently for a tasting of 13 French roasts.

Why French roast? Coffee experts had groaned when I'd told them that's what we'd be sampling, rather than Colombian, say, or Guatemalan — milder single-provenance beans. You won't be able to taste the difference they'd said. You'll be tasting the roast, not the bean; it'll just taste burnt.

But that's what Americans like to drink (dark roasts are by far the best-selling blends), and besides, that's what most of us secretly make at home. Joining me on the panel were food editor Leslie Brenner, deputy features editor Michalene Busico, columnist Russ Parsons, assistant food editor Betty Hallock, staff writer Corie Brown, editor at large Thomas Curwen and Guy Pasquini, owner-president of Pasquini Espresso Co.

We'd assembled beans from the big caffeine guns, such as Starbucks and Peet's, from stores such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe's, plus well-regarded local micro-roasters.

The coffee wonks were right: In general, these coffees were mostly unpleasant — bitter and burnt-tasting. As we smelled and sipped and swirled cup after cup — all brewed identically in French presses and tasted blind — we were struck by how similar so many of them were. A couple stood above the rest, though, both local micro-roasters. Here they are, listed in order of the panel's preference. Prices are per pound, unless stated otherwise.

Jones Coffee Roasters French roast. From Guatemalan beans roasted in Pasadena, this coffee is well-balanced, creamy and complex, with attractive aromas and a mild, nutty flavor."