Our Summer Collab with Greyhouse Coffee & Supply Co.
The summer heat is back again, and so is our summer seasonal blend! That's right—Dog Days has returned, this year with some help from our longtime friends at Greyhouse Coffee & Supply Co.
Since 2008, Greyhouse has been serving Purdue's campus and the Greater Lafayette community. We've been proud to partner with them for over a decade, and we're always excited when they make the trip from Indiana to visit us here in Kansas!
We had a blast with them the last time they visited, so we thought we'd up the ante this time around with a little friendly competition—having them help create a blend. And with them visiting toward the end of June, Dog Days was the perfect fit.
To begin, the Greyhouse crew split into teams, aptly named Group A and Group 1. Then, it was time to open the boxes and learn what they were working with. Mike provided them with five coffees in total, including options from Colombia, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Papua New Guinea, and Rwanda. The only rules in place were that each team had to use a base of at least 40% Rwanda and that any additional component had to make up at least 10% of the blend.
Exactly how does one go about making a blend? Well, that's the fun part! We have two different approaches to blends here at PT's, ultimately depending on if we're tinkering with one of our Signature Blends that people have come to know and love—take Flying Monkey for example—or if we're creating a blend unique to a specific season.
With our Signature Blends, we're always aiming for specific flavor profiles and a targeted roast level. If you look at the flavor notes for one of these blends, you might notice that they rarely change. That's on purpose. Since coffee is an agricultural product, lots vary from year to year and coffees from certain origins are only available seasonally. But we strive to create a consistent experience when you drink your morning cup.
When creating a limited seasonal blend, we approach it with a clear idea of what flavors we want based on available coffees and what our customers might enjoy at that specific time of year.
For Dog Days, our intent from the start was to create a balanced and refreshing cold brew that highlights the fruity qualities of the coffee without being overly acidic.
Another helpful thing when creating a blend? Starting with what you already know about coffee, such as common characteristics of origins, varietals, and processing methods. A natural coffee from Ethiopia will be more fruit-forward, with brighter, acidic notes, than, for example, a washed coffee from Colombia, which may have richer chocolate or nut notes with mild acidity. The trick is finding the right combination of ratios where different coffees complement each other to create a blend that makes one want to keep sipping.
Our two groups from Greyhouse did just that, testing different ratios until they found their favorite. They brewed various pour overs to narrow in on what they liked. When a specific ratio resonated with them, that iteration was then brewed as an iced pour over to get a clearer idea of what the blend would taste like cold.
To avoid similarities between the groups' blends, while one was working, the other toured the warehouse with Mike Mazulo, our head roaster. Each group had the opportunity to learn a bit more about the history of PT's Coffee and the roasting process through a demo roast of a coffee they were familiar with. After the demo was complete, they were off to the cupping lab for an opportunity to taste a variety of washed and natural coffees.
Once each group had settled on their blend recipe, it was time to brew each coffee as cold brew and wait. Thankfully, our friends at Greyhouse had a day to spend exploring our KC cafes in the meantime! By Thursday morning the two cold brew concentrates were ready for a final vote.
Curious about what each group crafted? Here's the breakdown: Group A's blend consisted of 40% Rwanda, 30% Ethiopia, and 30% Guatemala. In comparison, Group 1's blend contained only two coffees—60% Rwanda and 40% Ethiopia. Both groups did an excellent job, as each coffee tasted great!
Before our Dog Days blend was selected, however, we had the pleasure of receiving some artwork for our bag from Greyhouse's own Cadie Honaker. Finally, it was time for the final vote—drumroll, please... Group A emerged victorious!
Prior to saying goodbye, the Greyhouse team helped us identify the flavors in the coffee, noting blackberry, cocoa powder, and dried cherry. It was truly a team effort from start to finish. A huge thank you to our friends at Greyhouse for collaborating with us on this project. We hope you enjoy sipping on this summer blend as much as we enjoyed creating it!