Coffee & More

Coffee & More
Corner of Gay and 3^rd Streets

This small operation features bar seating that allows customers to look out on one of Downtown's more interesting intersections. Forget that "coffee" is part of the name and drop by for a mango lassi made from scratch by the friendly and generous owner.

A Touch of Earth

A Touch of Earth
(in the North Market)
59 Spruce St
Columbus, Ohio 43215

Another pleasant surprise! A Touch of Earth is located in the North Market in the Short North. It offers a variety of local roasters' beans to buy by the pound and has a little coffee bar with stools for sipping your beverage. They offer two blends of espresso for their own drinks; Crimson Cup's Armando's Blend and Cafe Brioso's Milano blend. They also offer two great baristas, Shawn and Joy, who were a lot of fun to talk with while we drank cup after cup of coffee*.

Espresso

Equipment: La Pavoni grinders and a 2-group Brasilia Gradisca espresso machine. This model is unusual in that the group heads are positioned outside of the housing that contains the boiler and temperature controls. Some say this causes the groups to lose heat and negatively affect quality in the cup. As you will see, our experience contradicts any doubts about what this machine can do.

Wow! Another decently pulled shot! The shot began nice and slow, dark and thick, and was pulled directly into a preheated demitasse (with a spoon!). We first had Armando's blend, which is slick and very acidic. Not Bronwyn's favorite, but Damion likes it. Then we found out about the second option and went for the Milano blend. It was smoother, charcoaly, and thick-bodied. Although we asked for a double ristretto, the shot was pulled too long. Both had nice crema, however.

Positives:
Used dry towel for cleaning the portafilter between shots
Ground per shot
Served with saucer and spoon (and chocolate-covered espresso bean)
Dark crema on both espressos
Purged group
Preheated demitasse

Negatives:
Did not give us ristretto shots

Cappuccino

The cappuccino here was pretty good: well-done shots (we had the Milano blend for this one), great foam, yet it was very dry. It was served in a cup with a saucer and spoon, although we had to ask for the proper size and make sure we were all on the same page of what that is (6-8oz). The usually use 12 or 16 ounce cups. While both the espresso and the foam were great, the barista did not free-pour the drink; he simply scooped the foam into the cup from the pitcher. This contributed to an extremely dry cappuccino with non-standard ratios of espresso:milk:foam. It was still delicious though, and the foam made from Snowville Creamery whole milk was robust enough to enjoy with the aforementioned tiny spoon.

Positives:
Uses whole milk as their default
Sturdy melted ice cream foam
Preheated cup

Negatives:
Did not free-pour
Too dry

Drip

The drip coffees are provided in self-serve airpots in front of the espresso machine. Although I got the last 12 ounces of Crimson Cup's Peruvian coffee, it tasted fresh and had the rustic flavor and subdued acidity one wants in a Peru.


*Hopefully you guys don't mind being name-checked. We can always be reached at columbuscoffeereview AT gmail DOT com for any corrections, comments, or concerns!

Yemen

There is a lot of coffee in Columbus but none of it grew here. This is another installment in our continuing series of producer-country profiles intended to get a sense of what a massive undertaking it is to get coffee from there to here.

Yemen's history is closely tied to coffee. Yemenis were the first to popularize coffee, trade coffee, and establish a "coffee culture." Coffee may have evolved in Africa, but coffee as we know it started at the tip of the Arabian peninsula. Located just across the Red Sea from coffee's native Ethiopia, it was a natural launch pad for the small fruit that would become the world's rocket fuel.

Republic of Yemen

Distance from Columbus, Ohio: 7335 miles (11803 km)

Capital: Sanaa (or Sana'a)

Relative Size: Slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming

Major Coffee Growing Regions:
Mattari (from Bani Matar), Hirazi/Harasi (from Haras), Haimi, Saihi, Ismaili, Sharasi, Dhamari from Dhamar), Rimy (from Raimi or Rayma).

Introduced from Ethiopia around the 6th century, full-scale coffee cultivation began in Yemen around the 15th century. The old port of Mocha (or Moka, or Mokka, or Mokha, or...) was formerly a major site of international trade and a point on the route of goods from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean (before the contstruction of the Suez Canal). Mocha became synonymous with coffee, becoming a generic term for the drink early in the beverage's history. Abandoned, it has been replaced by the ports of Adan, Hudaydah, and Mukalla.

Today, the coffee trade in Yemen runs a lot like it has for centuries. People grow it casually at home or on small-holder farms and sell the dry-processed beans through a byzantine system of traders and exporters. Of the small amount of arable land in Yemen (2.91% of Yemeni territory) there are 330,000 coffee farms and an estimated 1,530,000 people working in the coffee industry.

Yemeni coffee is dried on the ground before the bean is removed from the fruit and mucilage that encases the roastable seed (called Dry or Natural processing). This method, along with the terroir of the various growing regions, imparts flavors ranging from winey, wild, and earthy to fruity or acidy. Yemenis who grow coffee are coffee drinkers themselves and may also enjoy a tea-like beverage called qishr made from the dried husks and a mix of spices. A typical day in Yemen may start with coffee, switching later to qishr as the day heats up in the afternoon.

Sources: CIA Factbook, Sweet Maria's, ICO, CoffeeReview.com, Tea & Coffee Trade Journal.

Previously: Brazil

The Bexley Coffee Shop

The Bexley Coffee Shop
492 North Cassady Avenue
Bexley, OH, 43209

The Bexley Coffee Shop has blindsided us with its greatness! Owned by Paulette and Sean Sullivan, it is on the east side of Columbus in Bexley, situated on a relatively uncrowded commercial street next to a UDF. We were surprised and delighted with our coffees, both made quite well.

Espresso

The barista knew what we were talking about when we said we wanted a double short pull! Ordinarily there is a moment in which we explain to the person behind the counter what a ristretto is, but the self-trained owner, Paulette, went right to work. She gave us two beautiful shots that dripped slowly at first, dark brown, the streams thick like cooked spaghetti. Once in the cup, it was syrupy sweet, thick as cream, and tasted like the smell of coffee beans. It also had a great crema that stuck around for a long time. This is the way espresso should be.

Machine: Rancilio 2-group espresso machine (and Rancilio grinders)
Beans: Chief Cooker

Positives:
Barista knew what a short pull is, and even called it a "ristretto," it's correct name.
Used dry towel to clean portafilter between shots
Ground per shot
Used demitasse cup
Dark, speckled crema
Sweet

Negatives:
Portafilters not kept in groups
Did not preheat cups
Left freshly packed portafilters in groups for too long before pulling the shot
No spoon

Cappuccino

Like the ristretto, the shots used for our cappuccinos were amazing. The whole milk froth was just shy of the melty microfoam we were hoping for after the command performance with the espressos. Quibbles over the size of microscopic bubbles notwithstanding, this was a great cappuccino.

Positives:
Used whole milk
Good foam:milk:espresso ratio
Same espresso preparation as before
Free-poured
Served in traditional 8-10oz ceramic cup

Negatives:
Did not preheat cup
No spoon
Foam was not quite "melted ice cream"

Note: Bronwyn went back to the Bexley Coffee Shop and had the other owner-barista, who steamed her some excellent foam. Seriously delicious. The shot, on the other hand, started off great...and was looking good...then was still going, and going, and going... I did not ask for a ristretto, to be clear, but I did not ask for a lungo either. But the milk (which was soy) was amazing!

Drip

The light-roasted Organic/FT Peru was smooth bodied but offered a mild, tingling acidity. It was nutty and very fresh tasting even as it cooled.

In closing, our expectations were surpassed by this unassuming neighborhood cafe. In talking to Paulette it is easy to see that the Sullivans are excited both by the coffee they serve and the people they serve it to. Their hard work is paying off, as they have set the bar for coffee in Columbus (even if they are, techincally speaking, in Bexley).

Urban Spirit

Before we begin, we would like to thank everyone who came out to our Fair Trade/Organic coffee tasting at the Spore Infoshop! We had a great turnout and everyone really engaged in the cupping and presentation on certifications. Special thanks go to Amy, the Spore volunteer who joined us for the tasting and helped iron out some of the kinks encountered along the way. Hopefully we'll get to taste more coffees and meet more readers at future events!

Alright, on to the review:

Urban Spirit
889 E. Long Street
Columbus, Ohio 43203

Urban Spirit is located on Long Street in Olde Towne East. It carries Crimson Cup beans and boasts latte art on its advertisements. Apparently, it is much more than a coffee shop, as it offers services such as consulting, event planning and catering on their website. It is also a nexus of community involvement ranging from a weekly jazz night to political organizing. Their coffee drinks, though, are all offered with a "top hat," which means whipped cream from an aerosol can. While this is a kind service, it is not exactly what we're looking for in a coffee shop.

Espresso

Beans: Crimson Cup
Machine: Nuova Simonelli

Overall, the espresso was not as delicious as it could have been, but it was better than others. It was thicker than most, although still thin. The crema was a darker brown. The barista did not know which coffee was being used for the espresso, but we can only suspect Armando's blend...that's definitely what it tasted like (tart and syrupy).

Positives:
Ground per shot

Negatives:
Used small cappuccino cup for espresso; no demitasse available
Did not clean portafilter between shots
Did not purge group between shots
No saucer nor spoon
Shot was fast
Did not preheat cups

Cappuccino

Sadly, this was no cappuccino. It was a latte. And there was none of the latte art depicted in their advertising because there was no foam on it whatsoever (not even a little tiny layer that is quite appropriate for a latte). Bronwyn also thought it was a bit acidic for her taste. The complimentary “top hat” was declined.

Positives:
Proper size cup

Negatives:
No foam whatsoever! (It should have had at least as much foam as milk and espresso.)
Used 2% milk (whole is preferred)
Acidic
Same espresso as above
Did not preheat cup

Double-Action!

This one's a two-fer!

Suds N Java
1254 N. High St.
Columbus, Ohio 43201

Suds N Java is just South of Campus and is both a laundromat and internet cafe rolled into one. While it is a great place to do some laundry and surf the net, it needs some work on the coffee. Rather than freshly ground espresso, they use the same “coffee pods” one might find provided for guests in a hotel room. The pod was placed in the single group Nuova Simonelli machine and brewed for about a minute. Our “double shots” were about 8 ounces each, quite bitter and undrinkable. They have other redeeming qualities beside coffee. Go for the laundry and web surfing.

After the incident with the pod, we decided to switch gears and simplify.

Yeah, Me Too!
3005 Indianola Ave
Columbus, Ohio 43202

Yeah, Me Too! is situated near Studio 35 in Clintonville. It is a profoundly basic coffee shop, featuring one hot brew, one cold brew, and a limited supply of bagged roasted coffee. The Diedrich roaster they use is bolted down near the front window and bags of green beans aren't far away. The whole place is just a little bigger than a large living room but, unlike most living rooms, there are no chairs or couches. Or benches. Or stools. There are also no tables but, for as austere as it sounds, the place has a welcoming atmosphere.

The best part of Yeah, Me Too! is that all of their hot coffee is made with a French press and the beans they use vary daily. The coffee on offer was a blend of medium-dark roasted Brazil and Sumatra. The gentleman behind the counter started the press as soon as we ordered but did not ask for payment until later, and only after he served our toddies. Our first impression was that it was exceptionally clean. There was a nice, fuller body to it with a slighter acidity, and faint nuttiness. After her first round of critical sips, Bronwyn felt that it held up fantastically to cream. Overall, a delicious coffee, a great roast, and properly brewed. Nice job, Yeah, Me Too!

Coffee Tasting @ Spore

Saturday, May 9th at Noon:

Join us for a free blind tasting of locally roasted organic, shade and fair trade coffees. We'll be talking about what these certifications mean, how they are attained, and the social and environmental issues brought about by Western consumerism while bringing people together to drink and learn about coffee.

Please try and register for this event (so sufficient amounts of coffee are provided) by emailing columbuscoffeereview AT gmail DOT com.

Your hosts:
Bronwyn: formerly of Peet's and Ancient Grounds (Seattle)
Damion: Cup O' Joe, coffee enthusiast
(Note: like at the beginning of DVD's, the views and commentaries expressed herein do not represent those of COJ, Peet's, or anyone else but Bronwyn and Damion.)

http://www.sporeprint.info