Wednesday, April 28, 2010

CC: Phoenix Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Cleveland, OH
[East 9th Location]
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
4+ [
see key]


Driving on a massive road trip, you tend to make stops where you know people. I mean, why waste a perfectly good geographical anomaly when someone you actually enjoy spending time with is a stone's throw away?

Well, I can vouch that my one colleague knows how to capitalize on such opportunity. While driving through Cleveland, I mentioned the idea of a needed coffee stop and he countered with the prospect of his father making a stop into said coffeehouse to meet us for coffee. Not one to complain of such a heart string tug, we agreed upon a place called Phoenix Coffee for the rendezvous.

Now Phoenix Coffee was no blindfolded pick; of Cleveland's coffee scene, it seems that Phoenix was a well-respected place to grab decent coffee. The East 9th location we arrived at moments later after a little mapping;
a nondescript brown brick building situated in the city proper of Cleveland, the coffee shop had little to separate it except some signage and a row of windows on one wall. Upon initial sighting of the interior, it struck me as a place that had been around for awhile as the decor was red and vintage, but not so much in the hip way (turns out they've been around since the early 90s).

With the father not arrived yet, I proceeded to order myself a cup of their self-roasted (Phoenix roasts their own coffee) Ethiopian Yirgacheffe and a double espresso. The Ethiopian was a bright coffee with a bit of a saucy flavor and a dark body; it seems that it was a little stale but beyond that, it didn't hold a whole lot of distinct flavors (maybe a bad infusion). The espresso fared little better, with a blond shot pulled short that held an initial bitterness, some sweet cocoa and vanilla with a bit of peach making a brief showing. The shots proved to have a little too much bite and while I can't say it was horrible, I would say it could stand to improve. The tea is free leaf.

After I had finished my drinks, I went outside to move the car as we had managed to earn a parking ticket (they are quick in Cleveland) and meanwhile, the father-of-the-colleague arrived. They talked and bonded and upon my arrival, I had missed the whole experience all together (*tear).

As for Phoenix Coffee, it was a decent coffeehouse that I feel may have been a poor experience that day based on micro factors (barista skill, time of day, etc) but nonetheless, tis no excuse. Hopefully my next visit will prove better.

If you're in Cleveland and in need of decent coffee, try out Phoenix.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Mugged: Kona Blend [Don Francisco]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject:
Don Francisco's Coffee
Coffees Mugged:
Kona Blend
Rating:
5+ [see key]




T
ime and time again, I hear of friends and associates not being able to find a good Kona blend. Though in my opinion heinous, it seems that some roasters seek to use the Kona name for its brand possibilities rather than for its coffee quality.

But then there are some roasters that use Kona paired with other good coffee to make a great blend. Such is the case with Don Francisco's Coffee out of LA, a coffee roaster that seems more at home in a grocer's aisle then a local coffee house. I was offered the chance to try a few of their coffees and taking in the Kona first; whole bean, of a medium roast and smelling delicious.

I first infused this coffee via french press, with the ensuing brew embodying a cup of pecan pie with notes of cocoa, flowering grass and fig. The body was smooth, milky and overall delectable.

Next up, via drip, the pecan pie roared in again with more flowering grass and cocoa. Also with a nice smooth body, there were a lot of similarities to the french press.

The siphon gave the darkest potion of the three, with much more rich chocolate following the pecan pie. Fig was noticeable along with the presence of flowering grass. Another smooth, quality cup.

As my first experience with Don Francisco, I was delighted with this Kona Blend. If you are looking for a Kona blend at a decent price, give this one a try.


note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

CC: Coffee Studio

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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Chicago, IL
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
6+ [
see key]



A relaxing afternoon amidst a delightful cafe does not often happen. Most of the time, my coffeehouse visits are brief but once in a while, relaxation can weave its way into my coffee experience.

Such was the occurrence one brisk day in Chicago. I had finished my work for the day and so a colleague and I made our way to a place called the Coffee Studio for a respite. Having reviewed some press from Bon Appetit that toted the Coffee Studio as a top boutique coffee establishment, I had a piqued interest to take it in.

The setting is that of a warm, invigorating interior with a chic, modern design and a beautiful mixture of wood and exposed brick. An Intelligentsia-toting establishment, I moved to the counter and ordered myself a Black Cat espresso and a cup of their Brazil freshly-brewed via filter. The Black Cat modeled deep chocolate and sugary lemon with a milkiness towards the end, all embodied in a short pull with beautiful crema. The Brazil demonstrated what I would equivocate to a nice Belgian ale with a squeeze of citrus as well as a chunk of caramel. Together, a great showing of coffee. The tea is free leaf.

After chill-axing for a good part of the afternoon, I had to end the pleasant trip to the Coffee Studio. Without a doubt, yet another great shop to add to Chicago's north. Go.


Sunday, April 18, 2010

Mugged: Danish Blend [Kahve]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject:
Kahve Koffee
Coffees Mugged:
Danish Blend
Rating:
3+ [see key]




M
assachusetts has existed as a frequent factor in my coffee life as of late. Not only have I traversed various coffee establishments all over the state this past year but I've also had the privilege of being able to try out a few Mass coffees from a distance.

The latest roaster to meet my acquaintance is Kahve Koffee out of Brighton. The first of the two coffees I sampled was their Danish blend, an interesting name in that I recently devoured some Danish/Saxon historical fiction (actual events, fictional micro-events) in Bernard Cornwell's Saxon Tales (sadly, they had no coffee to call their own).

Digging in, I found it to be a mix of medium and dark roasted coffees, a blending method that blends post-roasting. I brewed the Danish via the usual drip, siphon and french press.

The french press produced flavors of snap pea, sweet apple, carrot and a little earthiness. The bitterness was initially subdued but then roared into existence mid-sip. The overall coffee wasn't too bitter but definitely dark in essence.

The drip had a much different cup, with more cocoa up front, followed by apple, honeydew and rooibos. This coffee was much darker, toting pepper and bitter notes throughout.

The siphon was more like the french press in that the cup was lighter and had apple, honey, snap pea, carrot and a noticeable earthiness. This was the lightest cup, with the bitterness not as prevalent but instead, the coffee held more of a juicy and saucy character.

The Danish blend seemed to be a decent coffee overall, though the dark beans seemed to do little for the blend (much of the positive seemed to stem from the medium roasted beans). Thus, if you like your dark coffee tempered or your medium coffee more bitter, Kahve's Danish blend might hit your spot.


note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

CC: Atomic Cafe

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Atomic Cafe
Location visited: Beverly, MA
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
5+ [
see key]



It is not often I get to have a good meal with a distant friend; it always seems that you see old pals in large groups so catching up is hard. Yet occasionally I find circumstances that allow for a more low-numbered rendezvous, such as in my latest trip to Boston, as I was elated to get together with an old pal who happens to be a fellow coffee fanatic.

We decided to meet for lunch and coffee at a place not far from his routine, a place called Atomic Cafe. The entity has been on my radar for a while but circumstances often prevented the visit, so I was pleased with the choice at least for the coffee (I had heard nothing of their food, but I'll risk it).

That early afternoon, we (my wife and two other friends also attended) pulled into a metered street spot and made our way to the red awning of Atomic Cafe. The interior is comfy, with booths straight ahead, tables throughout (outside as well) and a large bustle of people all nestled in (what I recall as) a sea of red and slightly retro decor.

Atomic roasts their own and given the vast array of sitting pump pots, I chose a coffee from Bali, a bright coffee thick with apple and molasses, a dash of nutmeg, the essence of mojito and some sweet cream on the end; to put it simply, a good cup. For the espresso, you can pick one of their three espresso blends, and based on my friend's recommendation, I chose their Cosmopolitan. On the surface, the shots were pulled short and had decent crema whereas underneath, it embodied a zesty lemon, cinnamon, cranberry and fairly strong bitterness (a little too much bitterness it seemed), all with a little milk chocolate on the end. The tea is Mighty Leaf.

Given the experience, I must say I was satisfied with the rendezvous. My lunch was appetizing, the banter of old friends was well-received and the coffee operation seemed pretty on target.

If you're in the North Shore area, give Atomic Cafe a go.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

CC: Blue Max Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject:
Blue Max Coffee
Location visited: Forest Park, IL
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
5+ [
see key]


As much as I wish I was a morning person, getting up with the sun for work-related purposes is harder then scaling a wall upside-down (sorta). But little incentives can make all the difference.

Several weeks ago, I had to get up much earlier then usual but to make it truly worth my while, I had earmarked a coffee stop called Blue Max Coffee in nearby Forest Park outside Chicago. Driving up to Blue Max in the early AM, the sun reflected nicely off the vanilla siding of the converted house-to-cafe. Indoors, the old domicile layout is still evident but despite the extra wall or two, the space is fairly open with lots of seating, an enclosed porch and an overall pleasing aesthetic.

Blue Max roasts their own coffee (the drum roaster sits in the cafe) and that morning, I sprang for their Nicaraguan, a light roast that held the bright sweetness of pear and caramel as well as some hazelnut and a flair of sauciness (a good cup in my eyes). The espresso, pulled short with a marbled crema, gave a combination of a merlot, some cinnamon, a lemon sucker (the candy of course) and some orange juice with a tip of bitterness (aka pretty swell). The tea is free leaf.

Even though I still hit a predictable wall of weariness later that day, Blue Max definitely fueled my morning with some pretty stellar coffee. I hope to try them again (soon?) as I'm sure this trip was no anomaly.

Despite the hour which you arise, I propose making a stop at Blue Max Coffee.

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Mugged: Haitian Highlands Pic Macaya [Irving Farm]

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What does "Mugged" mean?


Subject:
Irving Farm Coffee Company
Coffees Mugged:
Haitian Highlands Pic Macaya
Rating:
2+ [see key]




W
ith the recent events of Haiti, a lot of interesting relief efforts came out of the woodwork in order to provide money for the tried and trued method of sending money to charities. One such intriguing idea came from Irving Farm Coffee Company out of Millerton, NY in that they donated their profits from the sale of their Haitian Highland Pic Macaya to the Konbit Sante Earthquake Response.

Though admirable in purpose, I was curious when they sent me a bag to try if this dark roast single origin would be any good. I put it through the gauntlet of the three brewing methods of drip, french press and siphon.

French pressing first, the coffee gave a dark bitterness and a bite I would equivocate to vodka, followed by pear, black tea and small hints of ginger and licorice. The coffee was subtly bright but the darkness of the coffee dominated.

In the siphon, the brew seemed to switch up a little. The coffee had more of the dark bitterness in the middle, with initiating flavors tasting of pear and nutmeg as well as a bit of cocoa and shortbread developing throughout.

The drip mimicked more of the siphon, with bright notes of asian pear, the sweetness of heavy cream and similar nutmeg, all more in the front and the bitter, dark peppery flavors beginning in the middle.

The coffee underneath the very present bitterness of this coffee had lots of great flavors but it was hard to mine them apart from the darkness. While I hope that this was a worthwhile fundraiser for Irving Farm, I can't really express satisfaction with this coffee at its current roast level.

If you seek to patronize Haiti relief while drinking dark Haitian coffee, give Irving Farm's Haitian Highland a purchase.


note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.

Sunday, April 04, 2010

CC: Moko Coffee & Tea

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What's does "CC" mean? Location visited: Cleveland, OH
Free WiFi ? : yes

Rating:
5+ [
see key]


It's not every day that you spot an Amish man (at least he looked Amish) walking a baby giraffe down a city street, but it's not every day that I'm in Cleveland. This great lake-bordered city is one I rarely visit and in the precious minutes I had, I tried to make the best of it.

So of the few stops I did make, one of them was at a place called Moko Coffee & Tea. A coffeehouse slinging Intelligentsia located in Playhouse Square seemed like a fine stop and thus after my pet giraffe sighting, I made my pit stop.

Moko is a lobby cafe with nice high ceilings, a prominent counter/preparation area and a simple monochromatic color scheme. The coffee is a custom, Intelly-crafted Moko House Blend that despite having an off bitterness on the back and a little staleness, it held nice cocoa flavors, a fairly balanced body and some pear as it cooled. The espresso, pulled short with quality crema, was a good showing of Black Cat, with the usual lemon and cocoa flavors shadowed with sugar cane as well as some unique chai notes on the end. The tea is free leaf.

To put it plain, Moko added a sumptuous facet to my Cleveland adventure. Though it doesn't seem that Moko is using a lot of Intelly's other coffees, they seem to be doing a decent job with what they got. If you happen to be passing through, stop by Moko.