ReAnimator: The Coffee Danse Macabre

The Danse Macabre (Dance of Death): a late-medieval allegory on the universality of death, combining the reminder of the inevitability of death with the desire for amusement while still possible.

reanimate vb (tr)

1. to refresh or enliven (something) again to reanimate their enervated lives

2. to bring back to life

[caption id="attachment_514" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Kensington, Philadelphia[/caption]

Not far from the Frankford El there's a coffee roaster doing magic things with beans, creating a coffee "Danse Macabre". Experiencing their craft in a cup is akin to reanimating the senses no matter how dull they were.

Three years ago, Mark Corpus and Mark Capriotti both neophytes to the coffee business, decided to take the plunge. At the time, La Colombe dominated the market. The two Marks felt that what was missing from the city was a local expression of a less dark roast focusing on single origin beans and not blends. Testing and retesting, Corpus started with a home roaster, honing his craft. Finally, in 2011 he left his finance job behind focusing full time on ReAnimator.

[caption id="attachment_515" align="aligncenter" width="448"] Mark Corpus, Roaster[/caption]

To say the two Marks are fast learners is an understatement. Corpus, now the company's Roaster is producing a tiny 500 - 700 lbs per week. Slow and steady is their pace and business model. ReAnimator (and another local Rival Brothers) are the first to introduce Philadelphia to a home town interpretation of what is sometimes know as "Third Wave" coffee. The single origin beans are roasted just so... not too dark to allow the natural flavors express themselves.

[caption id="attachment_520" align="aligncenter" width="448"] Bagging This Week's Roast[/caption]

It's a tiny operation focusing on quality and artistry over size and quantity. They work with well respected importers such as Coffee Shrub who pay coffee farmers sustainable prices for the best quality beans. The two Marks have also recently visited a farm in Nicaragua establishing a "relationship" partnership (also known as Direct Trade).

[caption id="attachment_507" align="aligncenter" width="560"] ReAnimator Coffee[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_511" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Inside ReAnimator[/caption]

So how is the coffee? Well now you can check it out for yourself in ReAnimator's own cafe which opened August 10th. After checking out their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, I knew they are going to be a major force in the coffee world. The lemony fruit flavors sang as I sipped a cup. It tasted hand crafted, it was perfectly roasted and prepared.

I'm told that another cafe is in the works. This one will also contain their roasting operations, an exciting development that is sure to enhance Philly's reputation as a major player in the coffee industry.

CoffeeGuru features over 7,000 independent coffeehouses in the US, Canada, UK and Ireland. Download the app here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coffeeguru-indie-coffeehouses/id547969523?mt=8

ReAnimator: http://www.reanimatorcoffee.com

Rival Bros. http://rivalbros.com