CC: The Cup

Subject: The Cup Espresso Cafe
Location: Boulder, CO
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

A coffeehouse that does not encourage congregating is one doomed to failure. Sure places like drive-thrus survive solely as a grab-and-go, but that seems to be the exception. Even if people rarely sit and talk, all folks desire access to an inviting cafe to gather for friendly discourse.

In the lovely town of Boulder, The Cup Espresso Cafe seemed to be the prime spot for the hordes to meet. Open 7 AM - 10 PM daily, the place was genuinely hopping the night I swung by. As the air was warm and the patio doors wide open, both the inside and out were abuzz with patrons. Inside, the many high top tables sat amidst a very brightly lit room, with laptops and small posses dotting the landscape.

The coffee comes from Conscious Coffees, Roast's 2011 Roaster of the Year. For my evening beverages, I ordered an espresso of the Espresso Mantecca and a drip of their Ethiopian Sidamo. The espresso, pulled short with brown crema, held notes of curry, cocoa, vanilla, pound cake, nutmeg and a little rosemary, proving pleasantly sweet, full and spicy. The Ethiopian smacked of raspberry, malt, licorice, marble rye, sage and sunflower seeds, demonstrating a medium-heavy body with a thick, malty flavor dominating.

In the end, I found The Cup to be a nice spot for an evening meet-up or a late cup of joe. The only detraction I found was that I found my drip of Ethiopian a bit to thick and astringent for my tastes, but even that minor aspect did little to dampen an otherwise ticklish overall coffee experience. Delay not in giving The Cup a visit at their lovely Pearl Street location.

CC: Ozo Coffee

Subject: Ozo Coffee Roasters
Location: Boulder, CO
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]


Some time ago when I was running a contest on my readers' favorite coffeehouses, someone submitted Ozo Coffee Roasters in Boulder. Not too familiar with the entity, the reader who claimed them as favorite was quite persuasive in their praise. So persuasive in fact that the next time I found some time in Boulder, I made a priority stop at their Pearl St. location.

Standing as one of three locations, the Pearl St. Ozo seems to be a well-loved fixture in the area. Walking inside, the place was packed with vibrant patrons stretching the length of the long, earth toned shop. The counter was a beast in itself, with two identical espresso machines (Synesso Cyncras I believe) and an army of baristas.

As for coffee, Ozo roasts their own, and thus I had an espresso of their Espresso 2012 and a pourover of their Peru Kikara. The espresso, pulled to a medium volume with brown crema, struck chords of blood orange, cocoa, oatmeal and ginger with a pinch of salt and oregano, overall hammering out a splendid spro with slightly astringent notes. The pourover reminded me of a German feast, with notes of hefeweizen, apple, challah, a little date and minor grilled chicken; a sweet and wheaty coffee with hearty undertones.

After spending some additional time soaking in the atmosphere, I could easily see why someone would vote Ozo as an all-time favorite. When you're in town, stop by Ozo Coffee Roasters for a great cup of coffee.

CC: Boxcar Coffee Roasters

Subject: Boxcar Coffee Roasters
Location: Boulder, CO
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It's not every day that a coffee operation boasts of having a unique means of coffee brewing to offset environmental variables, but when it does, you know it's gonna be an interesting day.

One sleepy Sunday morning, my wife, son and I made our way over to Boulder's Boxcar Coffee Roasters situated a little east on Pearl St of the mall. Since it was early, the street and subsequently the store were slow but that allowed for a little more interaction than usual with the passionate barista. The shop itself exists as a beautiful marriage of Boxcar and a fancy cheese and meat market called Cured, both complimenting the other in the space and providing a great convenience to patrons as well.

Back to the coffee, in talking with the barista he informed me that due to altitude they concocted a special means of brewing their coffee to make it come out perfectly (mainly the water goes to 203 F), and thus have dubbed it "cowboy coffee." Being easily intrigued, I settled on a Brazil SO via the cowboy coffee method and an espresso of their Stella Espresso blend. The espresso, pulled short with brown crema, bucked with ginger, chocolate, sweet molasses, fresh bread, a little lavender and some salt; a delicious and robust 'spro. The Brazilian cowboy coffee proved mellow, with notes of honey, saison, croissant, nutmeg and cashew, wholly enveloping me in a sweet, wheaty and nutty ballad.

After spending a bit of time relaxing at a corner table, we walked out greatly sated with the experience. If you're in Boulder, choo choo choose Boxcar for a coffee stop.