Damn Fine Joe t-shirts

Joking around with Rex we agreed that Baristas were the new cocktail barmen. Cool, skilled and possibly woman want to throw themselves at them when hyped up on a pair of double macs?


That being the case my pal Dan helped me make my Cocktail inspired t-shirt and then threw in a Norwegian Black Metal inspired one.


I couldn't get anyone to model them for free so I did it rather cringingly myself. I tried to pull as little blue steel as possible. I am not a model and posing is actually quite hard so please go easy on me.


Casey Fulton scouted out some locations and took some lovely shots. I've had to select my favourite 4.


Coffee heads enjoy.

Coffee Cocktail & Black Coffee

Photos: Casey Fulton - 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/f8125/

http://photoart.blog.com/

Designs: Daniel Nilsen - 

http://www.azurebot.com/

DFJ logos: Cait Russell & Daniel Nilsen

Printed at: It's Your T-shirt - 

http://www.itsyourtshirt.com/-  info@itsyourtshirt.com

Columbian Medellin Excelso, Zabu Coffee

This coffee comes from the foothills of the Andes and gets its name from the town the coffee is distributed through, Medellin and the bean size or grade Excelso, meaning elevated or exalted.

Three natural factors give Columbian coffee its mild balanced flavour. The high altitude, the rich volcanic soil and the moist but temperate climate. The Zabu Columbian Medellin Excelso carries all those classic South American traits.

Looking at the beans they are certainly pretty with a medium roast giving them the colour of milk chocolate. They were oily to the touch and there was a little acidity to the aroma.

On brewing a rich golden tasting coffee was discovered. It was a flavour of little sweetness but it was rounded and earthy in abundance. There was a gentle, teasing bite to the proceedings from a small amount of acidity that brought with it notes of soured cherries and helped lighten the mood overall. 

The tanginess was balanced well against those muted, warmer elements and finally we were left with those rich flavours, a satisfying finish.

This Columbian Medellin Excelso was coffee that grew on me as it went down. The golden roasting comes through with all the richness and elegance it should have, shored up by the large heavier body flavours on one side and a light cheeky fruitiness on the other. 

This is the medium of mediums with nothing too sharp, too dark or too bombastic to get in the way of anyone’s enjoyment.

Supplier: Zabu Coffee

Web: www.zabucoffee.com

Contact: mailto:CustomerService@ZabuCoffee.co.uk

Twitter: @zabucoffee

Zabu on Facebook

How do we taste it? Go here.

Shoreditch Grind, Shoreditch, East London, UK

Set right on the Old Street round about Shoreditch Grind takes residence in a striking black brick turret of a building with a large cinema style sign. Getting inside they carry through the nice design but counter balance the heavy bold exterior with a light interior of white walls, large windows and light wood.

For such a tiny space they do incredibly well to seat as many as they do. A serving counter at the back take prominence with simple wooden tables and chairs filling the central space in front. The trick is their window bars and stools which turn every available edge into somewhere to sit. 


These edge bars are thin, more of a ledge but just enough for a laptop. Combined with a regular supply of plug sockets along the wall  and free wifi you are set up for a meeting, mobile office or just hanging out and drinking coffee. 

The staff were friendly and well on top of the lunch time rush as they took orders and made joe promptly and efficiently. The stamped mugs were a nice touch and the "Black Card", a credit card loyalty system were really smart and not something to get mashed up in your wallet like all the others. 

The coffee came quickly in a small shiny monochrome cup and saucer. A fine crema was just dissipating around the spots of oil on the surface and it was giving of a sweet gentle aroma that tantalised my olfactory nerve endings no end. 

The initial taste was quite full and strong but immediately became a bit flat. It broadened out on the pallet as I carried on drinking but pulling out the flavour was a little hard. It was certainly smooth and I would say a soft understated coffee in general.

It did have a little too much bitterness but there were also some pleasant tones of citrus on the finish. The biggest issue was that after the initial sip I found the coffee to be a bit bland, not weak nor watery but lacking in flavour overall.

They are famously secretive about their beans, that are available for purchase.  An independent roaster makes a blend of their choosing and sends them regular supplies. Brighton has been mentioned so I'm going to guess at the excellent Small Batch Coffee Company. I've asked them to confirm but am waiting for comment.

• Black Americano, drink in
• £1.95
• Medium strength
• Smooth but a little bland
• Fine Crema
• Small cup
• Beans: Shoreditch Grind blend 
• Machine: La Marzocco
• Grinder: Mazzer

A well above average coffee but with the whole set up  being so well thought out, functional (and pretty darn cool)  to taste something a little bland as the ultimate point of existence was sadly a let down. 

Map

http://www.shoreditchgrind.com/

@shoreditchgrind

http://www.facebook.com/shoreditchgrind
info@shoreditchgrind.com

Ozone Coffee Roasters, Shoreditch, East London, UK

On a rather epic day of coffee hunting I stumbled upon Ozone Coffee and all because I was eating a horrific coronation turkey sandwich from Pret. I stopped to gag, looked up and there they were; with the white letters spelling out  C O F F E E with an arrow painted directly on the brick work. I approached, I went in.

Only 3 weeks old and at the time of review not yet on the excellent London's Best Coffee App by Blue Crow Media finding Ozone was meant to be.

Ozone Coffee Roasters are a brand from New Zealand and as their name suggests are a cafe and roastery. I have to say from walking in there was something I liked about the place and my hopes were that the coffee would match my excitement.

A large space set over a ground and basement floor with the cafe up and the roastery down. The cafe area is divided  up by a large central all around bar with a single long "bar" space to drink at the front and a set of traditional booths at the back. 

They have the coffees on display to drink and buy as well as some slow drip set ups. A high ceiling, plenty of wood, brushed metal and attractive well turned out staff buzzing around made it a relaxing place to sit and enjoy.

Down in the roastery you had the big roaster, a training area, additional seating and some pretty cool toilets. The training area is a nice area that you can have open or closed and would be good for a meeting if you wanted to hire it out.

When you go down stairs your eye will be drawn to the micro roaster, go check it out. Man I want one of those.

BOYS TOY

As well as their espresso blend they also have a guest shot on, this is a lovely idea and normally a pleasure reserved for the filter drinkers out there. As ever I went for an Americano, the house blend this time and it was a dark one. 

The joe was shrouded in a thin layer of dark crema which with the oils in layers was traversing the surface like a demented weather pattern on an alien world. It came small and in a smart branded mug.

The taste was smooth and strong. A real bitter bite on the first sip but as my mouth acclimatized it brought forward some warm woody tones. The middle was a steady dry sweetness with low acidity. 

The strong deep flavours with that slight bitterness lasted through with just enough sweetness to make it sing. On the finish that low lying deep coffee, clean, dry tannin  flavour remained with me for some time.

• Black Americano, drink in

• £2.00

• Strong

• Dry, sweet with warm woody notes

• Light but dark crema

• Small cup

• Beans: Ozone espresso blend

• Machine: Synesso

• Grinder: Mazer

A lovely well made coffee with good balance in flavour, size and strength. The best coffee I had all day from several established coffee houses. This new kid on the block is exciting, making premier coffee with all the trimmings. Give them a visit.

Map

www.ozonecoffee.co.uk

@OzoneCoffee

Facebook

Youtube

info@ozonecoffee.co.uk

Sumatra Blue Lingtong, Zabu Coffee

Grown high up by the PPKGO coffee co-operative in the Taekngon region of North Sumatra the Blue Lintong is a totally hand produced coffee. The tiny farms that make up this co-operative go through their extensive process of harvesting, pulping, fermenting, washing, drying and then sorting all by hand.

The beans are strikingly dark in appearance, I mean really black. On taking a big nose-full  you immediately get a heavy coffee aroma with an acidic lilt. On grinding these beans fluffed up beautifully into a really even batch of grounds. The sharpness in scent was lost a little as a broader aroma stepped forward.

After brewing, the Blue Lingtong gives an incredible dark and thick crema you could eat with a spoon. The aroma was very deep, full bodied and hinting at the darker flavours one can sometimes find.

Tasting confirmed this, the acidity was light, well balanced against a dry, almost iron tang. The darkness seen in those beans carried all the way through, resulting in great depth of flavour and a smooth dark bitterness.

This cavernous flavour begun at spiced fruits and ebbed towards moments of sweetness. Finally this coffee blossomed into an earthy, smooth rich chocolate tasting brew. Despite the strength the finish was clean and the coffee was smooth throughout.

For such a dark bean what could have been overpowering was instead strongly flavoured, striking but still well rounded and with plenty of elements to enjoy. Would kill with a slice of high % coco dark chocolate.

Supplier: Zabu Coffee

Web: www.zabucoffee.com

Contact: mailto:CustomerService@ZabuCoffee.co.uk

Twitter: @zabucoffee

Zabu on Facebook

How do we taste the coffee? Go here.

The Book Club, Shoreditch, East London, UK

As I sat down with my cracked but entertaining bright orange cup and saucer I realised I had been here before. It was a party, I wasn't drinking for some reason & I ate nachos. My friends wife was very drunk and was being hysterically funny and then I had to leave. Good times.


Well with that classic humdinger of a reminiscence over with lets get on with the review.

The Book Club is a great space and nicely decked out. The high ceilings, brick walls, large art pieces and open kitchen create a wonderfully large airy room. The mixed up furniture of various seating arrangements and dividing wall kept things intimate but still breezy. The ping pong table is just plain fun.

This seemed like a great omni functional cafe. One would be as comfortable with breakfast, a meeting or after work drinks here.

When the coffee came in the aforementioned funky cup I noted it has a solid aroma with a little hint at some sour notes across its olily sheen.

On tasting unfortunately I was immediately grabbed by fuzz at the back of my throat. First impressions were that it was a little too bitter for my tastes and a little too weak. There was flavour to be mined but it was masked with that layer of wateriness, perhaps from over espressed beans. 


As the drink continued, things improved and we got on better. The stand out elements were of the citrus that the aroma had hinted at and an overall pleasant dry quality. The finish sadly took on what the drink had started with, a muddy fuzz.

• Black Americano
• £2.00
• Medium strength
• Slightly sour and dry but fuzzy
• Medium crema with a thickish rim
• Medium size

A more than adequate but not really fine cup of coffee; greatly enhanced by a super atmosphere in the place.


Map
http://www.wearetbc.com/

@TheBookClubEC2

info@wearetbc.com

Facebook

Va Bene Caffe, Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas, USA

Two trips to the US in a month is a little startling. The first was work this one was all pleasure. A week long bachelor party in Las Vegas. Oh dear, what happened?

Whilst I was there and in between the sinning I tried to search out some great coffee. I have to admit my searches were pretty limited and those attempts I made were quite disappointing however I did find this one little gem right in my hotel.

The Cosmopolitan Hotel is relatively new on the strip. Modern, pretty luxurious and like all the big casinos it tries to provide you with every thing you need so you KEEP GAMBLING and don't need to leave, sleep etc. In my case this is a solid coffee bar.

Va Bene models itself as the name would suggestion on an Italian style coffee bar. They do a range of cakes, sandwiches and gelato on top of the standard hot and iced coffees. The sandwiches were very good, especially at 8 in the morning after no sleep and a quart of Makers Mark to soak up.

I knocked back an espresso here on our first night in town. It had lashings of thick crema, sharp clean bitterness and plenty of flavour. I was already out and about so I'm not reviewing it but it was good, strong and cost $4.50.

The staff were normally very cool and attentive till review time where they were a bit grouchy. Having said that they still delivered on some great coffee so I can't begrudge them too much.


This americano presented a plentiful aroma with some broad fruity notes. It was a dark looking coffee but not that oily and the crema was just a light flick across the surface. 

That fruity aroma followed through into the coffee taste and it was tightened further with some hints of cherry in the blend. After the initial fill that receded to a gentle pecan nuttiness. 


It was extremely, naturally sweet and along with the other tones mixing in the pallet would have nailed a pastry had I bought one as a side. 


It was smooth all the way through to the finish but a little weak overall. It was a shame they didn't serve a 6 ounce size which would have concentrated some of that flavour and given a bigger hit.

• Black Americano; take out
• $5.00 
• Weak to medium Strength
• Very sweet with fruity notes
• Light crema
• Size: Medium - 12 Oz.

Hands down the best coffee I had in all of Nevada. Great taste, smooth, sweet but could have been stronger.

Map
Va Bene
@Cosmopolitan_LV