Summer In Philadelphia

Summer is a slower season and my favorite time of year.  Recently I've been photographing some of my favorite things about the season.

Let's start with a refreshing iced coffee.  The city is quiet, the pool is open and for me this is the hot weather drink.  Last week I checked out the new Peddler Coffee and came away really impressed.  Zachary James Urbanski and Richard Kessler veterans of several coffeeshops around town including Ultimo, Town Hall and Greene Street started introducing their small micro-roasted direct trade coffees around Philly via their tricked out coffee bicycles.  The operation is tiny.  The partners purchase very small lots about 100 pounds or so, focusing on high quality and single origin selections.

Peddler Coffee Cold Brew

Just a few weeks ago in a little storefront at 806 South 6th Street, where East Passyunk and Catharine intersect, Peddler hooked up with Koliyan Cambodian Desserts and opened a small coffeeshop. The boys prepare their iced coffee with Yama cold brew towers.  The brew I tried was close to perfection.

Beer Vendor, Citizen's Bank Ball Park

I'm not a big sports fanatic but once a year I take my daughter to a Phillies game.  It's a wonderful bonding experience.  She loves to stay to the very end, gorging on popcorn, cotton candy, and hot dogs,  screaming and doing whatever it takes to get on the Jumbotron.

A Homemade Shrimp Boil

Of course Summer is also about being outdoors with friends and family. My favorite time of day is dusk when the temperature and humidity start to drop.  I live in the suburbs (a blessing and a curse) and love watching  the fireflies doing their nightly light show as bats feed overhead.

Fireflies At Dusk

July 4th Sparklers

High School Graduation

South Warnock Street, Philadelphia

  

Back in Philly, the city gets really quiet as residents go "down the shore".  It's fun exploring the small colonial streets where houses date back to the 1700's.



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Peddler Coffee

Green Street: The Garagiste Roastery

 Green Street Coffee[

Chris Molieri always wanted to do good in the world.  After graduating from Temple University with a finance degree,  Chris went to work in Portland for a community development financial institution, or CDFI, a nonprofit devoted to helping entrepreneurs access capital.  It was there that he discovered the world of micro-roasting.   After returning to his home town, Chris  and his brother Tom decided to secure their own $10,000 loan from a CDFI and Green Street got its start.

The other day I found myself at their roasting facility in the Point Breeze section of South Philly. Down a side street I went following the sound of Jack White blasting out of their stereo.

The space is tiny.  Theres an old La Marzacco as soon as you walk in, and their small Ambex roaster takes up the center with coffee beans waiting to be roasted and bagged.  It reminds me of a Bordeaux Garagiste, there's bearly enough room for Chris and roaster John Jenson to work. Production is about 500-700 pounds per week, tiny compared to say La Colombe who roasts around 45,000 pounds weekly.  But what they produce is remarkable given how new they are to the business.  Green Street got its start in May 2011.  Chris's approach seems "balls to the wall" as he works to grow the business and, at the same time, make a difference in the lives of coffee farmers.

 Left: Chris Molieri examining his beans Right: Chris and Roaster John Jenson

Sustainability is a crucial component to Green Street's business plan.  In addition to working with Direct Trade importers such as Coffee Shrub, the Molieri brothers are establishing their own Direct Trade relationships.  They just recently returned from a sourcing trip in Nicaragua and plan on expanding their farm connections.

Jenson described their roasting style as in between the really light "first crack" profile that's become de rigueur amongst many third wave coffee specialists and the dark roast that can strip  coffee beans of its personality.  It's a really nice transitional approach that balances flavor with customer expectations.

Philadelphia's coffee scene is exploding with new coffee entrepreneurs.  Between the great shops and the influx of new roasters, Philly has become one of the leading caffeine destinations in the US.  Although small in size, Green Street is quickly becoming a major player in this coffee renaissance.

Cupping various lots

 

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Green Street Coffee Roasters http://greenstreetcoffee.com

Menagerie Coffee: A breath of fresh air in Philadelphia

A year ago I met April Nett at Elixr one of the premier coffeehouses in Philadelphia. A gifted barista, April was also very interested in wine and coffee pairings and hoped to start a program at the shop if they obtained a license. I invited her to a huge industry tasting and got to meet her partner Elysa DiMauro who worked at another Philly coffee institution, Bodhi Coffee right in Headhouse Square (see my post "Two Beautiful Coffeehouses In Philadelphia" http://wp.me/p3AERF-5r).

[caption id="attachment_538" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Inside Menagerie Coffee[/caption]

Fast forward a year and witness the birth of April and Elysa's dream coffeehouse, Menagerie. Situated in a part of Old City that is wofully lacking in great coffee choices, Menagerie fills a void and then some. Although open for just a few weeks, I predict Menagerie will quickly take its place along side the other great coffeehouses that are transforming the city such as Elixr, One Shot, ReAnimator, Shot Tower, Bohdi and Ultimo.

The first thing you notice is the beautiful decor. From the blond wood counter, white tiled wall to the white La Marzocco GB5 espresso machine, the shop's design is artfully done with clean lines and a welcoming homey feel. Design is by Niko Dyshniku who specializes in repurposing salvaged materials in a sustainable manner.



The coffee program introduces Philadelphia to two of the countries top Direct Trade roasters, Ceremony from Annapolis, MD and Dogwood of Minneapolis, MN, a first for this city. April and Elysa blind tasted roasts from a number of suppliers and decided that these two earned their place as the house selections. In my opinion, Ceremony roasts some of the finest coffee in the US (I'm also looking forward to trying Dogwood's beans the next time I go to the cafe). I first tried their coffee at New York Coffee Fest in 2012 and was blown away by their offerings. Menagerie currently features four from Ceremony and the Simalungun from North Sumatra didn't disappoint. Elysa told me that they plan on introducing Ceremony's bourbon barrel conditioned coffee down the road. I've heard about their experiments with wine and bourbon conditioned coffees but have never tried them. Elysa and I discussed doing a public bourbon and coffee sampling when some of this special lot arrives. If you'd like to taste some of this special coffee, I'm told they will have a limited amount in house in about a week.

Menagerie also offers pastries by local favorite Flying Monkey and a limited selection of sandwiches. This part of Old City finally has a welcoming laid back alternative to the bars and pizza joints that line Market Street. I can easily see Menagerie becoming one of my favorite city haunts.

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

Ceremony Coffee Roasters http://ceremonycoffee.com

Dogwood Coffee http://www.dogwoodcoffee.com

Niko D Design http://nikodyshniku.prosite.com

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

A Tale Of Two Yirgacheffe

Back in the day you went to South Philly for two reasons.... Down 9th Street to grab a hoagie from Sarcone's or a cheesesteak from either Pat's or Geno's. Want a coffee? Thirty years ago your best option was to grab one from a local deli.

[caption id="attachment_212" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Joey Joe's, Philadelphia[/caption]

Historically, South Philly has been dominated by old-school Italian Americans. For the last decade, cheap real estate has also attracted an influx of Vietnamese immigrants and hipster art students. A sure sign the neighborhood is well on its way to becoming über cool, Ultimo Coffee has become ground zero for these new inhabitants.... the perfect third wave destination and meeting place.

Back in April The Daily Meal anointed Ultimo as the number 1 coffee shop in America. Does it live up to its title? Personally I think these rankings are akin to reading in People Magazine who's the sexiest man alive, at the end of the day it's meaningless. Ignoring they hype, I went into the heart of South Philly to check Ultimo out.

[caption id="attachment_214" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Pour Over Bar, Ultimo Coffee[/caption]

Down the block from Scotty's Bar and just around the corner from Joey Joe's, Aaron and Elizabeth Ultimo opened their first location in 2009 and their second in 2012. In the South Philly location they share their space with a craft beer shop. The vibe is quite different from the surrounding 'hood. Ultimo takes their coffees seriously, using filtered water and a Marzocco GB5 carefully dialed in to the selections of the day, all from their roaster, Counter Culture. I selected the Banko Gotiti, Yirgacheffe as a pour over on their Beehouse drip bar. It was perfectly prepared and had really interesting citrus and tart apple notes. As I sat and enjoyed my cup a steady stream of customers kept things hopping.

[caption id="attachment_210" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Entrance, Greenstreet Coffee[/caption]

Once finished I decided to drive up to another coffee shop, the recently opened Greenstreet Coffee Co. This shop represents another trend in the Philly coffee scene, serious in-house roasting. Brothers Tom and Chris Molieri started their roastery in 2011 and soon gained a reputation for producing well crafted beans. So in February when they were presented a chance to take over a former coffee shop, they dived in with both feet.

I really like their space. Small and architecturally quirky, it has a cool vibe, a welcome feel that's quite popular with the locals. It's a bit more laid back than Ultimo and the enthusiastic staff is very welcoming. This is the kind of place I could spend a lazy afternoon. And the coffee? The Molieri brothers know how to roast and do it well. In their shop I was offered a choice of four selections, two from Ethiopia and one from El Salvador and Mexico. I was interested in comparing my experiences so I ordered the pour over Kochere Yirgacheffe, and was impressed by what I was served. The Greenstreet selection was a bit brighter than the Counter Culture version and the citrus flavors really shined in the cup.

All in all Philadelphia's Third Wave coffee scene has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for a craft cup of coffee roasting by some of the most well-known in the US or you seek some great local roasts, you can find it in this vibrant city.

A word about the next blog post: I'll be on vacation for a few weeks so things will be a bit quiet. But never fear, there's more to come once I return.

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Greenstreet Coffee Roasters: http://greenstreetcoffee.com

Ultimo Coffee: http://ultimocoffee.com

The Daily Meal: www.thedailymeal.com

Counter Culture: http://counterculturecoffee.com

God In A Cupping Bowl: Geisha Cupping At La Colombe

[caption id="attachment_177" align="aligncenter" width="560"] Todd Carmichael Warming Up The Crowd At His Geisha Cupping[/caption]

Todd Carmichael is stepping it up. Last week at the Philadelphia Dilworth Plaza location he held the first Roasters Jam, a monthly blind cupping of single origin lots from different coffee producers. Thirteen lots from the iconic Hacienda La Esmeralda were presented to a room full of coffee professionals. Talk about setting the bar! It certainly sent a message.

When they started 20 years ago, Carmichael and his partner Jean Philippe released their four classic blends. They were a huge success and the partners grew from 20 accounts when I first met them in 1995 to over 5,000 today with cafes in Philly, New York, Chicago, Seoul, Washington D.C. (opening soon) with an eye on other cities. Carmichael has become a bit of a coffee celebrity (a kind of Macgyver of the coffee world), writing for Huffington Post and Esquire as well as starring in two seasons of "Dangerous Grounds"  on the Travel Channel

His direction is not without controversy. Todd is highly opinionated and his articles have sometimes rubbed some people the wrong way. In addition he's been criticized by a few fellow roasters for producing blends and favoring a darker roast style. And yet Carmichael is sending the coffee community signals that sets the bar even higher.

First he installed five $15,000 Alpha Dominche "Steampunk" coffee makers in his cafes. They are a marvel of groundbreaking technology, able to recreate almost any brewing process and deliver a perfect cup. And now with the Geisha cupping, Todd is sending a strong signal that he too can produce some of the best single vineyard coffees on the planet.

On the day of the cupping we met and mingled for a while before the tasting. Quite a few local industry people turned out including Old City Coffee, One Village, Greenstreet, and Shot Tower just to name a few. Todd worked the crowd, charming everyone. We got a chance to talk for a few minutes and he shared with me a sample of his exciting rum soon to be made at his new distillery located at his roastery.

After a brief but dramatic introduction where Todd told us that the person who guessed all 13 lots in the correct order wins $1,000, the cupping began.

Many of these lots cost over $100 green and to taste 13 of them is a first for me. We first checked out the nose of the ground beans and again after breaking the crust. Each participant was given a handout listing the names of the lots, altitude, rainfall, directional facing, approximate night temperature and harvest dates. Todd took me through a few and his observations were instructive. He went at a rapid pace, telling me "check out the tomato aromas in 5, lemon in 6 and lime in 7!" The comparisons and contrasts were striking. All were brilliant but of course there were favorites.

The overwhelming winner was the Leon Natural. Almost all participants picked it out as being the best coffee in the room. The flavors were profound, reminding me of crisp apples with berry undertones that one taster said reminded him of blueberry waffles. Just recently, a lot of this went for $176 a pound green.

Before the cupping began Todd proclaimed that, in the next few years, Philadelphia will be recognized as being on the forefront of specialty coffee in America. If he's right....and he's not often wrong, La Colombe will be right there, front and center.

http://lacolombe.com

http://haciendaesmeralda.com

Does Terroir Matter in Coffee? by Serious Eats: buff.ly/13HQLEL

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Astoria Coffee Part Two: Cupping Cafe Brioso's Beans

When Astoria Cafe's Dennis Lee sent me some beans from their Ohio roaster Cafe Brioso, I couldn't wait to check it out. Dennis and his girlfriend Liz hail from Columbus and moved to Queens, New York in 2009. Their dream is to open their own coffee shop in the neighborhood.

Elixr Coffee

After the beans arrived, I decided to contact Evan Inatome, owner of one of Philadelphia's best coffee houses, Elixr. He was all about cupping the beans and we arranged a tasting.

Cafe Brioso sent me a bag of their Colombia La Primavera Microlot and Evan thought it would be interesting to blind taste them against other roasters' offerings from the same country. The lineup contained,

Toby's Estate's Santa Ines (cup A)

Heart's El Desarrollo (cup B)

Square Mile's La Buitrera Huila (cup C)

Cafe Brioso's La Primavera (cup D)

Four coffee professionals joined me in the cupping. Evan presented the coffees in cups labeled A-D so that we could check them out blind.

So what was the consensus? Interestingly, our opinions were unanimous. The coffee in the first three cups were very sound. The lighter roast brought out interesting fruit and floral notes that wasn't as pronounced in Cafe Brioso's full city roast. But cupping them side by side brought out nuanced differences and Heart's El Desarrollo was the winner. Between the three, the La Buitrera Huila was just a hair past it's peak, perhaps because it was roasted a few weeks earlier and then shipped from the UK. With that said, Evan felt that any of them would make for excellent pour overs.

What about Cafe Brioso's offering? Although quite good and well crafted, the group felt it was a bit too assertive, perhaps because it seemed to be a darker roast than the other selections. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing and one of the group offered that it would probably be a really nice selection to use with milk based drinks such as cappuccinos.

The next day I tried the Brioso using my Aeropress with and without milk. I liked the strong, earthy tones and think the added lactose rounded out the flavors. It should make a nice house selection when Astoria eventually opens its doors.

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CoffeeGuru: Because You Don't Want to Drink That Starbucks Bullsh*t

CoffeeGuru: Because You Don't Want to Drink That Starbucks Bullsh*t

A review of CoffeeGuru by Gizmodo