August 9, 2022 The Results Are In!

The Liberty Gazette

August 9, 2022

Ely Air Lines

By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Linda: Last month we spilled the beans about ordering coffee from four small businesses selling aviation-themed java, and we promised to let you know how it all poured out. Here it is. 

Mike: We’re not tasting experts, but it might be fair to call us coffee snobs. We also believe in supporting small businesses, which means our support excludes what one pundit described as “a ‘social justice’ company that just happens to sell overpriced, burnt coffee.”

All of the coffees that arrived on our doorstep provided a good experience. We may have our favorites, but taste is individual. The choice of fine, medium, or course grind, and the ratio of coffee to water, will also lie with the consumer, as will the brewing method (we medium-grind and use a drip coffee maker). Therefore, please take all variables into consideration.

From these four companies, we ordered seven different coffees on the internet on the same evening, July 5. The first to arrive was a bag of whole beans from Aviation Coffee, in Havana, Illinois. This was their Brazil Cerrado, which is a light roast. The beans released an inviting aroma when I ground them, and the coffee has a nice, stable flavor. A neat plus is that this company is owned by a husband and wife who are both pilots.

Linda: The next to arrive was “Blend 172, First Flight,” from JetFuel Coffee, in Orlando, Florida. They really delivered on their promise. This organic Arabica is sweet, spicy, and rich. Makes for a good morning pre-flight start. This one well suits my preference for an exciting light roast. 

Mike: The next one to find its way to us was the Lost Aviator. We ordered four different kinds, and we can confirm that we found great coffee. Their light roast, “Aurora,” has a rich, full flavor, and the aroma from grinding the beans is out of this world. Their Kenya single-origin medium roast, “Destinations,” and “Prohibition Roast,” a barrel-aged Brazilian dark roast, are so unique, it’s tough to decide which I like better.

Linda: Lost Aviator, from Guelph, Ontario also has a medium roast, “Constellation,” which fit into the category of a good classic taste. I, too, love “Destinations.” It’s low acidity and full-bodied, with notes of toasted nuts and plum. “Prohibition Roast,” with gifts of whiskey for both nose and palette, is like nothing I’ve had before.

The last to arrive came all the way from Vancouver, British Columbia. Threshold Coffee’s medium roast (no fancy name) is just as they advertise, a rich, classic taste and vibe. Plus, a portion of our purchase went to charity.

A word about customer experience: Ordering was quick and easy from all four companies. An extra boost goes to Threshold because the shipping company damaged the first package, and in rapid response, they rushed to roast a second bag for us and shipped it out pronto, with excellent communication. 

Conclusion: You can’t go wrong with any of these. Order at aviation-coffee.com, jetfuelcoffee.co, lostaviatorcoffee.com, and thresholdcoffee.co.

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