Coffee Tour: Week 2
It's not the heat, its the humidity.
REFLECTIONS FROM A COFFEE TOUR
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Day 7 cont.: Alice Good is the newest coffee offering in Verona, WI. There is a lot of white paint and blonde wood, yet it feels warm and inviting. We order a drip Palma and a dirty chai latte to stay. The Palma is their “fruit blend” and roasted medium-light.
The front porch is the best spot for two sweaty adults* and a dog. We sip and sit and sip and sit as if we are extras on set of Gone With the Wind. Palma has tasting notes of: mango, caramel, and floral notes.
*We rode our bicycles and it was 90 degrees…in the shade.
Day 8 & 9: Long Coffee in Sherwood, WI, is a true home roaster—technically, a garage roaster. Mr. Long got his start roasting in a popcorn machine. After dialing in that d.i.y system over several years, he was ready to expand his operations. Long recently moved up to the Behmor 1LB sample roaster and, subsequently, has blown his own mind.
I sampled both Peru and El Salvador medium to medium-dark roasts as a drip and an espresso. Over coffee, we talked about empire building. I’m expecting big things.
Day 10: It was a big day…Madison, WI
Cafe Domestique (Willy St., Madison, WI): They don’t roast, but they do serve the best of the best. Behind the bar, Tara (who is only playing barista right now) pulled me a single shot espresso Positive Pressure blend of beans from Little Waves Coffee Roasters (Durham, NC). The vibe was simple, clean, and competent. It was bikes, coffee, and sincerity. I left filled with optimism for the day, both from the coffee and the conversation. Tasting notes of: Nutella, Madagascar vanilla, and cherry.
Cafe Domestique (North St., Madison, WI): The bike ride over was only a mile, and after experiencing the Willy St. store, I figured it was worth a shot. The space is quite lovely inside and outside. The rejuvenated corner building collaboration concept hosts Young Blood Beer Co. and Bloom Bake Shop in addition to the cafe.
The entire space has been design, but not over-designed. It is a fine line. The best way to explain it is to say it has clean lines, photo-ready backdrops, natural lighting, and a clear appreciation for crafted visuals…but without being douch-y about it.
Jacob (the owner, I believe) was behind the bar. I ordered my standard drip, which was the Super Things Power Button (Austin, TX). This was unquestionably the best drip coffee I’ve drunk on the trip so far. I’ve been thinking about it all day. Tasting notes of: Chocolate & Almond Amperage, High Floral & Stonefruit Voltage.
Reverie Baking Co. (also the home of Kin-Kin micro coffee roasters) is a new spot from the minds behind a Madison favorite, Johnson Public House. The brick building doesn’t yet (maybe not ever) have a sign. Inside, it is worn–seemingly legitimately, despite being new. The tables, the counters, the chairs, they all feel solid, lived in, like well-cared-for farm equipment.
I order an espresso from Gavin. He pulls a “low-pressure” shot of the house Weirdland blend, which is served with a side of Topo Chico seltzer. I drink it while rubbernecking* through the French doors that separate Kin Kin from the service space. Tasting notes: Fruit and caramel.
Broken Board Coffee is a small coffee bar housed inside Focus Boardshop, a skate and snowboard shop found in the retail center of Madison’s east side. I went because every person I asked this morning recommended it and mentioned their espresso lemonade.
Espresso lemonade? Umm…what? You’ve broken my brain.
I also went because I used to shop at Focus when I lived in Madison. The owner, John Dobbe, is a kindly gent who I happened to go high school with. The years have been kind to John. He looks the same. I do not.
Regardless, the espresso lemonade lived up to the billing. It was confusing to both my tongue and brain at first. The lemonade would hit first and the espresso second. It was refreshing and bold. I suggest giving it a try. Follow their @brokenboardcoffee Instagram, where they feature some of their great design. The espresso shot was from Wonderstate (Viroqua, WI), but I forgot to catch the roast.
“Generally, any act of observation in a manner considered unduly overt or otherwise unseemly.” - Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
Other notes about Wisconsin:
If you want to be inspired to move to Madison, head down to the Willy/Jennifer St. neighborhood during the summertime, and go for a bike ride. If you don’t have a bike, you can rent an e-bike from B-Cycle. It’s just a cool vibe.
Madison does beer, coffee, and drinking establishments as well as anyone….and cheese better.
Even in the middle of an unusual drought, the countryside is fairly green with rolling hills and an idyllic, pastoral appearance.
Humidity is real. It is 85 degrees, and it is NOT a dry heat.
R!WC UPDATE:
Check out the newest pod:
REFLECTIONS FROM A COFFEE TOUR
A huge, on-going thank you to this show’s industry partners. Click these links!
Roastar • Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Steady State Roasting • Mostra Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee Company • Ignite Coffee Company • Ascend Coffee Roasters • Marea Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Roasters • Hacea Coffee Source • Crossings Coffee • Acento Coffee Roasters
