Starbucks Cold Brew

Just don't do it!  I've tried Starbucks cold brew twice now, once when it first came out and again this afternoon. It's just not good! Don't get me wrong, I appreciate Starbucks and never want to be so much of a coffee snob that I forget Starbucks' granddaddy role in this wonderfully vast indie coffee shop ecosystem. Tribute where tribute is due.

Anyway, on to the coffee. It's bland, flat and bitter. Bitter!! Cold brew should NOT be bitter. Cold brewing your beans is supposed to do the opposite of bitter. I had to add a bunch of cream and (gasp) sugar to it to make it drinkable. If you know me I NEVER put sugar in coffee. I don't like the way it makes coffee taste.  I asked about which blend they use to make it because some of them are pretty decent. In fact I think their seasonal Kati Kati blend makes a great cold brew. The baristas didn't know. The cold brew is shipped to the locations and just says "cold brew" on the container. Sigh... Cold brew is the easiest, most foolproof way to make coffee, and it's the best way to make your beans taste good. (I direct you to my recent post about how easy it is).  Heck, it's so easy I make a pitcher of it at work!  This total lack of flavor makes me wonder if it's true cold brew or if they hot brew then cool it down. And they certainly aren't using good beans.  After all, I can buy a bottle of Stumptown cold brew, which is brewed in Portland, and know it will be fantastic.

That's it. A quick post this time. Starbucks is following the trend of the local, independent shops who make great cold brews. But they just aren't getting it right.  Maybe they're too big, too corporate. They should have their stores make it themselves the night before. It would be a much better product.  All this having been said, there's worse coffee out there, but don't bother.  You can get better even at Starbucks. Don't waste your money.  2 out of 7.

Maybe soon I'll venture out to see how Peets does with theirs.

COLD BREW COFFEE BREAKDOWN

Last year I was asked to guest blog about cold brew for Etta + Billie.  Alana, soap maven extraordinaire, knows I'm as passionate about coffee as she is about Etta + Billie. She also knows I don't have a lot of time or inclination to spend doing fancy things with fancy equipment. So, when I say making your own cold brew is easy - it's EASY. It requires no fancy equipment and it is practically no-fail. Now, let's get down to the nitty-gritty grinds!

Why cold brew? Cold brewing gives you a wonderful, delicious cup of coffee without the bitterness and acidity that heating the grounds imparts. You'll start to enjoy coffee for all the nuances and 'notes' your beans have.  If you are sensitive to the acids in coffee this is a way to enjoy your favorite beverage again.  If you love iced coffee it's the way to go, incredibly convenient.  I've even heard that some people will make an extra strong batch then add boiling water to make a hot cup. I haven't tried it this way yet, but it's an interesting idea.  

For a basic set up you need beans, some sort of filter to put them in (like a nut milk bag (here's the one I have): http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Nut-Milk-Pure-Joy-Planet/dp/B001UEPGFY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1402780984&sr=1-1&keywords=amazing+nut+milk+bag)

Basic Cold-Brew setup

or disposable filter bags for tea), a 2-liter pitcher,  and a refrigerator. I also like to use a mesh strainer to capture some of the sludge. Here's a shot of my set up. Today I'm using a nice dark roast from Paramo Roasters, Shadowplay. I'll use enough beans for about 1.5 cups at a medium to coarse grind. Too much finer and you'll have a lot of sludge.  Here's the beauty of all this, just about nothing you could do is wrong. You can't really do too much or too little! If you make it too strong then you have a concentrate that you can then add water to taste.  Too little and no need to dilute, you can just drink it straight. Well, I suppose you could make it too weak, but that's subjective.  

The how:

1. Grind your beans. (or get the shop to do it for you, even easier!)
2. Scoop into filter bag. (use at least 1.5 cups for a 2L pitcher)
3. Place in pitcher.
4. Add water.
5. Place in refrigerator overnight (or longer).
6. In the morning remove the bag and give it a good squeeze.
7. Set grounds aside for use around the house. (more on that later)
8. ENJOY! - Add water, sugar, and/or milk to your preference

Some final notes:  

mmmmm....

If it lasts that long, cold brew will be good for up to a week-and-a-half in the refrigerator.  If you run out of time the next morning and have to decide between catching the bus or straining your coffee grounds - go get that bus.  Trust me, your cold brew won’t be ruined if left longer - I’ve done it, it’ll just be more concentrated!  I keep repeating myself on this, but there’s just about nothing you can do to cold brew to make a bad batch!

Some people think you should only use espresso roast. I disagree, I say use what you have on hand!  This will work with just about anything. Do you have family who love you and know you love coffee but know nothing about it themselves? This could be the only way to salvage that nearly undrinkable bag of beans they gave you. Cold brew requires no special equipment.  Some sort of filter bag if you want, but even then some people put the grounds straight into the pitcher and filter through a fine mesh strainer afterward. Can you get fancy equipment? Sure, but I say go lo-fi and spend the money you saved on the beans you want to drink, or a yummy smelling coffee scrub from Etta + Billie.

What to do with all those coffee grinds:

• Use them in your plants. They'll love the nitrogen, especially starter plants.
• Use them as a natural pot scrub. Used grinds are great for scouring pots and pans. Just put a scoop on your sponge.  
• Also scrub your hands when you need a little extra power. They’re great if you've been chopping garlic or onions, too.

There you have it, cold brew coffee in a few easy steps.

Paramo Coffee

View to the Promenade

If you’re like me, the words Sightglass and Stumptown get you salivating like Pavlov’s dog! Then you need to know about Paramo Coffee. This shop has a FANTASTIC pedigree.  Involved in the bean side of things is Gabe, the buyer and roaster who perfected his skills at these places (my two personal favorites). On the retail side of things is one of the gentlemen who founded Modern Coffee over in the Tribune Building in Oakland.  (If you haven't been there I highly recommend it for it’s truly modern concept, but that's a review for another day.)  Paramo Coffee Company is a relatively new (6 months) East Bay roaster who does a wonderful, well-thought-out job with its beans.   The coffee shop is even newer (only a few weeks), filling a coffee dead-zone in this particular section of the FiDi, their philosophy is that really good coffee should be accessible without the (often lampooned) attitude.  Located in Embarcadero 4, it's in a great location to accomplish this by serving tourists and locals alike. It is easily accessible from the Ferry Building and the Bart Embarcadero station.  

The Storefront:

Got Paramo?

It's a small space, in one side, order coffee and/or pastry, out the other, with plenty of seating out in the covered Promenade.  The space is clean and modern, yet inviting. Service was very friendly and everyone was happy to chat about coffee or anything else you might want. And they didn't kick me out when I accidentally muted their sound system. :-) The only issue I encountered were technical issues they were having with their POS system.  They had problems over a few days with their new system (which have since been resolved) ringing people up but they overcame the minor hiccups with grace and pleasantness.

The Coffee:

On my first visit I got my usual test cup when checking out a new shop, a small cappuccino (standard double ristretto).  The roast was a delicious nutty, warm pull, not the typical bright, citrusy feel.  It reminded me of Ninja Star Coffee out of Sebastopol (Yet another review for another day, so much coffee, so little time?), and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have since discovered that the milk ratio can change the taste notes. A regular cappuccino is a cup of warm, nutty comfort. Add an extra double-pull and the complexities come out, warm, bright strength.  Their drip roasts are where they shine, and outshine over-hyped shops such as Blue Bottle.  Sold in smaller batch, half-pound bags, they let you know where the beans come from and when they were roasted.  Ask for a sample of the brew of the day and you'll get a generous taste.   

The Food:

They don't have a lot of food offerings, but what they do have will more than satisfy a craving. They get their baked goods from Wholesome and Starter bakeries and had tempting offerings on display from golden scones, flaky croissants, and decadent muffins.  They also had cronuts that looked like light, fluffy little clouds of carby goodness.

Blurry picture of my cappuccino
made by the man

Coffee Geekery:

Yesterday I stopped by for a lunch time cappuccino, getting my preferred small, quad cap. Gabe was there calling pulling the shots and introduced himself. He and everyone at Paramo are nice people who have a passion for coffee from start to finish.

Now that you know, Go get your Paramo on!

6/7 stars, worth going out of your way for.  

The Creamery

At 4th and Townsend, I used to like the Creamery much more than I do now.  This past summer (only a few months ago) I'd stop in practically every other day. Things have slipped and there's a huge quality discrepancy depending on who's working the machines.  In fact there are a couple of baristas that I'll turn and walk right out if I see them at the Marzoccos.

The Place:

The Creamery is a restaurant with a decent espresso bar setup by the front counter. It's decor is probably best described as SoMa Rustic and it has a pretty good seating area outside. They serve all meals, and wine and beer.  It's also attached to the Iron Cactus. A Mexican restaurant, they share restroom facilities with.  I'm not sure if they share the kitchen space.  The food in the Creamery looks really good, fresh and seems well prepared. They do seem worthy of consideration if you are hungry, but I haven't actually stopped to eat here.  The menu items are interesting and appeal to local tastes.  They also have great baked goods if you are on the go.  Try the strawberry scone if they have it.  

The real benefit to The Creamery is its location. It's kitty corner to the San Francisco Caltrain station at 4th and King. It's the quickest restaurant near the station get to.  It's fast and if you really want to use a restroom (and not the one in the station...) it's your best bet. 

The Coffee:

They use Ritual Roasters for their espresso. Should be pretty decent, right? Again, it depends on the barista. If it's good you get that familiar warm nutty, start with a slight acidic finish.  This last time, it was burnt and just flat tasting.  And most of the time, lately, it's hit or miss.  I did not enjoy it.  My palate can handle 4 shots of espresso from Starbucks in an emergency, so my sensibilities aren't too delicate. I just prefer to have my coffee with a bit of craft and finesse rather than a sledgehammer.  

I think this is a management issue because I've seen a couple of them doing just about everything, running the cash registers, serving food, busing... I don't blame them if they are being stretched too thin, but I'm going to spend my coffee dollars elsewhere.  It seems a great place to stop and grab a bite to eat, but speaking strictly about the coffee - move on.  And speaking of Starbucks, there's one about a block or so in the other direction if time is an issue.  If you want the really good stuff there's a Philz about two blocks south of the train station.  Either way, odds are it will be better coffee. 

3.5 of 7 stars.

Espressamente

Kidney-shaped Coffee Art

Espressamente is Illy's retail shop, franchised in about 200 shops around the world. I think there are about 9 or 10 in the US. There's 1 in SF at 123 Battery St. and opened about a year and a half ago, blowing much of its own fanfare. Illy is considered the grand Dame of Italian espresso roasts and really, if you check them out at all, they are quite impressive. They have a 'University' training center where baristas are trained in the Illy way.

But this Espressamente has slid down the bean hill, fast.

My visit was a sad, frustrating experience. There were two people behind the counter, a barista and the order taker. And while pleasant and professional, they both seemed... Inexperienced and ill prepared for the amount of people coming through, which was not a lot by any means in a busy downtown. It was as though they hadn't been properly trained to handle things.  They seemed to be trying though.  I even got cappuccino art.  A kidney shape that depressed me even more.

Espresso Cup Chandelier

The space was slick and shiny. There's a pretty cool espresso cup chandelier. They offer coffee, juices, baked goods and lunch items.

Generally, I expect my cup to start warm and 'caramely' and move into a fruity, acidic finish. (I call it sour). But it was flat and dull the entire cup. No personality, no depth. It didn't really taste scorched so much as tamped incorrectly.

The shop had an overall depressing, stagnant feel to it. I'm pretty sure I won't be back.

3 of 7 stars: Meh! Go to Starbucks or Peets instead.

REVEILLE

For my inaugural entry I decided to go to one of my favorites, Reveille. 200 Columbus Avenue.

Brothers Tommy and Chris Newberry started it as a coffee truck (that still operates not far away in Jackson Square) but purveying good coffee always has its place in San Francisco; so they opened a store front about a year ago.

Cappuccino Love

What they offer: coffee, pour-over, espresso, delicious baked goods and lunch items, salads and sandwiches. 

What you can expect:
People who care about coffee, a lot. An open, clean and modern space on the edge of North Beach.

The coffee:  FourBarrel is used for pour over and espresso drinks. FourBarrel is a fantastic local roaster that does small batch roasting from known growers. A favorite.

The espresso is is a traditional Italian style, smooth to begin and slightly fruity/acidic on the finish. Delicious. I often get my cappuccino fix here. 

This day, I had a Columbia Andino pour over which was beyond fantastic.  Delicious with strawberry tones.   It drank like a dessert to the bottom of the cup. And left such a pleasant after taste that lasted for a good half hour. 

The Food:

Craftsmen at work

The food was fresh, healthy and reasonably priced. (especially for this part of town) I tried a small faro salad with Brussels sprouts and pumpkin seeds and a small quinoa salad with golden beets, goat cheese and arugula. I got smalls so I could try a couple things; but either would have made a satisfying lunch on their own. Very reasonable for $4 each.  I should have taken a picture... I'll just have to go back... 

Definitely a craft shop. 6 of 7 Stars: Worth Going out of your way for.