Starbucks: 40 years

40 years in the Industry.
Had to post props to original Pike Place location in Seattle.
Birth of making coffee sexy, and without the mass appeal of *BUX maybe we wouldn't have the push for quality beans around the world...

What are your thoughts?
How did you celebrate 40 years in the business?
Did you go and try their Tribute blend?
(sheepishly I have - and it's not bad, it's just not my preference to have such dark, earthy tones.)

Wrap Up; LIT college 1st Anni

A great crowd of regulars, fans, friends and Family of LIT Espresso Bar came out in full force on Saturday night to celebrate the first year of business.

NY: Blue Bottle Coffee (Brooklyn)

Address: 160 Berry St
Neighbourhood: Williamsburg
Borough: Brooklyn, New York
Tel: (718) 534-5488 bluebottlecoffee.net‎
@bluebottlenyc


This West coast transplant found itself a new home in the depths of Williamsburg, nestling into a brick-based factory style loft on a seemingly ordinary residential street.  Blue Bottle has been a staple of the Bay area scene since 2002, taking it's simple desire of providing freshly roasted coffee to their neighbourhoods. Not far off from their quest to bring their knowledge to the East Coast almost a decade later. Can this transplant survive in cutthroat NYC?

Method: Siphon

Spotted: LIT Espresso Bar (College Street Location)
Address: 810 College Street

Having just celebrated their first birthday at the 810 College Street location, it seemed like forever, since I was here last. The truth is: I hadn't ventured to this location during store hours....

When they decided to open up later - until 8pm, now that Spring is upon us. har har har!

I needed to make a trek down to the College location for some Hairbender... as I'd been craving for that syrupy sweetness from Stumptown. I know, go local, but there's something about Stumptown that I was craving.

LIT recently tweaked their water pressure system to create a more consistent process, but Nicole managed to convince me to try Siphon over Chemex...

The Only Cafe

The Only Cafe
Address: 972 Danforth Ave
Neighbourhood: the Danforth
Website; Tel: 416-463-7843

Shining some light for the East end. Many seem to think that beyond the Danforth there is a nothing; slightly true, but there is a love for these local establishments. Seeing as we just did the BWV, we had to represent the other side of the Bloor-Danforth line. Hopping off at Donlands Station, it reminded me of my time in Boston, Mass.

V60; Grumpy Honduras

Surprise, surprise Toronto. SNOW!

No grumpiness here, just exctasy with this mornings brew. The start of the new season of roasting has gone off amazingly well, and most cafe have been brewing some incredible SO and Blends. This can only mean that everyone is benefitting from the source of these beans, acquiring knowledge through craftmanship.

We so easily forget who roasted, or where the source of the beans are located, or most importantly the farmers that work hard all-year round. Their craft of cultivating amazing beans by pouring blood, sweat and soil into highlighting the best quality that they can obtain from the fruit.

As we've now hit spring, this is a Thank You tribute to all farmers - not just coffee farmers.

Coffee: Lo Mejor de San Vicente ( Pena Blanca, Santa Barbara region), Honduras
Varietals: Pacas + Bourbon
Producer: Santos Alexi. Flor de la pena + moreno
Roaster: Cafe Grumpy (Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NYC)

Roasters note: fruited and sweet with hibscus, ripe red grapefruit and honey

Method: Hario V60 Pour over


Verdict: Sweetness, sweetness, sweetness. clean honey tones with a ringing bright sweet lime-like finish.
Nostrils: strong-tea


Overall: this microlot is definitely lush! Sweetness from the first sip, gets even better as the fresh brewed coffee starts to cool. The sweet, fully ripe ruby grapefruit starts to shine, and the pleasent after-taste lingers just enough that you wish you brewed a big quantity.

But with amazing crops this year, the talks of coffee prices on the rise may be generating a divide between great coffee, and creating a larger gap from the "bad, unwanted" coffee. What are your thoughts?

LIT College: Birthday Celebration

It seems like March has been quite the month for Birthday Celebrations.

LIT on College had their official birthday a couple of weeks ago, but you know how those crazy kids have busy lives... they just need to celebrate it on a different day.

Saturday, March 26th - 7pm

810 College Street (close to Ossington)
STUMPTOWN will be providing some wicked coffee, and maybe candle light celebrations with EARTH day?

 Too bad I missed out on the Ethiopian Yirgacheffe Adado....