How’s it going? Hope the coffee is flowing! This week I am brewing Running Pump Roasting’s Colombia Blend, a coffee my neighbor (and good friend) gave to me. From fragrance to finish, I will break down everything you need to know about this blend, including my preferred brew method.
The Roaster
Running Pump Roasting is based out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania and is owned by Gerhart Coffee Company. Running Pump serves as Gerhart’s retail brand focused on casual coffee drinkers with a few more complex blends to appeal to enthusiasts. Their mission is to provide high-quality, well-roasted coffees at an affordable price.
One thing I found interesting about this bag was that it was marketed as “a delicious blend based on one of the world’s most beloved coffees.” This seemed to suggest the blend was targeted to taste like a Colombian, but not necessarily sourced from Colombia.
As I mentioned above, I received this bag from my neighbor, mainly because he found it bland and tasteless. Let’s find out whether it was a case of poor roasting or simply poor brewing technique on his part.
When rating coffee I follow the same method of brewing each time. Find out about how I prepare French Press coffee here.
Running Pump Roasting Colombia Blend Review
Characteristics and Flavor Profile
Grinding Running Pump Roasting’s Colombia Blend brought out a subtle sugary sweetness.
| Colombia Blend | French Press | Pour-over |
| Aroma | Coffee-forward with a subtle sweetness and touch of creaminess | Rich brown sugar notes, sweet |
| Body | Medium body, decent weight and mouth feel | Medium-light body, slightly watery mouth feel |
| Start | No distinguishable flavors, a disappointing start | Light and coffee forward, sweet with a touch of brown sugar |
| Middle | A decent pop of sweet chocolate that quickly faded | Roasty with a very subtle touch of nuttiness |
| Finish | Faint, barely noticeable notes of chocolate remain | Muted finish, flavors drop of drastically |
Final Thoughts
Overall, I found this to be a very disappointing coffee regardless of brew method. While each cup was relatively smooth, that was the only positive I could find. The coffee was largely flavorless, and the limited flavor it did have faded quickly.
- French Press – Moderately smooth, but nothing special, a touch of chocolate in the middle was the highlight, drinkable but disappointing
- Pour-over – A more promising start with a touch of sweetness and nuttiness, followed by a disappointing and flavorless finish
While still a drinkable cup of coffee and not the worst I have had, it was a very poor attempt at a Colombia, especially when compared to high-quality Colombian like Barracks Barista’s Hero’s Brew.
Running Pump Roasting’s Colombia Blend may appeal to a casual coffee drinker looking for a cheap bag of coffee to drink everyday, especially those who add a lot of cream and sugar. A coffee enthusiast would certainly not enjoy this coffee.
Where to Purchase
Colombia Blend is available directly through the Gerhart Coffee Company website under the Running Pump Roasting collection. At a price point of $7.99 for a one-pound bag this is a very budget-friendly coffee. However, if you’re looking for an inexpensive coffee that you’ll genuinely enjoy drinking, this may not be it. If you live near an Aldi grocery store keep an eye out for Simply Nature’s Peruvian or Honduran for a better, and organic, budget coffee option.
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