5. Those looking to brew the best cup of joe can take advantage of a free, personalized tasting at Peregrine Coffee. At the husband-and-wife-owned warehouse and roasting facility, the team steers visitors to try new flavors from around the world based on guests’ tastes. Once favorite roasts are discovered, guests can take part in what may be the world’s only coffee bean bespoke service. The owners will order quantities of the green beans, store them and then roast and ship them whenever the customer’s current batch is exhausted. 5017 Friendship Street, (215) 240-4474, peregrinecoffee.com

Snickers?  Lemonade?  You’ve got to be kidding!  The consensus here is milk chocolate with caramel and nuts mixed with a watery, citrus acidity.  Other layers include apples and a powdery cocoa experience.  We are thrilled to be able to offer this organically grown, artisanal  bean from one of our favorite importers.

This is a wonderful example of a balanced, elegant cup of coffee.  The smells are familiar: coffee, flower-perfumy, citrus, with a touch of caramelized brown sugar.  The initial tastes are bright and crisp, like the first apples of Fall.  The dry mouthfeel doesn’t come across as acidic, but more high and bright, and it finishes slightly metallic. There are hints of dry nuttiness –a blend of almonds and cocoa powder with a slight malty-coffee-caramel thread. A new range of flavors emerges once it cools: complex layers of unusual fruit and spices.

The Santa Lucia Estate in Costa Rica took 16th place in the 2008 Cup of Excellence judging.  Farmers Ricardo Perez Barrantes and Rodriguez Villalobos have more than 30 years of coffee farming experience.

In light of the articles and talk about cooking more at home in tough economic times, I wanted to let you all know about Peregrine Coffee, which focuses on bespoke coffee for people who care enough to buy beans, grind and brew at home, or want truly special coffees to complement a specific meal/dessert. My husband Kevin Lawrence is the roaster, and not only do we have single-origin coffees roasted to order in our online store, Peregrine Coffee, but we also offer a free coffee consulting service, as part of the bespoke part of the business. If you know what you like in a cup of joe, you can call or email and work directly with the roaster to source and roast beans to your specifications. If you love coffee but don’t know why, you can try a sample pack and then use the contrasting flavors you find there to start the conversation and Kevin will help guide you to your ideal cup. We basically just love really fresh roasted coffee, and want more people to experience it too. We might not to be able to afford the 6-course tasting menu anymore, but we can treat ourselves to small things, done perfectly!

Posted on Serious Eats!

Experience a free (for a limited time) customized coffee tasting at our roast shop, or in your own Philadelphia area home or workplace.  Sample a variety of coffees from around the world including several not available on our web site.  Discover the coffees that please your personal palate and have the opportunity to purchase a bag, a share, or even a year’s supply of the beans that create your ideal brew.