When I got asked if I wanted to be sent some Trade Coffee, you can bet I said yes! The best thing about it was that I had no idea what I was getting, it was all a surprise!
With the actual Trade Coffee subscription, you get access to a huge variety of all their roasters. Of course, in that situation you get to tell them your preferences, I was just receiving whatever they sent me and trying it out. Don’t worry, though, I’m only writing this because I have experience with different coffees!
That being said, let’s dive right into a review of one of the coffees that trade sent me from Madcap Coffee roasters, Gasharu Washed. I have much to say about this tasty bag of beans!
A Look Into Madcap Coffee
Before I tell you about the coffee itself, we should probably have a little background on the roaster. Since Trade outsources to deliver people coffee from many different roasters, Madcap Coffee is just one on the list.
Madcap Coffee
Madcap tastes over 3,000 coffees a year in a quest to bring the world’s best home to Michigan. Spending a third of their time traveling, co-founders Trevor Corlett and Ryan Knapp take their relationships seriously and have been working with many growers since their no-waste roaster began in 2008.
This no-waste roastery is located in Grand Rapids, MI, and has been roasting delicious beans since 2008, they also have several cafes in the state. They pride themselves on sourcing coffee through direct relationships with producers around the world. After the team samples and picks favorites, they then roast them for consumers.
One of the founders of Madcap, Trevor Corlett, has a great background as an award-winning barista and trainer. Not only that, but he and his co-founder, Ryan Knapp, travel to work directly with growers and taste over 3,000 coffees a year.
Gasharu Washed – Madcap Coffee Review
Gasharu Washed
Fruity, juicy, and syrupy sweet – this fantastic Rwanda has us tasting berries, tangerine, apple, and stone fruit.
Alright, now time for what you’ve all been waiting for… the coffee review! Ok, so when I saw this bag of beans, I have to say I was intrigued. I mean, the packaging alone is beautiful, modern, and elegant.
Then, I saw the tasting notes and I was even more curious. Plum, Apricot, and Baked Apple? I have to say, at this point, I was worried I wouldn’t like it.
Madcap Coffee’s Gasharu Washed from Trade Coffee is a light-medium single-origin roast that’s labeled as sweet and tart. It’s described as being fruity, juicy, and syrupy sweet.
This bag of beans comes from the Nyamasheke region of Rwanda, where it’s produced by Ms. Mukamurenzie Gorette. The Gasharu Coffee Company invests in social development projects and promotes sustainable farming. They also make sure to offer high prices to small-farm coffee producers.
Gasharu Washed, as the name states, is washed and processed and has tasting notes of berries, tangerines, and apples.
Aroma
One of the first things you notice about new coffee beans, apart from the aesthetic design, of course, is the smell. If you’re like me, all coffee smells good, but with these beans in particular I could smell every note that was listed almost immediately.
It held a sweet, tart, and inviting aroma, so it was already living up to what it promised on Trade’s website. Because of this, I was now eager to try this coffee, so I whipped out my french press and poured some beans into my grinder.
Taste
Usually, with my french press, I prefer a more medium, or even darker, roast. But this coffee was so delectable that it worked just fine with this brewing method.
Upon sipping Gasharu Washed, I could immediately place every tasting note, which I have to admit isn’t always possible for me, usually, it takes a couple of sips. Not only that, but the noted flavors of plum, apricot, and baked apple really complemented each other in a way I wouldn’t have thought of.
Despite my initial hesitation, and I say this with the utmost honesty, this coffee has to be one of the best ones I’ve tasted in a long time. The flavors were prominent, the body wasn’t too heavy or too light, and it was overall a great experience. I didn’t even want to add some of my favorite oat milk!
What We Like About It
As I mentioned before, there are many things to like about this single-origin bag of beans from Madcap. The light-medium roast is full of flavor and has a great aroma both in bean and liquid form.
I also love that there’s an easy and convenient way to reseal the bag so that your coffee stays fresh. More than that, the bag itself had an elegant and modern design. I even enjoyed Trade Coffee’s packaging of the bag, as it was simple yet informative.
What We Don’t Like About It
While it’s hard to find any negatives about Gasharu Washed from Madcap Coffee, there are a couple of things I wish could have been on the bag of these yummy beans.
There wasn’t a label on the bag that described what type of roast this coffee was. It would be nice to have “light-medium roast” somewhere on the design, maybe near the single-origin label.
While I liked how simple this bag was, and appreciated the roastery information on the back, it might even be nice to have a bit more information on the roast itself.
Madcap Coffee
Madcap tastes over 3,000 coffees a year in a quest to bring the world’s best home to Michigan. Spending a third of their time traveling, co-founders Trevor Corlett and Ryan Knapp take their relationships seriously and have been working with many growers since their no-waste roaster began in 2008.
Madcap Coffee – Gasharu Washed: Final Thoughts
All-in-all, I have to say I was greatly pleased with this surprise bag from Trade Coffee. Not only does the company create a simple package to show off the actual roaster, but they also work to provide great coffee.
Madcap Coffee is a roastery that designs aesthetically pleasing coffee bags and beans. The tasting notes of the single-origin were unique and got my curiosity going. The aroma was amazing from the moment I opened the resealable bag, and I could pick out every flavor easily.
While I used my french press and got impressive results, I’m sure the decadence of this bag of beans goes a long way, even in drip dispensers, siphons, pour-overs, or however you prefer to brew your cup of joe.
Overall, I would say don’t skip out on trying Gasharu Washed by Madcap Coffee from Trade, it definitely surprises you!
Happy Caffeinating!
