How’s it going? Hope the coffee is flowing! Today I am going to be talking about a coffee I picked up during a recent trip to North Carolina. Despite being sort of in the middle of nowhere, my wife was able to find us a coffee shop we ended up spending over an hour at each day called Southern Ground Coffee. I will have a full review of their coffee shop up soon, but for now I will be focusing on one of their blends. In my French Press today I have Southern Ground’s Morning Blend.
Southern Ground offers primarily flavored coffee, with Morning Blend and their French Roast being the only two offerings that are not flavored. Thankfully, they roast and package in house, so if you want to purchase a non-flavored coffee you can just ask. At $14 per pound their coffee is a fair value. Two things I really like about them is they charge $7 for a half pound, whereas most companies charge you more per ounce if you purchase a smaller bag. The other thing I like is that when ordering their coffee online, the shipping is free, meaning you can get your hands on some at a very fair price! So let’s find out if you will be ordering a bag of Morning Blend or not!
When rating coffee I follow the same method of brewing each time. Find out about how I prepare the coffee I rate here.
Southern Ground Morning Blend Review:
The standout trait to me with this coffee was in the fragrance and aroma. After grinding, Morning Blend had a distinct and strong creamy smell. Once it was brewed the aroma maintained a slight creaminess, but took on a caramel-like sweetness, balancing a mild sweetness with a touch of roastiness. The coffee has a good weight to it, with a noticeable medium body.
The sweetness in the aroma continues into the start of the coffee, however the tasting notes shift to vanilla with a touch of bitterness. These vanilla notes get stronger in the middle and the coffee increases in sweetness which overpowers the bitterness. The finish brings forward mild fruity notes with a touch of sweet berry, this was noticeably less sweet than the middle.
Overall this was a smooth and easy to drink coffee with minimal bitterness and little to no acidity. The flavor profile was reserved and not overly strong or complex, making this more coffee forward. Though they are reserved, the sweetness in the tasting notes is well supported by complementary notes that evolve as you drink the coffee. I would have really enjoyed this if the tasting notes were bolder, however it is still a solid cup of coffee that would appeal to those coffee drinkers who prefer a reserved and coffee forward drink. While I would not go out of my way to specifically buy this, if I was in the area or placing an order online for their other blends I would certainly consider picking up another bag, especially due to the value at the price point.
You can buy Southern Ground’s Morning Blend as well as their flavored offerings at their Mount Olive, North Carolina coffee shop, or more conveniently at their online store. At $7 per half pound or $14 per pound, it is a good value for freshly roasted coffee. The option of getting a half pound for $7 also gives you the opportunity to try a few of their blends without breaking the bank!
As always, if you want to stay up to date on my latest content follow me on Instagram and Facebook to get notified anytime new content drops, and to follow my adventures as they happen!
