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Joe Riley

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hhhmmm ...just 3 coffee houses/cafes? no restaurants serve quality espresso? for a city of this scale i would assume so many more...is DC starbuckized? yuck! :mellow:

I wonder how much is a result of low interest in an espresso after a meal. Most places seem to put little effort into the regular coffee service so I cannot see them putting the extra effort or money into espresso.

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hhhmmm ...just 3 coffee houses/cafes? no restaurants serve quality espresso? for a city of this scale i would assume so many more...is DC starbuckized? yuck! :mellow:

In my experience, most restaurants don't place an extreme amount of emphasis on their coffee programs. There are exceptions though. Restaurant Eve uses a local roaster (Caffe Pronto) and like everything else they do, they do coffee well.

Our coffee is served at Oyamel. If you get a chance to try it there, let me know what you think!

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In my experience, most restaurants don't place an extreme amount of emphasis on their coffee programs. There are exceptions though. Restaurant Eve uses a local roaster (Caffe Pronto) and like everything else they do, they do coffee well.

Our coffee is served at Oyamel. If you get a chance to try it there, let me know what you think!

That and patience is needed to make a good cup of coffee, which by the end of the meal, most people don't have. The Hario siphon that Nick mentioned takes awhile to heat up and then another small while for the coffee to siphon down because of simmering time.

Most people just want to drink and chat, so sometimes I think half the time they don't or aren't enjoying their coffee. That or trying to sober up after drinking one too many glasses of wine.

The last time I had a french press at my table was at Carole Greenwood's old restaurant *several* years ago, and that was a pleasant coffee experience.

Nick, if you're reading: 1) When is Aaron in? I would really *love* to relish on a good Hario made cup of brew and 2) when you are you at the Arlington location because the last couple of lattes I've had, the espresso tasted reaalllllllly bad. Had bad stomach pains after. :mellow: Cupping and chatting with you would be nice.

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And, since they're open all afternoon, it's a great mid-afternoon stop if you work in the area.

Marcel's, of course, does french press as well.

We're planning on doing French Press coffee service at Eventide. We plan to feature two choices(and decaf, of course): a traditional, darker roast and a specialty estate coffee with more of a lighter roast. Both are likely to be from Central America. All of our coffee will be organic and fair trade.

Now if we could just get ourselves open... :mellow:

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I would like to revisit this topic. What restaurants in the DC Metropolitan / Baltimore / Annapolis area are serving specialty coffee and doing a good job of it? I am most interested in Espresso Service or French Press Service.

Also, any comments on the specialty coffee service at these establishments?

— Woodberry Kitchen

— Oyamel

— Restaurant Eve

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I would like to revisit this topic. What restaurants in the DC Metropolitan / Baltimore / Annapolis area are serving specialty coffee and doing a good job of it? I am most interested in Espresso Service or French Press Service.

Also, any comments on the specialty coffee service at these establishments?

— Woodberry Kitchen

— Oyamel

— Restaurant Eve

I love the French Press at Brasserie Beck. When I worked near there, I would slip over mid-afternoon on a particularly bad day and have a pot.

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I would like to revisit this topic. What restaurants in the DC Metropolitan / Baltimore / Annapolis area are serving specialty coffee and doing a good job of it? I am most interested in Espresso Service or French Press Service.

Also, any comments on the specialty coffee service at these establishments?

— Woodberry Kitchen

— Oyamel

— Restaurant Eve

I haven't eaten at Restaurant Eve, but Woodberry Kitchen does a spectacular job with both French Press and espresso. During service, there is a barista that prepares all of the coffee. Most restaurants relegate coffee preparation to the already over-burdened waitstaff. Spike Gjerde, the owner, used to run Artifact Coffee which, for its too-brief existence, was the best coffee shop in Baltimore. Sadly, it had to be sacrificed so he could open Woodberry Kitchen.

It's been a while since I ate at Oyamel, but the last drip coffee I had there was very good.

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A question to all of the dc area coffee drinkers out there.

I came across on the U-street corridor Prince of Petworth blog (which is a great go-to for news/events/eats in and around Petworth area) an advert for Fresh Off the Roast coffee roasters.

FOR coffee is a local coffee roaster where on their web site you can order numbers of roasts and bean types all roasted here in DC and picked up in three location across the area.

From the FOR web site the next roast is the 17th and will include:

Ethiopia Yirgacheffe

Honduras COSAGUAL

Ethiopia Harrar Ayinage

Mexico La Selva

ESPRESSO Brazil Blend

DECAF Costa Rica

DECAF Mexico

--All $13 per pound.

This roaster sounds very intriguing on paper but I have no idea what the end product actually is? Anyone out there try this roaster before? Experiences, opinions? Is the coffee/espresso actually good? I have done some google searching but have not found any good intel into this roaster, as of yet.

I love me some good coffee and espresso. My favorite roaster, available locally, is from Counter Culture roasters- Murky, Tryst, Open City use their beans.

.hobbes

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Has anyone gone to the CounterCulture Friday cupping? Thinking about dropping in tomorrow..

I haven't been to one of their Friday cuppings, but I've been there a number of times for various events. It's a fantastic way to try new coffees with other folks who are very passionate about great coffee. The advantage of cupping with other enthusiasts is that other people can help you to put a name to certain tastes that sometimes almost defy description.

Plus, the social aspect of it can't be denied.

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I've been to a few cuppings at Counter Culture. They're low-key, unpretentious, informative and social. Each time we cupped three different single-origin coffees, made private notes, then discussed the aroma, fragrance and flavors and other characteristics. Afterwards, Alex Brown of CC revealed the origin and coffee. All of the coffees were verrrry good. I especially recall a great Kenya Thunguri. (Wishing I had some now). It's a pleasure to attend the cuppings and take the time to… consider coffee and the how and why it can be so sublime and elevating - in a more than caffeinated way. It's good to learn about coffee and consider its origins and history. Counter Culture has a solid reputation for direct trade and better-than fair trade practices. The cuppings are not merely an public education and marketing effort. It's a time for all CC staff to take a break from their work to appreciate and learn more about their ever-changing product. There are extensive cupping notes posted regularly on the Counter Culture web site. I'm not affiliated with CC. I'm a fan. I hope you will attend and post about it. Caffé Pronto in Annapolis also hosts cuppings every Friday at 2:00 pm at their Festival at Riva location. I'm also a fan of Caffé Pronto.

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Just read @DCDining's 21 Jan upgrade of Northside Social. Good stuff there beyond the coffee and espresso that is a worthy successor to Murky's. The best thing about inside is that it isn't grungy and grimy like Murky and Common Grounds were. Still I think DR's on point with it being a bit cold.

Where I take issue is with what appears to be an alarming lack of culinary understanding of coffee. I find this astonishing, but there it was, plain as day. DR asserts that you need "professional equipment" to make good coffee and that Counter Culture beans are "under-roasted." (I cannot believe Nick would let you get away with that!) I will limit my discussion to coffee vs espresso--pressure is generally relevant only for espresso, and there are many, many reasons why home espresso is often not up to par.

In coffee circles a common lament is that people who will pay top dollar and expect high quality food, wine, sprits and beer, yet they treat coffee like an afterthought. Ordering coffee after dinner or with brunch is just pro forma. I recall how Eve used to (still?) make press-pot coffee with what I'm sure were pre-ground beans. What is the point?!

I actually agree with Don that Counter Culture beans are acidic - much like Starbucks roasts nowadays. I have stopped drinking Counter Culture for the most part because my stomach reacts poorly to its brew, sadly. But I think it's okay to state his opinion, since surely, I cannot imagine you or I drinking the same things all the time. Truth be told, I feel like a few coffeehouses are straying away from Counter Culture altogether - like Baked & Wired, actually. Part of their reason is to give other artisan roasters a chance to showcase their products, but also, because after speaking to a barista there, they shared the same thought - the CC product has morphed from the original.

Also, professional equipment does not always equate to a $10,000 piece of machinery like the Clover; however, I do feel professional equipment, like the Hario line of brewing methods, does make a difference. As does temperature, grind, storage of beans. But I find that my Melitta plastic cone brewer ($2 goodwill) does pale from my last pourover through a professional $28-36 Hario glass cone brewer.

So, don't take issue - just enjoy your difference in opinion. Mine has allowed me to discover new roasters such as Beanetics (light roast - does fine in a pinch), Stumptown, Julius Meinl, Alterra, a new roaster that B&W carries I cannot remember the name of, etc...

It also has made me want to roast my own beans and led me to finding the Sweet Maria website.

So, please don't be stuck in the CC world, much like the $4 Starbucks crowd...

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I actually agree with Don that Counter Culture beans are acidic - much like Starbucks roasts nowadays. I have stopped drinking Counter Culture for the most part because my stomach reacts poorly to its brew, sadly. But I think it's okay to state his opinion, since surely, I cannot imagine you or I drinking the same things all the time. Truth be told, I feel like a few coffeehouses are straying away from Counter Culture altogether - like Baked & Wired, actually. Part of their reason is to give other artisan roasters a chance to showcase their products, but also, because after speaking to a barista there, they shared the same thought - the CC product has morphed from the original.

<snip>

So, please don't be stuck in the CC world, much like the $4 Starbucks crowd...

Wow--lots of coffee-related topics on the different boards. A Good Thing. I'm with you (for the most part) on the Counter Culture view. Though the qualifier is just because CC roasts a very wide variety of beans and no two roasts are exactly alike. I sometimes find some CC brews are better/less acidic than others. We have some very top tier coffee houses in DC that are exclusive to CC. Peregrine (Cap Hill and 14th St NW) comes to mind and one of their baristas is headed to the US National Championships soon as detailed here. I was in Cowgirl Creamery downtown this week and they too have a small espresso bar exclusive to Counter Culture.

At the same time, lots of other coffee houses are using a growing number of different roasters' products. One I recently discovered and really like is a Grand Rapids roaster called MadCap. Info on them here but, until they open up here in DC, you can buy the beans at Dolcezza locations in Dupont, Georgetown or Bethesda. Another local roaster I really like is Ceremony. They're Annapolis based and they are what is served at Restaurant Eve. Can also buy their beans at Society Fair now in Old Town. Ritual and PT are two other small roasters getting more shelf space around town. FWIW

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I'm a primitive coffee drinker- to me, caffeine is just another drug I can ingest in the morning after my medically prescribed ones. The darkest roast Millstone beans, ground every other day, w/ a splash of 1% milk & 1/2 packet of equal- I have a Capresso grinder & coffee machine. I hated the smell & taste of coffee up until I was around 30, it was only after my first child was born that I could appreciate the benefits of a pot or two (especially the first year)....

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@thistle, Most everyone starts their culinary journey at such a place, whether its steaks, wine, beer, scotch, or even coffee. It's never too late to try something new. But then everyone has their preferences and limits.

@darkstar965, Thank you. "I feel your pain..." Already thought of your idea, yet here I am not doing it...

@goodeats, I don't know why you would say "don't be stuck in the CC world..."

Counter Culture sources, selects, and roasts wonderful coffees that cover a wide array of favors. To say CC is "acidic" (your word Goodeats, not DR's) or "light" or "dark" is to say that you have not experienced many of them. I personally do not like Kenyan coffees, which i find acidic. It doesn't matter if they are from CC, Blue Bottle, or Starbucks. CC has done much to improve the coffee experience for consumers, and much to improve the economic situation for growers. Have you noticed that coffee comes from places most people don't have on their vacation list: Columbia, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Kenya, Indonesia… Sometimes these are considered dangerous places. CC and their sister companies in the quality coffee movement work directly with farmers to bring quality beans to US markets at fair prices.

Some would argue that the Folgers, Giant, etc. brand coffees (which generally consist of low quality robusta variety beans, and low grade arabica beans) are a form of economic exploitation. (I'm not necessarily arguing this, just pointing it out) The market system that commoditizes such coffee means very low wages for those producing them. This market is concerned mainly with quantity and price, not flavor and quality. The concept of a commodity is that its all the same anyway. And what a waste to "freeze dry" quality coffee beans anyway!

I know well exceptional and good coffee producers such as Blue Bottle (which I visited in Oakland and Brooklyn), Intelligentsia (which I first sampled in about 2000), Stumptown, Novo (Colorado), even Proto and M.E. Swings (local), and MadCap (now available at Baked and Wired, DC's secret location for fantastic coffee/espresso). I've tended to favor CC because in the past they were "more local" than the other craft producers -- on the East Coast, and so the beans travel less distance than from Chicago, Oakland, or Portland. Though NY roasteries from BB and Stumptown have changed that up a bit.

I would also say that Starbucks has some good coffee. If you cannot believe this, find a location with a Clover and have one of the Gold Reserve (or something like that) coffees. They are about as good as any I've had from a Clover. Their basic offerings are mostly fair-to-below average. But they best most anywhere else I've had coffee from a chain or diner. SBUX tends to roast dark. That's in part because it covers up flavor defects--darker roasts bring out more smokey flavors, lighter brings out more of the variety and "Terroir". Starbucks is now on the trendy light-roasts, with a line they call "Blonde". I rather like them. Its quite fashionable to bash Starbucks, but they do ok for what they are. Incidentally, they seem to make most of their money (and hence pay most attention) on beverages (and food) other than coffee and espresso. I would be interested in live taste-off of coffees if anyone else is...

I would also note that you cannot buy a $4 "cup of coffee" at Starbucks (unless perhaps its a larger size reserve cup from the Clover, or a venti/gigante, maybe). Anything that much is almost certainly a cup of warm-to-hot milk flavored with coffee/espresso and probably something else: peppermint sugar water, caramel, etc. A 12 oz coffee is about $2-$2.50, no? The economics are very different. SBUX doesn't "make" the milk, they have to truck in by crates, in three different versions. There is nothing inherently wrong with those beverages, but let's call it what it is. One is about water and coffee beans, the other is about a pint of milk.

What i failed to scratch here is the sad (in my opinion) state of coffee service in restaurants that should do so much better. In another thread someone was looking for espresso in a restaurant. Having had and made good espresso, I can't think of a restaurant where I could recommend it (I don't count NSS as a restaurant).

At this point I will thank anyone who has not dozed off doing this much too long post.

Ciao!

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Agree pretty much across the board with jondagle-thanks for the post. Just two additions/clarifications I'd add:

- re: very good/great local roasters such as the Swings and Pronto mentioned, also consider Ceremony. They are Annapolis based, roast some excellent beans well and can be had at Society Fair and other spots around town.

- I'm as excited about Mad Cap as jd clearly-can check the new dedicated mad cap thread for more info. Their coffee can be had not only at Baked & Wired but, also, at Buzz Bakery (Alexandria location soon and Ballston now) and the Dupont and Bethesda locations of Dolcezza.

In the words of John Hodgman, That Is All.

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I came across on the U-street corridor Prince of Petworth blog (which is a great go-to for news/events/eats in and around Petworth area) an advert for Fresh Off the Roast coffee roasters.

This roaster sounds very intriguing on paper but I have no idea what the end product actually is? Anyone out there try this roaster before? Experiences, opinions? Is the coffee/espresso actually good? I have done some google searching but have not found any good intel into this roaster, as of yet.

I really enjoy their roasts, in my mind they are the benchmark local-local (as opposed to, say, Baltimore) roasting operation. You can pick up uber fresh beans and they are very good.

I'm not such a fan of M.E. Swings that others are recently praising.

What i failed to scratch here is the sad (in my opinion) state of coffee service in restaurants that should do so much better. In another thread someone was looking for espresso in a restaurant. Having had and made good espresso, I can't think of a restaurant where I could recommend it (I don't count NSS as a restaurant).

WIthout understanding the business, I can't imagine that a restaurant could devote the space necessary for fine cupping operations. Most coffeehouses seem to depend mostly on take-out business to stay profitable, so that would severely cramp a fine dining establishment's style, IMO.

Also, I am not totally sold that there is consistently great coffee service in even in the best of coffeeshouses. IMO it boils down to the individual barista. I have visited some coffeehouses that have all the right equipment and still I get a sour espresso shot. So it's not like coffeehouses have it all figured out, either. When my fave baristas are not there, I opt for drip coffee or the like.

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@jondagle - I will say that I am highly impressed by CC's dedication to coffee and their training system for purveyors who use their beans. However, we'll just have to agree to disagree (plus, I am put off by the assumptions made regarding my post, including one made tongue-in-cheek).

I do think Peregrine does a nice cup of CC coffees. I also think that many coffeehouses don't clean their equipment enough, which causes excess oils and other contaminants that prevent me from enjoying a fine cuppa.

On a theory: most diners here don't really enjoy coffee like other countries' diners enjoy coffee, which is why I think restaurants don't serve better coffee. I wonder if serving bad coffee clears the tables faster? I've heard comments that ordering coffee at restaurants is like lemmings: they do it because their fellow diners do it, and this means they definitely don't appreciate the coffee, much less learn what country of origin the beans are.

On a cheerier note, for those who are fans of Caffe Amouri's roasts, they are now available for purchase at the Local Market in the City of Falls Church, which is marginally closer than the actual location.

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- I'm as excited about Mad Cap as jd clearly-can check the new dedicated mad cap thread for more info. Their coffee can be had not only at Baked & Wired but,

It doesn't take much to get me going to Baked and Wired, and it doesn't take much to get me chasing after a new coffee, so I went a few days ago, and talked with four different baristas there, none of whom had a clue what I was talking about when I asked about Mad Cap. "Isn't that out of the Midwest somewhere?" "Grand Rapids." "Oh, yeah, I've had that. It's pretty good. We're not carrying it here, though." It also wasn't listed on their blackboards or on their website. Not that the trip was a waste of time or anything, because B&W makes great coffee. But FYI, no Mad Cap.

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It doesn't take much to get me going to Baked and Wired, and it doesn't take much to get me chasing after a new coffee, so I went a few days ago, and talked with four different baristas there, none of whom had a clue what I was talking about when I asked about Mad Cap. "Isn't that out of the Midwest somewhere?" "Grand Rapids." "Oh, yeah, I've had that. It's pretty good. We're not carrying it here, though." It also wasn't listed on their blackboards or on their website. Not that the trip was a waste of time or anything, because B&W makes great coffee. But FYI, no Mad Cap.

Hmm. While I wasn't the one who'd reported MadCap at B&W (upthread; that was jondagle), I should have been more clear I was passing along someone else's recc that had preceded mine.

Anyway, on MadCap (and I have posted this but on other threads), I can only vouch for it being at a few spots from personal experience:

- Dolcezza Bethesda and Dupont (not Georgetown)

- Evening Star, Del Ray (they'll do pour overs tableside at dinner)

- Buzz Bakery Ballston (not Alexandria ); also this is as told to me by the Buzz staff so, unlike those above, I haven't personally tried/seen MadCap at Ballston. My understanding is that Buzz (NRG like Evening Star) will be converting over to MadCap in Alexandria but right now is still serving Illy.

If you track it down and have a choice, ask for the Salvadoran Porvenir. Mmmm.

Actually met Trevor (MadCap's owner) today at Buzz. Great guy with crazy passion and work ethic for great coffee. He confirmed that right now, just the above bulleted spots are serving MadCap with other spots soon to follow. Also, the Porvenir I've enjoyed is being phased out because seasonal but I had a fabulous Burundi today called Gacokwe. Citrusy/orange yet, as with the other MadCap beans smooth and balanced. Looks like this one will be around for summer with some others.

Edited by darkstar965
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A friend brought into work a small bag of the Baltimore Coffee Costa Rican Tarazzu for me to try (I brew from a little Melitta Cone No. 2 at work - not great, but pretty handy).

I have been favoring the South American beans lately because I don't really like the fruitiness of the berries in African beans, and my stomach tends to handle the medium roasts associated with the SA beans.

Anyway, I digress. Brewed at around 203 degrees in a French Press at home, the coffee tasted a little weak, but the flavor profile is nice (a little odd, I think). This was at a semi-course to fine grind, since I don't have a true coffee grinder at home.

At work, the temperature of the water is a tad lower at about 190 degree F, maybe (this is after the "hot water" is microwaved - sad), and the flavor comes out a bit more. Either way, I think I prefer another brand and will keep trying to find a good roaster.

Ironically, for $7.99, one can buy the Trader Joe's "Smooth and Mellow" or "Bolivian" varities and they did pretty well as a morning-pick-me-up type of coffee (as opposed to an "ah, this is a good cup of coffee" coffee).

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Thanks lperry! I just tried cold-brewing last night, per one of the coffee-dedicated blogs. One of the recommended methods tried was:

1. Cold brew using a french press.

2. Brew with cold-ish room temperature water.

3. Grind beans to fine grounds.

4. Seep for 12 hours.

5. Press and strain through filter.

My math was off, so I accidentally pressed down before the 12hrs were up. But it's not bad; only that I didn't extract all the flavors I could have. So, back to the drawing board for me.

On the other hand, I also botched up (it's one of the those days) hot brewing, testing out a batch of the Backroom Roasters (OH) Breakfast blend. BUT even though I botched up, I still got a LOT of flavor from this blend, hitting some fruit notes and smooth body. I am addicted.

If anyone wants to try some of their beans, feel free to PM me and we can meet up. I have this blend, their Biker blend and the Mexican Azuara beans. I don't mind sharing the wealth.

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Counter Culture sources, selects, and roasts wonderful coffees that cover a wide array of favors. To say CC is "acidic" (your word Goodeats, not DR's) or "light" or "dark" is to say that you have not experienced many of them. I personally do not like Kenyan coffees, which i find acidic. It doesn't matter if they are from CC, Blue Bottle, or Starbucks.

It's true that each bean has inherent flavor characteristics, but a roaster does have some influence over the balance. It's possible to enhance the brightness (acidity) of a coffee in the roasting process. In my experience many wholesale specialty roasters tend to do this as it effectively extends the shelf life of the coffee by a couple of weeks. This could be why some people experience CC coffee as being more acidic, in general. A good specialty roaster can bring up the brightness of the coffee without creating any roasting defects, although in my opinion doing so tends to mute some of the complexity and subtly of the coffee. On the other hand, you can tell if a specialty roaster is less experienced because the coffee will take on some astringency when hot and will sour as it cools.

What i failed to scratch here is the sad (in my opinion) state of coffee service in restaurants that should do so much better. In another thread someone was looking for espresso in a restaurant. Having had and made good espresso, I can't think of a restaurant where I could recommend it (I don't count NSS as a restaurant).

There is actually a relatively simple explanation for this. In the vast majority of restaurants, coffee service is handled by the wait staff rather than kitchen crew. They have neither the time nor training to manage proper brewing. I don't see that changing until chefs decide it's important enough to them that the coffee complement the meal or customers start complaining to the staff.

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There is actually a relatively simple explanation for this. In the vast majority of restaurants, coffee service is handled by the wait staff rather than kitchen crew. They have neither the time nor training to manage proper brewing. I don't see that changing until chefs decide it's important enough to them that the coffee complement the meal or customers start complaining to the staff.

When we were at Woodberry Kitchen this past weekend, I was very surprised to learn that they have a dedicated coffee program complete with baristas who only make coffee drinks. They use counter culture but, mindful of Joel's point above, I was just surprised to see the seriousness with which they treated their coffee service.

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Just posted my report from dinner at Woodberry Kitchen here. Just the coffee portion of that review:

I mentioned to our server that I was interested to know what coffee they serve. He answered it was Counter Culture and then asked if I'd be interested to meet the person who "heads the coffee program." Suffice to say, that really piqued my interest. A restaurant with a "coffee program?"

Sure enough, over came Allie, who leads a team of baristas who make all the coffee drinks separate from the regular table service staff. I chatted with her for maybe 15 minutes and she was pretty fab in all respects. Allie really knows coffee, knew all the good spots in DC, the roasters, even from around the country (it's a closeknit community). Though we'd already ordered a large french press of whatever the CC columbian was that they had, I also asked Allie for a cappuccino since I had to put the baristas to the test. Sure enough, it was a technically excellent and delicious cap.

For those especially interested in (very good/great) coffee, there's even more to the story, starring Allie, which I've posted with a new thread here

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This morning:

Equipment: Melitta No. 2 plastic cone + No. 2 TJ's Brown Coffee Cone Filter;

Water: Hot water at about 200 degrees F;

Coffee Bean: Brooklyn Roasting Company's Costa Rica (Reported on its bag are tasting notes: Honeysuckle; Sea Salt; Sugar Cane).

Aroma: Strong

Acidity: Mild

Mouth feel: Smooth

Tasting note: Sweeter than some beans, but I don't taste the sea salt.

Beans purchased at the Foragers Grocer in Chelsea area of NY.

I would buy this again; it's quite similar to some of the Alterra blends I like.

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^ If you have stomach issues with coffee, you may want to try cold-brewing. The resulting coffee has low to no acidic bite at all, but all the coffee flavor is there.

I am in full on cold-brew mode now, probably until the fall. If anyone has recommendations on beans for this I'd love to hear. This week I've been using Intelligensia La Union, which is pretty damn good but also seems kind of like overkill.

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I think a 1 oz. shot of espresso has less caffeine than a 6 to 8 oz. brewed or dripped coffee, but maybe I'm wrong about that.

You're right weinoo, but I wonder if either the espresso shot is more concentrated rather than diluted down with cream and sugar that I react stronger to the espresso? I'm only basing on past experiences.

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Out of beans at home and needing to run an errand to Georgetown anyway, I went into Baked and Wired and came out with a bag of Nzovu beans from Barismo (more info at barismo.com). In the afternoon I brewed some faux French press style and added condensed milk. This morning it was whole milk for cafe au lait. Either way, these are some of the nicest beans I've had in a while. Well, since last time I picked up some Bella Donovan (Blue Bottle) at Grape + Bean, anyway, which I mention because I found both to have a similar taste: rather full and low acidity. Love the fact that the bag has "roasted 19 april" stamped on it; since I've never found a bean I didn't like, when choosing I focus on roast date, which I think (largely) trumps varietal characteristics once milk is added.

Totally failed to notice if Mad Cap was available. Ooops. Guess that means another trip to Baked and Wired soon.

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Doughnut Plant - Chelsea - (multiple locations in NYC). Cheater's review alert: I only smelled the coffee here...Beans are semi-locally-roasted (Jersey City, NJ) by Kobricks Coffee.

Well, I have been brewing Kobricks's Kiss of Africa this week. It is a medium to dark roast of "medium roast Kenya, Ethiopian & Guatemalan coffees topped with a dark roast Indonesian Sulawesi," according to the website.

The coffee is at its best when brewed at a higher temp. I have been messing up my brew temps and beans to water ratio this week, resulting in clean, crisp flavors to really muddy, acrid stuff at the bottom of the cup.

When brewed well, here are the results:

Aroma: Strong dark roast aroma.

Acidity: A bit strong - I definitely feel it when I mess up the brewing. Otherwise, slightly on the high side but not overwhelming.

Mouth feel: Semi-smooth when done right --it's not a breakfast blend smooth. Muddy when messed up.

Tasting note: Strong coffee notes with muddled chocolate flavor.

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Yesterday and this morning's brew was by Bridgeport Coffee Company, a relatively small, local Chicago roaster. They use a fluid bed roaster to roast their beans.

I was not able to visit their retail location, but was lucky to stumble upon their beans ($11.99 for a 1lb bag) in a small nearby market called South Loop Market.

The brew of the day is El Cashal, a bean from a farm in El Salvador. It is a medium roast, with "lemon, honey" notes.

Brewed by French Press yesterday at around 205 degrees and by Melitta cone today at around 200 degrees.

Aroma: Medium strong - definitely pleasant and sweet.

Acidity: Low to medium.

Tasting note: Sweet and somewhat light. Very enjoyable.

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It doesn't take much to get me going to Baked and Wired, and it doesn't take much to get me chasing after a new coffee, so I went a few days ago, and talked with four different baristas there, none of whom had a clue what I was talking about when I asked about Mad Cap. "Isn't that out of the Midwest somewhere?" "Grand Rapids." "Oh, yeah, I've had that. It's pretty good. We're not carrying it here, though." It also wasn't listed on their blackboards or on their website. Not that the trip was a waste of time or anything, because B&W makes great coffee. But FYI, no Mad Cap.

Update: Baked and Wired is now carrying Mad Cap.

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I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. I had a Solis burr grinder for years, which recently "bit the dust." I replaced it with a Rancilio grinder, which set me back a fair amount. But it has made all the difference in the world. It purrs like a Bentley, has very precise grind contol, and produces a magnificent cuppa. We get Peet's coffee on a regular basis via UPS delivery--it arrives a few days after being roasted. Coffee is important enough to us that it is worth the investment in good home equipment. We almost never go to Starbucks or other coffee shops--we make it better at home.

Just re-read a bunch of the posts upthread. Zora, if you see this, curious if you still believe as you did a few years back from the quote above? Given the proliferation of new, quality independents just in the past couple of years?

Update: Baked and Wired is now carrying Mad Cap.

Very cool and thanks for letting us know. I also heard (at Buzz last week) that Mad Cap had found and leased a space in town for its own shop but supposedly isn't yet open to the public for retail service.

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Just re-read a bunch of the posts upthread. Zora, if you see this, curious if you still believe as you did a few years back from the quote above? Given the proliferation of new, quality independents just in the past couple of years?

DS, I have to admit that I rarely go out for coffee, so I have not tried any of the places y'all are talking about. I have a strong cappuccino in the morning at home, and I don't drink coffee for the rest of the day. If I happen to pass one of these places and can find a convenient parking spot. I'll probably try it. But I just don't feel compelled to make a special trip.
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A number of years ago, we "graduated" from filtered drip coffee -- anybody here old enough to remember Chemex pots, from the pre-Mr. Coffee days?--to Bodum press-pot to serious espresso machines (and I don't think the low-end Krups espresso machines are adequate).

This is funny to me, because for the past 3 years I have been trying to wrestle away my mom's Chemex pot that is older than me. I hear it is still a great way to brew coffee. What's old is new again.

Anyone want to discuss home espresso shots? I have a Ms. Sylvia with my Rocky grinder, but lately I haven't found local beans that I'm thrilled to brew.

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