Bean Box Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita Review

Introduction 

Bean Box is a popular coffee subscription service that offers an extensive range of high-quality, specialty coffee beans sourced from top roasters across the United States. One of the most popular roasters featured on Bean Box is Tony's Coffee Cafe, which has gained a reputation for producing exceptional coffee blends. In this review, we will be focusing on one of their most popular blends - the Carmelita.

Tony's Coffee Cafe's Carmelita is a medium roast coffee that is characterized by its smooth, well-balanced flavor profile. The beans are sourced from Central and South America and are carefully roasted to bring out their unique flavors and aromas. In this review, we will be taking a closer look at the flavor profile of the Carmelita blend, its brewing process, and overall quality. So, if you're a coffee lover looking for a new blend to try, keep reading to find out if Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita is worth the hype. Check out our Coffee Club page to compare and read reviews of our favorite coffee clubs.

Background

Bean Box is a Seattle-based specialty coffee company founded in 2014 by Matthew Berk and Ryan Fritzky. The idea behind the company was to provide coffee lovers with an exceptional coffee experience, featuring the best artisan roasters from Seattle and beyond.

The founders were both passionate coffee enthusiasts who had noticed a gap in the market. While there were plenty of specialty coffee roasters around, it was often difficult to access them without living near their physical locations. Furthermore, customers were often limited in their selection of roasters, as most coffee shops and grocery stores only carried a handful of brands.

To address this, Bean Box created a subscription service that delivered fresh, hand-picked coffee directly to customers' doors. Each month, subscribers receive a selection of four unique coffees from different roasters, along with tasting notes and brewing tips. The coffee is roasted to order and shipped within 48 hours of roasting to ensure maximum freshness.

Since its inception, Bean Box has grown significantly and now works with over 75 different roasters from around the country. In addition to its subscription service, the company also offers a wide range of single-origin coffees and coffee-related accessories through its online store.

Bean Box has been recognized for its commitment to quality and sustainability, with a focus on supporting small, independent roasters who prioritize ethical sourcing and environmental stewardship. The company has also received numerous awards, including being named one of Seattle's "Best Small Businesses" by Seattle Magazine and one of the "Most Innovative Companies" by Fast Company.

Summary 

Tony's Coffee was recently awarded the title of Roast Magazine's 2021 Roaster of the Year. Their signature blend, Cafe Carmelita, has been a best-seller since its creation in 2005. It is a rich and buttery medium roast that tastes more like a medium-dark, with a low acidity level and deep notes of dark chocolate syrup and toasted caramel. Carmelita can make a fantastic faux-mocha with a splash of milk, without the need for additional chocolate. As the cooler weather and rainy days approach, it's the perfect coffee to indulge in.

Bean Box Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita is a delightful coffee blend that is created by Bean Box, a specialty coffee company based in Seattle, Washington. This blend is inspired by the famous Tony's Coffee Cafe located in Bellingham, Washington. The coffee beans used in this blend are sourced from the Carmelita farm, which is located in the Nariño region of Colombia. This farm is known for producing high-quality coffee beans that have a sweet and fruity flavor profile.

Tony's Coffee has created the Café Carmelita blend with utmost care, selecting Fair Trade and Organic certified coffee beans from Central and South America to achieve its unique taste. This versatile blend is perfect for daily consumption or for special occasions, guaranteed to satisfy every palate. With its rich and familiar notes of chocolate and caramel, Café Carmelita is a go-to blend that is sure to please coffee lovers everywhere. It can be enjoyed as a black coffee or with milk and cream. Bean Box offers this blend in both whole bean and ground forms, making it easy for customers to enjoy their coffee in a way that suits them best. 

Origin: Central and South America

Processing: Washed

Roast: Medium & Toasty

Good For: Espresso

Certification(s): Organic, Fair Trade

Tasting Notes: Caramel, Cocoa, Raw Sugar

Pros

• Tony's Coffee is a well-known coffee brand with a reputation for high-quality beans.
• The Carmelita roast is a medium roast with a balanced flavor profile that's not too bitter or acidic.
• Bean Box is a popular coffee subscription service that delivers fresh beans to your door on a regular basis.
• The coffee is freshly roasted and shipped directly to you, ensuring that you receive the freshest possible beans.
• The coffee is ethically sourced, so you can feel good about supporting a responsible and sustainable coffee supply chain.

Cons

• The coffee might be a bit more expensive than other brands or roasts.
• The flavor profile might not be to everyone's liking, as taste is subjective.
• Some people might prefer a darker or lighter roast, and the Carmelita roast might not be the best fit for them.
• If you're not a regular coffee drinker or if you don't go through beans quickly, you might end up with more coffee than you can use before it goes stale.

Buying the Product

To buy Bean Box Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita, you can follow these steps:

1. Visit the Bean Box website: Go to the Bean Box website at www.beanbox.com.
2. Find the Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita: Use the search function on the website to locate the Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita coffee beans.
3. Choose your preferred size: Select the size of the coffee bag you want to purchase. The coffee bags are available in different sizes, so choose the one that suits your needs.
4. Add to cart: Once you have selected the size, click on the "Add to cart" button.
5. Checkout: Proceed to checkout by clicking on the shopping cart icon in the top right corner of the website. Follow the prompts to enter your shipping and payment information.
6. Confirm order: Review your order details, including the size of the coffee bag and shipping address. If everything looks correct, click on the "Confirm Order" button to complete the purchase.
7. Wait for delivery: After completing your purchase, Bean Box will process your order and ship your coffee to your desired location. You will receive a confirmation email with a tracking number once your order has shipped.
8. Enjoy your coffee: Once your coffee arrives, open the bag and brew a fresh cup of Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita to enjoy the unique flavors of this specialty coffee blend.

Learn more about Bean Box here!

Results

This organic medium-dark blend is a classic drip coffee that has a rich flavor without feeling heavy on the palate. It boasts a low acidity level, with deep notes of dark chocolate and caramel that give it a distinct taste. The finish has a hint of toasted sugar that adds a pleasant bite to the overall flavor.

One of the most striking features of Cafe Carmelita is its balanced and smooth flavor profile. When you take a sip, you might first notice a pleasant sweetness, which is followed by subtle notes of acidity that enhance the overall taste. The coffee is also known for its deep and complex flavors, which include hints of chocolate and nuts. These notes come together to create a full-bodied and rich taste that is both satisfying and indulgent.

In terms of body, Cafe Carmelita is a full-bodied coffee with a velvety and smooth texture. The coffee's mouthfeel is one of its most distinctive features, as it feels luxurious and decadent on the palate. The finish is lingering and pleasant, which makes it the perfect coffee to enjoy slowly and savor.

The aroma of Cafe Carmelita is another aspect of the coffee that is highly regarded by coffee lovers. When you first smell the coffee, you might detect a mix of chocolate and nutty scents. There may also be hints of fruit or caramel, which add a layer of complexity to the overall aroma. This makes it an incredibly enjoyable coffee to drink, as the aroma enhances the overall experience.

I would say that the Bean Box Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita had a cupping score of 90/100. In accordance with the Total Score Quality Classification, it would be considered outstanding, also known as a specialty coffee.

Cupping Scores

Published by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. The Cupping Form allows you to note the following coffee flavor qualities: Fragrance/Aroma, Flavor, Aftertaste, Acidity, Body, Balance, Uniformity, Clean Cup, Sweetness, Defects, and Overall. These are evaluated on a 16-point scale indicating quality levels in quarter-point increments ranging from 6 to 9. To score your coffee, go through each specific flavor attribute and mark the points based on your own personal appraisal. 

Quality Scale

• Good: 6-6:75
• Very good: 7 - 7.75
• Excellent: 8 - 8.75
• Outstanding: 9 - 9.75

The Final Score is calculated by adding the individual scores for each of the key criteria in the "Total Score" box. Defects are then subtracted from the “Total Score” to arrive at a “Final Score.” The Scoring Key below has shown to be an effective technique to represent the range of coffee quality for the Final Score.

Total Score Quality Classification

• Outstanding: 90-100
• Excellent: 85-89.99
• Very Good: 80-84.99
• Good: <80

(Outstanding, excellent, and very good are considered Specialty coffee, while anything below that is not.)

Bottom Line

In summary, Bean Box Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita offers a premium coffee blend that delivers a meticulously balanced and intricate flavor profile, highlighting the best of Central and South American coffee with its rich cocoa powder, caramel, and buttery notes, and a smooth, well-balanced base. This medium and toasty blend is a perfect choice for coffee aficionados who appreciate high-quality, specialty-grade coffee. With its expertly roasted and brewed beans, Bean Box Tony's Coffee Cafe Carmelita is the go-to brew for those seeking a delicious and satisfying coffee experience. Whether you need a kickstart in the morning or are brewing a big batch of coffee for brunch, Carmelita is the perfect crowd-pleaser. With its delicious taste and quality, Carmelita coffee is sure to become your new favorite go-to.

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