I’ve been a fan of coffee for many years. In fact, my love for it first began to brew (pun intended) when I was a teenager and would wake up early during holiday breaks to have a cup of coffee with my dad while reading the newspaper.

In college, I grew to appreciate coffee on a new level—it kept me awake during late night study sessions (or early morning recovery sessions, depending on the occasion).

Now that I’m a busy, working mother, coffee = life. Family time aside, there’s little that I appreciate and cherish more than a piping hot mug of coffee to start my day.

Naturally, I was intrigued when a representative from AH-Global contacted me about reviewing the Smart Coffee app.

Created by specialty coffee roasting pioneer, Paul Katzeff, this easy-to-use mobile app helps you find your perfect brew by answering questions about flavor profile, acidity, and mouthfeel.

The app also includes a glossary of coffee lingo, photos of Katzeff’s professional journey, an archive of your past blend recommendations, and much more.

You can order coffee directly from the Thanksgiving Coffee Co. or use the app to find your perfect blend in your local grocery or coffee house.

I had a hard time answering the questions about my taste preferences (“strong,” “bitter,” and “dark” are how I’ve always thought my coffee should taste!), but I narrowed it down to a “heavy/earthy” feel and with hints of chocolate, nuttiness, and toastiness.

As it turns out, I prefer a 70% medium and 30% Vienna roast. A medium roast still allows the coffee’s terroire and nuances to shine through, and the darker, Vienna roast creates a toasty flavor. I opted to try the Permata Gayo French Roast from Sumatra.

The coffee itself was not as bold and flavorful as I’d hoped (it was probably too dark), but we enjoyed it nevertheless. Since I chose “chocolate,” “nutty,” and “toasty,” as the flavors I preferred, I think I may actually go for something with a subtle fruitiness and sweetness instead. The heavier mouthfeel was on point, though.

Download your own Smart Coffee app in the App Store. With enough use, you’ll graduate from Average (Cup of) Joe to Coffee Connoisseur.

**I received a coffee sample free of charge in exchange for a review. I was not compensated for this blog post, and all opinions are my own.**