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Roast Review - Allegro Coffee
Feb 16, 2022Daniel Kennedy

Roast Review - Allegro Coffee

Written by: Sheila Murray

The Cuppamoka never ceases to amaze me. I love how small yet effective it is and how the pour over method brings out a smoothness in each coffee. I personally love to switch up the “vessel” I’m pouring into – sometimes I brew using the original kit and other times I pair the coffee dripper with my yellow Octaroma. You wouldn’t believe how many people comment on the Octaroma if I take it around with me for a day – there’s something about a splash of yellow that brings out the best in people!

When I received a bag of medium roast coffee from Allegro, I was most curious what it would taste like using the pour-over method. I was hoping for a delicious and easy-drinking experience and that’s exactly what I received.

Though I only learned about Allegro a few years ago, it has an impressive history! Allegro Coffee Company started in Boulder, Colorado in 1977 and was one of the first certified organic roasters in the country! If you’re a Whole Foods shopper, you may have seen an Allegro coffee bar asWhole Foods purchased the coffee company in 1997! I’m lucky enough to have an Allegro coffee shop within walking distance of me, which is what got me interested in testing one of their coffees with a Wacaco product.

First impressions

Wow - this coffee sure is aromatic – I felt like I got a hit of caffeine just opening the bag! The smell of a medium roast coffee always takes me back to childhood, before I even drank coffee. It’s that “classic” coffee smell I could sense each morning when my parents prepared it. In consciously smelling the beans I detected cacao and some sweetness. I like to keep the tasting notes on the label a surprise until after I make my own guesses. 

Tasting Notes

I ground  the beans, aiming for a medium-coarse grind for my pour-over method. I prepared the Cuppamoka and poured the water through, watching the coffee slightly bloom. Next to the actual drinking coffee experience, watching coffee bloom is a favorite part of mine. 

 

I invited my coffee tasting assistant/husband, James, to assist me in the next part!

We noted that the brewed coffee smelled warm and sugary and it possessed that smoothness (even just in smell) that I had been craving. Upon tasting, the smoothness carried through and the warmness deepened. The coffee possessed a full-bodied flavor, and was certainly chocolatey,  with hints of spice and maybe even nuts (we guessed hazelnut or walnut). 

We agreed this was the ideal coffee to enjoy after a 20° winter walk or one that you might sip over a coffee date with a friend, when you want to take your time and enjoy each moment. 

Now for the reveal! Here is how Allegro describes their Vienna Roast: “Grown in the lush, hills and valleys of the Americas, this medium-bodied coffee is roasted to highlight the inherent sweetness of the beans. It has a smooth, subtle flavor, with notes of chocolate and toffee.”

Feb 16, 2022 Daniel Kennedy