AllOutdoor Review: Redemption Road Coffee – Sumatra & Malawi

While we all might have different tastes and preferences to the gear that we buy varying from tents to fishing rods to firearms, at least we can all agree that coffee is a lifesaver no matter what our adventure. Some people prefer to jet boil theirs as the sun rises from a mountain top while others want a full pot to bring with them for ranch chores. Whatever drives you to coffee like us, we can all agree it is a vital necessity. That is why when we at AllOutdoor were presented with the opportunity to taste, indulge, and check out a brand that we had not heard of before in Redemption Road Coffee, we jumped at the chance! So, in this review we will be taking a look at two of the Redemption Road Coffee roasts with their Sumatra (dark roast) and Malawi (dark roast) to see how they might differ. Let’s dive in!

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Their Story – Redemption Road Coffee

Before we get into the beans, let’s find out who is Redemption Road Coffee?… All of us love a good cup of “joe,” but it is even better when your coffee addiction can be fueled from a mindful, caring, and uplifting source. Redemption Road Coffee has gone out of their way to source coffee beans from Malawi – a country in East Africa – that does more than just support their local economy. By tying their business to Malawi, they are directly and positively affecting the people of that region. Redemption Road’s quote and video below elaborates:

Malawi is a small country in Africa, about the size of New Jersey. The farms we buy from are in the north of the country around the city of Mzuzu. The co-op we work with is called Mzuzu Coffee. It is a democratic and empowered collection of farmers. They provide their workers with free health care and education to all their workers as well as free housing for widows and orphans. They have 3,000 members, 25% of whom are women.
It is our great hope that you will join our community and check out all of our social media platforms. We would love to hear from you. It’s going to be a fun journey growing together.
– Aaron & Jessica Harsch

Nutrition Facts & Stats: Redemption Road Coffee – Sumatra & Malawi

The two different roasts that we are checking out today from Redemption Road Coffee are their Malawi and Sumatra. Both of these are a Dark Roast, but they have subtleties to them that make them unique from each other. First, let’s take a look at what Malawi has to offer. The packages for both of these flavors that we received were 1/4 Lb Whole Bean which retails for a very affordable $5/bag. First up is Malawi with Sumatra to follow.

Roast: Malawi
Sizes: 1/4 Lb Whole Bean, 1/4 Lb Ground, 1 Lb Whole Bean, 1 Lb Ground, 5 Lb Whole Bean Bulk, 5 Lb Ground Bulk
Roast Type: Dark Roast
Tasting Notes: Dark Chocolates, Carmel, Fruit
Traded Fairly & Farmed Naturally
Rainforest Alliance Certified

Malawi is our best-selling coffee and the coffee we use in our canned cold brew. We love being able to buy coffee from Mzuzu, Malawi.

Roast: Sumatra
Sizes: 1/4 Lb Whole Bean, 1/4 Lb Ground, 1 Lb Whole Bean, 1 Lb Ground, 5 Lb Whole Bean Bulk, 5 Lb Ground Bulk
Roast Type: Dark Roast
Tasting Notes: Full Body, Bold, Smooth, Smoky
Traded Fairly & Farmed Naturally

Gayo Nusantara Cooperative was founded in 2014 on the idea of existing members continuously bringing in new members, mentoring them, and passing down the coop’s training and sustainability approach to more and more farmers in the region. This approach not only helps create and sustain high-quality coffee farming but also creates a strong community across the region and enables farmers to work together to solve problems and create consistently high-quality coffee.

Taking a Sip: Redemption Road Coffee – Sumatra & Malawi

So, let’s cut to the chase! (or, cut to the coffee)… How do these taste?… Both my wife and I are what I would consider thoroughly-seasoned coffee connoisseurs and we tried both the Malawi and Sumatra blends together. Coffee is our life blood. Like a phoenix from the ashes – or us begrudgingly rising from our bed every day – we need and love our coffee. So, we have a selective yet adventurous palate for coffee.

The Sumatra roast we thought had a fuller body to it. More depth, richness, and caffeol (coffee oil) to it. While we might use different words to describe our caffeinated morning experience, much of what we enjoyed and tasted is indicative of how Redemption Road describes their Sumatra roast: full body, bold, smooth, and smoky.

The Malawi roast is obviously similar to the Sumatra in that it is also denoted as a dark roast. The Malawi you can easily smell the sweet, rich, and chocolatey nature of the whole beans. So, it is of no surprise to us that the Malawi is Redemption Road Coffee’s most popular roast.

Final Thoughts: Redemption Road Coffee – Sumatra & Malawi

So, what are my final thoughts on the Redemption Road Coffee blends of Sumatra and Malawi?… Overall, I authentically enjoyed both of them. Moreover, I deeply appreciate any company that is willing to go out of their way to do better in the world. The way they sought out beans from East Africa where they can contribute more to the people of Malawi is highly commendable. At an affordable $5 per bag for a 1/4 Lb of Whole Beans, it is hard to say no. You’ll enjoy this coffee and feel good knowing how and where it is sourced from.

In closing, I want to say thank you to Redemption Road Coffee for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Redemption Road Coffee blends of Sumatra and Malawi. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Redemption Road Coffee blends of Sumatra and Malawi is something worth spending your money on? Would you take it with you hunting, hiking, camping, or simply enjoy it at home? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

Adam Scepaniak