The Reading Room

I'm fortunate enough to live in a city where the highest quality coffee is a short drive away. Portland roasters, San Francisco roasters, Los Angeles roasters...they're all here, and fresh. I nonetheless like to order coffee online for the same...

Right now I have headed my way from AJ's Coffee a bag of Musasa Coop. I really enjoyed the previous coffee that I had gotten from AJ's and the description looked very enticing, "clean, juicy mouthfeel, sugar sweetness, cherries, dark fruit." Sound...

Ethiopian Ardi is an award-winning naturally processed coffee from the Sidamo region that placed 1st in East Africa's Taste of Harvest competition. It was until recently offered by PT's, Coava, Madcap, and Klatch. AJ's coffee still has a stash available,...

Running out of half and half collided with several days worth of Vietnamese iced coffee recipes in my mailbox to create a very happy coincidence this morning -- my morning iced Vietnamese cappuccino. Okay. Technically, it's iced cappuccino with a...

Today I made a cup of coffee after lunch while the baby was awake. That’s unusual—and probably at least in part a side effect of the Trifecta’s ongoing honeymoon period. Generally speaking, I save my coffee brewing for quiet times...

I started using hand grinders due to their cost to performance ratio compared to those more expensive electronic grinders. I've had a new Zassenhaus, a Hario Skerton, a Hario Slim and most recently an Orphan Espresso Lido hand grinder. They...

Best way to store your coffee? Coffee experts tend to split on whether or not you should freeze your coffee beans, so specialty coffee roaster Don Francisco's decided to research the subject scientifically. Their results: freeze your coffee. No, not...

Finally, after a long period of waiting, the Olympia Cremina I have been waiting for have arrived. I was pleasantly surprised because it actually arrived last Wednesday which is two days earlier than predicted by the shipping company! However, I...

I have been thinking a little bit about extraction times ever since making a mildly unpleasent pot of coffee last week. The pot of coffee was mildly over-extracted, I had forgot to adjust the grind on my grinder going from a...

I’ve always been someone who enjoys scents. To the point where I’ll read about the chemical basis of one’s sense of smell in my spare time—speaking of, Chandler Burr’s “The Emperor of Scent” is highly recommended—and occasionally challenge myself and...

It is super hot here today in Chicago with the temperature reaching way above ninety degree Farenheit! I was not in the mood for espresso today as I did not want to turn on the espresso machine and place more...

I usually make coffee twice a day. I have coffee with breakfast and then after dinner. On weekends I might have one after lunch too if I'm at home. This usually gets me through a bag of coffee in a...

Mocha Java is the oldest known coffee blend. Traditionally, Mocha--a coffee from what is today Yemen--is cut with a coffee from Java. The goal was and still is a gestalt between the fruit-forward berriness of the Mocha and the bodacious...

 I'd like to introduce you to a new series of posts, in which I talk about my latest successful coffee discovery. What's new about that? These posts will be subject to those happy moments when I think I've hit upon my own personal nirvana,...

This video has been out there for almost two months now, but I just happened to come across it yesterday and thought that I would share. It's part of a video series highlighting different people/businesses in various cities that are...

Sumatran coffees are sometimes naturally processed, sometimes aged, but are most often encounted in semi-washed form. The paper surrounding the seed is left on, and both are allowed to dry somewhat. Once done, the seed turns a unique shade of...

Making coffee with a French Press and Hario Mini Mill Hand grinder This is the video I took a while ago of showing how I make press coffee with a classic Bodum french press. The coffee was ground on a...

Now that the weather is finally cooperating, I get to have my morning coffee at the outdoor office -- something that delight me to no end. I'm surrounded by plants that started in my grandmother's garden over 50 years ago...

When I used to drink a lot of french press coffee the sludge at the bottom of my mug was more of an annoyance than anything else. A grinder that was a poor performer at coarse grind settings or a...

I got the Vibiemme Junior HX three months ago from saving up a massive amount of ebeans, and the people at Roaste allowing me to receive them from these blog posts.So now after three months time with this espresso machine...

My local roaster's all grown up and making its first video. I'm getting verklempt... Talk amongst yourselves...