CC: Rockford Coffee

Subject: Rockford Coffee 
Location visited: Bozeman, MT

Free WiFi ? : yes

Hours: observe here 
Rating: 6+ [see key] 

*Update 2/07/21

Wow, this is post is a blast from my past. Rockford was a great shop back in 2007 but it is a solid entity now in 2021. Now at a different location down Main Street, they are also roasting their own coffee and producing some top notch beans, Rockford has come to be a spectacular coffee gem in lovely Bozeman. If you have the fortune to visit, most definitely make a stop in Bozeman for some of Rockford's treasures. 

Original post:

As I first entered Bozeman through Main St, Rockford was one of the three coffee places to catch my eye (the other two were Rocky Mt. Roasters and Leaf and Bean). One of the relatively new coffee places on the block, Rockford definitely seems to be pretty wise in the ways of coffee preparation. 

The decor is minimalist yet appeasing. Light woods and eye-catching art resonate the entire space, with ample seating. A nice aspect common to Rockford and many coffee places in Bozeman is that they have computers free to customers (for a 1/2 hr, which is generous), an oddity all too rare in the Philly region. 

The coffee is Caffe Vita, a small batch roaster out of Seattle (10 hrs away) which apparently does their roasting in vintage German roasters from the 1930s (I have no idea why that's a plus, it just sounds fascinating). The coffee at Rockford tastes pretty good, though I've only had their medium roast (they also do a french roast, but darker roasts usually don't catch my taste buds in a flattering manner). The funny thing about their coffee is that not once have they espoused what the name of the coffee was outside of "medium." Not a big deal really, as long as the java is decent. The espresso also tastes delightful, with a very full and robust kick to it. The one time I had it, the taste really preserved, all the way to the bottom of my 16 oz americano. Another oddity/unique aspect is that they only serve iced americanos, never iced coffee (there could be several reasons, but I still like an iced coffee occasionally). The tea was Harney and Sons, a tea company out of NY which looks interesting (it's on the list of things to try). The chai, once again, was overlooked. 

During my time here in Bozeman, I've grown an appreciation for Rockford. If you're zipping East on Main, it's a good place to stop (if you're going west, take precaution as it's a hard turnaround to master). Overall, well done. 

CC: Mad Cow Coffeehouse and Deli

What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject: Mad Cow Coffeehouse and Deli (no website)
Location visited: Mitchell, SD
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 2+ [see key]


On a "magical" trip through South Dakota, my friend and I made a point to stop in the town of Mitchell to see what the 3,232 Corn Palace billboards were about. We arrive in Mitchell to see this bohemith building of corn (it was not that amazing) but of more interest, right across the street was this odd-looking coffee establishment.

Having driven since Chicago without seeing a coffeehouse, the Mad Cow looked much more intriguing then I thought possible. We strolled in, greeted by the South Dakotian feel of mismatched furniture, the occasional cow art, and the counter at the back.

As advertized, they had a coffeehouse menu and a deli menu. I ordered a BLT to satisfy me hunger (it was lunch) and then poured over the coffee menu. They have two roasters from which they get their coffee (I guess they're indecisive in SD). One is Black Sheep and the other is Great Plains, both located in the lovely land of South Dakota. The one I had (they didn't say which it was) wasn't half bad. They were firm followers of the "brew in a hot plate coffee maker then transfer to a carfafe" philosophy.

The espresso was another story. The machine looked older then my father and as a result, the shots were a little messy and didn't taste too hot. The tea and chai didn't catch me eye, for we were in a hurry.

If you're traveling through South Dakota and you need a cup of joe, you might consider stopping in Mitchell for the coffee and grabbing a glimpse of the "wondererous" corn palace.

CC: Beans Coffee Shop

What's a Coffee Commentary?




Subject: Beans Coffee Shop
Location visited: Woodstown, NJ
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 4+ [see key]

CLOSED as of 8.24.11

Woodstown belongs to the part of South Jersey that most people don't accidentally run through. A pretty town yes, but until I knew people there (my church pastor and his family), I had no reason to travel there.

Anyways, I ran across Beans before it opened. I was driving through on the way to a church picnic and saw that Woodstown was getting a coffeehouse right on its Main St. I'm always happy to see another coffeehouse spring up (though I pray that it won't go the route of "corporate charcoal" or "all music and horrible coffee") so I made a point to stop back in a few months to inspect.

Sure enough, I stopped back a few weeks after it opened. The decor is comfortable, though seemingly lacking a theme (I'm no interior decorator but it seemed off to me). A thing that did stand out was that they actually had an "adult seating area", a rarity in coffeehouses (though I'm not sure it's a need in many). The baristas seem to consist of mostly high school students; fortunately it looks like they know what they're doing (i.e. had some training).

They serve Kaffe Magnum Opus, a coffee roaster out of Millville. The coffee tasted decent, though I don't think amazing. Last cup I had was a little stale, but that is more the brewing method then the actual coffee. The espresso was good, with just the right zing, but once again, no shockwaves. The tea and chai I cannot recollect.

Overall, if you're in Woodstown, it's a nice spot to sit and have {your favorite beverage here}, but coming from Glassboro it's definitely not a realistic trek (unless you're going to visit your pastor).

CC: Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters

What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject: Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters
Location visited: Chicago, IL (Broadway)
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Last week, as I was heading across the country with a friend, we made a stop in Chicago to get some lunch and afterwards refuel with a good cup of coffee. I had made a note that the guy who came in third at the World Barista Championship came from Intelligentsia, a Chicago-based roaster/coffeehouse that is absolutely "fanatical" about coffee.

After a little traffic getting up to their Broadway store, we found parking right in front but decided to grab a deepdish pizza, then come back for coffee. The pizza took forever (it was a place on Broadway that was known for their stuffed pizza) but boy was it amazing (even better cold).

Upon our return to Intelligentsia, we found the store pretty packed, with numerous people doing work or holding conversation. I noted that they had a completely seperate counter for their whole bean sales which I guess was more out of necessity due to volume.

From what I could tell, the coffee was amazing as was the espresso. Both were smooth and well-balanced. My iced redeye was neither sharp nor too bitter, but had the right bit of hootsba (sp?) to keep me glowing.

Oddly I don't remember seeing their tea or chai, but upon investigation on their site, they sell their own tea as well! A rarity indeed if the tea is as good as the coffee.

One of few places that needs no real review; they're reputation precedes. So if you're near Chicago, grab a stuffed (or deepdish) pizza and finish it off with a trip to Intelligentsia.

CC: Chestnut Hill Coffee Company

What's a Coffee Commentary?

Subject: Chestnut Hill Coffee Company
Location visited: Chestnut Hill, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


This past week, the girlfriend and I had embarked to the Philly Zoo. Always a delightful experience (despite the heat and the high prices). We finished up around 2-3 pm and decided to grab some lunch (and some coffee) in Chestnut Hill. I had specifically heard rumor of a decent coffee company on Germantown Ave and figured today was as good a day as any to try it.

So we set off north, stopping for a delightful bite at Roxy's Sandwich Grille followed by a refreshing waterice at Rita's (they had mint chocolate chip, a flavor my girlfriend holds in the highest esteem). After some needless driving due to vague directions, we arrived at Chestnut Hill Coffee Co.

The decor and environment struck me as extremely creative. There were two floors (rare) with a variety of ample seating. I think they were even voted Best of Philly Magazine for child-friendly space.

The coffee was really good. Very smooth and full-flavored. It seemed they only had a limited offering of coffees (I didn't see anything else), though I'm pretty sure they roast their own and have more. They also seemed to focus on blends instead of single-origin, but I think they actually know what they're doing when they blend...

The espresso was well-done and very tasty. The barista who did it (I think it was John Hornall) was definitely trained in the ways of good technique and timing.

The tea was Mighty Leaf and the chai was probably powdered.

So if you're in the area, CHCC is definately worth a stop. It blends in on Germantown Ave, but it's right across from Borders in the ritzy part of town. I'd have to say that thus far, it's the best coffee I've had in PA.