The past week was an emotional roller coaster for me: a guy I am digging made an unexpected return to DC, a childhood friend came to visit me for an afternoon, I went to NYC for a conference, and I caught a terrible cold that made me light-headed and heavily congested. I am just now getting my bearings back, just in time for the weekend. Perfect. I don’t have any formal coffee reviews, but I do have some coffee tidbits to share, below the fold (of course).

Coffee Tasting at Counter Culture Coffee
Every Friday morning at 10 something magical happens, and it is free. Counter Culture Coffee, suppliers to local hot spots Tryst, Big Bear, and the now defunct Murky Coffee in Capitol Hill (for TNG reviews of Big Bear and Murky go here), hosts a coffee tasting at its training center in Adams Morgan, located above Design Within Reach on Columbia Road. As a participant, you get a tour de coffee using all of your senses from smelling the fresh grounds to slurping the brewed nectar.

How it works: Three unlabeled coffees are prepared for the tasting (or “cupping” as it also known). Each participant gets a chance to evaluate the aroma of the grounds and the brew, the acidity, the body, the flavor, and the aftertaste. It is a pretty intimate process as you get to spend one on one quality time with each coffee. Once everyone is finished, the group convenes and discusses each. The moderator provides more information about each coffee, its origin, and the reasons behind the taste. It is unpretentious, educational, and delicious. Let me remind you again that it is free. If you find yourself “working from home” (nudge nudge, wink wink) or a grad student in need of a jolt before studying, this is quite a unique way to quick start your system on a Friday morning. Notes about the coffees are then posted on Counter Culture’s coffee cupping website. 1836 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009
NYC Postcard
While in NYC, and before I became ill, I had the chance to check out the Roasting Plant (pictured above). This little shop in the Lower East Side roasts its own beans in the window for the world to see. Once roasted, the beans are then transported through transparent tubes that lead to transparent coffee bins. When you place your order, the beans are then vacuumed away from their bins, over your head through more transparent tubes, and into the coffee machine at the front counter. It is all very Willy Wonka-like and hard to explain, which is why you should go if you happen to find yourself in the city up north. For other pictures, look here. 81 Orchard St. New York, NY 10002
and finally:
Starbucks and Clover, Over and Over
It was bound to happen.

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