What does "Mugged" mean?Subject: Golden Valley Farms Coffee RoastersCoffee Mugged: El Salvador Santa Teresa Bourbon
Rating: 3+ [see key]
Well-roasted coffee that gives back in some way is the best kind of coffee. Sadly, too often coffee roasters that mean well can't roast and so, many buy lousy coffee in the name of social justice.
Yet decent coffee that possesses sustainable components do exist. One particular new one to me was a coffee sent to me from Golden Valley Coffee Roasters out of West Chester, PA. Golden Valley has a strong Bird Friendly push and recommended their medium roast El Salvador, so I was thrilled to give it a try.
I brewed the coffee via french press, vacuum press and drip. The french press delivered a fair brew with the taste of buttered bread and some nice sweet notes followed with a little spice. The drip cranked out a similar cup with a little more bitterness. But the vacuum press really drew out the sweet notes, reminiscent of berries, plus the buttery aspect and a bit of spice; overall, the best cup.
To put it in a nutshell, the El Salvador proved decent. If you're looking for a fair coffee that's good for the birds, try Golden Valley Farms.
note: coffee was provided free of charge and the above review is objective feedback.
What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: Geneseo, NY
Free WiFi ? : yesRating: 4+ [see key]
Originating from a dense area, I love to occasionally wander about small town New York looking for recreation and occasionally a splendid cup of coffee. Lots of rich history and state parks dot the landscape but sadly, good coffeehouses are rare in the Empire State.
Yet despite the odds, I remain optimistic and try to see what turn out to be poor coffee stops as pit stops. And sometimes, the need for a pit stop trumps even the urge for coffee, such as one particular trip through the local town of Geneseo where my entourage found reprieve at a cafe called Muddy Waters.
Geneseo seems to have a single main street and Muddy Waters exists as one of its several cute shops, with a deep purple exterior and a bordered row of outside tables. And while the outside is nice, the real attention to decor shines inside, as the two-leveled shop has pleasant lighting and an overall rich atmosphere.
The coffee comes from Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters, a favorite in the area. I ordered the Organic Guatemalan, a decent coffee with a smooth taste but little other flavor. The espresso was pulled decently and demonstrated both bitter and bright with hints of vanilla, ginger and an overall sugary sweetness. The tea is free leaf.
Given my experience, I would say that Muddy Waters clearly gave a decent showing. If you happen to exist near Geneseo (or in Rochester near their other location), take a dip in Muddy Waters.
'
What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: Northampton, MA
Free WiFi ? : yesRating: 5+ [see key]
Every time I pass through central Mass, I get to unearth something pleasant. This trip, I got a chance to explore the lovely town of Northampton amidst some beautiful fall foliage. The nice weather amidst the flowing streets and unique stops (like Thornes) really made my day boom.
On top of all that, there's Northampton Coffee, a coffeehouse that turns out to be the sister/parent coffeehouse of lovely Amherst Coffee. After a hearty lunch with some colleagues at the Northampton Brewery, we waltzed down to Northampton Coffee's doors and inside, I found a cafe layout very similar to Amherst's (so maybe more like a twin sister), though Northampton had no alcohol and more seating.
The coffee comes from Massachusetts's own Barrington Coffee, a roaster that has shelled out tasty coffee in my several experiences. I had the Sumatran, a nice sweet cherry nectar with a little nutmeg and a bit of darkness. The espresso was a quality short pull that smacked of almond, cocoa, mango and had an overall velvety mouthfeel. The tea is free leaf.
Much like Amherst Coffee, Northampton proved to be a wonderful coffee stop. When in town, try to land thyself at Northampton Coffee.
Got this interesting news of justice from the SCAA:
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) announced today that former Chief Operating Officer, Scott Welker, has been sentenced to federal prison for embezzling in excess of $465,000.00 from the association. Welker’s sentence includes a 33 month jail term to begin in January, 2010, three years of probation following release from custody, and a restitution order of payment to SCAA of $467,665.73.
You can read more on the SCAA blog.
'
What's does "CC" mean?Location visited: Farmington, NY
Free WiFi ? : yesRating: 3+ [see key]
Little detours for coffee on common routes can really add the necessary pizazz to make it a worthwhile expedition.
One trip in need of such spice was a small day trip to Letchworth State Park. I-90 can suck the moisture out of your eyes with boredom, so I managed to isolate a possible decent place called Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters. Since I had sampled their coffees in other locations with varying stats, I traveled with a tinge of promise of a good stop.
This location of FLCF exists in a strip mall right off of 90. The bright red letters on white exterior overshadow a basic exterior with three nicely shaded tables. Upon entering the cute, high ceiling-ed store, I noticed first the assaulting aroma of vanilla-flavored coffee and then more subtle details such as the many coffee vats along the wall and the overall mountain lodge feel.
I chose their Peru La Florida, an attractive single origin available via pump pot. The coffee didn't do much for me, as it held a nice sweetness but otherwise was too saucy, stale and seemed fairly bleh. The espresso didn't start off well as the small/medium pull came to me in a paper cup; it threw out some cranberry and deep cocoa as well as some strong bitterness on the end. The tea was Numi.
Fortunately, Letchworth balanced out the trip with some wonderful vistas (though it never ceases to disgust me at how NY truly left little pristine to their State Parks. I mean who thought iron gates all over the trails was a good idea?!). If you're looking for fair coffee, stop into one of Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters many locations.
