77
drank Orzo Caramel & Honey by Lupicia
52 tasting notes

So lately coffee has been on my no list – too harsh to drink without my stomach complaining – but since this is heralded as an almost-perfect replacement I had to give it a try (and receiving a pouch of it as a gift didn’t hurt matters, either).

Dry it smells almost cloyingly sweet, you can see some petals intermixed and it makes for a lovely little view, if you’re into tiny dark balls instead of luxuriant leaves. My one complaint is that the dry mix is terribly dusty and I actually spent some time shaking it over the sink once it was in the strainer to try to de-powder it.

It brews up beautifully dark, pitch-black and with a scent that’s in the same suburb as coffee…but definitely not close neighbors. The taste is familiar in a way I can’t place – dark like coffee, but with the emphasis landing on a roasted flavor instead of acidity.

It reminds me of the waffles at Waffle House when they’re just slightly overcooked; an almost-malted sweetness overtop a flavor that’s within walking distance of burnt.

If I didn’t know that this wasn’t coffee I’d be inclined to believe that someone had just made a thin pot of it and let it sit for a minute – and I say that in the most flattering way. I doubt this will be a daily drinker for me, but it was a good experience and it’ll do well to fill that gap when the coffee cravings hit.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 45 sec 1 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML
Mastress Alita

Mugicha works well for me, as far as flavor, and I actually prefer the unflavored ones. Just plain ol’ roasted barley. I prefer to drink it iced and usually cold steep it overnight and then drink it the next day; really tasted like a cold-brewed coffee, but lacking that acidic bite. Love that stuff. Orzo is also from barley so I’m sure that’s why it has that similar flavor. But Mugicha isn’t dusty/powdery.

Bunnieh

Oh, nice – I’ll have to look into Mugicha as well. :)

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Mastress Alita

Mugicha works well for me, as far as flavor, and I actually prefer the unflavored ones. Just plain ol’ roasted barley. I prefer to drink it iced and usually cold steep it overnight and then drink it the next day; really tasted like a cold-brewed coffee, but lacking that acidic bite. Love that stuff. Orzo is also from barley so I’m sure that’s why it has that similar flavor. But Mugicha isn’t dusty/powdery.

Bunnieh

Oh, nice – I’ll have to look into Mugicha as well. :)

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Profile

Bio

Self-employed, sleep deprived and always on the go.

Trying to cut down on caffeine – trying being the operative word – but I’m generally an Earl Grey drinker with a strong aversion to coconut, jasmine and chocolate in my tea.

I brew almost exclusively Western style, unsweetened.
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Rating Scale

90-100: Cupboard staple – will buy when I run out

75-90: I’ll drink what I have, may restock when out

55-75: I’ll drink it, but probably won’t buy it

0-55: Might finish it, might feed it to the sink
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If you see something in my cupboard and want to try it, hit me up – I’m always down to sell/trade samples

Location

Indiana, US

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