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	<title>Chris Bean &#124; On Campus, Coffee and Faith &#187; Coffee and Third Place</title>
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	<link>http://chrisbean.info</link>
	<description>Campus Ministry at the University of Cincinnati for the CCO &#38; Church of the Nazarene</description>
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		<title>Coffee Ritual</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-ritual/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-ritual/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:05:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hospitality]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=878</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My coffee ritual is not quite like the coffee ceremonies of Arab or Ethiopian cultures, but it is a ritual nonetheless. Rituals add meaning and rhythm to life. Rituals comfort and remind. Rituals provide a sense of identity and community (except when I&#8217;m brewing a single cup for myself). My current coffee &#8220;ceremony&#8221; involves the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-04-26-at-10.29.14-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-880" title="Screen shot 2012-04-26 at 10.29.14 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-04-26-at-10.29.14-AM.png" alt="" width="234" height="200" /></a>My coffee ritual is not quite like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffee_ceremony" target="_blank">coffee ceremonies</a> of Arab or Ethiopian cultures, but it is a ritual nonetheless.</p>
<p>Rituals add meaning and rhythm to life. Rituals comfort and remind. Rituals provide a sense of identity and community (except when I&#8217;m brewing a single cup for myself).</p>
<p>My current coffee &#8220;ceremony&#8221; involves the hand-blown glass Chemex brewing pot, a buono kettle, and the magic filters which know which particles and oils to hold back.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m a big fan of Intelligentsia&#8217;s training/instructional videos and standards. Here&#8217;s a <a href="http://vimeo.com/6161817" target="_blank">great one</a> for the Chemex.</p>
<p>I fill the buono kettle about 3/4 full so I&#8217;ll have enough water to<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-04-26-at-10.36.12-AM.png"><img class="alignright  wp-image-881" title="Screen shot 2012-04-26 at 10.36.12 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-04-26-at-10.36.12-AM-300x223.png" alt="" width="180" height="134" /></a> rinse the filter and warm my mug as well as to brew the coffee.</p>
<p>While the water is coming to a boil, I grind the whole bean coffee in the ceramic hand mill. You&#8217;re going for a similar coarseness to a french press setting. I like mine a little more fine than that though. The precision on the mill is not what I would like it to be but again, there&#8217;s something about the manual process that improves the ritual. Of course, this is not realistic if you need to grind more than 40-60 grams of coffee.   <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>The Intelligentsia standard for coffee/water ratio is 2.1-2.2g per fl. oz of water. Another common standard in the industry is 2 tbsp per 6 oz of water. I like to start with standards like these then adjust to one&#8217;s own taste/preferences.</p>
<p>Once the water boils, I measure out the right amount of water for the brewing and then use the rest to wet/rinse the filter and heat up the pot.  I pour that water into my mug to preheat and then re-fill the buono kettle with the exact amount of water I want to brew with.</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-04-26-at-9.24.46-AM.png"><img class="alignleft  wp-image-885" title="Screen shot 2012-04-26 at 9.24.46 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-04-26-at-9.24.46-AM-300x202.png" alt="" width="177" height="119" /></a>To brew a delicious clean cup of coffee I begin by wetting the ground coffee with just enough water for the grounds to &#8220;bloom.&#8221; You don&#8217;t want to see much/any dripping at this point. That will deflate (bubble out) in 30-45 sec and then I continue to pour slowly in a circular motion (avoiding the sides) until I&#8217;ve evenly extracted about 12 oz of liquid delight.</p>
<p>The whole ritual takes about 10 minutes and it imposes a certain amount of order in an otherwise typically chaotic day.</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s another <a href="http://www.batdorfcoffee.com/index.php/learn/chemex-brewing-basics.html" target="_blank">good description</a> of the Chemex brew method which you might find helpful if you have a Chemex and want to fine-tune your brewing.</p>
<p>Is coffee a part of your daily ritual?</p>
<p>What rituals have you found helpful in bringing personal order to chaos?</p>
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		<title>12 More Days of Coffee-lessness</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/12-more-days-of-coffee-lessness/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/12-more-days-of-coffee-lessness/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 26 Mar 2012 18:28:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=870</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[My typical approach to observing Lent is a substantial fast of some sort 1 or 2 weeks before Easter. I usually don&#8217;t pick one particular food or activity to abstain from for the entire 40 days of Lent (46 if you fast on Sundays too). So what possessed me to fast coffee this entire Lent [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-03-26-at-2.18.19-PM.png"><img class=" wp-image-871 alignright" title="Screen shot 2012-03-26 at 2.18.19 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-03-26-at-2.18.19-PM-300x287.png" alt="" width="180" height="172" /></a>My typical approach to observing Lent is a substantial fast of some sort 1 or 2 weeks before Easter. I usually don&#8217;t pick one particular food or activity to abstain from for the entire 40 days of Lent (46 if you fast on Sundays too).</p>
<p>So what possessed me to fast coffee this entire Lent season this year? I&#8217;m guessing it was the Holy Spirit (or some kind of spirit) since that is NOT something I EVER fast intentionally.</p>
<p>Well, as difficult as it has been I would have to say that I am learning some things in the process. It took about two weeks of deprivation, but some signs of addiction did finally begin to emerge. First of all, somewhere around day 12 I began to notice a growing tendency towards irritability. For a few days I thought I just had a case of the grumps&#8230;but the longer it lasted, the more aware I became of the source.</p>
<p>Another clue came when I realized I was avoiding community&#8230;relationships&#8230;conversation. That could just be a continuation of the first side effect, but it seems separate to me because I often identify coffee and espresso as something to be enjoyed communally. When I couldn&#8217;t enjoy the bean, I couldn&#8217;t enjoy being&#8230;with others. Sounds pretty lame to confess this publicly, but I&#8217;ve never been one to under-share!</p>
<p>During the past couple of weeks I&#8217;ve substituted another addiction in order to get some relief: running. Yeah&#8230;quite a different kind of addiction but I&#8217;ve noticed a desire to run multiple times a day which has probably only happened one other time. That&#8217;s the time I realized running/working out could also become an obsession&#8230;a means of self-medicating&#8230;an escape.</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-03-26-at-2.21.45-PM.png"><img class="size-full wp-image-872 alignleft" style="border: 5px solid white;" title="Screen shot 2012-03-26 at 2.21.45 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2012-03-26-at-2.21.45-PM.png" alt="" width="140" height="183" /></a>Now I actually don&#8217;t believe these addictions are completely problematic. In moderation, both running and coffee have immense benefits in my life. Both bring relief from stress and create certain soothing rituals for daily living and thriving. However, one of the whole points of fasting for me (whether it&#8217;s coffee, food, social media, etc) is raising my own awareness of the things I lean on more so than my relationship with God/Christ. I look forward to this Lenten journey each year because it helps me strip away the things I use to insulate myself from God and others. My identity as a coffee guy is well established. The caffeine molecule and I are pretty close. But when my identify is grounded in the truth of God&#8217;s redemptive and restorative plan for my life more so than the rituals, comforts, and crutches I prop my self up on, then I can more authentically live out of the correct source and self.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
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		<title>Where Hospitality &amp; Discipleship Meet</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/where-hospitality-discipleship-meet/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/where-hospitality-discipleship-meet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:24:56 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Campus Ministry]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[discipleship]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gospel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hospitality]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=820</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It was about this time last year that I had a similar post, sharing a bit of a promo for the weekly gathering which I host at the Edge House. With more in mind than just publicity, I share a similar post today. Although I&#8217;m often conflicted about maintaining a program or event with all [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It was about this time last year that I had a similar post, sharing a bit of a promo for the weekly gathering which I host at the Edge House.<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-09-27-at-1.15.05-PM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-821" title="Screen shot 2011-09-27 at 1.15.05 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-09-27-at-1.15.05-PM-300x196.png" alt="" width="300" height="196" /></a></p>
<p>With more in mind than just publicity, I share a <a href="http://chrisbean.info/journey-28-at-the-edge-house/" target="_blank">similar post</a> today.</p>
<p>Although I&#8217;m often conflicted about maintaining a program or event with all its administrative and logistic baggage, I am also compelled to provide a consistent opportunity &amp; place for students to gather, worship, study the Scriptures, experience community and hospitality.</p>
<p><em><strong>JOURNEY</strong></em> = a common metaphor for the spiritual life.</p>
<p>Jesus called himself the &#8220;way&#8221;&#8230;<em>odos</em> in the Greek (pronounced &#8220;hodos&#8221;). It&#8217;s the origin for derivative words such as <em>odometer</em> and <em>exodus</em> (&#8220;a way out&#8221;). So the discipleship component of our gathering is all about being FORMED into the likeness of Christ as we join Him on the Kingdom path.</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-09-27-at-1.19.37-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-822" title="Screen shot 2011-09-27 at 1.19.37 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-09-27-at-1.19.37-PM-223x300.png" alt="" width="134" height="180" /></a>Speaking of FORMED&#8230;that is the &#8216;curriculum for Christlikeness&#8217; we&#8217;ll be engaging along the WAY. You can download the accompanying prayerbooks <a href="http://formed.cc/prayers/" target="_blank">here</a> or find out more about FORMED <a href="http://formed.cc/prayers/" target="_blank">here</a>. You can also &#8220;like&#8221; FORMED on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/formed?sk=info" target="_blank">facebook</a> and be part of the community engaging this material and mission.</p>
<p><strong><em>2.8</em></strong> = refers to 1 Thessalonians 2:8 in which Paul encourages and reminds the Thessalonian Christians, &#8220;We loved you so much that we wanted to share not just the Gospel but our lives as well.&#8221;</p>
<p>Hospitality is more than serving coffee and pastries. It&#8217;s about blurring the lines between kin and foreigner. It&#8217;s a recognition that we are all pilgrims journeying towards some purpose or end. In Christ, we have been brought near to God. Though we were once considered estranged enemies of God, because of Christ&#8230;we are children of God. How great is that kind of love? The scandalous love of a Father for his prodigal child?! The whole paradigm of the Gospel is reconciliation&#8230;God extending gracious hospitality to His creation. So we who have received this grace and blessing are called to be people of grace and blessing to other &#8220;foreigners,&#8221; pilgrims, college students&#8230;whoever. And as Paul indicates, sharing the Gospel is about sharing life&#8230;not just information or some magical salvation prayer.</p>
<p><strong><em>JOURNEY 2.8</em></strong> then is about embracing the call to follow Jesus within the context and ethos of hospitality. It&#8217;s designed to be a welcoming environment but especially suited for students who want to be transformed by the Word/words of God in order to transform the world.</p>
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		<title>Take a Load Off at Park+Vine</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/take-a-load-off-at-parkvine/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/take-a-load-off-at-parkvine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Feb 2011 16:58:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=628</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Our Formed collaborative gathered this morning to put the finishing touches on our &#8220;Work&#8221;-themed seminar this weekend. More info about that here. Our meeting location has been on my list of cafes to visit for several weeks now. Park+Vine is what you would call a Green General Store with a cafe. They are located off [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-10.41.47-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-639" title="Screen shot 2011-02-04 at 10.41.47 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-10.41.47-AM-300x98.png" alt="" width="240" height="78" /></a></p>
<p>Our Formed collaborative gathered this morning to put the finishing touches on our &#8220;Work&#8221;-themed seminar this weekend. More info about that <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/event.php?eid=121392004599445&amp;index=1" target="_blank">here</a>. Our meeting location has been on my list of cafes to visit for several weeks now.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.parkandvine.com/" target="_blank">Park+Vine</a> is what you would call a Green General <a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-10.35.25-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-629" title="Screen shot 2011-02-04 at 10.35.25 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-10.35.25-AM-300x223.png" alt="" width="240" height="178" /></a>Store with a cafe. They are located off Main Street in the Over The Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati. The old Kaldi&#8217;s coffee shop is their new home, and the place looks great. Although they have a variety of interesting products, the cafe was my main interest today.<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-11.12.44-AM.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-631" title="Screen shot 2011-02-04 at 11.12.44 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-11.12.44-AM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>Featuring an old-world Victoria Arduino 3-group machine and espresso from La Terza (a local coffee roasterie in Northside)&#8230;you can get some of the best capps and lattes in the city right here.</p>
<p>(Pictured to the right is a 2-group version of their espresso machine.)</p>
<p>Although they have a limited amount of seating, there&#8217;s a large table that is great for groups of 6-8 and a couple of smaller tables as well.</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-10.35.39-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-633" title="Screen shot 2011-02-04 at 10.35.39 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2011-02-04-at-10.35.39-AM-300x223.png" alt="" width="240" height="178" /></a>You could also pull up a seat on one of the bar stools and have a friendly conversation with the barista as s/he steams up some great soy for your espresso beverage (the store and cafe is totally vegan).</p>
<p>Local art which has been created mostly with reclaimed materials adds an extra creative vibe to the space as well.</p>
<p>Although I never had the opportunity to visit this location when it was the old Kaldi&#8217;s, I&#8217;ve heard that Park+Vine made some great improvements by brightening and livening up the decor. Come check it out for yourself soon.</p>
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		<title>Tipping A Barista</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/tipping-a-barista/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/tipping-a-barista/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 Oct 2010 00:17:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Finances]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=560</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Someone recently asked me what the expectation is for tipping at a coffee shop. Unlike many in the food service industry, baristas are paid at least minimum wage. So there&#8217;s usually not an &#8220;expectation&#8221; to tip. However, having worked at a few coffee shops (Starbucks and otherwise), I know that baristas count on and hope [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Someone recently asked me what the expectation is for tipping at a coffee shop.<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-10-19-at-8.16.20-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-561" title="Screen shot 2010-10-19 at 8.16.20 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-10-19-at-8.16.20-PM-218x300.png" alt="" width="218" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>Unlike many in the food service industry, baristas are paid at least minimum wage.  So there&#8217;s usually not an &#8220;expectation&#8221; to tip.  However, having worked at a few coffee shops (Starbucks and otherwise), I know that baristas count on and hope for an additional $1 or $2 per hour in tips.</p>
<p>I usually try to tip baristas around 10% personally. On my $2 coffee though, that only amounts to 20 cents, so I usually throw in anywhere from a quarter to .50.</p>
<p>If I get exceptional service and customer interaction from the barista (and the register employee) I&#8217;ll tip up to $1 per beverage.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s my $.02 worth on the subject. Anyone else have any tips on the subject?<br /> <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Here&#8217;s a helpful article I found on the subject if you want a more <a href="http://www.ehow.com/about_6671654_tip-jar-etiquette.html" target="_blank">thorough guide</a> to coffee shop tipping etiquett.</p>
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		<title>Coffee Shop Stop #8: Reality Tuesday Cafe</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-shop-stop-8-reality-tuesday-cafe/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-shop-stop-8-reality-tuesday-cafe/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 01:01:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=484</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Knowing I had a meeting this afternoon in Covington, I wanted to find a café to review in the area. Via Twitter and Facebook, the Reality Tuesday shop had come to my attention so I looked it up. The shop is right off of Dixie Highway, just south of Covington a little ways as you [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-25-at-3.17.40-PM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-485" title="Screen shot 2010-08-25 at 3.17.40 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-25-at-3.17.40-PM-300x221.png" alt="" width="300" height="221" /></a>Knowing I had a meeting this afternoon in Covington, I wanted to find a café to review in the area. Via Twitter and Facebook, the <a href="http://www.realitytuescafe.com/location/" target="_blank">Reality Tuesday</a> shop had come to my attention so I looked it up. The shop is right off of Dixie Highway, just south of Covington a little ways as you gain some elevation going up into Park Hills. I arrived right after the noon hour and there was a bit of a line since they offer quite a few food items for lunch customers.</p>
<p>My initial coffee connoisseur reaction was not a positive one since the café felt more like a restaurant than a coffee shop. Perhaps the environment would be a little different in the early morning or late evening hours.<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-25-at-3.17.22-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-486" title="Screen shot 2010-08-25 at 3.17.22 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-25-at-3.17.22-PM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.sevenhillscoffee.com/" target="_blank">Seven Hills</a> is the coffee roaster/provider and I’ve already had a good sampling of their brew in other shops. Unfortunately, the blend that they’ve created for Reality Tuesday did not help their cause in my mind. It’s a medium roast but has an imbalance of flavor to me. Usually I can distinguish the components of a blend (by growing region at least) but this one eludes me.  They also offered an organic Dark Mexican coffee which is probably the one I should try…maybe I’ll make a trip back to the counter.</p>
<p>Now keep in mind, compared to the Cracker Barrel coffee I started with this morning, Seven Hills is a tremendous improvement! Seven Hills supplies hundreds of locations around Cincinnati and the Midwest with specialty coffee and other products. They promote themselves as having the best coffee and best service in the area. I encourage you to visit their cafes, try their beans, and make up your own mind.</p>
<p><strong><em>Drip Coffee Score: 3 out of 5 stars </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p>As I already mentioned, this café seems geared towards the sandwhich/Panini/wrap crowd more so than the espresso enthusiast. From the mix of bad cooking aromas to the sloppy café and seating area…it’s just not an appealing vibe to me. The staff have been very friendly and answered many of my questions…even replacing my drip choice without an extra charge. Since there are 20+ people sitting around enjoying their lunch, coffee, pastries, etc…it’s obvious that they’re drawing a crowd. I see large groups having lively conversation and individuals with laptops working away. A local photographer’s work is being displayed on the far wall. All in all, I’d say this must be a healthy hub of community and ‘third place’ gathering even though it may lack  the “feel” and aesthetic allure.</p>
<p><strong><em>Hospitality Score: 3 out of 5 stars<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-25-at-3.17.30-PM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-487" title="Screen shot 2010-08-25 at 3.17.30 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-25-at-3.17.30-PM-300x223.png" alt="" width="300" height="223" /></a></em></strong></p>
<p>As I ordered the cappuccino, the “barista” asked if I’d still like the grande version. Apparently, they usually serve a 16oz cap as a quad. Since I’m usually looking for a double shot in an 8 oz cap, the proportion is about right I suppose. But they did find a small porcelain mug of 8-10oz capacity so I talked them into a double cap in that.</p>
<p>What happened next was kind of horrifying. For an 8oz cap (which would only need 6 oz of milk), a 20 oz pitcher was steamed improperly until the foam (soap suds) crept over the edge of the pitcher. The milk must have been steamed to a temp of at least 180 because it had a scalded/scorched flavor. The barista dosed coffee which must’ve been pre-ground earlier in the day because I never heard the grinder actually turned on…just the clack-clack of the doser. Then there was a series of violent tampings which caused me to wince as I observed. She leaned on the portafilter and then tapped the side of it with the tamper…and repeated this 3 more times. That poor puck had no chance of NOT channeling! The result in the cup was a bitter overextracted stale espresso and scalded milk concoction topped with a heap of milk suds (which you can see in the image above). Wow! There really should be some laws against abusing beans in this manner.  <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p><strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p>I don’t even need to score the espresso separately. I’ve seen enough. And although I run the risk of being perceived as harsh and uber critical, I must offer a dose of reality (pun certainly intended)…this café needs to be held accountable. If you’re going to own an espresso machine, you owe it to your shop and your employees and the coffee-consuming community to provide the necessary training which offers the possibility, at least, of producing an average espresso beverage.<strong><em> </em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Cappuccino Score: 1 out of 5 stars</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Espresso Score: 1 out of 5 stars</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Total Score: 8 out of 20 stars</em></strong></p>
<p>This is not what I would call a coffee destination. The espresso machine is nearly out of sight in the back corner of the food prep area. The café provides a great meeting place and food/coffee option within the community. But it’s definitely not the kind of shop to seek out or drive more than a few minutes for if you’re looking for artistically crafted espresso beverages. If you’re driving around Covington/Park Hills/etc and need a cup o’ joe…by all means, stop in (for some drip coffee only) and then let me know what YOU think.</p>
<blockquote><p>Dear Reality Tuesday owner/employees,</p>
<p>I love coffee too much not to tell the truth. You have a great location, space, and potential. Seek out the resources you need to raise the coffee culture a couple of notches and you could really be a great destination. So in the midst of this reality check, know that I mean you no harm&#8230;in fact, I&#8217;m willing to be part of the solution if you&#8217;re interested in moving forward.  <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
</blockquote>
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		<title>Coffee Shop Stop #7: Corner BLOC in Price Hill</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-shop-stop-7-corner-bloc-in-price-hill/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-shop-stop-7-corner-bloc-in-price-hill/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:50:13 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=473</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I had the opportunity to combine a lunch stop, café review, and good fellowship in Price Hill today. I had heard great things about this shop from some friends&#8230;the Corner BLOC Cafe. Becky just prepared La Armonia Hermosa for us with their spectacular pour-over setup. Seriously, this setup is the first thing that caught my [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.06.11-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-474" title="Screen shot 2010-08-20 at 1.06.11 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.06.11-PM-300x168.png" alt="" width="300" height="168" /></a>I had the opportunity to combine a lunch stop, café review, and good fellowship in Price Hill today. I had heard great things about this shop from some friends&#8230;the <a href="http://www.cornerbloccoffee.com" target="_blank">Corner BLOC Cafe. </a></p>
<p>Becky just prepared <a href="http://www.laarmoniahermosa.com/armonia/Home.html" target="_blank">La Armonia Hermosa</a> for us with their spectacular pour-over setup. Seriously, this setup is the first thing that caught my eye as we walked into the shop. I naturally look for the espresso machine first, but the hand-crafted system of copper pipes, glass drippers, and antique drip tray so caught my attention. <a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.34-PM.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-475" title="Screen shot 2010-08-20 at 1.04.34 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.34-PM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>Since they get their beans from the same roaster I patronize in Northside (<a href="http://www.laterzacoffee.com/" target="_blank">La Terza</a>), I was already familiar with the 3 bean selections they were offering. Choosing this beautifully harmonious bean from Guatemala was sure to be a good “drip” coffee experience. And that is exactly what happened. Drinking coffee brewed in this way is quickly becoming my favorite means of experiencing the glory that is coffee. Fresh. Aromatic. Balanced flavors. Aesthetic experience. I’m already a fan of the BLOC regardless of how the rest of this little “review” goes. (just being up front with my bias, eh?!)</p>
<p><strong><em>Drip Coffee Score: 5 out of 5 stars</em></strong></p>
<p>Dropping in on a café during the “down” time has been my usual habit. The baristas have a little more time to chat and share information about their coffee, espresso, etc. My campus ministry buddy &amp; friend, <a href="http://aaronklinefelter.net/" target="_blank">Aaron Klinefelter</a>, was with me and he addressed the barista by name so we had a jumpstart on the conversation with Becky. She was very welcoming in her demeanor and explanations. You would think this is a given when it comes to baristas but it’s surprising how many are actually not that personable or hospitable with customers. And way too many baristas have a pretty condescending tone as they “educate” you.<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.46-PM.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-476" title="Screen shot 2010-08-20 at 1.04.46 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.46-PM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>Besides the great conversation with Becky, we were impressed with the space. There was plenty of seating, free wifi, and a good mix of tunes playing in the background. I don’t know much about the Price Hill community, but I’m sure the blocks surrounding this café are enhanced by the presence of this BLOC. We also had the treat of meeting Dwight, the director of BLOC ministries which has developed this space and community concept.</p>
<p><strong><em>Hospitality Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars</em></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.12.53-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-477" title="Screen shot 2010-08-20 at 1.12.53 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.12.53-PM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>My expectations are high from the beautiful two-group Elektra. I have not-so-secretly coveted this machine ever since it was sitting on the bar at Brutopia on Ludlow. So let’s see what Becky can get out of this beauty.  <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' />   She too has a history with Starbucks (as I do) but she has obviously overcome those challenges (Ha, ha!) and learned the art of hand-crafted espresso. The shot was nearly perfect. The only problem was that it left my demitasse to quickly. Maybe I needed a triple.<strong><em><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.22-PM.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-479 alignright" title="Screen shot 2010-08-20 at 1.04.22 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.22-PM-300x231.png" alt="" width="180" height="139" /></a></em></strong></p>
<p>Most cafes serve an underextracted (“short”) shot of espresso which starts blonding almost immediately in the brewing process. There’s often very little crema which often offers the sweetness and balance that espresso needs in the cup. None of these problems were issues at the BLOC today. The only issues which kept this from being a perfect “5” was that the shot was slightly long and didn’t quite yield a full 2 ounces of ‘spro…but that is being very nit-picky, I know!!</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><strong><em>Espresso Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars</em></strong></p>
<p>The first sign of good things was that Becky didn’t ask me what size I wanted. A cappuccino by definition (at least an authentic cappuccino) is a certain size…about 6 to 8 ounces of perfectly blended espresso, steamed milk, and silky-sweet microfoam. Another factor which propels this café forward in the game is adding the option of milk from <a href="http://www.snowvillecreamery.com/" target="_blank">Snowville Creamery</a>. Since two-thirds of the drink is the milk…what a difference! As you can see, the drink came out beautifully. She didn’t get the artistic results she wanted but the taste, texture, everything else was there.</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.09-PM.png"><img class="size-medium wp-image-478 alignleft" title="Screen shot 2010-08-20 at 1.04.09 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-20-at-1.04.09-PM-300x239.png" alt="" width="240" height="191" /></a><strong><em>Cappuccino Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Total Score: 18.5 out of 20 stars</em></strong></p>
<p>Obviously, this is a café I highly recommend. Whether you’re in the Price Hill area or need to drive 20 or 30 minutes…get there and enjoy!</p>
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		<title>Lookout Joe: Coffee Shop Stop #6</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/lookout-joe-coffee-shop-stop-6/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/lookout-joe-coffee-shop-stop-6/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:30:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=464</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This week brings me to Mount Lookout on the east side of Cincinnati. Since this area was named after the University of Cincinnati&#8217;s observatory back in 1842, perhaps it&#8217;s appropriate that I am making some coffee observations here. Although I haven&#8217;t bumped into many who claim this as their cafe-home away from home, it has [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.42-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-465" title="Screen shot 2010-08-17 at 11.50.42 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.42-AM-300x222.png" alt="" width="300" height="222" /></a>This week brings me to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Lookout,_Cincinnati" target="_blank">Mount Lookout</a> on the east side of Cincinnati. Since this area was named after the University of Cincinnati&#8217;s <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cincinnati_Observatory" target="_blank">observatory</a> back in 1842, perhaps it&#8217;s appropriate that I am making some coffee observations here. Although I haven&#8217;t bumped into many who claim this as their cafe-home away from home, it has come up in coffee conversations a few times. The location is pretty great too. Mount Lookout is one of those in-between destinations on the east side of the city. Delta &amp; Linwood Avenues criss-cross right in the heart of the &#8220;square&#8221; and provide a good intersection full of pubs, restaurants, shops, etc.</p>
<p>One of the first things I notice as I walk towards the <a href="http://www.lookoutjoe.com/index.php" target="_blank">cafe/roaster</a> is that several people are seated outside the front of the shop on the patio. There are about 5 large umbrella covered spots and nearly all of them are filled with people chatting, laptopping, or just watching people like me trip on curbs as they make their way to the morning cup of joe. I arrived at the cafe around 10am, so it&#8217;s prime time for drinking coffee, meeting with friends, and working away from the office.</p>
<p>There are a couple of young female baristas working the shop and I order my usual trio of drinks: a mug for drip coffee, a double espresso, and a cappuccino. The cappuccino is always the toughest drink to order because most baristas immediately want to clarify what you&#8217;re looking for. Her first question was &#8220;What size?&#8221; Well, that tells me I&#8217;m probably in for a certain kind of capp. We shall see. Another observation has to do with their syrup choices. I&#8217;m a big fan of Monin syrups (not that I&#8217;ll use any today) and they offer Torani. I haven&#8217;t compared many of the flavors except for vanilla, hazelnut, and caramel&#8230;but I always prefer Monin when it comes to those three.</p>
<p>Fortunately, they have one of my favorite African coffees ready-brewed in an air pot. So I fill up with the <a href="http://www.cw-usa.com/coffee-reviews-ethiopianyirgacheffe.html" target="_blank">Ethiopian Yergacheffe</a> and begin the blogging/sipping adventure for the day.</p>
<p>Options are always nice. There are 6 different coffees of the day with two decaf options and then a light, medium, and dark plus the highlander grogg (a flavored favorite of many). <a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.31-AM.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-466" title="Screen shot 2010-08-17 at 11.50.31 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.31-AM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>The Colombian Supremo was featured as the light roast, Yergacheffe as the medium, and the Celebes as the dark. A Bunn brewer is their weapon of choice. The Yergacheffe seemed a little under-developed in its flavor to me. Obviously, coffee tasting is a highly subjective endeavor and I don’t pretend to know nearly as much as even a novice roaster. One of the things I’ve always enjoyed about Yergacheffe is that is a more balanced and smooth experience in the cup than a lot of African beans. And they certainly achieved a safe, balanced, smooth result with this coffee. I’m going to score Lookout Joe pretty high in this area because they definitely care about fresh-roasted coffee and offer lots of great options in the café. Towards the end of my visit, I tried a cup of the <a href="http://www.sweetmarias.com/coffee.indonesia.sulawesi.php" target="_blank">Celebes</a>. This Indonesian coffee is supposed to have a little nuttiness (a tasting term, not a synonym for silly&#8230;haha) and vibrant acidity and dark-roasted buttery flavor. It did remind me a little of Sulawesi from my Starbucks days&#8230;minus the grassy flavor. One of my favorite candy-coffee pairings is a piece of butterscotch with some Indonesian brew!</p>
<p><em><strong>Drip Coffee Score: 4 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p>The hospitality vibe in the café was great. The baristas interacted enthusiastically with regular customers and a few of the regulars were sharing conversations with one another. That’s always a sign of a healthy ‘<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_place" target="_blank">third place</a>’ which you would certainly expect in a community/location such as this. The giant Probat roaster is quite prominently placed as you walk into the café and I love the look, smell, and feel of it sitting there! That might not be an appealing café item for some but I think it helps to communicate the passion for roasting that Lookout Joe’s speaks of on their website. Another component of the hospitality was the wifi availability. I was able to enjoy a comfy sofa while staying &#8220;plugged in&#8221; to the social media and online matrix all morning long.<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.21-AM.png"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-467" title="Screen shot 2010-08-17 at 11.50.21 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.21-AM-300x223.png" alt="" width="300" height="223" /></a></p>
<p><em><strong>Hospitality Score: 4 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p>On to the <a href="http://www.sweetmarias.com/espresso-general1.php" target="_blank">espresso</a>. <a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.11-AM.png"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-468" title="Screen shot 2010-08-17 at 11.50.11 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.11-AM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>For starters, they’re using a two-group Astoria machine that I’m not familiar with. Looks like a decent piece of equipment…just not something I’ve seen before. My quick take on it would be… “okay.” The crema looked like it was struggling to stretch itself out over the surface of the shot. That could also be due to using a larger cup. The barista poured the shot into what I would call the perfect cappuccino or macchiato mug. But there were definitely some other problems with the espresso because the crema was completely blonde…none of the rich dark red deliciousness with flecking that you hope for. So my observation would be…average. There was really no hint of that caramelly sweetness you should find in a good espresso. It wasn’t the kind of shot which might cause me to shun espresso altogether, but it also wasn’t the kind of espresso experience that makes me want to return for more of the same.</p>
<p><em><strong>Espresso Score: 3 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p>Ahh…the <a href="http://www.home-barista.com/tips/cappuccino-vs-latte-t596.html" target="_blank">cappuccino</a>! Here’s where we see what the barista is made of. And this is a direct reflection on the training and espresso culture of a café. Again, keep in mind that this is a pretty subjective observation and my opinions certainly don’t amount to much more than that…an opinion. On the other hand, my “opinions” are based on a pretty educated palate and espresso experience/training. With 4 years at Starbucks (including management) and a couple of years of un-training and re-training with the Espresso Guild in Norwood, I consider myself qualified to offer a a valid critique at the very least.</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.00-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-469" title="Screen shot 2010-08-17 at 11.50.00 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-08-17-at-11.50.00-AM-300x224.png" alt="" width="300" height="224" /></a>My first observation is that the milk was over-frothed. As the pitcher was set aside and put on hold until the shot of espresso was ready…I could see the giant milk bubbles and soap-suddish foam. I took more care to watch the espresso preparation this time and could tell that the shot pulled in less than 20 seconds and was blonding half-way through the extraction. So of course, the espresso flavor would not be a highlight of this beverage.</p>
<p>As you can see from the image, the end product was a generous helping of bad foam heaped up on a weak shot of espresso. I know…I’m a severe critic…but this is another shop with so many great things happening AROUND and INSTEAD OF the espresso. This drink turned out exactly as I would expect at Starbucks. Having worked there for awhile and doing what I could to push the espresso culture to new heights in my cafes (usually unsuccessfully b/c speed of service is the bottom line), I’ve seen way too many soap-sud cappuccinos poured with a spoon on top of poorly extracted espresso. Arrrggghhhhh! If you steam milk properly and achieve that microfoam texture, you can freepour a great cappuccino without spooning foam onto the final third of the drink.</p>
<p><em><strong>Cappuccino Score: 2 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Total Score: 13 out of 20 stars</strong></em></p>
<p>Final observations on <a href="http://www.lookoutjoe.com/index.php" target="_blank">Lookout Joe&#8217;s</a>? Well, this score means that I would probably patronize this café and roaster but I  wouldn’t drive out of my way unless I just wanted great hospitality and drip coffee. This is not a destination for great espresso or finely crafted cappuccinos and lattes. But the 2nd wave of business is beginning to pick up (perhaps the third&#8230;since I didn&#8217;t get to the cafe early enough for the first &#8220;wave&#8221;) and I notice a great variety of people coming in and out of the shop. Lookout Joe&#8217;s is definitely doing some things right&#8230;and regardless of my opinions&#8230;give it a whirl for yourself and then let me know what YOU think!</p>
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		<title>Coffee Shop Tour of Cincinnati: Stop #4</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-shop-tour-of-cincinnati-stop-4/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/coffee-shop-tour-of-cincinnati-stop-4/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:50:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Personal]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=447</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I had a preliminary visit to this cafe a few days ago with a friend. I ordered a cappuccino and he had a double espresso. Today I&#8217;m having the drip coffee&#8230;so that gives me enough experience with their drinks and cafe to give them my unofficial crit.  Coffee Shop #4: Coffee Emporium&#8211;Downtown Cincinnati Location I [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I had a preliminary visit to this cafe a few days ago with a friend. I ordered a cappuccino and he had a double espresso. Today I&#8217;m having the drip coffee&#8230;so that gives me enough experience with their drinks and cafe to give them my unofficial crit.  <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Coffee Shop #4: Coffee Emporium&#8211;Downtown Cincinnati Location<a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-27-at-2.17.46-PM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-448" title="Screen shot 2010-07-27 at 2.17.46 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-27-at-2.17.46-PM-300x210.png" alt="" width="300" height="210" /></a></p>
<p>I really had not planned on visiting this location so early in the process since I reviewed their Hyde Park location as my first stop. But I recently found myself downtown with a friend looking for a good cup of coffee so we stopped here.</p>
<p>As I walked into the cafe, the first thing that caught my attention was the roasterie to the left. It&#8217;s always good to find locally roasted coffee. Unfortunately, the atmosphere was tainted with too many flavored coffees on display as you make your way to the bar area. I&#8217;m NOT a fan of flavoring the bean. Feel free to add something to your coffee after you brew it&#8230;but flavoring coffee is like painting a bright gaudy color over the top of some beautiful piece of hand-made natural wood furniture. Now you know how I really feel!  <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Having said that, C.E. does a nice job of roasting their coffee and offering a variety of options. I could choose from Ravens Blend (a dark roast), Guatemalan, Solstice, &amp; a Vanilla flavored decaf some&#8217;in-some&#8217;in.</p>
<p>Drip Coffee score: 4 out of 5 stars</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-27-at-2.18.31-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-449" title="Screen shot 2010-07-27 at 2.18.31 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-27-at-2.18.31-PM-300x223.png" alt="" width="300" height="223" /></a>The cafe itself is spacious and decked out with a nice assortment of tables, couches, soft chairs, etc. Musical ambience is very appropriate but not overpowering. The girl at the register was quite personable while the barista was that perfect combination of intense, aloof, and confident.</p>
<p>There&#8217;s a great &#8220;third place&#8221; vibe and I hear there are some terrific musical events which occasionally provide an even greater allure. And although I usually don&#8217;t pay much attention to the food/menu&#8230;I will be back to try the Reuben&#8230;one of my favorite sandwiches ever. And the chocolate chip cookie is well worth the buck-fifty too.</p>
<p>Hospitality Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars</p>
<p>On to the espresso! I could tell by the equipment (a 3-group La Marzoco and a pair of Mazzer grinders) and by watching the barista dose into the portafilter that this would be a quality experience of espresso. Sure enough, it was perfectly extracted shot of espresso with a beautiful crema. I was so excited to taste it that I forgot to take a picture to share with you. My ONLY complaint with this espresso is that it was a little dark and smoky for my taste. I like a little better balance of sweetness and acidity than this particular roast offered.</p>
<p>Espresso Score:  4.5 out of 5 stars</p>
<p>Where most cafes fail, this one excelled. The cappuccino was a perfect 8oz blend of espresso and beautifully steamed/aerated milk. Using my favorite bovine lactation&#8230;Snowville Creamery&#8230;certainly added to the richness and sweetness of the capp. And not only were all the components there, the drink was aesthetically perfect with a nice heart-shaped foam cap spanning the entire surface of the porcelain cup with a dark outline of the crema surrounding it. Although the &#8220;perfect cappuccino&#8221; is a very elusive find, I have no choice but to score this beverage as pretty much there.</p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-27-at-2.18.16-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-451" title="Screen shot 2010-07-27 at 2.18.16 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-27-at-2.18.16-PM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a>Capp Score: 5 out of 5 stars.</p>
<p>Overall Score: 18 out of a possible 20</p>
<p>So not only is this cafe worth a visit, it&#8217;s probably worth driving downtown from the surrounding villages and burbs of Cincinnati&#8230;which is exactly what I did.</p>
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		<title>My Coffee Tour of Cincinnati: Stop #3</title>
		<link>http://chrisbean.info/my-coffee-tour-of-cincinnati-stop-3/</link>
		<comments>http://chrisbean.info/my-coffee-tour-of-cincinnati-stop-3/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 06 Jul 2010 15:53:57 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Chris Bean</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Coffee and Third Place]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://chrisbean.info/?p=428</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Redtree Cafe. Oakley seems to be on my way to several destinations so I&#8217;ve passed by this cafe many times. Recently, I&#8217;ve been meeting with some friends here on a regular basis to do some collaborating in ministry. The owner, Wendy, has created a nice combination of cafe and gallery. Seems like her passion [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-06-at-10.50.08-AM.png"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-429" title="Screen shot 2010-07-06 at 10.50.08 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-06-at-10.50.08-AM-300x229.png" alt="" width="300" height="229" /></a><em><strong>The Redtree Cafe. </strong></em>Oakley seems to be on my way to several destinations so I&#8217;ve passed by this cafe many times. Recently, I&#8217;ve been meeting with some friends here on a regular basis to do some collaborating in ministry. The owner, Wendy, has created a nice combination of cafe and gallery. Seems like her passion has been to create a place for local artists to exhibit, connect, and thrive while enjoying the warm third-place vibe of a cafe. I think she has done a great job of developing that environment.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ve recently met, Justin, one of the baristas who is also part of a new Christian faith community here in Oakley. You can find more about them at <a href="http://www.legendchurch.com/page.php?page=1" target="_blank">www.legendchurch.com</a>.</p>
<p>The Redtree gets their coffee from <a href="http://www.sevenhillscoffee.com/" target="_blank">Seven Hills</a> here in Cinninnati. I&#8217;m not a big fan of Seven Hills because everything I&#8217;ve had of theirs in shops seems very similar. The cup of French Sumatra I just had was much more acidic than I would expect of a &#8220;dark&#8221; Indonesian bean. They also do tons of flavored coffees which, as a purist, doesn&#8217;t pair well with my coffee tasting sensibilities. Again, I&#8217;m not saying it&#8217;s bad  coffee&#8230;it&#8217;s just not great.<em><strong><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-06-at-10.49.55-AM.png"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-434" title="Screen shot 2010-07-06 at 10.49.55 AM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-06-at-10.49.55-AM-300x221.png" alt="" width="300" height="221" /></a></strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Drip Coffee Score: 3 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p>As I&#8217;ve already said, the physical space of the cafe along with the hospitality has been one of the big draws for me so far. The music, the art, the cafe design, cleanliness, and barista hospitality all contribute to one of the best &#8216;third place&#8217; experiences I&#8217;ve had in Cincinnati.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><strong>Cafe/Third Place Score: 4.5 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p><a href="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-06-at-5.20.12-PM.png"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-435" title="Screen shot 2010-07-06 at 5.20.12 PM" src="http://chrisbean.info/wp-content/uploads/Screen-shot-2010-07-06-at-5.20.12-PM-150x150.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Although I have visited this cafe several times already, I have yet to order a simple espresso. So Justin pulled a quick double shot&#8230;which was indeed quick. There was not a hint of crema anywhere to be found, so that was disappointing. The presentation was good but that&#8217;s about all I can say. The shot was underextracted and had that sharp alkaline flavor&#8230;like I just tested a 9 volt battery with my tongue.  <img src='http://chrisbean.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';-)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p> </p>
<p><em><strong>Espresso Score: 2 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p>Justin and I chatted for a bit before the cappuccino and he is definitely aware that there&#8217;s a &#8220;miss&#8221; in terms of the quality they are getting out of their 2-group Nuova Simonelli and Mazzer grinder. The equipment is certainly capable of producing some great shots/drinks&#8230;but there is a gap in training perhaps and I would guess that the espresso culture is just not as important within the cafe as it should be. The cappuccino would have come in a 12 oz version if I had not asked for a smaller for-here option. The shot pulled overly fast again and there was relatively no crema. The milk was steamed into a bubbly concoction that never had a chance for matching the texture of the non-existent crema.</p>
<p><em><strong>Cappuccino Score: 2.5 out of 5 stars</strong></em></p>
<p><em><strong>Overall Score: 12 out of 20 stars</strong></em></p>
<p>So the final cafe score is much lower than I would have hoped. Actually, the 12-star mark is where I had planned to cut off in terms of being worth a visit. I&#8217;m still going to say that this cafe is worth a trip to Oakley. I love the people, art, and vibe here&#8230;and if you&#8217;re mainly after drip coffee or some other beverage which doesn&#8217;t require the same amount of skill and craft as the cappuccino, then it&#8217;s a great coffee destination.</p>
<p> </p>
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