Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

Medium-sized farms play an important role in specialty coffee

For many consumers and industry professionals, specialty coffee and direct trade are inextricably linked. Building strong and mutually beneficial working relationships between producers and roasters is often seen as a cornerstone of establishing a truly sustainable supply chain. So with this association between specialty coffee and direct trade, there can be a narrative of smaller-sized […]


Know Your Sweeteners: Honey: Part One

Not all sweeteners are made equal! In this series, we’ll take a closer look at different types of sweeteners and syrups—starting with honey. BY EMILY JOY MENESESBARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured photo by Arwin Neil Baichoo via Unsplash Though you can’t go wrong with simple syrup or the tried-and-true vanilla, there are many options when it […]


Breaking New Ground: A Sicilian Coffee Plantation, Part One

The impacts of climate change are starting to be felt in Sicily, but while they’re causing problems, the rising temperatures are also bringing new opportunities. BY JOSEPH PHELANSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured image courtesy of Henrique Ferreira on Unsplash The Sicilian love affair with coffee is known the world over. Sicily, the largest of […]


Breaking New Ground: A Sicilian Coffee Plantation, Part 2

The Morettino family has successfully cultivated a coffee plantation right in Sicily. Next on the agenda: making the island an international coffee hub. BY JOSEPH PHELANSPECIAL TO BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Feature photo by Tomas Anton Escobar via Unsplash Editor’s note: Check out part one of this story here. Andrea Morettino’s family has proven that coffee […]

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

10 Minutes With Keith Hawkins of the Color of Coffee Collective

We dive into everything you need to know about the Color of Coffee Collective’s mission, initiatives, and the upcoming second edition of the Symposium Experience.  BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Keith Hawkins  Today at Barista Magazine Online, we sit down for a chat with Keith Hawkins, a passionate entrepreneur and advocate for […]


An Unfiltered History of Vietnamese Coffee

We explore the history of coffee in Vietnam and how the industry’s perception of Vietnamese coffee is evolving.  BY EMILY MENESES BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE Featured photo by frank mckenna via Unsplash What do you think of when you hear the term “Vietnamese coffee”? For Kim Dam, founder of Portland Cà Phê, it extends far beyond […]


10 (More) Minutes With Helena Oliviero

Today we continue our conversation with Helena Oliviero about her coffee career and life on a Colombian finca. BY TANYA NANETTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of Helena Oliviero Barista Magazine: Let’s talk about living on a Colombian coffee farm, Finca Palma Roja. How do you spend your days? What’s usually happening on a busy coffee […]


3 Elements Coffee: Supporting Veterans, One Cup at a Time  

The Australian roasting company helps to create opportunities for veteran communities.  BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of 3 Elements Coffee  Brisbane, Australia-based 3 Elements Coffee, founded by Navy veteran Terry McNally in 2016, has a mission to support the transition of ex-military personnel into the commercial workspace. To help achieve their goal and raise […]

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

Exploring the Potential of Drones in Coffee Production 

New drone technology has the potential to revolutionize coffee farming from the air. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Cover photo by David Henrichs via Unsplash In an ever-evolving technological landscape, coffee producers have begun turning to drones in an attempt to increase efficiency and operations. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer a wide range of […]


Lvl Up Coffee Hits High Scores In Normal, Illinois

Specialty coffee in the central Illinois town of Normal has reached a new stage of quality with the opening of Lvl Up Coffee Bar. Brought to life by coffee roaster…


PRF El Salvador announces speakers and panellists

Following a call for applications in October 2022, Producer & Roaster Forum (PRF) has announced its first speakers and panellists for PRF El Salvador. The two-day forum will be held on 16 and 17 March 2023 at the Salamanca Exhibition Centre in San Salvador. The event is set to return to El Salvador after it […]


From Malawi to Edinburgh: The MF Coffee Project

We take a trip from North Carolina to Northern Malawi to Edinburgh, exploring the roots, roasts, and impact of the MF Coffee Project. BY VASILEIA FANARIOTISENIOR ONLINE CORRESPONDENT Photos courtesy of the MF Coffee Project In the quaint village of Manchewe, Northern Malawi, a story unfolded when Cameron Mcallister made the life-altering decision to relocate […]

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

minimum dose size?

Jan 31, 2024 |

I use the Hario switch to brew my coffee and am trying to reduce my caffeine consumption. Hence I would like to brew smaller cups of coffee. I am currently using 10g of coffee with 160g of water. (1:16 Ratio) I am wondering if there is a minimum amount of coffee...

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

Boulder is a small city with lots to offer—including exceptional-quality cafés.

BY J. MARIE CARLAN
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE

Caffeine Crawl started out in Kansas City, Mo., as an offshoot of The LAB. Founder Jason Burton has brought Caffeine Crawls all over the USA, with attendees visiting between six and 30 locations per city. Tour guides may be locals or travel from afar. The Caffeine Crawls can vary widely between cities and locations—some shops do presentations, with a menu’s worth of provisions, while some offer a single beverage of choice.

In 2022, Colorado was one of the lucky states chosen for a Caffeine Crawl. “Colorado has so much talent. We are just happy to be a part of it and be able to give people a little taste behind the scenes,” says Jason.

A sunlit creek ripples through a creekbed near Boulder Colorado. The creek has sharp stones jutting up throughout. Green and gold leafed trees line the shore. The sun sits low in the sky behind, showing it is late afternoon in autumn.
Colorado is home to natural beauty and fantastic coffee. Photo by Jason Burton.

Boulder Beginnings

Being new to Colorado, I jumped at the chance to attend the Boulder Caffeine Crawl in early October. With a population of just over 100,000, Boulder is by no means a large city. However, it is a destination for many Coloradans for food, drink, culture, and winter sports. Situated in the Rockies, the view around town is spectacular. The downtown area is immaculate, with plenty of upscale shops, boutiques, restaurants, record stores, and, praised be, coffee shops.

A bright orange espresso machine sits on the work counter at Ozo. Ozo branded mugs are lined up in front of it. A barista pours shots behind the bar.
Ozo’s bright interior shows off the exquisite taste of their roasts. Photo by J. Marie Carlan.

Ozo Coffee Roasters

The first stop on the Boulder Caffeine Crawl was Ozo Coffee Roasters. Our gracious host Todd brought out tray after tray of delicious drinks, including a sparkling lemon mint maté with peppermint tea. One notable coffee was a dry process Brazil Irmãs Pereira with notes of peanut butter, chocolate, and strawberry jam. (The claim was that this coffee tasted like a PB&J. Can confirm.) They had multiple coffees and house-made teas on tap, and plenty of single origins available for purchase. Since its origins in 2007, Ozo has worked to obtain ethically produced coffees and invested back into coffee-producing communities.

The wood paneled and glass exterior of Boxcar. There is a Pride flag in the window, otherwise the decor is black and white.
Not just a coffee shop, Boxcar shares space with a deli and wine store. Photo by J. Marie Carlan.

Boxcar Coffee Roasters

A brilliant concept has been established here. In addition to a full coffee bar, there is a sandwich/fresh deli counter and a wine shop sharing the downtown space. They still manage to have plenty of comfortable seating without making it feel cramped. Boxcar also offers a coffee subscription service, so you need never run out. The most notable drink we tried here was a Café Amara Soda, made with cascara fruit, soda water, and warming spices like cinnamon and clove.

The bar inside Tune-Up Tavern. There are liquor bottles and bicycle signage along the wall. There are tall barstools in front of the counter and tall top tables throughout the room.
& shares space with a bike shop at Tune Up and offers a full bar. Photo by J. Marie Carlan.

Tune-Up Tavern and Espresso

& (Ampersand) has a good thing going here. Located inside a bike shop, this spacious coffee bar has plenty to offer to cyclists and pedestrians. & owner Kurt offered us three different Toddy-style cold brews. My favorite was a smooth, nutty Bolivian, but the fruit-forward Ethiopia and chocolatey Honduras were also excellent. Kurt also gave the most detailed coffee lecture of the tour (Kurt is a certified Q Grader, and it shows). Ampersand sources all organic and fair-trade beans; seventy percent of them are bought from women-owned farms, actively working toward female empowerment.

John wears a beanie and chambray shirt over stripes. Kristi wears a button-up shirt with cheetahs printed on it and black jeans. In front of them on a table is a sign that says welcome caffeine crawl. Also are coffee boxes, urns, and a potted plant.
John, left, and Kristi, right, of January Coffee. Photo by Jason Burton.

January Coffee

Named after Janus, the god of gateways, this shop rotates roasters regularly, and chooses them based on the alignment of their values. On offer in October were beans from Onyx Coffee Lab and Dune Coffee Roasters. Owners John and Kristi are industry veterans and had always dreamed of opening their own coffee shop. They built the swanky interior themselves and gave a thoughtful presentation on their story and ethos, which was both insightful and charming. One standout coffee at January was the Colombia Gabriel Castaño Buendia roasted by Onyx. An extended fermentation process on this Pink Bourbon varietal solidified the complex cherry candy and funky, acidic flavors: just strange enough to be magical.

If you have an opportunity to attend a Caffeine Crawl, I highly recommend it. It’s a great opportunity to explore the coffee spots in your city, discover somewhere new, or find your new favorite brew!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J. Marie Carlan (she/they) is the online editor for Barista Magazine. She’s been a barista for over a decade and writing since she was old enough to hold a pencil. When she’s not behind the espresso bar or toiling over content, you can find her perusing record stores, collecting bric-a-brac, writing poetry, and trying to keep the plants alive in her Denver apartment. She occasionally updates her blog.

The post Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl appeared first on Barista Magazine Online.

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

Perfect Little Beans

Chinmey Hill Coffee uses specialty-grade beans with zero primary defects (such as black beans or sour beans) and less than five secondary defects (such as broken beans). This is important because primary defects will greatly affect the taste of the coffee. Having zero defects allows the coffee to be the most optimal flavor.

Window for Optimal Flavor

Chimney Hill Coffee ships our coffee the same day it was roasted, so you will receive it before it enters the window of optimal flavor.  This means you’ll never miss the opportunity to enjoy the coffee’s peak flavor.

Coffee Ratings

Coffee undergoes many scoring processes by professionals who achieved their Q Grader certification. Coffee is first graded when it’s green. If there are defects the coffee is determined to be “not-specialty grade”. For those coffees that pass green grading, they are sample roasted and cupped. (Cupping is the official term for critically tasting and scoring coffees. The official cupping form is standard worldwide, and where the 100-point scoring system comes from.) A coffee’s dry fragrance, wet aroma, flavor, aftertaste, body, acidity, balance, and overall impression are taken into consideration while uniformity issues and defects, will lower the overall score.

Specialty Coffee

Specialty coffee, coined by Erna Knutsen in 1974, refers to a coffee that receives a quality grading score of 80 percent or higher. While “premium” or “gourmet” seem like they’re synonymous with “specialty,” they simply are marketing terms with no defined standards. Specialty coffees are grown in specific and ideal micro-climates, and have distinctive and unique flavor profiles, with little to no defects.

Third-Wave Coffee

We’re currently in the third wave of coffee. The first wave of American coffee put pre-ground, vacuum-sealed cans in kitchens across America. The second wave started with the late ‘60s introduction of Peet’s coffee (by Alfred Peet) through the proliferation of Starbucks. The third wave of coffee focuses on origin transparency, nuanced flavors, and artisan roasting. The term “third wave” is synonymous with specialty coffee.

Highlights of the 2022 Boulder, Colo., Caffeine Crawl

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