Review by: Sheila Murray

“You have to check out Wandering Goat Coffee!” said my husband, James, on the day he returned from a climbing trip in Red Rocks. He went on to tell me that his friend, Rich, brought Wandering Goat coffee all the way from Oregon to Nevada, so everyone on the trip could enjoy delicious coffee each morning before going out to climb.

Rich has always had great taste, so I knew I had to try Wandering Goat for myself!

Wandering Goat is a locally owned coffee roaster in Eugene, Oregon that provides roast-to-order, 100% certified organic coffee. I appreciate that Wandering Goat doesn’t just throw around words like “sustainable” and “organic” and instead they follow it up with the actual efforts they’ve made to support this commitment. You can learn more about their roastery practices here.

Ethiopia Guji (Natural Processed)

I’m always grateful to try a single origin roast coffee because there is so much depth and complexity of taste to be found in a single origin, as well as rich history. You can find out more about Kayon Mountain Farm, which produces this coffee, right here!

First Impressions

James opened the bag of coffee beans and inhaled the aroma.  

“Hmm,” he said, considering, “I am getting marshmallow, citrus, and white chocolate.” 

“Wow,” I said laughing, “that’s so specific!”

 I smelled the beans but got a very different impression. For me, it was rich and earthy with hints of dried fruit, like raisins. I could see where James had gotten citrus from, as there was something quite uplifting within the profile too.

With our wildly different impressions, our curiosity was peaked. I took out our Cuppamoka and paper filter, while James boiled water and ground the beans. In the end, we had two pour over brews ready to enjoy!

Tasting notes

“It’s so smooth!” said James. “Maybe a little grapey, like a Concord grape? It’s sweet with a hint of fruit and beautifully balanced.”

“A Concord grape, huh?” I responded, impressed with his specific choice of grape variety. I immediately noticed the smooth mouthfeel, which was also a bit syrupy. It seemed like there could be some wildflower honey or maybe even molasses. It was balanced and easy going, like a coffee you’d want to sip all day! 

Reveal

The reveal of the tasting notes was too fun! Wandering Goat says: Berry, apricot, floral, jammy, juicy. Can’t recommend this one enough, it’ll undoubtedly set you up for a positive day. 

Espresso Chupacabra

This one is Wandering Goat’s signature blend. Signature blends can tell you a lot about a coffee roaster, so I was eager to see what this espresso would inform us about Wandering Goat! For those curious, “Chupacabra” literally translates as “Goat Sucker,” and the legend of the chupacabra has been around since the late 1980s. 

First impressions

The aroma exploded out of the bag as I opened it. I was delighted by how potent, rich, and familiar the smell was.  

“This one smells nuttier than the last one,” said James. He sensed cacao, brown sugar, and walnut.

“I am getting more of a floral and fruity smell,” I responded. There was also a lovely caramel undertone coming through. 

James heated the water and ground the beans using our Exagrind, while I I took out the Picopresso, Gauge. 

Tasting notes

James prepared the first espresso and handed it over to me, and I couldn’t wait for him to make his own espresso before taking a sip. 

The espresso mouthfeel was cloudlike, smooth, and incredibly satisfying. The taste was full bodied but not overpowering, with a light acidity. After some consideration, I decided I was tasting notes of caramel, raspberry, and milk chocolate.

James had finished making his espresso and was sipping thoughtfully. He said he noted light acid, nuts, blueberry, and honey.  

“I feel like I’m set up for the most cozy and also uplifting day,” I said to James.

This is one of those espressos that, the more you sip it, the more you notice about the flavor profile. We agreed it was absolutely perfect for the rainy day we were having. 

The reveal

Wandering Goat says this coffee has notes of floral, citrus, berry, and caramel. James will undoubtedly take the Picopresso and Wandering Goat coffee on the next climbing adventure!