Showing posts with label pourover. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pourover. Show all posts

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Mugged: Ferris Coffee

Subject: Ferris Coffee and Nut
Coffees Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Costa Rica Sumava 5+
- Guatemala San Sebastian 6+
- Ethiopia Misty Valley 6+

Most coffee roasters older than disco do not produce coffee worth coffee drinking. Whether one attributes it to a fear of change or the stubborn fortitude of old habits, most coffee purveyors that predate Alfred Peet still usually purvey subpar coffee. Thus in light of the disappointing odds for old coffee roasting operations, it's pretty amazing that Ferris Coffee and Nut, having been around for nearly a century, delivers some pretty amazing coffee.

Friday, December 29, 2017

Mugged: Overwinter Coffee



Subject: Overwinter Coffee
Coffee Mugged: The Lemon Drop
Rating [see key]: 6+

For a couple of years in the early 21st century, I called Upstate New York home. While it took me some time to warm up to it, I genuinely do miss being close to the raw beauty of the Adirondacks, the exorbitant snowfall and visiting the old towns that remind me of Bedford Falls. 

Friday, August 25, 2017

Mugged: Barefoot Coffee


Subject: Barefoot Coffee Roasters
Coffee Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Sonora Honey, Costa Rica 6+
- Limu, Ethiopia 6+

While I walk around barefoot much of the year, summer offers the best opportunities to live life without shoes. Like most folk, I enjoy the grass between my toes, the ocean splashing my ankles and occasionally some warm soil under my feet. To take it a step further, I usually cannot justify putting on shoes unless there are laws or broken glass in my way.

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Mugged: Anodyne Coffee


Subject: Anodyne Coffee
Coffees Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Gelena Abaya 6+
- Colombia Tolima ASOPAP 6+

Certain North American regions are definitely under-appreciated, one of them being Wisconsin. Full of beautiful landscapes and interesting cities, most people (at least the ones I run into) seem to overlook Chicago's northern neighbor. The same tends to go for Wisconsin coffee, as America's Dairyland is home to quite a few great roasters such as Kickapoo, Colectivo and the subject of today's post, Anodyne.

Monday, May 01, 2017

Damn Fine Coffee Bar




Subject: Damn Fine Coffee Bar
Location: Chicago, IL
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

The first time I heard the words "damn fine" were in the King's English in a CS Lewis book (technically "dem fine"). The Magician's Nephew, still my most loved of the seven Chronicles of Narnia, features an eccentric uncle who refers to the short-tempered Queen Jadis as a "dem fine woman." At the time when I first read this, I took this as scandal, as I was 11 and didn't read books with "sentence enhancers." But years later, after learning all 13 bad words and then banishing them from my lips (as fancy sophisticates should not stain their lips with cursing), I have personally sought to find more creative vocabulary. And so, even though I really don't see the word "damn" as a foul word (unless you use it as a verb, and then you are telling the person/thing to go to H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICKS, which is kinda bad if you believe in hell (and I do)), it's a word I just don't use casually any more just to play it safe.

Sunday, April 09, 2017

Mugged: Great Circle



Subject: Great Circle Coffee
Coffees Mugged and Rating [see key]
- Ichamara Kenya 5+
- Pixcaya Guatemala 5+

It was not long ago that a quality cup of coffee in Miami would be something one would be hard-pressed to locate, especially at a trusted shop in the area. But over the last 7 years, the coffee scene has taken hold in southeast Florida and the number of excellent purveyors of coffee in the region has steadily increased. One roaster to recently cross my path is an establishment called Great Circle out of Miami, and while I have not visited them in person yet, I was recently sent out two of their coffees to take for a spin at home through pourover, french press and siphon.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Mugged: Reunion Island Coffee Roasters



Subject: Reunion Island Coffee Roasters
Coffees Mugged: Kenya Miiri Nyera District
Rating [see key]: 6+

Having not set foot in Toronto for some years now, it puts a twinkle in my eye to see good things progressing with their coffee scene. New coffeehouses grow my list of potential coffee visits, and Toronto roasters keep on pushing out great beans. One such roaster that persists in doing great things is Reunion Island, especially with their recent batch of Kenya Miiri Nyera District.

Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Function Coffee Labs




Subject: Function Coffee Labs
Location: Philadelphia, PA
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

Nine years ago, I visited a vibrant cafe in the Bella Vista section of Philly that resulted in an experience that provided little to no fanfare. Due to the mediocre experience, I soon forgot about the shop and can honestly say that despite driving the area frequently, I never really gave that location a second glance, letting it fall into relative obscurity.

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Mugged: Bloom Coffee Roasters



Subject: Bloom Coffee Roasters
Coffees Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Ethiopia Ayele Dula 5+
- Kenya Chania Estate 5+

In the northern expanse of Michigan, a solid coffee is one of the best tools to survive the long winter. Naturally, Michigan has its share of coffee roasters, but only a few really deserve your money. Fortunately for the consumer, these roasters really work hard to keep the lower mitten and upper peninsula of Michigan well-stocked.

Friday, November 06, 2015

Mugged: Goshen Coffee's Secret Stash


Subject: Goshen Coffee
Coffees Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Adame Gorbota, Ethiopian 6+
- Gedeb, Ethiopia 6+
- Kintamani, Bali 6+
- Pedro Melgar, Honduras 5+
- Toribo Vasquez, Honduras 5+

A lot of great things have come out of Illinois. Abraham Lincoln, Portillo's hot dogs and Home Alone (just the first movie) usually top my list. But over the years, I have found another contender amidst the regulars: Goshen Coffee.

Wednesday, October 07, 2015

Mugged: Peruvian [Dean's Beans]


Subject: Dean's Beans
Coffee Mugged: Peruvian
Rating [see key]: 4+

I remember vividly my first experience with Dean's Beans. The year was 1999 and a local, progressive coffeehouse began featuring their beans due to the fact that DB believes strongly in using coffee to drive positive change. Sadly despite the altruistic mission of this local cafe, they did not care much for coffee quality and as such they closed down after a few years.

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Mugged: Honduras La Gloria [Joffrey's]


Subject: Joffrey's
Coffee Mugged: Honduras La Gloria
Rating [see key]: 5+

It's quite natural to associate specific food and drink with good times. For years I associated sausage rolls with Christmas (that is until my mom decided she didn't like baking anymore, but that's another tale). Coconuts distinctly remind me of the beach in summertime, and thanks to my Irish grandparents, cashews draw me back to the Ocean City boardwalk.

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Mugged: Screaming Beans





Subject: Screaming Beans
Coffee Mugged: Tanzania Kilamanjaro, Machare Estate
Rating [see key]: 5+

The Dutch have come up a lot in my year recently. In my travels around the USA, I've come across a lot of old Dutch colonies and monuments. In my readings of books and infrequent cinema perusal, the Netherlands (specifically Frisia) have come up noticeably often. And to top it off, a good friend of mine revealed to me that she is 100% Dutch (i.e. born from two 100% Dutch parents), which may not be all that remarkable for some, but in my neck of the woods it's rare to meet someone who comes from a mono-ethnic background. All together, I am cautiously holding my breath that this means that God has a trip to the Netherlands somewhere in my near future.

Tuesday, June 09, 2015

Vespr



Subject: Vespr
Location: Orlando, FL
WiFi?: yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]

It seems like every time I visit Orlando, the coffee scene gets better and better. My latest trip south took me to a shop in East Orlando that had quickly accrued a reputation for great coffee, a decently-sized establishment called Vespr.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Mugged: Kenya Kiruga [Evocation]


Subject: Evocation Coffee Roasters
Coffee Mugged: Kenya Kiruga via My Coffee Pub
Rating [see key]: 6+

In my visits to Texas, I've only traversed the panhandle once, and that expedition was but a quick drive that only allowed for a single gas stop prior to Amarillo. I remember the spot well, right off the highway at a gas station without prices. Seeing that I was running on fumes, I didn't care to risk looking for a second option, so I pulled in and counted my cash to make sure I had enough to pay for a little more than usual. The lady did ending up charging me (what I thought was) too much, but since I was in a hurry and in little position to argue, I paid, hopped back in my car and raced on through Amarillo into New Mexico.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Mugged: Sumatra, Rwanda, Tanzania and Ethiopia [Royal Mile]



Subject: Royal Mile Coffee Roasters
Coffee Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Sumatra Toba Batak Peaberry 5+
- Rwanda Coffee Villages SWP Decaf 5+
- Tanzania Peaberry 5+
- Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Cheffe Dumerso 6+

It's always a welcome surprise when an area with few great coffee options gets another one with some promise. Such is the case with New Jersey, the land I call home. For its population density, there are precious few coffee operations that roast or brew quality coffee.

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Mugged: Konga Natural Ethiopia [PTs Coffee]



Subject: PT's Coffee (via My Coffee Pub)
Coffee Mugged: Konga Natural Ethiopia
Rating [see key]: 6+


To state the obvious, not all coffee subscription services are created equal. Some legitmately send out great coffee, month to month, pouring forth delicious specimens with few exceptions. Some, sadly not so much (some services just seem to pick some really blah stuff). There's also the differentiation of quantity and variety, with some going with a dozen micro-pouches, each with only a few beans per coffee, while others send up to multiple pounds per month. Fortunately, it's easy to try most of them prior to long-term committment, so you can avoid a year of wasted beans and find your right niche.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Mugged: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aricha [Artis]



Subject: Artis Coffee
Coffee Mugged: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aricha
Rating [see key]: 4+


People like having choices and options. We like choosing where we'll have lunch, what program we'll watch that evening or whether we take the long or short way home. With coffee, most folks like to switch up the way they brew, the microlot they're ordering next or the roaster from which they will purchase it. But with the exception of home roasters or people with connections, rarely do people have the option to switch the roast profile of the coffee they got last week. 

Monday, October 27, 2014

Mugged: Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Chele'lektu and Aricha [Beanfruit Coffee]



Subject: BeanFruit Coffee Co.
Coffee Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Aricha Natural Process 5+
- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Chele'lektu 5+


Mississippi remains in my mind as a state unfurled. What I speak of is simply that like many other states in our fair union, the fine state of Mississippi, while full of many other wonderful institutions (such as the rebels of Ole Miss), there exist few coffee establishments of great worth. In the times I have forayed into its lands, not once have I successfully found one. But thanks to grace from above and toil from below, the state of Mississippi has begun sprouting some great coffee companies, with one of the more prominent to my ears being Jackson, Mississippi's Bean Fruit Coffee Co.  

Monday, September 15, 2014

Mugged: Brasil, Colombia and Ethiopia [PHCR]



Subject: Passion House Coffee Roasters 
Coffee Mugged and Rating [see key]:
- Brasil Sertaozinho 5+
- Colombia Matambo AAA 6+
- Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere 5+

I always love getting revisits from great roasters, especially ones from Chicago, as the windy city seems to be home to some of the warmest coffee folks in the industry. Some months ago I got my first real interaction with Passion House Coffee Roasters (a tremendously pleasant one) and as a recent follow-up, I got a full taste of their Ambient-Mainstream-Experimental spectrum with three coffees each championing a genre: their Brasil Sertaozinho representing Ambient, Colombia Matambo volunteering as tribute for Mainstream and Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Kochere standing up for Experimental. I brewed each coffee via pourover, french press and siphon.