BadSea Coffee

Here Be Dragons.

One of the coolest things to happen to me the past few months was the relationship that was formed between BadSea Coffee and myself. In a nutshell, I’ve signed on to be their Digital Media Director!

It all started back in August of 2017 when I was on my Tuesday morning group ride. There was about 30 cyclist getting their morning bike ride in before work…and then all of a sudden Ryan (BadSea Coffee creator) swung to my left and handed me a bag of coffee beans. I know I’m over exaggerating, but it literally felt like one of those movie scenes when fighter jets refuel mid-air. Everyone on the group ride was like “Did you just get a coffee delivery!?”

Screen Shot 2018-06-04 at 8.52.45 AM — Special delivery

Screen Shot 2018-06-04 at 8.52.27 AM — BadSea modeling with my Canyon

So I’ve been blessed and I’d say fortunate to be given the opportunity to help such a badass company. Back in my high school days I was super into digital media and made tons of short films. It was just within the past year that I got back into media (it was sort of my creative outlet and a way to document Hudson growing up). The stars aligned and BadSea offered me the job. I do have to say…it’s been a challenge balancing my full time job (Finance Business Systems), family, cycling, and media creator. But the good thing is coffee is a every day staple in my life so its pretty easy to incorporate especially if you love the product.

Honestly, I salivate every morning over their coffee. I’ve been hooked up on their subscription plan and get a bag of FRESH beans every other Monday. I’ve had nothing but great experiences with BadSea and I’m always excited to grab my new bag. I’ll do a few proper Coffee Blog reviews, but here is a sample of this weeks Drops:

Brazil: Riacho Doce

Molasses. Raisin. Nougat.

This is a single estate coffee, not at all the norm for Brazil. Further breaking from tradition, the fazenda (coffee farm) is owned by a woman – who actually turned to coffee after going through a divorce over 30 years ago. The farmer, Nalva, poured her heart into learning everything she could about growing coffee.

Unsurprisingly, the resultant coffee is not normal for Brazil either. It has the general flavor profile one might expect, but everything is elevated.

The grind smells like sweet and nearly effervescent with the punctate aroma of sarsaparilla candies. In the cup, there’s a rich mouthfeel that bares out the aroma as a sweet molasses. Similarly, the fruit tones are thick and dark, like plump raisins.

This one does shockingly well on a pourover, unsurprisingly well as espresso, and may just be the perfect bean for low-ratio aeropress.

Ethiopia: Limu Natural

Grape jelly. Milk chocolate. Strawberry.

Undeniably an Ethiopian from first sip, though not as herbal/floral as you’d expect from a naturally-process – in a good way.

This one is a great Ethiopian offering because it has the floral attributes, but they’re subtle. There’s the aroma of strawberry that has warmed in the sun. There’s the fragrance of purple drank. But these subtle floral cues are packed into a cup that is juicy and jammy. Super interesting.

Then, out of left field, there’s a milk chocolate baseline.

Pour-over with this one. Awwwwllday, Son!

About BadSea Coffee Roasters

Borne among the waves and out of a desire for local craft coffee, BadSea arose to provide fresh-roasts to Southern California.

When early sailors ventured into uncharted waters they went beyond the bounds of their maps into regions marked with the words Here Be Dragons. The intrigue was alluring, and the most intrepid made history by setting their course for these unknown realms of new discovery.

Like the corners of an ancient atlas, coffee is largely unexplored – and it’s high time we up the game. The swill offered at most cafes or diners is a familiar discomfort, but there is more to experience than an acrid cup drawn from stale and over-roasted beans.

BadSea embraces the ability of a bean to provide its own enticing flavors, on its own merits. We carefully select coffees that have been vetted for quality, then we experiment with samples until we illuminate the roast profile that brings out all the wonders the bean has to offer. From cinnamon aromas, to berry notes, to caramel body, to cacao nibs, the complexity of a cup coffee is as unique and diverse as craft beer.

There are new flavors that would otherwise be wholly unassociated with coffee – papaya, apple, nougat, jasmine, and baked blueberry – to name just a few. Step up to the next level and bring an element of appreciate to your daily ritual.