Epic Bean Coffee Roasters - Peru Aprocassi / Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Chichu

I am a huge fan of African coffees, but ordered the Peruvian anyway.  Sometimes coffee from the Americas is too bright for my taste, but I was having a moment, so I just clicked it.

I'm so glad I did.  I loved the Peru Aprocassi from Epic Bean.  http://www.epicbean.com/ 

I'll get to that in a moment.
First - The shipping was fast AND they sent a tracking number.  I'm obsessive about tracking packages, so that's a huge plus with me.  

Then I got This

My first thought was - Hey, Unicorns! Not girly, Lisa Frank Unicorns, but the kind you might find on a coat of arms.  Tough unicorns.  

Inside each box was a bag, with more unicorns.

And finally inside each bag - coffee

and TOYS!!!  I'm 48, but if you give me toys I will play with them.  That's how the Epic Guys got their own section of the website.

I also got a couple of stickers.  I am getting quite a few coffee roaster stickers.  Still trying to decide what to put them on.  It has to be something that I will use, but not something fragile.  I want to show them off, so it has to be something I take with me.  I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.

Now the coffee.  I have brewed this with my beehouse, kalita wave and Bunn.  I prefer the beehouse, and that's how I drink most of my coffee.  I did the Bunn because the husband wanted a lot of coffee one night.

It was sweeter, with a hint of vanilla aroma.  Think vanilla extract, not plain bean.  Vanilla beans smell like playdough to me and this did not smell like playdough.  It had a bright acidity, kind of like dancing on the tongue.  The cocoa taste gave it a creamy body.  I've seen Peruvian coffees described as having a floral aroma, but I don't know that I picked up on that.  It did smell like really good coffee, some vanilla, a hint of nut, but not really flowers to me.  

It is a fantastic breakfast coffee.  Goes well with my fruit that I have most days, also was great paired with a nutty oatmeal with fruit.  Ok with eggs and sausage, but not the best pairing.  Went well with my lunchtime salad that had spinach, goat cheese and peppers.  I'm big with what coffee goes with what foods.  Some just don't work for me.  This one didn't overpower the lighter foods I eat during the day.  

Nate wrote me to let me know when their mugs came in.  Of course I ordered one.  A mug a day for a year requires a lot of mugs, plus I like to have them from roasters I've sampled.  It's a cool enamel mug

The Peru was not the only coffee I ordered, you may have noticed that from the photos.  I did get some from Africa too. I do love Ethiopian coffees.  

This was was a bit heavier, not as bright up front, but it did have a brighter finish.  Warmer is a good description. Slightly darker - in tone, not bean.  The beans were not a dark roast, light medium to medium.  I didn't pick up a blueberry taste like I have with other Yirg beans, but it was fruity.  Sweet and winey with a hint of spice and richness, maybe a hint of citrus.  Imagine richer fruit covered in milk chocolate that has been given a zest of lemon and you have a good idea of my impression of this. It went very well with my cheesecake. A decadent pairing.  I know cheesecake isn't on my diet, but it was a nice treat and the Yirgacheffe really brought out the creamy taste.