Java Update – Crackd Coffee: Gamr

Number two in my review of the Crackd Coffee roasts. Gamr is up, and damn, it’s a contender for one of my favourite roasts ever.

As a refresher, I recently reviewed Crackd’s “Focusd” the first chapter of this trilogy of coffee’s. Crackd are a gaming-focused coffee roaster, and I’m on a mission to see how good their coffee’s are, and if they’re using the “gamer” tag just to find a niche in the UK coffee market.

Spoiler alert: these guys are legit, and they know how to roast coffee!

The Process

I won’t wang-on about the process here, but it’s important that I lay-out in every review, how I go about reviewing a coffee. Gamr is no different to any other bag o’ beans! So the process is as follows…..

Chemex, Aeropress, Cafetiere, Moka Pot, Espresso, Hario V60 and Cold Brew. Each requires specific grinds, and quantities, and I’ve been working very hard to master getting a consistent brew with each method.

One thing I’ll say here, is that Gamr lends itself really well to all of these methods. It’s a solid all-rounder, and there wasn’t one method that yielded a cup I didn’t enjoy.

I’m not an idiot, I realise that reviewing coffee is absolutely subjective to personal tastes. However, quality is important, and being able to help people separate the good from the bad is something I’d love to be able to do. I’m always honest, fair and balanced. That’s what I ask of any reviewer that I read/watch, and it’s what I expect of myself.

Fragrance

Gamr is a great medium roast, you get a richness, and that chocolate nuttiness the moment you open the bag. Where Focusd had a balanced almond note in the background, you’re definitely hit by a stronger nut here. Much more hazelnut than anything else.

With the richness hitting the back of your nose, these a slight tinge of almost spice. I couldn’t quite articulate what I was getting, but the moment Gamr was ground, it unloaded and the hazelnut which became far more prominent.

 

Body

The body of Gamr is right in the sweet-spot of where I like a coffee to be. Regardless of brew method, you’re met with a smooth and well-rounded mouthfeel.

It’s not so thick that it leaves a coating or anything like that, but it’s not too thin that it makes you think you’re drinking coffee-flavoured water. It’s perfectly balanced, giving you a smooth finish every sip. Even with slight deviations in the grind and brew process, Gamr was actually pretty forgiving.

Crackd got this one spot on.

Acidity

When I drink a coffee, I love a touch of bitterness. I used to favour the darker roasts because I was so attuned to the likes of Starbucks espresso. As times have moved on and I’ve dived into medium roasts, I’ve experienced a much broader variety of tastes, flavours and textures.

Gamr sits really nicely in the middle of everything I’ve experienced. A touch of deep chocolatey bitterness hits the spot when you’re enjoying the rich, smooth cup. It’s absolutely where I want my daily coffee to be. Just that slight tinge on the back of the tongue. Wonderful.

 

Flavour

Deep, smooth and chocolatey, with that hint of bitterness. Added to that nutty base that seems to hold it all together. Gamr is a prime example of a medium roast coffee.

Because it’s so balanced, you get to taste everything that Gamr has to offer.

I don’t really know what else to say. I could keep throwing random adjectives in to gush more about how delicious Gamr is as a coffee. Just take it from me. I don’t see what else Crackd could do here to improve it. They’ve found the right blend of beans and roasted them to get the best from them.

Smooth, balanced, delicious. Simple.

Overall

It’s pretty obvious that I’ve really enjoyed this one. And without spoiling the reviews for the other two roasts, I can confidently say that this is the coffee you want to go for if you want to see Crackd at the top of their game.

Gamr is a coffee for all times of day, for all styles of drink and for every method of brewing. It’s a delicious all-rounder that I’ve drank day and night whilst both working and gaming. Focusd was good and got the “recommended” award, but the experience delivered with Gamr just takes it over the edge and knocks it squarely into our highest award category.

Gamr is exceptional.