Tuesday 6 March 2012

Seattle Coffee Works, Seattle, USA - Part 1


I was lucky enough to go to Seattle for a work trip. Home of the great Satan of coffee "Starbucks" it is also a city of coffee lovers. Tapping my Seattle contacts for information I was told the one place I had to visit was the Seattle Coffee Works.


We got off the plane, rented our ridiculous SUV and drove straight to down town Seattle to find this place before it closed. We didn't have long but it was pretty clear I was going to cry if we didn't make it and so we did. In the end it was extremely easy to find on Pike Street thanks to a bloody enormous sign of a man drinking joe.


It is a large place broken into two main parts, the cafe area and the slow bar. It was too late to sample some of their chemistry set looking drip devices so instead we went for a normal round, me with my Americano.


The shop decor is bare brick walls with light wood furniture giving it an airy relaxed vibe. When we visited it was close to closing so there were not many people in but due to the layout one imagines that it still keeps the relaxed pace even when full.


One of the baristas who introduced herself to us as the "Guvnor" had a good old chat about their place and what they had on offer, we talked about the blog and coffee in general. They were all very friendly which was a great way to start our trip.


This photo is obviously not her but this is our barrista. He was ace but I forgot his name. Sorry.


Their espresso blend is quite a melting pot. Made up of mainly Brazilian, and some Indonesian (I think Sulawesi) and then with a touch of something from India and a little Ethiopian Yirgacheffe. 


When the coffee came it had a great sheen of oil and a good long lasting aroma but what was most striking was how black it was in colour.


The flavour was really broad and deep without being too strong. It was incredibly smooth and filled my mouth with a wonderful playful nuttiness with hints of sweetness. 


The deep flavour had a great chewy quality with low acidity and no bitterness and no fuzz on the finish. 


  • Black Americano, drink in
  • $2.50
  • Medium
  • Smooth and nutty
  • Light crema
  • Size: Small 6oz. 
  • Beans: Seattle Coffee Works Espresso Blend
Superb coffee expertly made that is very drinkable yet with a full set of flavours, depth and complexity. 


Map
Twitter: @Drinkingman
http://www.seattlecoffeeworks.com/
Blog: http://blog.seattlecoffeeworks.com/
Contact : service@seattlecoffeeworks.com

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