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Austin Coffee

By On May 3, 2016 In locations With No Comments Permanent Link to Austin CoffeePermalink

A quick weekend trip to Austin, TX lead us to a few nice coffee shops. We have never visited Austin before, so I thought it would benefit us to reach out to a few Twitter people as well as our flight neighbor who turned out to be a local foodie.

All recommendations sent us to Patika and Houndstooth Coffee. Neither disappointed.

Patika was our first stop and it was wonderful. The interior was clean and bright, and the smell of freshly made pastries filled the air. We ordered and made our way to a nice outdoor patio where we enjoyed our breakfast and great coffee.

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Our second morning sent us to Houndstooth Coffee. It was a little later in the day and the crowd was buzzing. Both places served wine and beer respectively and although we were only there for coffee, the afternoon pints of beer looked really good. I also really appreciate the shop motto. “THE PATTERN OF COFFEE AND PEOPLE”.

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Two great coffee spots that I would love to visit a second time. Hope to see you again, Austin.

National Cold Brew Day

By On April 20, 2016 In coffee With No Comments Permanent Link to National Cold Brew DayPermalink

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Happy National Cold Brew Day!

5 Morning Coffee Mistakes

By On March 15, 2016 In coffee With No Comments Permanent Link to 5 Morning Coffee MistakesPermalink

Excellent article from Michael Phillips at Blue Bottle on the 5 mistakes we make while brewing coffee at home. The anticipation of brewing coffee gets me excited every morning. It’s my own quiet zen-like moment before I get my day started, and it gives me something great to drink and savor once I’m done.

I’ve personally made my way through all these slowly, and I try to get better everyday. One I never miss though is #5, “all you need is love”.

https://bluebottlecoffee.com/frequency/coffee-brewing-tips

A Visit to Verve Coffee Roasters – Santa Cruz, CA

By On February 20, 2016 In locations With No Comments Permanent Link to A Visit to Verve Coffee Roasters – Santa Cruz, CAPermalink

A trip to Santa Cruz always means a visit to Verve Coffee Roasters. The atmosphere is wonderful – fun lighting with rustic wood paneling, open look at an awesome coffee bar, and some killer espresso machines make it a joy to be in.

A simplified menu helps make decisions and we always love the relaxed Santa Cruz vibe. Nitro Cold Brew is on tap (highly recommended) and I don’t know where else you can get a delicious Whiskey Latte (no seriously, where else can I get one? They are so delicious.).

The Seabright location is another neat spot in an industrial warehouse area a bit closer to the beach, but we tend to prefer the location Downtown. Either way, this place is a mandatory stop when in the area.

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Pictures by Tyler Naumann.

Blue Bottle Subscription

By On January 20, 2016 In Uncategorized With No Comments Permanent Link to Blue Bottle SubscriptionPermalink

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For a while now, I have enjoyed trying new coffee beans from a selection of shops that I have grown to love, be it Blue Bottle, Verve, Stumptown, Intelligentsia, or any other favorites. Timing was always an issue to make sure I didn’t run out before an order came in, but it was worth it to get to try a variety of different beans from different regions. I rarely wanted to get the same bean twice, even if I found something delicious. The sense of discovery has always been part of my fascination with coffee.

The common issue with the different subscription models around was committing to one specific bean. Sure, I would gain the convenience of never having to remember to order, but I would completely miss out on the variety and discovery. This was a no go…until now.

I finally found the subscription model I’ve been looking for at Blue Bottle.

The simple fact of selecting a overall category of bean and then receiving a constantly changing surprise every few weeks was the game changer. An added plus was I have the ability to set my subscription to a bi-weekly delivery of a half bag (6oz) of coffee, keeping my pantry full of extremely fresh coffee. Finally, if I ever wanted to mix it up and grab a bag somewhere else I can pause my subscription with no hassles.

With the Blue Bottle subscription, there is always a wonderful surprise in a box delivered to my doorstep with new tasting notes and a story behind the coffee. This is where I was won over and I can’t wait for my next delivery!

Japan Brewers Cup Aeropress Winner

By On November 24, 2015 In recipes With No Comments Permanent Link to Japan Brewers Cup Aeropress WinnerPermalink

I always enjoy seeing the little differences between Aeropress competition winners. I need to give the Japan Brewers Cup winning recipe a try.

  • Inverted AeroPress
  • 30 grams of beans (coarse grind)
  • 120 grams of water (at 81 degrees Celsius)
  • Stir for 10 seconds
  • Set the filter (paper) and set the AeroPress on the pourer
  • Wait 40 seconds
  • Press for 20 seconds
  • Add 110 grams of water (or whatever best fits your preference)

http://sprudge.com/aeropress-recipe-won-japan-brewers-cup-87979.html

Perfecting Your Pourover

By On October 30, 2015 In Uncategorized With No Comments Permanent Link to Perfecting Your PouroverPermalink

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Image from stumptowncoffee.com

Another brilliant guide from Stumptown Coffee. As a Chemex user, I always appreciate reading about how I can make each cup better and better.

How to Perfect Your Pour Over

An Interview with the Aeropress

By On June 9, 2015 In coffee With No Comments Permanent Link to An Interview with the AeropressPermalink

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A fantastic interview with Alan Alder, the inventor of the AeroPress. I use one on a daily basis and love this device to death.

The Invention of the Perfect Cup of Coffee

An Inside Look

By On April 13, 2015 In coffee With No Comments Permanent Link to An Inside LookPermalink

A really interesting essay written by shop manager Blair Smith about her time at the U.S. Coffee Championships for the U.S. Brewer’s Cup. It sounds like the journey is much more important than the results.

I’ve thrown all I’ve known out the window and retraced my steps over and over trying to get the best results for my brew method. I have revisited recipes, playing with different techniques, and have all cupped all sorts of coffees. The biggest thrill for me is wrapping my head around the privilege that I’m even able to experience these coffees.

Brewing the Perfect Cup by Life & Thyme

Filter Facts from Stumptown

By On March 20, 2015 In coffee With No Comments Permanent Link to Filter Facts from StumptownPermalink

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Always looking to provide a helpful hand to those looking to perfect brewing coffee at home, Stumptown Coffee has put out a great article experimenting with each type of common filter.

Read it all at http://stumptowncoffee.com/facts-coffee-filters/ and consider the knowledge to be dropped.

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