Despite the ridiculous snowfall last week, it is officially iced coffee season here in Colorado. While I prefer hot coffee, I do occasionally thirst for a refreshing iced coffee on hot and sunny days. Because I usually drink iced coffee the way I drink regular coffee—with no milk or sugar—I find most conventional iced coffee to be bitter. Sometimes I add coconut water to my iced coffee to make it tastier—which I totally thought was a brilliant and unique idea until I discovered that it was not. But there are a few iced coffees I find light and nuanced in flavor, without adding anything to... Read More

I celebrated the start of Spring with family and friends in Los Angeles, where I grew up. The sunny overcrowded metropolis that I often can’t stand but do ultimately love has an amazing coffee scene. Whenever I’m back in the sprawling suburban city, I’m eager to check out new coffee shops and revisit old favorites. From homegrown standards like Lamill and Groundwork to recent imports like San Francisco’s Blue Bottle and Santa Cruz’s Verve, LA continues to impress locals and visitors alike with its abundance of specialty coffee. My thoughts on Los Angeles are layered and I like recalling... Read More

Women in various countries, from different backgrounds, are working to sustain the global coffee industry. Unfortunately but not surprisingly, female coffee farmers and retailers face the same gender inequality and wage gap that exists in every workforce. From farm to shop, the commodity of the bean too often trumps the livelihood of the employees, especially the female ones. Poor or working class women of color, who live in coffee producing countries, are the most vulnerable to being undervalued in the business. But even in the predominately white and middle class world of Western retail coffee,... Read More

Last month, Starbucks began serving flat whites. The espresso based drink originated in Australia and is widely popular there and in New Zealand. Over the past few years flat whites have garnered a decent-size following here in the States, thanks to Australians ordering them at obliging third wave coffee shops. Starbucks adding flat whites to their menu may be an attempt to court a more sophisticated clientele. But flat whites are tricky drinks generally ordered by picky customers. It seems like Starbucks is trying to serve a cup it really can’t handle pouring. So what is a flat white? Well that’s... 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