The 5th annual Good Food Awards ceremony took place on January 8th in San Francisco, celebrating the best in American food producers and farmers. Every year since its inception, the GFA honors some of the most delicious and responsibly produced foods, bringing their producers some well-earned recognition and publicity. Categories include beer, charcuterie, cheese, pickles, honey, oils, chocolate, and coffee, with several winners in each group. A few Colorado specialty food purveyors were awarded for their products, including Ozuké for their pickled plums and Avalanche Cheese Company for their... Read More

It seems that for many of us, the holidays just go better with alcohol. Whether you’ll be celebrating with loved ones, stressing out over the end of year frenzy, or relaxing on your own, it’s likely that you’ll be drinking this holiday season. This Winter, try adding a little kick of coffee to your seasonal booziness! These two locally brewed coffee-alcohol infusions are sure to be good companions for your holiday fun or blues:       Hiatus Novo cold-brewed coffee is combined with oatmeal ale to create Hiatus—a malty beer from Denver’s own Renegade Brewing Company. Enjoy... Read More

While there are many places to do your holiday shopping in Boulder, there’s a fantastic place in Denver that’s worth checking out too: The Source. Located in the developing RiNo neighborhood, The Source is a unique market housed inside a former brick foundry building from the 1880s. Opened just last year, it’s a thriving collective of food and design retailers offering a distinctively local dining and shopping experience seven days a week. This weekend you can attend The Source’s indoor Holiday Market to do your last minute shopping. There will be various local vendors,... Read More

Last week’s coffee-centered gift guide will hopefully come in handy while you do your holiday shopping. But if you’re looking for more affordable gifts, I recommend buying something that every coffee lover really wants: coffee beans! A bag of beans from a third wave or local roaster is an excellent and relatively inexpensive gift—it makes for a great stocking stuffer too. Give the gift of delicious coffee this Winter and support roasters who strive to do right by their coffee farmers/suppliers. Here’s my list of this season’s best coffee to gift:   Boxcar Coffee – the Kenya Gatomboya... Read More

You don’t need a reason to celebrate with coffee but the holiday season is a great time to give the gift of coffee. Whether you’re shopping for the backpacker or the urban dweller in your life, my coffee gift guide has got you covered.   Camper’s Coffee Gift Guide: Stumptown’s Voyager Brew Kit is the perfect present for the coffee enthusiast who is also an outdoor adventurer. While pricey, it does come with a ton of supplies—a manual grinder, coffee dripper, mug, and a bag of Stumptown’s Hair Bender blend are all included in this excellent kit.   AeroPress Coffee Maker is... Read More

Last week I mentioned how fun it can be to make your own coffee at home. The manual and experimental process involved with using tools like pour-over devices is what allows the final product to be so special. Manual devices allow you to control all the different aspects involved in brewing coffee—from temperature to portion and, most importantly, timing—in a way that automatic machines can’t. The level of control and precision you get with pour-overs or immersion brews let you not only make the exact type of coffee you like but also allows you to fully taste the nuisances of single origin... Read More

As we experience our first snow in Boulder and Denver, it becomes more tempting to stay in and brew our own coffee. While automatic drip machines are easy and convenient ways to make multiple cups of coffee at home, there are other types of brewing equipment that’ll help you produce your own delicious artisanal coffee. With the right tools, a tiny bit of patience, and a desire to learn, you can be your own barista during freezing cold days when you don’t want to venture out for your caffeine fix or if find your local coffee shop closed during a national holiday like today. Check out these different... Read More

Putting milk in your coffee or drinking a milk-based espresso drink is a great way to fight coffee’s natural acidity. Many coffee drinkers like cow’s milk in their drinks, while others enjoy dairy-less alternatives like soy or almond milk. Here in Colorado we’re fortunate to have access to local milk and non-dairy options to go with our coffee. But as a vegan who doesn’t like processed foods, I take my coffee black. Drinking black coffee and regular espresso definitely makes me feel cool but I recognize that it’s an acquired taste and sympathize with milk’s popularity. As a former barista,... Read More

This past weekend, I was asked about decaf coffee coincidentally on two separate occasions. Decaf coffee is a healthy alternative for some, although it often means compromising on taste. Despite getting a lot of harsh criticism from hardcore coffee addicts and elite aficionados, decaf is an attractive alternative for those who like the essential flavor and aroma of coffee but want to avoid the physical effects of caffeine. In my tasting experience, decaf drip coffee and decaf espresso are always inferior to their caffeinated counterparts. Although I drink regular coffee, my recent conversations... Read More

Coffee is deeply imbedded in many people’s daily routines and personal rituals. For many coffee drinkers, coffee is more about convenience or comfort and less about complexities of taste or particulars in trade. Usually when you’re drinking a cup of coffee, you’re probably not thinking of all the steps taken by numerous individuals to bring that cup to you. From farmer to roaster to barista or packager, so many passionate and hardworking hands are involved in the coffee industry. It’s something worth thinking about, every once in a while, when you’re drinking your favorite brew. Coffee... Read More