giveaway: $100 amazon giftcard (*second round*)
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Click the link below to read all about the review and GIVEAWAY! :)
This is a sponsored review from BlogHer and Seattle’s Best.
Huge thanks to everyone who participated in the first giveaway this month from Seattle’s Best Coffee! As promised, here is the second giveaway with a rockin’ $100 giftcard from Amazon, and the results of my own taste test of the new “levels”!
As mentioned in my last post, Seattle’s Best has recently introduced a new “levels” system for labeling their coffees. Instead of individual names (like what was formerly “Henry’s Blend”), they now range from “Level 1” (mild, light and crisp) to “Level 5” (bold, dark and intense). Each coffee also includes flavor profiles and amusing character profiles. For example, the personality test pegged me at “Level 2”, for those who are “spontanteous and fun, you’re a curious optimist. Fond of going off the beaten path, you enjoy creating your own adventures and seeing where your heart leads you.“
Read on to see if the taste-testing agreed with the levels profiles, and to enter the $100 Amazon giftcard giveaway!
Dum, dum, dum…..THE RESULTS!
Now I have to admit, I went to a tour of one of our local roasteries in Kansas City a year ago and learned the method for proper coffee “cupping” (taste-testing) which involved lots of loud slurping and spitting…but very little drinking. So for my less-than-proper coffee taste-testing at home, I decided to reverse that. Lots of coffee drinking. Minimal slurping. :)
For the first day of the week, I woke up extra early and decided to make a very small batch of each of the 5 levels, in order to truly be able to compare them! Then each of the following days, I made and enjoyed a full cup of each level to get the full experience. Lots. Of. Coffee.
In the end, I did honestly enjoy Level 2 quite a bit. But Level 5 was the definite favorite. This didn’t come as a huge surprise to me, since I love strong flavors in my food and all kinds of hot and cool drinks. And this Level 5 didn’t disappoint. Labeled as having a “roasty aroma, rich flavor with low acidity and body”, this coffee smelled absolutely heavenly, and tasted even better. Reminded me quite a bit of a French roast. It was wonderful served warm and steamy in the morning, and then cooled down later over ice in the afternoon. Delish!
So would definitely encourage you to check out the new coffees for yourself in stores, or read about the levels system online. And then enter to win the $100 Amazon giftcard giveaway below!
ENTER THE GIVEAWAY:
So to enter this giveaway, here are the official rules:
Sweepstakes Prompt:
- Leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite way to prepare coffee at home.
Rules:
- You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
- b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
- c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
- d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
- Giveaway ends at 7:00pm Central Standard Time on April 30.
- No duplicate comments
- This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older
- Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
- The Official Rules are available here
- Feel free to read other bloggers’ reviews for more chances to win here
I got a little espresso machine for Christmas, and my favorite way to make coffee is to make a homemade latte! So much cheaper than going out each time I want one.
I tweeted about the giveaway:
https://twitter.com/?status/KitchAdventures/status/60080673037369344#!/KitchAdventures/status/60080673037369344
My favorite way to make coffee at home is just with a regular electric-drip coffeemaker. Nothing special. I like the coffee itself very strong and black, no cream or sugar.
French press!
A tiny pinch of salt in the dry grounds will remove any hint of bitterness. A bit of cinnamon is always good, but my all time favorite on a cold grey morning is to put about half a packet of instant cocoa mix in the brewed cup. Instant poor man’s mocha!
I have a wonderful, amazing, fantabulous coffee maker that makes the best best coffee. I’m a big coffee drinker and love using it in everything from beef marinades to cheesecake when cooking.
Normal brewing but lots of cream and sweetener. My favorite right now is sugar free brown sugar cinnamon syrup. Yummy!
Iced!
I’m all about the French Press… Dark roast… a little sugar and cream…. heaven!
I love making homemade pumpkin spice lattes with frothed soymilk, coffee, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Yum!!
Normal brewing but with lots of creamer and sweetner.
I like to make a homemade latte; I fill a cup with about 3/4 milk/creamer, make really strong coffee, add 1 sugar, or some s/f vanilla syrup and heat up tastes just as good and a lot cheaper
tweet
robinlscott
https://twitter.com/#!/robinlscott/status/60101473110986752
My favorite way to make coffee at home is to get in my car and head to Starbucks! :) I don’t actually drink regular “grown up” coffee but I LOVE frappucino’s!!!
my favorite way is to brew a pot of pre-ground coffee. I then add a ton of sugar and milk. So I actually fix a sweet latte.
i like to just prepare some expresso and add that into small things from time to time, such as hot chocolate, puddings, and cake
Definitely a french press!
My Mr Coffee maker that has a timer, so I can preset it and wake up to fresh coffee brewing in the dorm. It’s the one thing that can actually get me out of bed!
French press all the way! My favorite coffee is Urgandan beans that our friends roast in Iowa! And when I’m feeling really luxurious, I like to nibble on squares of dark chocolate with it!
I love to brew a fresh pot of coffee every morning and of course the only way to drink it is with lots of real sugar and cream!
I make my coffee half coffee half hot chocolate!
I love my moms coffee… Whatever she does to it makes it that much better… So i like to prepare my coffee by driving over to my moms house :)
Unfortunately, I don’t like coffee so I don’t make it. But I do love hot chocolate and that is best with real milk and marshmellows. :)
I also tweeted about the promotion: https://twitter.com/#!/brucesbff
Normal brewing & a little flavored cream = one happy person first thing in the morning
French press is the only way to go for me when it’s hot, or a nice cold brew for iced. I love coffee!
I’m a huge iced coffee fan. I brew it in my regular coffee maker and then throw it in the fridge for the next day.
oh dear- we don’t really drink coffee at home, but i do give in and get flavored cappucino mix sometimes (french vanilla usually). Not the same i know, but i’m much more a tea girl (i have an entire section of my cupboard full of tea, and at our old apartment we had this little, not very deep cupboard that i declared was made to hold boxes and bags of tea;P)
Normal brewing but with lots of creamer.
I like my coffee with a little milk and cinnamon sprinkled on top.
I love using my french press, adding milk, and just a dash of sugar! :)
I make mine in a boring regular coffee maker, french vanilla with sugar and extra cream
Tweeted https://twitter.com/smash906/status/60330295701929985
We use a coffee maker
I tweeted abut the giveaway
I dream of having a french press one day, but right now I’m using a good ol’ electric coffeepot. I use some salt in the grounds to remove bitterness, and then when it’s in my cup, I throw in a splash of creamer.
I am super lame. >.<
I love french pressed coffee! I don’t have time to make it that way much anymore but it is still my favorite!
I totally agree with my sister ^ Megan, french press is the best! There is nothing better than a cup of french pressed coffee in the morning!
My favorite way to prepare coffee at home is with a French press. I make it medium-strength then mix it with milk, a little sugar, and maybe some vanilla syrup, stick it in the ‘fridge and enjoy as an iced coffee the following day!
I love lattes!
I Tweeted about your giveaway: https://twitter.com/#!/fieryirishangel/status/60350550960635904
One packet of splenda and a splash of half n’ half.
I <3 French press coffee!
I’m incredibly lucky in that my apartment complex has a keurig single cup coffee maker with free coffee in the community center. They always have a good selection of 12 or so coffees and teas and are constantly rotating new products in, so I love trying the new ones that they bring in.
I retweeted your tweet about your giveaway, but I’m not sure how to link to the tweet itself. Here’s the link to all of my tweets though. https://twitter.com/#!/RuthDosch
Coffee in a french press is my favorite way to enjoy coffee at home!
My husband and I use a french press every morning. When we’re feeling ‘in the mood’ we’ll make lattes on our espresso maker. Yes, we’re coffee snobs. ;-)
I tweeted: https://twitter.com/#!/chocandcarrots/status/60419951521046528
I use a 12 cup coffeemaker, I enjoy a cup of coffee with splenda or equal and cream.
Would never give up my French Press!! :)
We have a single-cup brewer. Love it. My husband and I like very different coffees, so it’s perfect.