When Nick and Andy came to town, we attempted to hit all of the coffee-selling establishments and rate their brewed coffee, atmosphere and espresso shots. The results were so disappointing that I won’t bother to post them.
So where can you go to get good coffee around here?
One option: Marquette, MI.
Analog.
Analog is the word that I would use to describe Dead River Coffee.
From the could-be-in-an-antique store scales to the faded rugs and the friendly roaster who still prefers to roast according to flame heights, this place is a definite anachronism. I had two cups of coffee from East Asia while I was there: a Monsooned Malbar and a Sumatra Manhelding, both brewed through an “Aero Press.” They were both incredible.
Is it wrong to want to move to a city just because you found an amazing coffee shop? It is? What if they get their green from one of the better importers out there? What if it’s obvious that they don’t take seriously anything that isn’t coffee or people?
There was a “National Audubon Society Field Guide to Insects and Spiders” sitting on the adjacent table. I imagine it was there because somebody else was reading it. And I think that’s pretty rare. Ella’s infamous butchery of “Mack the Knife” was playing out of an old stereo in the corner.
But the part of this store that I love most of all is this: there’s not really any walls. Espressoland, the People’s Republic of Roaster and Cash Register Heights are all free for you just to wander into, no passport required. I had to leave before I went AWOL just over a cup of bean soup.
I met a couple of college kids, Mia and Matt, who seem to spend their days thinking, which is something of a rarity these days. It was good being around nerds who know that “nerd” isn’t derisive.
So. Here’s the numbers:
Coords: N 46 32.4442′ W 087 23.6354′
Coffee: A solid 9. Small-batch roasted on-site, not afraid to hold a roast back to “cinnamon” if it gets you the best cup.
Espresso: 6. I really wanted to like it, but if you’ve ever chewed on a coffee bean, the gross tannic taste that makes the experience un-delicious was in my doppio.
Atmosphere: Just the shop: 9. Include the town: 11. Seriously, this place felt like Boulder or something. Bikers everywhere, legit multi-use paths (not just paint-designated shoulders), farmers’ markets and cute shops. And a massive lake.
Images:
Oh, and I also got a kayak. Details in the alt-text.
