Sunday, July 24, 2016

Revelator Coffee Company




Subject: Revelator Coffee Company
Location Visited: Birmingham, AL
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

When one looks for great coffee in the southeast US, there's more and more great coffee popping up all over the place, with individual cafes blooming in most major urban centers. Yet one coffee company that has established numerous outposts all over the south is a roaster called Revelator. With shops now in five major southeast cities and plans for further expansion, this relatively new juggernaut has blessed the south with gorgeous shops and delicious coffee.

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Mugged: 1804


Subject: 1804 Coffee Co.
Coffees Mugged: Pine Fore
Rating [see key]: 4+

For as long as I have been drinking coffee, Haiti has not been a country renown for its great coffee. While the country has a history of cultivation, it seems that only now has Haitian coffee spilled into the realm of quality coffee. Still, much of the coffee beans I have had from Haiti have been too dark to discern any positive flavor, a trend that still persists among many coffee entities. But fortunately there does exist a coffee roaster that offers Haitian coffee that does not get lost in second crack.

Monday, July 11, 2016

City of Saints Coffee Roasters




Subject: City of Saints Coffee Roasters
Location: Hoboken, NJ
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

While the Hudson River is an easily traversed body of water, it amazes me how few businesses drift across from NYC into NJ. Take for example the coffee situation: New York City literally has hundreds of decent coffee stops, many with multiple locations. Yet, across the river in cities like Jersey City and Hoboken, only a smattering of shops with similar quality have reared their heads, and rarely will a NYC coffee entity open a shop in the lands of Jersey. Sure there's lots of reasons for why this happens, but I'm more interested in the few exceptions to this phenomenon, such as City of Saints Coffee Roasters.

Thursday, June 30, 2016

Cure




Subject: Cure
Location: Norfolk, VA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It's my habit often when visiting with friends on the weekend to seek out a good brunch and then a good coffeehouse. While the landscape is still improving, sadly few places know how to do brunch and great coffee, so to keep it simple I usually keep my coffee stops separate from my brunches.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Slipstream




Subject: Slipstream
Location: Washington DC
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Many coffee beverages share a lot in common with cocktails. Like a good cocktail, the ingredients and methodology will carry or crash the beverage. Also, much like a skilled bartender should know how to make an old fashioned or martini, a good barista will easily know the difference between a traditional cappuccino, a flat white and a latte. Add to the mix the growing overlap between cocktails and coffee beverages, and it's no wonder that places like DC's Slipstream have grown in popularity.