Roast Reviews: Wild and Free Coffee Company’s Flow State: Peak Performance Blend

Review brought you by Beth and George.

Whether having espresso on-the-go fuels your transcendental experience in nature or is a spiritual act in and of itself, wouldn’t it be nice to know your coffee choice contributes to the protection of natural resources? Tennessee-based Wild and Free Coffee is certified Fair Trade and Organic, and they donate 10% of your purchase to a conservation-oriented partner organization. Rapid riders may be familiar with current partner, American Whitewater, whose mission is “to conserve and restore America's whitewater resources and to enhance opportunities to enjoy them safely.”

With a name like Wild and Free, it’s no surprise the company is made up of avid outdoorspeople and caters to their adventurous tastes in coffee. Of their four roasts offered online (with a subscription option!), we’re reviewing Flow State: Peak Performance Blend to prove that it’s aptly named.

Flow State: Peak Performance Blend: 100% Arabica beans sourced from Africa, Central America, and Indonesia; roasted and packed in Nashville, Tennessee.

Beans

It’s morning, and we’re preparing for a busy day of… shoveling, welding, and knocking chores off our to-do list. (Our adventures are rather domestic as of late.) Before we begin tackling anything, we need espresso, and we take a quick whiff as we shake the whole beans into our grinder. The beans smell a bit nutty and woodsy, like sugarcane. George catches the scent of super rich chocolate brownies.

Analyzing the Espresso Pour

As always, we’re impressed with the excellent crema we get with the Nanopresso. It’s on the thin side, but solid gold. We can’t detect any pungent acidity! The smell is a little milky, like a cappuccino.

Taste Test

“Each sip is something different,” says George. First he finds toffee, then blueberry, and so on, the dynamic notes changing on his palate. The tannic qualities remind us of wine, but as far as espresso goes, Flow State is light on acidity, making for smooth, if complex, drinking. I appreciate the subtly changing notes of cocoa, berries, and nutmeg. Once we finish our espresso shots, we feel prepared to take on the day — and we couldn’t ask for more.