Coffee is the elixir of life and I’m a Javasana kind of girl. I French press my coffee upon waking, and hit the yoga mat before starting the day. I favor strong, dark rich roasts.
I went to sample the coffee at the recently opened Dark Horse Coffee Roasters located in the old Dorinda’s location in downtown Truckee. The stone building was once the site of The Nevada Saloon built in 1899.
Drew and Cassidy Taylor, the owners of Dark Horse, roast all their blends in house. During my visit, they were featuring Nicaraguan, Guatemalan, Brazilian, Costa Rican and Sumatran roasts while their decaf is from Ethiopia.
The roasting machine lives front and center as you enter the shop. Burlap sacks of beans surround the impressive roaster. They roast an average of 80 to 100 lbs. of coffee per week.
There are a number of ways to experience coffee at The Dark Horse: the French press method, the fresh pour-over drip method, a cold-brewed process, which takes 12 to 24 hours, and the ever-popular espresso method.
The cold brew method is 70 percent less acidic than hot brewed coffee and utilizes a course grind. Currently, they are use a Sumatra roast for their French Press method, which takes 4 minutes to brew.
The pour over coffee is dripped through a pre-moistened filter, followed by pouring 198 degrees of hot water over a fine, ground roast of choice. It takes 2 minutes to brew. This is their most popular method of brewing and offers the freshest cup of coffee possible.
Drew explains the Sumatra is an earthy, robust brew. While the African roasts tend to be more floral. The Central and South American beans are a medium roast as are the Indonesian blends. Coffee is seasonal, so their roasts are ever changing.
I sampled a Nicaraguan bean utilizing the pour over. Drew prepared the brew in 2 minutes. It was fabulous. I tasted a hint of chocolate and subtle, fruity flavor. The pour over method offered a smooth and delicious brew. Next, I tried the French pressed Sumatran; it was strong, bold, earthy and excellent.
Drew prepared a Sumatran coffee with the pour over method. Strong bodied and rich I loved the flavor. I am now a pour over coffee convert.
Along with their coffee The Dark Horse offers pastries from The Treat Box and raw food creations by Jade Nasalroad of the Vibrant Vixen. Teas are provided by Sunshine Organic Herbals.
The Dark Horse Coffee Roaster is located at 10009 W. River St. in Truckee. For information, call (530) 550-9239 or visit facebook.com/darkhorsetruckee.
