Java Mountain Roasters, Idaho Springs
A latte is milk only – with no foam on purpose, but a cappuccino has foam. A machiatto is a cappuccino with half the foam. I truly did not know the difference.
The bustling little town of Idaho Springs is the proud home of one singular independent coffee shop. In the heart of the historic mining business district sits Java Mountain Roasters (JMR). On this particularly sunny afternoon, the cool interior soothed my hurried pace, and filled the fresh mountain air with the aroma of freshly roasted coffee beans. Coffee sacks from around the world were hung along a high ceiling infused with the cool brilliance of natural sunlight. There was a natural calm in the little shop that was exactly what I needed.
The barista recommended the mocha latte as their most popular drink. As I waited, I told her of my purpose, and asked what information she could add to my collection. She explained that most espressos are made from a single roast. Their espresso is unique, in that it is a blend of three dark beans and one acidic bean. Despite popular belief, the lighter a coffee is in color, the more caffeine it has.
She told me that her favorite coffee is the Sumatran: “they should make a perfume out of it. You should be able to smell what you would like before it is even brewed.” To demonstrate, I was allowed to go into the back of the shops. JMR gets organic coffee beans from all over the world through fair-trade, and roasts them on site.
Buckets of coffee beans were stacked around a small roasting machine. She opened a couple of them to smell and see the difference in appearance. She said that people who really like coffee like the dark and light coffees together.
Next she told me how a few popular drinks differ from one another. A latte is milk only – with no foam on purpose, but a cappuccino has foam. A machiatto is a cappuccino with half the foam. I truly did not know the difference.
She could have just been making things up, and I still wouldn’t know it. All I know is what I like – which isn’t much – and what I don’t. She finally asked me why I don’t like coffee. When I explained that I can’t stand the taste, she said, “your opinion probably won’t change. You will never like coffee.” I was crushed. Do I have that little power over my own destiny that I cannot even train myself to enjoy something I previously loathed? Perhaps not. Perhaps this is a battle I cannot win.
This thought plagued me until I took the first sip of my mocha latte. I might have been tired, or maybe I simply craved chocolate, but it was delicious. I actually enjoyed it! Had the sun scorched my taste buds? Even in my elation, I realized that it was not the coffee itself that I was enjoying. It was sweet, warm, comforting, and chocolaty.
Moments earlier I had been discouraged, and now a swirl of thoughts and emotions bombarded my mind. Had I been defeated? Was I learning to love coffee so quickly? What would become of me? What would become of my blog? Who would want to read about me loving coffee, when they expected rapier wit against it? But, I was really enjoying the chocolate… what if I never liked any coffee except that which was combined with chocolate? Would I never be a true coffee snob? Oh the ignominy! Breathing deeply, I concentrated on the underlying coffee flavor, and found that I liked the unique espresso blend. There was a full flavor, but it was smooth. This coffee was not evil – it wanted to be my friend. I can’t say that I blame it. I am a very friendly type! Haha.
Secondly, I tried a light Brazilian brew. I was told it was not a blend, unlike most Brazilian coffees. It smelled very acidic, not unlike the acid in some fruits or vegetables. I know it sounds odd, but it reminded me of tomatoes or Italian food.
There must be a similar acid underlying the coffee itself. The first sip was almost milky to the taste, not creamy, but mellow or basic. I didn’t find it to be pleasant at all - more like coffee-infused dishwater. Luckily, the aftertaste did not linger. I wondered if the short flavor duration is a quality of most lighter roasts. So far, I’ve found that to be the case. I wanted very much to enjoy the second drink as much as the first. Nonetheless, my coffee-hating reputation and sense of taste were properly restored.
Postscript. Java Mountain Roasters closed in 2011.
ORIGINAL COMMENTS
Nathan, May 21, 2011 at 12:20 PM
Great post!
