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

The phrase “third wave coffee” sounds inflated but it’s a term that best sums up the current trend that many coffee companies are invested in. Many independent coffee shops care about the nuanced flavors of different regional or varietal beans so they buy beans, or roast their own, from domestic companies which use roasting methods that bring out the distinct flavors of each kind of bean. Most of these companies also care about the ethical and environmental impact their industry has on the globe so they make efforts to do direct or fair trade with organic coffee farmers around the world.... Read More

As a former barista and current coffee enthusiast, I regularly find myself talking to others about coffee. In the coffee discourse, my aim is to promote the ideals of third wave coffee without sounding grandiose. A label that is often met with eye-rolls and associated with shallow trendiness, “third wave coffee” is actually an extensive umbrella term and one that I like to use when describing my favorite aspects of America’s current coffee culture. On this new weekly column, I’ll be expounding on contemporary coffee themes and exploring Boulder’s very own coffee scene.     I... Read More