My Summer Vacation: A Coffee Journal by Michael Sheridan

Some people go to a lake in the Northwoods; others pack up the minivan and head to a Disney resort; others yet gaze upon Mount Rushmore, Niagra Falls or the Rocky Mountains. For his summer vacation, regular Daily Coffee News contributor and CRS Coffeelands blog author Michael Sheridan drinks coffee.

Of course, Sheridan can’t be everywhere, but here’s how he spent his summer 2014 in coffee:

I am back in the office today after a long summer holiday in the United States. The best thing about my annual visit to the States–after spending quality time with my family and friends, of course–is the coffee.

This summer the coffee was especially good. With this variation on the “what-I-did-this-summer” back-to-school essay, I want to thank the farmers, buyers, roasters and baristas who grew, sourced, roasted and served these extraordinary coffees and made this my best coffee summer yet:

The Coffees

Ceremony

Muungano DRC — My first taste of the DRC, and now I know what the fuss is all about. Wow. Can’t wait to try more coffees from the origin that seems to have left so many specialty roasters breathless.

Counter Culture

Ethiopia Idido Special Prep Lot 1–In the running for the best coffee of the summer.
Honduras El Puente
Ngurunguru Kenya

Stumptown

Ethiopia Duromina (hot and cold-brewed)
Guatemala El Injerto Bourbon
Honduras El Puente
Indonesia Biea Penantan

Olympia Coffee Roasting

Aricha Misty Valley Ethiopia
El Salvador La Escalera

Coava

Kilenso Ethiopia Natural
Kochere Ethiopia microlot–Wow again.

Mudhouse

Oaklands Estate Kenya

The Coffee Bars

Artifact (Baltimore)

Photo by Marks, Thomas Architects

Set in a rehabbed mill in a seedy section of Baltimore, Artifact features stunning architecture, a great menu, single-origin Counter Culture offerings at the pour-over bar, and the coolest sink in coffee.

Coava Coffee

The Coava Brew Bar

Portland (Brew Bar)–Artifact may have a great sink, but it can’t top the bathroom at Coava, whose neighbors at Bamboo Revolution did virtually every surface is bamboo. Oh, right, and the coffee is amazing. If there is a more unique café space than the Coava Brew Bar, I haven’t seen it.

Maglianero (Burlington, VT)

Maglianero in Burlington. Facebook photo.

Started by the owners of a design firm and it shows: antique bikes and not much else hanging from the walls in this spare gallery space.

Mudhouse (Charlottesville, VA)

Mudhouse Coffee

Olympia Coffee Roasting Company (Olympia, WA)

Olympia Coffee Roasting. Capitol Blvd. location.

Johnny’s (Baltimore)

Inside Johnny’s Restaurant in Baltimore’s Roland Park.

Cindy Wolf may be Baltimore’s most celebrated chef, but marble coffee bar hidden away in her upscale diner Johnny’s is one of the city’s better-kept secrets.

Peregrine Espresso (Washington, DC)

Peregrine Espresso on E. 7th St. Creative Commons photo by Timothy Vollmer

Street 14 Coffee (Astoria, OR)

Michael Sheridan photo

My first visit to Street 14 Coffee, which was on my radar ever since Sprudge urged its readers to buy the place. ¡Fantástico!

Stumptown (Ace Hotel, Portland; Pine Street, Seattle)

Stumptown Pine St. Seattle

Thanks for the great coffee!