medegraa Senior Member Joined: 9 Jan 2003 Posts: 114 Location: Galesburg, MI Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: ECM Giotto Grinder: Mazzer Mini & Solis Maesto Drip: Melitta Fast Brew Roaster: I-Roast
Posted Sat Jul 5, 2003, 9:03pm Subject: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
Hey fellow geeks!
I started thinking about the fact that I don't know of any fellow coffeegeeks out there in Michigan. So, here is a call for any and all coffeegeeks in Michigan to say "hey, I'm here". I live just outside Kalamazoo. Are there geeks in the area that may want to get together and talk coffee?
wrxevovi Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 40 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Rancilio Silvia Grinder: Mazzer Mini, KA Proline Drip: French Press, Melitta... Roaster: Z&D
Posted Sat Aug 21, 2004, 8:23pm Subject: Re: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
Hey Mike,
I know this post was like almost a year ago, but I was actually thinking the same thing today when I decided to do a search. I'm actually in Ann Arbor, which isn't exactly right outside Kalamazoo, but at least it's not like San Diego or Miami. I'm not sure if I'm really qualified to call myself a coffee geek yet, I am still a newbie.
Posted Sun Aug 22, 2004, 3:49am Subject: Re: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
Joe,
I believe you might be one of the most fortuneately placed "geeks" in Michigan. I am in Mt. Pleasant and while there are at least a half dozen commercial espresso machines that I have tried in this town, only one has produced (to my really uneducated taste) a decent shot; that place is a little drive up booth in a parking lot called "Mudhen Espresso". They have an Astoria (?) in there. The chain bagel place down the road has a super automatic and assorted other places have Rancillo's that just have pods tossed into what appear to be unmodified double baskets. There is a really nice store that stocks higher end items that has a gleaming Giotto Premium that no one knows how to use in there. I asked for a double espresso and the woman (a nice person) put two pods in a double basket and drew a 6 ounce shot of hot brown water. I will see if I can get behind the counter there and play with it...
Anyway, I am loving my Nemox here in the middle of the mitten!
Posted Sun Aug 22, 2004, 7:35am Subject: Re: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
bigmug Said:
Joe,
I believe you might be one of the most fortuneately placed "geeks" in Michigan. I am in Mt. Pleasant and while there are at least a half dozen commercial espresso machines that I have tried in this town, only one has produced (to my really uneducated taste) a decent shot;...
But Steve... Mt. Pleasant may not have much in the way of good espresso, but you do have The Embers... One of the best pork chops I've ever eaten... I have their recipe and make it at home every couple of month!
Posted Sun Aug 22, 2004, 9:10am Subject: Re: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
Yes, the Embers pork chop is really something. We also have the Water Lilly at the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort. It is a good restaurant and if you don't use local standards it is pretty reasonable for that kind of place. Prior to the WL, the Embers was the classy place in town. In the last few years there have been several nice places to go where dining is a pleasant experience--no pun intended.
wrxevovi Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 40 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Rancilio Silvia Grinder: Mazzer Mini, KA Proline Drip: French Press, Melitta... Roaster: Z&D
Posted Mon Aug 23, 2004, 12:37am Subject: Re: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
I'm actually not sure Ann Arbor is a very good place for commercial coffee. Like just today I tried out a place called Portofino that just opened up. I tried it because they interviewed the owner in one of to local newspapers. He basically described it as Starbucks but better. So this was basically my exchange with the guy at the counter.
Me: Can I have a medium espresso? Oh do you mind warming up the cup first?
Guy at the counter (GATC): Sure. Uhh.... how do you want me to do it? You mean like with hot water?
Me: Sure that'd be fine.
GATC: (To "Barista") Medium espresso. Warm up the cup first.
"Barista": Warm up the cup?
GATC: yeah, just swirl around some hot water. I've never had anyone ask this before, but that's what he wants.
"Barista": (Grabs paper cup and fills it with hot water first.) Hmm... was that for here?
Me: yeah...
"Barista": (Grabs ceramic cup.)
Well, basically the shot ended up being both bitter and sour at the same time. To their credit, they grinded the beans right before making the shot.
I'm just wondering, if you had to go to a commercial coffee shop in Michigan where would you go?
Posted Mon Aug 23, 2004, 9:14am Subject: Re: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
I have been told that Zingerman's (that is misspelled, but close) produces acceptable espresso. Another Michigander coffeegeek, Stevan, told me that (he orders a "short double"). I believe Zingermans has two locations in Ann Arbor. I noticed a place on Pontiac on the way to the university hospital that sold coffee and someone in there said that they did there own roasting. This was 2 years ago and at the time I had no idea I would get into coffee this way so I did not bother committing the place to paper or my unreliable memory!
Posted Sun Oct 17, 2004, 8:57pm Subject: Re: Geeks of Michigan Unite!
I live in a little town called Sunfield, where you don't want to mention espresso, unless you want to get a blank look and hear it reffered to as "expresso".
The coffee that I have had lately that is good is at the Java Hut in Lansing, on Oakwood right in front of the Fisher Body General Motors plant. I always order a double short latte and it is pretty good.
I would like to have some sort of Michigan get together. It would be great if someone (prefferably a coffee house owner or roaster) tapped into the growing coffee movement.
I work nights (5:30pm-0430am) so I am only available in the mid afternoon, unless we tried something on a weekend.
I am very dissapointed in most of the local coffee shop owners, they see themselves as simple business people instead of educators in the art of Coffee.
Lets keep this thread open until we can set a time and place to get together.
Symbols: = New Posts since your last visit = No New Posts since last visit = Newest post
Forum Rules: No profanity, illegal acts or personal attacks will be tolerated in these discussion boards. No commercial posting of any nature will be tolerated; only private sales by private individuals, in the "Buy and Sell" forum. No cross posting allowed - do not post your topic to more than one forum, nor repost a topic to the same forum. Who Can Read The Forum? Anyone can read posts in these discussion boards. Who Can Post New Topics? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post new topics. Who Can Post Replies? Any registered CoffeeGeek member can post replies. Can Photos be posted? Anyone can post photos in their new topics or replies. Who can change or delete posts? Any CoffeeGeek member can edit their own posts. Only moderators can delete posts. Probationary Period: If you are a new signup for CoffeeGeek, you cannot promote, endorse, criticise or otherwise post an unsolicited endorsement for any company, product or service in your first five postings.
= No New Posts since last visit 