Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Stations of the Bean: NW Coffee (so far)

What self-respecting tour of the northwest would neglect conspicuous coffee consumption? Not this one. Despite giving up coffee for most of December, I'm back on the bean here in Oregon. Yes, the  Little Bird tour has thus far been fueled by some delicious locally-roasted coffee beverages. Some highlights from our trip thus far: 
Limestone Coffee in Medford, OR. Seriously third-wave in Southern OR. Yes, they have almond milk if you're into non-dairy espresso drinks, which they did a fine job with, but the winner was their selection of nuanced pour-over coffee features. Every cup is ground to order. http://www.limestonecoffee.com/
Good Bean, Jacksonville, OR. Not far from Medford is this little food, wine and coffee-savvy burg. Hot-air roasted beans from the region's original roaster did not disappoint in the java department, as Good Bean served up a truly exemplary latte made with hazelnut milk. Their beans are proudly served throughout the region's other cafes and restaurants, as well. http://www.goodbean.com/
Noble Coffee, Ashland, OR. Aw, how nice to walk into a place and see a Gibraltar on the menu! Having lived next to Blue Bottle's kiosk in Hayes Valley, SF, during this drink's nascency, I've a soft spot in my heart for this barista-brainchild of a beverage. We happened into this Ashland roasters Railroad District 'temple to coffee' after our radio gig at KSKQ and felt instantly at ease (and warm! It's 30 degrees here). Organic and artisanally crafted, Noble's Gibraltar more than lived up to Blue Bottle's original. http://www.noblecoffeeroasting.com 

No comments: