A Coffee Addict’s Dream
Too often, coffee breaks our hearts.
After drinking a pricey espresso from Starbucks or a watered down, brown concoction from Dunkin’ Donuts, we often find ourselves asking the inevitable: why isn’t the caffeine working?
Thankfully, an organic coffee shop originating from Oakland, California entitled Blue Bottle Coffee, recently opened its doors in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Specializing in brewing fresh, caffeinated delicacies, Blue Bottle Coffee’s owner, James Freeman, brings a valuable mission statement that every coffee fiend can appreciate: retail coffee beans will only be sold if they are “less than 48 hours out of the roaster…so customers may enjoy coffee at its peak of flavor.” Fortunately, the goodness doesn’t just stop there. Blue Bottle Coffee promises to only “use the finest, organic and pesticide-free, shade grown beans.” Imagine that – buying a fresh blend of coffee that will forever wake you up.
According to East Coast Whole Sale Manager, Jessica Gorman, most coffee beans are ordered “every seven to ten days,” guaranteeing complete freshness for hot and iced coffee.
“Freshness is always an important foundation,” said Gorman. “We schedule roasts regularly and don’t waste any coffee. Any excess coffee turns into iced coffee.”
Two of Blue Bottle Coffee’s most popular beverages will leave a coffee addict bouncing off the walls: the first is the creamy, caffeinated New Orleans iced coffee, brewed with chicory for $3.75; the second is more simplistic: a delicious black iced coffee entitled the Kyoto style iced coffee for $4.
“It kind of goes down like scotch, doesn’t it?” asked Gorman.
It certainly did. Typically, black coffee is bitter to most; this, however, goes down smoothly, leaving one refreshed and craving more. But, it gets better. The coffee selection permits a selection for everyone. Macchiatos, cappucinos, caffe lattes, caffe mochas, and hot chocolates are also sold with a caffeinated smile. Coffee prices range from $2.50 to $5.50.
Let’s not forget the other essential: our pastries. Favorite pastries include the Snickerdoodle made with saffron and vanilla bean, the Double Chocolate Cookie, and the Brooklyn Bootleg S’mores. Pastry prices range from $1 to $6.
Blue Bottle Coffee’s uniqueness and freshness is also contingent on its “pour over” bars where drip coffee is brewed one compost-able cup at a time. Unbeknownst to most, this machine brews single origin coffees (coffee from one region), or blends two coffees from two different regions together. So, if you have two favorite coffees — you’re in luck! Some of these regions include: Brazil, Guatemala, Yemen, and Ethiopia.
Besides Blue Bottle Coffee’s location in Williamsburg, their coffee is also distributed in Manhattan on 147 Sullivan Street, through wholesale partners, an espresso cart, a coffee kiosk, and in several vintage German coffee roasters. As of May 29th, Blue Bottle Coffee is also located in Rockaway Beach, Queens.
Not only does Blue Bottle Coffee distribute a beverage that is purely caffeinated and fresh at all costs, but its purpose as a small business seems to focus more on quality rather than quantity.
“A lot of people expect us to be very snobby,” said Gorman. “But, we try to be very hospitable and this is a great place to work.”
Blue Bottle Coffee represents what small businesses in New York should stand for: serving their customers hospitably, and producing food as an art form — rather than as a means to make and sell more. In return, this gives us a reason to appreciate their business and to come back for more.
