Bodka Coffee Company: Main Squeeze Espresso
The packaging is not particularly impressive and the blend’s name comes off as a little tacky. A full 16 ounces seems like an unusual size (at least since the late 1990s) and the company’s location seems ludicrous (Alabama? Really?). At first glance, this seems like a coffee with little chance of flavorful success. David (Bodka’s owner), step back from the ledge, man. This review is only getting started- and it’s going to get better.
19g dose : 37g yield : 36 seconds
In coffee, I have found that sales are made, to a large extent anyway, through the perception of quality. If people perceive you to be high quality before they taste your stuff, then that is what they conclude the vast majority of the time after a taste experience. The opposite is usually true, also. Bodka had an uphill battle on the perception front for all the reasons listed above. A quick glance at Bodka’s reviews on sites like Home Barista and you’ll see that most are favorable. However, it is difficult to trust the palates of strangers so I dove right in, still skeptical.
As a 5.5oz cappuccino, this has been probably the tastiest “classic” espresso I’ve had in 2015. I actually thought I was drinking a mocha for a minute. Cocoa, honey, and hints of caramel in the aftertaste were all present in a big way. Huge thumbs up to this coffee as a milk-based espresso. If I had given this coffee its score based on this experience, it would be in the 95-97 range for sure. But, I didn’t.
As an espresso, Main Squeeze is typical in many ways. Whole milk-like body, persistent and dark crema, fruity aromatics, brooding and cleansing bitterness in the aftertaste. After the very impressive cappuccino showing, the espresso tasting was slightly less notable. That said, this coffee is proof that quality is not always found in the packaging. Despite its first impression, Main Squeeze was capable of putting together my best cappuccino of the year.
Aroma: 8/10 reduced fruit, lightly woody, fresh-baked bread
Body: 9/10 whole milk, long-lasting crema, darker color
Flavor: 7/10 hints of tangerine, then rye whiskey, finally tobacco
Acidity: 8/10 bright, balanced, deepens into cocoa dramatically with milk
Sweetness: 8/10 natural fruit syrups, honey-wheat bread
Finish: 9/10 balanced, but diminishes quickly as shot cools
Total Score: 89/100
*coffee submitted to TEV without cost*