CC: Beaver Falls Coffee and Tea

Subject: Beaver Falls Coffee and Tea Company
Location visited: Beaver Falls, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]

The drive between Pittsburgh and Erie is not one populated with many well-known pit stops, unless you like stopping to experience nature (fortunately, I do!). Sadly, this is usually the case with many stretches in the middle of the country.

But fortune shines every once in awhile, and in this case fortune lighted my attention on the town of Beaver Falls and a coffeehouse called Beaver Falls Coffee & Tea Company. The tales told of well-roasted coffee and espresso slung out in a most satisfactory nature. Such news made the coffeehouse a natural pit stop on my route.

BFC&TC sits on a main stretch of road in a converted house. While I've seen my share of converted houses-to-cafes, this one seems to have little conversion on the outside (no additional structures added for seating or ambiance) or on the inside aside from the addition of the coffee bar in what would have been the living room. Nonetheless, the interior is very warm and has the nifty feel of home with the wondrous convenience of a barista five feet away.

I ordered a cup of their Malowi Light via pourover, which held notes of nuts, grass, honey, carrot, sauce, a tinge of hops, agave and a little caramel. I found it a light coffee that held a delicious array of flavors. I also ordered an espresso, a blend composed of African and Brazilian coffees, that was pulled short/medium, had nice crema and paraded the tastes of lime, sugar cookie, mint, cilantro, a little dark cocoa and some almond on the end (good espresso). The tea was free leaf.

All together, their coffee operation seemed of good quality. The operation definitely seems to be one that is still growing in skill but given their good results, I think that further improvements will truly endow Beaver Falls with a nice cafe. If in town or passing by, stop by Beaver Falls Coffee & Tea Company.

CC: Nude Espresso in Rapha Cycle Club

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Rapha Cycle Club/Nude Espresso

Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]


Many people have noted that serious bicyclists tend to be avid coffee drinkers. I don't know if there is a true correlation, but it certainly seems to be more then a small coincidence in my relations, observations at coffeehouses and in the admitted habits of some in the coffee community.

While in London, I stumbled upon a venue that took the biking and coffee marriage up a notch. The Rapha Cycle Club was a temporary open-to-all-club that sold merchandise, organized bicycling-centered events and had its own cafe. Of course, the cafe was what drew me in, especially with the emblazoned name of Nude Espresso on the sign (a popular coffee roaster and purveyor) since visiting their official cafe was a probable no-go on my trip due to time restrictions.

The interior of Rapha was a huge space with a mammoth common table amidst merchandise in the front two-thirds. The cafe portion consisted of a small counter with dual baristas in the back corner. Given the emphasis on espresso alone (no other coffee infusions available), I ordered an espresso which held really bitter chocolate, lemon, heavy cream, nutmeg, a little cherry, oregano and fig. The shot was pulled well and the crema was of a good thickness and color, though the shot was a little too bitter for me. I did not see any tea.

As I mentioned above, Rapha was a temporary institution and hence, does not exist as of the end of July. But, despite of Rapha's end, I felt this information could be useful since this was my only experience with Nude Espresso in London (albeit an unsure one as I am not sure if the baristas were Nude's employees or Rapha's people). Thus, give Nude Espresso a try and keep an eye out for more bicycling-coffee hybrids.

CC: Big Dog Coffee

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: Big Dog Coffee

Location visited: Pittsburgh, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]



I have a negative association with the product line of Big Dogs. Everyone is entitled to their own tastes and mine never favored the hackneyed phrases and witty(?) dog pictures. Yet sadly, every time I hear the phrase (or a variation) of "Big Dogs," I think of the clothing line.

Fast forward to a nice evening at Pittsburgh's Hofbrauhaus (try the Oktoberfest Schweinshaxe if you like good pig and have a herculean appetite) when a leisurely stroll and some nice coffee was needed to work off a Germanic food coma. Lo and behold my party stumbles on Big Dog Coffee. I had heard of it before but I hadn't expected to hit it in my trip to the city given that our travels during coffeehouse hours hadn't been in the area. And while my lack of plans had nothing to do with my aversion to the name (I am not so childish, I swear), I couldn't help but expect to find a large picture of a black-and-white canine over the mantle.

Thankfully, the associations were curbed right there. The cafe beams a sharp contrast of a tan building, black awnings and big windows, with the interior spinning 180 degrees to a color scheme of pink and kiwi as well as what felt like a real homey decor.

Big Dog serves Intelligentsia, of which I ordered a doubleshot of Black Cat and a cup of the Costa Rican Flecha Roja via pump-potted drip. The espresso, pulled short/medium and with a nice crema, displayed dark chocolate, lemon, a bit of ginger plus tinges of smokiness and tobacco; a pretty good display of Black Cat. The drip had notes of pear, cocoa, black cherry, nutmeg, grass and celery as well as a slightly old/stale character. Aside from the age, it was good coffee. I did not note the tea.

I would say my disdain for the word combination of Big Dog(s) has been lessened by this keen cafe. Sniff out Big Dog Coffee if you're nearby.

CC: 21st Street Coffee and Tea

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What's does "CC" mean?

Subject: 21st Street Coffee and Tea

Location visited: Pittsburgh, PA
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 6+ [see key]



Pittsburgh's Strip area was something that came up regularly on my "things to do" search for the town and hence, it didn't take long for me to wander down. To add some pep to my step, I had bookmarked local coffee entity 21st Street Coffee and Tea into the sights amidst the once-industrial, now retail-focused area.

21st Street sits in a two-story corner shop across from a huge church and adjacent to a mighty fine doughnut shop. The shop on the inside is narrow but the space is well utilized, with a long counter and limited seating on the first floor and a really nifty loft on the second story (on a side note, it is cafes like this one, where options are limited, that nifty results really shine).

They serve up Intelligentsia, offering a Clover as well as your other traditional infusion-ary options. I ordered a cup of the La Machete Panama via their Clover and the fancy machine (steered by the barista of course) presented a coffee containing some green apple, cloves, a tea-esque quality, carrot, earthiness, kettle chip and grass. I also got an espresso of the La Finca Pino pulled splendidly (the barista pulled two calibrating shots before I got my espresso), with flavors of chocolate chip cookie, salt, root beer, lemon and pineapple amidst a short/medium pull with good crema. Throughout, my coffee was glorious. The tea is free leaf.

Adding the original Primanti Brothers to the nearby neighbors, I really relished the 21st Street Coffee experience for both its coffee and location. When in town, give the Strip and 21st Street a stop.

CC: Climpson and Sons

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Subject: Climpson and Sons

Location visited: London, UK
Free WiFi ? : yes
Rating: 5+ [see key]



Market day is one of my favorite days. I'm no expert as to the frequency of markets all over the UK, but there sure seemed like a lot of street markets in London, and I basked in every second I had in them.

Climpson and Sons, a London coffee roaster and cafe that carries on the name of an old butcher operation, happened to be located in the bustling Broadway Market. I made my way there amidst intermittent drizzle and the enterprising stalls to their jam-packed cafe on a warm Saturday afternoon. The interior utilized every ounce of seating room as possible (inside and out) and had a simple yet sharp overall feel to it.

Given the culture in London coffeehouses to stick primarily to espresso, Climpson serves up a large series of espresso-based drinks but not the other types of coffee infusions (to my knowledge at least). I ordered an espresso, pulled short and with a good head of crema, that held notes of sour lemon, a bit of cocoa, creamy hints of raspberry, rye bread, sesame and a little bitterness. My only slight concern was that the espresso seemed pulled a little too hot (temperature) and the espresso was served in a paper cup (since it was market day, the given volume prohibits house glasses to be of much use); neither truly abhorrent signs but still, slight detractions from the experience. I failed to note the tea.

Despite the wondrous Broadway Market experience, I kind of wish I had come on a non-market day as I feel it would have been better with less people coursing by and in the cafe. Plus, their whole bean coffee on their shelves looked delicious and I really would have loved to try some of their coffees out via non-espresso means.

Thus, if you're in the city, stop into Climpson and Sons.