Kaffetur 26 / Coffee Tour #26: Higher Grounds, Braselton, GA

We were searching for a lunch spot to meet up with my dad and step-mom. It really was more about location than anything else. Of course, the word coffee did appear in our search criteria...

Tucked away in the second floor of what was once a community bank building, Higher Grounds is not in the most prominent of locations.

And yet, the customer traffic suggests that location isn't a hindrance.

A cute breakfast and lunch spot, their menu offerings were fresh, creative, and enticing. I was definitely more interested in the food options than the coffee, at least initially.

But while ordering food, Zack asked the girl at the counter if they offered any sort of hand brewed coffees. She admitted her lack of coffee knowledge, but called her coworker from the back.

Out from the kitchen came a young man - emphasis on young. My first thought was, 'how can this guy know anything about coffee?' Seriously, I'm certain I'm old enough to be his mom. And I'm not THAT old.

Caleb smiled and offered to prepare a pour-over for us. We asked for a coffee recommendation. Turns out, the kid not only knows how to prepare coffee, but he also roasts his own beans.

Caleb De Avila and his brother Josh got the 'roasting bug' after watching the Travel Channel series Dangerous Grounds. So about a year ago, they began roasting their own beans. And in the last six months, Caleb has begun doing even more.

While most college kids spend their hours outside of the classroom in more traditional or conventional ways, Caleb spends the majority of that time with coffee. Whether he's perfecting his roasting game, preparing coffee at Higher Grounds, or working at the company's other shop 2 Ladies in the Attic, Caleb is all about the beans.

On the day we visited Higher Grounds, Caleb prepared two pour-overs for us: one Ethiopian and one Brazilian. Both were quite enjoyable.

His roasting skills are quite impressive, particularly given his age and the brevity of his roasting experience. And he's also expanding his skills through experimentation with nitro cold brewed coffee.

In addition to good coffee, Higher Grounds is worth a visit for the food: definitely as delicious as it looks.

If you happen to be driving on I-85 just north of Gwinnett County, Georgia, take a break at exit 129. Turn one way and you'll find Higher Grounds. Turn the other, and you'll get to 2 Ladies in the Attic. Either way, if you happen to meet Caleb, tell him his new friends in Norway said hi!

De Avila Roasting Co.
Twitter or Email

Higher Grounds
Facebook
6700 Georgia Highway 53
Braselton, GA 30517

2 Ladies in the Attic
Facebook
9924 Davis Street
Braselton, GA 30517

Kaffetur 25 / Coffee Tour #25: Phoenix Roasters // Coffee That Matters

Some claim that after extended time together, a dog and its owner begin to resemble each other. I have to admit, I've seen photos, and the phenomenon does seem to exist!

But perhaps the same is true in the professional world. I wonder if maybe an entrepreneur or businessperson becomes more like his or her products the longer the two are together.

Case in point: meet Brian Holland, founder, president, and CEO at Phoenix Roasters. It could be merely coincidence. But just a few minutes with Brian, and you'll quickly see the similarities between the man and the coffee his company produces.

Highly caffeinated at all times, or merely abounding with endless energy, Brian rarely sits still. And even when his body slows for a moment, he's at warp-speed in conversation.

But when you spend a few minutes with Brian, you also quickly discover he is a man who is passionate. Passionate about helping those who are struggling or hurting. And passionate about coffee.

And what do you get when you put those passions together? Coffee that matters. It's the theme of Phoenix Roasters, and the heart of what they do.

Phoenix Roasters is a coffee roasting company operating out of Duluth, Georgia, and distributing coffee throughout the United States.

Phoenix's goal is to use the proceeds of their sales to support their community-related operations:

• Phoenix Roasters operates in connection with Phoenix Community of Atlanta, which includes Sunday morning gatherings and weekday community groups taking place in various suburbs of metro Atlanta. These faith-based groups are designed as a place for encouragement, redemption, and transformation - particularly for people who are struggling or hurting.
• Phoenix spends time in Central America, building relationships with and training coffee growers in several countries. Through their programs, they are teaching methods for growing and cultivating high-quality coffee beans. And by paying a better-than-fair wage, the growers can also better provide for the needs of their families.
• Phoenix partners with such groups as the Atlanta Mission and in local prison ministries.
• The Phoenix team can be found throughout the US serving up #CoffeeThatMatters at national conferences like Catalyst and If: Gathering.

During our recent time in Georgia, our family stopped by Phoenix's roasting facilities a couple of times. Their warehouse space is where all of their roasting, packing, and distribution happens, and also the home to one of their Sunday morning groups.

While there, we indulged in Phoenix's new nitro coffee.

Liquid energy. It's the best way to describe this coffee concoction. A cold-brewed coffee infused with nitrogen and dispensed from a keg, it offers intense flavor and a lightning-fast caffeine jolt.

And now that I'm back in Norway, I think I'm experiencing Phoenix Nitro withdrawal!

What a great concept: Coffee That Matters. As they state on their website, Phoenix is all about "life transformation through the sale of excellent coffee." It's all part of Phoenix's Cycle of Relief program. And it all points back to the legendary bird for whom the company is named, beautiful imagery that speaks to Brian's passion for reaching out to those who are broken up and burned up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Learn more...
What is #CoffeeThatMatters: http://phoenixroasters.coffee/about/
Order coffee from Phoenix: http://phoenixroasters.coffee/shop-great-coffee/
Phoenix Community Groups: http://phoenixatl.org/about/
Contact Brian Holland: holland@phoenixatl.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaffetur 24 / Coffee Tour #24: Artisan, London

Artisan. An apt name for a shop serving specialty coffee, if you ask me.

On a recent trip to London, we stopped in Ealing for breakfast, and decided to pop in Artisan for a coffee before we set out to explore the city with Zack's brother and sister-in-law.

Zack had actually been here before, on a business trip. He'd raved about their smoked salmon sandwich, and spoke highly of their coffee as well.

Walking in, I thought the shop was cute. Fun lighting, lots of seating, great signage, and a nice overall setup. Artisan in Ealing is a perfect blend of rustic, charming, and cozy. But honestly, the charm factor was so high, I found myself feeling less than confident about the coffee itself.

Not to worry! Zack and I decided on a cortado and a V60. Our 13 year old, as he usually does, chose a cold brew. And imagine the delight of our 10 year old when the barista delivered a Babycino to the table for him.

Seriously. Other cafes should take note. Artisan offers a free Babycino for their 'junior' customers. It's a very simple concept: steamed milk, topped with whipped cream, chocolate, and a marshmallow. Simple, and yet, it was totally appreciated by me, and devoured by my little man!

Babycino - yeah, the little man was thrilled!

Our coffee was excellent. Every drink ordered was carefully prepared, and was really delicious. Way better than I expected. Their coffee is just as excellent as their shop is cool.

The Ealing location is also home to Artisan's Coffee School. Wish I could have taken part in one of those!

When in London, I encourage you to take a little side trip to Ealing. The neighborhood itself is full of cool shops and lots of charm. It's got such a great feel, without all the touristy hoopla.

And Artisan is just icing on the cake - or should I say, crema on the espresso.

Artisan Coffee

http://www.artisancoffee.co.uk

(They have four locations... we visited them in Ealing)

32 New Broadway

Ealing, London W5 2XA

Kaffetur 23 / Coffee Tour #23: Attendant Coffee, London

We found the location and walked down the steps, to the underground cafe.

I feel quite confident that this is the strangest location we've visited for coffee. You would be hard-pressed to find a weirder one. If you do, please tell me.

Yes, an underground cafe. But that isn't what makes it so odd. In fact, this coffee shop had a prior life. As a urinal.

Urinals. Yep.

No joke. This location was once a men's public toilet - a Victorian toilet - but has been converted to a charming (albeit wacky) coffee shop.

It takes serious effort to suppress the urge to use some major potty humor here...

We arrived at Attendant, and my initial fear was that a place such as this would be so focused on its kitchy-ness, it would not be quite as concerned with quality coffee.

But once we received our drinks, my fears subsided. Attendant has excellent coffee. I enjoyed a cortado, while Zack had a fresh-brewed coffee via AeroPress.

Both were delicious, and I can say that Attendant in the Fitzrovia district of London is well worth a visit. And the only time one will feel comfortable cozying up right next to someone in a urinal, I'm sure!

The Attendant

27A Foley Street

London

W1W 6DY

Telephone: 0207 637 37 94

https://www.facebook.com/Attendantespresso

info@the-attendant.com

Kaffetur 21 / Coffee Tour #21: Coffe Baum, Leipzig

Sometimes you visit a place because of good reviews.

And sometimes it's because of a special story.

We read that the oldest coffee house in Europe was in Leipzig, Germany. (I also read that it's only the second oldest. Either way, it's old!)

So when Zack found out he'd have a few hours in between train trips with a friend earlier this year, he decided to check it out.

Coffe Baum began serving in 1694. Yeah, it's been around awhile.

The shop, as it exists today, includes coffee, food, and a museum.

Zack had coffee and a slice of cake. He said he really enjoyed the cake. He and his friend also took a quick walk around the museum, before making their way back to the train station.

Coffee Baum offers something special. Experience. While it probably won't be the best cup of coffee you've ever had, there is something to be said for the historical experience of it all.

Coffe Baum

Kleine Fleischergasse 4

04109 Leipzig

Germany

www.coffe-baum.de

Kaffetur 18 / Coffee Tour #18: Stockfleths, Oslo

With 10 locations scattered all over the city, Stockfleths is a bit of an Oslo institution. While my niece was here in June, we stopped by their largest location on Prinsensgate for a morning coffee.

Once we managed our way around the construction outside, we walked into a clean and well-lit cafe. Not especially unique in its design, but appealing and comfortable all the same.

Stockfleths has been around since 1895. They are easy to find throughout the city. With a nice selection of coffee, as well as tea, pastries and sandwiches, it it a good choice for breakfast, lunch, or a coffee break. 

We were on our way to the airport and a bit short on time, so we opted for their daily coffee. It was a nice medium roast with a good, smooth flavor, although I felt it was served too hot. That's the drawback of getting the daily coffee, I guess!

The Prinsensgate location is two stories, and the downstairs also has a room for holding coffee classes.

www.stockfleths.as

Kaffetur 17 / Coffee Tour #17: Fábrica Coffee Roasters

It's always nice when we can work a quick vacation around a business trip - and particularly when it's to a place we've never visited before. Our recent trip to Portugal started with a couple of days in Lisbon, visiting friends and checking out a really cool city.

And of course checking out a really cool coffee shop!

Fábrica Coffee Roasters is a newbie. Our barista told us they opened about two months ago.

But with high quality locally roasted coffee, a menu that includes great drinks and a nice selection of food, and an atmosphere that makes you want to sit and relax, we feel it's safe to say Fábrica has the potential to become a favorite for locals and tourists alike.

The boys had an ice coffee. It was as delicious as it was cute.

Zack and I tried an affogato (espresso shot and ice cream - wow!!) and a V60, as well as an espresso.

From the staff, to the drinks, to the presentation: everything was fantastic. Located just a block behind Hard Rock, the location is close to all the action, yet one street makes a big difference in setting up a quieter and less touristy locale.

Most of Lisbon's cafes seemed quite similar to each other. But Fábrica has created a place and space all its own. It's a must if you find yourself in Lisbon.

Check out Fábrica Coffee Roasters on Facebook here. 

Portugal, R. das Portas de Santo Antão 136

1150-265 Lisboa, Portugal

And be sure to check out our Tastemade video for this cafe:

Fàbrica Coffee Roasters