Review: Backyard Beans’ Bonfire
Late summer days call for morning cold brews and sunset bonfires. We’ve reached the point in the summer when families are wringing out one more getaway before the start of school; cyclists are scrambling for events in the hopes of eeking out a little more fitness. It’s the time of year for beautiful sunsets and relief from the heat just in time to converse with the neighbors before turning in for the night.
Backyard Beans, a Lansdale-based coffee roaster and endurance sports family, started in a backyard, much like the one we celebrate the waning summer days. Roasting small batches on a grill, the company now has two coffee shops - one in Lansdale and one in Ambler - along with numerous beans and cold brews. On a recent trip to a local farm market, we walked out with Backyard Beans’ Bonfire medium-dark roast with plans to serve it up multiple ways.
Bonfire is a Sumatran coffee. The tasting notes had us intrigued: chopped wood, tobacco, licorice root, and toasted marshmallow. Many of these notes describe the firepit surrounded by a younger generation roasting marshmallows while appearing to be anglers hoping for a big fish. Bonfires are the brightness in extinguishing light, so exciting to people of all ages regardless of the temperatures.
During a cooler August spell, Bonfire was brewed in the office Moccamaster. Sure enough the flavor profile hit the spot. The coffee came through in bright tasting notes with low acidity. This was the perfect way to celebrate a break from the heat wave that had recently passed through. Sipping Bonfire in the morning with the doors open to hear the chirping birds and cicadas, cool air wafting into the office, is not a bad way to plan the day.
As the heat moved in, we changed methods and went back to the Mizudashi cold brewer. As cold brews go, the acidity is reduced, but since Bonfire’s low acidity was already present, the cold brew produced an enjoyable pint glass of cold brew coffee. Once again the tasting notes were bright and refreshing. Walking around the office, checking out the bikes in the service course, all while holding a clinking pint glass proved to be another great way to start the day. We couldn’t be blamed for zipping through a liter of cold brew by the afternoon. Bonfire packs a punch while being entirely drinkable.
To start the day with Bonfire medium-dark roast while ending gathered around a bright and glowing bonfire is the quintessential summer day. Wedge in a mid-day bike ride and these are the trappings of an attempt to hold onto the last few days of summer before school buses and fall sports. For now, we’ll keep the windows and doors open in the morning to keep hold of the later sunrises, and we’ll continue to light bonfires into the night to hold back the encroaching sunsets.
