Archives for February 2013

How Intelligentsia Coffee Changed My Life

February 25, 2013 By Michael 2 Comments

An Accidental Coffee Drinker

I started drinking coffee by accident. At the time I was working at a coffee shop in my hometown between semesters in college. I had no interest in coffee but enjoyed the free smoothies. In retrospect, I’m appalled to think about how bad of a barista I must have been. One day after cranking out a slew of drinks for an unexpected afternoon slam, I discovered that I made an extra iced mocha by mistake. I figured, “What the heck? Why not?”, and proceeded to add two extra pumps of chocolate sauce before taking my first sip. I was pleased to discover that it tasted just like chocolate milk.

…

Barista Interview: John Letoto of Blacksmith Coffee, Houston, TX

February 11, 2013 By Darren 6 Comments

After we got the chance to experience what Dave Buehrer is doing in Houston, we were anxious to get down to the newest Greenway Coffee store front, Blacksmith. John Letoto, one of Louisville’s most seasoned coffee veterans and a personal friend to Michael and I, moved down to join the Blacksmith team Jan 16, 2013 – five days before the shop’s soft opening. While we were happy John moved onto Greener pastures (pun intended), we had to get a Q&A with the man that left such a powerful wake in his Louisville coffee path. With all the hype that Blacksmith has been getting, we also wanted to get the low-down on an amazing new shop from the unique perspective John provides. Without further ado:

You relocated 958 miles to work for Blacksmith. Why?

958 miles, eh? Hello, Google Mapper. Hard as it may be to believe, that’s only a quarter of the distance — give or take a large body of water and several States — I covered when I moved to Louisville back in 2003. I spent ten years and two days as a Kentuckiana resident, and, in retrospect, I think it’s pretty easy for me to see some of the bigger reasons for leaving. First, I wanted to really explore what I could do in the coffee community. I’m extremely grateful for the time I spent as a barista and roaster at Quills Coffee, and I’m proud of what we accomplished during my two years there, but in the end I felt an almost overwhelming itch to get out and explore the coffee world beyond the borders of the Midwest. Second, I wanted to …

Cafe Review: Four Barrel Coffee in San Francisco

February 4, 2013 By Michael 4 Comments

Photo by Eric Wolfinger

Mark Twain supposedly quipped “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.” It’s debated whether he actually said it, but one thing is certain: if Mr. Clemens had visited San Francisco today he would have found a great cup of coffee to warm him up. In a city teeming with great cafes, Four Barrel Coffee is one of our favorites.

…