The Best Coffee

And how it hits just right

You’ve probably had the debate with friends “what’s the best beer?” and “what’s the best nap?” And the answers are undebatable in “airport beer on the way to a vacation” and “post-beach, post-shower, sunburnt nap.” But we never talk about the best coffees. So here I am, going to take the next few minutes of your time, talking about the best coffees.

The Cabin Morning

As an avid cold brew drinker, even I’ll admit nothing compares to this.

Brisk morning, sun rising, the sounds of leaves rustling, a bit of fog in the air. Wearing a hoodie, shorts, and a pair of slippers after a relaxing night of sleep. Stepping out onto the porch with a hot cup of black coffee in a cheap white ceramic mug. Sipping. Soaking in the relaxation. Maybe sitting in a rocking chair. Becoming one with Mother Nature. Taking your deepest breath of the day.

That cup of coffee is special. There’s really nothing like it.

Diner Coffee

Yes, it’s probably the worst coffee grounds you can buy. The water might not be purified. The mug has lipstick stains on it from last night.

But when you go to a New Jersey diner and the energy is palpable, the company is comforting, and you feel all warm and fuzzy? That’s the cup I crave.

That cup is home.

The Post-Feast Espresso Shot

We’re talking five-course meal at a nice restaurant. And a HEAVY five-course meal. Your belt is already unbuckled. You’re one bite of veal chop parm away from a button popping off of your shirt.

And the waiter hits you with “would anyone like any coffee?”

That shot of espresso. Paired with a New York Cheesecake. And a few more belly laughs.

That’s the one.

The Beach Drive

Everyone knows the drive to the beach for a weekend is one of the best feelings in the world, in itself.

Your work is done for the week. Windows are down. Thunder Road is blasting. Ocean smells coming into the car and worries leaving through that same window.

And you have the back-half of an iced coffee still to drink? I wish I could bottle that drink and sell it.  

The Elusive Espresso Martini

No, I’m not talking about the one you have way too late at night because of peer pressure. That one sucks.

But when you’re out for a night. And you’re slipping into exhaustion. Maybe you’re at a club? Or a wedding that you don’t wanna be at? Maybe you’re in Vegas? You have a decision to make. Either go home or stay out. If an espresso martini finds its way into your hands, gives you the juice you need, and it becomes an unforgettable night? That’s the one I’m talking about.

You’ll wake up with a brutal hangover and a ton of sleep debt, but you’ll think to yourself, that espresso martini was the hero of the night.

The Post-Elusive Espresso Martini

We’ve all been there. You’re out of town. You wake up exhausted. Back hurting from sleeping on an unfamiliar bed. Eyes bloodshot. Voice gone. Headache pounding behind your temples. Acid reflux entering your esophagus.

Miraculously, one member of the squad feels perfectly fine. They’re up early, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. That chipper legend runs out and grabs a tray of cold brews from the nearest coffee shop. I don’t care if it’s Dunkin’ or Starbucks. It’s here, it’s cold, and it’s gonna save my life.

If I had the power to award a Presidential Medal of Freedom, it would be to that person of every friend group.

The Slow Saturday Morning

Nothing on the agenda. No where to be. No one to see.

Just you and a cup of coffee. Maybe a book. Or a comfort show re-run on TV.

It feels right.

The Unexpected Café

When I travel, it’s always a crapshoot on how the coffee is going to be. Sure, I put in a ton of research on which places I want to patronize, but oftentimes, they’re quite disappointing. But when you stumble upon a special one, it really feels like you’ve found an oasis in the desert.

My wife and I drove across the country, from Venice Beach to Jersey City. We drank a LOT of bad coffee during that trip. But we made a stop in Omaha for one night. We discovered Archetype Coffee in Little Bohemia. We still talk about it to this day. One of the highlights of the entire road trip. Amazing coffee, pastries, sandwiches, vibes, everything. We didn’t expect much from our Omaha coffee shop, but finding the diamond in the rough feels (and tastes) incredible.

A few others to mention are The Roasted Record Coffee and Vinyl in Stuart, FL, Wooden Robot Brewery in Charlotte, NC, and Magpie Diner in Harrisonburg, VA.

The Seasonal Switch-Over

You’re trapped inside all winter. The frozen walls are closing in on you. The hot coffees of months past are doing their best to thaw your frozen heart. But there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s late March and that first 65 degree day pops up on the 10-day forecast on your weather app.

You go for a morning walk that day and decide it’s time to transition. To transition from hot to iced coffee. 

That first iced coffee of the season truly hits different.

The Regional Coffee

Drinking a coffee like the locals do makes everything tingle the right way.

A beautiful shot of espresso while standing at a café countertop in Italy. A café de Olla straight from the clay pot in Mexico. A Kyoto Cold Brew from Japan.

You know what they say? When in Rome.

Someone Else’s Coffee

Are you ever sitting on a friend’s couch and your friend says the magic words, “can I make you a coffee?”

They make you a coffee from start to finish. You don’t have to move a muscle. All you have to do is sit and enjoy.

Bonus points for high-effort cups like pour-overs and espresso shots.

There’s love in that cup. There are positive frequencies in that cup. That cup moves the needle.

Mine. All Mine.

This one is hyper-specific to just me because no one else has it.

If I spend a few days away from my apartment (and my cold brew), I’ll certainly survive. That’s no question. But I’ll be barely hanging on.

I’ll grab my familiar glass cup. Go to my familiar freezer and grab a few familiar ice cubes. Throw a light splash of A2/A2 Whole Milk from Alexandre Family Farm. And pull the tap handle on the kegerator in the corner of the apartment. Throw a glass straw in and stir.

That first sip of High Frequency Coffee. It feels like I’m entering nirvana. The flavors, the body, the feeling it gives me. UUUGGGGHHHHH.

It’s special. I wish that feeling upon all of you readers.