Cappuccino

Cappuccino, Intelligentsia from The D4D on Vimeo.

I love this beverage, and Intelligentsia does it right!

The Coffee Collective

As an American, my concept of Europe has always been like a fairytale land. There are real castles, royal families, and enough smugness to make the untraveled Yankee feel like he stepped into a story where everyone is better educated and impeccably dressed.

Such presuppositions certainly carried over into my thoughts about the Coffee Collective, the Copenhagen based roaster and coffee bar. Having followed their blog for several years now, I was already a huge fan before I took a sip. The Coffee Collective belonged with Hans Christian Anderson fairy tales and free health care, wonderful ideas that don't actually exist.

Amazingly the Coffee Collective is a real place in a real neighborhood and anyone, even regular people, can have a cup of coffee there.... and it's really good.

Highlights of my visit:

• Meeting two fellow coffee pilgrims, Haley and Neil, from the UK. It was wonderful to talk with other people that love coffee so much that they flew to another country to taste it. Haley runs a coffee shop in Norwich called The Window. It serves Hasbean coffee (delicious!) and looks lovely.
• An aeropress of their La Esmeralda Special. Honestly one of the best coffees I've ever had. Sqeaky clean with a honey-like body. Tons of floral and fruit subnotes my limited palate has a hard time articulating. In a word: wonderful.
• Seeing the very bemused look on the barista's face when I asked her to pose with Toto (see above picture). Actually this is only sort of a highlight because Danes are really hip and I really felt like a dork asking.
  
• being mistaken by a group of customers as a barista- I wish.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to the 5 of my readers who will find this funny.

A Crafty Christmas from Brendan Inkognito on Vimeo.

Christmas in Copenhagen

It's after Thanksgiving, which means it's okay to start (openly) listening to Christmas music, decorate the house, and subtlety drop hints about reasonably priced present ideas when talking with friends. I've been listening to Sufjan's Christmas albums (of course), Sojourn's Advent Songs, and Vince's Guaraldi's A Charlie Brown Christmas; I haven't put our tree up (maybe after my Turkish test on Friday?); and Peter Pan Peanut Butter is pretty much a commodity in my part of the world.

Sadly, this Christmas will mark the first time I will not be with my (biological) family for the holidays. But thankfully some good friends in Denmark are hosting me and a few expat friends in Copenhagen. While I don't think we'll be spending $200 at voted-best-restaurant-in-the-world Noma it's my ambition to visit:

• The Coffee Collective, an innovative group that's doing wonderful things in the specialty coffee industry.
• The Louisiana Museum, which hosts a impressive collection of modern and contemporary art.
• Malmo, Sweden. A charming nordic city with cool cafes and architecture that will also bring my total countries-visited count up double digits.

London Coffee: Part 2

Day 2 in London I was joined by two good friends that I met in Istanbul, Chris and Jana, both of who now work in the UK.

First stop: Tapped and Packed. Although they repeatedly came up in my research about London coffee shops, I didn't initially plan to check them out. However, they came highly recommended from Kaffeine and the fact that the serve coffee from 3 different UK roasters was enticing.

After finding their shop in the ultra-trendy Fitzrovia neighborhood (the shop's sign only has it's address on it, which is kind of tricky). I ordered a pour-over of the seasonal single origin selection, a Costa Rica Finca de Licho from Has Bean, and a shot of the house espresso, which is roasted by Climpson & Sons. The Costa Rica was honey sweet with notes of strawberries and raspberries - honestly the most exciting coffee I've had in a while. The espresso was great too, but was definitely overshadowed by how much I enjoyed the pour-over. Chris ordered a giant piece of cake with his coffee and Jana had a flat white (which I also ended up drinking a good deal of).

[Jana poses with her Flat White.]
[Chris enjoyed his cake.]

Next up was Flat White, a cafe in SoHo that helped pioneer the new wave in the mid 2000s. I ordered a shot of their espresso, which is a custom blend from Square Mile. It was good, but I think it probably was better suited for milk. Next time I'll be sure to order their namesake.

London Coffee: Part 1

London is easily a contender for the greatest city on earth. It was the first city to reach a million people since before the fall of Rome, has many of the most iconic landmarks and priceless artifacts on earth, and is the location of the beloved film from my childhood, The Great Mouse Detective.

And yet the single thing I was most excited about in the city was the coffee.

Yes. Even though Brits are traditionally a tea-drinking people, London has emerged as one of the leading urban centers in regards to roasting and brewing specialty coffee- so much so that after looking at the list of coffee shops I wanted to visit I quickly realized I didn't have the caffeine tolerance to check out even half the list during my short stay in Jolly Ole'.

First up was a shop that captured my imagination some time ago when I first learned of it's existence.

The Espresso Room is aptly name; there's barely enough room for all the coffee equipment there and none for a table. They have a modest selection of soups and sandwiches but the lion's share of this glorified closet host a serious arsenal of coffee equipment brewing up Square Mile and Has Bean coffee. I had a shot of Square Mile's Autumn Espresso blend and a flat white, both expertly made by Daniel, an Aussie who was nice enough to explain the Australian etymology of "flat white" as well as explain a bit of the history of the coffee scene in London. I'm not the only customer who's been impressed recently- Time Out London voted The Espresso Room "Best New Coffee".

Next up was Kaffeine, another Antipodean owned cafe serving Square Mile. Exposed brick and a gorgeous Synesso provided a hip atmosphere and my latte was top-notch; however, what impressed me the most was how amicable and helpful the baristas were. In fact they even asked me questions about my coffee experience in America! I must say, if British third-wave is beating its colonial cousin in any category it's here: customer service/interaction. At some of best shops I've been to in America the approach seems to be "treat everyone like an idiot until they prove otherwise". In the UK, my coffee experience was that most baristas are courteous, respectful, and friendly. In fact the only disappointment of the day was that James Hoffman was suppose to be there to help them install their new 3 group head Synesso but instead he was in America. Ironic.

Next time in part two: Tapped and Packed and Flat White

Sunergos

The new location surpasses all my expectations. Great job guys.

Riding the Third Wave

thuis BARISTA koffietour Londen from Coen Remmelts on Vimeo.

This video has been out for a while, but it's new to me. I wish this guy would shoot a video like this for every major urban center, but those going to/living in London should be glad that most of the best spots to get coffee have been featured in one trendy video.

Finca Los Andes

From Cartel Coffee Lab:

Finca Los Andes

Juan Jose Ernesto Menendez

Arguello

1700 Meters
70% Red Bourbon, 25% Orange Bourbon,
5% Kenya and Typica
red wine - cherry - dry
Santa Ana, Apaneca-Ilamatepec
El Salvador

This farm only produced four bags for the entire year, and we have procurred the only two to make it to the US! From the same farmers that have many great coffees like Alaska, La Illusion, and La Suisa, comes one of their new offerings from the same mountain. With this balanced cup in hand, you will notice a red wine dryness, coffee cherry flavor, and a pleasantly dry finish you might expect from a great cabernet. Please enjoy responsibly! (Buzz not included.)

Bike Snob on 3rd Wave Coffee

My favorite online cultural commentator, Bike Snob NYC, recently offered a rather biting critique of third wave coffee in New York. As a bike-loving coffee snob, I love seeing cross-polination between my rather esoteric interests- even if it isn't always self congratulatory admiration.

Hey, there's nothing wrong with fancy coffee (just like there's nothing wrong with fancy cars or fancy 29ers) but if we really took our coffee seriously in New York we'd still be purchasing it for pocket change and drinking it from paper cups on the way to work. Turning the drinking of a beverage that wakes you up in the morning into a lifestyle is the complete opposite of being "serious." It seems to me that if you want to sit around all day doing nothing except obsessing over the plant you're consuming then marijuana would be a more appropriate choice. Coffee is for working; "Wednesday Weed" is for not working. In that respect we should be copying Amsterdam and not Portland.

Funny because it's true?

Lower Cases and Capitals

A few snapshots and bylines from yesterday's DC trip:

I found the Abraham Lincoln Memorial the most compelling place on the mall. But I'm not sure if that is because of Lincoln's somber, fist-clenched stare or because of his articulate 2nd inauguration address engraved on the wall.
It's been a long time dream of mine to see the Wright Flyer, but the part of the exhibit I was the happiest to see was this gorgeous fixed-gear, one of 5 surviving bikes built by the Wright Bros. I would definitely rock those bars.

The Chester Dale Collection was my favorite part of the National Gallery of Art. This Manet was particularly striking.

This picture is significant because I believe it is the first Pablo Picasso I've seen that I've really like. I particularly love the drab colors, minimal attention to detail, and the clean lines.

The District of Colombia has a really killer coffee seen and I was able to stop by Chinatown Coffee and Peregrine Espresso. Peregrine ranked among my favorite coffee experiences, largely due to a great conversation with a couple of the baristas who were preparing for the Mid-Atlantic Barista Competition next week. I got a double shot of the seasonal Nemba, Burundi espresso, which did not disappoint.

We finished the day at Zest Bistro, a hip new-American restaurant. Just looking at the picture makes me hungry.

I must say I'm very pleased my nation's capital is so cool.

Barista Bash

Get excited.

Mean Mugging

Actual conversation in a coffee shop recently.

Me: "Could I get that cappuccino in a mug?"
Barista: "No, you can't."
(I pause for a second to see if she was being sarcastic. She wasn't.)
Me: Oh, are you closing soon?
Barista: We close at eight.
(I glance at the clock and see that it's just past seven.)
Me: hmm.
(Grudgingly drink my cap from a styrofoam cup with Starbucks style foam.)

Intelli on Espresso

Here's a great video from Intelligentsia about espresso, which was recently brought to my attention by Hermitudinous.

Espresso, Intelligentsia from Department of the 4th Dimension on Vimeo.

Gluten Free Food Review: Opera Cake by Cake Flour

I have some pretty exciting news for celiacs in the Louisville area. My place of employment, Java Brewing Company, is now carrying a monthly gluten-free pastry, which for December is an opera cake by local bakery Cake Flour.

"Decadent" is a word that gets thrown around a lot with chocolate, but I don't think it's cliche in this case. It's just a really convenient one word description of everything delicious going on with this treat. Even though I haven't had a glutenous dessert for over a decade, I feel pretty confident that this one will be enjoyed by even those without intolerances.

Ville Be Jammin

Tonight was the first ever Louisville Barista Jam hosted by Java's own Sarah W (of Cabin fame). Toto brought over his syphon/siphon set up and gave a very educational and tasty demonstration. Kenny gave some pointers for aspiring latte artists which led to a throw-down, which I believe was won by a well-infused rossetta poured by Darren Jennings, Sunergos's newest employee. Chuck led a blind taste testing which included local roasts and beans from leading shops all across the U.S., notably Intelligentsia and Velton. At least five shops were represented and clearly everyone had a great time.

Hopefully the first of many more to come!

The Fourth M

Three obvious mistakes that made what should have been an easy, delicious coffee beverage barely drinkable.

1. Pre-ground espresso. This causes all sorts of problems, the release of co2 being one of them (i.e. no crema!)

2. Too light of tamp/not enough volume. Way too fast of a pull means tons of extraction not taking place.

3. Letting the espresso sit attached to the group head before extraction. Burning the grounds does not taste good!

Sadly, it is usually the fourth "m" that causes bad coffee in Louisville.

The Best Coffee In Boston... that I have personally tasted anyway.

The greater Boston area has a great selection of independent coffee shops. Here are the best ones I visited.

Barismo. Walk into this Arlington shop and you won't find a lot of peripherals, whether it be chocolate, blenders, or even table & chairs. The focus is solely on the coffee, which is roasted exclusively in small batches on the premises. The crew shared a traditional cap, a siphon, and a pour-over, all which were delicious. This shop far exceeded my expectations and ranks among one of my favorite coffee experiences.

Diesel Cafe. Davis Square has become the "it" place in Somerville, MA and this ultra-mod coffee shop fits seamlessly into this post-Bohemian community. Diesel, which has the largest floor I have ever seen in a shop, serves Intelligentsia, and faithfully follows the Chicago style.

Epresso Royale. Official winners of the Most Pretentious Baristas Ever Award (MPBEA). However, they serve Barismo's Sonato 3 espresso- which is quite delicious in an iced latte.

Crema Cafe. Only a block from Harvard University, this shop is a fitting counterpart to its prestigious Ivy League neighbor. Both times I came here my cappuccino was too wet but was still a tasty, pleasant beverage, largely due to beans from acclaimed local roaster, Terroir. It's hard to find a table that isn't occupied, usually by students with a misplaced air of superiority.

High Rise Bakery. This Cambridge shop is just as serious about coffee as they are about their freshly baked bread products. Unfortunately I got there after they ran out of gluten-free pastries.

Blowin' up Beantown

For the last four days I have been in Boston/Cambirdge, MA with my roommate Matt and my little brother David. Here is the abridge, non-chronological list of things we have done:

Coffee: Barismo, Cafe Crema, Diesel Cafe, High-Rise, Espresso Royale, and Flour (which had some delish gluten free options)

Campuses: Harvard, MIT, Boston University

Pubs: The Burren, The Druid,

Shops: The Coop, Urban Outfitters, American Apparel

Churches: Christ the King (Redeemer Pres. church plant), Hope Fellowship (where we have been sleeping in the balcony)

Oh, throw in Fenway for a Red Sox game (they won!), the Museum of Fine Arts, Quincy Market, the Harbor, and an absurd amount of sight-seeing.

Pictures and legitimate commentary coming soon.

Extraction

I drink a lot of coffee. I talk a lot about coffee. And the fact that I used to work in an independent coffee shop gives me some cred among the caffeinated proletariat, but my more informed aficionado friends are not as easily impressed- for good reason. I'm mostly talk. Name drop James Hoffmann or mention how natural process is overrated, insert appropriate nods and sighs during responding banter, and its easy to find acceptance among the aspiring elitists at your local pseudo-Bohemian cafe.

That being said, I do want to learn more about coffee.

Yesterday was my first day on bar at Java Brewing Company and it was a very informative experience. Most of the shift was spent pulling shots, which resulted in a lot of espresso to sip/slurp. I knew that espresso is a finicky beverage, but it wasn't until I started tasting my under/over extracted shots that I realized how critical each step of the process actually is. The fruit flavors I discovered in the properly pulled shots were painfully absent in the failed attempts. It is amazing how three plus/minus seconds of extraction can have such a profound impact on the taste.

As part of my training, I am now reading The Professional Barista Handbook by Scott Rao, which so far as shown to be a very helpful little book. It's fairly technical but still accessible. Should be a fun read.

Also, my coworker Sarah just started a collaborative barista blog. Check it out!