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The Buzz: What's current on the coffee scene
Friday, July 03, 2009
By China Millman, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

• Voluto Coffee is introducing Happy Hour on Wednesdays, 4-6 p.m., buy one get one free.

A menu of single-origin coffees available at local cafes:

• 21st Street Coffee and Tea: beans from Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea. In the Strip District location, single-origin coffees include new crop Guatemala, La Maravilla from the Itzamna Project; Costa Rica, Flecha Roja; El Salvador, Los Inmortales; and Honduras, La Tortuga.

• 21st Street's Frick Building location: Coffee of the week is new crop Costa Rica, Flecha Roja; Guatemala, Itzamna pressed to order. 21streetcoffee.com; 412-281-0809 (Strip District); 412-281-2480 (Downtown).

• Aldo Coffee Company, Mt. Lebanon: beans from Intelligentsia. This week's single-origins include Honduras La Tortuga (direct trade), Costa Rica Flecha Roja, El Salvador Los Inmortales and Guatemala Itznama; guest espresso is Streetlevel from Verve Coffee of Santa Cruz, Calif.; aldocoffee.com; 412-563-1220.

• Beaver Falls Coffee & Tea Company, Beaver Falls (Roaster): serving Guatemala Huehuetenango Finca Vista Hermosa, Timor Maubesse and Kenya AA Eeagads estate coffee. beaverfallscoffeeandtea.com; 724-843-4221.

• Big Dog Coffee, South Side: beans from Intelligentsia Roasters; serving Bolivia Anjilanaka El Diablo (organic). Brazil Agua Preta and Finca Santuario from Micay, Colombia, for retail sale only. bigdogcoffee.net; 412-586-7306.

• Blue Horse Coffee, Mt. Lebanon: beans from Counter Culture Coffee. Featured single-origin espresso, Gerbicho Rogicha, is a natural-processed bean from the Sidamo region of Ethiopia. Single-origin coffees include Burundi Bwayi, Ethiopia Shakisso, Kenya Ndaroini, Rwanda Nyakizu, Bolivia French roast, Colombia La Golondrina, Peru Valle de Santuario, Sumatra Dolok Sanggul, Papua New Guinea Kuta, Decaf Mexico, Decaf Peru. bluehorsecoffee.com; 412-341-6114.

• La Prima Espresso, Strip District (Roaster): Origin coffees available for retail sale include Brazilian Daterra, Colombian Supremo Andeano, Colombian Mi Futuro (relationship), Costa Rica Harvest Reserve, Kenya French Mission Bourbon, Guatemala Finca Vista Hermosa (relationship) and Tanzania Peaberry; fair trade/organic beans include Ethiopia Sidamo, Ethiopia Yirgacheffe Oromia, East Timor, Sumatra Mandheling and Mexico Chiapas. laprima.com; 412-281-1922.

• Tazza D'Oro, Highland Park: beans from Verve Coffee. Origin coffees available include Costa Rica Tarrazu San Martin, micromill, wet process; El Salvador San Eduardo, wet process; Nicaragua Aldea Global Fair Trade and Organic, wet process; Panama Elida Estate, Alto Quiel, Boquete, Dry processed, Catuai Varietal; Guatemala Rio Azul, wet processed, Bourbon, Caturra, San Ramon Varietal; Ethiopia Koratie, wet processed, Shortberry Ethiopia Cultivars Varietal; Ethiopia Adado, dry processed, Longberry and Shortberry Ethiopian cultivars; Burundi Kinyovu Lot #5, wet processed, Bourbon; Kenya French Mission, wet processed, bourbon; Yemen Mattari, dry process. Single-origin espresso, Ethiopia Worka Worka, Ethiopia post-roast blend of a dry processed Worka and wet processed Worka; Introducing the new Tazza D'Oro espresso blend "Bicycle Love"; tazzadoro.net; 412-362-3676.

• Voluto Coffee, Garfield: beans from 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters. Featured single-origin coffees include Organic Ethiopia Sidamo Adame Bedane, Longitude 123W, Ethiopia Yergacheffe Wondo Worka, Kenya Ruera Estate AA, Organic Ethiopia Yergacheffe Koke Co-Op Grade1, Organic Ethiopia Yergacheffe Beloya Micro-lot #3 and Columbia Timana Micro-Lot; volutocoffee.com; 412-661-3000.

Cuppings and classes

• Beaver Falls Coffee & Tea Company: Free cuppings are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m.

• Blue Horse: Free cuppings are now held Thursdays at 11 a.m. Participants assess three coffees. No reservations or experience with coffee tasting necessary.

• La Prima offers a roaster tour and coffee class from 10 a.m.-noon on the first Saturday of each month. Learn about coffee types and espresso basics, and see a roast first-hand. $10; includes sampling, half-pound bag of coffee and biscotti. Space limited; 412-565-7070.

• Fresh Cup Cafe in Saxonburg is holding coffee classes the second Monday of each month. Learn about regional coffees, roastings and tastings. $8 for coffee, sweet and chocolate; 724-352-8181 or e-mail kacyhometeas@yahoo.com.

For the most up-to-date information on available beans and special events, contact cafes directly.

China Millman can be reached at 412-263-1198 or cmillman@post-gazette.com. Follow China on Twitter at http://twitter.com/chinamillman. Follow First Bites (openings) and find maps to farmers' markets and outdoor dining venues at post-gazette.com/food.
First published on July 3, 2009 at 10:54 am