In the Meyer household every day can be considered National Coffee Day, it is certainly observed and celebrated like a national holiday. But thanks be to the internet and some mega chains promotions I am now aware of this most sacred of days. So I felt it fitting for another post this week to honor such a day. Be it good luck or a someone out there looking out for me that I had a new offering to celebrate and review today. In week one I reviewed an Ethiopian from Pura Bean Coffee Company in Jacksonville, in all reality I ordered and was expecting a bag of Rwandan Peaberry, well yesterday I finally received that bag.

Today I’m making the review a family affaire and including my wife’s thoughts and reactions to these coffee beans. Aromatically she gave me the very descriptive rundown of “fruity, earthy, with a hint of spice…maybe plum.” I on the other hand got big aromas of buttered toast topped with orange marmalade, very bright and citrusy on the nose. I also got some earthiness like damp fall leaves. Mrs. Meyer was quick to notice that this light roast left a thin layer of oil on top of her cup. Her thoughts upon first sip “there was a sweetness connected to the fruitiness, smooth tasting through the beginning, it’s not bitter, with a chocolate taste at the finish…gag!” For myself the what I gathered aromatically and what I taste are worlds apart, toffee and burnt sugars hit my tongue almost immediately with dark chocolate and dried apricots trying to fight through in the finish. It’s almost obnoxiously complex without leaving me completely satisfied. Theres an acidity that also lingers, this I like, it lets me know I’m drinking a heavenly nectar one that should be taken seriously. The Mrs. said she can take it small doses and it would be a nice warm beverage on a fall night. My thoughts are all over the board, here’s a lot going on here with this cup of coffee and I’m a little torn between really liking this cup to it being an average brew. I’ll have to drink it some more throughout the week and maybe give another observation in my Thursday post. But I’ll let you decide on your own please go back on over to Pura Beans website and order a bag for yourself. Happy National Coffee Day and GO Chiefs! https://purabeancoffeeco.com/product/reserve-12-oz/

• 

• 

• 

• 

On a wet, retro painted field, the Chiefs and Ravens played anything but old school football. Yes there was quite a bit of up the gut, between the tackles, hard nosed, running football played between both squads but it was the backyard style of QB play that defined the game. Between two of the best, make a miracle out of absolutely nothing quarterbacks in the league, Sunday’s matchup was one of the best of the young NFL season so far. Baltimore came right out of the gate and showed KC what they were all about on the legs of a couple of former Heisman trophy winners in Mark Ingram and the aforementioned Lamar Jackson. While KC did what it does best and allowed PM15 to be the best football player on the planet and throw it to a bunch of guys who are pretty good at what they do and look slightly better because the play with PM15. After it was settled KC pulled ahead and coasted to 33-28 victory.

What we learned. John Harbaugh may have something with going for it on 4th down and under yards to go, the Chiefs D rarely shows any desire in stopping plays like this and it takes possessions away from PM15 and the Chiefs offense. John Harbaugh also does not know when to properly go for two point conversions, for some reason the Chiefs D can stop these plays. Shady still has some juice left in those legs. Darrel Williams could be an every down back and congrats to Byron Pringle a former Kansas State Wildcat on his first career NFL reception.

This week we head towards the motor city in Detroit and play the Lions, who are off to a surprising 2-0-1 start. I have gone back and forth on how I think this game could go. The pessimist in me says the could be the Lions Super Bowl and we’ll get everything we want from them. Then I remembered this game will be indoors, without elements and on a fast field. No one in the history of football has put together a track team of football players like the Chiefs. If PM15 is standing upright there will be a lot of point put up on the scoreboard. So here I am being optimistic and saying that KC drops double nickels down on boys from Mo-Town. My prediction 55-20 KC in a beatdown. PM15 throws for 5 TD’s and we see a Matt Moore sighting. Think our star of the game goes Sammy Watkins and Frank Clark has multiple sacks of Matt Stafford. Let’s see what happens in Detroit. Go Chiefs!

Our coffee sampling this week is from New Order Coffee Roasters, I must say simply the best packaging for coffee I have received yet, just really well done. Our sampling this week is a Zambian Keteshi, my absolute first from Zambia. It’s impressive, sweet and fruity with some toffee complexity right on the nose. After running through the grinder I get some sweet pipe tobacco scents that get the taste buds hyperactive. Upon first sip the tasters at New Order are right one the money, citrusy and bright like oranges right up front followed by candy like sweetness all the way throughout and a creaminess down the back of the throat. This is a memorable cup of coffee. It lingers in the mouth and keeps you coming back for more. So far this is the front runner for Coffee of the Year in my books. If you’re interested in purchasing this coffee or reading more about it check out New Order Coffee Roasters website http://www.newordercoffee.com/coffee/zambia-kateshi

I’m assuming all who read this also watch football and know that the Chiefs defeated the Ravens 33-28 at Arrowhead yesterday afternoon. I’ll have a full recap plus a review of our tasting coming out of Detroit on Thursday.

In the meantime I got off early from work today and had a box from Baltimore. Our long lost package of Divine Bovine from Vent Coffee Roasters, a specialty blend of their Rwandan, Ethiopian, and Brazilian offerings. Right out of the bag I got heavy aromas of toasted baked goods. I imagine little bakeries in Italy smelling like this. Almost a maltiness of a good Belgian beer. After brewed I felt like some of the nose complexity disappeared and was left with some burnt sugar aromas. On first sip they returned this time with hints of toasted marshmallows, dark chocolate, and raisins. A dark roast lovers dream I feel this one is. It drinks heavy with a slight acidity at the back of the tongue. Would not be my first choice in the middle of the afternoon but on a Sunday morning in Kansas City or Baltimore I would have zero qualms about brewing this by the gallon. Special shout out to Andrew at Vent about getting this to me in an expedited fashion. If you want to try this brew or any of their single origins check out. https://squareup.com/store/ventcoffee/

• 

• 

• 

For the last time in the history of the NFL a professional football game was played on infield dirt from a baseball diamond and this writer is overly pleased with that. For one quarter Jon Gruden looked like he had a competent football team that was ready to make a statement in the AFC West. Then the 2nd Quarter happened and PM15 made everyone on the Raiders defense look like Pop Warner backups. 278 yards and 4 TD’s later a 10 zip hole became a 28-10 halftime lead and for the first time in 122 matchups between the Raiders and Chiefs no points were scored in a half. Just a little history nugget there for you.

This week Arrowhead comes alive for a real football game for the first time since the AFC Championship game. The Chiefs welcome the Ravens and through 2 weeks the MVP front runner Lamar Jackson. I have to admit this one scares me a lot. The Chiefs D still looks suspect at times and a QB who can take a broken play and make things happen should frighten even the most secure of fans. We will see how Lamar holds his own in what should surely be a very loud and rambunctious crowd in Kansas City. I expect all the fireworks to be out in a race to 40 that falls just short with 38-34 Chiefs victory. Who will be there to step up for Tyreek Hill my prediction falls with the rookie burner Mecole Hardman, who somebody correctly predicted would have their first NFL touchdown last week, I expect him to pick up where he left last week getting open and PM15 finding him on multiple occasions. Also expecting to find a spark from fellow rookie Darwin Thompson. The D will face a true test and let’s hope they can make the stop when it counts the most.

Due to some shipping issues my coffee order from Baltimore is not shipping out until today. Hoping to have it in time for kickoff on Sunday and I promise to give my thoughts on it when it arrives. But I do not come unprepared. I have a cup of from a local roaster out of Liberty, MO, Hammerhand Coffee, I have had a bag of their Kiawamururu Peaberry for the last couple of weeks. Let me tell you it’s certainly in the top 3 coffees I’ve had in the metro. A robust burst of complex citrus hits you right out of the gate on this one and just lingers. This is a very syrupy coffee full of natural oils that just stick around in the mouth even after drinking. This is one of those connoisseurs brews and if you have a chance to grab a bag of beans or a cup from their shop, please do. I hope you have enjoyed my thoughts this week and can’t wait to share my thoughts about Divine Bovine from Vent Coffee when it arrives. Have a good week and Let’s Go Chiefs!

Well I was only off by 3 total points on prediction in Jacksonville. My takeaways are this Sammy Watkins is in for a big pay day if he can keep this up, PM15 is mortal, and Jalen Ramsey needs to put on some pull ups and start acting like a big kid. We look so fast and strong on offense. We look like we have more overall team speed on D and are actually tackling but our secondary is BAD. We need to go out and get a play maker there in defensive backfield or our season will most likely in Foxboro and not Miami.

For this week I love our chances against a 1 – 0 Oakland Raider squad that had surprising home win against another AFC West Division foe on Monday night. An extra day plus rest against a team that we’ve been super successful against recently. I think we lay the hammer down with a 48-21 victory on a baseball field. Damien Williams is my offensive star this week and I think we might see our first career TD from Mecole Hardman. Also going out on a limb and think we will see a defensive TD somewhere in the mix.

For our coffee selection we Pretty Penny, a single origin Guatemalan, from Red Bay Coffee in Oakland. Their description reads flavors of caramelized peach, white grape and semi sweet chocolate. On first smell of the whole beans I got a ton of toffee after grinding more chocolate and caramel. With my first sips I get some very straight forward coffee flavors that are not so uncommon with Guatemalans. Very little acidity and very smooth like melted chocolate not really any of the fruit notes listed. This is fall morning on your porch swing type of brew, that I will have to remember. I really like it. If you want to check this brew out here is there website below and I hope all of you have a good week and Go Chiefs!

https://www.redbaycoffee.com/collections/coffee/products/pretty-penny

---

It’s game week and for some NFC North fans it’s actually game day. In my 32 years here on earth I don’t remember a NFL season I’ve been so excited for, I’m fairly certain that is “the Mahomes effect”. So, if you read my featured post you would be caught up on the fact my mission, so to speak, this year is to try a roaster from every city that the Chiefs have opponents. My idea is to review the roaster, go over my thoughts for the previous weeks game and give my prediction for this weeks matchup. With it being week one I’ll just give my insight and aspirations for this season but first the coffee.

Our first selection from the city of Jacksonville is a Ethopian Yirgacheffe from Pura Bean Coffee Company. A light roasted almost butter scented bean with much more fruity aromas when ground. Fruit forward and slightly acidic on the back of the tongue. It’s complex without being pertinacious. To be totally honest I think it taste a whole lot like Fruity Pebbles, which was slightly off putting at first but I find myself coming back for more. There is something that triggers a memory of Saturday morning cartoons on the tongue. Overall not my favorite cup of coffee but I’m glad to have tried it and finding people who love what they do. If your into fruity pebble coffee you can check them out at puracoffeeco.com

I think this Chiefs team is primed for a Super Bowl. The offense looks to be unstoppable not only does PM15 have an arsenal of weapons but I think he has an aggressive defensive unit on the other side the additions bring a breath of fresh air to a city who is ready to explode with this team. This is the season where I’m not going to curb my expectations because of past failures but fully embrace the window of opportunity that is right before us. I won’t say this is going to be 16-0 team because that is asinine but this is something special. So Chiefs fan enjoy it.

For this weeks prediction I’m taking the us all the way. I think Andy Reid and the boys are going to try and make a statement and really lay it on Jacksonville. I think PM15 goes out and has 4 TD’s in a relatively easy 41-24 victory. Let’s go Chiefs. I’ll be back next week with an offering from Oakland.

What goes best with a cup of coffee? Another cup.

— Henry Rollins

I had this idea to try coffee from every city of the opposing team the Chiefs play this season. Buying a bag a week from a local roaster. Talking about it and my thoughts for the upcoming game. Just sharing a passion or two of mine with you. Stay tuned!

Hi I’m John Meyer, for easy reading purposes I am a coffee loving, BBQ cooking, Jesus following, Chiefs fan. I live in Independence, MO with my beautiful wife Melissa and our two dogs Ruby and Genesis

Why do this?

• I like coffee and trying different roasters from around the country
• I like Chiefs football and talking about it with others.
• I needed to find a new hobby