Tag Archives: cold brew

Oaza Cold Brew: Where Will it Take You?

06/10/2022 R.C. Liley Leave a comment

Translated from Czech, Polish and other Slavic dialects, “Oaza” means “oasis” in English. An oasis is an aspirational vision – a destination you are trying to get to even as you might be uncertain of its exact location or nature. Moreover, upon toiling and eventually arriving at your oasis goal, you might then and there realize that it was not what you expected or even truly wanted… which prompts you to regroup, recalibrate and set off undaunted and undeterred onto your new path in pursuit of the next glittering yet hazy “Oaza” that catches your eye far off on your horizon.

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Oaza has become one of my favorite “go to” morning drinks for a clean energy that helps me get things done. There are numerous positives about Oaza, but just as I told them, the only negative is that the drinks need to be bigger! But of course, that would be more caffeine than I ~~want~~ should have.

Your goals and your visions may more often than not be half-formed, in flux and/or a work in progress. Nevertheless, actualizing them requires that your plan, path and process be grounded, focused and systematic. Let’s face it: the world caters to go-getters over mere goal-setters, and achieving your vision requires focusing on your path. The roadmap you set and the journey you execute to get to your oasis is both inspired by and fueled by Oaza Cold Brew Coffee.

Oaza offers a line of premium ready-to-drink cold brew coffees that are healthy, hydrating, and packed with energy, consisting of 3 delicious flavors: Black, Oat Milk, and Cacao Mocha. Oaza is the first cold brew coffee on the market infused with electrolytes to aid in hydration, sustained energy and active lifestyle performance. Low-calorie and no sugar added with clean and simple all-natural ingredients, Oaza’s low-acidity pH yields smooth finish without ever compromising taste or refreshment.

oaza cold brew coffee, ready-to-drink, coffee, electrolytes

Electrolytes: To sustain energy and support hydration by offsetting caffeine’s diuretic effect.
L-Theanine: For improved focus and mental performance.
Lean Ingredients: Sugar-free with clean ingredients that are less than 30 calories.
Caffeine: High energy with 200mg caffeine in all flavors.
Higher pH: Less acidity vs. traditional coffees for easier digestion and smoother taste.

Average people drink coffee just to wake up and pull themselves together. Oaza is an innovative functional coffee formula that aims to do more than just wake you up – it propels you upward and forward through the grind of your daily path to achieve near-term goals you set for yourself, bringing you incremental steps closer to your long-term goals. Oaza is a elevated lifestyle beverage that caters to planners, path setters, and trailblazers. Clean, simple, and healthy for you, it is the optimal daily drink of choice for those who have opted in to a challenging yet rewarding daily journey towards personal success and growth.

Oaza embodies the marriage of envisioning with executing and the fusion of fashionable with functional. Most coffee is about where it’s from… Oaza is about where it can take you.

Food, Going Healthy, Going Reviews, Promo

6 Natural Coffee Brands You’ll Love and 1 You Won’t

04/14/2016 R.C. Liley 2 Comments

This post contains affiliate links in which I will earn a few cents in commission if you click on them and make a purchase. There’s no extra cost to you, it just helps me buy this natural coffee that keeps me ‘going’ every day.

We are natural coffee connoisseurs in our house and, like most parents, depend on it maybe a little too much. Dependencies-schemendencies I say, it’s the true black gold and we’ll continue brewing it for years to come.

Of course, we won’t settle for just any coffee put in front of our face. If it’s from a doctor’s office, car service waiting area, McDonald’s, etc., we have zero issue with avoiding the beverage. Besides, those places usually only offer styrofoam cups which I refuse to touch for the environmental aspect as well as the plethora of health problems it’s linked to. Especially when it is used for hot liquids!

But I’ll save my soapbox speech on the damaging effects of styrofoam for another day, because today is all about my favorite brands of natural and/or organic coffee. Plus, there’s one kind of coffee (Hint: it’s not for drinking) you most likely will not love unless you’re into that type of thing. If you are, more power to you, just not something I care a-latte-bout. 🙂

1. WealthPreneur Coffee Co. – It’s organic, shade-grown and Fair Trade. This coffee is a potent medium/dark roast that, unlike many darker roasts, maintains a high level of caffeine by using a thicker blend of organic oils when roasting so the actual bean does not get as burned. Usually, the longer (i.e. darker) the roast, the less caffeine. It smells wonderful to anyone who loves coffee, and the flavor is intense and certainly gets your day started full of energy.

2. Death Wish Coffee – Organic, Fair Trade, and just has a cool name! This is another darker roast coffee with a super high caffeine content. Good for some, bad for others, but either way, drink up and prepare to tackle the day! I bought it for the name alone, and because it’s organic, and would definitely buy it again.

3. Kimera Koffee – It’s not organic, but is sourced from a single estate in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic and is grown under ideal conditions for top notch beans. But quality coffee beans is just the start, what sets Kimera Koffee apart is the added nootropics that not only boost your energy, but improve focus, concentration and athletic performance. It’s a smooth brew with a pleasant aroma and slightly nutty flavor. Here’s their description of the added nootropics….

The Kimera Blend is infused with 725mg of premium grade Nootroopics per serving to help you sustain a healthy mind and body. Alpha GPC: Natural choline compound found in the brain and can be found in soy, meats and fish. Improves memory, enhances mental focus and increases power output. Taurine: An organic acid commonly found in eggs that delays cognitive decline due to aging, fights oxidative stress, reduces fatigue, and helps boost fat metabolization. L-Theanine: Tea extract that balances daily anxiety, improves sleep patterns and helps prevent cholesterol-related damage. DMAE: Choline molecule found in fish that boosts mental performance, increases energy, improves oxygen efficiency and promotes red blood cell function.

4. Via Bom Dia 100% Naturally Flavored Coffee – I typically don’t go for flavored coffees as that usually means added sugar and chemicals, but that’s not the case here. It is organic coffee with natural flavors like real cacao nibs, cinnamon, and even chipotle. No chemical flavors, just the actual spices, and this coffee is the brand that does this. We have only tried the Cinnamon Chocolate Cacao and absolutely love the aroma and flavor. You can actually see the chunks of cinnamon stick mixed with the beans, I love it! They have 6 flavors to savor; Dark Chocolate Cacao, Cinnamon Chocolate Cacao, Chipotle Chocolate, Mint Chocolate, Chocolate Lavender, & Dirty Chai. Choose any or all for a special treat without the need of artificial flavors or sugar.

5. Kicking Horse Coffee – No crazy highly caffeinated brain boosting brew here, just a simple medium roast organic and Fair Trade Coffee. Don’t be fooled by it’s simplicity though, this stuff is smooth, very little acidity, and easy to drink any time of day. This is our current go-to blend and it hasn’t let us down yet.

6. The Good Java Company – The last one is another simplistic blend with a darker roast. Certified organic and Fair Trade, it’s just a “good java” to keep around and brew a cup for yourself and any guests. Being a dark roast, it is a slight earthy, full-bodied brew that just feels right on a rainy day or anything I’m looking for something a little more intense.

And for the one I suspect most of you will not love. The beans are certified organic, but not meant for drinking. The brand is called Purelife Enema Coffee, and if the name doesn’t give it away already, these beans are meant specifically for coffee enemas. Yeah, it’s a thing, and apparently it’s actually quite healthful, but I’m perfectly happy with only putting coffee in one hole called my mouth. At least it’s free of mold, fungus, and pesticides!

Have you ever tried any of these coffees?

Ever hear of or try a coffee enema?

Food, Life, Parenting

Birthday Brunch at Brewed

08/04/2015 R.C. Liley 6 Comments

My little brother, Uncle Preston, and I took our Mom, G-Ma, out for a birthday brunch at Brewed last weekend. She’s been celebrating the big 6-0 for a couple weeks now, starting when my Aunt Tammy, Uncle Paul, and Grandma came down from PA.

But there’s nothing like a little quality time with her two grown boys to top off her birthday fun, right? Preston and I planned to meet at Brewed with him bringing mom there and me meeting them without her knowing. I contacted the place earlier and their GM, Chris, kindly responded saying they’d help make our little outing special.

I arrived before mom and Preston, and although there was a long wait, they had a room cut off from all the noise just for us.

This place is small but extremely popular. And for good reason, the serve top notch local fare and, as the name implies, delicious brews in form of both coffee and beer. Being brunch, I could’ve gone either route, but as I’ve stated before, I choose coffee over beer any day. I went with a cold brew that they have kegged from a place in Oregon and it did not disappoint!

The equivalent of 3 cups of coffee and served in a Belgian style beer glass made me a happy diner! I also had to pee a lot. I never thought of coffee being in a keg, but definitely need to look into this for a home setup!

When my mom and Preston arrived, I waved them down and we were immediately waited on by a kind waitress. She even took pictures of us on both of our phones.

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Mom tasted some of my coffee and ordered some for herself. Preston thought about it, hesitated, and then just went with water despite my advice to “just get some!” Plus, he had to go into work right after, so coffee would only help increase his productivity. Well, and bathroom trips.

Our food came without delay and we all enjoyed what we ordered. As usual, I made special requests including not cooking the omelette in oil and giving me raw veggies instead of toast. It took them a while since I guess not many people ask for this, but all was right in the end and not once did the waitstaff act annoyed at my requests.

Excellent service and willingness to accommodate my special requests (usually just to do less than normal) are all I need to place a restaurant on my favorites list. As of now, that’s a short list, but Brewed is one of them!

After our meals, they surprised us by offering some of their espresso ice cream. My mom and I quickly declined the ice cream but said espresso would be wonderful. After our waitress left, Preston said he actually wanted the ice cream. Oops, sorry, bud, I spoke for all of us! But, he did get to try espresso for the first time in his life and……he wasn’t a big fan. It’s an acquired taste for sure, and I’m glad he at least finished it.

The staff at Brewed had something special for my mom, though…..

How cool is that? A cappuccino with a little cream artwork! We all had a sip and Preston definitely liked that much better. Maybe we’ll have birthday brunch at Brewed for your 24th, Preston. 😉

We sat around a talked a while as I downed a couple coffee refills and then they had to get on their way so Uncle P could go to work. I’m extremely grateful to everyone at Brewed for their great service and quality food. They even comped my mom’s meal and coffee for her birthday! Thanks, Brewed!!!

Spending time with just my mom and brother is rare, and hopefully we’ll find a time to do it again soon. I love our little family, and it’s always fun to reminisce back to when we all lived under the same roof. I love you, Mom and Preston!

Feeling good about our dining service and fortunate they took good care of us, I figured I’d try and continue the good vibes in the area. Kelley was making spaghetti that night and she has a special sauce she makes. It’s rich with flavor with a vibrant red that screams “Eat me!” Seriously, I heard it myself!

Part of what makes the sauce so tasty is her use of lots and lots of garlic, and I needed to bring some home. Not wanting to go to the store, I ventured to another local eatery called Spiral Diner. It’s a unique diner that serves all organic vegan food that even meat lovers enjoy, me included. I popped in, said I don’t need to be seated, but asked if they had any garlic I could buy.

The hostess kindly slipped away to the kitchen and came back with 8 cloves! I asked how much and she said not to worry about it. Score, the good vibes were swarming that day!

I proudly returned home where my wife used all of the cloves for this excellent sauce that quickly found its way to all of our bellies a couple hours later.

Fresh basil from our garden really made it pop! Yum!

We’re getting ready to take Avery on her first flight ever this weekend when we go to Colorado to see Nana and Papa. I’m getting more nervous about how the flight will go every day, so any pointers are well-received. Don’t expect a lot of posts for a while as we try and figure out what all to pack. Too bad the house is not an option…..

How do you feel about Brunch? Better than breakfast and/or lunch, or not a fan?

Do you have a special meal you or your significant other makes?

Flying with babies/toddlers/kids…….is it ever easy?