Coffee has traveled across the globe for millennia, with its heritage dating back to ancient forests located on the Ethiopian Plateau in northeast Africa. Today, one coffee bean travels an average of 4,868 miles to get to your cup – with the majority of beans coming from Brazil, Columbia and Ethiopia. If one cup of coffee (about 80 beans) could get airline miles, it could travel around the world over 15 times! Lucky for you, you don’t need to travel the globe in search of a good cup of joe. Head to the Northeast to start this coffee-themed road trip:
Begin your journey in picturesque Portland, Maine. This Northeastern city features beautiful views of its many rivers, mountains and of the Casco Bay. Stay warm in the crisp Maine air by having your first cup of handcrafted, sustainably-sourced brew at Coffee by Design. This coffeehouse and roaster has served as a gathering place for the Portland community for over 20 years and is often credited with sparking downtown Portland’s revitalization.
After driving through the beautiful Northeastern countryside, be sure to stop in Somerville – a quaint city north of Boston, just on the other side of the Charles River. Here, you’ll find Counter Culture Coffee, a roaster who “relentless[ly] [pursues] coffee perfection through a dedication to real environmental, social and fiscal sustainability and a commitment to creating cutting-edge coffee people.” Visit one of their many training centers (open each Friday for a free tasting) to learn barista fundamentals, brewing science and espresso technique.
Once you’ve learned coffee fundamentals, you’re ready for your first cupping. Coffee cupping, also known as coffee tasting, is a practice derived by coffee connoisseurs to determine and measure different aspects of the brew’s taste – think: the body, sweetness, acidity and aftertaste. For this, you’ll need to drive about an hour south of Somerville to the seaside town of Providence, Rhode Island. Here, visit New Harvest Coffee to take part in a cupping (professionals and amateurs both welcome) to learn tips and tricks about how to observe the tastes and aromas of brewed coffee.
Now that you’ve taken part in your first cupping, you’re ready to take the skills you’ve learned on the road. Head to Old Saybrook to visit a dairy farm-turned-roaster, Ashlawn Farm Coffee. This roastery is right next to the town’s bustling old train station and offers beans uniquely aged in rum barrels. This uncommon practice creates limited edition beans that offer rare and particular notes, aromas and flavors. For a fun challenge, try taking part in your own coffee cupping during your time in Connecticut.
Some would argue that a cup of coffee is only as good as the latte art on top of it. Whether this is true or not, latte art is a creative and rewarding practice that you get to drink at the end (making mistakes even more delicious). Head to Irving Farm to take an introduction class on the practice. Afterwards, plan your trip to Manhattan’s annual Latte Art World Championship Open to see popular cartoon characters, iconic designs and other jaw-dropping latte art creations come to life by the world’s top latte artists.
Drive down the Delaware River to Philadelphia for the next stop on this coffee-themed road trip. Here, you’ll stop by Elixr Coffee Roasters. This award-winning organic roastery has attained national accomplishments including 2nd place in the U.S. Barista Championship, Top 10 in the U.S. Roasting Championship and “Best Cold Brew in America.” Founded in 2010, Elixr specializes in “lighter-roasted unique and exquisite coffees” that you definitely won’t want to miss.
You can’t take a coffee-themed road trip across the Northeast without heading to Brew HaHa, an Italian-inspired espresso café named “Best of Delaware” for 23 years in a row. The café’s baristas love to create inspiring latte art, with designs ranging from solar systems to elephants. Be sure to stop by their Greenville location for weekend brunch and coffee-themed cocktails. Campfire Hot Chocolate, anyone?
The second to last stop on this road trip takes us to Baltimore, Maryland. Vigilante Coffee Company calls this seaport city home and is determined to help “guide you to your own coffee nirvana.” Sounds fun, right? Vigilante offers a variety of classes, with lessons varying from brewing basics to specialty coffee roasting. The café also boasts that they’re proud to keep their classes informative and never intimidating.
You’re on the home stretch of your coffee journey. Drive just an hour south from Baltimore to D.C.’s Georgetown neighborhood. The last stop on this road trip rolls through Grace Street Coffee, a modern café centered around the Georgetown community. Grace Street focuses on responsibly sourced, single-origin beans that are roasted in small batches. Their mission is to showcase the uniqueness of each coffee. For a fun challenge, use the cupping skills you learned throughout the trip and try to distinguish the different notes, aromas and flavors of Grace Street’s brew.
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