Pilcrow Coffee Storyteller Blend

For the month of October I’m reviewing Pilcrow Coffee Storyteller Blend. This coffee was hit or miss with me, but once I found the sweet spot for brewing I fell in love.

Pilcrow Coffee has simple packaging with white foil coffee bags with custom printed stickers. It’s a nice clean look with white and red packaging. The beans were small and dry looking with a toasty and slightly acidic smell.

The website calls it their Seasonal Blend for use as Espresso or Filter Coffee. The blend contains coffee from Sitio Boa Esperanca in Brazil, Mikuba Washed from Burundi, and Los Dos Sucios in Guatemala.

To switch things up I brewed first in the French Press. The first thing I noticed was that the coffee sank a lot after the three minute brew (see the picture below). I followed my normal ratios and brewing procedure, so I’m not sure what was going on. After filtering it was cloudy–also odd. I added hot water to top it off because it looked way too thick as it was. I brewed in the French Press a second time with the same results. After that I didn’t try again.

There was a slight metallic tang to the coffee, but it was not acidic or bitter tasting at all. After cooling for a bit it didn’t get the bitterness that many coffees do once cooled [and reheated].

The tasting notes call out almond and milk chocolate. I can’t say I noticed either specifically. They also list “juicy body” and honestly I have no idea what that means.

In the Chemex it lost its cloudiness and the strange water loss, but the other traits stayed the same for the most part.

I also tried iced coffee with it in the Chemex (165 g ice, 335g water, 30g coffee). It was very smooth, no bitterness at all.

Brewing in the Chemex doesn’t have that “thing” that makes Blue Bottle or Black Rifle great…but I’d find I would drink one pot of Storyteller Blend, make another, and another. I jokingly called it a 24/7 coffee.

The website had brewing instructions for an espresso maker which is unusual, but I happen to own one so I gave it a try. The espresso maker was a game changer for this coffee. This stuff is like crack (or at least as addicting as I imagine crack to be). Their espresso directions are more technical than I ever get, so I just made it in my normal manner (no measurements on the coffee, and I use a glass carafe that has shot measurements on it). I don’t typically drink straight espresso, but I did once with this coffee. I prefer an Americano and this stuff is fantastic. The metallic tang isn’t present and it really brings out the nuttiness and chocolate smoothness. My espresso maker and I have a love/hate relationship, but this coffee has changed that. I haven’t pulled a shot that I tossed out. It’s so good. I haven’t shared. I have enough beans left for about 8 shots and I don’t plan on sharing.

The price is a little on the higher end. $16 for a 12 ounce bag plus $6 in shipping comes out to $1.83/oz. My call on this one is: if you have a French Press, pass; if you have a Chemex, try it if you’re looking for something new to try; and if you have an espresso maker, buy it now and squirrel it away from your mediocre-coffee-loving-family. 

Let me know what you think if you give this coffee a try!