I love coffee. I’m not a coffee “addict”. I can easily go a few days without coffee. I just happen to truly enjoy it. I start every morning with a nice hot cup of coffee. Some days I enjoy a cup in the afternoon or in the evening. Thankfully the caffeine doesn’t effect my sleep.
I normally drink a house, Columbian or breakfast blend coffee. Sometimes I like a coffee with a bit more of a “kick” to it. For some reason I tend to enjoy stronger coffees in the evening.
It’s been ages since I’ve been to Europe (1986 to be exact). Back then I was just starting to enjoy coffee.
I was in Europe with my mom. Prior to our trip she kept talking about her desire to sip coffee and enjoy croissants at a side walk cafe in Paris. Sadly we never had a chance to do that (we packed in a lot of sight seeing in just a few days). I would have really liked to have experienced that.
I’ve been to a few places around Europe (Wales, England, Belgium, France). I’ve had a chance to experience different blends of coffees. For some reason coffee in Europe is a bit different then it is here in the United States. I find that European coffees tend to be bolder and have a much stronger taste then coffee you would be served at a local restaurant here in the United States.
Not eveyone has the luxury of enjoying coffee in Europe. Oh… wouldn’t that be nice! 
You can brew Barista Prima Coffeehouse coffees in your own home with a Keurig brewer and K-cup portion packs.
A Barista is a person who prepares coffee in a cofee house. Basically they are like the bartenders of the coffee world. They are skilled at making Espresso and other coffee based drinks.
There are four different Barista Prima Coffeehouse blends; French, Italian, House and Colombian.
Its easy enough to say that your coffee is good enough to serve in European coffee houses, but how do they REALLY compare?
Keurig asked a real life coffee Barista from Florence, Italy, Francesco Sanapo, to come and try the four different varieties of Barista Prima Coffeehouse coffees. They also telecast the coffee tasting live on their Facebook page. The live streaming is over but you can still view the event (below).
Check out what Francesco had to say about the different coffees in the collection.
Francesco made the coffee tasting event more like a wine tasting. I honestly never stopped to truly savor each sip of coffee and think about the different flavors that come through. For example nuts. I believe it was the French blend that had a bit of a nutty undertone to it. I find that very interesting. Enjoying coffee is just like enjoying a glass of fine wine. From now on I’m going to take the time to REALLY enjoy each sip of coffee and try and see what flavors I can pick up from them.
Here is a good break down on the various blends of Barista Prima Coffeehouse K-cup portion packs.
Columbian: Medium-Dark Roast. It has bold fruit notes with a hint of Walnut.
House Blend: Medium-Dark Roast. It has a splash of citrus and subtle hints of bittersweet chocolate with a touch of a toasted nut finish.
Italian Roast: Dark Roast. This blend has fruit and berry notes. This blend is just like traditional Italian dark roasted coffees.
French Roast: Darkest Roast. It has a dark and smoky-sweet taste.
All four blends are made from the world’s finest Arabica coffee beans and have been roasted in the tradition of Europe’s most celebrated coffee houses. Each cup reflects the consummate artistry and handcrafted care that only the most skilled Baristas can deliver.
Here is my take on the coffees. The Barista Prima Coffeehouse coffees are not for those who are used to weaker blends of coffee. These coffees really “pack a punch”, so to speak. They are rich, bold and full of flavor.
As it is with wine I have a hard time deciphering the different notes and tones that you can taste in the coffee. I tried to see if I could pick out the berry, citrus or chocolate tastes in the coffees, but I didn’t have much luck, sad to say.
Even thought the French Roast is the strongest of the four K-cup portion packs I found the Italian to be stronger. But that is just my opinion.
Because the flavors are very bold I find that I enjoy these coffees more in the evening after dinner. They are the kinds of coffees you would serve to guests with dessert. For my morning coffee I would prefer to go with something a bit more mild.
I think these might also be an acquired taste. I gave some samples of the K-cup portion packs to a few people and I got mixed reviews. Some absolutely loved them and couldn’t wait to go out and buy more. Others felt that the coffees were a bit too strong. Personally I fall some where in between. I enjoyed all four blends but I tend to lean towards the mild to medium roasts on a day to day basis.
If you really enjoy flavorful, strong coffees then you will certainly enjoy the various Barista Prima Coffeehouse blends.
Barista Prima Coffeehouse K-cup portion packs are available where K-cup portion packs are sold. You can also check out www.BaristaPrima.com and www.Keurig.com for more information or to purchase the coffees. You can also follow Barista Prima on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/BaristaPrima).
You can also follow the coffee conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #YourPerfectCup.
Kimberly
*I received free sample products in order to do this review as part of the Keurig/Green Mountain brand ambassador program. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.
I may buy a few for my sister, who unlike you, is a coffee addict. She doesn’t drink 4 cups a day, but she doesn’t miss a day. The house blend caught my eye. I’m not the biggest coffee fan, but I do enjoy a nice cup every once in a while.