They said in the last newsletter that the coffee has "got [us]'all talkin'" but I just buried a half hour in this here orchard and not one coffee tree to be found! So here goes...

I actually posted to my blog regarding the coffee, which I have been enjoying daily since it arrived a few days ago:

i'm drinking Over the Rhine blend and it is tasty. medium roast w/o hardly any acidity. i'm totally into this band coffee thing; i bought 2lbs without flinching. some music simply conjures the same good things that coffee does...especially in the winter! i could totally see a Michael Miller blend (similar to the OtR blend but somehow just more west coast), Rufus Wainwright blend (much lighter and nuttier, maybe even a hint of fruitiness), Salim Nourallah espresso (strong and bitter), Innocence Mission blend (pretty much like the OtR blend, but from an Amish roaster, and included are recipies for apple butter and funnel cake. and the bag has a quilt pattern on it).

It was bantered about HERE in the "Tourniquet Coffee" thread.

Personally, I think it's a bad idea for a music band to be schilling coffee (as far as an over-commercialized/capitalistic aspect -- IMO). I think I expected it from Tourniquet, but I think I expected more "couth" from OTR.

Eh. It is what it is. I hope it helps the band out some... but it just smells a tad bit wacky for me.

~fff

I can't drink coffee anymore since caffeine makes my heart beat erratically.

hmm, I shall have to try this.

This is a sincere question, Dan... do you consider OtR as a bit over-commercialized/capitalistic after hearing about this? And could you explain what that means, exactly?

I am a decaf kind of girl since the real stuff makes me dizzy and I loose my vision. I have to hold on to things it make me so dizzy. WEll at the St E party I drank 2 cups of the real stuff. Holy cow! I am still up.... You Starbucks fans will like it. To rich and strong for my taste. "Sissy blend!"

I'm due for one of my rambling musings.

Let's call this, The 6 coffees of Rhineland...


I've never flown over ocean and mountains, landed in Ohio (& California) and not brought Karin & Linford coffee from home.

The first time was the LA show in '02. Totally clueless of exactly how deep their love of coffee goes I brought them 2lbs. Both blended. One flavored.
I talked about "Hula Pie" being my fav. flavored coffee*. They sniffed at it, nodded at each other, went "oohh" and said thank you. There was no gleam in Linford's eye, no perking up, no aural shift in the air...
Sniffing the 100% Maui coffee they did perk up a little, but still no over-thrilledness. Gracious and thankful, yes. Still made my night.

Next trip they got 2 more lbs and t-shirts. Whole bean. I noticed the thrilled factor and Karin wore the shirt the next night (thanks to HTBDave there is picture proof existing of this, it was fabulous).

The 2nd Over the Ocean and through Ohio trip they finally got the 100% Kona. The green-bag magic. The mecca of coffee. Saying they were psyched would be an understatement.

During my Xmas tour visit in '04 I actually talked about island treats with Karin after the Lime Spider show. I told that goofy glowing blond goddess to name her pleasure, chocolate or coffee, and that's what she'd get. She talked about loving chocolate but that she'd take coffee over chocolate any day. Basically, there could never be too much coffee.
When I told her about not being sure on ground or whole bean the first time I met them she said, "Are you kidding? I used to work in a coffee house!" Well, big duh @ michelle - totally spaced on the Kaldi's thing.

On the 4th visit I gave Karin the coffee to which she said (in a thrill-tinged voice) "Linford loves the green bag." Smart, tasteful man, that Linford.

And on my last trek out there they got 2 bags of the green goodness.

I do love hookin' my musical homey's up with the hawaiian beanage, yo.

So, long winded blah blah-ing aside, my point (if i have one) is that when I read Linford's letter talking about their very own OTR Blend I didn't find it odd at all, I actually thought it was rather fitting of them. It's not like it's commercial Starbucks with an OtR label slapped on it - they went so far as to go with a company that roasts your beans the day you order them. Cause it's coffee, and it should be only the best when it comes to K&L and coffee.

They're not extravagant people, but they do require substance, in everything. I dig that they've got their own blend and if I didn't live where I live, I'd order some myself.




* I no longer drink flavored coffee ++

++ Actually, I pretty much don't drink any coffee anymore ###

### No deep reason, just cause

Mich, I love ya. And I don't mean I like you a lot. I love ya.

Answer to Q1... Yes.

Answer to Q2... I'm writing plenty of essays now for more important things than a music bulletin board for a band I like. So, no, I don't have time to tackle this one... now.

~fff

I personally see nothing wrong with them selling coffee at all. I think it is more fitting with them than with almost any other band I can think of (although, I do still think them selling wine would be a bit more fitting that the coffee...)

Also, I think it is pretty great that they would sell somthing that is going to help the coffee guy make more money (Chuck, right?). After all, if you can help your friends as well, why not do it?

Does anyone else think of beef when they hear the words "Chuck Roast"?

Either that or the old Purina Dog Food chuck wagon ads.

Hey, we're just lucky you have enough time to browse the forum at all. It's a fine line, I'm sure.

Touché!

On the surface it doesn't go much beyond, "that just doesn't seem right to me." And it's not just about OTR... I wouldn't buy a fresh-roasted Chroma Key Colombian Blend either.

If selling coffee helps them make ends meet and still be able to make music in the future, that's great. It just doesn't seem right to me, and I'd rather buy coffee from my favorite* local roaster (or the Maui CostCo)...

~fff - np: u2 - zoo tv live

*-Boston Stoker in Dayton

Isn't Chuckroast your local roaster?!

I think it's great. Anybody that's willing to sell fair trade coffee and help those growing the stuff is alright in my book! Thank you OTR for selling quality stuff!

Well, I still live in the same place, but I caved. I've been enjoying a fresh ground cup of coffee in the mornings again and finally decided, after reading great things about it, to order the OtRBlend. Well, and part of the reason is I love the perky t-shirt, but I can't wear/represent something I haven't done/tried. Know what I mean?
Anyway, I'm on morning 4 of OtRBlend and it's nice. It's smooth, tasty, deep (as far as things we eat and drink I've only ever used 'deep' to describe deserts before) and does some serious buzzing. Well done K&L.
As soon as the contest winners t-shirts show up in the otrShop, I'm ordering a perky T.

Back to sipping.