Review: The Real McCoy Rum

The Real McCoy Rum is named in honor of Bill McCoy, a rum runner in the Prohibition era. According to the story the company tells, McCoy would buy the alcohol in the Caribbean, sail it to New York City, and sell it from his vessel anchored far enough offshore to be in international waters, not subject to U.S. alcohol laws.

While other rum runners during Prohibition diluted their wares with other substances — such as turpentine, wood alcohol and prune juice — McCoy sold his completely unadulterated, and they gained the reputation of being the “real McCoy.”

Much of this story is true, according to other historical sources.

The phrase “the real McCoy” signifying that something is the genuine article, however, predates Bill McCoy by decades if not longer.

That doesn’t really matter for its significance in the story of The Real McCoy Rum, though. The company prides itself on using only blackstrap molasses and spring water in its classic Barbados-style rum — no additives.

The rum is then aged for three years, five years or twelve years before being bottled for sale.

The company was founded by filmmaker Bailey Pryor, who had the inspiration while producing a documentary film about Bill McCoy. The film went on to win five Emmy awards. The rum is award-winning too, and deservedly so.

For this review, the company sent me a bottle of the 5-Year Rum. I tried it straight and in three different types of cocktails, and was very impressed by it's smoothness and ability to play well with a variety of mixers.

Straight:
The rum is smooth and flavorful. Because it’s not a spiced rum, the flavor profile is not overly complex, but it has a subtle sweetness from the molasses without being overpowering.

Dark & Stormy:
This is the rum-based version of the currently trendy Moscow Mule. Make it with an ounce to 1 ½ ounces of rum in a cold copper mug (ideally) or a glass of ice, a splash of fresh lime juice and top off with ginger beer.

The Real McCoy blended well with the spiciness of the ginger, maintaining a discernible flavor without dominating. In the past, I’ve usually used Kraken spiced rum for this drink, and its flavor can overpower the mixer if not kept in check. The Real McCoy 5 Year is a better choice for more equitable blend of flavors.

Cuba Libre:
This is a classic, rum and cola with a touch of lime. I used Pepsi sweetened with natural sugar (not high fructose corn syrup) and the result was a refreshing, easily-drinkable cocktail. This one would be a good choice for a hot summer day by the pool.

ChaChaCha: Finally, I picked a recipe provided by The Real McCoy.  The ChaChaCha gets its name from horchata, a Latin American rice drink with strong notes of cinnamon. Blending the rum, a chocolate liqueur and horchata, the result is richly sweet dessert-type cocktail. While it’s good, it’s sweet to the point of cloying, and the flavor of the rum is swallowed up by the strong chocolate and cinnamon ingredients.  I look forward to trying a few of their other cocktail recipes.

In addition to the 5-Year, which is suitable for both cocktails and drinking neat, they also make a 3-Year, a clear rum intended for cocktails, and the 12-Year Super Premium Rum, with rich flavor notes intended to be savored on their own, either neat or on the rocks.

Overall, The Real McCoy 5-Year lives up to its story. If you’re looking for a straightforward rum without additional spices, consider trying it. You won’t be disappointed.

Be aware, though, that so far the product is in stores in only 15 states. There is a locator on the website that will tell you where you can buy it locally, if you can.  If it isn't currently available to you locally, click the search icon on the Locator page without putting in a zipcode, and you'll get a list of online stores that carry The Real McCoy.

http://www.realmccoyspirits.com/
https://www.facebook.com/therealmccoyrum
https://twitter.com/TheRealMcCoyRum

Review: Vaportini Alcohol Inhaler

The first time I saw an alcohol inhaler, it was on some TV show set in a very trendy bar that was also serving appetizers that were merely smears of their foamed essence - and I was sure they'd made that whole thing up for pretentious effect.

Turns out that culinary gastronomy really is a thing, and inhaling alcohol via an attractive and simple bit of barware called the Vaportini is not only real - it's based on a concept that is not even new!

According to the Vaportini's inventor, Julie Palmer,

"A few years ago, I was visiting a friend in Helsinki. I was there during the Winter Solstice (The Season of Ghosts); he shared with me an unconfirmed tradition that happens on that date. We headed to his outdoor sauna with a group of friends and a bottle of vodka, he poured the vodka over the coals and we breathed in the vapors until we were sufficiently inebriated. We then went outside and rolled in the snow to “sober up” and headed back to the house to partake in the smorgasbord. About an hour or so later we headed back to the sauna with another bottle of vodka. The rest of the afternoon followed this cycle."

My husband and I were very curious to give this a try. I spent a good bit of time on their website, intrigued by the good sized collection of Vaportini infusion recipes that allow you to create inhaled 'cocktails' with interesting flavor combinations.  But I also wanted to try some of our preferred fine spirits 'straight up' to see how the experience differed from drinking them neat.

The Vaportini set I received is the Complete Classic Vaportini, available on their site for $44.99.  This comes with a standard pint glass etched with the Vaportini logo, the Vaportini glass orb, the stainless steel orb mount, a stainless steel mini-straw, a tiny funnel, and a tea light - everything you need to get started except the spirits.

Waiting for it to heat up.

One of my concerns before trying this was just how likely it was that a tipsy person would knock the whole thing over, resulting in shattered glass and fire?

Well, obviously,  that sort of thing can happen, so maybe keep this away if you or your friends are likely to get physically boisterous - but the product itself is very stable. The glass is bottom heavy and sturdy, and the stainless orb mount sits securely on the rim of the glass and keeps the ball in place.

Instructions for use are simple and pretty hard to get wrong, I think.

You drop a tea light down into the bottom of the glass and then light it. (we used long matches to do so)  The stainless orb mount sits on the rim.

The orb is meant to hold 1 to 1.5 oz of spirits (in the 70-100 proof range - less will not provide adequate vapor), which is inserted by using the supplied funnel.  The orb is then placed on top of the metal rim.

After it's warmed for 4-5 minutes,  the instructions say you would begin to see a clear vapor - we never actually saw much vapor, but evidence of condensation inside the orb showed that it was there.

Condensation

At that point, you insert the straw - not submerging it into the liquid! - and inhale the vapors.

I was surprised the first time by how flavorful it was - I was very afraid that this would feel akin to breathing battery acid or at the other end of the scale, simply be like inhaling nothing at all.

Thankfully, neither was  the case - the vapor softened the raw alcohol taste and brought out all those tasting notes.  With the gin we tried, the juniper was lush and prominent, and when we tried one of the infusions, each aspect was clearly definable.

As we continued to share, the flavors got even more fullbodied and very 'true' to themselves. Eventually, the alcohol vapors were used up, leaving the liquid behind.  All together, we spent about 15-20 minutes relaxing and sharing in this one session.

So - of course, everyone wants to know if we got drunk or what, right?  Well - no.  Keep in mind this is a one ounce shot and we shared it, doing the equivalent of nursing it for at least a quarter of an hour (close to a half hour if you include set up time).  I am not particularly sure how you'd over do this simply for that reason alone.

However there was a pretty fast acting (and quickly dissipating) sensation of being lightly stoned - it didn't feel the same to either of us as the early stages of an alcohol buzz. Instead it was a lot more relaxing and meditative.

Why that is, I don't know - although it may simply have to do with mindfully breathing for several minutes, and getting some good oxygen flow mixed in with your vapor cocktail!

By the time we got to the end, we were ready to stop, and switch to a liquid based refreshment, and just for fun, we tasted some of the gin infusion we'd used in the Vaportini.

This was based on their VaporTea  recipe, which calls for infusing a bit of lemon rind and jasmine tea in gin.
I had no jasmine tea, so I used an herbal blend that included several herbs and flowers (and almost all of them were definable through the vapor).

While it was soft, lemony and luscious as vapor - as a drink it was harsh and basically undrinkable.  I was amazed at how differently the flavors played out as vapor!

For that reason, I expect to continue to use my Vaportini in a similar way that one might do a wine tasting or a flight of a particular fine spirit - as a method of really getting to know the personal flavor notes of a quality spirit.

This also means that I'm already composing a gift list for holidays and birthdays for people I know who would appreciate this addition to their bar.

I do not think the Vaportini is for someone looking to get buzzed in the most efficient possible way - you might think it would be good for that, but you'd hyperventilate trying to huff the vapors any faster than a reasonable pace long before you'd get significantly inebriated.  I did find the mild stoned sensation to be very pleasurable, but it isn't at all like being intoxicated.

But if you are at all hard liquor curious and would like to really get to know the flavor notes of a fine tequila, bourbon, whisky, gin or rum in a way that you simply can't by drinking them, try this! You're bound to find a few favorites you never expected to like.

I think it's main appeal is as a novelty and as a tool for taste testing fine spirits, but it isn't a replacement for drinking a cocktail, nor can I see someone making a night of it.  It's a fun thing to do, but consider it as you would a rich confection - a little goes a long way.

I have seen concerns in various places online that it could lead to illicit consumption by minors or create a risk of alcohol poisoning because it bypasses the liver - but I think this would prove to be extremely unsatisfying to anyone trying to get drunk enough that that would be a likely problem.  I think the more realistic concern is  that someone striving to get drunk would switch from this to drinks, or doing both at the same time, and forgetting to count the alcohol they inhaled in their grand total.

(In other words, don't do that)

In addition to the Complete Classic Vaportini that I received for review, you can also purchase the Basic Vaportini Kit without the pint glass ($34.99), extra metal or glass straws for sharing (you could also use mini 'coffee stirrer' straws as a disposable option), a replacement glass orb, and a cleaning kit specifically designed to keep everything spotless and ready for your next session.

The Deluxe Kit ($74.99) comes with everything in my set, along with extra candles, straws, an additional orb, and the cleaning kit.

Nature Vaportini ($149), designed by Charley Ryan. I LOVE THIS!!

Finally - and I have to point these out especially, there is a small but growing collection of Artist Series renditions of the basic set that elevate the entire thing to something you'll want to display. These range from $119-$149, and are just gorgeous!

Vaportini will ship internationally, although all liability for customs confiscation is on the buyer, so do know the laws of the country where you live.  In  the US, these are legal to ship to buyers over the age of 21.

Vaportini offers free shipping on all orders over $90.

 If you'd like to try a Vaportini, or plan ahead for your own giftgiving, Vaportini is currently offering 10% off to our readers.

Use the code RCHREVIEWS at check out for 10% off your order!

Have fun with it, and inhale responsibly!

http://vaportini.com/
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Make Your Own Ginger Syrup!

One of my favorite flavor profiles is ginger - I love to cook with it, enjoy ginger-flavored drinks, like it candied, and find it to be the most soothing method of dealing with minor stomach issues.  The spicy hot flavor of ginger goes very well with both savory dishes and as a refreshing sweet treat.

Another thing I really like is carbonated water from my Sodastream - I only rarely touch commercial sodas anymore, but I do like the bubbles, with just a dash of something for flavor.

One obvious choice would be a bit of ginger syrup!

A hefty dose makes a soft drink that is somewhere between ginger ale and ginger beer (which tends to retain the warming spicy flavors of ginger more than ginger ale does).

A lighter dose adds that wonderful gingery flavor without too much sugar, and is a great way to settle one's stomach.

I prefer to make my own syrups for the Sodastreamer so I can better control what goes into them, and Ginger Syrup is very simple and fast to put together. Next time you come across one of those big nubbly roots in the grocery store, pick one or two up, and try this for yourself!

Ginger Syrup

enough ginger root to make 1 1/2 cups of thinly sliced ginger
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups cane sugar

Scrub the ginger root, and decide if you want to peel it or not - it is not necessary to make Ginger Syrup, but if you'd like to eat the resulting candied ginger, you may want to peel the skin from it before slicing.

I didn't peel this time - but if you do, try scraping the skin with a spoon. It's easier to get into all those nooks and crannies that way than it is trying to use a peeler.

Slice the ginger as thinly as possible, and place into a medium large saucepan.

Add water and sugar, and stir.  Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then lower heat and let simmer another 15 minutes or so, until sugar is completely dissolved, and liquid begins to thicken slightly.

Let cool, and chill overnight with the ginger still in the syrup, in order to maximize the gingery taste.

The next day, strain the ginger from the syrup, reserving the now-candied ginger to enjoy separately, if desired.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and use as you like.  This will last at least 2 weeks without spoiling (but that's a guess, because it goes fast around here).

I've seen a variation that includes a few whole peppercorns put into simmer, and that sounds like something I definitely want to try!

Use suggestions:

- Add to carbonated water, either from the Sodastream, or commercial selzer or tonic water.

- A splash of this is really good added to a cup of hot chai spiced tea with milk.

- This is a powerful tool for your bartender's arsenal - it goes nicely with all sorts of drinks.  Try a whiskey and soda with a bit of lime and ginger syrup. Yum!

- Toss some fresh fruit in a blend of Ginger Syrup, lime juice, and a bit of champagne vinegar for a really lovely fruit salad.

How would you use it? The possibilities are nearly endless!

Review: The Tea Spot

If tea could be elevated to an art form, The Tea Spot's teas would be in a museum.  I was sent a sample of loose leaf teas for this review and I honestly can say it was hard to even brew them.

Upon opening the box I knew this tea would be different.  With names like Coconut Crush Chai, Boulder Blues, Mango Tango, and Strawberry Fields the creativity of the teas stretches further than one would imagine.

The Tea Spot's premium loose leaf tea blends are microblended in small batches in Boulder, Colorado.

The company began in 2004, headed by a cancer survivor drawn to the health benefits of whole leaf teas.  In fact, the Tea Spot donates 10% of sales to cancer and community wellness programs.

These teas combine the simplicity of basic whole leaf tea and complexity of whole dried fruit and dried flowers.

The first tea I brewed was the Strawberry Fields, an herbal tea.  This isn't supermarket tea.  I opened the satchel and was hit in the face with the most amazing strawberry scent.

Now normally when I open a box of tea it might smell amazing, but the taste is kind of weak.  Not Tea Spot Tea.  This tea IS strawberry tea.  It was heaven in a mug for this fruit tea loving girl.

My 8 year old loved it too and he is picky as anything.

The tea was amazing both hot and iced and is caffeine free.

Next was the Mango Tango.  This is a black tea (which does have caffeine) blended with Mallow Flowers, Marigolds, and Mango and Passion fruit flavor.  You can taste the high quality black tea mixed in with the unusual yet complimentary tastes of the fruit.  I really liked this one hot, but it was AMAZING ICED.

Boulder Blues was a tea that was different from anything I have EVER tried before.  A green tea (Caffeinated again) mixed with Mallow Flowers, Cornflowers, Strawberry and Rhubarb flavoring, it was earthy and fruity at the same time.

Honestly I can't really describe it well - it is something that you have to taste.  My green tea loving husband wasn't a huge fan, but I really enjoyed it.  It is certainly a different spin on typical flavored green tea.  Right away I was able to taste the strawberry with a hint of rhubarb.  Again this one was great both hot and iced.

Last but certainly not least, the Coconut Crush Chai.  I could sing the praises of this tea forever.  I am a Chai loving girl to the max and I have probably tried every single Chai tea on the market.  This was, hands down, my most favorite chai EVER.

Rooibos tea blended with Ginger root, cinnamon, and shredded coconut and brewed at 212 degrees make this tea perfect.  I loved it hot mixed with some honey and milk, but honestly you could probably do anything with this chai and it would be perfect.

Best of all The Tea Spot sent me a recipe card to make Coconut Crush Chai Overnight Oatmeal!  I can't wait to give this one a try:

Coconut Crush Chai Overnight Oatmeal

1/2 C. Steeped Coconut Crush Chai, strained
1/2 C. Rolled Oats
1/2 Yogurt

Mix all the ingredients in a 16oz mason jar and store in the fridge overnight (or at least 8 hours).  In the morning top with coconut shavings, bananas, and granola and enjoy!

Trust me, you will enjoy it.

You can find The Tea Spot on Facebook and on their website to order and to see all their awesome teas and recipes too!

http://theteaspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/theteaspot/

https://twitter.com/teaspot

https://www.pinterest.com/theteaspot/

Mixology: Remember the Creamsicle?

Remember the delicate intermingling of orange and cream in the Creamsicle? You bite into the cold popsicle and feel the delicate mouthfeel of milkfat and sweet orange ice melting down your throat.

As adults, we can make a similar flavor sensation with an intoxicating twist: start with rum.

It's best to have all the ingredients chilled, including the rum. I recommend Kraken Black Rum, which is the best rum available, in my opinion Lacking that, go for Captain Morgan or another spiced rum.

The basic recipe:

Creamsicle Cocktail

(serves 1)

1 ½ ounces spiced rum
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup coconut milk

In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine rum, orange just and coconut milk. (Use the liquid kind, not the canned solid.)

I use coconut milk partly because the flavor fits the drink better, and partly because the acidic orange juice curdles dairy milk.

Shake the shaker vigorously for about 30 seconds, then pour over ice in a glass. Garnish with an orange slice if desired.

You can vary the proportions to emphasize one flavor or another, but the orange juice should never be less than the coconut milk to maintain the rich citrus flavor.

This is a great drink for warm weather. Serve it at a garden party, or among friends in a smaller gathering, and you’ll get nothing but compliments.

Just be on guard against conversations turning to memories of childhood and chasing the neighborhood ice cream truck waving a quarter. 

Review: Stout Spice Co. Matcha

What is Matcha?  Why is it so green?  Does it taste like grass?

There are many questions that come up when people take the leap into drinking Matcha tea.  For me it was a leap of faith.  I was big on loose leaf teas, but after hearing about the health benefits of Matcha, I decided to give it a try.  I started with a basic plain Matcha and went on from there.

Matcha is a ground Japanese tea made from green tea leaves. Unlike regular green tea, the ground tea itself is consumed, rather than infused and strained. The tea is full of antioxidants, amino acids, enzymes, and chlorophyll.  Matcha isn't caffeine free, but is has less caffeine than coffee, clocking in around 70-80mg per 8oz serving.  The benefit of Matcha over coffee is the sustained energy release and the lack of a crash after drinking.

For some folks it is love at first taste, but for others there can be a period of getting used to Matcha's distinctive taste. Depending on the brand and the process of making the tea, some teas can be strong and taste "earthy" while others have a lighter flavor.  You can make lattes from Matcha, which do ease up on the heavy flavor of a stronger tea.

If you are just starting out, a sweet Matcha might be just what you need to enter the world of this healthful tea.

Enter Stout Spice Company!

Stout Spice Co. has been around since 2014 and specializes in Spices, Spice Blends, and Teas.  They bring their raw products in during the natural harvest cycle to ensure the quality of each spice and tea.

They have many flavors/types of Matcha ranging from Culinary Matcha (which works well in smoothies) to the sweeter Matchas like Pumpkin Spice and Cinnamon.

For this review Stout Spice Co. sent me a sample size of their Pumpkin Spice Matcha.  

The tea comes packaged in really cool little containers and are labeled with the ingredients on the bottom.  The Matcha I was sent was Pumpkin Spice and the ingredients are Organic Cane Sugar, Premium Matcha Green Tea, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Ginger, Organic Nutmeg, and Organic All-Spice.  Nothing fake in there!

Directions call for 1/2 tsp per 2oz water and that the water should be less than boiling.  I was able to get about 3 - 8oz servings out of the sample, though I like to mix my Matcha a bit lighter.

Stout's Matcha is smooth and dissolves pretty well, leaving only a small grainy texture behind.  Some Matcha's I have had are very grainy, but this one was pretty good.   You can tell this is a sweetened Matcha but it isn't overpowering sweet - just sweet enough that you don't have that initial ZING of the green tea taste.

This Matcha isn't very strong, and I didn't get as much of an energy pick up than I have in the past with other brands, but the taste and texture certainly made up for it.

The Pumpkin Spice flavor would lend really well to a nice fall Latte with the addition of steamed milk.

How do you like your Matcha?  Click over to Stout Spice Company's website and see all they have to offer!

Stout Spice has been generous enough to offer a coupon code for any of their loose teas (including their Matchas!)

 To get 15% off any Stout Loose Leaf Teas, use the code RCHReview15 on check out - there's no expiration date on this discount!

https://www.stoutspiceco.com/
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Review/Giveaway: Rocky's Ginger Beer

If you've never tried ginger beer, your first question is probably, “How is ginger beer different from ginger ale?”

The non-alcoholic versions of both drinks are essentially carbonated water flavored with ginger. Ginger beer, however, has a stronger ginger flavor, spicy and robust, while ginger ale is usually more water, less ginger, so that sweetness predominates.

Rocky’s Ginger Beer calls itself “the world’s finest ginger beer.” We can’t back up that grandiose slogan, but we can confirm that Rocky’s makes a very good ginger beer.

The ginger is up front, tickling the nose before the glass ever gets to the lips. In the mouth, it is strong and crisp, finishing clean.

Rocky’s uses pure cane sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup, and the difference is apparent in the genuineness of the flavor.  They also avoid artificially coloring it with caramel coloring, so it is a clear liquid that is nothing but true flavor.

Your next question, then, might be, “What can I do with it?”

Well, the first and most basic thing you can do is to pour it over ice and drink it like any soda. That makes for a satisfying, thirst-quenching beverage.

Ginger beer is also useful as a mixer in several popular cocktails. I used Rocky’s for two favorites, and found it to be more than excellent in both.  

Moscow Mule

I don’t have the copper cups that are the traditional serving vessel for the Moscow Mule (yet), but it’s not bad in a glass.

Here is the basic recipe:

1 ½ ounces of vodka.

Juice of ¼ lime.

Rocky’s Ginger Beer

Pour the vodka over ice. Add the lime juice and fill the glass with Rocky’s. Garnish with a lime wedge and stir.

Rocky’s Ginger Beer combined with New Amsterdam Vodka made a flavorful Moscow Mule, one which hides the alcohol bite so well you have be on guard against it sneaking up on you.

The other cocktail I tried, the Dark and Stormy, is almost exactly the same, except you make it with rum rather than vodka.

Dark & Stormy

1 ½ ounces of dark rum.

Juice of ¼ lime.

Rocky’s Ginger Beer

Pour the rum over ice. Add the lime juice and fill the glass with Rocky’s. Garnish with a lime wedge and stir.

I used Kraken Black, a spiced rum, and again had flavor sensation. The ginger beer added a vivacious touch to the silky rum, and the lime brings a tart touch to offset the sweetness.

The website for Rocky’s Ginger Beer has versions of these and other cocktail recipes, and plenty more are available online and in bartender guides. Rocky’s Ginger Beer is a versatile addition to bar stock.

Rocky's Ginger Bear is made in the USA and has no caffeine and fewer calories than its competitors.  You can buy Rocky’s directly from their website or on  Amazon.com for $22 for a case of 24 12-ounce bottles. The company offers free shipping for orders of two cases or more.

Rocky's is giving FOUR of our US readers an opportunity to give their Ginger Beer a try - read on to see how you can enter this Giveaway!

http://www.rockysgingerbeer.com/

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Four winners in the US will win one 6 pack each of Rocky's Ginger Beer!

To enter the giveaway, you must leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning.

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY and will end just before midnight ET on 3-15. 

The winner will be notified by email within 24 hours after the end of the giveaway. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Once the winner has responded and confirmed, their first name will be posted on our Giveaways  page.

Good luck!

Entry-Form

Review/Giveaway: Green Alert Coffee Green Tea Blends

One of the things I enjoy most about writing for Reviews, Chews & How-Tos is the opportunity to use and review products I would likely never come across otherwise - I have made several wonderful discoveries doing this, and today I am going to tell you about one that's been a real revelation for me: Green Alert.

I am not Team Coffee or Team Tea - I'm a long time fan of both, and enjoy trying new blends and having a large selection of tasting notes to select from on whim.  But I have never considered combining the two, and when I heard there was a guy who'd started a small company putting coffee and green tea together, my first thought was 'that's nuts and sounds terrible!' - and my second thought was 'I love that he did that, and I want to taste it!'

Hooray for me, I was able to get a 12 oz bag of each of Green Alert's two blends: Primal and Refresh, and experience this for myself.

Now, the first question I had was why?

Why would a person want to combine these two things instead of what I tend to do - start the day with coffee, and then move on to tea?

Well, it's got to do with a little bit of science.

According to Green Alert's website, the combination of coffee and green tea ramps up the caffeine to the level of an energy drink, but the L-theanine in the green tea keeps away the jitteryness and crashing that often happens with caffeine alone.

For those that depend on energy drinks to sustain them through their day, this is a much less chemically sketchy way of doing so, and you can control your sweetener intake by a lot, and by switching out a regular cup of coffee for Green Alert, you can treat yourself to the health benefits of green tea without giving up your coffee.

So good enough!  I do not drink commercial energy drinks, so I can't speak first hand to how the two compare, but I did sip one once and wow, did that taste horrible - like a nightmare version of Kool-Aid!  Green Alert, on the other hand, is a surprisingly delicious adult-quality beverage.

I do mean surprisingly - I was happy to try it, but was still unconvinced that green tea flavored coffee was a good idea, and to be quite honest, the first couple cups were hard to wrap my mind around - there was a delicious aroma of good quality coffee, and then a sip that was pretty much strong, smoky green tea.  It was confusing!

But it was the sort of confusing where you keep on sipping, thinking 'This is so weird! Do I like this??' and then realizing the cup was empty and you wanted some more.  And then going on to have a ridiculously productive day, feeling calmly alert after having started the day drifting to sleep every time you sat still for a second.

So... yea. I am a fan. A BIG FAN. And I'll be a regular customer.

Green Alert comes in two blends, and uses all Fair Trade organic products:

PRIMAL - Sumatran Coffee and Wulu Green Tea.  This is a rich, full-bodied cup of coffee with - yes - green tea!  Together the flavor is deep and intense, with a hint of smoky nuttiness.  This was the one that had me experiencing confused senses for a couple cups, but I have come to really adore this flavor combination a lot.

REFRESH - Dark Ethiopian Coffee and Moroccan Mint Green Tea.  This is more complex and a brighter taste.  The Moroccan Mint is a blend of green tea, jasmine tea, and mint, and the coffee is smooth and dark with strong chocolatey notes.  Do you see where this is going? - this is like a delicious Thin Mint in a glass!  I didn't have even a momentary bit of confusion here - the tastes are incredible together.  This is the one for a dessert cup of coffee (yes, throw a little splash of Irish Creme in there if you like!), and I enjoy it a lot in the late afternoon as a latte (recipe below) to carry me through the impulse to nap without getting too wound up to sleep come bedtime.

So once I had sorted out that I did like it, I started playing around with different ways to prepare it - you do need to brew it like coffee rather than steeping it quickly like tea, but some methods work better than others, and there is also the choice of hot or cold, with or without some cream or sugar.

It was recommended to use a French Press or to cold brew it, and to avoid an automatic drip, as it simply isn't an optimal method to get the best flavor from the Green Alert Blends.  After trying it in the automatic drip (of course I had to try it!), I agree with that accessment, although to be fair it handles it about as well as it handles any brand of coffee - if you want the best, you want another method, but it is convenient and adequate enough to get it done if you haven't the patience for anything else.

The French Press did a great job.  The result used fewer grounds than the auto-drip pot, and made a stronger cup. For those that enjoy using a French Press, this is the method you want, and the result will be fantastic.

I am honestly not a fan of the French Press, although I've had one for years - the process of using it is one I've never mastered comfortably, as silly as that sounds. So, I pull it out now and then, but it's not a regular part of my daily routine.

It turned out that my favorite way to brew Green Alert is to cold brew it and drink it over ice with milk. The cold brewing process is easy and foolproof, even though it is a bit of a mess and involves a lot of straining. You can cold brew using a French Press, but the method I used allows you to make a lot more at once, and since it takes several hours of waiting for it, you don't want to have to go through this just for one serving.

The result is a concentrated Green Alert extract that can then be used with water to make a delicious hot or cold beverage that is really smooth and non-acidic, and it seems to make the coffee and green tea flavors work together really nicely, too, instead of battling for dominance.

I was able to make enough of the concentrate at a time to provide me with several days worth of iced coffee lattes.

Cold Brewed Green Alert
(I made a batch for each blend)

- 6 oz Green Alert (Refresh or Primal)
- 3 cups cold water

- 2 large bowls
- fine mesh strainer that can fit over bowl
- coffee filter or cheesecloth
- Quart Mason Jar or other container

Place Green Alert grounds into a large bowl, pour over cold water. Stir gently to blend.  Cover the bowl with a dishtowel or plastic wrap and let sit on counter for 24 hours.

Place strainer over 2nd bowl and insert filter or cheesecloth into the strainer.  Carefully and slowly pour brewed Green Alert and grounds into the strainer, pausing if liquid gets near the top of the strainer, so it can drip into the bowl before continuing (if you overflow, you'll get grounds in your concentrate, and be straining again).

Once all the liquid is in the bowl, let the strainer sit for a few more minutes to catch any further drips. Grounds can be composted.

Pour resulting concentrate into a quart jar for storage.

Microwave Cold Brewed Hot Green Alert

Combine equal parts cold brew concentate and water, and warm in microwave.  Adjust strength to your taste with more concentrate or more water.  Add milk and/or sugar as desired or enjoy black. All the advantages of instant coffee with none of the yuck!

Cold Brew Iced Coffee Green Tea Latte
This is my favorite!  Especially delicious with Green Alert Refresh.  I like mine with no sweetener and find the mint makes it taste sweet and rich without added sugar.  And yes, you can most definitely add a splash of Baileys to that for a 'shamrock shake' worthy of the name!

Fill your glass half full with ice.  Fill 1/3 full with cold water.  Add 1 part chilled coffee concentrate, and 1 part whole milk or cream to taste, along with sweetener or Baileys if desired. Stir and enjoy.

Green Alert is available for purchase directly from the website for $14 per 12 oz. bag in either of the two flavor blends currently available (Refresh or Primal).  Shipping is $2 per bag and as this is a small artisan company, it is only shippable to the US.  I found this price to be very reasonable - the organic Fair Trade coffee used in each blend is rich and well roasted and would easily cost as much or more per ounce.  The high quality fair trade tea would cost a good bit more per ounce.

If you'd like to try a bag or two for yourself, Green Alert is offering a couple ways to help you do so:

From now until midnight March 14, 2016, you can save yourself the shipping costs by using the code RCHSHIP at checkout!

Meanwhile, we've also got a Giveaway for you!  One winner in the US will receive a bag of each blend to discover for themselves what an interesting product this is - read on to see how you can enter to win!

http://www.mygreenalert.com/
https://twitter.com/mygreenalert
https://www.facebook.com/MyGreenAlert

To enter the giveaway, you must leave a comment in this entry as instructed by the Giveaway Tools Entry Form below. This will open up additional optional entries to increase your odds of winning.

This giveaway is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY and will end just before midnight ET on 3-14. 

The winner will be notified by email within 24 hours after the end of the giveaway. In order to claim the giveaway prize, the winner will need to respond within 24 hours of notification, or an alternate winner will be selected.

Once the winner has responded and confirmed, their first name will be posted on our Giveaways  page.

Good luck!

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