We love coffee at 8THIRTYFOUR, but if you’re like us, you might be using it more for fuel than for taste.
However, because October 1st is International Coffee Day, it’s the perfect time to up our coffee game!
This can be a little intimidating considering that, according to our in-house coffee expert, coffee has more than 850 aromatic and flavor compounds, while our other favorite drink (wine) only has 200.
To help us (and you) check out this guide we created to best celebrate International Coffee Day:
Finding Good Coffee
Good coffee is more than attainable in a home setting, but the learning curve is much less steep if you go to a good specialty café.
Since another one of our loves is local business, this is great time to visit the small café near you. If you live in Grand Rapids, then there are plenty options, and many are ArtPrize venues around this time of year.
You may be asking, “How do I know if a café is ‘good’ or not?” While taste is ultimately subjective, there are a few things you can look for that signal that a coffee place is offering high quality coffee:
- They know where their coffee comes from (both from which roaster, and from which country it was grown)
- They have a manual brew method, such as pour over, aeropress, or French press
- The baristas can answer all questions related to the coffee they brew
What to Drink
If it is a good café, then try everything and find your favorite.
Here are some good options on where to start:
- A simple pour over, preferably with a single origin coffee
- A shot of espresso, while not for everyone, is definitely an experience we suggest tried at least once
- Cappuccinos are good if you like milk, as it has a lower milk-to-coffee ratio than a latte, so you can still experience the coffee taste prominently.
Lastly, remember that this is for your enjoyment. If you know you like lots of cream and sugar, or a basic Pumpkin Spice Latte, then drink that with pride despite what the coffee snobs of the world may think.
If you like coffee as much as us, then we would love to meet sometime over a cup and chat. We can even show you some of our favorite spots around town – let’s connect!
