The last time I encountered the exotic flavors of the Trader Sam’s Coffee Company, I was brown bagging it… or, rather, they were brown bagging it. By that, I mean that the coffee arrived in brown paper bags with scintillating artwork affixed to the bags by an adhesive stronger than the sap of Axel Erlandson’s Circus Trees. But this new crate of delectable caffeinated grounds reveals that Sam has truly entered the 21st century with a new design and new winter flavors. Kungaloosh!
This packaging expands the already brilliant artwork across all angles. It also improves the ability to keep your grounds fresh with a zipper seal rather than the ancient fold-and-clip method of the first generation brown bags. These new flavors are gluten-free, allergen-free, and kosher like all of their previous products. L’Chaim!
Redhead Rum
“We wants the redhead!” Well… not for long, we don’tst. But until this winsome wench sets sail for her own buccaneering adventures, we can sip and savor some spiced coffee while we watch the biddings come to a close. Each bag is flavored with the contents of six bottles of rum, so you can barter with that if you must.
Jokes and controversy aside, this is a rum flavored medium roast made with 100% Arabica beans. I’ve never been a big fan of rum and at my house it’s always gone (because I never buy it), but I do enjoy the flavor of rum in desserts like tiramisu, bread pudding, and rum raison ice cream. There’s no bitterness to the flavor and I’m surprised by how much I enjoy it. It’s also nice to have another Adventureland inspired brew join the line (or New Orleans Square, depending on your kingdom of choice).
The Happiest Brew that Ever Sailed
It’s a world of coffee, a world of brews, so let’s board a boat for a happy cruise! I secretly collected little viles of water from the “it’s a small world” attractions around the globe and used them to brew my first cup of this blend. DO NOT DO THIS!!! That water is chlorinated, dyed, and it tasted worse than the suppressed glands of a muskrat. Don’t ask me why I know that, I’ll never tell!
“The Happiest Brew that Ever Sailed” is Trader Sam’s answer to the Peppermint Mocha flavor that’s so famous this time of year with double-finned mermaids and hipsters alike. If you’ve read my past Trader Sam’s reviews (here and here), then you know that while I likes my chocolate and I likes my coffee, I don’t so much like chocolate in my coffee. But the exception to this rule is peppermint mocha, which brings out my inner Buddy the Elf. For my taste, this could have used more peppermint flavor. But all the same, it’s a nice wintertime cup o’ Joe, may he rest in peace.
Closing Thoughts
Before I close my thoughts and return to my exciting and perilous jungle expeditions, you should know that Trader Sam’s Coffee Co. now offers 3 oz. sampler’s for adventurous palettes who want to savor their many delicious flavors. Orders also include complementary trading cards at random featuring artwork from the coffee bags and in addition to art prints, you can also acquire expedition hats, shirts, and mugs, including a limited red holiday cup. A world of flavor awaits you at tradersamscoffee.com, the only place where you can “Brew your happy place.”
Speaking specifically of these two new blends, Redhead Rum is the star of this release with a unique flavor that I’ve never found elsewhere and marvelous theming.