Coffee for the execution – [I]t can increase quality and performance if the task you are doing seems easy and doesn’t require too much abstract thinking.

Captured from an article called: Coffee vs. beer: which drink makes you more creative?

For this week I’ll be drinking coffee from the following four roasters:

• Coava Coffee: Ethiopia Kochere
• Bowtruss Coffee: Ethiopia Natural Sidamo
• Verve: Colombia San Jose
• Cartel Coffee Lab: Colombia Santa Ines

These are the roasters presented in the MistoBox from May, 2013. Check out the video I made while opening the package.

Update: Watch the MistoBox appearance on Shark Tank.

Perry Czopp reminds us about the upcoming #throwdownphoenix on June 7th at Phoenix Ale Brewery.

Just a reminder about the latte art competition coming up in just 3 weeks! Not only will the beer be flowing right from the brewery itself; social station will be setting up a photo booth for our guests, arbitrary arts will be hosting an art show on the walls, live music will be in the background, a fourth bar will be brewing drinks for our sponsors, and food trucks will be slinging coffee inspired dishes in the parking lot. The throwdown event has truly transformed into a cultural melting pot. We have an official title sponsorship by Village Coffee Roasters. Very excited to be using their espresso!

You had me at coffee, but then you threw in the food trucks slinging coffee inspired dishes?

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Higher Grounds Roastery and Cafe
2556 S. Val Vista Drive
Ste 101
Gilbert, AZ 85295
Phone: (480) 821-7020
Twitter: @hgroastery

Czopp will share his coffee knowledge on the roasting process and the importance it has in the cup you make at home or buy at the café. Guests will get to sample different roasts to learn about tastes and flavors, and participate in roasting experiments. All the while noshing on bites from the award-winning restaurant, Crêpe Bar.

And here’s another video from Tested.

He describes it like this:

I will be offering a two hour course at Crepe-Bar starting at 8:30am next weekend. The focus and hands on portion will be on alternative brew methods like chemex, v60, and aeropress. I will touch on everything from how to choose coffee to brew all the way to the 2,000 hours of work it takes from seedling to cup. Lots of question and answer so I see it being conversational as well as fun. Of course lots to drink, win, and eat! Pre-register at thecoffeechop.com for $45 or pay $52 at the door.

Episode description: Brewing coffee is a never-ending science project, according to barista Sam Penix, owner of Everyman Espresso in New York City. Grind-size, brew method, coffee beans (which are really seeds), water temperature can all affect the flavors that end up in your cup. Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking, explains some of the chemistry of coffee.

Songbird Coffee
214 East Roosevelt Street
Phoenix, AZ 85004
Twitter: @songbirdcoffee
Facebook: facebook.com/SongbirdCoffeeHouse

On Thursday I was downtown and needed a cup of coffee and a place to get online to do some work. So, I drove over to Citizen Espresso Bar on Central Ave. and also met up with a friend.

I’ve been on a kick to get cappuccinos recently (more like for the last few years!) and so I ordered this one. I’ll hand it to Citizen, they are consistent. I prefer a wet cappuccino with some “latte art” however this was still rather good.

Citizen Espresso has a great vibe and lots of people (a lot of regulars).

Hey everybody! It’s basically summer since the first day of spring means temps closer to 90 here in Arizona. And that means iced toddy! What’s your favorite place to get an iced toddy in Phoenix? Today, I’ve been drinking this one from Luci’s Healthy Marketplace.

You’ll be able to watch the competitions event via this Livestream page.

If you aren’t familiar with Desert Rain Coffee, they are a coffee shop operating out of Oro Valley Hospital. They roast all of their own coffee and have been in business for almost 7 years. You can read some more about them, here.

Desert Rain Coffee
1551 E Tangerine Rd
Oro Valley, AZ 85755
Phone: (520) 901-3500

But for now, want to point you to Macy’s European Coffeehouse. Macy’s was founded in 1980, it is the oldest coffee house in the state, and a popular coffee house in Flagstaff. Macy’s was named after the founder, Tim Macy.

On a recent trip with family up north, we stopped in at Macy’s to get some coffee. I could have sworn I saw George Takei standing at the entrance, but none of my family members saw the resemblance.

Macy’s was recently named in a Zagat article from February 2013 as ” an unexpectedly unique, local experience.” The article, titled The United States of Caffeine: 50 States, 50 Must-Try Coffee Shops, gathered both praise and criticism from Arizona readers.

One cool aspect to that Zagat article is the comments. One in particular from an Anonymous reader said: “I guess the list might be great for those looking for a great coffee shop experience, but I think that having a great coffee shop experience does not always equate to the absolute best coffee experience.”

Another reader wrote: “Macy’s really? That would be one of my last choices and even then I might skip it.”

Besides the massive coffee menu, you can also order from a vast selection of sandwiches, smoothies, and salads. The options are almost endless.

Above: A photo from I presume the 1980s when Macy’s opened. I’m not sure why it is called a “European Coffeehouse,” but the interior is cool and Macy’s wins points for the oldest coffee shop, and small town charm. There’s plenty of seating, free WiFi, and patio seating that’s comfortable. Parking was easy on the street around the corner.

A bag of Sumatra Madheling roasted by Macy’s.

An iced mocha.

My cappuccino from Macy’s – lots of foam, not the greatest.

The coffee roaster on premises. According to Macy’s, they employ a “coffee scout” that finds and sources coffee beans. Their web site says they “pay better than fair-trade prices, directly to the farmer.”

Macy’s has been voted “Best of Flag” by AZ Daily Sun readers in 2010 and 2011.

Macy’s European Coffeehouse
14 Beaver St.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Phone: (928) 774-2243
Twitter: @macyscoffee

In their announcement about the toddy tap, they revealed that it is the first of its kind in Arizona. Cool idea, and excellent implementation!

Today I had a cappuccino and an iced toddy.

You’ve already seen the previously posted video of the Latte Throw Down held at Crepe Bar a few weeks ago.

A new Dutch Bros. location has opened at Paradise Valley Mall, across from JC Penny, and near Costco, Target, and REI. Paradise Valley Mall is such a great location, and a virtual desert for coffee places.

By my count, this is the 12th Dutch Bros. Coffee location in Arizona.

It’s just interesting to contrast to the menu design at other coffee shops… granted, Jolta Java has a much larger food menu than most, but is this just creating a paradox of choice?

Perry noted: “What they don’t cover is the impact of coffee rust, or roya, on Central America which is currently happening in countries like Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. Production in this region is said to decrease by four million bags of green coffee.”

Citizen Espresso Bar
4700 N Central Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Phone: (602) 265-5652

Here is the description: “MistoBox is looking for an individual to fill the role of Operations & Customer Service Coordinator. You will be responsible for supporting the general operations of MistoBox and all customer service to ensure strong continuity between strategy and execution. This position will be one of constant motion – supporting MistoBox in its endeavor to creating the world’s best coffee experience.” You can read the rest of the job opening at LinkedIn.

Location: Crepe Bar
7520 S. Rural
Tempe, AZ 85283

Starts at 8 pm.

I must say, they’re doing a great job promoting this event. There’s a video, and a contest on Instagram. Oh, and while I am mentioning it you can follow Arizona Coffee on Instagram here.

Speaking of Instagram, are you on it? If so, share your handle in the comments and I’ll follow you back! The organizer of this event, Perry Czopp, is prolific on Instagram. Most of his photos relate to coffee, so check out his page.

January 25th at 8 pm. Open to the public. Free to compete. 1 hour practice round for baristas at 7pm. Complimentary education, coffee, and food. More details in my previous post.

About the video, Perry says: “We briefly discuss latte art competitions, a coffee that we like, and how we prefer to brew it.”

The video includes commentary by: Perry Czopp (The Coffee Chop), Seth Mills (Cartel Coffee Lab), Shelby Moore (Crêpe Bar), and Bill Kennedy.

There is a hashtag for the event: #throwdownphoenix and you might spot one of these flyers at your favorite coffee shop.

Ran across this interesting chart today. This person has logged the date, time, and location for all of their 2012 coffee purchases. Pretty cool visual. Scroll to the bottom.