One of my rewards in the middle of the day is a Starbucks drive-thru for a grande, nonfat, nowhip mocha (NFNWM). I’ll even meet friends, or make my first Match.com rendezvous at a Starbucks. While I still love her, I’m a bit bored with the green mermaid, and it’s time to discover new coffee houses, (with new music and unique décor) and new neighborhoods around Denver.
There is a Caffeine Crawl coming up this Saturday, October 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It’s sort of like a pub crawl, but it’s all about the bean. You won’t get drunk, but you might have a caffeine buzz by the end of the tour.
According to the Caffeine Crawl web site:
“The Denver Crawl will visit 6 shops on a chartered bus. Each ticket provides attendees with a guided tour of the shops, a Denver Caffeine Crawl souvenirs, bottled water, a free approved sample drink from each of the participating shops, discounted products from the shops and a raffle ticket to win one of the following prizes:
– An exclusive one-night bed and breakfast package for a king executive suite at The Burnsley All-Suite Hotel, in the heart of downtown Denver.
– A Toddy Cold Brew System. Featured in most beverage publications, and also leading sources such as the Washington Post and New York Times, this brewing unit is key to producing great cups of coffee.
* Drawing for prizes will take place at the After Crawl party.
The event will kick off with ticket holders meeting at Allegro Coffee’s roasting facility in Thornton. All attendees will be able to tour the roasting facility and learn about the roasting and cupping process. From there 3 to 4 buses will take attendees on a guided tour of 5 other coffee shops. See list below for the shops and their topic of presentation. After visiting all 6 shops on the tour, you will arrive back to the Allegro parking lot around 3:30p.
A portion of the proceeds from Denver’s Caffeine Crawl is being donated to the HALO Foundation. Please take the time to visit their site and learn more about why we selected this important cause.”
PARTICIPATING LOCATIONS (Not in order of visit)
Allegro Coffee (Roasting Facility) – Roasting and cupping process
Crema Coffee House – Espresso machine (Pull vs standard)
Fluid Coffee Bar – Espresso (Single-origin and blends)
Metropolis Coffee – Traditional espresso drinks
Rooster and Moon Coffee Pub – Homemade syrups
The Market – Home brewing and pairing with desserts
Details :
– Tickets will be mailed to the address you provided. Tickets are non-refundable. Do not lose them.
– Children are invited and there will be caffeine-free options. Children must have tickets also.
A Virtual Tour
If you can’t make the crawl, visit the participants’ web sites. Allegro Coffee has a few videos that take you to the heart of Ethiopa where their beans are harvested. Want to know how to make that decorative tree with your espresso foam? Crema Coffee House has a video that shows you how. Metropolis Coffee provides brewing tips, such as bashing the mistaken belief that storing coffee in the freezer is a good idea.
Talk to Me
Where is your favorite coffee house? Who’s got the best pour? If you have photos of the most beautifully-poured espresso, send them to patricia@dev-303magazine.pantheonsite.io.
Patricia Bainter is a blogger and writer for 303magazine. She trained at Le Cordon Bleu London and shares her culinary musings and recipes at her own website ThePatricianPalette.com. Photos taken by Mark Woolcott Photography.
Good for you! I’ve got nothing against Starbucks–think it’s a great company, actually–but love the local shops that Denver has to offer. My favorites are Crema, KJ’s, Fluid, and Pablo’s for sure. But I might have to check this caffeine crawl out and discover some new faves!
Thanks Sarah for these new names! (I will always love Starbucks… just want to add some variety to my coffee addiction.)