Coffee & Bikes ;)

This weekend - I'll be riding 40 miles in the Tour de Houston and also checking out Doomsday Wrestling with my sons!  But first, how about some coffee?  

The last time I was in San Antonio, I stopped by Black Laboratory Brewing as I enjoy their stouts after a long bike ride.  While I was there, I also picked up a bag of their Ethiopian coffee that they have used in some of their beers - which I think is a brilliant idea to have both available.

First - the beer!  Their Vanilla Joe Coffee Stout is truly a beautiful brew.  It's made using Costa Rican coffee, which is an excellent choice for a smoother drink.  I find Costa Rican coffee has a bright, honey-like profile that's great for lattes, so blending it into a stout beer is a good choice in my book (blog).  And yeah, this beer delivers the goods.  It's smooth and delicious, dark but not heavy - as in filling.  A fantastic brew that deserves your attention.  :) 

Since I'm a fan of Ethiopian coffees, I couldn't resist picking up a bag of their light roast.  The Ethiopian Sidamo Natural is not a bean I'm very familiar with, although it's (apparently) commonly used by coffee shops.

I find the flavor profile of this bean to be not as robust as a Yirgacheffe (not many beans are) but still gives a distinct character... almost like a dark red wine feel. I also pick up hints of vanilla and smooth milk chocolate.  I'm not so sure about making a cold brew out of this roast... I think I need something a bit stronger for that... but overall, this is a great light roast for your morning routine.

Speaking of mornings... this Sunday I'll be biking 40 miles (maybe more if I'm feeling it) in the Tour de Houston!  I participated in this event last year as my first ever bike "race" and I loved it - although it was fucking grueling due to strong headwinds. This year, the route goes from downtown to Clear Lake, which is going to be great as I've taken that route before with the Saint Arnold's Bike Team.

I didn't pick up a bike jersey for this ride... but I might do it anyway as they look pretty slick this year.  But more importantly, I'm excited to be riding again and being a part of a larger effort.

I kind of wish I could listen to music while I ride as I want to keep listening to my latest demos of songs that I'll be recording in May.  Still a lot to do with these new batch of songs!

Noble Coyote Coffee - Cenfrocafe co-op

Today is a great day to post about my new coffee love!

While I was in Dallas a few weeks ago, I picked up a few bags of beans from the highly regarded (and highly recommended) Noble Coyote Coffee Roaster in Deep Ellum.

Side note 1: While on break from the tradeshow I was attending, I was actually looking for Elevate Coffee Trading Company - which, according to Google Maps, is located at Main Street Garden Park.  However, that site is a pop-up location and not an actual storefront.  When I called the number on the website, Michael from Elevate answered and schooled me on the Elevate site situation - but then... Michael took the time to text me a few excellent recommendations of places to go check out for coffee and coffee beans!  That's pretty amazing customer service.

Side note 2: Noble Coyote is right around the corner from Rainbow Vomit and Deep Ellum Brewing Company - both are worth checking out while you're in that area.  Okay, back to the story.

I picked up a couple of regular sized bags of beans and then saw this little sampler from the Cenfrocafe co-op from Peru.  Aaaand... since my Dad was born in Cajamarca, Peru - I thought it would be neat to check out coffee from his home town. 

 

This is a light, smooth coffee that does not have a strong flavor profile.  It definitely has that milk chocolate thing going on - but I'm not picking up the green apple essence as noted on the bag.  For sure, it's a creamy and light brew without a lot of character.  

This can be either good or bad, depending on how you like your coffees.

If you're the type that enjoys adding creams and flavors to your brew - then this coffee is PERFECT since its flavor profile is smooth enough to blend with anything you throw at it.

However - if you're a straight black no chaser kind of coffee drinker, then you might be disappointed with the lack of strong character from this coffee.  It's good, but leaves me wanting something with a bolder, more pronounced profile.  I'm glad I tried the sampler version of this coffee - since it's from my Dad's home town, but it's not a bean I'll be returning to.  

Instead, I have an AMAZING coffee that is on my list for the next time I'm in Dallas and/or in Austin and what follows is the object of my desire for today's post.

While I was walking around downtown Dallas, Michael from Elevate recommended that I check out the Bernie Bean Coffee Company - located just outside of the main downtown area.  While at the Bernie Bean, I picked up a cup of their Costa Rican coffee (labeled as Don Flor Coffee) and it was... religious!  I loved it so much, that I went back the next day to get another cup.  While chatting with the barista - she mentioned that they get their roasted beans from the Greater Goods Coffee Company in Austin and that the Don Flor is a re-label of Greater Goods' Take Me Home.  I didn't think to ask why Bernie Bean doesn't buy from a Dallas-based roaster, but I'm grateful that I now have a new roast to hunt down and "bring home"!  (see what I did there?)

TLDR: Peru - 0, Costa Rica - 1 

Porch Culture Coffee (2nd bag) and a new Grateful Dead live album (Dave's Picks 45)

Yes!  A new bag of coffee is ready to be opened and enjoyed at my home.  Let's dive in!

Today I am posting about the second bag of coffee I picked up in Tyler, Texas at Porch Culture and its name is as much of a mouthful as its flavor profile: Aurelio Villatoro Campamento Alto from Guatemala.  Here's a link to the coffee grower and his farm.  Guatemala coffees tend to be smooth and rich, so I was curious about this roast for a milder coffee experience.

Right away I noted that this coffee truly delivers.  It is smooth and has a melted chocolate feel with dark berry tasting notes. There's nothing complex about this roast but that doesn't mean it's boring.  I recommend not adding anything to this coffee such as milk, sugar.  Nope.  Just enjoy it straight up as it's a smooth and pleasant brew without an acidic bite.  Well done!

So while I'm digging the coffee, I'm also digging hard on the latest release from the Dave's Picks series by the Grateful Dead.

I've been listening to the Grateful Dead for a few decades now and was lucky to catch them in DC at RFK on July 13, 1989.  Even though my first show was in the late period of the band, I truly admire and enjoy the 70s era best... specifically late '71 to early '78.  So, when the announcement came out about the dates for the Dave's Picks #45 - I was ready!  

What sells it for me from the 70s are the beautiful tones and feel of the songs that they would play.  This set lacks the here-goes-nothing sonic experiments from the 60s and early 70s, but the playing is absolutely top notch with very, very few songs repeated over two nights.

I love listening to the Dead because I like their pace. Their songs never get too fast and sometimes their music blends into the background to the point of being sonic wallpaper.  But that mellow vibe of their songs, their playing, their sound... it gives me comfort during long drives on the road or when I'm just chilling at home.

Also, because of their pace, I tend to hear Grateful Dead's music in my head while I'm riding my bike to keep my cadence at a reasonable and steady pace.

Speaking of touring and races... I have three major bike rides coming up in March and April as well as a mini tour getting scheduled for late March.  And then in May, I'm back in Chicago for more touring as well as studio recording.  Yikes!

TLDR:  Guatemala coffee is good and I love The Dead!

Porch Culture (Tyler, TX) - Kamwangi Factory Peaberry Coffee

While I was in Tyler, Texas for a gig at The Green Room last November, I stopped by Porch Culture to try their coffee and just chill until my AirBnB was ready.  It was a beautiful, sunny November day with a bright sun and deep blue skies... perfect for quiet contemplation and coffee.

I have tried a few different roasts of Peaberry beans and while I like the coffee from it, it's not part of my regular selection of coffees. It's good, but the Peaberry coffees have lighter notes that are more in line with, say, an afternoon cup rather than a cup to kick-start your day.

This roast of the Peaberry bean from Porch Culture is very much in line with what I expected - and that's a great thing.  It's light and has sharp citrus notes.  The finish is mild, but still has floral notes.  This coffee is a great complement to an afternoon scone or muffin.  Some roasters (including Porch Culture) note spices in the roasted bean, but it's not obvious to me.

Here's a link to a roaster in Stockholm that talks about the roasting process at Kamwangi Factory.  And here's a highly technical post from a roaster in Northern California that shares information about the farm, the roast, and scientific details about the bean!

Overall, this is a great, light afternoon coffee.  It's good to have a bag available for occasions where a full, hearty roast would be too much.

January

Got a couple of gigs and rides lined up for January that I am eager to post about.

Saturday the 21st will be in Dallas at Three Links in the Deep Ellum district with Moon Phase (Houston), True To Form (Houston), and Wish Kit (Denton).   

Deep Ellum has changed a lot over the past four years from being a kind of dive bar district with a lot of savory and "interesting" characters to now being a very slick, urban setting with shops, bars, and restaurants that accommodate tourists.  While the district has lost a lot of its dirty charm, it still has a good amount to offer if you're looking in the right places.  I love stopping by Deep Vellum Bookstore, Murray Street Coffee Shop, Nylo Wool Vintage Clothes, and Merit Coffee.

And then, a week later, I'm in San Antonio on Saturday the 28th at Saige Cave - which is a punk house show.  I love house shows, but I worry about the PA capacity since I rely on the house PA for the drum machine.  I'm eager to perform with Gauze, Could Be Worse, Florish, and Gult (all from SATX).  I love that the gig poster references Johnny The Homicidal Maniac. 

The trail system around San Antonio is no joke as it's an incredible... almost zen-like trail system. They have an amazing system that circles the outside of the city as well as trails stemming out from the downtown area.  But also, there's a wide range of topography along the trails that feels like you're not in Texas at all.  I really can't recommend it enough.  Start at Eisenhower Park and go in either direction - it's so worth it!

Also, I make a point to stop by either Black Laboratory Brewing or Philoçoffee (both if I can!) when I'm in San Antonio.  Not only does Black Laboratory have fantastic beers on tap (and canned) - they also have limited batches of coffee beans available that are used in their brews.  Philoçoffee is a quiet and friendly little cafe that serves up great coffee plus a limited but well-crafted food menu.  It's not a place to go if you're in a hurry - but it's so dang worth it!

Oh right... I need to mention a couple of rides I have this month!

I signed up for the Texas MS 150 to be held at the end of April.  This will be a 150 miles ride over two days from Houston to College Station, TX.  I've signed up (once again) to be part of the Saint Arnold's Brewery Bike Team, which is an absolute honor.

My first time doing this ride was last year and it was a serious learning / growth experience.  I tested my body and mind to push further than I had gone before and I felt more accomplished than ever before.  AND... I did the ride on a single speed (the State bike) which many people claimed was an absurd and crazy proposition... but I DID IT!

So... I have a group ride coming up with the brewery team on Saturday (planning on 41 miles) and theeeeeen, I have an Alleycat Race for Sunday the 29th with the Coffee and Bikes group.  Much excite!

If you're keeping tabs - I'm in San Antonio on the 28th, playing a gig at a punk house show, and then participating in a bike race less than 12 hours later in Houston.  WTF is wrong with me?  I suppose it's all part of the thrill of testing my mind and body once again to a near-death experience with music and biking.  You gotta stay tuned to see if I survive.

TLDR: Gigs in Dallas and San Antonio with rides in Houston rides.  

Metropolis Coffee Company (Chicago) - Kenya Thiriku

This morning, I opened up the final bag of coffee I had picked up in Chicago back in OCTOBER.  Yes, I know it's January and this bag of whole bean goodness has been waiting since October 11th to finally see the light of day again, so here we are.

You may ask yourself, how long can a person store a sealed bag of coffee beans?  Let's ask!

While I was in Chicago, working on recordings for the next album and getting some gigs done as well, I picked up bags of coffee from several roasters and all of them have been outstanding!  Fortunately / unfortunately, I started this blog well after I had drank through all of them except for this final bag from the Metropolis Coffee Company.

Metropolis is not a coffee shop, per se.  It's a roaster that sells a wide range of coffee to large and small shops around the Chicago region (and beyond in select cities). Their storefront is small and they offer regular consumer bags of coffee (and complementary cups of coffee to try) for people wanting to grab a bag and go.

My AirBnB was about a block away from their office and on the way to the recording studio (Electrical Audio) - so I picked up a few interesting bags to try out.

I'm a fan of East African beans and medium roasting styles, so I naturally gravitated towards Kenya Thiriku.  The description says that it's "wildly aromatic, tangy, and complex like passionfruit, guava, late summer tomatoes, ginger, and lemongrass."  

Right off the top, I agree that this coffee is super fragrant and has a pleasant, ripe, fruity aromatic character.  It's so fragrant that my downstairs neighbor sent me text this morning commenting that my coffee smelled good.  That's a major endorsement!

As I'm sipping - I'm tasting sweet, dark fruit notes with a  clean, almost cleansing finish.  And yeah, I'm tasting the guava-like notes both in the front and within the finish.

In the front, it certainly has that ripe, fruity essence that's pleasant and not too sweet.  Medium roast is the way to go with this bean as a light roast would be TOO sweet and a darker roast might accidently squash some of those delicate notes found mid sip.

I didn't know anything about Thiriku bean production, so I looked around and found this fantastic site that explains the area and the process it goes through to get into your cup!

I can't help but think about the Fritz Lang film "Metropolis" (as well as the Motorhead song of the same name) when I look at this bag in the morning.  Imma dork, I know it! 

TLDR: This coffee is highly recommended.

Coffee Coffee Coffee

I did not get into drinking coffee until well into my late 20s when I was living in San Francisco.  Even then, it was the sugary Starbucks stuff.  

No, my love of coffee arrived well into my 30s (I'm now 52) and it was truly a glorious revelation of what was missing from my palette.  And while I’m not the ultra-purist of coffee drinkers – I do appreciate a well-crafted roasted bean.

When I'm on tour or traveling for work, I usually buy a bag of beans from a local roaster as a souvenir – but also, I like supporting local businesses and.... coffee!  

Problems begin to mount when I’m gone for 3 to 5 days and I end up buying at least a bag a day… which means I’m stockpiling bags of coffee that will last for a few weeks.  The problem compounds when I find myself traveling frequently. 

For example:  At one point, I had seven bags of coffee from five different cities all sitting in my cupboard… waiting patiently as I would slowly grind through them during my week.  Because of the amount of time I'm holding these beans, I always request whole bean and keep the bags stored in the cupboard.

I don’t have a favorite roaster as I’ve been to quite a few and nearly all of them have something amazing to try – but I do have my favorite beans.  I prefer medium roasts and I usually gravitate towards Eastern Africa and South American beans.  Indonesian is also up there too.  Central American coffee is good too (especially Guatemala), but I tend to be very picky about the beans from there – just because I enjoy the other regions more.

TLDR: I like coffee.