Welcome to rocketfuelcoffee.com blogging!

The Challenge of the Rare Roast

2010-07-15T10:04:00.001-04:00

Now I know what cutting diamonds feels like (well, sort of).

The rare coffee, cigar, steak or diamond businesses have a few things in common. The product is of the highest standard, the customers know what they are talking about and compare notes, the selection is often worldly and expensive, and learning about these items is fascinating.

However, the risk accompanying selling these items is high. If there is an error in the order, on the part of the supplier or the vendor, the loss of revenue can be heartbreaking, not to mention unsold inventory if the product does not capture the imagination of the target market. Once in a lifetime Panama Hacienda Esmeralda coffee beans sold at auction at a split section in May requires the marketing power to sell the coffee while the fever about it is high. I imagine the same holds true for the newest Porche or solar technology. A mentor of mine once told me, "Lisa, sales is sales. The rest is romance."

One of rocketfuelcoffee.com's jewels in our line-up is Kopi Luwak. A most wonderful rare bean at $220 per pound, this is the legendary coffee in the movie, "The Bucket List", where Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson vow to drink it before they die. Made from the found droppings of Asian Palm Civets, the coffee is the most expensive and rarest beverage on earth. And it tastes damn good too. Read about it here.With the money and legend of course, comes carpet baggery, forgery and tall tales.

The Bucket List - Kopi Luwak 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVJqwCdzZnw

After 2 years of learning about rare coffee and having all kinds of coffee suppliers call on us to sell all kinds of weird beans, we found two Kopi Luwak bean farmers of repute. Trusted for authenticity, freshness and taste, these guys delivered consistent KL at the agreed price and in packaging that was at rocketfuelcoffee.com standards. Great. However, turns out, like unique, handmade rare products, one day is different than the next and constant supervision of anyone that came in contact with the beans was essential. A day of lighter roasting changed product. One batch, though not 100% proven, appeared to be stolen off site and replaced by an inferior bean and shipped to us. Espionage in rare coffee! Who knew?

We have a supplier who takes care of us on a personal level locally who we can look in the eye and ask what's what. George is my rock in the coffee business and without him I would be nowhere. But Toronto, Canada is not exactly in the coffee belt. Venturing further in the world has been the secret to my great coffees but at what risk and cost? Learning lessons the hard way (ok, the delicious way sometimes) is just something they cannot teach you in business school.

Cheers!

What is RARE coffee?

2010-07-05T11:28:00.002-04:00

For a while now, www.rocketfuelcoffee.com has been describing its coffees as rare, and I thought it was about time to explain exactly what that means. To us it does not just mean expensive. Coffee is a passion to us and since drinking these fine brews we have spit more than a few out behind a tree or bush. Nice.

When starting www.rocketfuelcoffee.com, the first coffee beans we learned about were Jamaican Blue Mountain and Hawaiian Kona varieties. Both were readily available, but shared the same issues in the marketplace. They were often sold fraudulently mixed with other beans to bring the price down. They were also sold as Kona-like or Jamaican style.

So to have 100% pure certified beans, fresh roasted on site from the supplier in Toronto where they were bagged and labeled was a definite marketing point.

The issue here is these beans are only grown in a specific place on earth, and must be certified to be from that place. The same strict rules apply to a fine Cuban cigar, a healthy serving of Single Malt Scotch, a genuine grass fed USDA Prime ribeye steak, a modest bottle of red wine, or a platter of fresh PEI oysters. Interestingly enough, the price tag on each of these indulgences is $25, give or take.

Back to our rare coffees. www.rocketfuelcoffee.com follows blogs, auctions, forums and coffee reviews, and one fine resource is the list of the 10 most expensive coffees in the world, of which we have carried four, including Kopi Luwak, Hacienda Esmeralda, Jamaican Blue Mountain and El Socorro, winner of the Cup of Excellence prize. These coffees may only be available in limited quantities and for a short time, but that is what makes them a valued treat.

Adding to the rare pleasure of the www.rocketfuelcoffee.com experience is the artwork on each package. A painting by company owner Lisa Rotenberg, chosen for each coffee variety such as Panama Carmen Estate or Queen Kong Nyeri AA.

Enjoy our rare coffees as each one comes available and watch for new ones as they are announce on Facebook, Twitter or register on our website for updates.

Great Coffee, Cuban Cigars, Single Malt Scotch. Hmmmm... A Theme Here Perhaps?

2010-06-18T10:14:00.000-04:00

A Short Espresso, A Long Cigar, A Great Experience.

Over the past couple of years, DH Matthew and I have found some pretty fantastic joys in life. With kids older and off to university, we have discovered that alone time is best spent with fruits of the earth. Since that alone time is precious, the price of that fruit has gone up. Cigarettes are for amateurs as are blended Scotches, bland wines or coffees that do not make your heart sing.

We found that as Matthew's age and career advanced, so did our palate for food and drink. Funny thing, our friends and the arbitrary people we came to meet said the same thing. We learn from each other and most of these folks have lots to say. They know about single malt Scotches, Pino Noir wines, Angus beef and Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee. I thought we were in a recession?

Fewer friends know of or are tolerant of our Cuban cigar smoking hobby, but on Facebook, Twitter and at my local cigar patio where I am one of two women smokers, the passion is alive and well. When we talk about our favorite "stick", we also talk Scotch, favorite coffees and various other passions including fine wine and art. The men talk golf and soccer of course. No one seems to talk about garbage pick up, their mechanic or plumber or other mortal woes. They do say they wish their wives would pick up the cigar habit!

It occurs to me that the cross promotion opportunity here is immense. For Rocketfuelcoffee.com, my rare coffees are the perfect match for the cigar and single malt Scotch enthusiast. Price is not the issue, but is the product genuine and does it deliver on taste. Will a group of friends be satisfied sitting around a table and be proud to serve it? Will your Hawaiian Kona, Jamaican Blue Mountain, or KOPI LUWAK be worth bragging about along with your Cohibas and Glenmorangie?

I can tell you with confidence. Yes. Yes it will.

Cheers!

Coffee 301: What the heck does Bold Coffee mean?

2010-05-05T08:47:00.000-04:00

Boldly go where no cup has gone before.

A recent article/discussion about bold coffees on the very informative forum coffeed.com had me fascinated. I could not contribute as I am not accepted as a professional member, so I decided to take keyboard in hand. The issues are many and diverse, from just what is a bold coffee, do you like it and is boldness borne in the bean or does it come later in the roast or perhaps the brew? These issues are right up there with Bethlehem or Nazareth as the true birthplace of Jesus, or which came first, the chicken or the egg?

When it comes to coffee boldness, the marketing litmus paper is Starbucks. As the market leader, why not. They have the beans, the labeling and the human research to decide this stuff. A few years back they re-aligned their coffees by boldness, taking a favorite of mine at the time, Verona, from medium to bold. The extra bolds then became French Roast, Italian Roast and Sumatra etc. Does this mean that on the Starbucks scale, bold is determined by roast?

Here is my conundrum. Have you tasted Starbucks coffee? They basically dump so much product in the pot of water that the coffee is mighty no matter which coffee you ask for. My mom says her heart rate doubles. Therefore, if it is the roast, but the coffee made is stronger than Hercules, what does it matter what "bold" means?

Back to the discussion on coffeed.com, which is for those of us in the specialty coffee business, or who believe the true passion behind coffee is in fresh, quality coffee beans, each chosen for for their origin, taste and variety. Bold may mean the flavors that pop or the kick at the start or finish, or maybe a blend that gets your heart pounding out of your chest.

But it sure means a lot of different things to passionate coffee lovers!

Coffee 201: Just who grows your cup of Java??

2010-04-30T10:53:00.000-04:00

Fair, Organic, Direct, and Bird Friendly Coffee... Just what is in your cup?

Today a leader in the Canadian coffee community, Poul Mark, owner of Transcend Coffee, asked his website and blog visitors what they thought of direct trade coffee practices. What does it mean to you, is it a useful distinction, does it have any meaning at all in your world as a coffee consumer or professional? These are important and fascinating questions, and could actually also apply to fair trade and other coffee terms. Then it hit me. First you would have to understand what these terms mean. Once I explain these terms to my own visitors, maybe they will make better choices too.

Fair Trade:

Fair Trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries obtain better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as social and environmental standards.

Fair trade certification purports to guarantee not only fair prices, but also the principles of ethical purchasing . These principles include adherence to ILO agreements such as those banning child and slave labour , guaranteeing a safe workplace and the right to unionise , adherence to the United Nations charter of human rights, a fair price that covers the cost of production and facilitates social development, and protection and conservation of the environment. The Fairtrade certification system also attempts to promote long-term business relationships between buyers and sellers, crop prefinancing, and greater transparency throughout the supply chain and more.

Organic (including Shade Grown):

Organic coffee is coffee that has been grown according to organic farming standards and techniques, without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides. Many producers exclusively use the two main coffee certifications: shade-grown and organic. They do this in an effort to create a more environmentally and socially responsible product as well as to market it to more affluent socially responsible consumers. The term organic can also refer to farms, or products from them which incorporate socially responsible activities such as recycling, composting, soil health and environmental protections.

In order to be sold as organic coffee in the U.S. it must gain organic certification and meet the following requirements:

Grown on land without synthetic pesticides or other prohibited substances for 3 years.
A sufficient buffer exists between the organic coffee and the closest traditional crop.
Sustainable crop rotation plan to prevent erosion, the depletion of soil nutrients, and control for pests.

Direct Trade:

Direct trade is a term used by coffee roasters who buy straight from the growers, cutting out both the traditional middleman buyers and sellers and also the organizations that control certifications such as Fair Trade and Bird Friendly, for example. Direct trade proponents say their model is the best because they build mutually beneficial and respectful relationships with individual producers or cooperatives in the coffee-producing countries. Some roasters do it because they are dissatisfied with the third-party certification programs, while others want to have more control over aspects ranging from the quality of the coffee, to social issues, or environmental concerns. This is a new concept and semi-controversial, as it means companies less involvement by organizations who look out for both consumer and farmer welfare. (Hey, no logo for this one yet!)

Bird Friendly:

Scientists at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center have discovered that the connection between birds and coffee helps coffee farmers and the environment.

In 2000, the center launched the shade-grown coffee certification program to promote the growth of sustainable coffee, meaning coffee that is viable economically, environmentally and socio-culturally.

Coffee grown in the shade of tree canopies, rather than on land cleared of other vegetation, provides a habitat for a number of species, including migratory birds such as various species of warblers, vireos, orioles, grosbeaks, hummingbirds, tanagers, and many more. In addition to birds, shade coffee plantations provide habitat for orchids, insects, mammals (such as bats), reptiles, and amphibians.

Despite the benefits involved in the program, the Bird Friendly label has a very small niche in the American coffee market, which is dominated by mass market brands sold in grocery stores. Bird Friendly coffee makes up a small percentage of organic coffees, which account for only about 5 percent of the specialty coffee market.

Bird Friendly, like other specialty coffees, costs a few dollars more per pound than regular coffee, and roasters give 25 cents per pound to the Smithsonian program.

A word about Rare Coffees.

Rocketfuelcoffee.com brings you Specialty Coffees that are often only available once, or for a short time, from a particular place. Whether the coffee is Fair Trade, Organic, Direct Trade or Bird Friendly may not be as relevant as if the coffee is genuine, fresh or available at all. So make your choices wisely and watch for symbols. Most of all, enjoy the coffee that you like best!

Coffee 101... What I learned about coffee today.

2010-04-22T08:43:00.001-04:00

Just so we are all on the same page...

Although coffee isn't often thought of as a fruit, the coffee that Canadians consume is a natural plant product that grows in a wide band around the tropical parts of the globe.

Many people who are exposed to coffee only as a packaged product on the grocery store shelf or as a beverage in a cup are not aware of the rich natural beginnings of their beverage choice. Like many plant products, the natural background of coffee is the source for the presence of phytochemicals.
These phytochemicals are linked to many of the effects of coffee on health.

The coffee tree or shrub is a flowering bush that naturally grows to a height of 20 feet. It is usually pruned to a height of about 6 feet to allow for handpicking of coffee, the usual practice in most parts of the world. What is normally referred to as coffee beans are actually seeds. These seeds are like a cherry pit and are the product of the fruit of these coffee trees.

There are two primary species of the coffee plant in the world coffee market today, namely Arabica and Robusta. The many elements that are linked to the effects of coffee and health are very similar in both. The only significant difference is that Robusta coffee beans generally have a higher caffeine level than Arabica. This means that higher quality coffees which tend have a higher Arabica content will have relatively lower caffeine content compared to lower cost coffee alternatives.
The cherry pits or coffee beans are separated from the pulp of the coffee fruit and then dried to level that allows for the coffee to be handled, stored and shipped with convenience and safety. It is in this relatively stable green bean state that coffee is able to be shipped around the world and processed into roasted coffee.

Green coffee beans are subjected to very high levels of heat for short periods of time while being rotated in a drum or in an air column. This roasting process substantially transforms the coffee. Through a process called pyrolisis the hundreds of elements that make up the aroma and flavour of coffee are developed.

The result is a very complex and satisfying product. Slight variations in the amount of roasting time and temperature produce the significant taste differences between a light, brown coffee roast and a dark, oily "espresso" roast.

The consensus is that roasting variations make little difference to the impact on health except that there is slightly less caffeine in a darker roast coffee. This is a surprise to many given the "stronger" taste of a dark roast coffee on the palate. However, the lower caffeine content of a darkly roasted coffee is minimal. An effective approach to modifying the caffeine level of a coffee choice involves adjusting the ratio of coffee to water or the method of preparation.

The world of coffee is as complex with a multitude of brewing processes and options.

Best Review Ever!

2010-03-25T10:17:00.001-04:00

El Socorro y Anexos From RocketfuelCoffee Review

by Mike (Daily Shot of Coffee) on March 25, 2010 in Coffee Reviews

The Drink: El Socorro y Anexos From Rocketfuel Coffee
Type: Whole Bean Guatemalan
Overall Rating: 4.5 Out Of 5 Coffee Mugs

There’s one thing that you need to know about El Socorro y Anexos from RocketfuelCoffee.com, it’s a must try coffee. If you want more of a review, keep reading.

When people ask what are my favorite coffees, Rocketfuel Coffee is always one of the first few that I mention. They’re a gourmet roaster out of Toronto, Canada and I’ve been lucky to sample more than a few of their great coffees. Their Kona is one of the best that I’ve tried and their Kopi Luwak is something that everyone should have on their bucket list.

All that doesn’t mean that the El Socorro y Anexos is going to get a free pass, even after reading the rave reviews from the so called coffee experts, I was going to give it a thorough testing.

However, I knew right away that this was going to be a very easy coffee to test. The aroma alone earned this coffee a spot as one of my favorite coffees. An inviting fruity-floral aroma welcomed me and reminded me of a relaxing beach on a remote island. Around the edges was a warm, nutty flavor.

The taste cemented it’s spot on my top ten list. The first wave of flavor felt like a round, fruit explosion coating my tongue. Dripping on the back of my tongue was a cherry or strawberry syrup flavor. That was followed up by a delicious fruit filled, medium roast after taste.

The El Socorro y Anexos is a perfect mix of an extremely smooth coffee with a medium body.

This coffee isn’t cheap, it’s $45 for half a pound or $80 for a full pound. It’s a rare coffee and it’s definitely not an every day coffee, but it is a treat worth just about every penny.

As a bonus, this coffee is certified organic.

Kopi Luwak was always my favorite from RocketfuelCoffee, but I think I might have a new favorite. Overall, this coffee earned an amazing 4.5 out of 5 on the Daily Shot Of Coffee scale, one of the best ratings that I’ve given out.

I think this coffee was made for me, it’s what I love – a medium roast that’s loaded with flavor. This is one of those coffees that I wouldn’t mind testing over and over again.

- Thanks so much Mike!!

Holy Map Plot Batman!

2010-03-17T18:26:00.007-04:00

Found this software called Aardvark, where you can place zip/postal codes. Put my customers on there (anonymous) and now I can see where Rocketfuelcoffee.com goes!

2010-03-02T09:51:00.004-05:00

Coffeeforums.com Review for Rocketfuelcoffee.com Hawaiian Kona dark!

Company: Rocketfuelcoffee.com Bean Origin or Blend: Hawaiian Kona Dark (100%) Body: Medium-Full Roast: City Plus Brew Method: Drip and French Press Price: $36/lb.

Background: RocketfuelCoffee.com is based out of Toronto, Canada and specializes in premium, rare coffee beans from across the world. The Kona Dark is a new offering and is in answer to a request for stronger roasts. The owner, Lisa Rotenberg, also provides all of the illustrations you’ll find on the packaging. This is truly a very unique company providing some very, very unique coffees.

The Kona Bean Kona coffee originates from the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the Kona districts of Hawaii. One of the most sought after coffees in the world, only beans from these Kona districts may be classified as authentic Kona coffee.

The weather pattern of the region is what makes this coffee so highly regarded; the rich volcanic soil, along with sunny mornings and mild evenings, combine to produce excellent coffee growing conditions. The coffee plant was brought to this region by Samuel Reverend Ruggles in the early 19th Century, from Brazilian cuttings. There are now more than 800 Kona coffee farms in the area, with the average farm size measuring less than five acres. For more information, visit here. When purchasing Kona coffee, it is important to watch for product marketed as Kona blend, style, or roast; blended Kona coffee contains 10% or less of Kona coffee.

When purchasing Kona, be sure to look for the 100% seal. Hawaiian law requires blends to state the actual percentage of Kona coffee on the label. The Kona Dark from Rocketfuel is 100% Kona coffee. The Kona Dark from Rocketfuel is hands down one of the smoothest cups of coffee I’ve ever had the pleasure of cupping. The flavors of the Kona were so equally balanced that, if not paying close attention, one could call it a clean coffee.
There was no boldness present in this coffee and I would consider it to be a medium body at best, despite being advertised as full; this is not a criticism in my mind. The flavors present were of bitter chocolate, mint, and a slightly tart berry with a general earthiness present on the finish. The aroma on the cup was exceedingly sweet. The Kona would pair wonderfully with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapped cigar, such as an Oliva Connecticut Reserve or Camacho Connecticut. The well balanced flavors, with no one dominating flavor profile, reminded me of a well-aged cigar. The Kona Dark from Rocketfuel is simple, non-complex, and incredibly smooth.

Synopsis: It has been a pleasure speaking with Lisa at RocketfuelCoffee; she is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. She can offer some helpful insight into coffee/cigar pairing as well, as she enjoys the fine Cubans she has access to living in Toronto. Rocketfuel offers a large variety of coffees. I am glad to have tried the Kona Dark and it is by far the smoothest Kona I’ve had. Kona coffee is not easy to come by and this is reflected in the price.

At $36/lb., I would not add this to my regular lineup of coffee, but I would certainly consider it an excellent gift coffee or special occasion cup. You will not be disappointed by the body, flavor, or aroma. And the customer service is top notch.

Interview from Toastedfoot.com, Cigar Review!

2010-02-27T09:44:00.008-05:00

Toastedfoot.com reviews great cigars online!

Today we are very happy to have Lisa from Rocketfuelcoffee.com; she’s up in Canada and sells some of the hardest to find coffees from around the world. A trained artist, all of the packaging is original to Lisa! And, she’s a cigar smoker! So take a minute to get to know Lisa and Rocketfuelcoffee.com. You can visit Rocketfuel online and follow Lisa on Twitter.

All of the artwork in this interview is Lisa’s and can be purchased online!

Oh, and we reviewed her Hawaiian Kona Dark a while back (review) – and we’ve got more to come!

Questions About You:

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Where do you currently live?
I still live in Toronto, not far from my family hom

e. We just purchased a log home about 2 hours north of the city in ski country where Matthew, my husband, and I plan to spend a lot of time relaxing and enjoying ourselves!

How do you enjoy spending your time?
If I am not working on my coffee, I enjoy searching or hanging out up north – Matthew and I collect Canadian modern art. So we comb the galleries around Toronto and search for new artists or established ones and enjoy their work. We also love to entertain. Matthew is an amazing cook!

You’ve made a few career changes – can you describe your journey?
I graduated from The Ontario College of Art and Design, a top Canadian art college, with a degree in graphic design. I worked as a package designer for great firms for many years, then as an account director. I longed for my creative side so I started painting and opened an art gallery and my work sold all over the world. Kind of restless as I am every few years, I started selling antique silver on eBay and learned about online retail. Combine all those skills and I opened an online coffee business a year and a half ago.

What is your favorite medium to work in?
I like painting and illustration. Turning the paintings into things like packaging, cards, and licensed properties for magazines really is what I am all about too.

How would you describe your art and your love for it?
I would say I am an illustrator and a patron of the arts of all forms – music, fine art, movies, culinary, you name it – anything that has a creative idea behind it.

Questions About You and Coffee:

How do you feel that coffee and the arts mix?
In my specific example, the packaging and labels is a huge part of what makes Rocketfuelcoffee.com unique. Everyone comments on how beautiful the coffee looks, and how memorable it is. At holiday time, for gifting, my holiday edition coffees were a huge hit. However, if the product inside did not deliver, it would not matter what the bag looked like.

When did you first get introduced to the joy of coffee?
A couple of years ago Matthew and I went on diets and we were very strict about eating. I started drinking coffee because I was bored. I got hooked on Starbucks coffee because I thought it was the best and there were 4 locations near our house. I did not open Rocketfuelcoffee.com because I was super passionate about coffee. I chose it because it was a business that fit my skills the most.

What is it you most enjoy about great coffee?
Pretty much the same things I enjoy about cigars: aroma and taste.

What are some of your favorite regions for coffee?
Panama has to be up there at the top of my list for beautiful coffees. Smooth and chocolatey, fresh, layers of cinnamon and sometimes hints of fruit in there too. Panama Carmen Estate is just a beauty! Always at the top of the list of course is Jamaican Blue Mountain. So rich and smooth as well, with fruit tones and that hint of citrus.

How much coffee do you drink in a typical day?
I drink quite a bit, especially in the morning. Maybe a few cups before lunch and a couple in the afternoon? I try not to drink coffee late in the day because then it keeps me up at night. But if friends come over I cannot help but serve them coffee, especially if a new bean is in or some fresh Kopi Luwak is around!

How would you describe your palette?
I like a medium/bold coffee, and never a flavored coffee or *gasp* decaf! And it must be fresh or forget it. By fresh I mean whole bean roasted within three weeks of serving; ground, within 4 days.

How did you get involved in the coffee industry?
As I mentioned above, I was looking for a business that used as many of my skills as possible. I found an online coffee business for sale on the internet. I thought, I don’t need to buy this, I can just build it myself. And I did.

When did you first begin roasting your own beans? How has that process evolved for you?
I do not roast my own beans. I have a sommelier equivalent who I refer to by name on the web site, George.

What is it you enjoy most about the coffee industry?
Drinking the coffee that does not sell.

Where did the idea come from to begin your own company?
I was working as a print rep for a close friend, Robert Fawcett, at Fawcettprinting.com. A great guy! Not enough sales for me to fill a day really and I wanted to run my own business. As I mentioned before, I saw an online coffee business for sale on the internet. I worked for Robert for a year while I started up www.rocketfuelcoffee.com, and only a year later did I set out to work on my own at the coffee business full time. My husband Matthew, who is a CEO of a national company and a chartered accountant is my biggest mentor and he keeps me out of trouble!

Questions About You and Cigars:

When did you first get introduced to the joy of cigars?
A few years ago, not sure exactly when, Matthew was given a cigar either at a golf match or maybe we tried one or two on holiday. We loved the aroma and we were trying new experiences, including fine wines. We are interested in learning about art, Scotch, wine and cigars… in depth. Doing things together like this makes us very happy.

What is it you enjoy about a great cigar?
The aroma and taste of a good cigar has to be number one on the list for us. A smooth smoke, with no harsh fumes and freshness has to be up there too, and value for the money (we don’t like to spend a lot at this). Once in a while, like when we were in Vancouver at this wonderful shop that sold cigars and diamonds, we will splurge on one cigar and share it. We sat by the harbor and watched the sea planes come in. That was truly a great cigar moment.

How often do you smoke?
In the summer, we might smoke every other day, in the evening after work, on our back porch. A nice glass of wine, some great blues or jazz and wow, we are set. I have recently become a lover of single malt scotch or bourbon, so a snort of that with a cigar is pretty heavenly. Now not too many women are into this, so if we are in a public place or walking around, folks tend to comment. If we are at a neighbor’s house, they make us sit 10 feet away! Colder season smoking is much rarer.

How would you describe your palette?
I am certainly no expert in this area, so forgive me if I do not describe this correctly. I like a mild to medium cigar, not too floral and my favorite cigars, well smell, well to put it bluntly, like a barn or kind of like manure. Like my coffee… and I am in the rare coffee business, anything flavored, tampered with or stale is gross. The cigar does not have to be a $30 special, but it should be hopefully Cuban, fresh and if possible handmade. My favorites are Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo cigars. When the opportunity arises, we have tried lots of other cigars that have been hand rolled on-site, not sure of the names, and they have been amazing too, so I don’t want you to think I only will smoke these two top brands.

Questions About the Coffee:

How is trial and error involved when you’re roasting a new bean?
Trial and error is not in the roasting… it is in the selecting. I choose my coffees based on a list called New Luxury Items. These are the 10 most expensive coffees in the world. Also my choices are based on success of key word search. I would tell you more tan I would have to, you know.

What is your conviction for your line of coffees?
I have never been convicted of anything. Yet.

How do you feel your coffees are set apart from what other roasters are doing?
The packages look damn great.

When you are considering introducing a new coffee to your line, what is that process like?
I only try coffees that are world famous. I am not interested in testing new anything.

When a customer orders from you, what can they expect?
Excellent service and honest answers about coffee.

Tell us a little about your Black Label coffee.
Rocketfuelcoffee.com Black Label coffees are limited edition varieties that may go in and out of stock because they are so special, so rare, that they are only available in limited quantities. Kopi Luwak, the legendary “cat poop” coffee, is a prime example. Not all Black Labels are over $200 a pound. The recent Queen Kong Nyeri from Kenya is only $20/half pound, but when it is gone, it’s gone.

What is your favorite coffee?
Depends on my fussy mood. Right now I am into Hawaiian Kona. Ask me again tomorrow.

Describe the perfect day for you.
Are you kidding? I sell $50 a pound coffee for a living. Every day is perfect.

Anything else you’d like to add?
Buy my coffees and your days will be perfect too. That is all. xo

Yackity Yack... Facebook Talks Back!

2010-02-17T13:58:00.002-05:00

The Intimate Circle of 450 or So

I hooked on Facebook, following the advice of marketing mentors in addition to my accounts on Twitter, LinkedIn and various discussion groups on the internet. I avoided it like the plague previously as that was the domain of my teen-aged children, various relatives and who knows who else. The idea of mixing my gorgeous, rare coffee beans with the young unwashed was just not on my marketing list.

After Tweeting and Linking, perhaps it was time to Facebook? I hooked up and started finding people I knew and as usual with me and activities, I went at it with rabid force and soon hundreds of faces connected with mine. High School, Art College, Religious School and Summer camp, along with throngs in the coffee business. Men without hair, women with children, some with multiple names, many with careers and businesses like me attached to their profiles.

Some profile pictures are recognizable. Some, like mine, were logos, although I have switched to a photo now. Some are animals like dogs or horses. Some are cartoons. Interesting. If they had pics of their shoes, I could tell everything about them!

Here is where Facebook gets thrilling: you would not give me the time of day when I was 18, will you look my way now that I am 48? Seems 30 years is enough to thaw out the space between us and we are all wonderful! As it should be. You look great and I hope life has been good to you. If not, accept my posts in superficial friendship now. Hey, I wish you well.

Now, how about some coffee?

The Real Poop on Kopi Luwak!

2010-01-24T10:42:00.006-05:00

www.rocketfuelcoffee.com Rises to the challenge.

So many elements must go into a successful small business. Drive, passion, knowledge, skills, patience, a mentor or two and of course, luck. Finding products, and then marketing them is a challenge, and doing it online is whole new set of skills. For my year old online business selling rare coffees at www.rocketfuelcoffee.com, no textbook, mentor or coffee maven could help me. I had a problem that truly only experience and process would solve.

It all came down to whether the cat poop was real or not. And we were talking about serious cat poop here.

www.rocketfuelcoffee.com is an web-based coffee company that sells fresh rare coffees online. The star of that line is Kopi Luwak. Often referred to as “Cat Poop Coffee”, this coffee is the rarest, most expensive coffee in the world. From Sumatra, Indonesia, luwaks, or Asian palm civets, which look more like weasels than cats, wander the forests and dine on red coffee cherries. They tend to pick the ripest, sweetest fruits. The inner bean of the cherry is not digested and the enzymes from the civet’s stomach add to the coffee flavor by breaking down the coffee proteins that give the coffee its bitter taste. When the civet defecates, the clumps of beans are still practically in their original form.

The beans are washed, dried and city roasted (light to medium) so not destroy the complex flavors that develop through the process. Light roasting is considered particularly desirable in coffees that do not exhibit bitterness. Kopi Luwak cups with a rich, heavy flavor with hints of caramel or chocolate.

Now that we are all up to speed on Kopi Luwak, back to the issue of selling it. The reason the price is so high is there are only so many wild Asian palm civets pooping out wild cherries on earth as you can imagine. The price can range from $200-$900 a pound. Farmers go out to collect the cherries, some of which have been sitting on the forest floor for up to a year. But we coffee lovers want more. Palm civets are now bred in cages or on farms and their poop is collected so Kopi Luwak is more readily available. The cherries are now even Robusto or Arabica!

As with all things valuable in demand, like watches, Cuban cigars and designer bags, there will be a layer of marketers preying on the consumer with sub standard products. This is an issue I have had to deal with at www.rocketfuelcoffee.com. As a new company featuring rare coffees online, I want to offer my customers 100% genuine Kopi Luwak.

The coffee community loves a challenge like this. It is not unlike finding the holy grail of coffee beans. Across Canada I have wonderful contacts who were excited to assist me in my quest for 100% genuine Kopi Luwak. I ask them to help me taste test any bean that needs an opinion and give it a rating, as they are experts and I am only learning to be one.

The winner is in and the Kopi Luwak comes from a Game Forest Reserve in the Philippines. The civets roam free, not in cages and produce great coffee! The beans are small, full if flavor, fresh roasted to order and the price remains the same. The taste is fruity with chocolate tones, and has an exotic, wild edge. A second coffee is also available called Millionaire’s Blend, where we blend the Kopi Luwak with Cup of Excellence from Honduras.

Other coffees in my line continue to do well, roast fresh and change with response after shows like the Gourmet food and Wine Expo. Learning from customers and using meta tags, key words and online discussion forums help my business grow. It is Kopi Luwak that makes my site unique and valuable, so it must be 100% genuine and pure. Any effort on my part to fight for it is worth it. MEEOW!

New Coffees Today at Rocketfuelcoffee.com! YUM!

2010-01-07T12:46:00.005-05:00

Serving over 1000 shots of coffee tells you something!

This past November it was a thrill and an an exhausting exercise to have a 4 day booth at the Gourmet Food and Wine Expo Toronto. Since it as just before Christmas, cheer was everywhere and as the only specialty coffee company on the floor who did not serve lattes or espresso, I had my work cut out for me! Try explaining to a guy and his girlfriend who were hammered that no, you cannot make them two short espressos!

However, the show was a huge success and I sold over 120 pounds of Rocketfuelcoffee.com beans. The response was fantastic on the shots I served, particularly on Saturday night when we had a tasting of Kopi Luwak! Jamaican Blue was also a hit, as was Mysore Nuggets from India. Oh they loved the name!

The best news out of the show had to be what I learned about my coffees. Folks want bolder stronger coffees. They love that packaging, the quality, the name. Sure. But if you are going to have a rocket on it, baby it better shoot to the moon. Lesson learned and message received.

Rocketfuel Triple X, while very nice as a blend of my 3 gorgeous coffees, Kona, Jamaican Blue and Sumatra have been sent packing. Announcing the NEW TRIPLE X: Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Organic Bold. Shade grown, Fair Trade, highest quality and smooth with a fruit sweetness and touch of spice. It will knock you socks off. Kenya, the birthplace of coffee, has given us our new coffee staple. As for the next special treat for Rocketfuelcoffee.com customers, we found that maybe a deeper, sexier Hawaiian Kona might be what our line needed! George, our maven of all things bean, agreed. So Hawaiian Kona Dark will be featured for the next while and we think you will agree. The floral, citrus flavors will be there, but moodier, deeper and almost brown sugar and cinnamon.

Oh and I saved the best for last. Right now I have a promotion on where when you spend $20 or more, you get a free Rocketfuelcoffee.com mug. Come on. What are you waiting for?

Oh when your beans are ahem hand made!

2010-01-01T10:44:00.003-05:00

100% Genuine Rocketfuelcoffee.com Kopi Luwak "Cat Poop" Civet Coffee

Every shipment of genuine www.rocketfuelcoffee.com Kopi Luwak, the rarest and most expensive coffee in the world comes in with a new adventure in the bag. The stress level is both exciting and petrifying, as the coffee is paid for up front and customers are waiting for delivery. The coffee is in such short supply and the delivery of poor, fake or blended product is common. We have an excellent reputation for great KL.

When the beans arrive from our supplier in Indonesia, via Milwaukee, we inspect them carefully. A couple of times we have had to put them aside. American customs likes to open coffee looking for drugs, but they do not realize this coffee costs as much or more than some drugs. So the package might be ruined - although we can usually salvage that.

Once the beans were roasted too light, a "Cinnamon Roast". These beans must be roasted City to City Plus to reveal their true flavour. We order such small amounts that George, our coffee guru cannot roast them here. Back they went. Only the best beans get to go out to you.

There are farm raised civets and wild civets. Wild civets only produce a tiny amount and when farmers go and pick up their cherries, some may have been there over a year. This does not affect the coffee, it just makes the beans look rough and irregular. Farm raised civets, sometimes kept in pens or cages, produce more uniform cherries and more of them. The taste is more uniform and less exotic, but can be controlled. Also the supply and price can be controlled too. BUT be wary of what you are buying and ensure you are buying 100% pure genuine palm civet coffee.

At rocketfuelcoffee.com, in fact all through my professional life as an artist or printer or business person, I have felt that the sharing of information is the key to success.

Happy New year!

An Evening of Coffee Tasting with Rocketfuelcoffee.com

2009-12-14T13:25:00.007-05:00

Order the coffee online at www.rocketfuelcoffee.com and let the festivities begin!

Things You'll Need:

Information on each of the coffees

Small glasses of water

Large spoons and several cups

Step 1. Decide what you are tasting for.

Comparing coffees is very much the same as comparing fine wines, brandies or cigars. Many factors are open for basis of comparison and the theme of the evening will decide the coffee source, the budget and catering of the affair. A range of Panamanian coffees will be a wonderful evening. A tasting of Kopi Luwak might be a dream come true for some if the mood is right!

Step 2. Make the best coffee and make it right.

Choose beans that are as fresh as possible and make sure they are genuine, not blends or labeled improperly. Grind properly for the process you are brewing: coarse for French Press or percolator, finer for filter dripped coffeemaker. There is no right way, just the kind you like.

Know that the four key elements to any good brewed coffee: water (filtered and hot, but not boiling), grind (matches the machine--for a coffee press grind course), proportion (usually 1 tablespoons for every 6 ounces of water), freshness (coffee beans have an expiration date--opened bags of coffee are only good for 7 days)

Step 3. Variety makes for a great tasting.

Have at least three but no more than four different types of coffees to try in one tasting. Two will not give you enough diversity to learn the differences, unless you are already an experienced coffee taster. Any more than four will muddle the tastes together, which will also make it difficult to taste the differences. However, if the idea is for everyone to go for a champagne and Kopi Luwak evening, invite me!

Step 4. Food Pairings

Choose the foods based on the types of coffee. Just like a good cup of wine, coffee pairs well with specific flavors. For example, a coffee can have citrus or berry accents to it. Pair this with a lemon tart or a blueberry muffin and the resulting flavor can amaze you. The same can occur with almonds, cinnamon or cheese depending on the specific coffee.

Display the food in bite-size pieces so it is easily available. Keep the different foods on separate plates so not to cross-contaminate flavors.

Step 5. Start the Coffee Tasting

The coffee should be brewed fresh and hot. A coffee press lasts only 20 minutes before it begins to cool and lose its potent flavor. We are using a spoon for this tasting.

Know how to properly taste coffee. Smell first; cup your hand around your nose and sample of coffee. Take a big whiff then slowly breathe out. Take a second to think about how you would describe the aroma. Words? Images?

Take a large and loud slurp of your sample of coffee. If you can't hear the slurp, you may be doing it wrong. Slurping coats the coffee across your entire tongue without burning it. Don't swallow the coffee yet. Take a second and let it sit on your tongue. Each part of the tongue picks up a different type of flavor. Note how it feels on the back, front, sides and tip of your tongue.

Swallow. Take note of the flavors that hit your senses. This includes the after flavor of the coffee. Some coffees hit your tongue with a sharp, strong flavor, but leave your mouth quickly as if you were just drinking water. Others coffees seem to linger in your mouth long after you swallow, pleasantly or bitterly.

Pair the coffee sample with food. Note the flavor of the food by itself. Swallow. Take a second bite of food. Before swallowing, slurp a sample of coffee like before and hold it in your mouth. If the pairing is complimentary, the flavor with literally come alive in your mouth and shock your senses.

Rinse your mouth with water and repeat the steps above with the different coffees. Your guests should have a great evening!

Holiday Time at Rocketfuelcoffee.com!

2009-11-04T09:41:00.003-05:00

Oh what fun when you are in illustrator in the coffee business!

It's that time of year when companies get to bring out their holiday cheer and we no exception. Only because I (Lisa Rotenberg) am a professional artist/designer/illustrator I really get to have some fun. So much that I could not decide on one Christmas/holiday package so I came up with an edition of FOUR. Mix 'em and match 'em. Pair 'em up.

The best news of all is what's inside. All contain the wonderful Rocketfuelcoffee.com Triple X, arguably our best coffee, even with our fancy schmancy Black Label coffees, some coming in at $220 a pound. The blend of Jamaican Blue, Hawaiian Kona and Sumatra makes sleigh bells ring. What can we say.

Check out the page where you can put together gift packs for friends and clients! Rocketfuelcoffee.com Travel mugs, a beautiful red box and voilà you are a holiday hero! We will even send it direct to the giftee of your choice.

Come up to the LAB... We have a new Toy!

2009-09-19T08:45:00.004-04:00

Don't get too excited, Matthew and I have not become true rocket scientists yet, except maybe in our own minds! We have become the proud owners of a lightly used Behmor 1600 coffee bean roaster and we can now roast small batches at home. Believe me, George, rocketfuelcoffee.com's sommelier is not concerned that Drs Frankenstein and Frankenstein will put him out of business.

Although it has taken over 2 weeks and about 5 pounds of green beans to get even a remotely drinkable cup out of the Behmor, it has been a fun project and our house smells great! Matthew thinks my constant desire to mix beans into whacko blends is disgusting. I think he is a prude and a supremacist.

The reason we got this thing is to try exotic coffee beans 1/2 a pound at a time. George, bless his heart will only fire up his cannons for 20 pounds at a time. If I get in some green beans of India Mysore Nuggets and I am not sure about them, what am I going to do with 20 pounds?

Shall keep on roasting, but so far results vary. Beans have not been dark enough for fear of burning down the house. Oh and never use an extension chord as not enough electrical juice gets to the monster. Roast 1/2 a pound on the one pound setting and set up a chair in front and watch like a TV (that's what I do). That way you can throw it out the door if a bean bursts into flame.

Roast ON!

New Review in for Esmeralda Special from Daily Shot of Coffee, Mike Crimmins.

2009-09-01T08:45:00.003-04:00

Dailyshotofcoffee.com
August 31, 2009

The Drink: Esmeralda Special from RocketFuelCoffee.Com
Type: Whole Bean
Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

I’ve been very fortunate to taste some of the rarest coffees in the world – Kopi Luwak, Kona and many more. This afternoon I sampled another very rare coffee, the Esmeralda Special from RocketFuelCoffee.Com and now you can try it too!

Esmeralda Special is grown on a small plantation in Panama. The Hacienda la Esmeralda plantation is only 6,000 acres and Esmeralda Special grows on only a limited portion. The beans are hand picked to ensure that only the best are harvested and go through an intense tasting process to make sure only the cream of the crop ever leave the farm.

This is a coffee that will get your attention and wake you up in the morning. The beans themselves have an intense smell. When I opened up the bag, I was greeted with a romantic winelike aroma. A few minutes later, an equally as strong aroma was streaming out of my coffee cup, but this time it had more of a berry tone. There were hints of ripe strawberries, freshly picked blackberries and from the completely other end of the spectrum a dash of licorice.

From the first drop to hit my tongue, I knew that this was going to be something intense. It had a serious, mature taste with a very smooth feeling.

The taste was well balanced with a medium dark coffee taste setting the pace.

On one side of things, there was a deep berry taste. There were the strawberries and blackberries, but now there were also hints of blueberry that could’ve easily come from a pie still warm from the oven.

Underneath, I picked up a darker taste, but it was still full of flavors. The licorice was there and there was a slightly smoky feeling. It definitely wasn’t a dark roast, more like a rich, gourmet coffee.

My tongue was left with a sweet, berry filled feeling. The taste didn’t want to disappear.

It’s definitely not a “value play” at $75 for a half a pound, but it’s worth pampering yourself with a special treat. It’ll impress your family, your coffee loving friends and most importantly your taste buds.

I put it right up there with the 4.5 out of 5 that I gave One Love from Marley Coffee last week. Both are standout coffees in their own right and for different reasons both are worth checking out.

THE LI$T - The World's Most Expensive Coffees

2009-08-28T14:23:00.009-04:00

Disregard the prices... These guys are dreaming :-)

Impressed how many we have or what???

* Taken from Posted April 4th, 2009 12:48 pm by admin Filed Under: Food & Beverage, MOST EXPENSIVE, Top 10

The Top 10 Coffee of the World - Most Expensive

Coffee enjoys immense fame as the best of beverages available all around the world. The most refreshing of all drinks, it is popular with people of all age groups as an energy booster. Being a commercial crop, coffee is the economic mainstay of many countries. There are several varieties of coffee. They differ in quality, flavor and taste. Here is a list incorporating the top ten coffees from different parts of the globe.

1. Kopi Luwak - Indonesia

Kopi Luwak popular in Indonesia is a powered extract of coffee cherries that common palm civets feed on. Common palm civets make use of their keen smelling power to select the ripest coffee beans. The flesh from these crimson beans is removed through their digestion process. It costs $160 per pound.

2. Hacienda La Esmeralda - Boquete, Panama

Hacienda La Esmeralda’s Geisha grown in Boquete, Panama is world wide popular for its flavor. It is largely cultivated in the shade of old guava trees. It is priced at $104 per pound.

3.Island Of St. Helena Coffee Company - St. Helena

The island of St. Helena, 1,200 miles off the coast of Africa is the breeding ground for St. Helena Coffee. It owes its present popularity to Napoleon Bonaparte whose praise of the coffee sowed its seeds on the island of St. Helena. It comes priced at $79 per pound.

4. El Injerto - Huehuetenango, Guatemala

This sort of coffee by El Injerto owes its origin in the region of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. It has bagged the first prize in the 2006 Cup of Excellence. The coffee is retailed at more than $50 per pound.

5. Fazenda Santa Ines - Minas Gerais, Brazil

Rated as the highest in Cup of Excellence history, this coffee is a rage with Caffe Artigiano, a famous café in Canada and two Australian roasters. Cups of this exclusive coffee are available at other specialty shops across the world. It is priced $50 per pound.

6. Blue Mountain - Wallenford Estate, Jamaica

Jamaica Blue Mountain is known for its variable quality. It is highly popular with coffee lovers for its mild taste and strong aroma. Japan imports about 85% of this coffee. It is available at $49 per pound.

7. Los Planes - Citala, El Salvador

Los Planes the best of commercial crops grown in El Salvador ranked the second in the 2006 Cup of Excellence. It got 93.52 out of 100 from an international jury in the competition. It costs $40 per pound.

8. Kona Coffee Hawaii

The British introduced Brazilian coffee trees to the rich volcanic soil of Kona in the late 1820s. The climate of the place was suitable for the cultivation of this coffee. Known for its pleasant flavor and taste, Kona coffee comes at $34 per pound.

9. Starbucks Rwanda Blue Bourbon - Gatare/Karengera, Rwanda

Starbucks discovered these coffee beans in Gatare and Karengera from their visit to coffee-washing stations in Rwanda in 2004. Now, Rwandan farmers cultivate Blue Bourbon coffee beans as the main crop. You can enjoy the coffee at only $24 per pound.

10. Yauco Selecto AA Coffee - Puerto Rico

Originating from the Yauco region, Puerto Rico coffee is known for its excellence across the globe. Produced on the Southwestern Mountains of Puerto Rico, this coffee is valued for its mild flavor. It is available at $22 per pound.

Gift Packs from Rocketfuelcoffee.com - Never too early!

2009-08-28T12:49:00.009-04:00

Here are two amazing gift suggestions for your favorite coffee lovers (well one suggestion really, just 2 variations). A bag of incredible Rocketfuelcoffee.com coffee of course, and a wonderful rocketfuelcoffee.com travel mug in a beautiful gift bag. Voilá! you are done.

Rocketfuelcoffee.com 1/2 pound Jamaican Blue Mountain, Travel Mug in gift bag - $30 USD

Rocketfuelcoffee.com 1/2 pound Triple X, Travel Mug in gift bag - $20 USD

Plus Shipping. Volume discounts can apply. Inquire by e-mail anytime!

And look there! A special holiday edition of rocketfuelcoffee.com TRIPLE X for Christmas! Ho Ho Ho! Stunning!

Details here including corporate gifting:

www.rocketfuelcoffee.com

Favorite Reviewed Coffees

2009-08-28T08:24:00.001-04:00

Favorite Reviewed Coffees

Posted using ShareThis

Tasting Esmeralda Special TODAY!

2009-08-20T16:21:00.000-04:00

OK so I am sitting here drinking the FIRST CUP of freshly roasted TODAY Esmeralda Special. It is so wonderful, mellow and smooth, a bit on the floral side, with lighter notes than my Kona or Jamaican Blue coffee, but slightly more exotic flavor. I am not as experienced as so many of you here, so you will excuse me if I am not appreciating the bean as you might. But damn this is a great cup of coffee!

I decided that the way to kick start this new company of mine was to get a coffee that lots of folks would search for on the internet, so I used the same skills I used to use as an antique seller on eBay and search for treasures online. When I found the Panama auction at Hacienda La Esmeralda, I knew I hit gold. They would not let me bid because I was too small potatoes, but I could become a stakeholder with other bidders. There are companies who do just this. Sweet Maria's let me bid with them and I secured 50 pounds. Now, 4 months later, it is here with me in Toronto.

I do not roast my own coffee. I have a roasting partner, George who is an expert that makes sure my coffees are perfect every time. The only thing I know how to roast is a marshmallow.

Great story or what?

Esmeralda Special is coming!!

2009-08-08T09:42:00.008-04:00

After participating in an exciting online auction in May with some of the world's heaviest hitters of coffee (those years of eBay powerselling have truly paid off!), Rocketfuelcoffee.com, with the help of coffee guru Sweet Maria's has secured one of the most magnificent coffees in the world!

The coffee is legendary since it is grown on one plantation in Panama, Hacienda La Esmeralda, owned for decades by the Peterson family:

Lifetime Achievement prize for Hacienda La Esmeralda at SCAE’s Copenhagen awards evening

24th June 2008

Hacienda La Esmeralda, the source of the highly prized Geisha coffees from Panama, won the SCAE’s highest honour, the Lifetime Achievement award, at the Awards for Coffee Excellence evening dinner held during late June’s Wonderful Coffee event in Copenhagen.   Price Peterson, of the family that has owned La Esmeralda for several decades, was on hand to accept the award, along with members of his family.  

Rocketfuelcoffee.com Esmeralda Special has the following attributes:

Caballeriza (Kah-ba-yeh-ree-sah) Wild
strawberries, intense licorice, blueberries
and red currant in the cup, this is an
intensely aromatic coffee, coming from
one of the new production areas
in Jaramillo.

Farm Name: Hacienda La Esmeralda
Coffee Name: Caballeriza
Elevation: 1,500M
Growing Region: Jaramillo

We have 50 pounds green to roast and offer our wonderful customers, at $75 a half pound from now until Christmas, so book yours today! Cheers!

Rocketfuelcoffee.com teams up with Muskokapress.com!

2009-07-10T10:07:00.003-04:00

Any half pound purchase (or more of course!) will get you these gorgeous note cards featuring original art by Lisa Rotenberg. This painting, called “Forest Fire” is reproduced so close to the actual painting, on recycled paper. It will be featured on an upcoming coffee from Panama called Carmen Estate.

Muskoka Press is a new sister company to rocketfuelcoffee.com, where the same artwork can be found an cards that match the coffees. Perfect for corporate promotions and holiday cards, charitable fundraising and gift giving.

Check it out!

Announcing Rocketfuelcoffee.com BLACK LABEL

2009-05-28T09:16:00.005-04:00

Expensive. Oh sure, but SO WORTH IT.

Rocketfuelcoffee.com is please to announce the LAUNCH of a entirely new line of special coffees, so special and exclusive they have their own page and color band at the top: BLACK LABEL.

These coffees include the elusive and lengendary KOPI LUWAK aka "cat poop" coffee coming in at $55 for a quarter pound (worth every bean) and our own custom MILLIONAIRE'S BLEND - 50% KONA/50% KOPI LUWAK at $35 per quarter pound (a bargain!).

Watch for incredible Panama auction fare HACIENDA LA ESMERALDA, where rocketfuelcoffee.com will be one of the few places on earth to find this rare and wondrous treat. I have painted artwork just for this coffee. Others will follow as they become available. So save your allowance and get ready to be blown away.

Peas and Bananas Coffee Contest Sponsored by Rocketfuelcoffee.com!

2009-05-28T09:05:00.004-04:00

Coming soon via Twitter!

Welcome to the Peas and Bananas Coffee Contest. Each month this year I will be doing a coffee contest with some sort of prize/giveaway that is coffee related. This contest will then lead up to the BIG end of the year super prize! (details about that to stay top secret) Therefore, if you want to win, you have to play. Good Luck and Enjoy!

~daddy bookins (aka Peas and Bananas on Twitter)

June 2009 Contest

We are getting ready to start the June Coffee Contest Sponsored by RocketFuelCoffee.com - Monday June 1, 2009.

Stay tuned...

Video Review for Rocketfuelcoffee.com Jamaican Blue is in!

2009-05-27T11:35:00.007-04:00

Another Linked-in Post about TWITTER

2009-05-07T09:42:00.003-04:00

Follow me on Twitter
“I signed up for Twitter a few weeks ago under my company, www.rocketfuelcoffee.com. I knew absolutely nothing about how it worked, how to grow followers/following or what the posts would do for me. My company is an online one so I figured this is an important place to be.

Inside of 2 weeks I have figured it all out (and I am no rocket scientist), and I have over 1000 followers and turned over my following list a couple of times, since you can only have max 2000 at one time. I have joined demographic specific groups to my market and made great contacts who have reviewed and bought my coffee, including an 8 minute video.

Trading blogs on my site is another interesting idea I got from Twitter. I do not try just to get customers from Twitter. That would be like catching flies in a forest. I use Twitter to connect with like minds, advertise, grow and look for new venues to plant my new business globally.

And in this short time it is working very well!”

Video Review from COFFEECUPNEWS.org

2009-05-05T14:27:00.002-04:00

Jason Coffee Reviews Rocketfuelcoffee.com 100% Hawaiian Kona!

www.coffeecupnews.org

The Sensuous Beauty of Sake

2009-05-03T10:50:00.006-04:00

Welcome from Twitter, Soul of Japan

This winter, as you pour warm sake into her belly button, reflect on her curvaceousness. The overflow of sake as it moves downward from her navel following the will of gravity in a snake like motion and then settling down into her boundless beauty a whiff of nature mixed with hints of soft floral scented sake and then a nice quaff as the after-taste permeates back into your nose – (sigh) this is what winters are for.

Her snow clad hair, majestic mountains rising up out of a natural hot spring as she stands up, tiny little beads of healthy sweat moving down the nape of her neck and down her shoulders; breathing slightly heavily, yet naturally and easily, exhaling sake scented breath.

She presents herself to me with approving eyes, sushi neatly and beautifully adorned around each areola as each nipple stands erected presenting its pinkish colored centers. Mons veneris can that be? I almost mistook it for a shiny beautiful black sea urchin waiting for me. How fine and soft must you be lost in all eternity.

The magical essence of sake is that it drinks us whereas drinks like scotch, whisky and bourbon force us to drink them. These hard drinks demand our attention and then they kick our heads in every morning in the form of a hang over. Nihonshu is a spiritual drink that fades away in the morning with faint memories of a great time had, or a great time lost as fate would have for so many at the bottom of the sea.

As we imbibe off of that beautiful 1.8 litre of sake we pay a little more extra attention to our glasses, the long upward and beautiful one leg of that sake bottle beautifully adorned in ancient Japanese calligraphy, that tiny little sake cup with no bowl and no stem that was uniquely handcrafted by some forgotten great Japanese hand somewhere deep in Nara. We never question its whereabouts we just tip our cups. Done !

Rocketfuelcoffee.com on Twitter!

2009-05-03T09:42:00.005-04:00

Medicine Hat Alberta
(just included this for fun)

Here is how I got 1000 followers in 2 weeks, and I am new to Twitter. I am no marketing genius and I certainly am not one who subscribes to any form of gimmick or cheesy advertising techniques. I figured this one out myself.

At the top of the page, under "Find People", there is a link where you can search for twitter members by key word. I searched for twitter members to follow by related key words to me, starting with coffee, as my company is called rocketfuelcoffee.com. I followed twits with 250 hits or higher. Then I did the same thing with cafe, espresso, latte and moved on to words I thought were in parallel markets to mine, like wine, cigar, bmw, travel, scotch, art, you get the idea.

I tried to avoid names that were just spammers or not potential shoppers. Also, folks started following me that were insurance and web trawlers. I unfollowed them. They crowded my page with spam. Next, Un-click in your settings to get notified by e-mail everytime someone follows you back. You will go nuts with all the e-mails.

From this I have made contacts with folks who have reviewed my coffee, traded blogs with me and bought coffee. A million twitties may be nice, but give me QUALITY not quantity any day of the week.

Finally, as you get close to 2000 twits that you are following, you may have to edit, as that is the limit. Good luck and have fun!

rktfuelcoffee aka www.rocketfuelcoffee.com

2009-04-25T08:44:00.005-04:00

how to make coffee

reaching out to make coffee more social

reviews Rocketfuelcoffee.com
Robert Angeles, CoffeeTalkee

2-3 weeks ago, I was invited by Lisa Rotenberg of RocketFuelCoffee.com to try some of their coffee. How can I resist? It’s coffee and Lisa is one of my caffeinated Twitter friends talking about coffee every time we are all inside Twitter sphere.

I asked Lisa to send me beans and let me do the grind. Unfortunately, when they arrived, this Texan allergy season came to play and I was one of those unlucky ones who got it. That’s the reason why it took me 3 weeks to do this review. It would be unfair to taste her coffee with something bothering your senses.

Please be reminded that I’m not a professional barista or cupper and I review coffee as a consumer in a language that can easily be understood.

So, what did I receive?

Jamaican Blue Mountain

To give you a background, history of coffee in Jamaica is epic. In 1728, coffee was imported into Jamaica from Martinique. The country was ideal for this cultivation and after 9 years from the day it was introduced, around 83,000 lbs. was exported. The country experienced a lot of rise and fall but eventually was able to remain consistent in the following years. Only coffee grown within the Blue Mountain region, which is in the eastern part of the island, can be called Jamaican Blue Mountain.

After I was done grinding the firs t set of beans, I immediately brewed it using my Keurig Brewer. The first thing I notice about this coffee is that it has a good kick without the strong taste and doesn’t stay too long on your tongue. My senses were delighted because of the variety of flavors that came from every sip, the wonderful strong aroma it brings and yet gives you that light note that will make you smile. You will enjoy how every component of this coffee plays together. Perfect! This is a true mark of a Grade 1 coffee.

Rocket Fuel XXX

This next coffee will startle you with its bright, bursting and slightly strong aroma. It has some aroma characteristics of the Jamaican Blue Mountain yet that slight strong aroma gets in once in awhile. This goes the same with the taste. It has those different flavors and light tones but this time, the kick is there. It’s not really bold but a mixture of the light , colorful and strong side. I would recommend this as the perfect coffee after lunch or during the afternoon where our brain starts begging for a jump-start.

I would like to thank Lisa for giving me the privilege to review her coffee. It was an amazing experience and did love how the flavors played around with my senses. Keep roasting good coffee Lisa and I apologize for the delay. Will I buy these coffee? YES! You should try Rocket Fuel Coffee. It will definitely make you smile.

For more information, please visit RocketFuelCoffee.

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2009-04-21T15:12:00.007-04:00

Independent Coffee Review for
Rocketfuelcoffee.com Triple X!

Recently I got in touch with a member of COFFEEFORUMS.COM, coffeeloverlisa aka rocketfuelcoffee.com as she was/is wanting members here to give her beans a try. I asked for something espresso specific and she hasn't covered that base yet, so I went to her site at www.rocketfuelcoffee.com and looked through what she has to offer. I decided on the XXX, which is a blend of three high quality varieties of beans...... Kona, Sumatra and Jamaican Blue. Lisa was very kind to send me out a 5 oz. sample rather quickly, which was packaged nicely in a foil lined pouch and I couldn't wait to open it. The beans smelled quite nice, with no exterior oils and had a great medium roast look, kind of milk chocolate in color.

First ground some on a medium-fine setting and used that for drip, which was quite nice. Lots of body, a little bit of acidity (nice) and a mellow aftertaste. No harshness or bitterness whatsoever. I've only been drinking high quality coffee for 2-3 years now and am just getting to the point of being able to distinguish different notes and I liked what was apparent in this blend for drip. Then onto my favorite... the spro. I pulled 4-5 doubles with it on my Cremina lever machine. It pulled nicely being about 90% crema, but the color/taste was off a bit compared to other espresso specific profiles. They were good shots, but had a bit too much acidity to really come off nicely like you get with darker roasts. The color was a bit lighter as well, but all-in-all better than I expected. To be fair, I have severe allergies and have to take alot of meds, including Benadryl 3-5 times daily, and this can alter my sense of taste. I do give Lisa and her beans two thumbs up. Make sure you try some of her samples if she has anything left. Later!

- Shadow745, Central North Carolina, coffeeforums.com blog member

2009-04-16T16:56:00.009-04:00

Hey coffee drinkers, my name is John Newaz, author and operator of www.ThisCoffeeKid.com, a blog about anything and everything coffee. I'm proud to say that as of lately This Coffee Kid.com has become a blogging partner of Rocketfuelcoffee.com. As a result of this partnership, you may see more of me popping in and out of the Rocketfuelcoffee.com Blog. I'll be sharing my thoughts, comments, and ideas about coffee, whether that be Rocketfuelcoffee.com's offerings or coffee in general.

Now I'll take a moment to talk about what it is exactly that attracts me to Rocketfuel. Well actually, I'll take more than a moment, since this is going to be the subject of today's post. Rocketfuelcoffee.com is a prime example of one of my most admired institutions, the microroaster.

If you don't know what that is, it's a person, or company of persons, that source and roast coffees in small high-quality batches, usually to sell to a mail-order crowd. Mail order coffee!? Why would anyone do that when coffee can be found at every grocery store and Starbucks in between. Well, people pay extra for these small batches of coffee for the same reasons I admire Rocketfuelcoffee.com. It's all about the quality.

Imagine you're a home baker. You wake up each morning and work in your small kitchen, today's task is cookies. You weigh out the flour (getting most of it on yourself), inspect the eggs, pour out the milk (the same milk you put in your coffee, so you know its fresh), and do all the little things that bakers do. After your hard work is done, you personally pull out the fresh baked cookies and send them out to a grateful planet. Beautiful isn't it? In the coffee world, this is the microroaster.

Time to get ugly.

In this next scenario your name is Joe, but your friends call you Average. You wake up at 4 in the morning and stumble into your car. After arriving at a factory somewhere out in an Industrial wasteland, you toil for 8 hours shoveling small sad lumps of flour, high fructose corn syrup, and imitation chocolate chips into huge ovens (probably designed by someone with horns) and finally into foil bags and cardboard boxes. Your coworker, whom you've never spoken to before, quickly seals the contraption shut and places it on a conveyor belt shipping out to God-Knows-Who in God-Knows-Where. And do you care about this product? No. Of course not. You're not a baker. You’re Joe, Average Joe.

In the coffee world, this is the commercial roaster. If you think that was more of a big institution bash rather than a comparison of coffee quality, hear me out. I realize that other than the mention of high fructose corn syrup, I spoke very little about the difference in quality between the home baker's cookies and the commercial baker's product. But I remain steadfast in saying that the above example is a question of quality. You see, Rocketfuelcoffee.com and the many other microroasters out there... care. Not that commercial coffee companies don't care, sure they do. They care about profits, their shareholders, the threat of unionizing employees, and company growth. But do they care about coffee? No! Okay, well maybe. I mean let's be honest, there really are some great coffee companies out there, all jests aside. But there are some pretty bad ones too *cough* F*lgers *cough*. But rest assured that it’s no gamble when it comes to microroasting companies: they care about one thing. The coffee, the coffee, the coffee.

Rocketfuelcoffee.com doesn't have shareholders, it doesn't need to meet fiscal quarter estimates, nor do they worry any more about workers starting a union than they probably worry the same about their pet dogs. They care about the coffee, and you know that it's the real deal. Because if they didn't care about the coffee, they'd be in a different business wouldn't they? I think a useful maxim to remember is that Quality is not necessarily a sign of Care. But Care is always a sign of Quality. Catchy isn't it? Fortune cookies don't write themselves. But seriously, the questions of individual care, devotion, and passion for coffee is why I admire the small coffee businesses of America. They are truly inspirations for stepping into a market that's full of big corporate bullies.

I'm 100% confident that there will always be a place for small businesses like Rocketfuel. After all, that cute little diner down the street is just as small as Rocketfuel, and Denny's is just as big as Starbucks, but I don't see that diner flinching.. So more power to you Rocketfuelcoffee.com, and keep that coffee coming. It's a thirsty world out there.

Happy Brewing,
John Newaz
www.thiscoffeekid.com

Sharing a Coffee Nationwide.

2009-03-20T13:07:00.007-04:00

Now I have been at this coffee gig for all of 2 months now and like the caffeine in my cup, concentrated and very invigorating, this business has kept me up nights. Once the coffee beans were chosen and the packaging designed, the website running and the processes settled, just how do you get on with the business of selling coffee?

Turns out there are online forums, trade shows, discussion boards, competitions (some just for patterns on the top of lattes), newsletters, meeting groups and tastings, or "cuppings", paying homage to the sacred bean. Then there are the auctions for the most expensive beans, only at choice times through the season to fight over prized varieties. A sponge for information about the passion of the moment, I love this stuff. Pity my poor husband Matthew, who has to listen to my trivia over breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Fortunately, others of my craft love to gab about this information as well, and not long after I became a maven of mocha (apologies) I hooked up with some mentors who were generous with their knowledge. I greased them up with my Kona and Jamaican Blue and fortunately it was good enough to keep them talking. Mark Prince, moderator and coffee genius of www.coffeegeek.com is an incredible chat, as is Colin Newell of www.coffeecrew.com. Nick Usborne, the Coffee Detective is another site that has offered advice. Had I not been in business for myself before, I do not think I would have had the guts to just call on these guys and ask them to review my coffees and for information, just like that.

One of the first guys I ever had the pleasure of speaking with had to be Barrett Jones. His company, 49th Parallel Coffee out in BC has to be a model of how to do this business right. The web site, the branding and the products, and seeing him on TV... the guy has it going on.

Opportunity Based on Experience

2009-03-11T16:06:00.006-04:00

Most of us over 40 (there I admitted it even though you can't see me), have had a few jobs, perhaps even a career or two. Some by choice, sometimes by having the decision made for us. We were canned, we were laid off, we stomped out the door in tears or perhaps in handcuffs. Hey. Your story, right?

If you are like me, you have collected a shopping list of skills along the way that have come in very handy and they have accumulated in value like art or collectible hockey cards. The older the better, condition matters and the more information and research that goes along with the property, the more valuable the item becomes.

I graduated as a graphic designer and my thing was consumer packaging back in the 1980's. Dog food, beer, Kleenex, soup. That sort of thing. Then I moved on to account management, marketing, writing for business. I hit my artsy illustration phase in the late 1990's and opened a retail gallery. Next came my online obsession with antiques and eBay. When the Canadian dollar went on par with the US, that market tanked and I returned to account management at a printing firm, combining all my skills.

Combining skills seems to be the post education process I hear many of my associates doing now. An accountant who takes on a CEO position based on experience after being the company CFO. A respiratory therapist managing a practice of a successful entrepreneurial physician. A lawyer becoming a best selling author of murder mysteries based on factual legal process. Only with the guts to back it up can you move forward into these new positions.

Another key ingredient seems to be an essential element in the opportunity based transition: passion. This second (or possibly third) reincarnation is probably based on something the person loves or really feels strongly about and wants to share, coming from the heart. In my case it is art, coffee and great taste.

Rocketfuelcoffee is a passionate project, utilizing just about every skill I have. I hope this will be the basis of a strong business plan. If one loves what they do, believes in it and can share it with others, how can it fail? (*crosses fingers*)

Making Great Coffee @ Home

2009-02-15T16:45:00.006-05:00

Just because we at rocketfuelcoffee.com roast, grind and drink the finest and freshest coffee anywhere, does not mean that we have to make a huge fuss about preparing it at home or at the office. Au contraire, we have already chosen the most wonderful beans. The rest should be easy.

On the rocketfuelcoffee.com website, we show instructions for coffee brewing with both French Press and more commonly used Drip coffee makers. Both make delicious coffee based on personal preference, what you are familiar with and what your wallet can afford. Matthew and I have a Bunn Drip coffee maker on our counter top that we use every day, but when we went to Paris, we had coffee with a French Press brewer. We bought one immediately upon our return to Toronto. It sits on our counter and it looks great, but we rarely use it. The coffee is absolutely delicious when we use it though! It is a Freiling. I understand the Bodums are great too.

I would have to say the biggest draw back about most home drip coffeemakers that I have seen is the coffee does not get piping hot. And if it is not hot, it does not stay hot and it does not stay fresh. Microwaving coffee to bring it back to life is like a day old slice of birthday cake. Uh, yeah. Whoopee. But a good one is terrific, like a Bunn or a Cuisinart. If you have one you like, let us know here and share your knowledge.

The last point I want to make is one I wanted to get off my chest when I started my new business. Seems the real coffee snobs only tolerate their elixir strong and black. Polluting the finest brew is sinful and disrespectful to the sacred bean. True confession time. I like mine with milk and sugar. Matthew likes his black. And we are still married.

Cheers!