Genesis

When did it all start? I can remember with precision. Sophomore year of college. Saxe Hall at CMU. My roommates and I had dinner together every day outside of soccer season. We lived at the far end of the dorm hall, so we’d usually pick up guys and gals on the walk to the stairs. We usually had a fairly large group. Just a small indication that we had a really nice dorm floor of friends. 

As we finished up our meals, people who had stuff to do (homework?) would peel away. We almost always had a group that would hang around and grab a cafeteria coffee. I'm not sure if the coffee was any good. Sugar packets for the win.

Doesn't matter, I'm hooked on the coffee habit.

Pacific Northwest Amplification

Immediately upon college graduation, I loaded my car and drove from Michigan to Seattle. I had an apartment a block from the water, and coincidentally, a Starbucks right at the beach. This became a regular part of my day, especially on weekend mornings. Always an interesting place for watching the Washington State Ferries cross on their way to Bremerton or just catching a view of the Olympic Mountains across the Sound.

Even in the late 1980’s, coffee was a big part of daily life in the Northwest in a way that wasn’t common in the Midwest. Blame the 6 months of cool rainy weather each year or a more international mix - whatever - most folks joined right in.

It wasn’t really even Starbucks that was pervasive. It was the small coffee shops and the many kiosks strategically located at the entry point to a day commute. Snarly traffic was always a constant. Getting a large coffee for the road was important. I had an out-sized commute while working at Boeing. I’m not sure it would have been possible without the caffeine.

Brewing Perfection

Of course you can’t drink the coffee until you make it. Over the years, the coffee machines got more complicated, to include espresso, and then simpler again, but with a timer to start the morning automatically. The trusty Cuisinart shown above had the coffee ready and waiting. Such simple joy.

Sometimes too much joy leads to pain. For a number of years, I drank too much coffee. Brew a pot, drink a pot. Adjustments were made.

The Pour Over Phase

Like many things in life, eventually quality over quantity will prevail. That has been my approach to coffee for the last 5 years. I source good coffee, then make a cup or two a day, as I need it. I think the pour-over method of brewing makes a better tasting cup of coffee and wastes less coffee too.

I’ve always enjoyed coffee while traveling. Whether making my own while camping, or visiting cool coffee shops from Austin to Australia.  Coffee shop culture is a good indication of culture more generally.  Especially since COVID times, I’ve found coffee shops to hold less appeal. Too many people ordering in advance and just swooping in to grab and go. This defeats the community, the third place, of a coffee shop. Almost universally, a great coffee shop has no drive through.  Even so, I still like to give them a try.

My Top 5 Coffee Establishments

1. McDonalds (Kalispell, MT)
   A stop here on a roadtrip opened my mind to possibly moving to Montana. Seeing a lobby full of “retired guy” fly fishermen made a lightbulb go off above my head.

2. Thomas Hammer (Pullman)
   Most memorable as a destination while walking the dog.

3. Starbucks on Alki (Seattle)
   Walking distance from home with the best scenery.

4. Degraves Street is an iconic Melbourne laneway that distills everything into one pint-sized street. Stop and sip specialty coffee at hole-in-the-wall cafes. 

5. My kitchen.
   Featuring high quality pour-over coffee from Mexico or Guatemala.