Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Mugged: Rwanda [One Village]

' What does Mugged mean? Subject: One Village Coffee Mugged: Rwanda
Gatare Station Bourbon Rating: 4+ [see key] Despite living and
frequently traveling around the Philadelphia area, I've had
surprisingly few dealings with One Village Coffee. Based out of
Souderton north of the city, One Village has often

Sunday, June 10, 2012

CC: McCafferty's

What does CC mean? Subject: McCafferty's Location: Fairbanks, AK Free
WiFi ? : yes Rating: 4+ [see key] When I go with others on trips, no
one volunteers to wake up extra early with me and hit a coffeehouse
first thing. Truth be told, most of my family and friends think it
psychotic that I wake up with the sun just so I can try out a new
coffeehouse, but then again,

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Ekobrew: Can It Redeem the K-Cup?

Subject: Ekobrew Rating: 5+ [see key] Over the past few years, the
k-cup phenomenon has been sweeping the land. While these machines
utilize non-recyclable pods full of pre-ground coffee that go for
almost $1 a piece, people have been buying them up like beanie babies.
The selling points seem to be that people find it fun/exciting to brew
the pods and that the brewing of

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

CC: Matching Half Cafe

What does CC mean? Subject: Matching Half Cafe Location: San Francisco,
CA Free WiFi ? : yes Rating: 6+ [see key] As many folks of the Bay Area
espouse, despite the small land mass there sure is a vast variability
in climate. It can be foggy five blocks from someone lying out in full
sun. Do people exaggerate? Sure. Did I experience this weather
weirdness?

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Mugged: Sumatra Permata Gayo [Rockin' Coffee]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Rockin' Coffee Mugged: Sumatra Permata
Gayo Rating: 4+ [see key] New to the coffee scene as of Fall 2011 is
Rockin' Coffee, a coffee roasting operation birthed from PAID Inc's
love for freshly roasted coffee. The first of their two coffees that I
had the pleasure of trying was their Sumatra, a coffee

Sunday, May 20, 2012

CC: Istria Cafe

What does CC mean? Subject: Istria Cafe Location: Chicago, IL Free
WiFi ? : yes Rating: 6+ [see key] While coffee gets much of it’s
spotlight in the morning hours and amidst the work day, I have to admit
that some of the best coffee times I have are at night when I can slow
down and relax with my coffee. Given a divine blessing, caffeine rarely
affects my sleep

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Mugged: Vista Alegre [Henry's]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Henry's House of Coffee Mugged: Vista
Alegre (Brazil) Rating: 3+ [see key] When I get coffee, I like to look
up the origin if the specific location is given. With the second coffee
I had from Henry’s House of Coffee, I looked up the locale of Vista
Alegre on the webs to try to get an idea where it hails from (Henry's
site didn't have

Saturday, May 12, 2012

CC: Kaladi Brothers

What does CC mean? Subject: Kaladi Brothers Coffee Location: Anchorage,
AK Free WiFi ? : yes Rating: 4+ [see key] If any coffee spot commands
attention with the citizens of Anchorage, it seems Kaladi Brothers is
king. With ten locations in Anchorage (as well as 4 outside the city
limits), I am impressed with the amount of loyalty they have accrued to
keep that many

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Mugged: Colombia [Henry's]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Henry's House of Coffee Mugged:
Colombia Lite Roast Rating: 4+ [see key] While San Francisco is
currently brimming with lots of new coffee talent, local coffee
roasting is something that has been with the city for some time. Sure
you have Peet's Coffee that originally launched in Berkeley many
decades ago but

Sunday, April 29, 2012

CC: Asado Coffee Co

What does CC mean? Subject: Asado Coffee Co Location: Chicago, IL Free
WiFi ? : yes Rating: 6+ [see key] Back before smart phones, I landed in
Chicago for a university conference and one night I determined to go
for a walk. The weather was fair and I was feeling energetic, so taking
in the fair sights of Chi-town, I kept walking in a straight line for
some time.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

We have a winner!

We extend a hip hip huzzah to our "Win Excellent Coffee" winner
Lindsay, and her favorite coffeehouse, Verve Coffee Roasters! Her
husband is pictured on location above. We had several nice pictures
sent in, so below are a few of the entries. Thanks to all for
participating and keep an eye out for future contests!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Mugged: White Peony [Teavivre]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Teavivre Mugged: White Peony I Bai
MuDan Rating: 4+ [see key] White tea has always seemed like the most
exotic of teas to me, with its reputation as the tea of emperors and a
drink not really known in the western world until relatively recently.
Others reasons that contribute may be it's method of

Mugged: Tai Wai Oolong [Teavivre]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Teavivre Mugged: Tai Wai Oriental
Beauty Oolong I Bai Hao Rating: 4+ [see key] Oolong to me is
the "shades of grey" between green (unfermented) and black (fermented)
teas. Having a lot of different flavors and profiles, I can't say I've
had many oolongs that have identical properties. Recently I was able to
add Teavivre's Tai Wai Oriental

Sunday, April 15, 2012

CC: Bull Run Roasting Co

What does CC mean? Subject: Bull Run Roasting Co Location: Minneapolis,
MN Free WiFi ? : yes Rating: 6+ [see key] I must say, if I haven't said
it already, that Minneapolis is laid out quite beautifully. Not only
were things fairly accessible by multiple means of movement (auto,
bike, foot AND bunnyhop) but it was clearly set up to be a liveable
town; a

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

WIN EXCELLENT COFFEE!

Thanks to the great folks at GoCoffeeGo, we're fixing to give away a
free bag of coffee to one lucky winner! To boost some local coffee
love, all that we're looking for is your favorite local coffee-serving
establishment. Specifically, we're talking about independent, non-chain
establishments (i.e. no Dunkin or McDonalds) that serve up a
sensational cup of coffee and/or espresso.

Monday, April 9, 2012

Mugged: Bailin Gongfu Black Tea [Teavivre]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Teavivre Mugged: Bailin Gongfu Black
Tea Rating: 5+ [see key] The other week I decided to grab a Malta to
accompany my entree at a local Caribbean eatery. Having never really
consumed a full bottle in one sitting, I was surprised at how intense
it was. Had it been scaled back a bit, it would have been

Mugged: Dragon Well Green Tea [Teavivre]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Teavivre Mugged: Premium grade Dragon
Well Green Tea Rating: 5+ [see key] Anticipation is sometimes almost as
good as the object anticipated. Personally, I don't want to think like
that but in looking back, I definitely do seem to cherish the planning
and waiting for something positive

Sunday, April 1, 2012

CC: Stable Cafe

What does CC mean? Subject: Stable Cafe Location: San Francisco, CA
Free WiFi ? : yes Rating: 6+ [see key] As you walk through a city, it's
interesting to see how some businesses cooperate to make the most of a
space. Granted, it's rare but sometimes, you see a well-executed set-up
where two or three businesses share a common space and make it work
beautifully. In

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Mugged: Traditional Roast [Gevalia]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Gevalia Kaffe Mugged: Traditional Roast
Rating: 4+ [see key] While I am a strong advocate for roasters who go
above and beyond to not only produce a fine product but also educate
the masses on better coffee practices, I will concede that most folks
do not seem interested in that yet. Sure, people are more and

Sunday, March 18, 2012

CC: Alaska Coffee Roasting Co.

What does CC mean? Subject: Alaska Coffee Roasting Co. Location:
Fairbanks, AK Free WiFi ? : yes Rating: 5+ [see key] When the sun does
not shine for a good part of the winter, I would imagine that your
morning cup of coffee would hold an even greater significance. Hence,
it would make sense that Alaskans would be terribly picky about the
quality of their brews, not

Monday, March 12, 2012

Mugged: Costa Rica [Rev Coffee]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Rev Coffee Roasters Mugged: Costa Rica
Tarrazu Dota Rating: 4+ [see key] Georgia is another state that I have
designs to see in the coming decade. At this point, I've only spent
time in Atlanta but there's a lot more I'm fixing to do. Of course, one
of those things of course is to visit some coffee venues; one

Monday, March 5, 2012

CC: Flying Squirrel

What does CC mean? Subject: Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe Location:
Talkeetna, AK Free WiFi ? : yes Rating: 4+ [see key] I find great joy
in finding and exploring new places, especially if that new place holds
some serious character. Places like the Bay Area (San Fran) and
Bozeman, MT with their unique magic set my heart ablaze and my mind
into hyperdrive. But of all of the

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Mugged: El Salvador [Kifu Coffee]

What does Mugged mean? Subject: Kifu Coffee Roasters Mugged: El
Salvador Santa Rita Natural Rating: 4+ [see key] How a coffee is
processed after harvest has a huge impact on what you end up drinking.
Yes, this statement is obvious and elementary to most people reading
this, but it seems a lot of people still remain oblivious to it. Yet
for the still

Monday, February 27, 2012

CC: Quixotic Coffee

What does CC mean? Subject: Quixotic Coffee Location: St. Paul, MN Free
WiFi ? : yes Rating: 6+ [see key] A good name is all too important when
you first dub your coffee business. While some go for simple ("town's
name coffee") or pun-ny ("sir ippee coffee"), something that projects a
good mental concept is what I find to be best. Few places have done a
better job in setting my mind

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Mugged: Ethiopian Yirgi [Peter Asher]

' What does Mugged mean? Subject: Peter Asher Coffee and Tea Mugged:
Ethiopian Yirgi Rating: 4+ [see key] The second of the coffees I have
had the pleasure of trying out from Peter Asher Coffee and Tea was
their Ethiopian Yirgi (short for Yirgacheffe). It was summarized as a
great coffee for one's morning cup and being a big fan of a good coffee
in the AM, I girded my